Q:
A:
OSCE mission should stay in Kosovo-Metohija
Belgrade,
5 February 2008
Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic and Finnish Foreign Minister and Chairman of the OSCE Ilkka Kanerva agreed today that the OSCE mission should remain in Kosovo-Metohija.
Ilkka Kanerva, left, and Vuk Jeremic
Author:
Fonet
At a joint press conference following their meeting, Jeremic said that the Serbian government thinks the OSCE mission in Kosovo-Metohija should continue with its work and added that its results so far have been satisfactory.
The presence of the OSCE in the province is necessary and must be in accordance with international law, that is, in accordance with OSCE decisions which are made in a very clear and precise way by the OSCE Standing Council, said Jeremic.
Speaking about the creation of a multiethnic society in the province, the Minister said that it is still not attainable, adding that a lot can be done in this aspect.
At today’s meeting, we also discussed the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, primarily from the OSCE viewpoint, said Jeremic and recalled that the OSCE founding act, i.e. the Helsinki Final Act, guarantees the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states.
Kanerva said that their mission in Kosovo-Metohija is the only OSCE mission present in all aspects of the society, and added that the mission must be present there in order to monitor the respect of human rights in the province.
As for the discrepancy between the Helsinki Final Act, which envisages the respect of territorial integrity of states, and the intentions of some countries to acknowledge the unilateral independence of Kosovo-Metohija, Kanerva explained that the act comprises numerous principles.
The Helsinki Final Act is sacred to us. However, the question is how to implement it because it includes many principles, said the Finnish Foreign Minister and added that the principle of the inviolability of territorial integrity is only one of those, albeit a vital one.
In his capacity as OSCE Chairman, Kanerva congratulated Serbian citizens on the democratic election and the continuation of Serbia’s road to the EU.
At the presidential election Serbia decided to continue along the road towards the EU. I am aware that these are challenging days for Serbia, most of all because of the unresolved status of Kosovo-Metohija, said Kanerva.
Jeremic said he is pleased that Serbia has chosen the road towards Europe in a very clear way.
The presence of the OSCE in the province is necessary and must be in accordance with international law, that is, in accordance with OSCE decisions which are made in a very clear and precise way by the OSCE Standing Council, said Jeremic.
Speaking about the creation of a multiethnic society in the province, the Minister said that it is still not attainable, adding that a lot can be done in this aspect.
At today’s meeting, we also discussed the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, primarily from the OSCE viewpoint, said Jeremic and recalled that the OSCE founding act, i.e. the Helsinki Final Act, guarantees the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states.
Kanerva said that their mission in Kosovo-Metohija is the only OSCE mission present in all aspects of the society, and added that the mission must be present there in order to monitor the respect of human rights in the province.
As for the discrepancy between the Helsinki Final Act, which envisages the respect of territorial integrity of states, and the intentions of some countries to acknowledge the unilateral independence of Kosovo-Metohija, Kanerva explained that the act comprises numerous principles.
The Helsinki Final Act is sacred to us. However, the question is how to implement it because it includes many principles, said the Finnish Foreign Minister and added that the principle of the inviolability of territorial integrity is only one of those, albeit a vital one.
In his capacity as OSCE Chairman, Kanerva congratulated Serbian citizens on the democratic election and the continuation of Serbia’s road to the EU.
At the presidential election Serbia decided to continue along the road towards the EU. I am aware that these are challenging days for Serbia, most of all because of the unresolved status of Kosovo-Metohija, said Kanerva.
Jeremic said he is pleased that Serbia has chosen the road towards Europe in a very clear way.
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