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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Proposed agreement between Serbia and UNMIK part of government’s action plan

Belgrade, 22 March 2008

Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic said today that the proposed agreement between Serbia and UNMIK concerns the entire province and is part of the government’s action plan which came into force following the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija.

Slobodan Samardzic

In an interview for today’s edition of the daily Politika, Samardzic said that essentially the proposed agreement on the joint implementation of Resolution 1244, which has been offered to UNMIK in the situation following the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija, is about creating an atmosphere for a functional separation of Serbs and Kosovo Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija.

We accept Resolution 1244 and the jurisdictions of the UNMIK police, judiciary and customs, but after the unilateral declaration of independence only Serbs, with the help of Serbia, can hold these jurisdictions, he explained and stressed that recommendations made in the agreement concern all Serbian municipalities and settlements in the province, not just the territory north from the Ibar River.

During the previous two weeks of communication with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, UNMIK Chief Joachim Rucker, Deputy Chief of UNMIK Larry Rossin and advisor to the EU High Representative Stefan Lehne it was indicated that we will ask for an agreement and reactions were positive, explained the Minister.

According to Samardzic, the proposed agreement was prepared in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija, and is part of the action plan which the government adopted at its session on January 14.

Samardzic said that in the case that Serbia does not take over institutions in Kosovo-Metohija, the Kosovo Albanians, with the silent consent of UNMIK, will take charge of them within two months, adding that it is clear that we will lose Kosovo if we are not there.

Responding to the question if the new agreement would be a violation of Resolution 1244, he reiterated that Serbia still respects the decision made by the Security Council, but this decision was undermined by the unilateral declaration of independence, that the Kosovo Albanians do not respect it and that the current situation challenges UNMIK to think creatively, and not to withdraw leaving unfinished business.

If they want peace and stability, they must reach a lasting agreement with the Serbs instead of using violence to control the situation every other day, said Samardzic.