UNMIK chief proposes Serb force within KPS

07/08/2008

UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier proposed establishing an ethnic Serb force within the Kosovo Police Service, which would have autonomy in the chain of command.

By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Pristina – 07/08/08

The Kosovo Police Service may get a Serbian contingent. [Getty Images]

An ethnic Serbian force within the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) would patrol the Serb majority areas and have autonomy in the chain of command, UNMIK head Lamberto Zannier said last week. The proposal is just one part of efforts to implement UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's planned reconfiguration of UNMIK.

Zannier's proposals envision the customs authority in northern Kosovo resembling the Hong Kong model, where one territory has two customs areas. The same arrangement is planned for the judiciary. Zannier said the Contact Group backs the idea.

Many of the Serb officers in the KPS quit after the former province of Serbia declared independence on February 17th. In an interview with the Kosovo daily Koha Ditore, Zannier said there is no clear way to make the officers return to work.

However, he said, the proposed Serb police force would have full operational autonomy and would exist as a unique part of the existing system in Kosovo.

Currently, the officers refuse to come under the Kosovo government's command and want to serve under UNMIK's authority if they decide to return.

Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuqi told Radio Blue Sky that the Kosovo Constitution and former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan do not foresee the existence of any structures that are not part of Kosovo's "unique system", including the police.

"We will integrate the minorities in Kosovo, but there will be no separate system in Kosovo," Kuqi said. He also underlined that UNMIK cannot discuss with Serbia the political and juridical position of Kosovo or its internal functions.

UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko said that Zannier proposed the solution during a meeting last week with Serb Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic. "The proposal will be discussed; it's only the beginning," Ivanko said. He confirmed that the issue requires discussion between the UNMIK police commissioner in Pristina and the Serb KPS officers.

Ivanko said talks between the two entities will continue. However, he said negotiations on technical and practical issues will go on between Pristina and Belgrade.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has said that Zannier can discuss only technical issues with Belgrade -- not issues pertaining to Kosovo's independence and sovereignty.

In an interview published on Wednesday (August 6th), Thaci said his government will not discuss several issues broached recently by Ban with Belgrade. The proposals Ban sent to Kosovo and Serbia in mid-June reiterated the UN's commitment to dialogue regarding police, the judiciary, administrative borders, Serbian heritage, traffic, infrastructure and customs. However, Thaci said Kosovo's constitution will be respected, not "ad hoc statements from whomever".