Zannier says co-operation on EULEX is in Serbia's interest

03/08/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier said on Friday (August 1st) that Serbia has to co-operate with the EU regarding the EULEX mission in Kosovo, as this is in its own interest. "Serbia wants to move closer to Europe and to this end it will have to enhance and expand dialogue with Brussels on all aspects," he pointed out in an interview with the BBC's Albanian service. As for the EU mission's establishment in northern Kosovo, EULEX will have to take care of that itself in talks with Belgrade and with northern Kosovo, Zannier said. "I can not impose EULEX on the Serbs, nor do I see it as my role," he added.

In other news, Kosovo authorities on Saturday opposed Zannier's proposal to create a special autonomy within the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) for its ethnic Serb officers. KPS spokesman Veton Elshani said any decision other than transition is unacceptable. The creation of parallel commands within the police force "would be a step back ... and would create serious operational problems," Elshani stressed. (Xinhua - 03/08/08; BBC, B92, Tanjug - 02/08/08)