UN envoy predicts Kosovo independence in 2006
ANDREW RETTMAN
14.06.2006 @ 12:49 CET
The outgoing UN special representative for Kosovo, Danish career diplomat Soren Jessen-Petersen, has predicted Kosovo will gain independence in 2006, angering Belgrade by prejudging ongoing status talks.
"It is obvious that Kosovo's dream - and we know that the dream is independence - will become a reality this year," he told Kosovo daily Koha Ditore on Tuesday (13 June), Greek news portal In.gr and Reuters report.
Mr Petersen has been running Kosovo since 2004 (Photo: UNMIK)
"Now is time for Serbia to start thinking of moving forward, starting social and economic reforms, so much needed for itself and the region," he added.
A Serbian foreign ministry statement immediately hit back saying "Mr Peterson's announcement indicates that the fate of Kosovo...has already been determined."
"[This is] something which goes against the official positions of the [UN] Contact Team and the prime UN negotiator, Marti Ahtissari."
Mr Petersen made the comments shortly after announcing he will resign his post at the end of June, claiming he wants to spend more time with his family.
But other UN agencies have in the past raised eyebrows over his closeness to ethnic Albanian leaders in Pristina, especially former Kosovo prime minister and war crimes indictee Ramush Haradinaj.
His Kosovo prediction comes just as the international community is moving into delicate UN-brokered talks on Kosovo's final status at the end of July.
It follows a similar statement from senior UK diplomat John Sawers in February, who said the west has "decided" Kosovo should be independent.
Enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn was more circumspect on the issue in March, saying only that Serbia must face "realism that there can be no return for Kosovo to Belgrade's rule."
The UN took over Kosovo in 1999 after clashes between Serb forces and ethnic Albanians, with Belgrade reluctant to let the province go and suggesting semi-autonomy with a moratorium on further status talks until 2026.
Serb pride
Serb national pride already took a hit on 21 May, when Montenegro chose to split from a state union with Serbia in a narrowly-fought referendum.
Some analysts are worried the trend could play into the hands of Serb radicals in Belgrade, with EU foreign ministers devoting a whole session to Serbia at Thursday's EU summit in Brussels.
Serb separatists in Bosnia as well as secessionist leaders in South Caucasus are increasingly using the international community's stance on Montenegro and Kosovo to justify their own goals.
The concept of Kosovo as "universal precedent" was given weight by Russian president Vladimir Putin in a January TV address, with Catalan separatist observers attending the Montenegro referendum in May.
"If people believe that Kosovo can be granted full independence, why then should we deny it to Abkhazia and South Ossetia?" he said.
"We know that Turkey, for instance, has recognised the republic of Northern Cyprus."