PRISTINA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- New Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic started talks with the chief of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) on Wednesday on the most important issues of the Serb community in the northern part of Kosovo.
Bogdanovic, who made his first official visit to Pristina, and the UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier discussed some imminent challenges for Serbs with regard to justice system and police service.
Bogdanovic requested the Serb members of the Kosovo police force to be placed under UNMIK's command if they decide to return to the service and to be part of the police chain of command that is in force in northern Kosovo.
More than 300 Serb policemen abandoned the Kosovo Police Service after Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in February.
"We insist that not only international representatives are judges and prosecutors in Kosovo's justice but to include Serb judges in this, mainly due to dislike the Serb community has for EULEX (the EU mission)," Bogdanovic said.
The discussion on possible return of Serbs to the police service and functioning of courts in northern Kosovo will continue next week between UNMIK authorities and Serb representatives of judiciary and police.
"We agreed to continue this dialogue through local Serb representatives, because they better know which are the problems and the way to resolve them," said Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic described his meeting with Zannier as constructive, announcing that he would not make a single move on his own but that delegations that will continue the talks will try to find a compromising solution.
Earlier on Wednesday, Zannier met with Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.
Thaci believed that the UNMIK head can discuss only technical issues with Belgrade.
"They cannot discuss anything that refers to Kosovo's independence and sovereignty, but only practical issues. Other issues were ended on February 17," Thaci said after a meeting with Zannier.
The UNMIK head said he did not see himself in the role of a negotiator between Belgrade and Pristina.
"I will see which are the ideas and suggestions of Belgrade representatives, and then I will inform authorities in Pristina," said Zannier. |