www.beta.co.yu > > Beta News Agency, Belgrade > April 16, 2004 > > EU: Serbs must stay in Kosovo and perpetrators of violence must be > punished > > TULLAMORE, IRELAND - European Union foreign affairs ministers who met in > Tullamore, Ireland on April 16 sent a message that instigators of > violence and extremist groups in Kosovo must not be allowed to change > the ethnic composition in the province and "further reduce the presence > of Serbs in Kosovo". > > The EU ministers requested that "decentralization" be used to strengthen > local self-government and protection for Kosovo Serbs, as well as that > UNMIK be reorganized because its present composition "does not > correspond to the needs of the present situation". > > The European foreign ministers emphasized that primarily KFOR and UNMIK > police must provide for the reinforcement of the safety for the minority > population. > > They added that "constructive dialogue" must be ensured with the Serbian > government on the basis of Belgrade's justified concerns and that > dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should resume. > > The ministers also consider it necessary to encourage and strengthen > "moderate" Albanian leaders, while "a much tougher position" must be > taken toward the instigators or perpetrators of violence and those who > prevent the implementation of the policy of "standards before status". > > Additionally, the ministers requested that, as was previously the case > in Macedonia, a visa ban be introduced for the European Union for > representatives of "irresponsible media". > > "The destroyed houses and religious objects must also be quickly and > visibly restored with the goal of timely return by the displaced > population" while "the perpetrators of violence must be brought to > justice", it is said in a "non-paper", an unofficial document of the > Irish EU presidency which was deliberated, supported and amended through > discussion by the ministers of foreign affairs of the 15 members of the > European Union. > > "KFOR and UNMIK have already arrested many people," the "non-paper" > adds, emphasizing that "the true legal prosecution of those responsible > (for the violence) is of critical importance for the restoration of > trust of the citizens, as well as a guarantee that the events from > mid-March will never happen again". > > This was confirmed to reporters by European high representative Javier > Solana, who emphasized that "what it is very clear that we must do first > is to protect the minorities and that this is seriously carried out by > both KFOR and UNMIK. There has already been good progress toward that > goal... some perpetrators of March events have already been arrested. > Some houses have been restored. Now standards must be implemented." > > Solana added that "decentralization is key, meaning protection, security > for minorities and the possibility of continuing to build a multiethnic > Kosovo". > > The European ministers underscored that March events have reduced the > convincingness of the policy of "standards before status" and emphasized > that a new political initiative is necessary to breathe new strength > into the policy of "standards before status". Toward that goal, say the > European ministers, the Kosovo Serbs must be returned to the political > process, and that means their participation in task groups for the > implementation of standards and return to the institutions of > provisional government. > > The foreign ministers emphasized that new dialogue is necessary > regarding their concern for safety, minority rights and "true local > government" in order to convince the Kosovo Serbs to again engage in the > political process. > > The "non-paper" underscores the necessity of "strengthening moderate > Kosovo Albanians in provisional institutions of self-government, along > with the strengthening of the role and powers of the premier and the > transfer of competencies, including the reexamination of the > constitutional framework of Kosovo. > > "The stability of Kosovo to a great extent depends on the position of > the Serbian government," concluded the EU foreign ministers and pointed > out that "UNMIK and the international community should induce Belgrade > to constructive dialogue on the basis of justified concerns (of the > Serbian government) and to discourage (the Serbian authorities) from > steps that could further deepen the crisis in Kosovo". > > "Direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade needs to resume, in > expanded form if possible, as soon as possible." The European foreign > ministers are of the opinion that the present composition of UNMIK does > not correspond to present needs and that UNMIK must be reorganized and > the presence of the European Union in Kosovo reinforced.