Kosovo ‘Example of Preventative Diplomacy’

Pristina – The former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari sees Kosovo as an example of ‘preventative diplomacy’ and a warning to all dictators who mistreat their people.

“This is a message to tell the fate of all those dictators who discriminate against their own citizens,” he said in reference to the former Serbian strongman, Slobodan Milosevic.

Speaking to Swedish radio, the former Finish President also talked about other international crises, including the current situation in the Middle East.

“I feel ashamed that we couldn’t find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” said the former envoy for Kosovo’s status adding that “a lack of political will” is impeding a solution.

Martti Ahtisaari, is served as the United Nations envoy to mediate in talks between Serbian and Kosovo’s political leaders on a final status for Serbia’s former southern province which since 1999 had been administered by the UN.
 
This was after NATO bombed Serbia in 1999 to end what they saw as ethnic cleansing being committed by Milosevic’s troops in Kosovo against the ethnic Albanian majority there.
 
Ahtisaari proposed ‘supervised independence’ for Kosovo last year and on February 17, Pristina declared independence in a move condemned by Serbia.
 
The former Finnish President was this year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.