“Situation peaceful,” says Kosovo’s Hyseni

Kosovo’s foreign policy chief Skender Hyseni told the UN Security Council yesterday that the security situation in Kosovo was “stable and peaceful.”

He also accused Belgrade of obstructing the integration of Serbs.

“The problem is that Serbia is interfering with our efforts and Belgrade continues to support the parallel structures in the north. The Serbian government continues to discourage the integration of Serbs in northern Kosovo,” Hyseni said.

Hyseni, who participated in the session on the basis of the UN’s temporary Code of Procedure, stated that progress had been made since the last report of the Secretary General on Kosovo, and that the provincial government was decisively cracking down on crime and corruption.

He also commended cooperation with EULEX in combatting crime.

Hyseni said that the return of displaced persons was the most important priority for the provincial authorities and that the return process was continuing, adding that money was being invested to build homes for returnees, especially in Serb areas.

Speaking of the local elections scheduled for November 15, Hyseni said that he believed that various ethnic groups would participate and that the elections would be democratic and fair.

“I believe that the participation of Serbs is in their best interests and President Fatmir Sejdiu has called on them to take part in the elections. However, the Serbian government is doing the opposite and calling on them to boycott the elections,” he said.

Hyseni said that a demarcation of the administrative line with Macedonia had been agreed on and that an agreement would be signed soon.