22 10 2007 Tirana _ Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has appealed to Kosovo’s political leaders to avoid taking unilateral steps over their homeland’s future status.
Berisha was reacting to recent remarks by several Kosovo Albanian politicians, including Prime Minister Agim Ceku, that the UN-administered territory might declare its independence, if the current stage of negotiations, due to end in December, fails to produce that outcome.
“The Albanian government calls upon the Kosovo authorities not to take unilateral steps, but to coordinate the option that is left, because that option, for the moment, seems to be the recognition of independence”, Berisha said while addressing the Atlantic Council for Albania on Sunday, on the eve of a fresh round of talks on Kosovo in Vienna.
“Such an option should be coordinated with the US and other governments in the Contact Group”, Berisha said, referring to the six-nation group that brings together Russia, which given its backing to Serbia, and five western powers.
The Albanian Prime Minister added that the Contact Group countries have a clear concept for peace and stability in Kosovo and the wider region and have played a defining role in the Balkans’ exit from the spiral of war.
Berisha restated Albania’s support for the plan for Kosovo’s supervised independence that the UN’s special envoy, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, presented earlier this year, describing it as a just proposal, not only for peace in Kosovo but also for the region.
“The project of President Ahtisaari recognized the desire of the majority for independence, as the only option that would provide stability”, said Berisha.
Kosovo Albanians and Serbia have been involved in a new phase of negotiations, supervised by a “Troika” of mediators from the Contact Group, in attempt to find a compromise solution over the status of the province.
This latest phase is expected to end by December 10, when the Troika are set to report to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. (BIRN)
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