Drnovsek Stands By His Kosovo Plan
President Janez Drnovsek has spoken out in support of his beleaguered plan for Kosovo status talks. The plan is "good, deliberated and to the benefit of both sides," he told the press on Monday.
Pushing the problem aside would not benefit anyone, whereas "forced solutions where Kosovo and Serbia are in the same state would not be productive," as it would lead to tensions, he stressed.
Drnovsek addressed the press after the Serbian side in particular reacted harshly to his statement that independence was the only realistic option for Kosovo, which is also one of the centrepieces of his nine-point Kosovo plan.
The president said he expected harsh reactions to his proposal, yet politicians reacted in a way that is not conductive of solutions.
Asked whether the plan would be changed after the visit of his foreign policy advisor Ivo Vajgl to Belgrade and Pristina on Friday, Drnovsek said that the plan remains, but tweaks are always possible.
Drnovsek met with ambassadors of EU member states and applicants to highlight the points in his plan that he deems crucial.
In particular, the plan says that the Serbian minority would be guaranteed a decent life and Serbian monuments granted ex-territorial status, and that Serbs would get permanent representation in parliament and government.
The plan also envisages Kosovo getting its international legal personality in five years, provided that the international community concludes that fundamental democratic standards are being respected. Until then, international forces would stay in the province.
"This would spell an end to the feet-dragging and allow things to move on," Drnovsek said, stressing that too much time has already been wasted over Kosovo.
Drnovsek said the difference between his plan and the proposal put forward by US Undersecretary of State George Burns is that the former includes the ex-territorial element and sets a time frame.
Kosovo status talks are expected to start soon, as the UN Security Council, which is in session today, is expected to give the green light for the start of negotiations.
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