Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and the head of the United Nations mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Joachim Ruecker agreed in talks on Monday that it was necessary to keep the momentum in the talks on the status of Kosovo. The status of the province has to be determined at the beginning of next year, Ruecker told the press.
Slovenia supports solutions that are acceptable for the Kosovo Albanians and the Serbs, Rupel said. He said Kosovo officials had told him that the decentralisation of Kosovo involves significant autonomy for the Serbs and participation in decision-making.
Ruecker meanwhile thanked Rupel for Slovenia's efforts in Kosovo, saying that Slovenia had a unique role to play as regards the future of the province.
An indication of Slovenia's importance, Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku paid a visit last week and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic is expected to visit on Tuesday, Ruecker said.
Rupel noted that the work on Kosovo is up to the Kosovo contact group so there was no special room for Slovenia's cooperation. However, Slovenia is interested in speaking up about this issue in the EU and the international community.
Ruecker, who took over as the head of the UNMIK in September, also held talks with Slovenian Defence Minister Karl Erjavec.
He is reported as having told Erjavec that the resolution of the status of Kosovo was crucial for the stabilisation of the Balkans, so it should not be delayed.
Ruecker also said that the work of the UNMIK office will be expanded to include civilian experts, the ministry said in a press release.
Slovenia already has a presence in the NATO-led KFOR force in Kosovo, but it plans to raise the number of the troops it deploys there to some 530 in February.
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