Kosovo: Serbs demand withdrawal of EU mission, return of Serb forces

last update: October 19, 17:40

 

Zubin Potok, 19 Oct. (AKI) - Four Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of European Union mission (Eulex) from the newly proclaimed state and return of a contingent of Serb army and police as provided by the United Nations Security Council resolution 1244.

The councilmen of four municipalities at a joint meeting in northern town of Zubin Potok unanimously voted to demand from Belgrade to deploy one thousand policemen and soldiers in the north, as provided by the UN resolution and to renounce hospitality to Eulex which they accused of siding with majority Albanians.

Kosovo Serbs, who make majority population in the north, oppose Kosovo independence declared by Albanians in 2008 and have set up barricades in protest against placing of Kosovo police and customs at two border crossings with Serbia, Brnjak and Jarinje.

Nato forces stationed in Kosovo (KFOR) gave local Serbs ultimatum to remove barricades by Tuesday, but the councilmen ruled the barricades would remain until Kosovo police and customs withdrew.

They voted, however, to allow KFOR convoys free passage to supply its troops in the north. Kfor has been hesitant to use force lately, after a Kosovo policeman was killed in clashes in July and several people were wounded last month.

Serb leaders held a meeting with Kfor representatives Wednesday afternoon, but no agreement was reached. It was not immediately clear what action Kfor may take. It had earlier warned it reserves the right to remove barricades by force.

According to Belgrade media, Serbian president Boris Tadic has assured Kosovo Serbs that Belgrade would not desert them, but at the same time demanded that Kfor should be granted free passage.

Tadic himself said it would be "irresponsible" to discuss publicly what his message contained. He has set as his primary goal Serbia's membership in the EU and is keen at non offending the EU whose 22 out of 27 members have recognized Kosovo.

The resolution 1244 still treats Kosovo as being officially a part of Serbia and provides of 1,000 Serb policemen and soldiers to return there. But no government since democratic changes in October 2000 has dared to ask for implementation of that clause.

Wednesday demand by Kosovo Serbs was the most daring request in that respect and puts Tadic on the spot. Belgrade fears such actions may hurt Serbia's hopes to get a status of an official candidate for EU membership in December.

 

http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/Security/Kosovo-Serbs-demand-withdrawal-of-EU-mission-return-of-Serb-forces_312556554100.html

Serbia Parliament: U.S. ambassador blocked by Radikali

Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 10:05 AM http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=10&dd=19&nav_id=550782  Radicals blocked the U.S. ambassador Source: Beta    19 Oct. 2011 Belgrade - SRS MPs have caused the incident in the Serbian Parliament blocking the entrance to the U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick and members of the Group of Friendship with the United States.   Radicals protest the arrival of U.S. Ambassador to the Parliament of Serbia (Beta) The Assembly was to be a meeting of the Parliamentary Group of Friendship with the United States and U.S. Ambassador Mary Warlick on the occasion of 130 years of cooperation with the United States. Beta The Ambassador has arrived in the Assembly and entered the hall with several members of the Friendship Group. Part of the group members failed to enter the hall, as the radicals blocked the entrance. They wanted the banners to enter the hall, but the security prevented. Radicals after fifteen to twenty minutes removed the front door and hall. As they stand they pointed out the slogan "Children will not forgive you", "Stop killing Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija "," Bloody Mary "(Bloody Mary). "NATO = crime," "murderers, stop killing Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", "20 years of U.S. crimes against the Serbs", "Blade Mary" ... Beta SRS MP Boris Aleksic was after the incident, criticized the government for receiving Ambassador Warlick in the Serbian parliament at the time when, as he said, NATO is preparing to attack Serbian barricades in Kosovo and Metohija. He said that is why the Radical members gathered outside the hall where " authority having relations with the United States. " Aleksic said that his colleagues wanted to send a clear message that "the United States conducted 20 years of crimes against the Serbian people and that we are now ready to once and for all finish with the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija." "We were not allowed to enter the meeting. What hide from deputies? they do not hide from deputies from the citizens, "said Aleksic. "They came from the U.S. Embassy to tell them how to behave when U.S. tanks move barricades on Serbian Kosovo. We will not allow them to," said Aleksic. SRS front of the MPs sang the national anthem of Serbia and the song "St. Vitus", "Sprem'te is, Sprem'te" and songs about the SRS leader Vojislav Seselj, on trial in The Hague.