Pristina says UN report on Mitrovica tendentious

08/08/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Government leaders on Thursday (August 7th) described a UN report on the March 17th unrest in the northern town of Mitrovica as incorrect and tendentious. KFOR and UNMIK troops raided the court building there to arrest Serb judicial workers who were staging a protest inside. Clashes ensued, resulting in the death of a UNMIK police officer and injuring 150 other people. The UN Security Council discussed an internal report on the incident Wednesday. President Fatmir Sejdiu said he believes the March 17th events were organised by those seeking to destabilise Kosovo and said intervention by KFOR and UNMIK police was indispensable. Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci described the UN report as biased, as the intervention by security forces was triggered by the criminal activities of Serbs.

In other news Thursday, Sejdiu rejected the possibility of renewed talks with Serbia on Kosovo's political status. The status issue is closed and there is "absolutely no chance" of new talks, he stressed. Colombia and Belize became the latest countries to recognise Kosovo on Thursday. (Zeri, Express, Lajm, Kosova sot, Koha ditore, - 08/08/08; Telegrafi, Kohavision, RTK - 07/08/08)