UNMIK, EULEX to sign memorandum of understanding

18/08/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- UNMIK and the European civil mission in Kosovo, EULEX, will sign a memorandum of understanding Monday (August 18th) that regulates relations between the two organisations in justice, police and customs. UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko told B92 on Sunday that UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier and the head of the EU planning team in Kosovo, Roy Reeve, will initial it. Pristina media reports suggest the memorandum will also define the role of EULEX in Kosovo as UNMIK is reconfigured.

In other news, Russia will send a demarche or protest to the UN over the EU's decision to deploy its EULEX police mission in Kosovo, Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin said on Sunday in an interview with the Politika newspaper. Konuzin added that Serbia should likewise insist before international institutions that similar actions are illegal regardless of whether they come from the EU or from another country or organisation in the world. The EU plans to deploy more than 1,000 police officers and legal experts to train specialists in the future institutions in Kosovo. Konuzin says the plan violates international law, UN Security Council resolutions and the 1975 Helsinki Treaty. (Tanjug, RTS - 18/08/08; B92, Tanjug, Politika, Focus - 17/08/08)