Kosovo's government says it needs more time to restore authority in north

04/09/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- The government on Wednesday (September 3rd) admitted its institutions need more time to restore authority over all of Kosovo, particularly in the Serb-dominated north. "It is our commitment and obligation to do that, but let us not create illusions among citizens that we can do this very quickly," Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci said.

He also downplayed Serbia's initiative to seek the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) opinion on Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in February. "This move is doomed to fail. Serbia tried to destroy Kosovo, but our country will develop independently of Serbia," Kuci said on Wednesday. Last month, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly, asking the ICJ's opinion on the legality of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence. (Koha ditore, Zeri, Lajm - 04/09/08; Lajm, Beta, Tanjug - 03/09/08)