EU's Feith says Kosovo basically stable since independence declaration

17/09/2008

STRASBOURG, France -- Kosovo remains relatively stable seven months after declaring independence, the EU's special representative to Kosovo, Pieter Feith, said on Tuesday (September 16th) in his first speech to the European Parliament's foreign policy committee. Feith gave high marks to the government's progress on legislation aimed at protecting minorities and religious and cultural heritage, as well as in the process of government decentralisation.

Meanwhile, Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said on Tuesday the presence of EULEX in Kosovo without the appropriate UN mandate is unacceptable. During a meeting with EU foreign policy and security adviser Stefan Lehne, Bogdanovic reiterated Serbia's opposition to the mission, claiming its presence in the former Serbian province should be part of a co-ordinated international presence. (Zeri, Lajm, Koha Ditore, Telegrafi, Beta, B92 - 17/09/08; Tanjug - 16/09/08)