“Kosovo independent in summer 2007”

“Kosovo independent in summer 2007”

The same sources said the period of fresh consultations will start on February 5, and will end with a joint meeting on March 2 in Vienna, attended by the Contact Group representatives.

Koha Ditore reports that Belgrade and Priština will be asked to attend the general discussion on the future Kosovo status in Vienna on February 13, and to consider the first two annexes of the draft proposal on the same day.  

The discussion on the annexes will, according to this source, last until February 23. The negotiating teams would then be given a week to consider “other compromises”, while the team chiefs would present their positions to the Contact Group and Martti Ahtisaari on March 2.

The UN special Kosovo envoy would then submit the final draft to the UN Security Council.

“A new resolution on Kosovo will be adopted at the UN SC during April, during the UK presidency. What follows is the interim phase of 120 days during which UNMIK will continue to administer Kosovo. After that, Kosovo will declare independence”, Koha Ditore quotes anonymous western diplomats.

The paper adds there is another scenario, “in case Belgrade fails to cooperate during the consultations period”.

“Western diplomats say that lack of cooperation on Belgrade’s part would be seen as rejection, which would undermine Russia’s role as Serbia’s protector”, the Priština daily reports.