Ruecker: Kosovo slides to extremism

The longer the status talks take, the more Kosovo slides into the hands of extremists from both sides, Joachim Ruecker says. The head of the UN administration in the province, UNMIK, was speaking in Belgrade Friday, in a round table organized by the Heinrich Bell Foundation. Ruecker: Kosovo slides to extremism One of the Kosovo Serb leaders, Oliver Ivanovic, and Serbian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights chairwoman Sonja Biserko also took part. Ruecker said that he supported the work of the Contact Group Troika, while "the people of Kosovo, and the international community", believe that the Kosovo status decision should not be postponed after December 10. The German diplomat said that KFOR and UNMIK "had the situation in Kosovo under control", advising against "overestimating" the importance of illegal groups. "People live relatively well together, and they work together, in places like Novo Brdo, Kamenica, and even Strpce. You see a lot of coexistence. You see the beginnings of a joint life and work. And of course we try to protect and develop that," Ruecker said. Biserko told a news conference that she believed the authorities in Belgrade refused to recognize "that Kosovo is clearly not a part of Serbia for a number of years", and accused them "of holding Serbs there hostage". "Belgrade is once again choosing human catastrophe that can come the moment Kosovo's independence is declared. I think that the government in Belgrade will be the sole responsible party for such a scenario. At the same time it has nothing to offer to those people," Biserko said, speaking of Serbs in Kosovo. Ivanovic said that Kosovo was at this moment calm, but tense. He was once again sharply critical of the government for calling for a boycott of the recent provincial elections. Ivanovic says it is in the Serbs "best interest to cooperate with Albanians". "The international community is present now, but in time, next year, there will be fewer soldiers, in 5 years' time the numbers will be halved, and much less civilian staff." "Does anyone think contact will be made with Albanians once the status is solved? That will be very difficult. And that is what the existence of the Serbs there practically hinges on," Invanovic said. He believes it is "almost certain" Kosovo will declare independence, but that such a development would entail "many consequences". Such a move, Invanovic says, would lead to political instability in Serbia, cause instant complications in Bosnia, and lead to a new wave of refugees, "to Serbia, but also to the EU". Biserko, Ruecker, Ivanovic (Beta)

Ruecker: Kosovo slides to extremism

One of the Kosovo Serb leaders, Oliver Ivanović, and Serbian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights chairwoman Sonja Biserko also took part.

Ruecker said that he supported the work of the Contact Group Troika, while "the people of Kosovo, and the international community", believe that the Kosovo status decision should not be postponed after December 10.

The German diplomat said that KFOR and UNMIK "had the situation in Kosovo under control", advising against "overestimating" the importance of illegal groups.

"People live relatively well together, and they work together, in places like Novo Brdo, Kamenica, and even Štrpce. You see a lot of coexistence. You see the beginnings of a joint life and work. And of course we try to protect and develop that," Ruecker said.

Biserko told a news conference that she believed the authorities in Belgrade refused to recognize "that Kosovo is clearly not a part of Serbia for a number of years", and accused them "of holding Serbs there hostage".

"Belgrade is once again choosing human catastrophe that can come the moment Kosovo's independence is declared. I think that the government in Belgrade will be the sole responsible party for such a scenario. At the same time it has nothing to offer to those people," Biserko said, speaking of Serbs in Kosovo.

Ivanović said that Kosovo was at this moment calm, but tense. He was once again sharply critical of the government for calling for a boycott of the recent provincial elections. Ivanović says it is in the Serbs "best interest to cooperate with Albanians".

"The international community is present now, but in time, next year, there will be fewer soldiers, in 5 years' time the numbers will be halved, and much less civilian staff."

"Does anyone think contact will be made with Albanians once the status is solved? That will be very difficult. And that is what the existence of the Serbs there practically hinges on," Invanović said.

He believes it is "almost certain" Kosovo will declare independence, but that such a development would entail "many consequences".

Such a move, Invanović says, would lead to political instability in Serbia, cause instant complications in Bosnia, and lead to a new wave of refugees, "to Serbia, but also to the EU".