UNMIK chief: Relations with Pristina improved but differences still exist

UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier said that relations between the UN mission and Pristina are improving.

(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, April 19, 2010

"Of course, differences still exist, for example, regarding the strategy related to northern Kosovo," Zannier told daily Politika.

"We already reacted and gave our fears related to that. We are concerned about the modality of the implementation of the strategy for northern Kosovo and we believe that it should unfold through talks with all interested parties and people who are a part of that strategy," Zannier said.

"On Monday, I was in the north, and I saw that people there feel the need for dialogue for solving personal problems. It is very important to encourage such dialogue and we are now working on creating these conditions, regardless of who is the mediator. It is important to search for a solution for concrete problems, not to face demonstrations..." he added.

Zannier said that his most important role was to activate dialogue that should be focused on practical problems.

He reminded that relations between UNMIK and the Pristina government went through a difficult phase last year, but that the relations have improved, since the Kosovo side understands now that it is in its best interest.

Asked if it is true that the six-point plan can not even be mentioned any more in Pristina, Zannier said that this is part of the UN Secretary General's report to the Security Council.

"In some fields there was progress, such as in the police. There are fields that have no plans in the six-points, such as return, and I would like to see some work done on that," Zannier said.