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Plan for Kosovo
Ljubljana, 10/20/2005 | press release
The President of the Republic Dr. Janez Drnovšek sent a letter today to the presidents of member states of the Contact Group for Kosovo (France, Italy, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and United States of America) and UN General Secretary Kofi Annan and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barossa. In the letter, he acquainted them with his initiative in connection with negotiations on the status of Kosovo. The plan mentions the following starting points:
1. The international community must ensure the safety of members of the Serbian minority in Kosovo.
2. The most sacred Serbian cultural, historical and religious monuments in Kosovo should be assigned extraterritorial status and must be protected by international forces.
3. Serbian municipalities in Kosovo should be given local self-government, on the basis of which they can decide themselves on local issues.
4. The Serbian minority in Kosovo should be guaranteed permanent representation in the Kosovo parliament.
5. Serbians in Kosovo should have a permanent representative in the Kosovo government, who looks after their interests.
6. In 18 months, the international community would transfer all its responsibilities and powers related to the governance of Kosovo to the Kosovo authorities. During this time, elections to the parliament, government and to the office of president would be held.
7. Kosovo would gain the status of an international legal entity, probably within the next five years, providing the international community establishes that fundamental democratic standards and peaceful cohabitation among members of the various national groups has been ensured.
8. The international forces would remain in Kosovo until that time, although it might be possible to reduce their size.
9. The European Union, in cooperation with international financial institutions, should prepare a programme for the economic development of Kosovo, as well as adequate financial instruments for its stimulation. On such a basis, Kosovo should be capable of economic survival and independence in five years.
Slovenia is willing to host an initial informal meeting of the highest political representatives of Serbia and Kosovo, at which we would try to establish an atmosphere of mutual trust and constructive communication in order to reach agreement.
President Dr. Drnovšek will tomorrow send his advisor, Ivo Vajgl, as special emissary to Belgrade, where he will acquaint the political leadership of Serbia and Montenegro with details of the plan and initiative of the Republic of Slovenia for the organisation of negotiations on the status of Kosovo. Ivo Vajgl will also visit Priština tomorrow, where he will discuss the programme with the leading politicians there.
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Office of the President of the Republic
Erjavčeva 17
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
phone: +386 1 478 12 22
fax: +386 1 478 13 57
gp.uprs@up-rs.si
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