Ahtisaari hopes UN will make decision on Kosovo soon

Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, the United Nations special envoy for the future of Kosovo, says that he hopes that the status of Kosovo will be resolved without further delay.
     Ahtisaari has proposed that Kosovo be granted independence from Serbia under the supervision of the international community - primarily the European Union and NATO.
     "I hope that the Security Council will make a decision of some kind during the spring", Ahtisaari said on Tuesday. He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Crisis Management Initiative organisation, which he has set up.
     However, Ahtisaari also hinted at the possibility that there might be a further delay in the Kosovo process.
     "If there is a delay, then we should at least know what comes later. If the decision is left vague, the situation in Kosovo will be difficult to control."
     Relations between Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority and its Serb minority have been seriously inflamed since the war which ended in 1999. The main aim of the Kosovo talks is to achieve a solution that would eliminate the danger of a new war in the Balkans and in Europe.
     
The obstacle to independence for Kosovo has not been so much the opposition of Serbia, as uncertainty of how Russia will act in the matter. Russia has criticised Ahtisaari's proposal, and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it has a veto on council resolutions.
     "There has been a message from Russia that they want more time. I believe that Russia will understand that more time will not bring anything new to the solution of the status [of Kosovo]."
     Ahtisaari emphasised that Russia has been intensely involved in the Kosovo process through the so-called contact group of six powers.
     
The most ardent supporter of independence for Kosovo has been the United States, which reiterated its backing for Ahtisaari's plan on Tuesday.
     Serbia, meanwhile, is in the midst of a political crisis, with parties still failing to agree on a coalition government after February's elections. Ahtisaari says that this has no bearing on the Kosovo process.
     "Serbia does have a caretaker government. It might also be politically easier if the issue were resolved now. In such a case, the new government could say that [Kosovo's independence] is not its fault.
     
Ahtisaari also described his negotiations on the Kosovo issue as very difficult.
     "It is much easier to negotiate with Africans and Asians than with Europeans", he quipped.
     "I have never seen as much hate as I did in the Balkans... And this is supposed to be Europe", said Ahtisaari, who has experience in mediation efforts in many international trouble spots.
     He would not admit to being tired of the process.
     "This is a short exercise. I worked for 13 years with Namibia", he recalled.
     Ahtisaari served as special representative of the UN in Namibia during its independence process.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  UN Security Council begins debate on Ahtisaari Kosovo plan (4.4.2007)
  US opposes replacing Ahtisaari as Kosovo mediator (20.3.2007)
  Russia wants new UN mediator to replace Martti Ahtisaari (19.3.2007)
  Ahtisaari proposes independence for Kosovo (27.3.2007)
  Serb newspapers lanch onslaught against Martti Ahtisaari (9.2.2007)
  Ahtisaari focus of anger in Kosovo; full independence demanded (25.1.2007)