Kofi Annan says President Ahtisaari likely to be UN Kosovo envoy

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United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday that former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari will most likely be his representative in talks on the final status of Kosovo.
      According to Annan, a decision on the matter will come this week.
      The UN Security Council decided on Monday that talks on the status of Kosovo can begin on the basis of what Annan has recommended.
      The Secretary-General says that the process will begin with the appointment of a mediator. No specific date was set for the start of talks.
     
The situation in Kosovo, which had long appeared to have been stagnant, shifted a little way forward last week, following the publication of a UN report on the region, drafted by a group led by Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide.
      The report notes that there is much room for improvement in the development of the province, but that negotiations on a final solution for Kosovo should nevertheless begin as soon as possible. Annan shared Eide's view, and on Monday the UN Security Council agreed with Annan.
      Finland was visibly and audibly present at UN Headquarters in New York in other ways as well, at an event marking the world organisation's celebrations of its 60th anniversary. Performing at the visitors' lobby on Monday morning was the YL Male Voice Choir - one of Finland's most famous choirs.
     
Kosovo remains formally a part of Serbia and Montenegro. Since the war of 1999 the province has been, for all practical purposes, a UN protectorate run by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Now the UNMIK administration is preparing to relinquish its authority.
      In its statement, the Security Council indicated that it is giving its full support to the political process, which will resolve the future status of Kosovo.
      The statement does not mention the word "independence", but it is clear that the discussions amount to negotiations on independence.
      There is a sharp ethnic split between the south of Kosovo, where the ethnic Albanians are in the majority, and the predominantly Serb north. South of the Ibar River, the Serbs live in their own isolated communities under the protection of KFOR peacekeeping forces.
      An administrative split along ethnic lines has nevertheless been ruled out of the equation.
      The likely result of the talks will be a kind of conditional independence, in which the power of the central administration is reduced.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  President Ahtisaari seen as possible head of Kosovo talks (11.10.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat