Elections top agenda of Chairman-in-Office visit to Kosovo

PRISTINA, 19 June 2001 (OSCE) - The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, has been holding a series of meetings in the Kosovo capital, Pristina.

Mr. Geoana met Albanian political leaders Ibrahim Rugova, Hashim Thaci and Ramush Haridinaj in Pristina, as well as Serbian leaders Dusan Ristic, Dragan Velic and Stojan Jovanovic in the Serbian enclave of Gracanica. His 21-hour visit also included meetings with the UN's Special Representative of the Secretary General Hans Haekkerup and with the Commander of KFOR Lt Gen Thorstein Skiaker.

Mr. Geoana focused on the forthcoming Kosovo-wide elections, scheduled for 17 November, and the impact that would have on the development of the region. He also raised the problems of organized crime, corruption and trafficking in human beings, and their impact.

Mr. Geoana underlined that progress in Kosovo is linked to regional developments but that Kosovo must engage. It has to prepare for the future, with economic and institutional sustainability. And he urged increased dialogue between the players in Kosovo, the authorities in Belgrade and others in the western Balkans.

"Elections will be important, but the way you operate after the elections is also very important," he told Kosovo leaders. Mr. Geoana urged Kosovo political leaders to work with the OSCE and others in the international community to make the elections inclusive, with conditions for all ethnic groups to participate. Describing them as a turning point, he said: "You need to send out a message that the elections are run properly. There has to be a sense of progress in Kosovo."

This progress has to reflect a multi-ethnic society. "We will never give up our policy of working towards a truly multi-ethnic, inclusive society," he added.

Mr. Geoana also focused his attention on organized crime and the trafficking of human beings, which he said was a growing concern. He said that it was "helpful" that these issues were being addressed although the problems are still a central impediment to the development of Kosovo as a democratic, civil society. Kosovo's political leaders will have to show they are prepared to fight organized crime and corruption.

It was the first visit to the OSCE Mission in Kosovo by Mr. Geoana. The Kosovo Mission, established two years ago, is the OSCE's largest field operation. Its mandate is one of institution-building, through departments of democratization, media, rule of law and human rights, police training and elections.

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