OSCE Chairman-in-Office shocked by attack on Kosovo leader

GENEVA, 15 March 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, expressed his distress at hearing news of this morning's attack on the convoy of President Ibrahim Rugova in Pristina.

"While I was distressed to hear of this action I was also relieved to hear that President Rugova and his staff were unharmed. On behalf of the entire OSCE I fully condemn what appears to be a deliberate attack on the elected leader of Kosovo, at such a sensitive time in its development."

He said the Organization had the greatest respect for President Rugova, to whom he sent a message of concern at this outrage. "The success of our joint effort, with the people of Kosovo, to build sustainable institutions of democracy and civil society has been in part due to his personal involvement."

Furthermore, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office welcomed the peaceful manner in which the people of Kosovo have faced the recent events. "Any attempt to derail the democratic progress of the province must not be allowed to succeed. I urge the people of Kosovo to continue in the same responsible manner", he said.

Minister Rupel spoke on the telephone with Soren Jessen-Petersen, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, about the incident and the attempt to complete the provisional government of Kosovo after last week's resignation of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.

The Chairman-in-Office pledged the Organization's continued support for strengthening democracy and stability in Kosovo, where the OSCE is active as the institution-building pillar of the United Nations Interim Administration.