Events
OSCE High Commissioner to visit Serbia and Kosovo
When
10 September 2007 (All day) - 12 September 2007 (All day)
Where
Belgrade and Prishtine/Pristina
The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek, will discuss the situation of national minorities with authorities and ethnic communities in Serbia and Kosovo.
This will be the High Commissioner's first official country visit and he chose these two cities as a way of highlighting the fact that he intends to give high priority to South-Eastern Europe as a whole, but in particular in resolving key minority problems in Serbia and Kosovo. The main purpose of his visit will be to become better acquainted with the situation, while also delivering some important messages to his interlocutors, including providing offers of assistance, especially on minority-related legislation. Ambassador Vollebaek will broach the subject of the need for Serbia to build on its increasingly positive efforts of furthering minority rights protection and underline hia wish to remain engaged in the process of reconciliation between the communities in Kosovo initiated by his predecessor.
In Belgrade, the High Commissioner will discuss the situation in both southern Serbia and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, and express his desire to become more deeply engaged in those two regions. He will also discuss the difficult situation of Kosovo Serbs and the need for measures to be put in place to achieve significant repatriation. This will require constructive engagement on the part of the authorities both in Pristina and in Belgrade. In this context, Knut Vollebaek will encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in the 17 November Kosovo elections.
In Kosovo, the HCNM will express his concern about the high level of tension between the various ethnic groups. The main point of discussion will be the process of reconciliation that was initiated last year by his predecessor. The High Commissioner is committed to moving this process forward. Another subject he will raise while in Pristina is the situation concerning Kosovo's smaller communities. Ambassador Vollebaek will stress that whatever the outcome of the status talks, one should aim at securing a multi-ethnic Kosovo in line with the great efforts made by the international community.
In Belgrade, the High Commissioner will discuss the situation in both southern Serbia and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, and express his desire to become more deeply engaged in those two regions. He will also discuss the difficult situation of Kosovo Serbs and the need for measures to be put in place to achieve significant repatriation. This will require constructive engagement on the part of the authorities both in Pristina and in Belgrade. In this context, Knut Vollebaek will encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in the 17 November Kosovo elections.
In Kosovo, the HCNM will express his concern about the high level of tension between the various ethnic groups. The main point of discussion will be the process of reconciliation that was initiated last year by his predecessor. The High Commissioner is committed to moving this process forward. Another subject he will raise while in Pristina is the situation concerning Kosovo's smaller communities. Ambassador Vollebaek will stress that whatever the outcome of the status talks, one should aim at securing a multi-ethnic Kosovo in line with the great efforts made by the international community.