Press point

by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
in Mitrovica, Kosovo

Good afternoon, very good afternoon to all of you.  It was a great pleasure that I was able, the past three quarters of an hour, to talk to important representatives, the president and chairman of the Serb community.  (TRANSLATION THROUGHOUT) 

My main message was that KFOR is there also for their protection.  And that protection over minority is as important as the protection and the security of the majority. 

We had, of course, a discussion about the political process which hopefully will lead to a solution for the status of Kosovo.

I think we agreed that any form of violence by anybody will not be accepted and it's not acceptable. That's... the NATO Allies support the proposals by President Ahtisaari. 

And we know from the 21st of February there will be another negotiation process starting, during which the territorial integrity of Kosovo is the most important principle as also stated by the so-called contact group, which means that any other solution than respect for the territorial integrity will not be an acceptable solution. 

I have assured my Serb friends that KFOR will also be here for their protection after a state-of-settlement will hopefully be found.  And we discussed that state-of-settlement will finally find its legitimacy in the Security Council of the United Nations. 

We discussed, of course, that a repetition of what happened in March 2004 should never be seen again in Kosovo.  And we share our worries about the demonstrations which took place in Priština last weekend.  Any form of violence will never contribute and can never be the solution for finding a just status for Kosovo. 

The NATO Allies support the proposals made by President Ahtisaari.  NATO doesn't have and doesn't want to have the political control about the process.  That is not NATO's responsibility; but we support Mr. Ahtisaari.

I do think that we should watch the time in the sense that I do not think that endless negotiations will improve the situation.  And that's the reason that I hope that parties will realize that a relatively quick solution will have to be found. 

But to close as I started, as far as the NATO responsibility is concerned, KFOR is here, working together with the Kosovo police and with the UNMIK police to see that everybody living here is... and can feel secure and stable. 

And in that regard and in that respect, of course, I also stay in close touch with the representatives of the Serb community I just spoke to; as I have been in touch, as you know, with the unity team in Priština this morning. 

Thank you very much.