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Rugova Says Too Soon For Dialogue With Yugoslavia
CAVOURI, Greece (AFP) - The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Ibrahim Rugoval, said here Saturday it was too soon to begin a direct dialogue with Yugoslavia on the future status of the province.
"We have to wait a little. We have time," the moderate nationalist Rugova said, adding that the majority of the former Yugoslav republics had become independent and "looked today towards Europe."
"It's necessary that they themselves [the Serbs] change, that they have new ideas ... confidence will develop if they want it to," he said at the end of a two-day conference called "Albanians as a majority and as a minority."
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said last week he wanted to talk with "Kosovo Albanian representatives, who were ready to talk ... those who won the local elections," referring to Rugova and his LDK.
Zoran Zivkovic, one of Yugoslavia's three interior ministers, expressed his disappointment that no one had responded to the appeal, which he renewed at the conference.
"It would be wise to begin discussions" on the future of Kosovo, he said, and appealed for a quick solution which "takes the citizens' interests into account ahead of political ambitions."
Hashim Thaci, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), had said Friday at the same meeting that he was opposed to any talks on the province's future that would exclude him.
"No representative from Kosovo, including Rugova, can decide alone" the future of the province, Thaci said.
"Dialogue with Belgrade can only begin with international mediation. Kosovo should be represented by its institutions and those who participate in them," he said.
"As soon as that mediation is in place, we will be ready to negotiate a peaceful separation between Kosovo and Serbia," Thaci said Friday, adding that he wanted Kosovo to be "free and independent."
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 provides for substantial autonomy for Kosovo, but as a part of Yugoslavia. Kosovo's U.N. administrator, Bernard Kouchner also took part in the discussions, which were organized by the U.S. non-governmental group Project On Ethnic Relations, and the Greek foreign ministry.
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