The chief of the EU Rule of Law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) said Thursday that the EU mission would be deployed in Kosovo gradually following the UN Security Council's green light for the mission.
Yves de Kermabon said that the mission's deployment in the whole territory of Kosovo would start in early December, but with a slower tempo in some parts of the territory.
"As we said many times the mission is accepted in some parts of Kosovo, but there are some hesitations in some other parts, so we need some time," said Kermabon as the first policemen put on badges bearing the EU flag in a camp that will house EU's special police units just outside Pristina.
The EULEX is designed to replace the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) with some executive powers in judiciary, custom and police although the UNMIK will remain in Kosovo to deal with issues concerning ethnic Serbs.
Having been run by the UNMIK by nearly nine years, ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February despite strong opposition from Serbia and Kosovo's ethnic Serbs.
Serbia and ethnic Serbs in Kosovo strongly oppose EULEX deployment in Serb localities without a previous agreement of the UN Security Council.
The Security Council's approval of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's plan on Wednesday is seen as a green light for the EULEX deployment and UNMIK reconfiguration.
Kermabon said the EU mission has technical nature and will not deal with status issues.
Some 600 EULEX staff already is in the ground and other 1600 will join them as the mission becomes operational.
Kosovo institutions reiterated their position that the deployment of EULEX might happen only in accordance with Kosovo Constitution and former UN Kosovo envoy Marti Ahtisaari's Status Proposal, which envisages internationally-supervised independence for Kosovo.
"Our institution will cooperate with EULEX, because that mission will help Kosovo in reinforcing rule of law and security in Kosovo," said Xhavit Beqiri, spokesman of Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu.
Rada Trajkovic, vice president of the Gracanica enclave-based Serb National Council, said the UN plan adoption is a victory for European Union. She called on Belgrade to start cooperation with Pristina, and on Kosovo leaders to change their policy towards ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.
"I call on Pristina to show its credibility over the integration of northern part (of the territory) with their relationship with Serbs in enclaves," said Trajkovic.
Source:Xinhua
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