Today's Date:

Statments made by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, during his joint press briefing with M. Fatmir Sejdiu, President of Kosovo, (excerpts)

KOSOVO

THE MINISTER – It was a great pleasure for me to welcome the delegation of Kosovo's Albanians, known as the Unity Team, a team negotiating with its Serbian counterpart under the Troika's aegis. The Troika comprises a Russian ambassador, American ambassador and our excellent German ambassador representing the European Union.

(…)

What was the purpose of the meeting? It was to help the negotiation if we could, help the negotiation process and understand what's going on between the two delegations. (…)

We're ready to help – now, tomorrow and thereafter. We firmly support the need to maintain Kosovo's multiethnic character and, of course, we'll work with everyone in this Balkan region.

(…)

SERBIA/EU MEMBERSHIP/KOSOVO/MLADIC

THE MINISTER – (…) There's a stabilization and association process under way, as you know. But there's no direct tie

(…).

Of course, the things are linked, and, very simply, I said to my Serbian friends that resolving the Kosovo problem was obviously integral to discussions on the stabilization and association agreement. The two things go together. There will also, as you know, be the issue of General Mladic's arrest. We're impatient to see this man at last arrested.

(…)

KOSOVO/TROIKA CONCLUSION

THE MINISTER – (…) Quite frankly, I don't know. The members of the Troika are their own men and are negotiating with the two delegations, but I don't think so.

(…) Now, if they ask us for two days to take stock again, or a week to liaise with the United Nations, all that would be reasonable. But 10 December is the deadline. A decision has to be taken. (…)./.