Fieschi: OSCE Did Not Receive Positive Signal For Participation Of Serbs Yet

The international factors and the Kosovo institutions still have not managed to persuade Serbs to participate in the Elections of 23rd October. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo, which has left open the possibility to the Serbs to be pronounced until 1st October, still has not got any positive signals whether members of this community will participate in the Assembly Elections. This was confirmed also by the OSCE HoM Pascal Fieschi following his meeting with the Kosovo Assembly speaker Nexhat Daci. Nevertheless, Ambassador Fieschi expressed the hope that the Serbs will respond positively to the appeals for participation in the Elections. Pascal Fieschi called the Serbs to participate in Kosvo Elections. Ambassador Fieschi said, "We are waiting for positive signals, and we are optimistic that it will happen, so that they can participate in the Elections, too." The Assembly speaker Daci appreciated the role and assistance given by the OSCE in democratization of life in Kosovo, and pointed out the need of deepening the collaboration in the future. Mr. Daci said, "We think that the OSCE in Kosovo should be powerful; the Assembly considers that the OSCE should be like in all normal countries, because it has the capacities to help both the Assembly and democracy. The OSCE HoM, the Ambassador Pascal Fieschi said that the OSCE will continue to support democratic Kosovo institutions in the future. EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana said today that the Serb minority should participate in the elections because this is in their best interest. "The participation of Kosovo Serbs in the elections will be of benefit for them. They will have to be engaged in the processes, which will start with these elections and continue," said Solana in a joint press conference with UNMIK Chief, Soren Jessen Petersen.