In the National Assembly House today, the Chairman of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohia, Vladimir Milentjevic, met the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of France, headed by Jean-Michel Ferrand. The traditional ties of friendship between the Serbian and French people were mentioned at the beginning of the talks.

The French parliamentaries were especially interested in the political situation in Serbia and the Serbian evaluation of the situation in Kosovo and Metohia, above all on the relations between the Serbian and Albanian national communities, how the temporary Kosovo institutions operate and what the possibilities for the normalisation of the relations are.

Chairman Milentijevic emphasised that the difficult situation in Kosovo and Metohia has not changed since 1999, when international forces, UNMIK and KFOR, accepted responsibility for the safety and freedom of movement of all citizens. Since then, 220 000 Serbs and other non-Albanian population have been exiled from the Province in their presence. The Serbian population does not trust Kosovo institutions, so it may be said that the International Community failed to construct a multiethnic society in Kosovo. The Chairman of the Committee on Kosovo and Metohia said that while ethnically pure communities exist in the north of the Province, in the enclaves in the south Serbs live in ghettos, in very difficult conditions and under the protection of KFOR.

Talking about the negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohia, Chairman Milentijevic said that, according to the Security Council Resolution 1244, UN Charter and International Law, this issue must be resolved in a compromise that will not favourise either side. He also added that Ahtisaari’s plan failed exactly because it favourised one side. We can come to an agreement about everything in our negotiations with the Albanian side, except the independence of Kosovo and Metohia, emphasised Milentijevic expressing an expectation that the direct negotiations of the two sides on the future status of the Province are yet to come on 14 October.

The French parliamentaries stated that after their visit they will submit the report on the political situation in Serbia, with the official Serbian positions on the future solution of the status of Kosovo and Metohia to the National Assembly.