Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 5:48 PM
Please pay attention to a text next / below the picture of a burning Serbian
orthodox church in Kosmet of March 2004 ALbanian roits....... Boba
=================
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/16568/
Serbia, Kosovo Ignore UNMIK Talk Invite
Pristina | 10 February 2009 |
A Kosovo Church burns during the 2004 riots
Both Serbia and Kosovo ignored an invitation by the United Nations mission
in Kosovo to hold talks on the 'technical issue' of cultural heritage, with
negotiations supposed to be held today in Pristina.
Rasel Giki, UNMIK spokesperson confirmed that the UN mission invited both
Belgrade and Pristina to the round table, but had not received any response
from either.
Part of the Serbian Orthodox heritage in Kosovo, the province Serbs consider
the spiritual heartland of their nation, was destroyed or damaged by
Albanian rioters in March 2004. To maintain its claim, both politically and
in terms of property, the Serbian Orthodox Church has defiantly stayed on
after the declaration of independence, with priests hunkering down in
churches and monasteries patrolled by NATO peacekeepers.
A commission for the preservation of Serb monuments and churches has created
'protective zones' around Kosovo, a move supported by government officials
in Pristina, but boycotted by Belgrade.
Commenting on the UNMIK invitation, Kosovo's Ministry of Culture, Youth, and
Sport said Pristina knew what it had to do and saw no need for the agenda to
double by including Belgrade in the arrangements.
“The Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport will not take part in Tuesday’s
meeting, because of the fact that a duplication of meetings would occur,
which we have currently initiated. We have created a forum for cultural
heritage, where the same issues will be discussed” said Arberore Riza, the
Minister’s media advisor.
Kosovo government spokesperson Memli Krasniqi said that there was no need
for the government to further discuss an issue already covered in the plan
of UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s package, which served as a blueprint for
Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in February of last year.
(Reportd By Shega A'Mula)
