Trust and peace must return to the crisis area

Top state officials in Bujanovac

Bujanovac, December 16 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said in Bujanovac that the increased presence and coordination of top state agencies' activities in the crisis area should restore trust and peace, and settle problems plaguing both the local Serbs and ethnic Albanians.

After attending a joint session of the Serbian and Yugoslav governments in Bujanovac, Kostunica told a news conference that Yugoslavia had long been facing the problem of terrorism which had spilled over into the ground security zone despite a large international presence.

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said that Yugoslavia has shown it was open for a dialogue about Kosovo and Metohija, adding he was confident that partners for talks would be found on the ethnic Albanian side as well.

Asked who might be the partners, since ethnic Albanian Democratic League of Kosovo leader Ibrahim Rugova refuses to talk insisting that the only topic could be the "harmonization of relations between two independent states", Kostunica explained "it was very important at this time that we showed willingness to discuss Kosovo and Metohija".

"We have demonstrated this willingness", Kostunica said, adding that this was a situation in which Yugoslavia "undoubtedly had a diplomatic advantage".

He said that a political settlement would have to be sought in talks with the international community and the ethnic Albanians. Commenting on the hardline ethnic Albanian position, he said that "times would change" and "partners for talks would undoubtedly be found on the ethnic Albanian side".