Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
My Profile
Holiday Gift Guide
Gift ideas & reviews for this holiday season
Start Browsing
You are here:
Home
>
News
>
International
>
Article
Home
Business & Finance
News
U.S.
Politics
International
Technology
Entertainment
Sports
Lifestyle
Oddly Enough
Environment
Health
Science
Special Coverage
Video
Pictures
You Witness
The Great Debate
Blogs
Reader Feedback
Do More With Reuters
RSS
Widgets
Mobile
Podcasts
Newsletters
You Witness News
Make Reuters My Homepage
Partner Services
CareerBuilder
Affiliate Network
Professional Products
Support (Customer Zone)
Reuters Media
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
EU mission deploys in Kosovo amid tight security
Tue Dec 9, 2008 7:36am EST
Email | Print |
Share
| Reprints | Single Page
[-]
Text
[+]
By Branislav Krstic
MITROVICA (Reuters) - The European Union began a long-delayed police and justice mission in Kosovo Tuesday as international peacekeepers stepped up security in the north where Serbs oppose the move.
The first of a 1,900-strong force of European and American police, customs agents, judges and prosecutors began deployment in mainly Albanian Kosovo which seceded from Serbia in February.
"Today marks an important new step in the ever closer relationship between the EU and Kosovo," said Pieter Feith, the top EU official who oversees implementation of Kosovo's independence.
In the Serb-controlled part of the divided flashpoint town of Mitrovica, EU policemen arrived wearing black flak jackets with red badges from the mission, known as EULEX, pinned on their shoulders.
In February, the European Union decided to send a mission to take over from the U.N. mission running the province since 1999 when NATO bombing drove Serb forces out. But its deployment has been delayed due to Serb opposition which sees the effort as a symbol of Kosovo independence.
"Today is an special day, a day in which Kosovo is opening a new chapter with EULEX deployment throughout its territory," Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters.
DIVISION
Kosovo's minority Serb population of about 120,000 refuse to deal with Pristina institutions, leaving them in an uncertain legal status between Kosovo and Serbia authorities.
The situation is especially stark in Mitrovica, where Serbs live on one side of the river and Albanians on the other with little interaction. Younger residents rarely speak each other's language.
"The mission needs to perform its task on the basis of the full national support of all communities, of all the people here in Kosovo," the EU's Feith said.
EULEX spokesman Victor Reuter said about 100 police, border control and customs officers and advisers would be deployed in the Serb-controlled north.
The EU hopes its new mission will help build government institutions in the poorest corner of the Balkans, a region still recovering from the 1990s wars when Yugoslavia collapsed.
French KFOR troops stepped up security in the Serb-held north to prevent violence; no incidents were reported.
French Colonel Herve Messiot, in charge of EULEX command in the area, said his policemen in Mitrovica would have an advisory role. The mission will deal with organized crime, ethnic-based crime and war crimes, as well as when local authorities have unsolved cases.
The 27-nation EU won Serbia's consent by amending the deployment plan to enable police, judiciary and customs officers in Serb-held areas to report to the remaining U.N. administration. Albanian counterparts will work within Kosovo's ministry of interior and with EULEX. Continued...
View article on single page
Share:
Del.icio.us
Digg
Mixx
My Web
Facebook
LinkedIn
Also on Reuters
Lebanon losing its battle to keep the lights on
Slideshow
Audio Slideshow: SUVs at altar, church prays for bailout
Homeowners redefaulting after getting aid
Editor's Choice
Slideshow
A selection of our best photos from the past 24 hours Slideshow
Most Popular on Reuters
Articles
Video
Recommended
GM says it "disappointed" and "betrayed" consumers
White House and Democrats push for auto bailout deal
Warnings saw loan problems at Freddie, Fannie: report
The kiss of deaf - Chinese man ruptures girlfriend's eardrum
Sony to cut 16,000 jobs, slash $1.1 billion in costs
Regulators scratch heads over housing crisis
U.S. nears car rescue as China, Europe mull stimulus
Greek PM calls for political unity against riots | Video
Fighter jet crash kills 3 on ground
Brain-boosting drugs: Why not?, experts say
Most Popular Articles RSS Feed
Video
Military jet crashes
Riots still raging in Greece
Democrats submit auto loan plan
Gitmo's future in doubt
Talk of the Town - Ledger honored
Riots spread after Greek boy's death
Bush talks Iraq, regrets
Rebuilding the economy
Blackwater under fire
Hunger in Haiti
Most Popular Videos RSS Feed
Congo
Death all around
Witness
Award winning Reuters photographer Finbarr O'Reilly recounts the horrors of living on the front line of the conflict in eastern Congo. Blog
Slideshow: Images from Congo
Video: The long wait for refugees
Blog: Caught in Chad rebel offensive
Reuters Deals
The global destination for corporate leaders, deal-makers and innovators
Knowledge to Act
Reuters.com:
Help and Contact Us |
Advertise With Us |
Mobile |
Newsletters |
RSS |
Interactive TV |
Labs |
Reuters in Second Life |
Archive |
Site Index |
Video Index
Thomson Reuters Corporate:
Copyright |
Disclaimer |
Privacy |
Professional Products |
Professional Products Support |
About Thomson Reuters |
Careers
International Editions:
Africa |
Arabic |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Canada |
China |
France |
Germany |
India |
Italy |
Japan |
Latin America |
Mexico |
Russia |
Spain |
United Kingdom |
United States
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.