Kosovo: UN Mission to set up joint committee with Skopje on border issues

After travelling to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK), Michael Steiner, announced that a joint committee between Pristina and Skopje would be set up to deal with border issues.

Following his meeting with President Boris Trajkovski on Monday, in which the two discussed regional issues and methods of cooperation, Mr. Steiner told media that the border agreement between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, signed in February 2001, must be respected.

"We both agreed on the need to take into consideration the lives of normal people on the ground, and the practical problems of their daily lives that need to be resolved, notwithstanding the need to respect the agreement," he added.

The Joint Experts Committee would not deal with demarcation of the border, Mr. Steiner said, but with practical problems on the ground. The Committee will meet as soon as possible.

President Trajkovski and Mr. Steiner also discussed how to implement police cooperation - particularly regarding illegal border crossings, missing persons, intelligence, crime prevention, processing of visas for UNMIK Travel Documents, and access to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for vehicles registered in Kosovo.

The UNMIK chief also praised the proposal by President Trajkovski for an "economic spring offensive."

"If you want to boost the economy of the region, you need stable environments in FYROM and Kosovo," Mr. Steiner said. "This is a man who understands the needs of Macedonia and the region. We are in full agreement on our common interests."