UN Kosovo envoy meets with Serbian leaders in Belgrade

Welcoming what he called "continued openness and progress in the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade," the head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today met in Belgrade with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and other senior officials from Serbia and Montenegro.

Following the meetings, Søren Jessen-Petersen, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Kosovo, said that the UN mission remained ready to facilitate the dialogue.

Mr. Jessen-Petersen also expressed his satisfaction with the recent decision to launch the comprehensive review, and was also pleased to note that the working groups on missing persons and returns of the displaced, held earlier this week in Pristina, had been constructive and encouraging.

Last week the Secretary-General appointed Ambassador Kai Eide, Permanent Representative of Norway to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as his Special Envoy to carry out a comprehensive review of Kosovo.

The comprehensive review will be initiated this summer, in accordance with Security Council resolutions. It will consist of consultations with the parties and the international community, and be broad in scope to assess the current situation and the conditions for the possible next steps in the process.