THE UN MISSION TO KOSOVO IS AIMING FOR AN "ORDERLY TRANSITION," BUT FINAL STATUS TALKS ON THE REGION COULD LEAD TO A SPIKE IN VIOLENCE, THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL HEARD TUESDAY, ACCORDING TO DPA. SOREN JESSEN-PETERSEN, HEAD OF THE UN MISSION IN KOSOVO (UNMIK), SAID IN AN ADDRESS BEFORE THE 15-NATION COUNCIL THAT A CONCLUSION OF TALKS ON THE FUTURE STATUS OF KOSOVO WOULD LIKELY PUT AN END TO THE MISSION, WHICH HAS HELPED GOVERN THE REGION SINCE 1999. "THE PREPARATION ALREADY UNDERTAKEN, AND THE WORK WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, SHOULD ALLOW UNMIK TO ACHIEVE AN ORDERLY EXIT WHEN THE TIME COMES, AND FOR KOSOVO TO EXPERIENCE AN ORDERLY TRANSITION," SAID JESSEN-PETERSEN, WHO IS LEAVING UNMIK THIS SUMMER. SERB AND KOSOVO ALBANIAN REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATING THE FUTURE OF THE SERB PROVINCE OF KOSOVO IN UN-LED TALKS IN VIENNA, MEDIATED BY FORMER FINNISH PRESIDENT MARTTI AHTISAARI. SANDA RASKOVIC-IVIC, PRESIDENT OF THE COORDINATION CENTRE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA FOR KOSOVO AND METOHIJA (BELGRADE'S NAME FOR KOSOVO), CALLED FOR THE REGION TO RECEIVE "A SUBSTANTIAL AUTONOMY WITHIN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS OF SERBIA," IN HER OWN COMMENTS BEFORE THE SECURITY COUNCIL. "SERBIA IS TOTALLY OPPOSED TO ANY RECHARTING OF THE BORDERS AND CONSIDERS THAT ANY 'EITHER-OR' SOLUTION MAKING ONE SIDE A WINNER AND THE OTHER A LOSER, IS NOT GOOD," SHE SAID. SERBIA HAS SO FAR INSISTED ON RETAINING SOVEREIGNTY OVER KOSOVO, BUT HAS OFFERED THE REGION INCREASED AUTONOMY. KOSOVO ALBANIAN LEADERS WANT FULL INDEPENDENCE QUICKLY AND ARE HOPING TO WIN IT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. --MORE 20/06/2006 23:16 ت م
