Kosovo overseers say no split, no separate police

VIENNA, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The newly formed International Steering Group (ISG) that will monitor Kosovo’s progress after its declaration of independence on Thursday rejected partition or separate security institutions in the new country.Serbia’s former province seceded on Feb 17. The Serbian government has vowed never to accept the secession and to extend its authority over Serb areas in the territory’s north.

“There will be no partition of the country. That is not foreseen and that is not the intention of this group,” said ISG head Pieter Feith, who is also the EU civilian representative.

A European Union mission that is taking over supervision of Kosovo from the United Nations pulled out of the north over a week ago for security reasons, after mobs attacked embassies in Belgrade and burned down border posts in north Kosovo.

Analysts say that the violent protests, and signs that Belgrade is consolidating its rule, point to a deepening ethnic divide that could lead the new republic to a de facto partition between Serb north and Albanian south.

Dozens of Serb policemen have also failed to report for duty in an eastern region while a Serb minister said Belgrade planned to have its own police service in Serb towns in Kosovo.

Feith said he was not aware of Kosovo police not performing their duties or Serb police being present in Kosovo at this time.

“We will not admit any parallel security institution to manifest itself on the territory of Kosovo,” he told a news conference following the ISG’s first meeting.

Feith said the ISG would also demand that international peacekeepers and police be deployed throughout the territory of Kosovo and have freedom of movement.

The ISG is made up of 15 countries that have recognised Kosovo and want to play a part in its development, among them the United States, Germany, France and Britain.

It aims to implement a plan drawn up by United Nations special envoy Martti Ahtisaari for Kosovo’s future path, including links between the Serb minority and Serbia, protection of religious monuments, minority rights and decentralisation. (Editing by Dominic Evans)

Reuters | Karin Strohecker | Thursday, February 28, 2008