Ahtisaari Assistant talking about exchange of territories between Kosovo, Serbia

Kai Sauer, chief of Finland's UN mission, has been Martti Ahtisaari's assistant. Deutsche Welle asked for Ahtisaari's plan and ideas on improving Kosovo relations -- Serbia through changing borders.

Deutsche Welle: What has happened to the Ahtisaari plan for Kosovo?

Ambassador Kai Sauer: I think it has been a plan made not only for Kosovo, but for the entire region. You certainly know plans like that of Erdu for Croatia, the Ohrid for Macedonia and certainly the Dayton. All these plans have had some mistakes. They have been very difficult to implement. I think Ahtisaari's plan has been the best, compared to other plans in the region. The irony is that the plan was rejected by the UN Security Council because of a member. Ahtisaari's plan was carefully compiled not only by Ahtisaari but by several other international institutions, such as the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission for the Constitutional Roles of the Plan, O The SEU and UN for aspects of minority rights and human rights, etc. So it was a comprehensive and very politically balanced plan, and it was supported by all Security Council member states except one member state.

It's in the nature of a man who sometimes has to spend 10 or 20 years until he accepts something he has initially seen as unacceptable. Man tries other ways, loses time and energy, fails and finally returns to the original idea. Some aspects of the Ahtisaari plan can be used in the future.

Deutsche Welle: Border corrections or exchange of territories have not been part of the Ahtisaari plan. Why are they now being talked about in the Balkans?

Ambassador Kai Sauer: It's true that borders are in question. However, they have not been part of Ahtisaari's plan, and no one wanted border changes. In discussions on border changes, we are dealing with certain sensitivity and risks. It is not the international community, nor the representatives of European institutions who have established these ideas as possible. I think we should be very careful if we take this idea into account. What is clear is that we have to work together, the European Union and the United States and other interested parties that the issue of normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia has a conclusion. Both countries want to become members of the European Union, but without resolving this bilateral issue it should not be possible.

Deutsche Welle: Washington and Brussels are not giving public statements. Has Brussels and Washington separated from the previous policy of border failure?

Ambassador Kai Sauer: I can't answer that question. You should ask the EU and Washington. What I've seen is that the Western Balkans has returned to our agendas. It is not what it should be, but we should not be intimidated by our own responsibilities, especially by the concerns of countries themselves. So when autumn arrives and people have returned from vacation, discussions will continue giving perhaps even answers.

Deutsche Welle. You continue to deal with the Western Balkans? Is there a plan for the Western Balkans?

Ambassador Kais Sauer: I follow developments in the region. I think that for different reasons the international focus is on returning to the Western Balkan region. Many actors are involved. You have surely noticed that many studies and articles have been published. I would mention a study by East West West Institute, which gives some recommendations to the American administration.

Deutsche Welle: Yeah, I was at the study presentation. But no one there spoke of changes of borders.

Ambassador Kai Suer: Yes. Many authors and academics who have carefully examined the situation express their reservations and want to be careful when talking about changing borders. According to studies, this is not a popular alternative.

Deutsche Welle: Do the United Nations have any plans for Kosovo?

Ambassador Kai Sauer: UN influence is limited. The United Nations is executioners, not decisionmakers. The decisions are taken by member states, and the UN implements them. Officially, the UN owes Security Council Resolution 1244, adopted in 1999. Being taxpayers for the UN, I raise the question of whether the UN's exhausted resources are being spent properly on implementing this resolution and maintaining peacekeeping operations. For years we do not need a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. The UN peacekeeping operation is not a model for resolving Kosovo's problems. European institutions must be able to take over.

Kai Sauer is a Finnish diplomat. He is the head of Finland's UN mission. Ambassador Kai Sauer has been the assistant of Harri Holkeri and Martti Ahtisaari in the UNMIK mission and the head of the UNMIK think tank and strategic studies.