US delivers clear message to Serbian List

Serbian List officials say they received a clear message from Washington official. Two of the leaders of this party -- the largest of Serbs in Kosovo -- stayed for a visit to the US, and in an interview for the Voice of America said it is pointless to talk about new elections without the suspension of the situation. They see it through what the government is doing.

Pristina, July 30th -- the representative of the Serbian List, the main political subject of Kosovo Serbs, Igor Simi, said that without the extension of the situation in northern Kosovo, it is meaningless to talk about new elections.

In an interview for the Voice of America in the Serbian language, following a visit that, along with the other Serbian List official, Slavko Simi, made in the US, said they were sent clear messages from Washington, but did not reveal exactly what it is about.

Meanwhile, Serbian List conditions for these elections have been reduced to one, in what the Government has agreed to make the withdrawal of special police units from municipal buildings.

In an atmosphere of fear for the survival and security of the Serbian people, it is impossible to carry out a normal campaign. It is necessary for those special units to withdraw, that is the request of Serbs, the European Union's request and the US bid”, S individual has said.

The Kosovo government, based on the Bratislava Agreement, has started withdrawing special units from buildings in the north to 25 per cent. Also, he has warned of holding elections after summer.

Earlier, the European Union had presented a 3-point plan for lowering tensions, which envisioned -- suspending police operations in the north, shifting mayors to alternative offices and announcing early elections with unconditional participation of Kosovo Serbs.

Hosts during the interview refused to say whether the Serbian List will participate in the new elections.

The terms that citizens have put on us, we cannot discuss the possibility of the” election, he said.

He has denied that the Serbian List is dependent on Belgrade. But he said that the Serb people in Kosovo without Belgrade could exist.

Serbs boycotted the April 23rd elections in northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin-Potok and Leposaviq.

Then, when elected mayors settled in major municipal buildings with police assistance, Serb riots began. They peaked on May 29th, when 93 KFOR soldiers were injured, three of them with firearms.

Asked for this violence, he answered: “You have forgotten 53 Serbs injured”.