Attempts by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo to resolve the question of Kosovan independence in the light of the changes in Belgrade could lead to fresh conflict, the head of Kosovo's UN administration has told EU foreign ministers.
"Every Albanian that I have met, moderate or not, wants independence. Therefore to try to solve the final status of Kosovo now could lead to a new open conflict," Dr Bernard Kouchner said.
"That is why we have to continue the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 . . . we have to accelerate the process of defining `substantial autonomy'."
"The war is not over," he said. "Peacekeeping is still necessary and difficult to implement; Kosovo remains a society in crisis."
Dr Kouchner was addressing EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg to consider how Dr Vojislav Kostunica's takeover in Belgrade last week would affect the status of Kosovo.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which mandated the entry into Kosovo of NATO and the UN last June, Kosovo is entitled to "substantial autonomy" while remaining part of Yugoslavia.
Dr Kostunica called for greater Serb sovereignty over Kosovo in a speech on Saturday night, a move that has outraged Kosova Albanian political leaders bent on full independence.
"Kosova Albanains have two main concerns regarding recent developments in Belgrade: one is economic, one is political," Dr Kouchner said. "Albanians fear democratic change may shift international economic assistance from Kosovo to Serbia. They also fear such a change may negatively affect their aspiration for independence.
Dr Kouchner said the first step for Albanians to take Kosovo towards self-governance would be to participate in elections on October 28th.
Dr Kostunica said yesterday there was no question of granting independence to Montenegro and Kosovo, adding that the unity of the Yugoslav federation was crucial. But in a television interview with France's TF1 channel, Dr Kostunica said he did not back the idea of a greater Serbia embraced by Mr Slobodan Milosevic.
"I am a democratic to the core, but at the same time a nationalist just as the French might be, or the Americans or other people."
There were growing fears in Kosovo and southern Serbia yesterday of increased inter-communal violence after Serb police clashed with ethnic Albanian paramilitaries on Sunday night. Gunfire was exchanged in the Presevo valley in southern Serbia, adjoining the US sector of Kosovo.