Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the political and security situation in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2618/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The new Kosovo Assembly, which was elected on 23 October, approved the formation of a new government on 3 December 2004. The government is a coalition between the Democratic League of Kosovo, the LDK, which holds 47 seats, and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, the AAK, which holds eight seats in the assembly. The leader of the LDK, Ibrahim Rugova, was reappointed President. The new Prime Minister is Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the AAK. The Democratic Party of Kosovo, which was the largest party in the previous government, now provides the main opposition in the assembly, with 30 seats.

Kosovo has been under UN administration, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1244, since the end of the conflict in 1999. The EU fully supports the UN mission in Kosovo, which is working with the provisional institutions of self-government to implement European standards in public administration, the rule of law, human rights, and the protection of the rights of minorities, in advance of consideration of the constitutional status of Kosovo. The new government has set itself an ambitious programme, focusing on the implementation of European standards and the promotion of economic growth in a society where unemployment is estimated at over 60%. It is co-operating with the international community in the preparation of proposals for pilot projects for the decentralising of public administration in Kosovo. These could play an important role in building the confidence of the Kosovo Serb community to re-engage in the political process in Kosovo. The vast majority of Kosovo Serb voters refused to participate in the October elections, claiming that their security has not been adequately assured since the serious outbreak of ethnic violence on 17 March 2004.

The UN will preside over a comprehensive review of the implementation of standards in mid-2005. If the review is positive, it will be followed by the opening of a process, facilitated by the international community, to agree the status of Kosovo. These negotiations will inevitably be complex and difficult. They will require the resumption of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. They will have implications for the whole Western Balkans region and their outcome will be subject to approval by the UN Security Council.

The EU is firmly committed to a multi-ethnic, democratic Kosovo, in which the rights of all communities are fully protected. The ethnically motivated violence last March was a major setback. The new government must ensure that all work on the reconstruction of homes and other property destroyed in that violence is completed without delay.

The security situation in Kosovo is now calm but it remains tense. There are currently 208 Irish troops serving with KFOR, the UN-mandated peacekeeping force in Kosovo. I would like to emphasise the appreciation of the Government for the important role being played by members of the Defence Forces in ensuring security and stability in Kosovo.

This will be an important year for the people of Kosovo and of the region. The EU will work closely with the UN mission in Kosovo, and with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen, in preparation for the crucial review of the implementation of standards. The EU will also co-operate closely with the US and the wider international community to ensure that any process to address the question of Kosovo's final status will also contribute to the stability of the Western Balkans. Whatever the outcome of that process, the EU will support the people of Kosovo in the building of a multi-ethnic society, with its place secure in a region working towards the objective of eventual integration into European structures.