Kosovo's president has unveiled a four-point plan for the deployment of the European Union's new law-and-order mission, EULEX, to Kosovo, to rival the Serbian-backed United Nations plan.

The UN' six-point plan, negotiated between the UN secretary-general, Serbia and the EU has been rejected by Kosovo leaders who argue it compromises Pristina's sovereignty.

The rival plan unveiled by president Fatmir Sejdiu is argued by Pristina to be in accordance with Kosovo's constitution and the UN plan for Kosovo's independence drafted by ex-UN envoy for Kosovo's final status, Martti Ahtisaari.

The plan was revealed after Sejdiu met the US assistant secretary of state Daniel Fried, and the president said will have the full support of Kosovo's authorities.

"First - we back the very swift deployment of EULEX in Kosovo according to the mandate foreseen in the declaration of independence, Ahtisaari's plan and the Constitution of the Kosovo Republic."

He also explained that the deployment would be in accordance with the February 4 joint statement of EU countries to support EULEX mission.

In the second point of Kosovo plan, Sejdiu said that Kosovo entirely rejects the UN's six-point plan.

"We will strongly cooperate with EULEX throughout Kosovo based on these mandates," said Sejdiu and reaffirmed once again that Kosovo authorities will "cooperate with the European Union, NATO and the United States."

Fried said that the four-point plan comprised of a good platform to proceed. He announced that he will soon travel to Geneva to discuss with UN officials on the next move.

Meanwhile the International Civil Representative, Pieter Feith, said he wants EULEX to deploy all across Kosovo soon.

"We are happy to see that the government is committed to work with us and with the UN for EULEX's installment in Kosovo," said Feith.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci added that "we are together, Kosovo, the US and the EU. We have made good joint achievements until now in Kosovo as a democratic and an independent state, with a modern Constitution and Ahtisaari's document", said Thaci.

Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February and has been recognised by most EU member states, objects to the six-point plan being based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. This resolution, passed at the end of the 1998-1999 conflict between Serb forces and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, refers to Kosovo as Serbia's southern province, not as an independent state.

Serbia insists that the EU cannot deploy a new civilian mission in Kosovo to replace the UN administration unless the mission is neutral in status and does not put into action the plan of former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari - which envisages internationally-supervised independence for Kosovo.

Belgrade also insists that the mission must be confirmed by the UN Security Council, in which it has a strong ally with veto power - Russia.

The proposal envisages the gradual replacement of the administrative UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, which has been in the province since 1999, with an EU civilian mission of police and court officials.

Source: Balkan Insight