U.N. urges Serbian commitment to mandate

BELGRADE, Serbia, March 17 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official is calling on the Serbian government to end violations against pledges to the U.N. mandate in Kosovo.

Larry Rossin, the U.N. secretary-general's deputy special representative, recently met with Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, to discuss the U.N. Security Council's mandate in Kosovo (UNMIK). Rossin called on Serbia to maintain its pledges to the mandate, which says UNMIK has the exclusive administrative authority in Kosovo. Rossin cited Serbian violations including the recent attack on and occupation of UNMIK's District Court building in Mitrovica, Kosovo, the United Nations reported.

Rossin also called on Samardzic to "refrain from making inflammatory public statements during his visit to Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in February.

Rossin said he is ready to engage in direct talks with Serbian government officials along with U.N. Special Representative Joachim Rucker but that the Serbian cited violations against the U.N. mandate pose a risk to an effective dialogue.

"For dialogue to be potentially fruitful, we need the authorities in Belgrade to take effective steps to counter such challenges -- before, during and after -- whether unambiguous public statements, practical use of influence or cessation of direct improper intrusions," Rossin said in a statement.