Unmik in Kosovo reconfigured, Eulex Kosovo could deploy

(BRUSSELS2) The deployment of the EULEX mission (maintenance of the rule of law) of the European Union in Kosovo could be unblocked after the full entry into force of the Kosovo Constitution on 15 June. After weeks of hesitation, the Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, indeed sent a letter to the Kosovo authorities, announcing a reconfiguration of the UN force in the country (UNMIK). The latter should hand over part of the responsibilities it has exercised in the former Serbian province since 1999 to the institutions of the new state as well as to the Europeans. According to a high-ranking French diplomat, EULEX would thus initially carry out its mission, under the leadership of the UNMIK command, without immediately deploying everywhere, particularly in the north where the Serbs live. A "tiling" that confirms the information already published. The "phase 2" of the deployment should be started at the end of June, making it possible to bring on the ground the majority of the personnel necessary for Eulex (only 300 people are present, out of the 2000 initially planned). For their part, the NATO Defense Ministers, meeting in Brussels on Thursday evening, were to insist, according to AFP, that KFOR be relieved of police and law enforcement tasks.