§ 21. Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the progress being made by UNMIK in Kosovo. [129562]
§ Mr. VazUNMIK has made significant progress in the last year. Over one million refugees and internally displaced persons have returned, the KLA has 141W demilitarised, schools and hospitals have reopened, a functioning judiciary is being established, houses are being reconstructed, joint administrative structures have been set up and over 800,000 people have registered for the forthcoming local elections. The UK has played an important part in pushing all this forward. But I do not want to minimise the difficulties we still face in restoring normal economic life in Kosovo and bringing about ethnic reconciliation. It will take time but we are determined to get the job done.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the municipal elections in Kosovo to take place. [130660]
§ Mr. VazUNMIK have confirmed that municipal elections in Kosovo will be held during this coming October. An exact date in October has not been decided.