Death of the president of Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova
Berne, 21.01.2006 - Switzerland notes with deep sadness the death of the president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova. The Swiss Confederation conveys its sincere condolences to the government and the people of Kosovo. Elected on 4 March 2002 as president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova remains a great historic figure in the Western Balkans. The philosopher, writer, political figure and, above all, the statesman succeeded to embody the aspirations of the people of Kosovo while exercising a moderating influence in a regional context marked by the consequence of a dramatic history. The establishment of conditions which allowed the opening of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo under the auspices of the United Nations were to a large extent due to him. Switzerland hopes that the premature demise of Mr Rugova will not impede a crucial process for the stability of the entire region.
Kosovo is a country which is strongly marked by the painful history of the Balkans. It is today an entity administered by an interim UN Mission with the presence of international peace keeping troops in which Switzerland participates with a contingent of the Swisscoy stationed in Suva Reka.
Numerous and extensive relations link Switzerland and Kosovo. Almost 200’000 persons of Kosovar origin live in Switzerland today – almost one Kosovar in ten – the majority of them for many years. In this context, Switzerland cannot remain indifferent to the developments in Kosovo and the Western Balkan region. The early opening of negotiations to define a lasting status for Kosovo under the aegis of the UN special envoy and former Finnish president Martti Ahthisaari constitute a considerable progress to which Ibrahim Rugova contributed a valuable contribution.
The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey met Mr Ibrahim Rugova on the occasion of her official working visit to Kosovo in late July 2005 as a person in whom she found an interlocutor who brought together political finesse and great moral authority. She also assured the president of Kosovo of the continuance of the engagement of our country in the region and explained to him the Swiss position favourable to a kind of formal independence as a result of a negotiated process under the auspices of the international community.
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