Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of the Statement of the President of the United Nations Security Council concerning the Start of Status Talks on Kosovo

October 26, 2005

1. Japan welcomes the fact that on October 24 (Mon) (local time) the President of the United Nations Security Council issued a statement on Kosovo and that the political process concerning Kosovo's future status was to begin.
2. Japan hopes that the interested parties, Kosovo's leaders and the Serbian authorities in particular, will give comprehensive cooperation to an envoy for talks who will soon be appointed by the U.N. Secretary-General, and take a forward-looking stance on the process of talks that will determine Kosovo's future status.
3. Japan is ready to play a constructive role in the status talks process as it intends to continue to contribute to the solution of the Kosovo issue in cooperation with the international community.