Press Releases

State Department Statement on Indictment of Ramush Haradinaj (March 9, 2005)

The United States welcomes Ramush Haradinaj’s decision to resign from his Prime Minister post, and his expressed plan to go voluntarily to The Hague. His actions demonstrate his deep concern for the future of Kosovo and its people.

The United States and the international community remain committed to supporting the development of Kosovo’s institutions in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and to the continued implementation of the "Standards for Kosovo." Ensuring that the rule of law extends to all citizens is an essential component of the Standards.

2005 is an important year for the aspirations of the people of Kosovo. In order to receive a positive assessment from the Comprehensive Review later this year and to begin a process to determine its future status, Kosovo must preserve peace and continue to work to implement the Standards. The people of Kosovo will enjoy the full support of the United States in those efforts. Violence will not be tolerated and will have negative consequences for the outcome of the review and for Kosovo’s future. We will continue to work with Kosovo’s provisional government on these issues.

The United States remains committed to supporting the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We call upon all parties in Kosovo and throughout the Balkans to cooperate with the Tribunal, including apprehending and transferring all indictees to The Hague, as a prerequisite for full integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. We urge all individuals indicted by the Tribunal to act with dignity and in accordance with their obligations in reporting to the Tribunal without further delay.