Vienna - Kosovo's newly-established International Steering Group on Kosovo (ISG) stressed that it would neither tolerate violence nor partition of the former Serbian province. "It is not foreseen ... and not the purpose of this group," EU special representative Pieter Feith, who was also named Kosovo's new International Civilian Representative, said.
Fifteen nations participated in the ISG's formative meeting held in the Austrian capital Vienna on Thursday.
The group's main task will be to monitor the implementation of the plan presented by UN Kosovo negotiator Martti Ahtisaari by the Pristina authorities.
Athisaari suggested an "internationally monitored" independence with special protection mechanisms for the Serbian minority population and Serbian cultural heritage.
The participating states - Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Turkey, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Kosovo Contact Group members Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States - said they wanted to promote Kosovo development into a "stable, multiethnic and democratic state."
Chances for Contact Group member Russia, which remains opposed to Kosovo's separation from Serbia, to join were currently not very high, Feith said.
In remarks to reporters, Feith said, "my role will be to insure that the rights and ways of life of all communities, in particular the Serbian community will be safeguarded." He added that the ISG had received the necessary commitments from Kosovo's leaders.
"Privileged relations" between Belgrade and Kosovo's Serbian communities were envisaged, however these had to remain transparent, and the authority of the Pristina government respected, the Dutch diplomat said.
The ISG would tolerate neither violence nor the establishment of any parallel security institutions on the territory of Kosovo, Feith stressed. In the north, home to the majority of Kosovo's Serbs, the security situation remained unsatisfactory.
The Serbian minority still needed convincing that the international mission was no threat, but could benefit the communities.
The EU mission is taking over from the United Nations which administered the province since 1999 and will cooperate with NATO's KFOR forces to maintain stability in Kosovo.
In Belgrade, following neighbouring Bosnia's push for EU candidacy by 2009, Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said Serbia discuss EU membership only if Brussels recognized Serbia and Kosovo as a single entity.
