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UNMIK/PR/617 SRSG Hans Haekkerup, along with COMKFOR Lt. General Thorstein Shiaker, DSRSG Daan Everts and DSRSG Andy Bearpark met with US President George Bush for 40 minutes today at Camp Bondsteel, the US base in Kosovo. President Bush assured UNMIK and KFOR officials that the U.S. troops had entered Kosovo together and would leave Kosovo together with other NATO forces based here. He also endorsed UNMIK's efforts at preparing the people of Kosovo for taking on greater responsibility for "running their own affairs." He was eager to know the ideas of the SRSG on when this would take place and when the international community would be able to reduce its presence here. Mr. Haekkerup briefed President Bush on preparations for elections and the plans for self-governing institutions to be established following elections. He added that a stronger police and judiciary were essential to building democracy and self-government in Kosovo and that by the year 2002, the Kosovo Police Service would number 6,000. However, he said that ultimately a Kosovo police force should number 8,000 to 10,000, which would require outside support. President Bush asked about UNMIK and KFOR's efforts in containing extremism and in preventing the export of violence into the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and he urged UNMIK to do its utmost to deter and detain extremists. He was also interested in UNMIK's efforts to combat organized crime. Mr. Haekkerup expressed his gratitude for the presence and activities of US troops in Kosovo and said that UNMIK was doing its part to implement President Bush's Executive Order regarding suspected extremists in the region. He also said that UNMIK, KFOR and the Kosovo Police Service were working hard to prevent the cross-border movement of extremists. Mr. Everts briefed the President on elections preparations while Mr. Bearpark said that the current phase of establishing sustainable economic development was key to Kosovo's well-being.
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