"During these 10 years, Kosovo's institutions and UNMIK [the UN mission] have marked good results in rebuilding the country," Sejdiu said after meeting UN governor Lamberto Zannier. "However, we think now it is time to close this mission successfully."
Zannier said he will report Sejdiu's demand to the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Europe's newest republic is patrolled by 15,000 NATO troops, more than 2,000 European Union police and a justice mission.
Belgrade and 120,000 remaining Serbs have refused to cooperate with the Albanian-run government in Pristina, and recognise the United Nations as the only legal body.
The United Nations has reduced its staff over the past year but wants to keep a small presence mainly in northern Kosovo where the inhabitants are mostly Serbs.
International court decision approaching
In the meantime, the Serbian president Boris Tadic said in Belgrade that his country would continue to fight with diplomatic and legal means to preserve its integrity, the Serb press announced.
"We are facing a new phase in the work of the International Court of Justice, and we are approaching the moment when we should see the effects of our strategic decision to move the whole process of resolving the future status of Kosovo before the world's highest legal institution," Tadic is quoted saying.
Last October, the UN approved Serbia's request to refer the question of Kosovo's independence to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) (EurActiv 09/10/08). This was hailed as a diplomatic triumph in Belgrade.
For its part, the ICJ confirmed on Tuesday that 35 UN member states had filed statements in the Kosovo court case.
The Hague-based court said that the opinions would remain confidential for the time being.
Written statements were filed by the Czech Republic, France, Cyprus, China, Switzerland, Romania, Albania, Austria, Egypt, Germany, Slovakia, Russia, Finland, Poland, Luxemburg, Libya, the United Kingdom, the United States, Serbia, Spain, Iran, Estonia, Norway, Netherlands, Slovenia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Ireland, Denmark, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Maldives, Sierra Leone and Bolivia.
(EurActiv with agencies.)
