UN Security Council debates Kosovo today

The United Nations Security Council will hold a closed session to discuss the Kosovo crisis today. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is also scheduled to participate. The meeting is expected to last three hours. UN Security Council debates Kosovo today Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica will address the Security Council, as will Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, who will be speaking as a private individual, since Kosovo is not an internationally recognized state. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic, as well as Kosovo’s prime minister-elect Hashim Thaci will also attend. UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker, the only official who can legally speak before the Security Council on Kosovo's behalf, will not attend the meeting. EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana has said he wants to see constructive dialogue on Kosovo at the meeting. Solana, who is on a two-day visit to Slovenia, added that he did not expect a unilateral declaration of independence by the Kosovo Albanians to result in a crisis in the months to come. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, Solana said that EU unity on the issue was key. Rupel remarked that he and Solana had discussed the situation in the western Balkans, primarily Kosovo, as well as events that were likely to follow in Serbia. He added that both he and Solana had welcomed last week's Council of Europe decision regarding the deployment of an EU mission to Kosovo. "We are content with the decisions reached by the Council of Europe last week. We now have decisions that guarantee the unity and determination of the EU to tackle Kosovo as a European problem and European challenge," he said, adding that the EU would address this challenge properly. The Security Council in session (FoNet) Samardzic: No conclusions, no decisions Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic said in New York that there would be no conclusions or decisions made in connection with Kosovo at the United Nations (UN) Security Council session today, and that Belgrade would advocate the resumption of negotiations on the province’s status. "Serbia will defend its interests and international law. There will be no conclusions or decisions, and, in the event of a unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence, those who violate the law will bear responsibility for further developments," Samardzic told reporters after a series of meetings held by the Serbian delegation at UN headquarters, ahead of the Security Council session. Samardzic, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic will take part at the session, where the Contact Group mediating Troika’s report on the 120-day negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina will be reviewed. The Kosovo minister explained that, in the event of a unilateral declaration of independence, a parallelism would ensue that would once again lead to negotiations on status. This reinforces Serbia's view that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should continue, a position supported during the day by not only Russia and China, but also Indonesia and South Africa.

UN Security Council debates Kosovo today

Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica will address the Security Council, as will Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, who will be speaking as a private individual, since Kosovo is not an internationally recognized state.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić and Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić, as well as Kosovo’s prime minister-elect Hashim Thaci will also attend.

UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker, the only official who can legally speak before the Security Council on Kosovo's behalf, will not attend the meeting.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana has said he wants to see constructive dialogue on Kosovo at the meeting.

Solana, who is on a two-day visit to Slovenia, added that he did not expect a unilateral declaration of independence by the Kosovo Albanians to result in a crisis in the months to come.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, Solana said that EU unity on the issue was key.

Rupel remarked that he and Solana had discussed the situation in the western Balkans, primarily Kosovo, as well as events that were likely to follow in Serbia. He added that both he and Solana had welcomed last week's Council of Europe decision regarding the deployment of an EU mission to Kosovo.

"We are content with the decisions reached by the Council of Europe last week. We now have decisions that guarantee the unity and determination of the EU to tackle Kosovo as a European problem and European challenge," he said, adding that the EU would address this challenge properly.

Samardžić: No conclusions, no decisions

Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić said in New York that there would be no conclusions or decisions made in connection with Kosovo at the United Nations (UN) Security Council session today, and that Belgrade would advocate the resumption of negotiations on the province’s status.

"Serbia will defend its interests and international law. There will be no conclusions or decisions, and, in the event of a unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence, those who violate the law will bear responsibility for further developments," Samardžić told reporters after a series of meetings held by the Serbian delegation at UN headquarters, ahead of the Security Council session.

Samardžić, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will take part at the session, where the Contact Group mediating Troika’s report on the 120-day negotiations between Belgrade and Priština will be reviewed.

The Kosovo minister explained that, in the event of a unilateral declaration of independence, a parallelism would ensue that would once again lead to negotiations on status. This reinforces Serbia's view that dialogue between Belgrade and Priština should continue, a position supported during the day by not only Russia and China, but also Indonesia and South Africa.