Ban gives order to commence reconfiguration

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told his envoy to Kosovo to begin reconfiguration of the UN mission. “I’ve given the order to UNMIK to cooperate with the EU in order to provide the operative role in Kosovo in the field of the rule of law under the all-encompassing authority of the UN,“ says Ban in the latest Security Council report. Ban gives order to commence reconfiguration In the document published on the UN Information Center’s website, the secretary-general says that he has given these instructions to his new special representative in Kosovo, UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier, because, in his opinion, the Security Council “is unable to offer guidelines“ for UNMIK’s reconfiguration. He says that a series of events has led to “the creation of a new reality in Kosovo“, where UNMIK can no longer effectively carry out the tasks of the transitional administration, which is why he repeated his intention to open the doors to the EU to assume a significant role in “guaranteeing the rule of law“ under a UN umbrella. “The UN retains a strictly neutral position when it comes to Kosovo’s status... It is my view that UNMIK is no longer able to carry out the role of a transitional administration as effectively as was the case earlier,“ says Ban. “It’s my opinion that the reconfiguration of UNMIK to be implemented is fully in line with Resolution 1244, in the UN’s interests, and its application will preserve UNMIK’s achievements,“ he stresses. The secretary general says that dialogue with Belgrade is of “crucial importance“ for the UN’s efforts in Kosovo, adding that Zannier is ready to open dialogue with the Belgrade authorities on six key areas of common interest, including the police, courts, customs, transport and infrastructure, borders, and Serbian cultural heritage. UNMIK will continue to support Kosovo in its attempts to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance economic growth, and continue its path to a European future as a part of the Western Balkans. Ban reiterates that the Kosovo constitution entered into force on June 15, which “does not provide for a real role for UNMIK even though Kosovo leaders welcomed the continuation of the UN presence in Kosovo for a certain time.“ Kosovo has adopted laws in a large number of areas with a view to assuming legal control and responsibility in areas reserved for the UNMIK chief, he states. The secretary-general points out that the Kosovo Serbs reject the constitution and laws and, with Belgrade’s support, are spreading their boycott of the Kosovo institutions, and deepening their parallel structures, particularly in northern Kosovo. Building a society enabling the peaceful co-existence of all communities remains a difficult and long-term challenge for Kosovo. “i call on the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade, and the representatives of all Kosovo communities to continue their joint work with UNMIK, and on the Council member-states and the wider international community to support Kosovo in these efforts,“ says Ban. In Zannier’s section of the report on progress in the application of standards in Kosovo, the UNMIK chief states that four Serb MPs are continuing their boycott of the work of the Kosovo assembly that began on February 17, while the other six returned to the assembly on March 19. He also points to the planned formation of parallel Serb municipalities in Kosovo on the basis of the elections on May 11 held in Serbia. Zannier also highlights a series of moves that the Kosovo authorities need to take, including maintaining the Kosovo Police Service’s (KPS) multi-ethnic composition, ensuring law and order in minority communities, adoption of a law on the courts, as well as support to minority and multi-ethnic media. The report states that the number of returnees is unsatisfactory, and that for this reason, the Kosovo government has to show commitment to application of the returnee protocol. The government must also continue work to ensure adequate protection of cultural and religious heritage, says Zannier. The Security Council will consider the secretary-general’s new report on July 25. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic will speak with Ban today about the problems of reconfiguring the UN mission to Kosovo. Ban Ki-moon (Fonet, archive)

Ban gives order to commence reconfiguration

In the document published on the UN Information Center’s website, the secretary-general says that he has given these instructions to his new special representative in Kosovo, UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier, because, in his opinion, the Security Council “is unable to offer guidelines“ for UNMIK’s reconfiguration.

He says that a series of events has led to “the creation of a new reality in Kosovo“, where UNMIK can no longer effectively carry out the tasks of the transitional administration, which is why he repeated his intention to open the doors to the EU to assume a significant role in “guaranteeing the rule of law“ under a UN umbrella.

“The UN retains a strictly neutral position when it comes to Kosovo’s status... It is my view that UNMIK is no longer able to carry out the role of a transitional administration as effectively as was the case earlier,“ says Ban.

“It’s my opinion that the reconfiguration of UNMIK to be implemented is fully in line with Resolution 1244, in the UN’s interests, and its application will preserve UNMIK’s achievements,“ he stresses.

The secretary general says that dialogue with Belgrade is of “crucial importance“ for the UN’s efforts in Kosovo, adding that Zannier is ready to open dialogue with the Belgrade authorities on six key areas of common interest, including the police, courts, customs, transport and infrastructure, borders, and Serbian cultural heritage.

UNMIK will continue to support Kosovo in its attempts to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance economic growth, and continue its path to a European future as a part of the Western Balkans.

Ban reiterates that the Kosovo constitution entered into force on June 15, which “does not provide for a real role for UNMIK even though Kosovo leaders welcomed the continuation of the UN presence in Kosovo for a certain time.“

Kosovo has adopted laws in a large number of areas with a view to assuming legal control and responsibility in areas reserved for the UNMIK chief, he states.

The secretary-general points out that the Kosovo Serbs reject the constitution and laws and, with Belgrade’s support, are spreading their boycott of the Kosovo institutions, and deepening their parallel structures, particularly in northern Kosovo.

Building a society enabling the peaceful co-existence of all communities remains a difficult and long-term challenge for Kosovo.

“i call on the authorities in Priština and Belgrade, and the representatives of all Kosovo communities to continue their joint work with UNMIK, and on the Council member-states and the wider international community to support Kosovo in these efforts,“ says Ban.

In Zannier’s section of the report on progress in the application of standards in Kosovo, the UNMIK chief states that four Serb MPs are continuing their boycott of the work of the Kosovo assembly that began on February 17, while the other six returned to the assembly on March 19.

He also points to the planned formation of parallel Serb municipalities in Kosovo on the basis of the elections on May 11 held in Serbia.

Zannier also highlights a series of moves that the Kosovo authorities need to take, including maintaining the Kosovo Police Service’s (KPS) multi-ethnic composition, ensuring law and order in minority communities, adoption of a law on the courts, as well as support to minority and multi-ethnic media.

The report states that the number of returnees is unsatisfactory, and that for this reason, the Kosovo government has to show commitment to application of the returnee protocol.

The government must also continue work to ensure adequate protection of cultural and religious heritage, says Zannier.

The Security Council will consider the secretary-general’s new report on July 25.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will speak with Ban today about the problems of reconfiguring the UN mission to Kosovo.