Security Council to discuss Kosovo Thursday

A UN Security Council (SC) meeting on Kosovo will be held at UN HQ in New York on Thursday, when UN S-G Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on UNMIK will be presented. According to the UN website, the session will be held in the afternoon, local time. Security Council to discuss Kosovo Thursday In his report published two weeks ago, Ban calls on all sides in Kosovo to show restraint and to constructively resolve all delicate inter-ethnic issues. He commends UNMIK's efforts to create conditions for dialogue and cooperation among the communities in Kosovo, as well as between Pristina and Belgrade. “This cooperation is necessary for normalization of the situation in Kosovo and for stabilization and development of the whole Western Balkans,” says Ban, adding that UNMIK is continuing its successful mediation between the Albanian and Serb communities in northern Kosovo. The efforts of the UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier to forge practical cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina have yielded only partial results, the report states, referring to the period between June 1 and September 15. “Even though the authorities in Belgrade have shown an interest in finding a pragmatic approach to addressing certain problems, Pristina has been setting pre-conditions. In order to achieve tangible progress and effective application of any practical arrangement, greater flexibility and pragmatism are required,“ the secretary-general notes. He states that the security situation in northern Kosovo continues to be fraught and calls on all sides to display “restraint and pursue constructive policies to address sensitive inter-ethnic questions.“ Ban voices his gratification that cooperation between UNMIK and EULEX is getting stronger, stressing that “the UN supports reinforcing the EU’s role in Kosovo and welcomes all efforts towards strengthening our strategic and political coordination at all levels.“ Ban Ki-moon (FoNet, archive)

Security Council to discuss Kosovo Thursday

In his report published two weeks ago, Ban calls on all sides in Kosovo to show restraint and to constructively resolve all delicate inter-ethnic issues.

He commends UNMIK's efforts to create conditions for dialogue and cooperation among the communities in Kosovo, as well as between Priština and Belgrade.

“This cooperation is necessary for normalization of the situation in Kosovo and for stabilization and development of the whole Western Balkans,” says Ban, adding that UNMIK is continuing its successful mediation between the Albanian and Serb communities in northern Kosovo.

The efforts of the UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier to forge practical cooperation between Belgrade and Priština have yielded only partial results, the report states, referring to the period between June 1 and September 15.

“Even though the authorities in Belgrade have shown an interest in finding a pragmatic approach to addressing certain problems, Priština has been setting pre-conditions. In order to achieve tangible progress and effective application of any practical arrangement, greater flexibility and pragmatism are required,“ the secretary-general notes.

He states that the security situation in northern Kosovo continues to be fraught and calls on all sides to display “restraint and pursue constructive policies to address sensitive inter-ethnic questions.“

Ban voices his gratification that cooperation between UNMIK and EULEX is getting stronger, stressing that “the UN supports reinforcing the EU’s role in Kosovo and welcomes all efforts towards strengthening our strategic and political coordination at all levels.“