Ruecker: Standards depend on status

1. Ruecker said that the UN mission in the province "had no mandate to comment on what the final status of Kosovo will be and how it should be resolved."

Correct statement.

2. Ruecker also repeated there would be no partition of Kosovo, as well as that the province's north was "Kosovo's integral part."

Only partly correct statement, badly worded and prejudicial to the outcome of the final status. See point 1.

Ruecker’s authority to make any statement at all on the matter stems from his appointment as Special Representative of the Secretary General at the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and I’m sure his duty statement does not include making comments which undermine the sovereignty of UN member states. If Mr Ruecker disputes this, let him post his duty statement on this site. I’d be happy to help him interpret it correctly.

The Secretary General should exercise his delegation to force Mr Ruecker to withdraw his statement and issue a new statement in line with UN resolution 1244, which reads something like; “There will be no partition of Serbia without Serbia’s consent, including no partition of Kosovo and Metohija, as the province's south is Serbia’s integral part."

3. Meantime, Kosovo Albanian authorities are united in their appraisal of a recent statement by Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, who said he "did not expect Kosovo to declare independence."

This comment, coming from the high ranking official of the country holding the EU presidency, will not influence the process of defining Kosovo's status, authorities in Priština believe.

Wow. So now Slovenia, as well as Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Cyprus, Spain etc. don’t matter! You do of course realise that they are members of the EU. No, really, they are!

4. “The government of this province "will be responsible in its actions…with full coordination with Brussels."

Hang on a second. You just said that the opinion of the country holding the presidency of the EU, as expressed by its Foreign Minister, will not influence the process of defining the status of Kosovo and Metohija, as far as you are concerned!

5. "Kosovo's institutions are working to declare independence within an optimal deadline, in coordination with those countries who supported and continue to support Kosovo's independence, such as the U.S., EU, and other democratic countries."

And if they don’t support your independence, as has been ‘hinted’? How will you coordinate it then?
Please read all the stuff about; ‘supervised independence’ without UN recognition and without mention of a change to Serbia’s borders, ‘no mention of the ‘I’ word in any solution (Ischinger), putting off talk of status for years (the US), no recognition by the EU as a whole, only individual countries that may choose to do so etc. The EU is not a country, as you think, by the way.

You guys are really pushing the limits. Read the Newsweek article, if you don’t believe me.

Ruecker also repeated there would be no partition of Kosovo, as well as that the province's north was "Kosovo's integral part."

Well when you see it in the map the one would say that the North is indeed integral part of Kosovo but the rality is completely the opposite. Yes North is not de jure independent but de facto certainly is and under full control of Belgrade. Belgrade might have no control over the South (and is not interested in )but legally the entire Kosovo is actually under Serbia's souveregnity. And for your information Mr Ruecker according to resolution 1244 Kosovo and Matohija is till integral part of Serbia. Oh, that resolution is such pain in the neck for IC and there is no legal mean to abolish it just like that. That resolution will be valid forever if not replaced by the new one which should be made with the UNSC approval. But somebody is waiting overthere, I wonder who? :)))))

Standards depend on status

This is a big disappointment. Statements like this show you just how little certain foreign policy makers care about the region. The fact that standards are not being implemented will leave plenty of room for problems in the future.

I was hoping Serbs and Albanians were going to use this process to settle their differences and move ahead, but I can see that Ruecker and the people he represents are very determined to not let that happen.

Ruecker is just bad. His lack of getting the job done is one thing. However, he now has stated that he has no intent to push for standards. He has done nothing for minorities and they will not have the freedom of movement. His interest seems to be soley at ensuring NATO gets sovereign base of opertions, namely a dependent "Independent Kosovo." Like all the others, he just sits and collects his paycheck.

Interesting how the argument for Kosovo independence is always justified by the claim that it is 'the reality of the situation on the ground that's important and not some piece of paper (ie. Resolution 1244)'.

And yet the reality on the ground in Northern Kosovo apparently escapes the same criteria. What nonsense.

The entire province legally remains part of Serbia; it is the independence seeking Albanians who want to illegally obtain the province; not the other way around.

This man is out of line and should know that his own organisation set the 'standards before status' criteria in the first place!

Xheffo: It would be better if people were thinking of the long term future and not just the very near future.

nice, at least we will all be able to see WHO was/is responsible for the mess to come.

better think a little bit more about that statement of the slovenian official.

"Ruecker: Standards depend on status"

No, no. It's Status depends on Standards. You've got that a little backwards.

"Rade, Delije, Jovan, Bmrusila, Nicholas Klinsman,
wait and see what is going to happen in very, very near future.
(xheffo, 13 January 2008 18:36)"

xheffo,...that´s what I am telling you time and again!
let´s see what future brings!

unfortunately, you are the ones who are constantly being duped, and still hope to get a present from some western countries...

right, right...
let´s just see what future brings...!

Thanks Rade for pointing out the obvious.

Didn't this guy try to meet with Kosovo Serbs and had to run for his helicopter when the Serbs started beating up his bodyguards? He is a non-player in Kosovo.

Rade, Delije, Jovan, Bmrusila, Nicholas Klinsman,
wait and see what is going to happen in very, very near future.

My dear bmrusila you just shot yoursefl on the foot. when you say that Belgrade may have no control over South but they are not interested in. My question is what happened to so called craddle of Serbia, which is the south where all Monasteries/orthodox churches are located? You are going after mines not orthodox churches and K-Serbs.

Rade,

Your are few steps behind, still in Newsweek's "cloud". There it looks peachy. Come down to earth and read the interview with your FM Jeremic. If you don't like it try to find some statements from your "highly influentiel" friends Lyons and Eagleburger.

1. Ruecker said that the UN mission in the province "had no mandate to comment on what the final status of Kosovo will be and how it should be resolved."

Correct statement.

2. Ruecker also repeated there would be no partition of Kosovo, as well as that the province's north was "Kosovo's integral part."

Only partly correct statement, badly worded and prejudicial to the outcome of the final status. See point 1.

Ruecker’s authority to make any statement at all on the matter stems from his appointment as Special Representative of the Secretary General at the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and I’m sure his duty statement does not include making comments which undermine the sovereignty of UN member states. If Mr Ruecker disputes this, let him post his duty statement on this site. I’d be happy to help him interpret it correctly.

The Secretary General should exercise his delegation to force Mr Ruecker to withdraw his statement and issue a new statement in line with UN resolution 1244, which reads something like; “There will be no partition of Serbia without Serbia’s consent, including no partition of Kosovo and Metohija, as the province's south is Serbia’s integral part."

3. Meantime, Kosovo Albanian authorities are united in their appraisal of a recent statement by Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, who said he "did not expect Kosovo to declare independence."

This comment, coming from the high ranking official of the country holding the EU presidency, will not influence the process of defining Kosovo's status, authorities in Priština believe.

Wow. So now Slovenia, as well as Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Cyprus, Spain etc. don’t matter! You do of course realise that they are members of the EU. No, really, they are!

4. “The government of this province "will be responsible in its actions…with full coordination with Brussels."

Hang on a second. You just said that the opinion of the country holding the presidency of the EU, as expressed by its Foreign Minister, will not influence the process of defining the status of Kosovo and Metohija, as far as you are concerned!

5. "Kosovo's institutions are working to declare independence within an optimal deadline, in coordination with those countries who supported and continue to support Kosovo's independence, such as the U.S., EU, and other democratic countries."

And if they don’t support your independence, as has been ‘hinted’? How will you coordinate it then?
Please read all the stuff about; ‘supervised independence’ without UN recognition and without mention of a change to Serbia’s borders, ‘no mention of the ‘I’ word in any solution (Ischinger), putting off talk of status for years (the US), no recognition by the EU as a whole, only individual countries that may choose to do so etc. The EU is not a country, as you think, by the way.

You guys are really pushing the limits. Read the Newsweek article, if you don’t believe me.

nice, at least we will all be able to see WHO was/is responsible for the mess to come.

better think a little bit more about that statement of the slovenian official.

Thanks Rade for pointing out the obvious.

Rade, Delije, Jovan, Bmrusila, Nicholas Klinsman,
wait and see what is going to happen in very, very near future.

"Ruecker: Standards depend on status"

No, no. It's Status depends on Standards. You've got that a little backwards.

Ruecker is just bad. His lack of getting the job done is one thing. However, he now has stated that he has no intent to push for standards. He has done nothing for minorities and they will not have the freedom of movement. His interest seems to be soley at ensuring NATO gets sovereign base of opertions, namely a dependent "Independent Kosovo." Like all the others, he just sits and collects his paycheck.

Ruecker also repeated there would be no partition of Kosovo, as well as that the province's north was "Kosovo's integral part."

Well when you see it in the map the one would say that the North is indeed integral part of Kosovo but the rality is completely the opposite. Yes North is not de jure independent but de facto certainly is and under full control of Belgrade. Belgrade might have no control over the South (and is not interested in )but legally the entire Kosovo is actually under Serbia's souveregnity. And for your information Mr Ruecker according to resolution 1244 Kosovo and Matohija is till integral part of Serbia. Oh, that resolution is such pain in the neck for IC and there is no legal mean to abolish it just like that. That resolution will be valid forever if not replaced by the new one which should be made with the UNSC approval. But somebody is waiting overthere, I wonder who? :)))))

Standards depend on status

This is a big disappointment. Statements like this show you just how little certain foreign policy makers care about the region. The fact that standards are not being implemented will leave plenty of room for problems in the future.

I was hoping Serbs and Albanians were going to use this process to settle their differences and move ahead, but I can see that Ruecker and the people he represents are very determined to not let that happen.

Didn't this guy try to meet with Kosovo Serbs and had to run for his helicopter when the Serbs started beating up his bodyguards? He is a non-player in Kosovo.

Interesting how the argument for Kosovo independence is always justified by the claim that it is 'the reality of the situation on the ground that's important and not some piece of paper (ie. Resolution 1244)'.

And yet the reality on the ground in Northern Kosovo apparently escapes the same criteria. What nonsense.

The entire province legally remains part of Serbia; it is the independence seeking Albanians who want to illegally obtain the province; not the other way around.

This man is out of line and should know that his own organisation set the 'standards before status' criteria in the first place!

"Rade, Delije, Jovan, Bmrusila, Nicholas Klinsman,
wait and see what is going to happen in very, very near future.
(xheffo, 13 January 2008 18:36)"

xheffo,...that´s what I am telling you time and again!
let´s see what future brings!

unfortunately, you are the ones who are constantly being duped, and still hope to get a present from some western countries...

right, right...
let´s just see what future brings...!

Xheffo: It would be better if people were thinking of the long term future and not just the very near future.

Rade,

Your are few steps behind, still in Newsweek's "cloud". There it looks peachy. Come down to earth and read the interview with your FM Jeremic. If you don't like it try to find some statements from your "highly influentiel" friends Lyons and Eagleburger.

My dear bmrusila you just shot yoursefl on the foot. when you say that Belgrade may have no control over South but they are not interested in. My question is what happened to so called craddle of Serbia, which is the south where all Monasteries/orthodox churches are located? You are going after mines not orthodox churches and K-Serbs.