UN SC: No agreement over further talks

The Security Council failed to reach agreement on Russia’s proposal for talks between Belgrade and Pristina to continue. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic asked the Security Council to confirm the UN's mandate in Kosovo. UN SC: No agreement over further talks He said that Serbia would continue to respect Resolution 1244, and warned that, without a new resolution, the mandate could not be transferred to a new mission, not even to the EU who were already on the ground. Jeremic said last night in New York that Serbia had called a Security Council session in order to confirm Resolution 1244 and the UN’s mandate in Kosovo, because, he said, that was the only way to prevent a further deterioration of the situation on the ground. The foreign minister stressed Serbia’s position that the EULEX mission and the International Steering Group for Kosovo had been established outwith the resolution, and that they were not in line with the principles of the UN Charter or the Helsinki Final Act. He called on all countries that had recognized Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration to reconsider their decision. “Recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence legitimizes the doctrine of imposed solutions for ethnic conflicts. It legitimizes the unilateral secession of provinces and other non-state actors. It transforms the right to self-determination into an open right to independence. It legitimizes the violent fragmentation of internationally recognized, sovereign states. And it gives every ethnic and religious group that has problems, instructions to achieve their aim,” Jeremic said. The foreign minister said that Serbia was ready to be a constructive partner in building regional peace, stability and reconciliation. Jeremic also told reporters that Serbia would not use force, which, he said, had been excessive during 1990s. He said that, on behalf of the Serbian government, he apologized to those countries whose embassies had been damaged on February 21, and conveyed his assurances that every possible measure would be taken to prevent a repeat of such scenes. U.S. ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told the Security Council: “We’re ready to devote time to everything linked to helping Kosovo strengthening its independence, the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and to work in cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo, a cooperation based on reality. But everything that ignores what has happened, or indirectly, through word-play, does not accept that fact, will not have our support.” British ambassador John Sawers said that Jeremic had made an interesting presentation. “But, the essence has not changed. I think we’re all aware of the political situation in Serbia, and I don’t think there will be any abrupt or noticeable changes within the Security Council concerning the views we’ve had these last few months,” Sawers said. Chairman of the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, said late Tuesday it was "very important that during the UN Security Council session, support had been expressed for the UN Mission in Kosovo and Resolution 1244". Churkin told reporters at the UN Headquarters that during the session, Russia had proposed a draft statement in which it demanded a continuation of negotiations on Kosovo status and that “many SC member countries backed the document". The draft, seen by Russia's Itar-Tass, expresses adherence to the preservation of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all countries in the Balkans within their internationally recognized borders. The document, as the agency reported, points to the need to renew the dialogue on defining Kosovo future status, all on the basis of and in keeping with Resolution 1244. Addressing reporters, Churkin assessed that after the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo independence, the international community was disoriented, the situation in Kosovo had become confusing, that Serbia was politically unstable, and that certain separatist groups were announcing similar moves, while some countries were concerned over their territorial integrity. The Russian diplomat reiterated that Russia did not accept the legality of the EU mission, EULEX, or the International Steering Group, since they "went beyond the framework of Resolution 1244". Churkin also disagreed with his western partners over the "existence of a new reality in Kosovo". “We do not accept that a new reality has been established. We believe that what has happened is some kind of Matrix virtual reality that cannot be recognized as a legal international reality, unless and until an agreement is reached between the sides and a new Security Council decision is taken to replace 1244,” explained Churkin. The Security Council (FoNet, archive)

UN SC: No agreement over further talks

He said that Serbia would continue to respect Resolution 1244, and warned that, without a new resolution, the mandate could not be transferred to a new mission, not even to the EU who were already on the ground.

Jeremić said last night in New York that Serbia had called a Security Council session in order to confirm Resolution 1244 and the UN’s mandate in Kosovo, because, he said, that was the only way to prevent a further deterioration of the situation on the ground.

The foreign minister stressed Serbia’s position that the EULEX mission and the International Steering Group for Kosovo had been established outwith the resolution, and that they were not in line with the principles of the UN Charter or the Helsinki Final Act.

He called on all countries that had recognized Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration to reconsider their decision.

“Recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence legitimizes the doctrine of imposed solutions for ethnic conflicts. It legitimizes the unilateral secession of provinces and other non-state actors. It transforms the right to self-determination into an open right to independence. It legitimizes the violent fragmentation of internationally recognized, sovereign states. And it gives every ethnic and religious group that has problems, instructions to achieve their aim,” Jeremić said.

The foreign minister said that Serbia was ready to be a constructive partner in building regional peace, stability and reconciliation.

Jeremić also told reporters that Serbia would not use force, which, he said, had been excessive during 1990s.

He said that, on behalf of the Serbian government, he apologized to those countries whose embassies had been damaged on February 21, and conveyed his assurances that every possible measure would be taken to prevent a repeat of such scenes.

U.S. ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told the Security Council: “We’re ready to devote time to everything linked to helping Kosovo strengthening its independence, the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and to work in cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo, a cooperation based on reality. But everything that ignores what has happened, or indirectly, through word-play, does not accept that fact, will not have our support.”

British ambassador John Sawers said that Jeremić had made an interesting presentation.

“But, the essence has not changed. I think we’re all aware of the political situation in Serbia, and I don’t think there will be any abrupt or noticeable changes within the Security Council concerning the views we’ve had these last few months,” Sawers said.

Chairman of the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, said late Tuesday it was "very important that during the UN Security Council session, support had been expressed for the UN Mission in Kosovo and Resolution 1244".

Churkin told reporters at the UN Headquarters that during the session, Russia had proposed a draft statement in which it demanded a continuation of negotiations on Kosovo status and that “many SC member countries backed the document".

The draft, seen by Russia's Itar-Tass, expresses adherence to the preservation of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all countries in the Balkans within their internationally recognized borders.

The document, as the agency reported, points to the need to renew the dialogue on defining Kosovo future status, all on the basis of and in keeping with Resolution 1244.

Addressing reporters, Churkin assessed that after the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo independence, the international community was disoriented, the situation in Kosovo had become confusing, that Serbia was politically unstable, and that certain separatist groups were announcing similar moves, while some countries were concerned over their territorial integrity.

The Russian diplomat reiterated that Russia did not accept the legality of the EU mission, EULEX, or the International Steering Group, since they "went beyond the framework of Resolution 1244".

Churkin also disagreed with his western partners over the "existence of a new reality in Kosovo".

“We do not accept that a new reality has been established. We believe that what has happened is some kind of Matrix virtual reality that cannot be recognized as a legal international reality, unless and until an agreement is reached between the sides and a new Security Council decision is taken to replace 1244,” explained Churkin.