President addresses UN Security Council

The UN Security Council is debating the situation in Kosovo in New York this Friday, at a session addressed by Serbian President Boris Tadic. The council is considering the latest report of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the situation in Kosovo, in which Serbia and Kosovo are urged to find a way to put aside the status considerations and commit to the resumption of regional cooperation. President addresses UN Security Council Tadic warned the Security Council on Friday that the situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija is "fragile" and pointed to the danger of a forcible implementation of the Ahtisaari plan. Tadic assessed that that harsh rhetoric which EULEX is using when referring to the legitimate Serbian institutions in northern Kosovo as "parallel" does not contribute to the maintenance of stability. "The truly parallel institutions that operate in Kosovo are those created on the basis of the unilateral declaration of independence. Their existence is a violation of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244 (1999). Should EULEX, or KFOR, or anyone else wish to condemn any authority in Kosovo, let them begin with those created unilaterally by the ethnic Albanian authorities in Pristina, without the approval of this Council, and in clear breach of the principles of the international order," Tadic said. President Tadic also drew attention to the alarming plans to impose a so-called "final solution" for northern Kosovo, which is intended to forcibly implement the so-called Ahtisaari proposal on the whole of Kosovo territory. "This strategy can only be advanced by the enforcement of a draconian, undemocratic set of measures on the Serbian community in North Kosovo. Those who announced it - they and they alone - should bear responsibility for the destabilizing atmosphere such conflict-inciting designs can only be meant to produce," Tadic explained. The Serbian president concluded that Pristina's "final solution" for northern Kosovo would do no good to those who live there, but would rather satisfy the extremists, and expressed his belief that KFOR and EULEX will protect the Serb community in North Kosovo from the aggressive ambitions and the announced moves of the administration in Pristine. Tadic also protested before the UN Security Council over the obstruction and prevention of the visit of Serbia's state officials to Kosovo and Metohija, and underlined that the authority in Belgrade strictly obeyed the agreed-upon procedures. “It is difficult to imagine how we can positively contribute to developments on the ground, if our ability to work closely with the Kosovo Serb community throughout the province is hindered,” Tadic said. The Serbian president gave the recent example of Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic, who was detained at gunpoint in a village near Strpce by ethnic Albanian special operations police officers that escorted him back to the administrative border crossing. “Political disagreements on status should not result in provocative denials of basic human rights to anyone,” Tadic underscored. “Such a climate of zealous intolerance cannot help but adversely affect what the report qualifies as an already 'very low' number of IDPs that have gone back to the province. More than 200,000 Serb victims of ethnic cleansing continue to be denied the right of return. Regretfully, Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities seem to want to send a message that says: 'accepting UDI is a precondition to being beyond the arbitrary reach of the police,'” Tadic assessed. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who is also in the delegation, said earlier today that "Serbia will be represented at the highest level on Jan. 22, because of the extremely serious and complex situation in Kosovo." UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, chief Lamberto Zannier will also present his report. Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hiseni will also come to New York because of the session of the UN Security Council. Boris Tadic addresses the UNSC (Tanjug) “Provocative statements” Ahead of his trip to New York, Tadic stated that Serbia will not recognize Kosovo and Metohija as independent and that it will continue with its policy based on international law. He said that he would address the Security Council to speak about the process currently underway at the International Court of Justice, looking into the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration made two years ago, as well as about legal, political, diplomatic and security aspects related to Kosovo. In the past period, said Tadic, we have had provocative statements coming from representatives of the (ethnic) Albanian institutions in Kosovo, but also in the region. “It is very important that, at the Security Council session, which is the most important international institution that deals with security policy, the new security challenges that we are all facing are defined,” the president said. The goal of this, he explained, “is to in time suspend provocative activities and ensure stability and a peaceful development of the situation, where we should discuss the future status of Kosovo as well.” Serbia will not recognize Kosovo implicitly or explicitly, “not at any price”, and will lead a constructive policy based on international law and diplomatic activities, Tadic stressed. He also revealed that he would tell the Security Council about Serbia’s stance related to obstructions faced by ministers and state officials visiting Kosovo and traveling in the province, as well as the announced strategy for northern Kosovo, and issues related to the return of IDPs and protection of religious and cultural heritage. The session, Tadic continued, will also be a chance to talk about regional security, and in that context, he said he would speak about Croatian President Stjepan Mesic’s statements about the possibility of using that country’s military in Bosnia-Herzegovina. “That’s a dangerous and provocative statement,” Tadic warned, and concluded that “no one should bring up the use of the military and call for a war epilogue in the Balkans, especially after the tragic experiences we have all had in the Balkans in the 1990s, from which we are still recovering.” In an interview from New York ahead of the UNSC session, Tadic told national broadcaster RTS that he would reiterate that Pieter Feith, on behalf of the ICO, is working outside the UN mandate. “The plan on some kind of integration of northern Kosovo into the so-called state of Kosovo is absolutely unacceptable for Serbia,” Tadic emphasized. He added that Feith's statements are destabilizing the situation and constitute a threat to all who live in Western Balkans, and that Feith’s statements lately were one of the reasons he decided to take part in the UNSC session today. “Our citizens need to know, just as the international community, and I will repeat it once again here in New York, that the office of the high representative [sic], and Pieter Feith himself, are not working inside the UN mandate, nor has the Ahtrisaari plan been confirmed by the UN Security Council,“ said Tadic. “The plan about some kind of integration of northern Kosovo into the so-called state of Kosovo is unacceptable for Serbia,” he said, expressing his conviction that that plan will “never become a reality”. Tadic also stated that Serbia accepts Kosovo’s participation in regional forums only under the name of UNMIK Kosovo, “since Serbia does not intend to block regional processes or halt life, rather it only wishes to defend its territorial integrity and respect international law”. Tadic said he conferred earlier in the day with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and informed him of the statement of the outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, regarding Croatia’s military intervention against the Republic of Srpska. “Serbia's intention is to warn that dangerous words and statements are not welcome in regional political speech,” Tadic noted. “Serbia does not wish to distrub its relations with Croatia, and believes that a constructive dialogue can be held with the new Croatian president and government and that a series of open issues concerning Serbs in that country and protection of national heritage can be resolved,” Tadic said. Serbia will pursue its constructive dialogue with Croatia, but Belgrade has the responsibility to warn of statements coming from other countries, the president told RTS.

President addresses UN Security Council

Tadić warned the Security Council on Friday that the situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija is "fragile" and pointed to the danger of a forcible implementation of the Ahtisaari plan.

Tadić assessed that that harsh rhetoric which EULEX is using when referring to the legitimate Serbian institutions in northern Kosovo as "parallel" does not contribute to the maintenance of stability.

"The truly parallel institutions that operate in Kosovo are those created on the basis of the unilateral declaration of independence. Their existence is a violation of (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244 (1999). Should EULEX, or KFOR, or anyone else wish to condemn any authority in Kosovo, let them begin with those created unilaterally by the ethnic Albanian authorities in Priština, without the approval of this Council, and in clear breach of the principles of the international order," Tadić said.

President Tadić also drew attention to the alarming plans to impose a so-called "final solution" for northern Kosovo, which is intended to forcibly implement the so-called Ahtisaari proposal on the whole of Kosovo territory.

"This strategy can only be advanced by the enforcement of a draconian, undemocratic set of measures on the Serbian community in North Kosovo. Those who announced it - they and they alone - should bear responsibility for the destabilizing atmosphere such conflict-inciting designs can only be meant to produce," Tadić explained.

The Serbian president concluded that Priština's "final solution" for northern Kosovo would do no good to those who live there, but would rather satisfy the extremists, and expressed his belief that KFOR and EULEX will protect the Serb community in North Kosovo from the aggressive ambitions and the announced moves of the administration in Pristine.

Tadić also protested before the UN Security Council over the obstruction and prevention of the visit of Serbia's state officials to Kosovo and Metohija, and underlined that the authority in Belgrade strictly obeyed the agreed-upon procedures.

“It is difficult to imagine how we can positively contribute to developments on the ground, if our ability to work closely with the Kosovo Serb community throughout the province is hindered,” Tadić said.

The Serbian president gave the recent example of Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović, who was detained at gunpoint in a village near Štrpce by ethnic Albanian special operations police officers that escorted him back to the administrative border crossing.

“Political disagreements on status should not result in provocative denials of basic human rights to anyone,” Tadić underscored.

“Such a climate of zealous intolerance cannot help but adversely affect what the report qualifies as an already 'very low' number of IDPs that have gone back to the province. More than 200,000 Serb victims of ethnic cleansing continue to be denied the right of return. Regretfully, Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities seem to want to send a message that says: 'accepting UDI is a precondition to being beyond the arbitrary reach of the police,'” Tadić assessed.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, who is also in the delegation, said earlier today that "Serbia will be represented at the highest level on Jan. 22, because of the extremely serious and complex situation in Kosovo."

UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, chief Lamberto Zannier will also present his report.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hiseni will also come to New York because of the session of the UN Security Council.

“Provocative statements”

Ahead of his trip to New York, Tadić stated that Serbia will not recognize Kosovo and Metohija as independent and that it will continue with its policy based on international law.

He said that he would address the Security Council to speak about the process currently underway at the International Court of Justice, looking into the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration made two years ago, as well as about legal, political, diplomatic and security aspects related to Kosovo.

In the past period, said Tadić, we have had provocative statements coming from representatives of the (ethnic) Albanian institutions in Kosovo, but also in the region.

“It is very important that, at the Security Council session, which is the most important international institution that deals with security policy, the new security challenges that we are all facing are defined,” the president said.

The goal of this, he explained, “is to in time suspend provocative activities and ensure stability and a peaceful development of the situation, where we should discuss the future status of Kosovo as well.”

Serbia will not recognize Kosovo implicitly or explicitly, “not at any price”, and will lead a constructive policy based on international law and diplomatic activities, Tadić stressed.

He also revealed that he would tell the Security Council about Serbia’s stance related to obstructions faced by ministers and state officials visiting Kosovo and traveling in the province, as well as the announced strategy for northern Kosovo, and issues related to the return of IDPs and protection of religious and cultural heritage.

The session, Tadić continued, will also be a chance to talk about regional security, and in that context, he said he would speak about Croatian President Stjepan Mesić’s statements about the possibility of using that country’s military in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“That’s a dangerous and provocative statement,” Tadić warned, and concluded that “no one should bring up the use of the military and call for a war epilogue in the Balkans, especially after the tragic experiences we have all had in the Balkans in the 1990s, from which we are still recovering.”

In an interview from New York ahead of the UNSC session, Tadić told national broadcaster RTS that he would reiterate that Pieter Feith, on behalf of the ICO, is working outside the UN mandate.

“The plan on some kind of integration of northern Kosovo into the so-called state of Kosovo is absolutely unacceptable for Serbia,” Tadić emphasized.

He added that Feith's statements are destabilizing the situation and constitute a threat to all who live in Western Balkans, and that Feith’s statements lately were one of the reasons he decided to take part in the UNSC session today.

“Our citizens need to know, just as the international community, and I will repeat it once again here in New York, that the office of the high representative [sic], and Pieter Feith himself, are not working inside the UN mandate, nor has the Ahtrisaari plan been confirmed by the UN Security Council,“ said Tadić.

“The plan about some kind of integration of northern Kosovo into the so-called state of Kosovo is unacceptable for Serbia,” he said, expressing his conviction that that plan will “never become a reality”.

Tadić also stated that Serbia accepts Kosovo’s participation in regional forums only under the name of UNMIK Kosovo, “since Serbia does not intend to block regional processes or halt life, rather it only wishes to defend its territorial integrity and respect international law”.

Tadić said he conferred earlier in the day with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and informed him of the statement of the outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesić, regarding Croatia’s military intervention against the Republic of Srpska.

“Serbia's intention is to warn that dangerous words and statements are not welcome in regional political speech,” Tadić noted.

“Serbia does not wish to distrub its relations with Croatia, and believes that a constructive dialogue can be held with the new Croatian president and government and that a series of open issues concerning Serbs in that country and protection of national heritage can be resolved,” Tadić said.

Serbia will pursue its constructive dialogue with Croatia, but Belgrade has the responsibility to warn of statements coming from other countries, the president told RTS.