FM urges UN mandate for Kosovo investigation

Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic called for a full and independent investigation into allegations of organ trafficking in Kosovo and Albania. The accusations are made in a report submitted by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty, and concern ethnic Albanian KLA's activities in Kosovo, which included kidnappings of Serb civilians and trade in their body parts. FM urges UN mandate for Kosovo investigation While addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday, Jeremic also said that a proble should have a UN mandate. "It is the position of the Republic of Serbia that the solution lies in establishing an ad hoc investigating mechanism created by-and accountable to-the Security Council," Jeremic noted. "This has been the case in all previous instances involving war crimes in the Balkans, whichever side the perpetrators belonged to and irrespective of their political role," he asserted. An inquiry by the EU Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) will not be enough, since EULEX does not have the mandate to conduct a serious investigation, he said. "I want to be clear on the following point: its contribution to uncovering what took place inside Kosovo itself will be crucial. That alone will not be sufficient, however, because EULEX cannot operate outside Kosovo-while the relevant allegations appear to encompass not only that territory, but various UN member States in Europe, Asia and Africa," the minister stated. The investigation should also ensure an efficient form of protection for witnesses and a program for their relocation in order to guarantee a truthful testimony, Jeremic argued, adding that witness protection was an acute problem in Kosovo. A single institution must coordinate the inquiry, deal with jurisdiction issues and ensure a just process, he said. According to Jeremic, only the participation of the UNSC can prevent claims of double standards. "Maintaining a coherent approach on the issue of war crimes is an essential component in the common effort to consolidate peace and stability in the Balkans," said the Serbian official. Serbia wants the UNSC to investigate the allegations made in Marty's report and punish the culprits if the claims are proven by the evidence, Jeremic noted. The UNSC meeting reviewed the latest report on Kosovo by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, covering the period between October 19, 2010 and January 15, 2011. Marty's report was presented during that time. Jeremic does not expect the discussion to be completed on Wednesday, but he thinks it is the beginning of a joint effort to find a solution for the issue. "I want to make it clear that for us, the question of human organs trafficking is an ethical and human rights issue of the first order. We have to make sure it is not portrayed as an attempt to assign communal blame. There is no such thing as the guilt or innocence of an entire nation. Guilt, like innocence, is not collective, but personal," the minister stressed. It is imperative the investigation does not turn into a political issue and that it remains separated from the diplomatic dispute regarding Kosovo's independence, Jeremic stated. It must serve to determine the truth and achieve reconciliation, he added. "Its successful completion is a prerequisite for lasting peace, and will represent the final repudiation of the policies that promoted extra-judicial killing, ethnic cleansing, and the criminalization of society," said Jeremic. With the third anniversary of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence approaching, Jeremic reiterated that Serbia found the declaration "null and void" and would "never recognize it, neither explicitly nor implicitly". He called the UN members that have not recognized Kosovo to stay true to that decision, making sure that unilateral attempts to impose solutions for ethnic and territorial disputes do not become a legitimate practice and preventing Kosovo from becoming a dangerous and destabilizing precedent. It will create a healthy atmosphere and allow the start of the long-awaited dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, he commented. Jeremic feels the UN remains the most important institution in Kosovo, adding that "Serbia remains strongly committed to those talks, despite delays in getting them off the ground. We share the Secretary-General's assessment, contained in today's Report, that the dialogue is a 'valuable opportunity to [...] resolve long-standing issues which would contribute significantly to the consolidation of peace, stability and reconciliation in Kosovo and throughout the region,'" There are going to be many topics at the talks, and some of them will be complicated, he remarked. "As we move forward, we should strive to build trust and understanding. Results will surely come, if the parties demonstrate good faith, working hard to achieve constructive arrangements that would benefit all the residents of the territory," Jeremic noted. It might clear the path to what could be the ultimate result of the negotiations, a peace between Serbs and Albanians, he argued. "My country is dedicated to solving all differences at the negotiating table. We welcome the opportunity presented by the dialogue, and we intend to make the most of it, just as we reasonably expect other parties to do the same," the minister affirmed. Therefore, it is extremely important that no one tries to change the situation in the field while the talks are under way, said Jeremic. A number of secretary general's reports have warned of this danger, he pointed out, adding that such actions could undermine and maybe even ruin the talks. Ban's report draws attention to the small number of internally displaced persons of ethnic non-Albanian origin who returned to Kosovo during the period covered in the document, said the minister. Only 120 have returned out of the total of 205,835 who have fled since June 1999, he stated. Jeremic appealed to all potential donors to help rebuild the Serbian churches destroyed in the March 2004 riots. The minister also commented on the recent elections in Kosovo. The UN special representative did not call those elections and they were not organized in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1244, so the results will not be certified, Jeremic said quoting the report. According to him, the results need investigating, since the elections were full of flaws. The report also references the overall conclusion of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, which says that a high number of irregularities during the parliamentary elections have severely affected the trust in the democratic process in Kosovo, Jeremic stated. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug, file)

FM urges UN mandate for Kosovo investigation

While addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday, Jeremić also said that a proble should have a UN mandate.

"It is the position of the Republic of Serbia that the solution lies in establishing an ad hoc investigating mechanism created by-and accountable to-the Security Council," Jeremić noted.

"This has been the case in all previous instances involving war crimes in the Balkans, whichever side the perpetrators belonged to and irrespective of their political role," he asserted.

An inquiry by the EU Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) will not be enough, since EULEX does not have the mandate to conduct a serious investigation, he said.

"I want to be clear on the following point: its contribution to uncovering what took place inside Kosovo itself will be crucial. That alone will not be sufficient, however, because EULEX cannot operate outside Kosovo-while the relevant allegations appear to encompass not only that territory, but various UN member States in Europe, Asia and Africa," the minister stated.

The investigation should also ensure an efficient form of protection for witnesses and a program for their relocation in order to guarantee a truthful testimony, Jeremić argued, adding that witness protection was an acute problem in Kosovo.

A single institution must coordinate the inquiry, deal with jurisdiction issues and ensure a just process, he said.

According to Jeremić, only the participation of the UNSC can prevent claims of double standards.

"Maintaining a coherent approach on the issue of war crimes is an essential component in the common effort to consolidate peace and stability in the Balkans," said the Serbian official.

Serbia wants the UNSC to investigate the allegations made in Marty's report and punish the culprits if the claims are proven by the evidence, Jeremić noted.

The UNSC meeting reviewed the latest report on Kosovo by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, covering the period between October 19, 2010 and January 15, 2011. Marty's report was presented during that time.

Jeremić does not expect the discussion to be completed on Wednesday, but he thinks it is the beginning of a joint effort to find a solution for the issue.

"I want to make it clear that for us, the question of human organs trafficking is an ethical and human rights issue of the first order. We have to make sure it is not portrayed as an attempt to assign communal blame. There is no such thing as the guilt or innocence of an entire nation. Guilt, like innocence, is not collective, but personal," the minister stressed.

It is imperative the investigation does not turn into a political issue and that it remains separated from the diplomatic dispute regarding Kosovo's independence, Jeremić stated. It must serve to determine the truth and achieve reconciliation, he added.

"Its successful completion is a prerequisite for lasting peace, and will represent the final repudiation of the policies that promoted extra-judicial killing, ethnic cleansing, and the criminalization of society," said Jeremić.

With the third anniversary of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence approaching, Jeremić reiterated that Serbia found the declaration "null and void" and would "never recognize it, neither explicitly nor implicitly".

He called the UN members that have not recognized Kosovo to stay true to that decision, making sure that unilateral attempts to impose solutions for ethnic and territorial disputes do not become a legitimate practice and preventing Kosovo from becoming a dangerous and destabilizing precedent.

It will create a healthy atmosphere and allow the start of the long-awaited dialogue between Belgrade and Priština, he commented.

Jeremić feels the UN remains the most important institution in Kosovo, adding that "Serbia remains strongly committed to those talks, despite delays in getting them off the ground. We share the Secretary-General's assessment, contained in today's Report, that the dialogue is a 'valuable opportunity to [...] resolve long-standing issues which would contribute significantly to the consolidation of peace, stability and reconciliation in Kosovo and throughout the region,'"

There are going to be many topics at the talks, and some of them will be complicated, he remarked.

"As we move forward, we should strive to build trust and understanding. Results will surely come, if the parties demonstrate good faith, working hard to achieve constructive arrangements that would benefit all the residents of the territory," Jeremić noted.

It might clear the path to what could be the ultimate result of the negotiations, a peace between Serbs and Albanians, he argued.

"My country is dedicated to solving all differences at the negotiating table. We welcome the opportunity presented by the dialogue, and we intend to make the most of it, just as we reasonably expect other parties to do the same," the minister affirmed.

Therefore, it is extremely important that no one tries to change the situation in the field while the talks are under way, said Jeremić.

A number of secretary general's reports have warned of this danger, he pointed out, adding that such actions could undermine and maybe even ruin the talks.

Ban's report draws attention to the small number of internally displaced persons of ethnic non-Albanian origin who returned to Kosovo during the period covered in the document, said the minister. Only 120 have returned out of the total of 205,835 who have fled since June 1999, he stated.

Jeremić appealed to all potential donors to help rebuild the Serbian churches destroyed in the March 2004 riots.

The minister also commented on the recent elections in Kosovo. The UN special representative did not call those elections and they were not organized in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1244, so the results will not be certified, Jeremić said quoting the report.

According to him, the results need investigating, since the elections were full of flaws.

The report also references the overall conclusion of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, which says that a high number of irregularities during the parliamentary elections have severely affected the trust in the democratic process in Kosovo, Jeremić stated.