UN Security Council to hold meeting on Kosovo

UN Security Council to hold meeting on Kosovo

In the report for the period between October 16 and January 20, Ban says that the year 2013 was a year of significant changes and substantial political progress which resulted in the historic EU-facilitated agreement reached between Belgrade and Priština in Brussels on April 19, and underscores that, in 2014, efforts must continue to consolidate the critical achievements of the past year in the dialogue and along the path toward regional reconciliation, stability and prosperity.

The secretary-general notes that the local elections in Kosovo, including the north, were successful, stressing that this has cleared the way for new political dynamics within Kosovo and leads to full implementation of the Brussels agreement and establishment of a community of Serb municipalities.

He calls on the international community to continue to encourage and actively support the dialogue process and assist the newly elected local municipal assemblies and leaders, including those in northern Kosovo.

In the report, which Tanjug has seen, Ban notes that both sides have made progress in getting closer to the EU and welcomes the decision of the European Council to launch the EU accession negotiations with Serbia.

Ahead of his trip to New York, Dačić said that in the meeting he will voice Belgrade's commitment to the dialogue, but that he will also warn that Priština is misusing the dialogue in an attempt to affirm Kosovo's independence, which was unilaterally proclaimed by ethnic Albanians.

He said that the Brussels agreement had unequivocally opened the door for breaking the vicious circle, but that Belgrade is not satisfied with the way in which it is being implemented, because Belgrade deems that, through the implementation of the agreement, although it is status-neutral, Priština is trying to affirm its statehood.

"They know very well that, without the UN and agreement with Serbia, the process of their independence cannot be finalized," Dacic said, stressing that Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state and wants the implementation to be status-neutral.

He said that he will also speak about the need for guaranteeing full security and ensuring that there are no more cases such as the arrest of Serb politician Oliver Ivanović and some others.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci will also attend the meeting, during which the UNSC will consider the latest report by the UN secretary-general.