Ruecker: UN in Kosovo after June 15

UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker said Friday that UN Resolution 1244 remains in force after June 15. The German diplomat added the UN mission he leads will have a role after the Kosovo constitution comes into force. Ruecker: UN in Kosovo after June 15 In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Ruecker said that there can be no overlapping of international missions and that, as long as 1244 remains in force, "the UN would have a role to play in Kosovo". Ruecker underscored that UNMIK would continue acting in accordance with the changing circumstances in the field. "The UN mission will have its function in political reporting from the field, from Pristina towards New York and the UN Security Council. UNMIK will maintain its third pillar - the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), while the economic development section will stop functioning in June, thus, the new manner of the mission's presence will be more visible," Ruecker set out. He added that it is necessary to resolve the issue of who will divide the competences with EULEX - the EU's planned judicial and police mission, which Belgrade dismisses as illegal. "One issue remains unresolved and this are the UN powers in the sphere of the rule of law and how this will link up with the EU mission," Ruecker stated, adding that there can be no overlapping of missions, "since this would not be fair towards taxpayers worldwide". Speaking about the Serbian local elections, Ruecker recalled that UNMIK views them as illegal and that their results have no legal basis in Kosovo. UNMIK's chief underscored that it is necessary to decide the fate of the local authorities that he appointed in keeping with his powers, since the Serb community boycotted the Kosovo elections. "I have to see whether I will extend their mandates, or whether elections will be held. I offered this to Belgrade, but they rejected it," Ruecker pointed out. Meanwhile in Pristina, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko said Friday that it is not known when and how the UNMIK mission in Kosovo will be "reconfigured". Ivanko told Tanjug news agency that all decisions linked to this mission depend on the UN headquarters in New York. "Now we are operating within UN Security Council Resolution 1244. We understand that the real situation in the field will change after June 15, when the Kosovo constitution comes into force, but how UNMIK will be reconfigured is currently being discussed and will depend on the New York - based UN seat which will issue instructions about this," he said. The International Steering Group for Kosovo, ISG, which met in Pristina on Thursday, concluded that the Kosovo government would assume the UNMIK powers after the new constitution comes into force. Asked whether all or only powers would be transferred from UNMIK to the Kosovo institutions, Ivanko repeated that "all depends on what kind of instructions will arrive from the UN headquarters in New York". He added that consultations on the reconfiguration of the UN mission were under way, that they would continue next week and that, as soon as this is completed, the final instructions from New York are expected.

Ruecker: UN in Kosovo after June 15

In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Ruecker said that there can be no overlapping of international missions and that, as long as 1244 remains in force, "the UN would have a role to play in Kosovo".

Ruecker underscored that UNMIK would continue acting in accordance with the changing circumstances in the field.

"The UN mission will have its function in political reporting from the field, from Priština towards New York and the UN Security Council. UNMIK will maintain its third pillar - the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), while the economic development section will stop functioning in June, thus, the new manner of the mission's presence will be more visible," Ruecker set out.

He added that it is necessary to resolve the issue of who will divide the competences with EULEX - the EU's planned judicial and police mission, which Belgrade dismisses as illegal.

"One issue remains unresolved and this are the UN powers in the sphere of the rule of law and how this will link up with the EU mission," Ruecker stated, adding that there can be no overlapping of missions, "since this would not be fair towards taxpayers worldwide".

Speaking about the Serbian local elections, Ruecker recalled that UNMIK views them as illegal and that their results have no legal basis in Kosovo.

UNMIK's chief underscored that it is necessary to decide the fate of the local authorities that he appointed in keeping with his powers, since the Serb community boycotted the Kosovo elections.

"I have to see whether I will extend their mandates, or whether elections will be held. I offered this to Belgrade, but they rejected it," Ruecker pointed out.

Meanwhile in Priština, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko said Friday that it is not known when and how the UNMIK mission in Kosovo will be "reconfigured".

Ivanko told Tanjug news agency that all decisions linked to this mission depend on the UN headquarters in New York.

"Now we are operating within UN Security Council Resolution 1244. We understand that the real situation in the field will change after June 15, when the Kosovo constitution comes into force, but how UNMIK will be reconfigured is currently being discussed and will depend on the New York - based UN seat which will issue instructions about this," he said.

The International Steering Group for Kosovo, ISG, which met in Priština on Thursday, concluded that the Kosovo government would assume the UNMIK powers after the new constitution comes into force.

Asked whether all or only powers would be transferred from UNMIK to the Kosovo institutions, Ivanko repeated that "all depends on what kind of instructions will arrive from the UN headquarters in New York".

He added that consultations on the reconfiguration of the UN mission were under way, that they would continue next week and that, as soon as this is completed, the final instructions from New York are expected.