Tadić calls on UN SC to annul Kosovo declaration

The UN Security Council met yesterday in New York for another Kosovo session. The meeting ended after several hours of debate without any conclusions adopted, with the council split on the issue of the Kosovo Albanians' declaration of unilateral secession. Tadic calls on UN SC to annul Kosovo declaration The U.S., France and Great Britain all announced that they recognize such declaration, while Russia and China condemned and opposed it. President Boris Tadic was also in New York to request the urgent annulling of the unilateral and illegal act of the secession of Kosovo. Tadic added that Serbia will take all necessary political and diplomatic measures to prevent the breaking away of a part of its territory, Beta news agency said. Further, Tadic stressed that Serbia will never recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija and warned the international community that the recognition of that independence would be a precedent with unforeseeable consequences. "Countries that opt to recognize the independence of the Serbian province will be assuming the responsibility for a possible new ethnic cleansing of the Serbs who have remained in Kosovo and Metohija," Tadic stressed, and added that all ethnic Albanians who were in Kosovo in 1999 are still there, while more than 250,000 Serbs have since been driven from their homes and are unable to return. In the name of Serbia, Tadic requested the Security Council to "uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, which includes Kosovo," and "to take effective measures toward ensuring full respect for all provisions of the UN Charter and Resolution 1244." Tadic requested UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his special envoy in Kosovo Joachim Ruecker to "use their authorities and proclaim null and void the act of Kosovo's independence and to disband the Kosovo Assembly," because, as the president explained, "the declaration of independence is in violation of Resolution 1244." "The independence would reward those who have, at the start of the 21st century, created Serb ghettos in Europe, protected by barbed wire, surrounded by tanks and soldiers armed to their teeth. The reward is coming for those who took part in the segregation of Serbs and those who deny them the right of free movement, those who force them to live in darkness and constant fear for their lives," Tadic said of the Kosovo Albanians. He also warned that anyone who supported this outcome must be aware that the act legalizes the treat of violence as a means to create new states and fulfill political interest. "If you allow for this illegal act to become the reality, you will show the world that right and justice need not be respected. You will show the world that this body of the world organization, is, unfortunately, losing its authority," the president said. His address was supported by Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, who expressed strong support for Serbia. Churkin repeated requests to annul the declaration and said the Kosovo Albanians' move was a dangerous precedent. "This illegal act by the Kosovo Albanian leadership and those who support them has set a dangerous precedent that threatens to escalate tension and violence in the province and jeopardize the foundations of international relations," he told the council ambassadors. Churkin confirmed that his country recognizes the Republic of Serbia in its internationally recognized borders, while Kosovo's declaration of secession was a flagrant breach of international law, above all the UN Charter, that undermined the foundations of international relations, he said. "We believe that Resolution 1244 is fully valid and that UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker must continue to perform his duties in line with that," the Russian diplomat stressed. "We insist that, in order to implement this, the circumstances before the illegally undertaken steps in Kosovo must be restored," he added. Churkin also warned that NATO's troops in the province, KFOR, "must strictly adhere to their mandate and Resolution 1244". UN Secretary-General also addressed the session, to say that the Kosovo Albanians' decision will have "operative implications for UNMIK", but that the UN's Kosovo mission "will continue to implement 1244". The UN Security Council in session (FoNet)

Tadić calls on UN SC to annul Kosovo declaration

The U.S., France and Great Britain all announced that they recognize such declaration, while Russia and China condemned and opposed it.

President Boris Tadić was also in New York to request the urgent annulling of the unilateral and illegal act of the secession of Kosovo.

Tadić added that Serbia will take all necessary political and diplomatic measures to prevent the breaking away of a part of its territory, Beta news agency said.

Further, Tadić stressed that Serbia will never recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija and warned the international community that the recognition of that independence would be a precedent with unforeseeable consequences.

"Countries that opt to recognize the independence of the Serbian province will be assuming the responsibility for a possible new ethnic cleansing of the Serbs who have remained in Kosovo and Metohija," Tadić stressed, and added that all ethnic Albanians who were in Kosovo in 1999 are still there, while more than 250,000 Serbs have since been driven from their homes and are unable to return.

In the name of Serbia, Tadić requested the Security Council to "uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, which includes Kosovo," and "to take effective measures toward ensuring full respect for all provisions of the UN Charter and Resolution 1244."

Tadić requested UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his special envoy in Kosovo Joachim Ruecker to "use their authorities and proclaim null and void the act of Kosovo's independence and to disband the Kosovo Assembly," because, as the president explained, "the declaration of independence is in violation of Resolution 1244."

"The independence would reward those who have, at the start of the 21st century, created Serb ghettos in Europe, protected by barbed wire, surrounded by tanks and soldiers armed to their teeth. The reward is coming for those who took part in the segregation of Serbs and those who deny them the right of free movement, those who force them to live in darkness and constant fear for their lives," Tadić said of the Kosovo Albanians.

He also warned that anyone who supported this outcome must be aware that the act legalizes the treat of violence as a means to create new states and fulfill political interest.

"If you allow for this illegal act to become the reality, you will show the world that right and justice need not be respected. You will show the world that this body of the world organization, is, unfortunately, losing its authority," the president said.

His address was supported by Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, who expressed strong support for Serbia.

Churkin repeated requests to annul the declaration and said the Kosovo Albanians' move was a dangerous precedent.

"This illegal act by the Kosovo Albanian leadership and those who support them has set a dangerous precedent that threatens to escalate tension and violence in the province and jeopardize the foundations of international relations," he told the council ambassadors.

Churkin confirmed that his country recognizes the Republic of Serbia in its internationally recognized borders, while Kosovo's declaration of secession was a flagrant breach of international law, above all the UN Charter, that undermined the foundations of international relations, he said.

"We believe that Resolution 1244 is fully valid and that UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker must continue to perform his duties in line with that," the Russian diplomat stressed.

"We insist that, in order to implement this, the circumstances before the illegally undertaken steps in Kosovo must be restored," he added.

Churkin also warned that NATO's troops in the province, KFOR, "must strictly adhere to their mandate and Resolution 1244".

UN Secretary-General also addressed the session, to say that the Kosovo Albanians' decision will have "operative implications for UNMIK", but that the UN's Kosovo mission "will continue to implement 1244".