“Tensions in N. Kosovo cause concern”

In a regular report on Kosovo UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on all sides to restrain themselves from unilateral moves. He also called on Serbs and Albanians not to increase tensions in Kosovo. “Tensions in N. Kosovo cause concern” Unilateral moves could jeopardize progress achieved in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, it is said in the report. The overall security situation in northern Kosovo in the period until July 15, which is covered by the report, was relatively peaceful but tensions increased in the end of the period, the UN secretary general stressed in a report that will be presented at the UN Security Council session on Monday. “Growing tensions in northern Kosovo remain a reason for concern. In that respect I still strongly point out that the sensitive issue of northern Kosovo can only be solved by peaceful means based on consultations with all communities in the field and without unilateral actions,” Ban said in the report. “I call on all sides to refrain themselves from actions that could undermine progress achieved in the dialogue and increase tensions and to work together on avoiding further deterioration of the situation,” reads the report that covers the period before Kosovo police special unit (ROSU) attempted to take over administrative checkpoints in northern Kosovo. The UN secretary general is satisfied that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was intensified in the previous period and yielded concrete results three months after it had started. “I welcome the agreements reached in the field of freedom of movement, birth records and academic diplomas and I am asking Belgrade and Pristina to fully commit themselves to their implementation,” he wrote in the regular report. Ban also welcomed EU’s role in the dialogue and called on the EU member states to continue to encourage Belgrade and Pristina to solve the remaining difficulties in good will. The report says that Serb community leaders in northern Kosovo have expressed their dissatisfaction with the dialogue and claimed that it is a step toward recognition of Kosovo independence, while Serb leaders south of the Ibar River have been more optimistic. Northern Kosovo Serbs are also concerned about Kosovo Interior Ministry’s decision to expand its operation to the north, Ban said in the report. “The tensions increased when ROSU started daily patrols in multiethnic areas in northern Kosovo,” Ban pointed out. The overall security situation in Kosovo remained calm from April 16 until July 15, even though the number of incidents involving minority communities increased comparing to the same period last year, it is said in the report. The UN secretary general pointed out that UNMIK’s priorities remained security, stability and respect of human rights in both Kosovo and the region and that UNMIK continued to work on it in cooperation with Belgrade and Pristina, communities in Kosovo and regional and international factors. He added that the Kosovo authorities had repeated their willingness to cooperate in the investigation into human organ trafficking, but that Belgrade kept insisting that the UN Security Council should form an independent body that would be in charge of the investigation. Ban said in the report that “the Kosovo authorities have focused on consolidation and providing of institutional stability after a series of political crises”. During the given period the Kosovo authorities stepped up their efforts to establish close cooperation with the EU, the UN secretary general added in the report. The Jarinje administrative checkpoint (Tanjug, file)

“Tensions in N. Kosovo cause concern”

Unilateral moves could jeopardize progress achieved in the Belgrade-Priština dialogue, it is said in the report.

The overall security situation in northern Kosovo in the period until July 15, which is covered by the report, was relatively peaceful but tensions increased in the end of the period, the UN secretary general stressed in a report that will be presented at the UN Security Council session on Monday.

“Growing tensions in northern Kosovo remain a reason for concern. In that respect I still strongly point out that the sensitive issue of northern Kosovo can only be solved by peaceful means based on consultations with all communities in the field and without unilateral actions,” Ban said in the report.

“I call on all sides to refrain themselves from actions that could undermine progress achieved in the dialogue and increase tensions and to work together on avoiding further deterioration of the situation,” reads the report that covers the period before Kosovo police special unit (ROSU) attempted to take over administrative checkpoints in northern Kosovo.

The UN secretary general is satisfied that the Belgrade-Priština dialogue was intensified in the previous period and yielded concrete results three months after it had started.

“I welcome the agreements reached in the field of freedom of movement, birth records and academic diplomas and I am asking Belgrade and Priština to fully commit themselves to their implementation,” he wrote in the regular report.

Ban also welcomed EU’s role in the dialogue and called on the EU member states to continue to encourage Belgrade and Priština to solve the remaining difficulties in good will.

The report says that Serb community leaders in northern Kosovo have expressed their dissatisfaction with the dialogue and claimed that it is a step toward recognition of Kosovo independence, while Serb leaders south of the Ibar River have been more optimistic.

Northern Kosovo Serbs are also concerned about Kosovo Interior Ministry’s decision to expand its operation to the north, Ban said in the report.

“The tensions increased when ROSU started daily patrols in multiethnic areas in northern Kosovo,” Ban pointed out.

The overall security situation in Kosovo remained calm from April 16 until July 15, even though the number of incidents involving minority communities increased comparing to the same period last year, it is said in the report.

The UN secretary general pointed out that UNMIK’s priorities remained security, stability and respect of human rights in both Kosovo and the region and that UNMIK continued to work on it in cooperation with Belgrade and Priština, communities in Kosovo and regional and international factors.

He added that the Kosovo authorities had repeated their willingness to cooperate in the investigation into human organ trafficking, but that Belgrade kept insisting that the UN Security Council should form an independent body that would be in charge of the investigation.

Ban said in the report that “the Kosovo authorities have focused on consolidation and providing of institutional stability after a series of political crises”.

During the given period the Kosovo authorities stepped up their efforts to establish close cooperation with the EU, the UN secretary general added in the report.