"EU mission does not define status"

10 days before the proposed EU mission's arrival in Kosovo, key documents for its involvement are being adopted in Brussels. Following a draft EU document on common action to set up the EU mission, entitled EULEKS, and seen by B92, EU officials studied a draft Operative Plan for the first time, whose adoption by February 18 would mean that the mission was formally approved. "EU mission does not define status" For different reasons, Belgrade and Pristina view the mission as being the architect of the province’s independence. In the space of just a few days, two important documents came before the Union, which, if they are adopted, will give the EULEX mission the “green light” to go to Kosovo. B92 earlier had access to the special EU document on common action for sending its civic mission to Kosovo. Nowhere is there any mention of Kosovo’s status. It is stated that the aim of the mission to be called EULEX, is to promote democracy, economic development and stability in Kosovo. European envoys will be responsible for enhancing the judicial, police and customs systems. EU mission representatives are given instructions on how to act in conditions when “the need exists on the ground to avert clashes breaking out, persecution or violence,” says the document. The document does not specify when the mission to Kosovo will start. Rather, it states that it should last 28 months, with the possibility of an extension. The mission will be financed by the European budget, and the first 16 months alone will cost EUR 205mn. The 30-page document that represents the basis for establishing the mission, does not contain a single word referring to status. The framework document states that mission members will work closely with local authorities, UNMIK, KFOR, the OSCE and other international institutions, as well as with “third countries engaged on the ground.” In deciding to send its own mission to Kosovo, the EU refers to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, specifically those parts that stipulate that starting from June 10, 1999, an “international presence” is established in Kosovo, which implies the active involvement of the EU. The decision to send a European mission to Kosovo was made in April 2006, while last December the EU Council of Ministers finally confirmed that Brussels intended to assume “a leading role in stabilizing the region that has a European future.” Commenting on the powers the mission will have in Kosovo, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said that its arrival was welcome. "We'll work very closely, because this is cooperation that will be in the interests of Kosovo's citizens, as well as in the interests of peace and stability in the region. The Kosovo institutions will have important powers, while the international authorities will perform a supervisory and advisory role," said Thaci. Russia opposes EU mission Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to Belgrade Aleksandr Alekseyev has said that the EU mission can come to Kosovo only via a Security Council resolution. Asked if Russia was prepared to give the “green light” to the arrival of such a mission in the Security Council, Alekseyev replied that he was aware that those who wanted the mission to come, invested great hope in the UN secretary-general, but that he, as he put it, was “convinced that those hopes will prove unjustified.” “I think it would be a big mistake if the secretary-general gave some sort of sign that could be interpreted as a “green light” for sending a mission to Kosovo,” said the ambassador. Asked what Moscow could do should Brussels go ahead with sending the mission, he replied that Russia had very close contact with Serbia, stressing that he “strongly appreciates the cooperation established over the matter of Kosovo.” “Our two countries have already moved from ‘coordinated’ to common policies. You can rest assured that we will, in common contact, find a way of responding to this challenge,” said Alekseyev. As far as a unilateral declaration of independence was concerned, should it happen, the ambassador said that a Security Council session should be called immediately, and that it “was obliged to take decisions to render that declaration null and void.” His response to a journalist’s statement that Russia would never recognize Kosovo was unequivocal: “You can rest assured of that.”

"EU mission does not define status"

For different reasons, Belgrade and Priština view the mission as being the architect of the province’s independence.

In the space of just a few days, two important documents came before the Union, which, if they are adopted, will give the EULEX mission the “green light” to go to Kosovo.

B92 earlier had access to the special EU document on common action for sending its civic mission to Kosovo.

Nowhere is there any mention of Kosovo’s status.

It is stated that the aim of the mission to be called EULEX, is to promote democracy, economic development and stability in Kosovo. European envoys will be responsible for enhancing the judicial, police and customs systems.

EU mission representatives are given instructions on how to act in conditions when “the need exists on the ground to avert clashes breaking out, persecution or violence,” says the document.

The document does not specify when the mission to Kosovo will start. Rather, it states that it should last 28 months, with the possibility of an extension. The mission will be financed by the European budget, and the first 16 months alone will cost EUR 205mn.

The 30-page document that represents the basis for establishing the mission, does not contain a single word referring to status.

The framework document states that mission members will work closely with local authorities, UNMIK, KFOR, the OSCE and other international institutions, as well as with “third countries engaged on the ground.”

In deciding to send its own mission to Kosovo, the EU refers to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, specifically those parts that stipulate that starting from June 10, 1999, an “international presence” is established in Kosovo, which implies the active involvement of the EU.

The decision to send a European mission to Kosovo was made in April 2006, while last December the EU Council of Ministers finally confirmed that Brussels intended to assume “a leading role in stabilizing the region that has a European future.”

Commenting on the powers the mission will have in Kosovo, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said that its arrival was welcome.

"We'll work very closely, because this is cooperation that will be in the interests of Kosovo's citizens, as well as in the interests of peace and stability in the region. The Kosovo institutions will have important powers, while the international authorities will perform a supervisory and advisory role," said Thaci.

Russia opposes EU mission

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to Belgrade Aleksandr Alekseyev has said that the EU mission can come to Kosovo only via a Security Council resolution.

Asked if Russia was prepared to give the “green light” to the arrival of such a mission in the Security Council, Alekseyev replied that he was aware that those who wanted the mission to come, invested great hope in the UN secretary-general, but that he, as he put it, was “convinced that those hopes will prove unjustified.”

“I think it would be a big mistake if the secretary-general gave some sort of sign that could be interpreted as a “green light” for sending a mission to Kosovo,” said the ambassador.

Asked what Moscow could do should Brussels go ahead with sending the mission, he replied that Russia had very close contact with Serbia, stressing that he “strongly appreciates the cooperation established over the matter of Kosovo.”

“Our two countries have already moved from ‘coordinated’ to common policies. You can rest assured that we will, in common contact, find a way of responding to this challenge,” said Alekseyev.

As far as a unilateral declaration of independence was concerned, should it happen, the ambassador said that a Security Council session should be called immediately, and that it “was obliged to take decisions to render that declaration null and void.”

His response to a journalist’s statement that Russia would never recognize Kosovo was unequivocal: “You can rest assured of that.”