UN Security Council discusses Kosovo

The UN Security Council was discussing the situation in Kosovo, with UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon both presenting reports. Serbia was represented at the meeting in New York this Monday by President Boris Tadic. Ban’s report said that the security situation in Kosovo is stable, but that a series of incidents occurred in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica. UN Security Council discusses Kosovo Tadic addressed the council and called on countries not to recognize Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence until the International Court of Justice (ICJ) makes a ruling on whether the proclamation was legal. “No one should be prejudging the decision with their actions. Therefore, no one should be encouraging new recognitions of the so-called independent Kosovo,” Tadic said. The president added that Serbia “urges new negotiations because only they can secure a just compromise that is acceptable for all sides” and that Serbia “will never recognize Kosovo's independence, not indirectly, not directly, and will continue to defend her integrity through all diplomatic, legal and peaceful channels”. “We are convinced that the decision of the International Court of Justice will be of great use to the entire world organization, because it will stop Kosovo from setting a dangerous precedent in all parts of the world where aspirations for secession exist,” Tadic said. The president said that Serbia needs to continue cooperation with EULEX and UNMIK “in order to implement the report of the UN secretary-general, and his plan of six points which calls for a continuation of dialogue with Belgrade". At the same time, he called on the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina “not to oppose the will of the international community or the obligatory determination of the UN Security Council.” “We are ready to continue talks on all levels with UN officials with the support of EULEX, in the goal of implementing the plan of six points under Resolution 1244 and in accordance with international law,” Tadic said. Even though no one from the European Union mission will be attending the meeting, Ban’s report will include a report on the first three months of EULEX’s work in Kosovo. Ahead of the session, Director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations Dusan Janjic said that he expects a majority of the Security Council to encourage Belgrade and EULEX to be in contact and to find a solution for implementing the six-point plan. He said that last week’s visit by EULEX Chief Yves de Kermabon to Belgrade was a good start. “It will be a shame if President Tadic does not offer a concrete idea of how Belgrade wants to cooperate with EULEX in the future. We know that Belgrade has until now been very hard regarding that matter,” Janjic said. “However, that was the first working visit, and I believe that Tadic should use this and confirm that Belgrade is working towards a solution. But, the Security Council meeting does not make any conclusions, it does not adopt even a presidential statement in this case,” he said. Former Radio Pristina editor-in-chief and current Media Cooperation Office chief for the government, Milivoje Mihajlovic, told B92 that today’s meeting of the Security Council is a chance for Belgrade to say what it thinks of the work of EULEX thus far. “The first steps which EULEX is taking in Kosovo show that there is a lot of disagreement or a legal vacuum between the authority which UNMIK had and EULEX now has,” Mihajlovic said. “That is why EULEX’s court freed someone who was convicted of blowing up a bus in which 11 people died and 14 were injured. That shows, in a clear way, disagreements or bad intentions, to be completely frank, I think that it will be one of the main topics of discussion at the UN meeting,” Mihajlovic said. Janjic added that the already familiar stances on Kosovo’s status are also expected to be heard once again at the meeting. “But, the status question has been solved in an indirect way with a new step, and that is the presence of the Kosovo foreign minister. In essence, the Security Council is starting to listen to the Kosovo side of the debate in equal dialogue with Belgrade, despite the fact that Kosovo independence was blocked by Russia,” Janjic said. Russian, American reaction Russia's representative at the UN Security Council Vitaly Churkin said Monday that the UN mission in Kosovo should keep its administrative functions and urged the implementation of the six-point plan proposed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He told the UN SC that lawlessness and crime are growing in Kosovo, reducing the chances for the return of displaced Serbs to the province. The only chance of improving the situation in Kosovo is if the UN mission were to remain and keep its administrative and political functions, and UN SC should pave the way for resumption of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and implementation of the six-point plan, he said. As regards EULEX, Churkin said that it is not neutral, in contradiction to Ban's report which did not contain any criticism of that mission. Attempts to blame Belgrade for all problems in Kosovo make no sense, he said. One year after Kosovo proclaimed independence, unemployment is growing and economy has registered no progress. The only things making progress are crime and insecurity of minorities. The reason for this situation as absence of system and security, and the international forces must therefore remain in Kosovo, Churkin said. U.S. Representative to the Un Susan Rice stated on Monday that Kosovo is facing many challenges and that the region needs support from the international community. She said that Washington supports the reduction of UNMIK personnel in the process of this mission's reconfiguration, in accordance with the new situation in Kosovo. "We salute the deployment and the work of the European mission (EULEX) and we believe that the number of UN mission members should be further reduced," the U.S. representative pointed out adding that so far 56 UN members recognized Kosovo, nine of which are members of the Security Council. According to Rice, the U.S. are providing strong support to the engagement of NATO forces (KFOR) and their role in supervising the operation of newly formed Kosovo Security Force (KSF).

UN Security Council discusses Kosovo

Tadić addressed the council and called on countries not to recognize Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence until the International Court of Justice (ICJ) makes a ruling on whether the proclamation was legal.

“No one should be prejudging the decision with their actions. Therefore, no one should be encouraging new recognitions of the so-called independent Kosovo,” Tadić said.

The president added that Serbia “urges new negotiations because only they can secure a just compromise that is acceptable for all sides” and that Serbia “will never recognize Kosovo's independence, not indirectly, not directly, and will continue to defend her integrity through all diplomatic, legal and peaceful channels”.

“We are convinced that the decision of the International Court of Justice will be of great use to the entire world organization, because it will stop Kosovo from setting a dangerous precedent in all parts of the world where aspirations for secession exist,” Tadić said.

The president said that Serbia needs to continue cooperation with EULEX and UNMIK “in order to implement the report of the UN secretary-general, and his plan of six points which calls for a continuation of dialogue with Belgrade".

At the same time, he called on the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština “not to oppose the will of the international community or the obligatory determination of the UN Security Council.”

“We are ready to continue talks on all levels with UN officials with the support of EULEX, in the goal of implementing the plan of six points under Resolution 1244 and in accordance with international law,” Tadić said.

Even though no one from the European Union mission will be attending the meeting, Ban’s report will include a report on the first three months of EULEX’s work in Kosovo.

Ahead of the session, Director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations Dušan Janjić said that he expects a majority of the Security Council to encourage Belgrade and EULEX to be in contact and to find a solution for implementing the six-point plan.

He said that last week’s visit by EULEX Chief Yves de Kermabon to Belgrade was a good start.

“It will be a shame if President Tadić does not offer a concrete idea of how Belgrade wants to cooperate with EULEX in the future. We know that Belgrade has until now been very hard regarding that matter,” Janjić said.

“However, that was the first working visit, and I believe that Tadić should use this and confirm that Belgrade is working towards a solution. But, the Security Council meeting does not make any conclusions, it does not adopt even a presidential statement in this case,” he said.

Former Radio Priština editor-in-chief and current Media Cooperation Office chief for the government, Milivoje Mihajlović, told B92 that today’s meeting of the Security Council is a chance for Belgrade to say what it thinks of the work of EULEX thus far.

“The first steps which EULEX is taking in Kosovo show that there is a lot of disagreement or a legal vacuum between the authority which UNMIK had and EULEX now has,” Mihajlović said.

“That is why EULEX’s court freed someone who was convicted of blowing up a bus in which 11 people died and 14 were injured. That shows, in a clear way, disagreements or bad intentions, to be completely frank, I think that it will be one of the main topics of discussion at the UN meeting,” Mihajlović said.

Janjić added that the already familiar stances on Kosovo’s status are also expected to be heard once again at the meeting.

“But, the status question has been solved in an indirect way with a new step, and that is the presence of the Kosovo foreign minister. In essence, the Security Council is starting to listen to the Kosovo side of the debate in equal dialogue with Belgrade, despite the fact that Kosovo independence was blocked by Russia,” Janjić said.

Russian, American reaction

Russia's representative at the UN Security Council Vitaly Churkin said Monday that the UN mission in Kosovo should keep its administrative functions and urged the implementation of the six-point plan proposed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

He told the UN SC that lawlessness and crime are growing in Kosovo, reducing the chances for the return of displaced Serbs to the province.

The only chance of improving the situation in Kosovo is if the UN mission were to remain and keep its administrative and political functions, and UN SC should pave the way for resumption of dialogue between Belgrade and Priština and implementation of the six-point plan, he said.

As regards EULEX, Churkin said that it is not neutral, in contradiction to Ban's report which did not contain any criticism of that mission.

Attempts to blame Belgrade for all problems in Kosovo make no sense, he said.

One year after Kosovo proclaimed independence, unemployment is growing and economy has registered no progress. The only things making progress are crime and insecurity of minorities. The reason for this situation as absence of system and security, and the international forces must therefore remain in Kosovo, Churkin said.

U.S. Representative to the Un Susan Rice stated on Monday that Kosovo is facing many challenges and that the region needs support from the international community.

She said that Washington supports the reduction of UNMIK personnel in the process of this mission's reconfiguration, in accordance with the new situation in Kosovo.

"We salute the deployment and the work of the European mission (EULEX) and we believe that the number of UN mission members should be further reduced," the U.S. representative pointed out adding that so far 56 UN members recognized Kosovo, nine of which are members of the Security Council.

According to Rice, the U.S. are providing strong support to the engagement of NATO forces (KFOR) and their role in supervising the operation of newly formed Kosovo Security Force (KSF).