Ambassadors: Implementation of Brussels agreement crucial

NEW YORK United Kingdom and France called on Belgrade and Pristina to continue making efforts to fully implement all the agreements reached so far. During the debate on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's report on Kosovo at the UN Security Council meeting in New York on Thursday, the British Ambassador to the UN said that it is vital for further development that the Brussels agreement is fully implemented. Ambassadors: Implementation of Brussels agreement crucial He commended steps taken by both sides, saying that Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci have showed great courage. He also called on countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence to do that and urged all influential players to do all they can to ensure a massive turnout at the upcoming local elections in Kosovo. The permanent representative of France to the UN also urged Belgrade and Pristina to make sure the implementation of the agreement is total and to show commitment to making progress towards the normalization of relations and their European future. China believes that Belgrade’s concern over the current situation in Kosovo is justified and commended Serbia’s efforts to achieve lasting solution through dialogue, pointing out that Resolution 1244 is the only legal basis for resolving the status of southern Serbian province. Argentina, this month’s chair country of the Security Council, said that Serbia’s efforts to normalize relations with Pristina deserve a special recognition. Other UN Security Council members commended both sides for their commitment to dialogue and progress made so far and urged them to do all to strengthen security, stability and respect for human rights in Kosovo. "Elections need to be status neutral" Russia said on Thursday during the debate in the UN Security Council (UNSC) concerning the report of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Kosovo that the forthcoming local elections in Kosovo need to be status neutral and that a greater number of voters needs to appear in the elections. Russian Ambassador to the UN Vladimir Chizhov welcomed the efforts Belgrade invested in organising local elections in Kosovo which are of key importance. He warned against the possibility for the Kosovo government to sabotage the registry of Serb voters in the electoral rolls. He stated that greater turnout in the elections is necessary, including the voters outside Kosovo, as well as refugees and IDPs. The Russian diplomat accused the Pristina government of paralysing the return of a number of displaced and refugee Serbs. He warned that, in keeping with Belgrade-Pristina agreement, security in northern Kosovo needs to be guaranteed by NATO and added that there must be no Kosovo forces. "Dialogue creates possibilities" Dialogue creates possibilities for stability in region U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power congratulated Serbia and Kosovo on Thursday over the important steps they have made in the implementation of the April 19 agreement, and added that the dialogue created a possibility for achieving stability in the region and ensuring economic prosperity for the people in Kosovo and Serbia. At the UNSC session on Kosovo, Power commended Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci on the attitude that brought to the agreement in the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, "which will be helpful for both countries" on their European integration path. EU partners recognize important steps made by both governments and welcome the decision from June 28 on opening the negotiations on Serbia's accession, as well as the opening of talks with Kosovo on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, Power said. She also expressed gratitude to EULEX and NATO for their continuous support in the implementation of the agreement reached in the dialogue although both prime ministers are aware that a lot of work should be done in the time to come. The U.S. hopes that the agreements on energy and telecommunications should be finalised soon, as well as "the consolidation of structures in northern Kosovo" and thorough implementation of previous agreements, the U.S. official said. Commenting on the forthcoming elections in Kosovo, Power expressed the expectation that these would be "fair and called on all minorities, especially Kosovo Serbs, to take part in them so that their voice could be heard." "Crucial that elections succeed" Farid Zarif, Special Representative of the UN secretary-general, told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that it is crucial that the upcoming local elections in Kosovo succeed and urged Belgrade and Pristina to continue making efforts to fully implement the agreements reached so far. Speaking at a UNSC meeting devoted in part to the latest report of the UN secretary-general on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Zarif, who also serves as head of UNMIK, said that Belgrade and Pristina have continued making progress, but more efforts, flexibility and willingness to compromise are still needed. During the 15th round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels on August 27, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci discussed telecommunications and energy, areas where progress has been slow, and agreed that the talks about these issues should continue at the technical level, Zarif said. One of the topics was preparations for the local elections, planned for November 3, Zarif said, adding that it is a challenge because of the tight deadlines. It is crucial that the elections succeed and that we elect representatives of local communities, he said. Zarif said that it is important to encourage a massive turnout in the elections, especially when it comes to the north of Kosovo. The implementation of the historic April 19 agreement between Belgrade and Pristina is a delicate process that requires constant effort, he said, adding that both sides should focus on the implementation of what has been agreed on to ensure steady progress. According to the UNMIK head, efforts to strengthen trust and reconciliation between communities are just as important. Speaking on the missing persons issue, Zarif said that it calls for political will to come up with new evidence and protect witnesses, and urged all parties to confirm their commitment to resolving the issue. He lauded the June 28 European Council to open accession negotiations with Serbia and negotiations with Kosovo on a Stabilization and Accession Agreement, stressing that these steps were achieved thanks largely to the open-minded approach showed by the leaders in Belgrade and Pristina. Tanjug

Ambassadors: Implementation of Brussels agreement crucial

He commended steps taken by both sides, saying that Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci have showed great courage.

He also called on countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence to do that and urged all influential players to do all they can to ensure a massive turnout at the upcoming local elections in Kosovo.

The permanent representative of France to the UN also urged Belgrade and Priština to make sure the implementation of the agreement is total and to show commitment to making progress towards the normalization of relations and their European future.

China believes that Belgrade’s concern over the current situation in Kosovo is justified and commended Serbia’s efforts to achieve lasting solution through dialogue, pointing out that Resolution 1244 is the only legal basis for resolving the status of southern Serbian province.

Argentina, this month’s chair country of the Security Council, said that Serbia’s efforts to normalize relations with Priština deserve a special recognition.

Other UN Security Council members commended both sides for their commitment to dialogue and progress made so far and urged them to do all to strengthen security, stability and respect for human rights in Kosovo.

"Elections need to be status neutral"

Russia said on Thursday during the debate in the UN Security Council (UNSC) concerning the report of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Kosovo that the forthcoming local elections in Kosovo need to be status neutral and that a greater number of voters needs to appear in the elections.

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vladimir Chizhov welcomed the efforts Belgrade invested in organising local elections in Kosovo which are of key importance.

He warned against the possibility for the Kosovo government to sabotage the registry of Serb voters in the electoral rolls.

He stated that greater turnout in the elections is necessary, including the voters outside Kosovo, as well as refugees and IDPs. The Russian diplomat accused the Priština government of paralysing the return of a number of displaced and refugee Serbs.

He warned that, in keeping with Belgrade-Priština agreement, security in northern Kosovo needs to be guaranteed by NATO and added that there must be no Kosovo forces.

"Dialogue creates possibilities"

Dialogue creates possibilities for stability in region

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power congratulated Serbia and Kosovo on Thursday over the important steps they have made in the implementation of the April 19 agreement, and added that the dialogue created a possibility for achieving stability in the region and ensuring economic prosperity for the people in Kosovo and Serbia.

At the UNSC session on Kosovo, Power commended Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci on the attitude that brought to the agreement in the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, "which will be helpful for both countries" on their European integration path.

EU partners recognize important steps made by both governments and welcome the decision from June 28 on opening the negotiations on Serbia's accession, as well as the opening of talks with Kosovo on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, Power said.

She also expressed gratitude to EULEX and NATO for their continuous support in the implementation of the agreement reached in the dialogue although both prime ministers are aware that a lot of work should be done in the time to come.

The U.S. hopes that the agreements on energy and telecommunications should be finalised soon, as well as "the consolidation of structures in northern Kosovo" and thorough implementation of previous agreements, the U.S. official said.

Commenting on the forthcoming elections in Kosovo, Power expressed the expectation that these would be "fair and called on all minorities, especially Kosovo Serbs, to take part in them so that their voice could be heard."

"Crucial that elections succeed"

Farid Zarif, Special Representative of the UN secretary-general, told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that it is crucial that the upcoming local elections in Kosovo succeed and urged Belgrade and Priština to continue making efforts to fully implement the agreements reached so far.

Speaking at a UNSC meeting devoted in part to the latest report of the UN secretary-general on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Zarif, who also serves as head of UNMIK, said that Belgrade and Priština have continued making progress, but more efforts, flexibility and willingness to compromise are still needed.

During the 15th round of dialogue between Belgrade and Priština in Brussels on August 27, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci discussed telecommunications and energy, areas where progress has been slow, and agreed that the talks about these issues should continue at the technical level, Zarif said.

One of the topics was preparations for the local elections, planned for November 3, Zarif said, adding that it is a challenge because of the tight deadlines.

It is crucial that the elections succeed and that we elect representatives of local communities, he said.

Zarif said that it is important to encourage a massive turnout in the elections, especially when it comes to the north of Kosovo.

The implementation of the historic April 19 agreement between Belgrade and Priština is a delicate process that requires constant effort, he said, adding that both sides should focus on the implementation of what has been agreed on to ensure steady progress.

According to the UNMIK head, efforts to strengthen trust and reconciliation between communities are just as important.

Speaking on the missing persons issue, Zarif said that it calls for political will to come up with new evidence and protect witnesses, and urged all parties to confirm their commitment to resolving the issue.

He lauded the June 28 European Council to open accession negotiations with Serbia and negotiations with Kosovo on a Stabilization and Accession Agreement, stressing that these steps were achieved thanks largely to the open-minded approach showed by the leaders in Belgrade and Priština.