Serbia and Russia joined forces on Friday to oppose any
moves to draw down the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) without the authorization
of the UN Security Council, which convened to hear once more leaders of
Belgrade and Pristina.
Serbia and Russia have strongly opposed Kosovo's independence declared in
February. But Kosovo's new constitution, which went into effect on Sunday, has
compelled UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to call for readjusting UNMIK's
role in the former Serb province.
Ban announced the appointment of Lamberto Zannier of Italy as his new Kosovo
representative to oversee the new phase of UNMIK activities after it is
reconfigured to adjust to the situation there.
Serbia's President Boris Tadic rejected Ban's assessment when he attended a
special session of the 15-nation council in New York to carry on his fight to
keep Kosovo. He charged the 40 or more countries that recognized Pristina with
violating international law.
Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu also attend the meeting. But while the council
president, US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, called Tadic "Mr
President," he did not give Sejdiu that title.
Sejdiu reminded the council that he represents Kosovo and its institutions, and
not just the majority Albanian in the territory. He pledged support for the UN.
Tadic said, "Under the circumstances, the United Nations cannot, and must
not, walk away."
He cited for background the council's Resolution 1244, which established UNMIK
in 1999 to administer that province until a political solution was found to
resolve demands of autonomy by the Albanian majority.
"That is why the Republic of Serbia cannot endorse the secretary general's
report," he said. "Until the process envisaged by Resolution 1244 ...
is complete, the international community, led by the UN, has to retain its
central role in the maintenance of peace and security in Kosovo."
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said UNMIK should continue its work,
warning any attempts to change its mandate without the council's authorization
would violate UN resolutions and the UN Charter. He blasted the European Union
and NATO for sending a large mission to Kosovo, which in the future would
replace UNMIK and take over the responsibility of training Kosovo's security
forces in addition to developing democracy and human rights.
Both Tadic and Churkin criticized the former head of UNMIK, Joachim Rucker of
Germany, for allegedly failing to inform the council when he authorized the
transfer of more than 426 million euros to the Albanian-led government in
Pristina.
Both of them called Rucker's action before he stepped down "illegal."
Details about the funds transfer were not made public.
In his opening remarks to the council, Ban asked the body to provide guidance
about the future of Kosovo. He said Kosovo's independence has confronted the UN
with a "new reality and challenges" whereby the UN would have to
readjust UNMIK's mandate.
In his assessment to the council, Ban said Kosovo's new constitution is
"designed in such a way that it seeks to effectively remove from UNMIK its
current powers as interim civil administration."
He said the UN wants to remain neutral in the dispute over new situation in
Kosovo, calling it "the most divisive, delicate and intractable."
"Legally, politically, morally, it is a landscape of enormous complexity
and sensitivity that required the exercise of extraordinary objectivity and
balance," Ban said Friday.
He said his plan to draw down UNMIK and reconfigure its activities and
personnel was the "least objectionable" to the parties in the
dispute. He urged the council to give guidance on the various aspects of
UNMIK's work in Kosovo, from customs to the protection of Serbian heritage in
that former Serb province where 5 per cent of the population are Serbs and
Romas. The rest are Albanians.
Some council members did not share the criticism of Rucker, however. France's
UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said UNMIK should be able to work under the
new climate and he pledged Paris' support in the new reconfiguration plan.
Belgium's Ambassador Jan Grauls said Ban's plan is appropriate.
US Ambassador Khalilzad said "most council members" endorse Ban's
plan and Resolution 1244 gives him the discretion to revamp UNMIK.
"The fact that Kosovo's democratic, multi-ethnic government is ready to
govern is a testament to the UN success in building institutions,"
Khalilzad said.
The United States is among the more than 40 countries that have recognized
Kosovo's independence. European countries form a majority in
that group, dpa
reported.
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