YouSaid · the spoken record

Citaku

lines on the record: 330
first: 2010-11-12
most recent: 2019-10-31
sittings or episodes: 17
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Kosovo's acceptance into UEFA and FIFA takes nothing away from anyone. It simply makes it possible for Kosovo's citizens to display their amazing talents to the world on an equal footing with everyone else. Another important achievement for Kosovars was the recommendation of the European Commission to grant us visa-free travel to the European Union (EU), allowing for the strengthening of business, social and cultural ties between the EU and Kosovo. Kosovo institutions had to work hard to reach this goal. We were given 101 criteria - twice as many as the rest of the Western Balkan countries - but hard work did pay off in the end, which is yet another reason for us to feel equal. We grew up in the former Yugoslavia as a generation treated like second-class citizens.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Serbia still wants to deny our children the right to play and our young people the right to feel equal and to compete and excel. I have one message for them - live and let live. Kosovars deserve a chance. And when they are given that chance, they shine. They come home and make us all proud, just as Majlinda Kelmendi did last month when she regained the gold medal for judo in the European Championships. We are appalled by the statements made by Serbian officials last week. Instead of remorse and apologies for denying generations of Kosovars their right to play and compete, we hear rhetoric that belongs to the previous century. While young Serbian sportsmen and women are excelling in various sports, the Serbian Government wants to deny the same right and privilege to Kosovo's young people.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“That is a great victory for equality and for sport. It once again testifies to the fact that sport and talent have no boundaries. We are proud that our young talents will no longer feel isolated and excluded. We are proud that an overwhelming majority of FIFA and UEFA members supported our cause. It is nevertheless disturbing to see our northern neighbour Serbia outraged at that wonderful news. While it was the dream of Mr. Fadil Vokrri, President of our football federation, to bring people together through football, his counterpart from Serbia delivered a politically loaded statement saying that our belief that our fight was over and our UEFA membership definite was just a dream. Furthermore, the Serbian Prime Minister stated that Serbia would fight fiercely to reverse the UEFA decision.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“The memory is still fresh of Serbian police beating and arresting our youngsters just because they were playing football. But I am also fortunate enough to belong to a generation that has witnessed the birth of our State. We are a generation that has defied all odds, and while we once struggled to exist, we have now seen what was once considered impossible become possible. Our resilience was tested, fought and defied, but we succeeded - not because we had the power, but because we were right and because we dared to dream and hope. We hoped to be equal, to be free and to play. I am pleased to be able to say that those are no longerjust hopes. We are equal. We are free. And we will play. Last week Kosovo was accepted to the Federation Internationale de Football Associations (FIFA) and the Union ofEuropean Football Associations (UEFA).”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: I am very proud and honoured to address the Security Council today. I am honoured because this Chamber has been the scene of many important discussions leading to my country's freedom, and I am proud because the past few weeks have shown that Kosovo is on an irreversible path towards being embraced as an equal member of the world's great family of free nations. I belong to a generation that has endured the worst. We have witnessed genocide, massacres, rape, exclusion and discrimination. We still have very fresh memories of a time when we were denied education and our schools were closed, when walls were built to separate the privileged minority from the majority and discriminate against them. We were denied access to public space; we were denied the right to play.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“That is what the ruling of the constitutional court suggested. I also want to say that we are for reconciliation. But reconciliation cannot be built on denial. Reconciliation can be built only if we can stand tall and look at the past without fearing it - although for some that might be quite shameful.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“When it comes to international law, again, I must reiterate that the International Court of Justice, as the highest and most professional body, issued an opinion about Kosovo's declaration of independence and its legality. The opinion was clear and unambiguous: Kosovo was within its rights when it declared its independence and we are sui generis and unlike any other ongoing or future dispute. I was in fact happy to hear my colleague from Belgrade refer to our agreement as an international agreement. But we were not the only ones to request an opinion from the constitutional court. Serbia did the same some months ago with the agreement on diplomas. I want to reassure the Council that we will implement every agreement that we reached in Brussels - every single one - but not at the cost of the functionality of our State.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: I apologize for taking up more of the Council's time. We have said several times today that the world has much more pressing issues to discuss. Nevertheless, I must reiterate several things. The time when Kosovo sought permission and cleared its speeches with Belgrade is over. We are not afraid to tell our story. We are not afraid to deal with our own past. There was a terrible war, and in war terrible things happen. But one should never try to put a question mark between State-sponsored crime and individual actions. There is a difference. Again, we are ready to deal with our past. We hope that Serbia will soon be able to deal with its past.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“These are the new heroes of Kosovo f artists and athletes who inspire the nation. It is a generation that is fighting isolation by providing examples for all of us through their hard work and dedication. While Majlinda and our athletes prepare for the Olympics, we should be working even harder to enable Kosovo's participation and membership in all international organizations. Our young people cannot and should not remain hostage. Kosovo is here to stay - forever. And we will do our outmost to have our flag and our voice raised in all international organizations, including the United Nations.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“They have the absolute right to demand more from our Government and institutions, as they give us reasons to be proud every day. Just last night, two Kosovar teenage boys walked the red carpet in Los Angeles as the entire nation stayed awake and united to celebrate our first Oscar nomination. Although we did not win the Oscar this time, the movie won millions of hearts, telling the story of Kosovo better than any Ambassador ever could, and reminding us of the steep price we had to pay for our freedom. We were reminded that no dream is too big and no hope too high. While we prepare for our first appearance in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where our flag will be raised for the first time, our nation is uniting again to support our golden champion, Majlinda Kelmendi.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is now only a reporting mission, based on the report of the Secretary-General that was approved by the Security Council in 2008 (S/2008/692). The United Nations may decide to keep an expensive mission in Kosovo that is costing the Organization a quarter of a billion dollars a year, at a time when those resources could be used elsewhere, but there is no doubt that the wheel of history cannot be turned back. While we are thankful for the role played by UNMIK in the immediate aftermath of the war, this is 2016 - not 1999. As we look ahead, there is no doubt that many challenges remain, and that a lot more needs to be done to fulfil the rightful expectations of all Kosovar citizens.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“We are still a very young democracy, and we are still learning. The Parliament of Kosovo elected a new President, Mr. Hashim Thaci, with 71 votes. There were protests and there were celebrations. While our political leaders have their obvious disagreements, let no one have any doubt as to our collective aspiration to Euro-Atlantic integration and values. The 21 January ratification of our Stabilization and Association Agreement by the European Parliament cemented that path. Another milestone for Kosovo was its selection by the Millennium Challenge Corporation as a country eligible for assistance. Kosovo had to work hard to improve its performance in many indicators, and much more remains to be done. On behalf of the Government of Kosovo, I want to state the following.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Kosovo is a free, independent and sovereign State. That will not change. What must change is Serbia's attitude towards us. The dialogue in Brussels is a good first step. Dialogue is about making sure that history does not repeat itself. Dialogue is about building trust and bridges of cooperation for the common good and common benefits. Dialogue is about making sure that what we leave behind for future generations is not characterized by tension, ambiguity and mistrust. Dialogue is about making sure that we treat each other with dignity and as equals, as two States that are, and will be, neighbours - and, hopefully, members of the European Union. That is the dialogue Kosovo wants. That is the dialogue we want to engage in. The political climate in Kosovo is fierce and often tense.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Legitimate concerns were raised about it, but now the Government has a clear road map in its hands on how to establish the association, without hurting the functionality of our State. We will not allow the reproduction of the dangerous models we have witnessed in the region, where one entity hinders the progress and road forward for the entire community and countries. We in Kosovo believe that dialogue is important, but good faith and the implementation of agreements, in earnest and without ambiguity, is everything. Engaging in dialogue with the cynical objective of obtaining favours and compliments from Brussels is counterproductive, if we all do not talk in earnest with our public about what dialogue is about. The dialogue is not about reinstating Serbia in Kosovo. The dialogue is not about rewriting history.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Let me be honest: while progress has been made and the normalization of relations in the region has gained new momentum, especially with the inter-State dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, reconciliation among people will be possible only after there is recognition by Serbia for the crimes committed and after a sincere and official apology is made. Serbian human rights champions Sonja Biserko and Natasa Kandic' have continuously raised their voices and advocated for that. We need that acknowledgement from Serbia, because everyone in the region needs to move forward and address the challenging issues of the present. The Constitutional Court in Kosovo gave very clear guidelines as to how the association of the Serbian municipalities should be established.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“One hundred and thirty-four returnee families benefit from support in different regions. Every citizen of Kosovo is free to return, but the figures put forward often project an unrealistic starting point. It is true that more Serbs lived in Kosovo before 1999, but we also need to remember that many of them were part of the military and police establishment that came from Serbia as part of the repressive apparatus in Kosovo. Obviously, they will not come back. The picture is very different from the one Serbia insists on painting here every three months by reading from police reports and by trying to give a political and ethnic dimension to every single stone thrown in Kosovo.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“For the full integration of all municipalities in the justice system, 39 agreements, totalling â‚¬1 million, were signed for capital investments from our Ministry of Local Government and four municipalities. Another 89 agreements for capital investments, amounting to â‚¬l4.5 million, were signed between different ministries of the Government and the northern municipalities. With regard to the returnees, 121 houses were rebuilt in 2015 under just one programme, co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Kosovo. Our Government has also continued to provide financial support to initiatives for return and reintegration. The construction of houses is a clear example of the ongoing efforts of our Government to accommodate returnees and their reintegration.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“The Albanian community in Presevo, Medveda and Bujanoc are a testimony to the problems that exist. Minorities in Kosovo are fully represented, and we are doing our best to support them. We have in place the Development Fund for Northern Kosovo, which derives its revenues from taxes collected at the Jarinje and Tabavije border crossing points. The revenues collected so far amount to â‚¬8.3 million and are used to support the socioeconomic development of the northern municipalities. The board ofthe Fund is managed by our Minister of Finance and a Serbian representative and is chaired by the European Union Special Representative. In the current month alone, â‚¬l.9 million was awarded to Kosovo's northern municipalities. So far, â‚¬6.6 million has been awarded from the Development Fund to the four northern Kosovo municipalities.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed, and we believe the dialogue in Brussels is the platform for it. Every time we come to debate in this Chamber, Serbia tries to portray a very dark picture regarding the living conditions of the Serbian community in Kosovo. I can only reassure the Council that minorities in Kosovo cherish a wide range of extensive rights, which are enshrined in our Constitution. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Serbia itself, where even the Council ofEurope called on it to step up the efforts with regard to the effective and consistent implementation of legislation on the protection of minorities and the non-discriminatory treatment of national minorities throughout Serbia, especially with regard to education and the use of native languages.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“We need to see the perpetrators behind bars, and we need to collectively and globally do more, so that the victims of sexual violence in conflict throughout the world feel supported and not alone. The elderly make up another very vulnerable group that is still suffering the consequences of the war. There were 88,900 Kosovar Albanians who were left without their rightful access to their contributions on their pension fund. All their hard work, savings and contributions made in the most honest way were taken away from them and never returned. The European Court of Human Rights handed down a decision stating that Serbia violated local and international law by the violent interruption of pension paymentss to Kosovo- Albanian citizens, which should be not only returned retroactively, but also with damages suffered during the years.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Survivors of sexual violence in Kosovo, and there are 20,000 ofthem, still bear the scars, both physical and psychological, of this form of torture. Many were raped in front of their families as Serbian forces came to kick us out as part of their ethnic cleansing campaign. With the systematic rape campaign unleashed in Kosovo during the war, the Serbian security forces intended to continue the war long after it ended by aiming to leave us fragile. Yet there has been no trial for the perpetrators of rape, not at The Hague, not even in Kosovo, even though Kosovo was administered by the United Nations. Even today, the survivors of war rape in Kosovo are not included in United Nations resolutions or reports. On behalf of them, I seek justice.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“The Minister of Justice and Minister of Defence of Serbia and a long row of State officials lined up to welcome the infamous General, who was responsible for the loss of thousands of lives. This is what I call impunity. This is not only my opinion, as all respectable institutions, including the ICTY, have documented this. Thousands of victims have been denied their right to justice. I want to bring to the attention of the Council one particular group: women and girls who suffered the war crime of sexual violence. While Serbia is governed by a climate ofimpunity, time is passing, witnesses are dying, memories are fading and the perpetrators of rape must urgently be brought to justice in order to ensure justice for the victims before it is too late.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“We need to clear the fog and remove any suspicion so that they can live in their Republic, not in the midst of doubts but proud of their past. Unfortunately, in Serbia many serious human rights violations have not been investigated and have gone unpunished. Somehow indictments for war crimes seem not to be taken seriously. Furthermore, in Serbia, when one former paramilitary official was arrested for war crimes and given a minimum sentence, there was a massive and institutional condemnation of the justice institutions. General Vladimir Lazarevie, on the other hand, was sentenced by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for war crimes committed in Kosovo. Upon his return to Serbia last December, after serving two thirds of his 14-year sentence, he received a hero's welcome.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“We all know who generated the violence and atrocities in the former Yugoslavia. History cannot be rewritten, and roles cannot be shifted. Precisely because we are fully conscious of our past, our record of cooperation with international justice has always been impeccable. Every single Kosovar Albanian who has been indicted for war crimes in Kosovo since 1999, be it by international or local justice, has always surrendered voluntarily to the Tribunal. Unlike our northern neighbour, which provided shelter for those who were indicted and later used their arrest for leverage and benefits, we in Kosovo believe that cooperation with internationaljustice is not a subject for negotiation but rather a duty - a duty and obligation not only to our past but, first and foremost, to our children and to future generations.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Although we in Kosovo were the victims, and although our just cause has been addressed by international justice, be it at the International Tribunal in The Hague or in the various international missions that operated in Kosovo, including the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, Kosovo institutions have established a Special Court, which will try the crimes allegedly committed in 1999. The sitting President ofKosovo, Ms. Atifete Jahj aga, ratified the agreement signed by the Government of Kosovo and the Netherlands. With this, Kosovo has concluded all of its international obligations towards the establishment of the Special Court. We will always cooperate with international justice, as we have done in the past, because we have nothing to hide. War was not our choice.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“This happened only a few decades, ago in the heart of Europe, in silence. I am not going to even mention the 1960s and 1970s, when violations of human rights in Kosovo were not known and people were afraid to speak of them, even among ourselves. I am remembering this because sometimes we have to step back and see where we have come from in order to see the whole picture and understand what is happening now, at a time when we all are confronted with new challenges, when no one is afraid of losing friends or loved ones, when we all condemn atrocities together, in alliance, and we want to see the perpetrators punished. In Kosovo, we are still waiting for justice to be served.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“Ms. Citaku: It is an honour for me to present some of the latest developments in the Republic of Kosovo. On 17 February, Kosovo marked its eighth anniversary as a free, independent and sovereign State. The journey that the people of Kosovo have gone through to obtain freedom was long and painful, and the price we had to pay in order to exist as a free nation under the sun was very steep. When we were living through the terror of war, accompanied by violence and ethnic cleansing deployed by Serbia, only in 1998 did Kosovo start to make headlines in the world. Not many people still remember that we had lived through repression decades before, harshly discriminated against and with our fundamental rights violated; without schools in our language; and with our parents thrown out of their rightful jobs, just because of our being Albanian.”
2016-02-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7637 (2016) · source
“The agreement with the Netherlands is in the pipeline; we want that court to be established as soon as possible. Again, we will never ask for Serbia's permission to exercise our right,just because we did not quite succeed and were short three votes on one occasion. Iassure you that next time we will succeed. About my status here, 1 am the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the United States of America. The Head of our Mission in New York will be arriving soon; she is also a woman. We know that we are not yet a United Nations Member. Just because we are not treated as such does not mean that we will not act as such. I apologize for having taken additional time. The meeting rose at 5.15 pm.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Ms. Citaku: Kosovo is a free, sovereign and independent country; that will never change. The sooner the representative of Serbia realizes that, the better it will be for him and the better it will be for Serbia. We urge him to accept reality. We call on him to accept the facts. We call on him to read the opinion of the International Court of Justice. After all, it was Serbia that asked for that opinion. We call on him not to try to change or twist historical facts. The war in Kosovo happened in the twenty-first century, before the eyes of the Council and those of the world. No court, no process, no fabricated facts can rewrite history. We have always cooperated with international justice. We have nothing to hide, and we are looking forward to cooperating in future.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Our Parliament adopted the amendments and the legislation with a two-thirds majority vote. Now we are at the final stage of the negotiations with the Netherlands for the opening of the special chamber of Kosovo in The Hague. We in Kosovo, more than anyone else, need to close that chapter. We have always cooperated with international justice, and we will continue to do so. Kosovo has proven itself as an active member of the global coalition against terrorism. Just a few days ago, terror in the streets of Paris reminded us that we are fighting a borderless war. We must all stand together and be united. Please allow me to voice the solidarity of the people of Kosovo with France, and to reassure the Council that we will continue to give our utmost to fight this global threat.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“While we commit to implementing all the agreements we have reached with Serbia, since they are in line with our Constitution, we also need to see the same level of commitment from Serbia. Just yesterday, our Minister of Finance was unable to visit our customs offices in the northern part of Kosovo, despite the agreement with Serbia and despite the fact that Serbia had promised to dismantle the parallel structures. There is a bridge in Kosovo in the twenty-first century that does not serve to connect people, but to divide them, despite the agreement on the freedom of movement with Serbia. That dualism must end. I also want to inform the Council that we have adopted constitutional changes for the creation of the special court. We take our international obligations very seriously.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“I want to assure the representatives of the countries that abstained or had doubts or suspicions that we will provide them with reasons to support us in the future. We also understand that, as some of them have told us, their abstentions on our membership in UNESCO were not related to Kosovo. Finally, we urge the representatives of the countries that voted against Kosovo's membership to give us a chance to openly discuss concerns before our application is again on the agenda in 2017. Kosovo's institutions reassure the Council that we will continue to be proactive and committed to the inter-State dialogue in Brussels. Solely through dialogue can we achieve sustainable peace. But we also need to be honest and to speak in earnest on what the normalization of relations with Serbia means. For us in Kosovo, there is no room for ambiguity.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“We will not negotiate with Serbia and we will not ask for Serbia's permission or consent to join international organizations. For we would expect Serbia to act in accordance with the spirit of the normalization process. We will be working even harder to join international mechanisms, not because of vanity, but because it is only by being a member of the global family and having a seat at the table that we can provide more opportunities for all citizens of Kosovo, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds. On behalf of the Government of Kosovo, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to the 92 representatives of countries that supported and voted for Kosovo's membership in UNESCO.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“In contrast to our positive campaign, the top leadership of Serbia used hate speech of an unprecedented and unacceptable kind. They claimed that the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Kosovo were of a lower class, and that Kosovo was comparable to the worst extremist and terrorist organizations. In doing so, many senior officials became promoters of xenophobic attitudes towards Kosovo. But the Council may rest assured that we will not allow our neighbour's rhetoric and actions to deter us from our strong commitment to cultivating peace, dialogue and interfaith tolerance in Kosovo. The protection and preservation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo is a constitutional issue, as foreseen within the Ahtisaari plan provisions. That issue will no longer be open for discussion, nor will it be a topic in the Brussels dialogue.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Waging that kind of campaign against Kosovo's membership in UNESCO is a direct violation of the spirit of dialogue and normalization that we in the region so desperately need. Spending all that time on disseminating fabricated facts and untrue stories, with the ultimate goal of preventing our youth and our culture from being a part ofthe global family, is unworthy of a country that is a candidate for membership in the EU. Furthermore, abusing the Serbian Orthodox Church and instrumentalizing it for political campaigns is unacceptable. We have witnessed a Serbia that acts with total disregard for European values, issuing threats and warnings against our immediate neighbours for supporting Kosovo's membership in UNESCO.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“That brings me to another point, our aspiration to join and contribute within international mechanisms. Kosovo so far has joined several important international organizations, and we will continue to do so in the future. The path towards that aspiration will have twists and turns, but the Council may rest assured that in the end we will succeed. I would like say a few words on our unsuccessful attempt to join UNESCO a few days ago. While Kosovo waged a very positive and moderate campaign, focused on our youth and our rich cultural, religious, and historical heritage, we were faced with a very brutal, dishonest, factually incorrect and, ultimately, racist campaign against Kosovo.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“We also believe that there is no need to meet every three months to repeat the same old positions and engage in a discourse that is completely the opposite of what we are trying to achieve through the Brussels dialogue. We in Kosovo believe that the Chamber is being misused and that the Council's valuable time is being wasted because of desperate attempts from our northern neighbour to project a picture that does not match the reality, to artificially inject the idea that somehow Kosovo's status is not settled, that our independence is a temporary and unfinished business. I wish to be very clear: Kosovo is a free, independent and sovereign State, and we will never negotiate our right to exist as an equal member of the family of the free world.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“We understand that it will be a long process, and it will involve lots of difficult and painful reforms, but we remain committed to it. We also expect a positive recommendation from the European Commission on the visa liberalization process. We have delivered on the criteria; now the European Commission should deliver on its promises. While the role of the European Union has become more important and the level of interaction between Kosovar institutions and the European Union has increased, we believe that the time is long overdue to change the nature and the format of the relationship between Kosovo and the United Nations in general and the format of the debate in the Security Council in particular. From now on, Kosovo will be represented in the Chamber at the level of an Ambassador.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“I am honoured to inform the Council that Kosovo's dedication and hard work were rewarded with the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union (EU). Although that marks just the first step in our accession process, it is a clear act that demonstrates that our European future is irreversible and unstoppable. It is a clear and mutual commitment. On the one hand, Kosovo institutions commit to continuing with the reforms at all levels, and, on the other hand, the European Union commits to providing a concrete road map to accession. The Stabilization and Association Agreement will open our markets, increase and ease the exchange of goods and ideas, and stimulate growth and competition. Ultimately, it will make Kosovo a better place to live.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“There are homes to rebuild, roads to pave, schools to construct, laws to adopt and institutions to build. None of it is easy, but we have managed it together, with the help of the Council. Today, 16 years later, Kosovo is an independent and sovereign State recognized by a majority of the free nations of the world. We are a constructive partner in the region and beyond. We have gone to great lengths to accommodate minority communities in our young State. We have taken unprecedented affirmative action, unlike any other minority in the region, and we are proud of it. Kosovo has set an example to be followed. While the political debate back home might sometimes be fierce and filled with tension, let no one have any doubts about our collective aspirations and commitments to Euro-Atlantic values and ideals.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“We Kosovars are living proof of the fact that when there is solidarity among the free nations of the world, when the world decides to act together against atrocities, injustice and terror, life wins out over death, and good prevails over evil. And although we did not have our own voice in this Chamber, the Council spoke on our behalf. For that we are grateful. In the immediate aftermath of the war and devastation, the United Nations deployed the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, which found a country in ashes and helped rebuild it as well as our lives. We had to start out again from scratch. The Serbian forces took with them our civil registry, our cadastral records and all documentation. It was not an easy start. Once you are free, you realize that survival is not the only worry and that freedom is not sufficient.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Ms. Citaku: It is my pleasure and honour to stand in front of the Council today and to discuss the periodic report of the Secretary-General (S/2015/ 833). Sixteen years ago, Kosovo had no voice in this Chamber. We were witnessing the darkest moments of our lives. We were being deported from our homes, we were being killed, and we were being raped. Our lives and our dignity were being targeted in the most brutal way by the Serbian military and paramilitary forces. Families were being separated, some forever. Scenes of helpless people being driven away in trains captured the world's attention. But although atrocities of that magnitude expose the worst of humanity, it is in moments like these that we see the very best that humanity has to offer.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“We cannot change our geography. Kosovo and Serbia will be living next to each other as immediate neighbours for eternity. But we can change the future and the legacy we will leave behind for our children. It is in our hands now to make sure that they inherit from us a peaceful and prosperous region. That will require commitment and leadership in both countries. I am here to assure the Security Council that Kosovo is ready.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“We have already seen the necessary adjustment when the Government of Serbia submitted the new text of General Assembly resolution 64/298 accepting the opinion of the International Court of Justice. The Kosovar Government will competently and credibly advance our EU agenda and deliver on the promises we made in the election campaign. We expect the Serbian Government to take the necessary final step and accept Kosovo as a partner on an equal footing. The upcoming dialogue affords Kosovo and Serbia a unique opportunity. We in Kosovo see that dialogue not as an end goal, but as an instrument to establish a new foundation in the region. We cannot and will not change history; it is unfolding. We cannot and should not forget or erase the past, but perhaps we can learn a lesson from it on what should never happen again.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“In fact, our reports to international stakeholders are increasingly about issues of true importance, such as electing better leaders, having a free media, stopping corruption, fighting organized crime and securing a social support network for the neediest, and less about status and borders. Therein lies the opportunity before us. Both Serbia and Kosovo want to become members of the EU. We must do so because our peoples are asking that of us. The process of establishing clear, transparent and measurable benchmarks for progress in internal reforms and neighbourly relations will drive the dialogue between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“Since my most recent report, five other States Members of the United Nations have recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign State. I take this opportunity to thank the Governments of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Qatar, Guinea-Bissau and Oman. This only ll-23603 proves that the process is irreversible and remains the only legal and politically sustainable way for all of us to move forward with our agenda of development and Euro-Atlantic integration. Being so preoccupied with the bad news, we sometimes forget that life continues in Kosovo and the Balkans. We are no longer concerned with issues of life and death, but rather with the more prosaic problems typical of a society in transition.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“As a result of the steadily improving security situation, the Kosovo Force has pursued its plan to reduce troop levels, which will drop to a low of 5,000. When we remember 1999 and the massive military-humanitarian operation that involved over 70,000 international troops and civilian personnel, we realize how far we have come in turning Kosovo into a success story for the United Nations and the international community. Although Kosovo was confronted with the task of having to prove the solidity of its institutions in overcoming a political crisis and organizing early elections, I am pleased to reiterate that it has not affected the continuing international recognition of Kosovo as an equal member of the community of nations.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“There are many other points of discussion ahead of us, for which we need the Serbian Government to adopt a new and realistic approach. It must recognize the basic truth that Kosovo is in fact a nation separate from Serbia. It needs to establish many modes of communication with Kosovo, as an equal partner, to uncover the truth about the missing of the war and to address such issues as the fight against crime, the provision of health care, education, sports, culture and heritage. The Government of Kosovo looks forward to engaging in meaningful talks with the Government of Serbia in the immediate future on all of those important issues, with the facilitation of the European Union. The security situation in Kosovo is stable.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“Similarly, Kosovar authorities have the inherent authority to issue automobile license plates in the cities ll-23603 of Kosovo. The Serbian authorities have not had that right since 1999. Serbia simply cannot hope to continue issuing, hundreds of miles away in Belgrade, plates for vehicles in Kosovo's cities. In the case of airspace, the Kumanovo Agreement and subsequent decisions of the United Nations and EU airspace regulatory bodies have given Kosovo full rights of control over its airspace. All of Kosovo's neighbours, barring Serbia, and all international airlines accept that fact. Serbia continues to ban flights originating in Kosovo from entering Serbian airspace, again disregarding the majority of the main points of resolution 1244 (1999) and the International Court of Justice opinion.”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source
“It is not what it would have normally been if Serbia were mature enough to make the grand gesture of complying with reality and recognizing Kosovo, thereby ensuring the opening of a new chapter in the Balkans. It is a much more modest appeal for Serbia to respect the very framework under which Kosovo operates as a State, including the Security Council's resolutions. For example, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo has licensed two operators of mobile phone services under the 2004 United Nations-promulgated law on telecommunications. Any other operations run by Serbian authorities are hence illegal under international law. Serbia's insistence on keeping mobile operations in Kosovo is in blatant disregard of resolution 1244 (1999).”
2011-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6483 (2011) · source