YouSaid · the spoken record

Dacie

lines on the record: 218
first: 2013-06-14
most recent: 2018-05-14
sittings or episodes: 10
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

“I recall that Serbia continues to top the unenviable list of European countries in terms of the number of IDPs. During the conflict of 1999 and after the arrival of KFOR, more than 210,000 people were forced to leave their homes in Kosovo and Metohija, while an additional 20,000 were displaced in the March pogrom of 2004. Currently, more than 18,000 people are displaced within the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, while more than 204,000 displaced people are in central Serbia. According to a study by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 97,000 persons have been identified as still in need, that is, in an aggravated socioeconomic situation and in need of help.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Equally important is the position that the Security Council will take in order to have Pristina abide by the prevailing practice recognized in international law with regard to the implementation of assumed obligations and uphold accepted values and standards with regard to the protection of the human and civil rights of all residents of Kosovo and Metohija, enabling them to live in dignity and lead a normal life. It is with regret that I note, notwithstanding the years-long presence of the international community, Kosovo and Metohija continues to be devoid of the basic conditions for an unhindered and sustainable return of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Here too, the report before us regrettably does not accord the problem of IDPs the attention that it deserves.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“In outright contravention of what is said in the progress report, Pristina sent a clear and unequivocal message to all, including the Serbian community, the European Union and the United Nations. The message was that it does not respect the agreements it has signed and the obligations it has assumed and does not intend to make the life of, and the enjoyment of the basic human rights by, the Serbs in the province any better at all. The first key issue is the response by the European Commission and the subsequent response by the member States of the European Union.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“As it happened, the agreement on the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities was sent to the Constitutional Court to assess its legality one day after the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement, and the Court decided to suspend the agreement a day after the European Commission published its progress report on Kosovo. It is ironic that the Commission contends in its report that Kosovo delivered on two major commitments by adopting constitutional amendments meant to pave the way towards the establishment of the special chambers and by demonstrating its commitment to the normalization of relations with Belgrade as it finalized agreements on energy, telecommunications, the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities and the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“The decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to suspend the agreement on the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities is a unique precedent involving the flouting of an agreement reached in the dialogue facilitated by the European Union. The complete and committed implementation of agreements that have been reached by all actors involved is of paramount importance for the dialogue to evolve successfully. The weight of Pristina's decision, the political background of which is not in doubt, is even greater, considering that its announcement was made immediately after the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“The establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities would allow for the interests of the Serbian population to be articulated and would provide an institutional mechanism for the collective realization and protection of their basic rights and contribute to a further and faster normalization of relations. I cannot but note that, like the previous reports, the report before us (S/2015/833) recognized and underscored the need for the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities as soon as possible, as being crucial for the implementation of the Brussels Agreement.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Let me recall that Belgrade was motivated to conclude the Brussels Agreement by the lack of substantial progress in the realization of the basic human rights of the members of the Serbian and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as by the desire to help resolve outstanding issues through a constructive approach in the interest of stability in the region and its integration into the European Union. We look on the Agreement as a guarantee that a mechanism will be established that will make it possible for the Serbs of Kosovo and Metohija to lead a normal and dignified life. In the conditions in which they live, the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija see the Brussels Agreement as a commitment by the European Union to their survival and development.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Zahir Tanin, the newly appointed Head of UNMIK, who is participating in today's meeting of the Security Council for the first time in that capacity. UNMIK's presence and activities are of key importance for the Republic of Serbia, since its United Nations framework, which is based on resolution 1244 (1999), is a guarantee of the status neutrality of the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija. In View of the overall political and security situation and the continuing dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, we believe that UNMIK must remain actively engaged in the province, undiminished in scope and unchanged in mandate. The Government of the Republic of Serbia has demonstrated in practice its full commitment to the dialogue facilitated by the European Union.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Regardless of the numerous challenges, the role of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in coordinating the activities of the international missions on the ground and stabilizing the situation in Kosovo and Metohija is invaluable. I especially thank its staff for the efforts that they make daily in the quest for ways to overcome the still deeply rooted mistrust among ethnic communities and in creating the basic preconditions for the peaceful coexistence ofthe communities and for the security and respect of the human and civil rights of all residents of the province. I hope that UNMIK will continue to carry out its mandate under resolution 1244 (1999) in the coming period. Therefore, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and on my own behalf, I take this opportunity to wish much success to Mr.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“That is evinced by our regular quarterly meetings, convened in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999), to discuss this topic of primary importance for the Republic of Serbia. I am sure that the message that we send from the Chamber to all residents of Kosovo and Metohija is a very powerful one indeed. The contribution made by other international organizations is also of exceptional importance. Missions, such as the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, the Kosovo Force (KFOR), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mission in Kosovo, carried out under the auspices of the United Nations, are part of the international civil and security presence in the province.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“Mr. Dacie (Serbia) (spoke in Serbian; English text provided by the delegation): At the outset, I would like to most strongly condemn the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut, the downing of the Russian passenger plane over the Sinai and last night's murder in Sarajevo of two soldiers of the army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I take this opportunity to express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of those heinous crimes, which undermine the very essence of the values that unite us all. Terrorism and extremism perpetrated by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham and other terrorist organizations are a threat that requires a global response. On this occasion, I also express my gratitude for the continued attention accorded the question of Kosovo and Metohija.”
2015-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7563 (2015) · source
“On 27 August Austria is organizing a meeting in Vienna, even proposing a soccer match between the countries aspiring to membership of the European Union (EU) and EU member States, and we are required to show concrete examples of such things as the preservation of cultural heritage, to demonstrate our willingness to cooperate. I have nothing against other ethnic and religious communities speaking on the situation in Belgrade or other cities and towns in Serbia. We do not want to be told we are fascists or racists. Twenty years have passed since the war and armed conflict. Many things had changed significantly 20 years after, and since the end of the Second World War. Yet 20 years after the end of our conflict, we are still experiencing the same state of affairs and the same conflicts.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Since it has been stated that resolution 1244 (1999) is still in force, and yet other countries are being urged not to comply with or uphold that resolution, I believe we should hold a meeting to discuss whether it is still in force and why double standards are being applied in that regard. Instead of reacting to these photographs with a concrete response, some have spoken of fascism, racism and so on. I find myself compelled to ask why I am here and why the Council wants to have a dialogue with us. Why are the great Powers saying that Serbia is a leader in the region and a factor in its stabilization? I do not wish to hear other countries insult my country, and that does not contribute to reconciliation.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“As an example of this, I can cite two statements by Hashim Thaci recorded today, the first to the effect that our cultural heritage has never been better protected than it is today in Kosovo - when I have shown the Council the pictures of what remains of the Serbian cultural sites and monuments - and the second saying that Albanians have always constituted the majority population in Kosovo. I should note that we wish to continue to cooperate well and to maintain our dialogue in Brussels. We are a very small country, and we cannot exert influence on the work of the Security Council.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“I am genuinely trying to find a sustainable solution to the Kosovo issue, because in the status quo we are in, while Serbia is said to be acting constructively, behind our backs preparations are being made to recognize Kosovo as a unilaterally proclaimed State. What is the difference between that unilateral act of Pristina and the situation of Israel and Palestine? I ask any country what it would do if it experienced such a thing on its territory. That is why it is important to uphold principles, and in our case every principle has been flagrantly infringed and violated. But double standards are something we will never accept.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“When we are speaking of propaganda, I would like to point out that Kosovo has apparently already become a member of the United Nations. We should note that Mr. Thaci's statement is presented as that of Mr. Thaci, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo. Have we thus recognized Kosovo at this meeting of the Security Council as a Member of the United Nations? We have witnessed this kind of thing for years now and have tolerated it because we do not want to exacerbate the issues. But why are we being accused ofbeing fascist or racist when we discuss reconciliation? How can our words be condemned when we are speaking and showing our concern about our cultural heritage? What is wrong with my statements? I would like to clarify that issue.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Can he respond to those pictures - whether they are genuine or not? Who is this person who demolished the cross on the Orthodox church? Was he arrested? Does the graffiti at this protected UNESCO World Heritage site not say "ISIS", "there is no god but Allah" and "the Caliphate is coming"? I would just like to hear a response to those questions. I genuinely desire good relations with Pristina, and Mr. Thaci and I have established things on the right footing and have initiated this in all good will. But I must regretfully say that the same double standard that has been applied to Israel and Palestine is being applied to Kosovo. I am here as the representative of the Republic of Serbia, and my task is to defend its interests and those of the Serbian people.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Can I ask the United States of America, where were its principles when it asked Member States a couple of years ago not to vote for Palestine? I recall that President Obama said that all countries should refrain and wait until Israel and Palestine reach an agreement before they recognized Palestine. Now the United States of America is asking for the recognition of Kosovo and the admission of Kosovo to UNESCO. But the same principle was not applied in the case of Palestine. Members of the Council know that at our latest meeting in Brussels we were not able to reach an agreement because the Albanian side was not willing to accept all the agreements put on the table before us. The Albanian delegation, which also included Mr. Thaci, refused this. He now mentions propaganda and all pictures that I brought with me here of devastated sites.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“I listened to the statement made by the representative of Jordan, and I must say that Jordan has not had diplomatic relations with Israel because ofPalestine. I hope that there will not come a time when its territorial integrity will be called into question, and then having to wait for everyone else to make a decision in regard to its territorial integrity. I hope Jordan will not experience that first-hand. We cannot applaud those and similar decisions. We wish to have excellent relations with the United States ofAmerica, as we deem it to be ofkey importance for our future. But I would like to raise one question because the United States called on all Member States to support Kosovo's bid to UNESCO.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“But regarding that number, those thousands of rapes that were actually mentioned and the alleged rapes of young men - Mr. Thaci cannot apply double standards in regard to us. I expect the great Powers to corroborate everything that we did in past centuries, and not remain silent in the wake of the accusations that we are facing a that we are fascists, engage in racial rhetoric, that we are rapists. I do not know what kind of words they are, but UNESCO proclaimed four sites under its protection to be in danger. From whom are they in danger? Not from our side. That is why we object to Kosovo's bid for membership in UNESCO. Eight out of 15 countries here have recognized the independence ofKosovo, but I would like members to be circumspect and to refrain from calling other countries to recognize the independence of Kosovo.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“No, he first started with "fascism", "racism", "genocide", "rape" and "nationalist rhetoric". Those were the words he used. First of all - to the representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom and France - in both World Wars Serbia and Yugoslavia were your allies and fought on your side in the coalition against fascism. We can never be on the fascist side. We fought against Albania in the First and Second World Wars. As members of the Council know, when it comes to Albania, after the World Wars Yugoslavia was an advocate of friendship between Enver Hoxha and Tito. Those allegations of genocide, racism and fascism are absurd. Mister Thaci mentioned thousands of rapes. I am not against a court delivering a judgement against someone accused of allegedly committing a crime.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Mr. Dacie (Serbia) (spoke in Serbian; interpretation provided by the delegation): Please allow me briefly to respond to several statements we heard in various interventions. I am very surprised that some of the participants ofat this meeting have said that we inserted nationalist rhetoric into the discussion. I simply raised the issue of Serbian cultural heritage, its protection and the devastation of our monuments - monuments tht date from the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. That has nothing to do with nationalist rhetoric. What do members of the Council think? Should we applaud such acts of violence? I am certain that we have the right to say something in our own defence. To everything that I have presented and demonstrated, Mr. Thaci responded with the word "genocide".”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“We will see what the result of the voting in UNESCO is; we will probably see very different attitudes and positions with regard to the admittance of Kosovo to UNESCO. I think that we should stop working under the table and be open. We should be very frank as to whether resolution 1244 (1999) is still valid or whether Pristina believes that UNMIK should leave Kosovo. If that is simply a waste of time, then we should put an end to it. We cannot participate in such matters if there are hidden attempts to find a back door for the admittance of Kosovo to UNESCO and other United Nations bodies and specialized agencies. That should be a topic of frank and transparent talks. If the Council determines that resolution 1244 (1999) is no longer in effect, it should kindly clarify that intention.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“I would ask the members of the Security Council, leading figures in the United Nations, not to apply any double standards in the case of Serbia but to bring to bear the same zeal and the same principles that they have applied to other countries and peoples, and to take into consideration the historical and cultural heritage of the Serbs in this region. Serbs have extended the hand of reconciliation, which remains outstretched. But we did not raise both hands as a sign of surrender. We will fight for our interests through political and diplomatic means. What members see as being in the best interests of their countries is what they should ask of Serbia; we request that they please not ask us to apply double standards.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“We have seen examples of this first- hand, not in cases relating to Serbia but in others where double standards have been applied. As the Council is aware, I was born in Kosovo and Metohija 49 years ago, in the city of Prizren, which in the fourteenth century was the capital of Serbia proper. Today only 22 Serbs live in Prizren. That is a historical reality and fact. Today in Kosovo the majority of the population - 60 per cent - is Albanian. Hashim Thaci, in earlier statements before the Council, has said that everyone supports this except for the Serbian Orthodox population. This is the first step in admitting to ethnic cleansing, because how can one say that with only 4 per cent of the population of Kosovo being Serbs, there has been no ethnic cleansing?”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“There is no doubt that the Government of the Republic of Serbia will continue its active engagement in the implementation of the Brussels agreements, in the interest of peace, stability and the economic development of the region. I call on all actors to address this issue without any double standards. We cannot expect Serbia, which holds the chairmanship ofthe Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and is making every effort in that respect, to guard the territorial integrity of Ukraine but not to use the same zeal when protecting the territorial integrity of its own country. I believe that this world still functions on the basis of principles, not according to who is closer or on better terms with whom. I am for dialogue, but we are against unilateral moves and actions.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“In conclusion, let me reiterate my conviction that a lasting and sustainable solution to the question of Kosovo and Metohija can be reached only through dialogue, with full respect for the legitimate interests of the entire population of Kosovo and Metohija, on the basis of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), in the context of which we are working with dedication and commitment. In our efforts to achieve such a solution, it is necessary to bring about mutual reconciliation. This will certainly be helped by the adoption by our region of European standards and values on its path to the European Union. We expect the European Union to continue to facilitate our dialogue with Pristina.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“The process of mutual reconciliation cannot be completed without trying in court the former members of the KLA suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the persecution of Serbs, Roma and other non-Albanians, as well as their political adversaries among Kosovo and Metohija Albanians. We attach special importance to trying the cases that are based on the findings of the Special Investigative Task Force of the European Union, set up to conduct an investigation of the inhumane treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Politically motivated arrests and lengthy trials, as well as the different metrics of the local judiciary, should not be disregarded either. One example I cited at previous meetings of the Security Council is the case of Oliver Ivanovie, the leader of the Citizens' Initiative Serbia, Democracy, Justice, who was detained at the end of January 2014 and remains in detention despite the guarantees and the calls made by the Government of Serbia that he be granted bail. In an effort to be accorded this right, Oliver Ivanovie has been on a hunger strike for days now. Serbia is committed to the process ofreconciliation. In that context, it is crucially important to ascertain the fate of missing persons. To that end, Serbian experts and expert teams are cooperating with UNMIK and EULEX and with the competent agencies in Kosovo.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Let me point out that, since it is expected that a specialist court will soon be established to adjudicate the war crimes committed by the KLA in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, and since that court is being established precisely because of the incapacity of the local Kosovo judiciary to investigate and try the perpetrators of war crimes from the ranks of the KLA, the transfer of war crimes cases to the local judiciary by EULEX runs counter to the activities of the international community aimed at establishing the specialist court. There is reason to believe that, if said cases were to be transferred to the local judiciary, much of the material evidence would disappear and many witnesses would be intimidated, which would make the work of the future specialist court for war crimes much more difficult.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“In fact, it is provided that EULEX prosecutors should continue to process the cases in respect of which they decided to launch an investigation prior to 15 April 2014, as well as the cases allocated to EULEX prosecutors before this date, which include cases of war crimes that EULEX took over from the UNMIK judiciary. If EULEX does proceed to transfer the cases to the institutions in Pristina, in particular the sensitive cases relating to the investigation of the war crimes committed in the territory of Kosovo, the consequences of the processing of the war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against Serbs, non-Albanians and Albanians, labelled "Serbian collaborators" during the armed conflicts of 1998 and 1999, would be unforeseeable.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Bearing all of this in mind, it was with concern that we received information that EULEX was preparing to transfer the cases and the accompanying documentation processed by EULEX prosecutors and judges to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, that is, the local judiciary. About 500 cases are involved, about 300 of them related to war crimes, of which 270 have been taken over from UNMIK. The Government of the Republic of Serbia expresses its concern at the intention to transfer the cases related to war crimes in the territory of Kosovo to the local judiciary, since all of them fall under the exclusive competence of EULEX, even after the amendment of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government regulations on the mandate of the EU Mission relating to the rule of law in the province.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“The new methodology is evidenced by the case of the property of the Decani monastery, a jewel of not only the Serbian but also the European and world cultural heritage, which, alongside with Gracanica, the Church of Our Lady of Ljevis and the Patriarchate of Pee, has been included on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger. The decision of the Appellate Panel of the Special Chamber of the Kosovo Supreme Court that - notwithstanding the dissent of two international judges on the Panel - set aside the judgement rendered in 2012 in favour of the Deeani monastery by a mixed Trial Panel presided over by a EULEX judge, is an attack on the Decani monastic fraternity, given that agricultural land is of key importance to the monastery's ability to be self-sustaining and that its security is at stake.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Highly illustrative in that context is the case related to the ownership rights to land within and outside the Visoki Decani monastery, as mentioned in the report. At the same time, it provides telling evidence of the attitude of the PlsG in Kosovo towards the Serbian cultural and Christian heritage, which on countless occasions has been the target of orchestrated vandal attacks of destruction, pillage, burning and desecration. None of the perpetrators of those heinous acts, unbefitting the Europe of the twenty-first century, has been properly tried in court. What we are faced with now are somewhat different but more perfidious methods. The goal, though, remains the same: to erase the traces of the centuries-long existence of the Serbs and Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Likewise, strong concerns are also expressed in the European Parliament's March 2015 resolution 2015/413 on the European integration process of Kosovo with respect to the independence, accountability, impartiality and efficiency of judges and prosecutors and the overall performance of the rule of law sector. The resolution goes on to say that the implementation of legislation on the protection of ethnic minorities and their cultural rights remains a challenge in Kosovo and underscores the ongoing need for serious efforts with regard to adopting legislation in order to include provisions on the right of ethnic minorities with a view to preventing their direct and indirect discrimination. I share the concern expressed in the report before us about the capacity of the Kosovo judiciary to handle socially sensitive issues.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“The fact that those competencies have been entrusted to EULEX does not diminish the authority and responsibility of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. I expect that, within its powers, EULEX will continue to fulfil its executive competencies in the rule of law sector, bearing in mind a realistic appraisal of the situation in Kosovo in that area. Serbia has stressed on a number of occasions the need for continual monitoring and for ensuring objective criteria for appraising the work of the provincial institutions by the relevant missions deployed in Kosovo and Metohija under the auspices of the United Nations. In its Kosovo 2014 Progress Report, the European Commission notes that much remains to be done with regard to the functioning and accountability of the judiciary in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“The draft law would establish conditions for the legalization of property unlawfully expropriated from Serbs, which would do enormous and irreparable damage to the Serbian community in the province. With precisely that in mind, we have requested that the procedure for the adoption of the draft law be halted and that implementation begin on the technical agreement on cadastre records, which provides for the establishment of a body consisting of representatives of Belgrade, Pristina and the European Union that would conduct a comparison of cadastral records. The current situation in the province bears out our assessment that conditions have not been met for the transfer of competencies in the rule of law sector to the provincial PISG.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“We all are well aware of the importance of respect for ownership rights, whether of private or public property. The cancellation of the sale and the liquidation of companies that are essential to the economic development of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija affect the key criteria for creating the conditions for a sustainable return. In that sense, it is necessary to ensure that all activities related to privatization in Kosovo and Metohija be restored to the valid legal frameworks. We are deeply concerned that the draft law on the Kosovo Property Comparison and Verification Agency under consideration by the Parliament of Kosovo directly contravenes the 2011 technical agreement on cadastre records.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“In the context of the priority that the Government of the Republic of Serbia attaches to the solution of property issues in Kosovo and Metohija, I would like to draw attention to the privatization processes being conducted by the Privatization Agency of Kosovo. UNMIK also determined that the process contravenes resolution 1244 (1999), since that Agency was not established under the laws in force in Kosovo and Metohija under the resolution. In that regard, it is evident that public and socially owned companies are being privatized in Serb-majority communities, leading us to conclude that the basic motivation of such privatizations, whose ethnic connotation is all too transparent, is precisely the destruction of economic resources in Serbian communities, which is incompatible with democratic achievements and European standards.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“How is it possible to justify such a decision at a time when those tasked with addressing human rights in Belgrade are being offered extended resources while the same capacities in Pristina are simultaneously downsized? I urge members and Jordan to ask the High Commissioner for Human Rights how that can be justified. As a sponsor ofresolution 2178 (2014), the Republic of Serbia has taken all possible measures to suppress the financing and organizing of terrorism and the ever more widespread phenomenon of recruitment of foreign fighters who join armed terrorist organizations in the Middle East, such as the Islamic State. We expect the international missions in Kosovo and everyone else, as well as the local Provisional Institutions of Self- Government (PISG), to contribute, to the best of their abilities, to that important global struggle.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Those who granted those sites World Heritage status are the same countries represented here today that are also members of UNESCO. I believe that the creation of conditions for the Serbian and other non-Albanian populations to enjoy basic human rights without discrimination would contribute to the improvement of the overall atmosphere for the return of internally displaced persons. Furthermore, we take this opportunity to express our regret at the closure, without consultation with the Republic of Serbia, of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Pristina, which was headed by the representative of a friendly country, Jordan. Taken allegedly for financial reasons, that decision was far fromjustified by the human rights situation in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“If displaced Serbs cannot freely and safely visit religious sites and celebrate religious holidays in a dignified manner, then the calls and encouragement of the Kosovo institutions to displaced Serbs to return are highly dubious, as is their ability to provide safety and security to all in Kosovo, particularly at the local level. I recall that we have been discussing those issues in Brussels, but what kind of discussion is possible when there is no mention of the fact that Kosovo is seeking membership in UNESCO and INTERPOL? The property of the Orthodox Serbian Church is on the agenda in Brussels, but behind our backs they are trying to bypass the Security Council and resolution 1244 (1999) and to request such membership.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“However, while ISIL's desecration and destruction of the cultural and religious heritage in the Middle East is met with a worldwide outcry and condemned as terrorism, the candidate for UNESCO membership who desecrates and destroys Serbia's cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija receives a pat on the shoulders as their reward. That is absolutely unacceptable to the Republic of Serbia. After all, resolution 1244 (1999) remains the only valid legal framework regulating the question of Kosovo and Metohija. If that were not the case, why would we be convening today's meeting? If resolution 1244 (1999) is no longer valid, why are we meeting?”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“There are also television broadcasts and videos that show the devastation of Serbian monasteries. The membership of UNESCO cannot condemn the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for ruining and demolishing its cultural heritage while simultaneously rewarding those who are doing the same thing elsewhere. There is a monastery in Decani that is under the protection of UNESCO. The pictures I have provided show what has been written on the walls of that monastery, which is also under the protection of international forces, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and the International Security Force in Kosovo (KFOR). Written in Arabic, under the name of ISIL, it says that the caliphate is on its way. We condemn each and every act of desecration of the religious sites of any and all faiths.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Members will agree with me that those who aspire to UNESCO membership should confirm, not only in words, but also in deeds, the commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Constitution of UNESCO, the provisions of which are poles apart from the deliberate, systematic vandalizing of cultural and historic monuments of their fellow citizens aimed at removing the traces of the ages-long existence of a people in a territory, as well as the failure to punish the perpetrators of these acts of vandalism unworthy of the twenty-first century. Attached to my statement are images of the destruction and a map of Serbian cultural heritage and monuments in Kosovo. Unfortunately, the majority of them have been devastated and destroyed. The images show those monasteries and churches before their demolition and the way they look today.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“That is evinced also by the draft law on cultural heritage that is in the process of being adopted in the Kosovo Parliament and that denies the private ownership of churches and monasteries to the Serbian Orthodox Church and provides that they, as well as all other heritage in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, are the cultural heritage owned by the "State of Kosovo".”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“That was testified to by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who said in a statement at the scene of one such attack that the deliberate targeting of religious sites, such as churches, cemeteries and monasteries, was shameful and inexcusable. The attacks on Serbian heritage are in that sense tantamount to attacks on the identity of the Serbs, and affect directly their feeling of acceptance in local communities. As part and parcel of attempts to alter historical facts, they are aimed at marginalizing and eliminating the presence of Serbs and Serbia in the history of Kosovo and Metohija.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“Let me mention just a few: the Church of the Virgin Hodegetria, from 1315; the Church of Saint Nicholas, from 1331; the Church of Saint Saviour, from 1348; and the Monastery and Hermitage of Saint Peter Koriski, from the beginning of the thirteenth century. One hundred and seventy-four religious sites and 33 cultural-historical monuments have been pillaged or destroyed in Kosovo and Metohija, while more than 10,000 icons and other ecclesiastical artistic and liturgical items have been stolen. Five thousand two hundred and sixty-one tombstones on 256 Serbian Orthodox graveyards have been destroyed or damaged, and not a single intact tombstone stands on more than 50 of the graveyards. Therefore, it is not only live Serbs who are the targets of attacks, but also the dead.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“One of the characteristics of the Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is its connection to living history. Its existence testifies to the ages-long presence of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. On this occasion, I would also like to point to the drastic discrepancy between the verbal pronouncements and real attitude of Pristina to the question of the protection of Serbian cultural heritage. Practical examples are the best proof of this. Since June 1999, 236 churches, monasteries and other sites owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as cultural-historical monuments, have been targets of attacks. As many as 61 of them have the status of cultural monuments, while 18 are of exceptional importance for Serbia. And four of them have World Heritage Site status and are under the protection of UNESCO.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source
“I think that is only fair and just to the Serbian people, given that many countries represented in the Security Council have demonstrated their willingness to participate in the reconciliation process in the region. Perhaps by such an example the Council could show whether or not it has the will to guarantee and safeguard Serb returns. Again, I would reiterate that 200,000 Serbs were expelled and nothing has been done. I believe Serbs deserve a response, even if it is negative. As I did in my last statement to this body (see S/PV.7448), it is with concern that I again warn that the desecration of Serbian monasteries is continuing. That is a way of intimidating the remaining Orthodox population in the province. The latest example was the attack on the Orthodox Church of Saint Petka in the returnee village of Drsnik.”
2015-08-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7510 (2015) · source