YouSaid · the spoken record

Jeremic

lines on the record
177
first
2008-11-26
most recent
2011-11-29
sittings or episodes
10
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “The Republic of Serbia is committed to working with Pristina and the international community on finding a mutually acceptable solution to all outstanding issues through peaceful dialogue. I believe that we should engage as soon as possible. The sooner we do, the less there is a likelihood of producing an outcome that is surely not in anyone's interest, least of all Serbia's - the long-term freezing of Kosovo's limbo. We do not seek a confrontation with anybody, but equally, there must be no doubt that we shall not give in and simply walk away. This is not about stubbornness, acrimony, revisionism or wanting to be a nuisance. It is about the fact that we have no choice but to persevere in a peaceful and dignified manner, for Kosovo directly relates to the very essence of our identity.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  2. “Otherwise, the borders of every multiethnic country would be permanently threatened by secessionism, producing lasting instability throughout the world. As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stated in his report, the General Assembly "will determine how to proceed on this matter" (para. 55). To that end, Serbia has submitted a draft resolution. The forthcoming debate will inevitably focus on the consequences and implications of Kosovo's UDI in the light of the Court's findings. Member States will have an opportunity to come together and make a critical contribution to global governance by uniting around a clear and resolute message. Otherwise, the stage would be set for the establishment of a universally applicable precedent that provides a ready-made model for unilateral secession.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  3. “Collective efforts to strengthen a rules-based, multilateral approach to the maintenance of peace and security would be significantly undermined, adversely affecting developing countries most of all. Additionally, a misinterpretation of the Court's views could easily provide some ethnic minorities around the globe with an opportunity to write their own declarations of independence according to Kosovo's textual template. That would put them in a position to plausibly claim that such texts sufficiently legitimize their respective acts of secession for their proclaimed independence to be taken as not violating international law. 10-47134 I believe we all share a duty to prevent the inherent dangers of such scenarios from becoming a reality.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  4. “This has unfortunately left room for a dangerous misinterpretation of the Court's view as having legalized the ethnic Albanians' attempt at unilateral secession. This could produce extensive and deeply problematic consequences for the international community. It could become the decisive step in legitimizing unilateralism on the global stage, which this Council, and the entire United Nations system for that matter, were created to oppose. The safeguards written into the 1945 Charter against the arbitrary use of force would be downgraded in practice, producing a heightened sense of insecurity throughout the world. Nations would have fewer incentives to come together in setting and implementing a common agenda.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  5. “Lastly, the Court failed to approve the province's avowed right of secession from Serbia or any purported right to self-determination for Kosovo's ethnic Albanians. Nothing contained in the advisory opinion changes the fundamental parameters set forth in resolution 1244 (1999) by the Security Council, whose centrality and leading role in a final settlement of the Kosovo issue remains paramount in accordance with its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, as set forth in the United Nations Charter. The Court opted to narrowly examine the language of the unilateral declaration of independence. Such a strictly technical approach enabled a conclusion that the declaration itself did not violate international law.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  6. “In October 2008, the General Assembly adopted resolution 63/3, seeking the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the lawfulness of Pristina's UDI. The Court has now delivered its findings. The Court clearly reaffirmed that Kosovo remains subject to the interim administration of the United Nations, and that resolution 1244 (1999) and UNMIK's Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government in Kosovo remain in force and continue to apply. It is therefore evident that the province is still a territory subject to an international regime mandated by the Security Council. Moreover, the Court endorsed neither the view that Kosovo's UDI was a unique case nor Pristina's claim that Kosovo is a State.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  7. “No peaceful and proud nation facing such a threat - be it African, European, Asian or American; be it small or large, rich or poor - would act differently. Serbia will under no circumstances implicitly or explicitly recognize Kosovo's UDI. That is our constitutional imperative, as well as a political and moral duty conferred on us by the overwhelming democratic will of our citizens. A substantial majority of United Nations Member States - and of States seated on this Council - have continued to respect Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. On behalf of my nation, I would like to reiterate our deep gratitude for their support and solidarity and urge them to maintain their principled position not to recognize Kosovo.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  8. “We expect all other stakeholders to do the same. On 17 February 2008, the ethnic Albanian authorities of Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo and Metohija unilaterally declared independence, against the will of the Security Council and in contravention of my country's Constitution. More than two years later, an agreement between the parties on the effects of the unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) has not been reached. From the very onset of this grave crisis, the Republic of Serbia responded to the UDI in a non-confrontational manner. We will continue to use all diplomatic resources at the disposal of a sovereign State to oppose this attempt to forcibly change our borders in peacetime.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  9. “Serbia welcomes paragraph 50 of the Secretary-General's latest report, which underlines the necessity of peaceful engagement and "continuing consultation and coordination between all relevant actors in order to avoid further escalations in northern Kosovo". Serbia concurs with the report's conclusion in the same paragraph that "any other approach risks increasing instability and furthering the divide between communities". The Secretary-General has called on all sides to commit to dialogue and transparency before any strategies or policies are announced or implemented in north Kosovo. The Republic of Serbia will continue to strongly oppose any unilateralism. We will remain committed to the inclusive approach suggested by the report, in order to address the outstanding challenges related to Kosovo.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  10. “We hope that the implementation timetable of these potentially destabilizing developments will be revised in the light of the increasingly tenuous conditions on the ground. The report draws attention to the fact that the situation in north Kosovo remains politically delicate. Tensions rapidly increased as a result of a unilateral attempt by Pristina to "establish their institutions" (para. 16), as the report puts it, in the Serbian town of north Mitrovica, by opening a so-called Kosovo government office without the consent of the local community, UNMIK or EULEX. An emergency meeting of the Security Council was convened on 6 July to address the tragedy that took place there (see S/PV.6353). Our position on this issue was clearly stated by our President during that meeting and remains unaltered.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  11. “As the report points out, "During the reporting period, several Serbian cultural and religious sites were vandalized" (para. 40). KFOR's unique ability to maintain peace and stability in the province remains acknowledged by all. The report mentions the North Atlantic Council's 18 March decision to confer responsibility for static security at the Gazimestan memorial to local police units, despite strong opposition from my Government and the Kosovo Serb community. Its more recent decision to unfix its presence around four additional Serbian holy sites-including the early fourteenth- century Graeanica monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage in Danger site, against the will of the Government of Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church, is deeply troubling.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  12. “We are troubled that, to quote the report, "Kosovo Albanians in the receiving community refused to accept Kosovo Serb returnees" (para. 34), and that this has resulted in "physical attacks and protests" (Ibia') as well as the "firing of automatic weapons" (para. 35), 5 despite the deterring presence of the Kosovo Force (KFOR). The precarious state of holy sites belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church continues to be a part of the reality on the ground in south Kosovo. In addition to long-standing, unresolved issues, such as the restoration of the Decani monastery's cadastral record and the paving over with concrete of the remains of the twice-destroyed Serbian church in the centre of Djakovica, new ones have unfortunately arisen.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  13. “We also support UNMIK's continued engagement with the Council of Europe regarding various human rights monitoring mechanisms and conventions as they apply to Kosovo under resolution 1244 (1999), as well as its work in the important area of missing persons. The report highlights the fact that the "overall numbers of returns [of internally displaced persons] remain disappointingly low" (para. 51): 268 Kosovo Serbs in four months, to be exact, out of a total of 205,835 expelled from the province since June 1999, according to the official figures of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The report also expresses the Secretary- General's deep concern about the continuing harassment of Kosovo Serbs who chose to return to their south Kosovo homes in enclaves such as Zac.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  14. “Disagreements on broader issues notwithstanding, responsible stakeholders should rededicate themselves to acting in concert and in a status-neutral manner on practical issues, including those that fall under the Secretary- General's six-point plan welcomed by this Council. Serbia highly appreciates the United Nations firm commitment to maintaining the external representation function of UNMIK. As the report under consideration today makes clear, "as long as resolution 1244 (1999) is in force, UNMIK will continue its facilitation" (5/2010/40], para. 48) in multilateral forums. We value UNMIK's role in enabling Pristina's dealings with INTERPOL and the Reconstruction Implementation Commission, for example.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  15. “I thank you, Sir, for convening this regular meeting of the Security Council on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pursuant to resolution 1244 (1999). 10-47134 I welcome the presence of Special Representative Lamberto Zannier. The United Nations continues to be an indispensable actor in the province. We believe it critical for the Security Council to keep supporting UNMIK as a strong pillar of peace and stability. The United Nations status neutrality, and that of all organizations that operate under its overall authority, such as the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, remains the framework within which all of us can work together to improve the lives of ordinary people in Kosovo, irrespective of their ethnicity.”

    2010-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6367 (2010) · source

  16. “As we have engaged on all outstanding regional issues in the best possible faith and in full sincerity, the Government of Serbia stands ready to engage with all interested parties in resolving this issue once and for all. But it is only through dialogue - peaceful dialogue - that we believe we can solve it. That is all I wanted to say.”

    2010-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6314 (2010) · source

  17. “This is the first time that somebody is trying to do to settle such issues peacefully, including the issue of the border. That is what we propose. We stand ready to engage, in the best possible faith, to resolve it. I want to draw attention to one thing. Somebody said that, during this reporting period, five times more internally displaced persons returned than in the previous period. In the previous period, there were 50 people, and this time 259, but that is out of 200,000. Yes, the math is correct, but if we look at the absolute numbers, I think they represent our common failure, and we need to address it in the best possible faith.”

    2010-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6314 (2010) · source

  18. “I believe that borders anywhere in the world can be settled only upon agreement by all interested parties, and not by announcements of any unilateral action, no matter how mighty the supporters of such unilateral action may be. That goes for the borders of Serbia and the borders of any other country of the world. Serbia stands ready to engage in a dialogue that would settle all the outstanding issues once and for all in a peaceful manner, and Serbia asks for the support of this Council and of the United Nations in this peaceful approach. This is the first time in the history of the Balkans that an issue of this sort is not being resolved by conflict. Nobody is trying to go to war with anybody, and I think this is a great, positive development, because we are talking about 600 or 700 years of Balkan history.”

    2010-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6314 (2010) · source

  19. “As we all know, the history of Europe is full of occurrences that would necessitate an apology of one sort or another. But Serbia was the first in history to extend an apology. My Government is very proud of what we are doing in order to make sure that there is peace and stability throughout the region - in Bosnia, in Croatia, in the disputed parts of Serbia and elsewhere. Serbia places no preconditions on the reopening of a dialogue. We do not attach - as I heard that Pristina does - conditions that someone is to be treated in this way or that way. We are ready to talk about everything. We are ready to talk about all the outstanding issues, including the one that is at the very heart of all outstanding issues, that is, the future status of the province.”

    2010-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6314 (2010) · source

  20. “I am going to be very brief. I just want to reflect on a few thoughts that I heard this afternoon. I cannot agree with some of the speakers' assessments that Serbia is exercising irresponsible interference in other countries' regional affairs. When it comes to Serbia's regional outlook and the way that it deals with the region, I think that the Government has demonstrated clearly that reconciliation and peace are at the forefront of how we see the future of the Balkans: a future in the European Union. I am glad that a few speakers today noted that the Serbian parliament has passed the resolution on Srebrenica. But I would like to underline that that is the first decision of a parliament in the history of Europe to extend an apology for something that took place in history.”

    2010-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6314 (2010) · source

  21. “Hyseni that there were a lot of Albanians who were part of the Government of Slobodan Milosevic, and I am not trying to make any claim that they were genuine representatives of the Albanian people.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  22. “Kosovo has spoken before in those bodies and forums in a certain way, and we welcome their doing just that again. But if they expect us to support the change of format because on 17 February they unilaterally declared independence, I am afraid that we can be of no help in that regard. We want to hear them out, and we want to allow other people to hear them out, but we also want rules to be followed. I just think that that is the safest way forward. I do stand behind the claim that the unilateral declaration of independence was an ethnically motivated attempt at secession. Yes, in the so-called parliament of Kosovo, they did have representatives of various ethnic groups, but I just want to remind Mr.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  23. “But this is the time to work together, despite all the differences and the difficulties that we have with each other, in a status-neutral way, which is something that I hope Kosovo can embrace, as we have decided to embrace that approach, especially in regional organizations and international meetings. Serbia is not going to try to shut Pristina out of regional organizations where they have had membership in the past. Every single place where Pristina is a member, we are going to support their participation - but according to the rules. The rules are clearly laid out, and they are written in the statutes of these organizations. We are just willing to follow the rules. I think this is the safest approach. UNMIK has a very important role to play in those meetings.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  24. “The last thing that I am going to say is that, with regard to the statistical data, 206,000 internally displaced persons is the official figure of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Those are the statistics I was referring to. Sitting here in the United Nations, we decided to quote the United Nations figure on this. Having said all that, I think this is really the time to try to set aside our differences on status, because our differences on status are going to be contested in a court of law. It is yet another United Nations organ, the International Court of Justice.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  25. “Hyseni is not trying to blame the current Government of Serbia for those deeds, including the burning of the mosques. However, when it comes to the authorities in Kosovo, I can very well blame the current leadership, because of events such as the March 2004 pogrom, in which 35 churches and monasteries from the medieval ages were burned or desecrated in only two days by organized mobs of people. By the way, no one is currently behind bars in Kosovo for that horrible crime. I commend Mr. Hyseni's determination to fight organized crime and to protect the heritage of Kosovo. I hope he starts doing that very soon. Maybe he could start by prosecuting those who burned down those churches and monasteries in 2004. Nobody is behind bars for that right now.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  26. “I did mention the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), but I did not call the KLA a terrorist organization in my remarks today. Mr. Hyseni, however, did. But that is of course true. The KLA was and is a terrorist organization. But I never said that. I thank him for reminding us that the KLA is a terrorist organization. I am never going to try to diminish the deeds carried out by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in Kosovo. That regime was overthrown by the people of Serbia. The Government of Serbia is now led by the people who risked their lives in overthrowing the dictatorship of Slobodan Milosevic. I will never try to deny or diminish the crimes committed in Kosovo and in other parts of the region under the leadership of the Milosevic Government. But I hope Mr.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  27. “Hyseni that he is sitting in the United Nations building, and I would have hoped for him to say that he looks forward to cooperating with the United Nations, that is, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the United Nations representation in the province, and not refuse to meet the representatives of the United Nations in Pristina. This is now changing, and I commend this change of heart in Pristina, but I would just like to encourage people there to continue to work with UNMIK and the United Nations, as all of us are going to do in the future. I spoke about the need to fight organized crime and terrorism and that that is the subject of the protocol on cooperation between the Serbian Ministry of the Interior and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  28. “Had they been called in the way that all previous elections have been called, Serbian leadership would have, as every previous time, supported the participation of Serbs in these elections. These new elections were simply called by the so-called institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. There was no way for us to be able to support them. We do, however, want to be very constructive and engage in the process of coming up with a decentralization concept that would benefit all the residents of the province. I hope we are going to be able to do that, for the sake of ordinary people there. I have heard Mr. Hyseni repeatedly saying that he looks forward to cooperating with the European Union, United States and NATO in the territory. We do so as well. But I want to remind Mr.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  29. “I am going to just briefly address some of the notions presented here related to the distortion of reality. What is true is that Kosovo is a very difficult place to live right now, and not exactly the kind of place that Mr. Hyseni and a few other participants in today's discussion were attempting to describe. So when it comes to distortions of reality, I think that the most difficult element of this is the way people actually live right now in Kosovo. I will try to address again the issue of decentralization and the issue of participation in the electoral process. Unfortunately, these elections were not called in the way that all elections until now have been called. Resolution 1244 (1999) is very clear as to how they are supposed to be called.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  30. “But if we take up the challenge of reconciliation and find the courage to act together, then it will be said of this generation that when the need was great and when the odds seemed against us, we did the right thing and brought lasting peace to our lands, so that our children could live out their dreams. I thank you, Sir, for allowing me to address the Council today.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  31. “During the recent general debate, a great world leader said that we are called upon by our times to unite as one and work together for mutual benefit and progress of a win-win nature, like passengers in the same boat. It is a call that we wholeheartedly support. Serbia is dedicated to resolving all differences at the negotiating table, not the battlefield. Enough bullets have been fired in the Western Balkans. Never again should we descend into the maelstrom of war. Today we have an obligation to foster engagement grounded in mutual respect. This will not be easy, for the wounds have not yet healed.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  32. “They set in motion what has come to pass now, decades later: the embrace of interdependence and the conviction that only by working together, in good faith, can we overcome the traumatic consequences of the past. My responsibility is to act in the interest of my people and my country, and in the twenty-first century, national success cannot come about in isolation. That is why Serbia will continue to engage in the best possible faith with the international community in addressing all outstanding challenges in the Western Balkans. Furthermore, we remain fundamentally as committed to defending our territorial integrity in a peaceful manner, as we are to fulfilling our European destiny. Serbia's central strategic priority remains full European Union membership.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  33. “As has always been the case, we remain in favour of establishing a system of functional decentralization acceptable to the non-Albanian communities directly concerned. We stand ready to engage through a status-neutral organization - the OSCE, for example - to create a legitimate decentralization package designed to succeed. In a few days, the Republic of Serbia will celebrate the sixty-fifth anniversary of the liberation of our capital from the fascists. That liberation marked the end of a brutal occupation that had forcefully partitioned our country among the Axis countries and their collaborators and brought profound misery to our people. A great number of valiant men and women lost their lives in that triumph over evil. Their heroism will always be remembered. Thanks to their sacrifice, our nation stood up proudly again.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  34. “Unfortunately, the legitimacy of the entire electoral process has been compromised by the failure to hold them within the status-neutral framework of resolution 1244 (1999). According to the report before us (S/2009/497), the Special Representative of the Secretary-General did not call them, the OSCE will not monitor them and the United Nations cannot certify them. Under such circumstances, it is simply impossible for us to support them. The situation is deeply regrettable. An opportunity was missed to de-politicize this vitally important issue. Had a choice been made to work in concert instead of at cross-purposes, perhaps we could have paved the way for a properly incentivized Kosovo Serb community to actively participate in this process. It is now imperative that we focus our energies on finding a way forward.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  35. “The denial of the right of return to Kosovo Serb IDPs took place against the backdrop of tensions in the northern village of Brdjani. The ethnic Albanian authorities insisted on going ahead with the construction of new, unauthorized settlements. Breaking their agreement with EULEX, they dispatched a special operations police unit, called the Regional Operational Support Unit, to support the illegal construction of Kosovo Albanian dwellings in Brdjani, only to pull it back at the last minute under intense pressure from the international community. In short, while Pristina insists that ethnic Albanians settle in new areas, their local authorities actively prevent Kosovo Serb IDPs from going back to their homes in the south. As the report indicates, Pristina called for some local elections to be held on 15 November.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  36. “Last time we met, I called on everyone to concentrate on improving the lives of citizens, instead of making them the victims of our disagreements. I proposed that we focus on the central humanitarian issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The report before us speaks of the upsetting consequences of a failure to engage on this issue in good faith. A total of only 31 of the more than 200,000 Kosovo Serb IDPs were able to return to the province during the reporting period, out of the thousands that expressed a concrete interest in doing so in the weeks following our most recent meeting in this Council. Serb IDPs have been informed in writing by various local authorities that they cannot come back home. This must not be allowed to stand.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  37. “Do we have the will to undo this act of cultural cleansing? Once again, we ask for your help. It is our assessment that our UNMIK and EULEX partners share our determination to constructively engage in overcoming these challenges. Let me underline the great importance of our common status- neutral approach for moving forward on a whole host of concrete matters. We invested great efforts in building up this solid basis for our cooperation. Regretfully, Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities have not demonstrated enthusiasm to embrace the status-neutral framework for dealing with unresolved practical issues. We believe this reticence does no one any good. All parties have their constraints. But these must not harm those who matter the most, the residents of the province.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  38. “In one of the pictures taken at the scene, we see carved into a wall the acronym "UCK" - meaning the Kosovo Liberation Army. The extent of the material damage is still being documented. What is beyond dispute is that the perpetrators have succeeded in debasing our faith and destroying yet another part of our patrimony. Unfortunately, the authorities claim they have no leads, and no arrests have been made. Ethnic Albanian authorities are still refusing to reconsider the outrageous decision to pave over with concrete the remains of the twice-destroyed Serbian church in the centre of Dakovica - thus compounding physical destruction with the attempt to erase every trace of its existence. This is the third time I raise the issue in this Chamber. Is it possible that the international community is powerless to get this awful deed reversed?”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  39. “Judges have been intimidated in connection with this case, while a public disinformation campaign orchestrated by KLA War Veterans Association claimed that the monastery represents centuries-old Albanian cultural heritage that was taken over by the Serbs in the 19th century. It is deeply regrettable that no one from Pristina has chosen to condemn such dangerous distortions, and set the record straight once and for all. In August of this year, the whole-scale pillaging of the largest medieval hermitage complex in the mountains above our ancient capital of Prizren took place. This unique and now abandoned monastic centre was built by the Serbian ascetic Saint Peter of Korisha, and dates back to the early decades of the 13th century. Frescos were damaged and altars were vandalized.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  40. “The Serbian Government and the Serbian Orthodox Church have fully supported the renewal and restoration of our holy sites, conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Reconstruction Implementation Commission chaired by the Council of Europe. Unfortunately, the precarious state of Serbian patrimony remains a deeply troubling part of the reality on the ground in Kosovo. For instance, local officials in the town of Decani continue to defy the international community. They have repeatedly refused to restore the cadastral record of land belonging to the monastery of Visoki Decani - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been placed on its List of World Heritage in Danger.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  41. “It is difficult to imagine how we can positively contribute to developments on the ground, if our ability to work closely with the Kosovo Serb community throughout the province is hindered. We must find a way to overcome this obstacle in a status-neutral manner, consistent with resolution 1244 (1999). Regarding Serbian patrimony - the last of the six points - we salute UNMIK's efforts to "achieve durable solutions for the protection of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo," (S/2009/497, para. 9), as well as its good-faith attempts to work with other legitimate stakeholders in this sensitive field.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  42. “It is critically important that they continue to guard it, together with other holy sites. Concerning transportation and infrastructure, the Serbian Government has worked hard to resolve pressing electrical energy issues. As a result of our active engagement with UNMIK and the OSCE, the disconnection policies that discriminated against the Kosovo Serb community, as highlighted in the report, have been rectified. Consequently, a vast majority of Serbian enclaves and monastic communities in the south have had their power restored. Yet the critically important issue of facilitating the entry and transport of Serbian officials into the province remains unresolved.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  43. “Concerning administrative lines and security, I would like to acknowledge the useful role played by the International Security Force in Kosovo (KFOR). Serbia will continue to act as its reliable partner, in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999) and the Kumanova Military-Technical Agreement. KFOR's status-neutral presence in the province is still required in order to protect Kosovo Serb enclaves and our holy sites from threats, incursions and attacks. According to Annex 1 of the report before us this afternoon, a handover of responsibility from KFOR to the Kosovo Police is being envisaged at the Gazimestan Monument in honour of our martyred heroes. Serbia strongly opposes such plans. Gazimestan is hallowed ground for the Serbian nation. KFOR has done an exemplary job in protecting it.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  44. “These include organ harvesting committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army on ethnic Serb civilians in the well-publicized "yellow house", and the infamous KLA-run jails and liquidation centres in places like Klecka in the Lipljan municipality. With respect to the delicate matter of customs, we have also achieved some results. Technical cooperation between Belgrade and EULEX has proceeded smoothly, as information is exchanged regularly on topics of mutual concern, such as smuggling. However, progress on the important issue of revenue collection and how it will benefit the relevant communities has been more limited. We hope that, in the months ahead, we can come to workable arrangements with our UNMIK and EULEX partners, within the framework endorsed by this Council in November 2008.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  45. “Regarding the judiciary, despite some constructive preliminary discussions with UNMIK and EULEX, we have regretfully not been able to move forward on issues such as determining the territorial jurisdiction of the District Court in Mitrovica, the appointments of judges and prosecutors designed to reflect the ethnic communities they would serve, and the applicability of UNMIK law. It is our hope that our talks will intensify in the time ahead, for consensual solutions must be found, in accordance with the provisions of the November 2008 report. 5 On a number of other fronts, cooperation has deepened. For example, special EULEX prosecutors and Serbia's war crimes prosecutors have intensified collaboration on serious cases.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  46. “This has contributed to an improvement in the security situation throughout the province - especially in the Serbian enclaves in the south. The second important development concerns the signing of the Protocol on Police Cooperation between the Serbian Ministry of the Interior and EULEX. The Protocol is based on the best practices of our longstanding cooperation with UNMIK police forces on these matters. It is entirely status-neutral and fully conforms to resolution 1244 (1999). Its implementation will greatly contribute to the fight against organized crime and terrorism in Kosovo - an area that continues to be the hub of a sinister international network of arms, drugs, and human traffickers.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  47. “We have proactively worked with all legitimate actors on the ground in Kosovo, while ensuring our constitutional red lines are not crossed. I am pleased that the report commends Belgrade's policy of constructive engagement by acknowledging our "pragmatic approach" to the resolution of practical issues. Commitments made in this Chamber should be honoured. What is agreed to and welcomed by the Security Council must be implemented in full from resolution 1244 (1999) to the Secretary-General's six- point plan, to which I will now turn. I begin with the police, where I wish to highlight two important developments that took place during the reporting period in applying this crucial segment of the Secretary-General's plan. First, virtually all Kosovo Serb police officers returned to their posts as a direct consequence of our engagement.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  48. “Its role is critical if regional groups, such as the Central European Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Cooperation Council, are to function in accordance with established procedures. Moreover, the United Nations ability to work effectively with the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) must remain unconstrained. That is why it is important for the amendments adopted by the General Assembly to the UNMIK budget for the next fiscal year be fully applied and for all vacant positions to be filled as soon as possible. 09-55956 Serbia strongly believes that disagreements on status must not impede the determination to act together on improving the lives of all the residents in the province.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  49. “The Court's proceedings should be allowed to run their course, unhindered by political pressures, such as further recognitions of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. I would like to welcome the presence of Special Representative Lamberto Zannier, and wish to underline the Secretary-General's assertion in paragraph 2 of the report before the Council (S/2009/497) that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) "has successfully concluded its reconfiguration as at 1 July". It has now reached the end-state of its draw-down. The United Nations remains an indispensable actor in Kosovo. It is therefore critical that this Council continue to support UNMIK's presence as a crucial pillar of peace and stability. The exercise of UNMIK's external representation function remains especially important.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source

  50. “It is also the first time that all five permanent members of this Council will participate in a proceeding before the Court. The total number of actors that will present their views in The Hague is a record for the Court, exceeding even the figure in the cases involving the legality of the use of nuclear weapons. There is therefore little doubt that the Court's conclusions will have overarching consequences for the international legal order. It is in this context that Serbia appeals to all United Nations Member States to respect the fact that the International Court of Justice is actively considering the issue of the unilateral declaration of independence. It is our shared duty to ensure that the Court's deliberations are not prejudged.”

    2009-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6202 (2009) · source