YouSaid · the spoken record

Jessen-Petersen

lines on the record: 151
first: 1997-05-21
most recent: 2006-06-20
sittings or episodes: 7
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

“The Prime Minister has given full political backing to an initiative of the Provisional Institutions, supported by UNMIK and the international community, to draw up a strategic plan in order to guide assistance and help focus on priorities. It is expected that the strategic plan will be developed by the summer and will serve as a basis for better targeting and coordinating donor efforts, so that we can build up the institutions that Kosovo needs. It is clear that considerable donor assistance will be necessary in a number of sectors over the coming months and years. On accountability, the policy we developed has served as an incitement to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to address accountability problems and take corrective measures where necessary.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I and colleagues from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will continue to provide assistance and advice to the Assembly presidency to ensure that that key institution functions democratically, as I trust it will. We are rigorously stressing the need for local ownership, and the policy of transfer of competences to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government has continued. We are at this point carefully looking at transfer in police and justice areas, where we can transfer competencies short of sovereignty in order to ensure that the local authorities assume maximum responsibility and accountability, also in the area of security. We have continued to support the efforts of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to coordinate and strengthen institutional capacity- building.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“The Working Group on Returns, held on 12 May between Pristina and Belgrade under the chairmanship of UNHCR, was a successful first meeting and will continue. In a very positive development, the respective heads of delegations from Pristina and Belgrade met in Pristina to discuss issues of substance in a productive bilateral working meeting just a couple of days ago. As regards functioning democratic institutions, I can report that the rapid formation of the new Government in March showed continued evidence of a stable political situation. The Assembly of Kosovo has lately shown itself to be a more transparent and democratic place for debate according to the established rules. The recent debate on decentralization, held five or six days ago, was clearly a step forward.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“My visits to returnees in several areas, including Bablyak and Brestovik, have convinced me that conditions exist to allow tomorrow's returns to take place and that positive encouragement by responsible politicians, in both Pristina and Belgrade, can convince more displaced persons to return to Kosovo. There have been increased efforts on returns on the part of the Kosovo Government. That includes personal appeals by the Prime Minister to potential returnees and visits to Podgorica and to Skopje by the Minister of Returns - himself a Serb - and the Minister of Local Government Administration. Those visits have resulted in better understanding and improved regional cooperation, as well as in agreements with regional partners, as for example a recent protocol on returns with Montenegro.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, UNMIK and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continue to work hard on improving conditions for returns so that displaced persons can return to Kosovo if they so choose. I recently met with displaced persons in Serbia and with returnees in Kosovo, and I can report to the Council that their main concern is no longer primarily security. Rather, they are concerned about property issues and the lack of economic prospects. There has been some qualitative progress in returns. For example, we have the first urban return to the town of Klina.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“There are signs, and evidence, of increased freedom of movement by Kosovo Serbs, although there are still too many who do not feel free to move. A sign of the improving environment is the reduction of escorts and of the military and police presence at specific sites and locations. To give a recent example, at the beginning of this month, the first Serbian play to be performed since the end of the conflict was presented at Kosovo's main theatre in Pristina; it was prepared and performed by Serbs, with a large Serb attendance. The number of returns of displaced persons is still disappointingly low.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“As a recent example, six Kosovo Albanians were found guilty of the murder of two Kosovo Serbs in March 2004 and were sentenced to a total of 38 years by the anilane District Court just last week. It is also worth noting that in recent meetings with senior UNMIK officials, Serbian cabinet ministers have indicated that the Kosovo Serb population's trust in the Kosovo Police Service has indeed increased. As the Council may be aware, the KPS has a minority component of approximately 16 per cent, and Kosovo Serbs make up approximately 10 per cent of the KPS. I might add another example of progress: of 29 lay judges sworn in at the end of April, 16 were minority community members, of which 13 were Kosovo Serbs.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Unfortunately, the Commander of KFOR and I are concerned - and we have repeatedly said so - that, partly due to deliberate misinformation, the perception of security remains a problem and leads to mainly self-imposed limits on freedom of movement. There is a tendency in some media to generalize and misrepresent every incident involving Kosovo Serbs. Before a police investigation has even begun, some journalists, and some politicians, pronounce an event to be ethnically motivated, thus feeding the fears of the Kosovo Serb community, including internally displaced persons. In most cases we find after thorough professional investigations that such assertions have no foundation. There are also assertions that perpetrators are not sentenced. That, too, is simply misinformation.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I would add that we are currently looking at a number of initiatives that could be carried out prior to full-scale decentralization and that could empower municipalities, for example, in the field of policing and the administration of justice. Security has further improved, and this is key as it is a basis for progress in all areas. I want to pay tribute again to the Commander of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and his forces, whose excellent work and close coordination with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) is playing a key role in maintaining a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. The environment has indeed been generally calm during the reporting period, with only a few incidents of note. In particular, very little occurred in the way of inter-ethnic incidents.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“But Belgrade again failed to respond. Regrettably, the post of Deputy Minister for Local Government Administration, reserved for a Kosovo Serb, still remains vacant. As we push for further progress on decentralization, I believe that the recent Contact Group agreement on the principle of "no partition of Kosovo" sends a clear signal that the majority community has no reason to fear that meaningful decentralization would be a cover for the division of Kosovo. On the contrary, if well conceived and implemented, it should eventually promote coexistence around the efficient sharing of local capacities and resources.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Let me say a few words on some specific issues. Decentralization, or local government reform, is not a standard as such, but it is an important process. Decentralization will benefit the population as a whole. It will bring services closer to the citizens, and it will also help meet minority concerns. After some hesitation following its formation, the Government has acted. A steering board and five working groups have been established and are convening, including two meetings held this week, on legislation and on pilot projects which are to be established shortly. The Kosovo Serbs were invited to, and participated in, those meetings, and thus had the opportunity to shape the process. I would also add that Belgrade was invited to join the Kosovo Serb delegation and that we were, of course, flexible on the modalities.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Standards implementation remains the road map for the short term but also for the long term. It is a way of building and strengthening democracy and a multi- ethnic society, and it is also a way for Kosovo to move progressively towards European integration. We have seen a continued strong commitment by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government during the reporting period. The structures working on standards implementation have shown themselves to be solid and durable. While we recognize that there is still much to do, the trends in a number of areas have been positive, and that is reflected in my technical assessment (S/2005/335, annex I). We feel that the authorities, and increasingly the citizens, have understood the need to implement standards and have made efforts to reach out to the minorities.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Progress in Kosovo will continue even without the meaningful participation of the Kosovo Serbs, but progress in establishing a fully multi-ethnic Kosovo and integrating all communities will remain limited as long as one ethnic group is pressured to stay outside the political, economic and social processes. The fault for this obstacle to progress does not lie with Pristina. The victims, however, are the Kosovo Serbs who are eager to participate at this crucial moment. Those who oppose progress can always find some reason to defer allowing participation, but recent trends have proven that bolder engagement can actually foster real progress for the benefit of all. In my view, Belgrade would help the Kosovo Serb community and itself by moving from reticence and delay to commitment and engagement in that area.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Participants pledged some â‚¬lO million and technical assistance in a clear expression of support for the cultural heritage in Kosovo. A technical mission to restore a church in Prizren, supported by UNESCO, took place just a few weeks ago, and more will now follow. However, the news is not all good. Despite recent encouraging developments on dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, I am concerned that, after more than 15 months, there is still no clear signal from Belgrade to the Kosovo Serbs to participate in the institutions. Dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, although welcome and important, cannot substitute for the direct involvement of the Kosovo Serbs in shaping their own future in an internal dialogue in Kosovo.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“The Provisional Institutions had already allocated â‚¬4.2 million last year and are now actively considering earmarking an additional â‚¬l.5 million for reconstruction of Serbian Orthodox religious sites that were damaged during the March 2004 violence. It is obvious that long-term preservation of cultural heritage in Kosovo, which includes Serbian Orthodox, Ottoman/Islamic, Catholic and vernacular sites, must become an increasing priority in the coming months. In this context, I would like to mention the successful international donors conference for the protection and preservation of cultural heritage of all communities in Kosovo, held two weeks ago in the UNESCO headquarters in Paris with the support of that organization, the European Union, the Council of Europe and others.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I welcome the fact that Pristina and Belgrade have now expressed their readiness to engage in high- level political dialogue. It is vital that political leaders begin to talk with each other sooner rather than later. Pristina and Belgrade have every mutual interest in coexisting and interacting peacefully and constructively. Over the past months we have witnessed greater engagement and dialogue with the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Church and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo signed a memorandum of understanding on 25 March to allow for the reconstruction of Serbian Orthodox religious sites. That followed a lengthy delay due to talks within the Church on how to proceed.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I am glad to report some positive developments on dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. The first direct dialogue meetings since March 2004 resumed one year later, beginning with the Working Group on Missing Persons on 16 March. That was followed by meetings in April and May on the key issues of energy and returns of displaced persons. These Working Group meetings will take place on a regular basis in Belgrade and Pristina, and they are supported by intermediate technical meetings to work on substantive issues. This dialogue not only serves to make progress on the specific issues, which range from humanitarian to economic, but it is also an important sign of building confidence, which is crucial as we move closer towards status discussions. We need to continue encouraging political dialogue.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“For the first time in its recent history, Kosovo has a strong opposition, under the leadership of Hashim Thaci and Veton Surroi, which, as everywhere, is critical of the work of the Government, while in agreement on the overall goals for Kosovo. In order to manage any tensions more constructively, and in view of the critical period ahead for Kosovo and the significant political issues coming up, I decided to propose bringing political party leaders and the President of Kosovo together in a forum. The purpose of this forum is to enhance constructive dialogue and ensure maximum possible consensus on critical and crucial issues, without substituting for constitutional forums. My proposal was met with agreement, and I will convene the first meeting of the Kosovo Forum next week.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Throughout those difficult days and weeks, the political leaders and citizens of Kosovo managed a highly unusual situation with maturity and without any disorder or instability. In particular, standards implementation stayed on track. The brief delay around the time of the formation of the Government was quickly overcome. The new Government showed the same commitment to moving forward on standards and made continued progress on its programme during the months of April and May. As in most new democracies - and let us remember that democracy in Kosovo is only a few years old - there is political tension.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“However, in early March, a few days after my last report to this Council, that Government came to an end when Prime Minister Haradinaj resigned following notification of an imminent indictment from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Within 24 hours following his indictment, and after appealing for calm and for a continuation of progress in building a democratic society in Kosovo, Mr. Haradinaj proceeded voluntarily to The Hague. During those days, Kosovo showed the region and the world commendable respect for the judicial process. Democracy was respected, and a new Government, continuing the coalition of the two parties- the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) - and under the leadership of Bajram Kosumi as Prime Minister, was formed within three weeks.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Mr. Jessen-Petersen: Let me begin, Sir, by congratulating you as the President of the Council. You will appreciate my particular pleasure in seeing Denmark in the chair today. I also want to thank you personally for honouring us with your presence in the Chamber today. The three-month period since my last appearance before the Security Council has been a challenging one. The progress made - and let there be no doubt that there has been progress - must be seen in the context of the challenges that Kosovo has faced. In particular, March 2005 saw some very difficult moments. The Government that was formed in December 2004 made good progress through its first 100 days, and the momentum was considerable.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I hope I will then be able - and I believe I will - to report on further progress, so that we can move Kosovo and the region forward towards the normalization and the standardization that they need.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“They know that they have a lot of hard work ahead of them. They are committed to engaging in that hard work. We will continue our daily efforts to reach out to the Kosovo Serbs and to bring them into the processes, and we will continue the very important dialogue with Belgrade and with other States in the region. We have a clear agenda ahead of us. We have a clear timetable. We know what we have to do. The Provisional Institutions, as I say, know that only hard work and a strong commitment to the implementation of the priority standards will get them there. They are determined to succeed. We are determined to support them, and I do look forward to meeting with the Council again three months from now.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Let me say that I also welcome recent statements that the Serb Orthodox church now seems ready to re- engage so that we can get on with the urgent work of repairing and restoring the religious monuments. That is a top priority and I am very pleased that, as a result of many initiatives that we have also taken to engage those in the Serb Orthodox church who want to move forward - and there are many, a large majority - and also with the very important help of Belgrade, we have now found a solution, and I believe that we will be able to re-engage and start repairs very soon. Finally, let me say that I will return to Kosovo determined to continue our close partnership with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and to support them in their determination to address all the shortcomings in standards implementation.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“It is a result of the legacy of an absolutely dilapidated infrastructure that UNMIK inherited in 1999, and in order to simply have enough revenue for repairs, we have to insist on customers' paying their bills. That is what we are doing, irrespective of ethnic background. Again, it is a purely technical issue, but we have to generate enough resources to keep the two power plants going. I do regret that it has affected those people whose power supplies broke down - as a result of deficiencies, not of any policy - and I do regret that, for some people who are not prepared to pay their bills, it is has not been possible to reconnect. I have one single message for those people, including to the very few Kosovo Serbs among them: Pay, and you will have electricity this afternoon.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“So, we are not in any way intending to prejudge a final status. That is not our mandate; that is not my responsibility. We have simply asked for that telephone code to be assigned on a temporary basis to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in the interests of the clients and the customers throughout Kosovo. It is a technical issue on a temporary, interim basis - nothing else. As to the electricity issue, I will not devote too many words to it. Far too much has been said about it. Let me just say that this is a problem that, unfortunately, is affecting some 60,000 people right now, of whom 95 to 97 per cent are Kosovo Albanians.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“I think that is very important, and I welcome it, because it goes without saying - and I have said it so many times - that Belgrade has a key role to play in this process. I have just two more comments on Mr. Covie's references to telecommunications and to electricity. The reason that UNMIK, acting in full accordance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and based on a statement from the United Nations to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) supporting that request, has pushed for that is that right now, with the telephone lines being under the control of entities other than Kosovo, Kosovo is losing around â‚¬50 million in revenue a year. In addition to that, I can talk about telecommunications being, of course, a very important engine of the economy, and, as I have said, we need to get the economy moving.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“It is a direct quote; these are not my words: "Minority access to the media compares favourably with the diversity and breadth of access found elsewhere in the Balkans and, indeed, in much of Europe". I could continue, but I would like to point out that it is important that we base our dialogue on honesty and on facts. Then, I think, together we can move forward. That is also the reason I welcome the readiness recently shown by Belgrade to resume the dialogue. I have been pushing for that ever since my first visit to Belgrade, at the end of August last year, two weeks after I began my mission. I am very pleased that, as a result of my constant pushing on the importance of a dialogue and of Belgrade's being actively involved, we now have an invitation from Belgrade to resume the dialogue. There have been several references to that.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“After the elections, one candidate was attacked in Belgrade and is now seeking refugee status in a European country. Another Kosovo Serb leader was attacked recently in the northern part of Kosovo. That attack was immediately condemned by all political leaders. Again, it is not correct to say that there are incidents and that they are not condemned. If there are no condemnations it is because there have not been any incidents. In the single case where there was an incident - which, regrettably, was against a very important Kosovo Serb leader - there was an immediate condemnation. Let me give the Council just one more example, and I could give many. As to the lack of access to the media, the easiest thing for me is to quote from a recent report by the independent Temporary Media Commissioner.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“With all due respect to Mr. Covie, that is not because people are simply not moving about. Many Kosovo Serbs are moving about. Many in fact enjoy freedom of movement. However, we must now focus on those who do not enjoy freedom of movement. They exist; and there are far too many of them. I have made it clear that we cannot talk about sufficient progress in terms of implementing standards so long as some minorities are still forced to live behind barbed wire and are unable to move. But the vast majority of Kosovo Serbs are moving about freely. However, as I said, the fact is that there has not been a single serious ethnically related incident since last June. Let me correct myself. That is not quite true. Unfortunately, two of the Kosovo Serbs who courageously stood in the election were both victims of serious incidents.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Our focus over the next several months - working with the Provisional Institutions of Self- Government and, I certainly hope, with the minority communities and the Kosovo Serbs - will be on addressing all the deficiencies and shortcomings, which are mainly linked to improving the conditions of the minorities. As I said, I cannot go into all the details. I would, however, just like to give the Council a couple of examples of what, I must say, I find totally out of touch with reality on the ground. Mr. Covie spoke about the lack of basic security. We should not get carried away by statistics, but statistics are important. It is a fact - and we have said it many times - that there has not been one single serious ethnically related incident since last June. The perpetrators in that case were arrested immediately and are now before a court.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“I will not take up the Council's time to go into details about the many things that Mr. Covie said. I think that the technical assessment and the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/88) are clear, as Mr. Covie just recognized. I believe that, as we presented it this time, the technical assessment has the merit of being based on facts, containing many statistics and being based on reality. I am glad that Mr. Covie recognized that. As all the members of the Council have stated - and I agree - the report of the Secretary-General is very clear in stating that there has been tangible progress but that there are still many shortcomings and deficiencies.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Mr. Jessen-Petersen: Let me first thank the members of the Security Council for their many very useful and important observations and statements. It goes without saying that I have listened very carefully. In particular, I would like to thank members of the Council for the many encouraging and supportive words directed at the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMMIK) and at my colleagues, who, as all the members of the Council are aware, are working in difficult conditions in Kosovo. I listened with some perplexity, and even real sadness, to the two statements made by Mr. Covic'. I must say that, in listening to Mr. Covie, I did not quite recognize the situation he described in Kosovo as the one I know after more than six months on the ground.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, the institutions and the people of Kosovo have further to go in implementing the priority standards, but initial progress, determination and effort, and accelerated pace are all tangible. I count on the Security Council to continue supporting the efforts of the institutions and the people of Kosovo to develop and shape their society and their future in Europe - as I have said, a multi-ethnic, stable, tolerant and democratic Kosovo at peace at home and at peace with its neighbours.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“There is now broad agreement on a clear way forward and a clear timetable that could lead us to the negotiations on final status in the second half of this year. To defer that process for much longer would only prolong the pain, increase the risks and delay the day when the region turns its back on a painful past and moves forward towards a common European future. Almost 14 years after the outbreak of a series of wars across the former Yugoslavia, and nearly six years after NATO intervened to put a halt to gross violations of human rights in Kosovo, 2005 is the year in which we must seize the opportunity to resolve one of the last conundrums of the former Yugoslavia: ensuring peaceful coexistence and mutual tolerance among all communities in Kosovo.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“I will not comment today on the principles that will guide status talks, with one exception. As I mentioned when I addressed the Council last November, the partition of Kosovo is simply not a realistic option as we move forward. The society we are trying to build in Kosovo must have space for all communities as a stable, tolerant, multi-ethnic democracy. As such, all talk about the partition of Kosovo becomes an agenda for those who may be eager to reignite the divisions and flames of the past. Partition, in my View, would betray European values of integration and coexistence. Partition would also sacrifice the 60 per cent of Kosovo Serbs who do not live in the North, and it would reopen many wounds that are slowly beginning to heal throughout the region. 2005 is a key year for Kosovo.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Should that review conclude that sufficient progress has been made, the international community should be prepared to embark on a process leading to status talks. My evaluation is that we have a good chance of keeping to that timetable and that the process leading to status talks could therefore begin in the second half of this year. At the same time, we must also understand that, as we move towards the status process, tensions may rise. The Kosovo Albanians who want to enter that status process have understood that violence will be a major setback. On the other hand, those bent on derailing the process may see violence as their only means to do so. The message must be clear: Provocations and violence cannot be allowed to stop progress towards a stable, multi-ethnic society in Kosovo.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Much more has to be done to reassure the minorities that they have a future in Kosovo, to guarantee freedom of movement for the minorities, and to speed up the process of returns of displaced persons. There is constant pressure from our side for progress, and we are holding the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government fully accountable for continuing to make progress in line with the promising start of the Government. At the same time, the improvement of the economy in the short term, pending the outcome of status discussions, must receive and is receiving constant attention and action. Following my next technical assessment in May, a comprehensive review of standards is planned to take place in mid-2005.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Finally, in the international field, UNMIK, KFOR and Kosovo's Provisional Institutions are maintaining close and frequent contact with the Contact Group - meeting about every six weeks in Pristina - and with our close partners NATO, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We also have frequent and continuous dialogue with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Council of Europe, among others. Last Monday, I had the opportunity to brief the EU foreign ministers on the situation and the way ahead, and I stressed the key role that the European Union must play, in close cooperation with the members of the Contact Group and, of course, with the United Nations. So there is progress, but at the same time problems do remain.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“It has now been confirmed that the Working Group on Missing Persons will resume its work on 10 March, with the International Committee of the Red Cross acting as chair. I hope that the Working Group will make a significant contribution to an early resolution of one of the most painful legacies of the war. We are also discussing other areas of dialogue with Belgrade, and I am hopeful that the recent more positive signals from Belgrade will result in an intensification of the direct dialogue. The regional dialogue with Tirana, Skopje and Podgorica continues to develop in a variety of fields, including the economic one. We expect high-level visits to Pristina from both Skopje and Tirana to take place shortly.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Regrettably, following their election boycott last October, Kosovo Serbs are still staying outside most political and democratic processes. There is some progress, however. A Kosovo Serb recently joined the Government as Minister for Returns and Communities, and Kosovo Serbs have participated in recent talks on decentralization. However, it is my impression that many Kosovo Serbs are frustrated and are waiting for more positive signals from Belgrade. They know that their future lies in Kosovo - as confirmed by Mr. Tadie, the President of Serbia, during his recent visit to Kosovo - and they need to take an active part in the democratic process to help shape that future. I am pleased to inform the Council that direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade is about to resume, after 12 months of boycott by Belgrade.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“We trust that the ITU will now rapidly allocate such a code, as requested by the United Nations, and thus help stimulate the economy. Work is proceeding on a census of the population of Kosovo, which will - and should - include internally displaced persons in Serbia and Montenegro. That is needed as a basis for important activities, including the development of economic strategies and the reform of local self-government. We are looking at best practices from recent similar exercises in the region. The Provisional Institutions will present their project document to a donors' meeting on the census next month. As we move forward, dialogue remains essential at various levels, including local dialogue between majority and minority communities.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“At present, we are focusing on short-term job generation, microcredit schemes and other measures that provide some degree of hope, in particular for young people, to pre-empt dramatic expressions of frustration. The Government is engaged in developing a comprehensive Kosovo development plan comprising different sectors of the economy, including energy, to help chart the road ahead in the medium and the long term. The full receipt of telecommunications revenues would give an important boost to the economy in Kosovo. In that context, I am pleased that a study group of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has just concluded that there is no obstacle to the allocation - on a temporary basis and in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) - of a dialling code to UNMIK, in line with our request.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“In order to ensure that transferred competencies can be exercised efficiently, we are also encouraging donors to coordinate and better target their efforts to help the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government build capacity across all areas. Economic stagnation remains a serious concern. Unemployment is rampant, the social safety net is non- existent, and social and economic hardship could at any moment turn into a threat to political stability. The European Union's UNMIK pillar, which is under new leadership, is making some progress, and we are giving privatization greater impetus. However, it is clear that we will not find miracle solutions. Real progress on the economy requires certainty on status combined with a healthy environment for investors and a functioning market economy.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“Over the last six months, we have accelerated the transfer of competences from UNMIK to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in areas not related to sovereignty. Three new ministries - those of Communities and Returns, Local Government Administration, and Energy and Mining - have been established and are now becoming operational. In the field of the economy, significant transfers are taking place. We are looking at transferring further responsibilities in the areas ofjustice and police. Those transfers go hand-in-hand with an emphasis on accountability, including the availability of corrective measures if officials block progress. The Prime Minister has already demonstrated readiness to deal with non-performing officials.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“It must be an essential element in the process of integration, and, if successfully implemented, it will defeat the forces of division and do away with parallel structures once and for all. The Government has just agreed on five pilot municipalities, two of which are of particular interest to Kosovo Serbs. The next step will be to define the exact nature of additional municipal competencies, with particular attention given to areas such as policing, justice, education and health. As we move forward in that delicate and difficult process, it is important that all political parties at the central and local levels, as well as all communities, are involved and that a Kosovo-wide consensus on the way ahead is pursued.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“However, the Holy Synod has now decided that Serbian Orthodox Church will re-engage constructively on the basis of the earlier agreement, a decision that opens the way to progress on church reconstruction. The Government is moving on the devolution of authority to the local level to realign centralized structures of the past with European standards of local self-government. That is a complex and difficult exercise anywhere, and Kosovo is certainly no exception. Nevertheless, we do detect a welcome degree of interest transcending ethnic division on the part of local authorities to implement the process, as that process offers tangible benefits to all. To succeed, the process must be aimed at bringing municipal authorities closer to citizens.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“All the elements of institution-building that I have mentioned, and upon which the implementation of standards is based, are important and will help the institutions of Kosovo better serve all the people of Kosovo in the future. The Government has undertaken the reconstruction of almost all properties damaged or destroyed last year in March * nearly 900 houses in all, plus several schools. It has also provided cash grants to returning families. The Government and UNMIK are committed to achieving progress in the reconstruction of certain Orthodox churches and monasteries. The Provisional Institutions have transferred â‚¬4.2 million into the 2005 budget to finance the reconstruction of religious sites. Regrettably, progress has been blocked since last September by a senior figure in the Serbian Orthodox Church.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“In recognition of the central role of municipalities in delivering the most essential standards, the Prime Minister wrote to the presidents of all municipal assemblies to ask them to directly target their efforts on a number of immediate priorities agreed between the Government and UNMIK - including the use of languages, equal employment, property rights and returns - and to set clear deadlines for action. That initiative by the Prime Minister has resulted in considerable efforts and the beginning of results in many municipalities. I shall report on the full extent of the efforts and the results achieved in my next technical assessment.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source
“The new government is aware of that and continues to be committed to delivering standards as its first priority. Leadership by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet are creating both ownership and accountability. I am pleased to report to the Council a key step forward in the construction of democratic institutions in Kosovo. In accordance with the Constitutional Framework and in fulfilment of his commitments to me and to representatives of the international community, President Rugova has announced his resignation from the position of president of the political party he helped to found, the Democratic League of Kosovo.”
2005-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5130 (2005) · source