YouSaid · the spoken record

Kouchner

lines on the record: 245
first: 2000-06-09
most recent: 2010-09-23
sittings or episodes: 11
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

“We tried to pay them in dinars; I have often been criticized for paying in deutsche marks. Those people had been paid by Belgrade for years in dinars. Only 10 per cent accepted dinars, while 90 per cent wanted deutsche marks, and we paid in deutsche marks. They are being paid quite a bit more than before, and they are being asked to resume work. We do not have any business plan yet for the complex, but we found money, which was not easy for us to do in a year, so that the emloyees' security could be guaranteed. Security was the first consideration. We have asked 300 of the 600 former workers at Zvecan to work at the plant again. As of how their response is under negotiation; they want 3,000 to work or none at all. That is not possible; there were 600 workers, and there cannot be 3,000.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In any case, this percentage can be corrected on the very day when the elections are held, when the voters go to vote; the corrections will be made by hand. Beforehand, we will publish the lists of voters and make them available to the voters in all municipalities two weeks ahead of time, and then one last time the lists can be corrected by our team, by hand. And then we will have a day for registration. I hope that most, if not all, of the defects will be corrected. As for reopening the process, that is not possible, and that was not the spirit ofthe question asked. It is very clear that the Zvecan smelting plant workers were paid. There were 600 workers, and 3,000 people were paid. Those whose grandparents had worked there came. The employees of all the factories connected with the Zvecan smelter were also paid.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Regarding whether we can correct the registration process, the representative of Ukraine asked three specific questions, and I appreciate the comments that preceded those questions. Can the registration process be corrected by 28 October? No. If we did not do it before, we cannot do it now. As I said earlier, the registration process has been carried out by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the technical workers, and - Mr. Lavrov talked about this - many independent experts came and contributed. For three months we have been trying to correct the registration process. Will the result be 100 per cent acceptable? Certainly not 100 per cent, but within a range of l per cent to 5 per cent, we think.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In order to reduce violence, there cannot be any more impunity, and to put an end to impunity, the police must be able to arrest suspects and bring them to justice. The judicial system is still flawed, even if it is getting better, and even if there have been trials and there are now enough judges for us to deal with the situation. It is not impossible, but it is difficult. Malaysia put forward five points: elections, minority participation, crime, Mitrovica and of course missing persons. I appreciate that. We have talked about these things in the field. I am in favour of frankness, and I try to be frank myself, but it is not always easy, as diplomats know. Sometimes, to make progress one has to use persuasion rather than speak frankly about one's disappointments. I have learned that, which proves that one can learn at any age.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Polemics and personal denunciations are a part, perhaps too much a part, of the political campaign that is waged daily, as can be seen in the newspapers. Should we halt the publication of a newspaper when somewhat sharp denunciations appear? This is a very sensitive matter, because at the same time we want to respect freedom of the press. We did close a newspaper for eight days; that was our great demonstration. Now we have a mediator who is trying to make the journalists understand that the code must be followed. I thank the representative of Tunisia for his encouragement. I shall convey his regards to the Serb National Council. Reduce violence: well, I shall try again to respond. Yes, we try to do that every day. Justice is absolutely essential.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“It is a special type of society, but it will evolve, just like all others. I would like to thank the representative of the Netherlands, whose concerns I share, for his country's support to date, and for its continuing support. I am very grateful for that. We know that we can appeal to some countries, such as the Netherlands, even in the most urgent circumstances, when fast decisions have to be taken. You never fail to respond, and I am grateful. Let me thank Canada as well, because it is one of the countries that we also turn to at times, just as we turn to all the countries represented here. I hope we will be excused for the abruptness with which we sometimes do this. With regard to the media code that the representative of Canada referred to, yes, it is highly theoretical, and it must also be applied. But what can one expect?”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“They have never known each other. This is, after all, one of the only places in the world where people have never spoken to each other, where they have not been taught in the same language. In the hospitals, there were Serb and Albanian doctors and nurses. They worked together but they did not speak to each other. They ate at separate tables in the refectory. That is pretty symbolic to anyone who is familiar with hospitals. That is how it was: they never spoke to each other. It is the only spot in the world where you can ask a Serb architect if he knows an Albanian architect or a Serb doctor if he knows an Albanian architect, and he does not. No one wants to answer. And when they do know someone - there is a sort of 200-metre radius within which the neighbours know each other, 200 metres but no farther.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“We have to change habits. We have to change a society. Have you ever seen a society that could change in a year and a half? I do not refer to any of the societies represented here, but it takes centuries to change them. I therefore cannot see why we should be reproached, given the efforts we are making, for not having performed such a miracle in a year and a half. I assure you that we or our successors will succeed. Moreover, the representative of Argentina responded instantly to the effect that it is complex and difficult. Yes, it is very complex and very difficult to confront, with limited resources, these communities' refusal to communicate with each other. I am asked about the beginning of reconciliation, but there has never been conciliation. If reconciliation is to take place, people need to get to know each other.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I think that I have responded to many of the questions that were posed, although perhaps not in enough detail to a specific point that the representative ofthe United Kingdom raised. I agree with him. I know that he has proposed many - perhaps as many as 40 - judges and prosecutors, who were considered by those in charge of the legal department. Some of his candidates have already been accepted. I have just met with one of the them in Pristina. I thank the British Ambassador. These judges are extremely useful to us and I think we need many more of them. I thank him for having proposed them. The representative of China said that there were improvements to be made, for which I thank him. Yes, of course, certainly not all minorities are still able to enjoy the full freedom which, as I said in my briefing, we could wish for them.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I am entirely ready myself to request the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which is in charge of these investigations, to take that Finnish document into account. I have also seen the statement concerning the liaison office that we have opened with the representatives of Pristina in Albania. I would like to know why, although there are 30 similar offices open in Kosovo, that country would be more stigmatized than another. I believe that there is nothing in international politics or law to make a particular case against Albania. These are commercial offices. There is no diplomatic representation, let it be clear. No one in any ofthese offices has diplomatic status.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“It would, unfortunately, take too long to explain, but there are procedures known as "invitations to tender". These invitations were won by the Indians. We therefore sent these Albanian-language databases to the Indians. There were occasional errors made in the retranscription of people's names or place names. That is why it was claimed that 30 per cent ofthe data banks were in error. But that is not true. We are in the process of correcting the errors, which we feel will fall within a margin of l to 5 per cent, which is more or less the acceptable margin in all monitored elections. There will be no 30 per cent margin of error. I can guarantee that. We are working tirelessly on this. This was not the first time that reference has been made to that Finnish document.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I am glad that the Russian Ambassador cited the Kosovar newspaper Koha Diiore for its acute criticism of the registration process, but I should have liked him also to cite the paper's correction of that article, since the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) pointed out that it was based on entirely mistaken premises. In any case, I am very pleased that he mentioned that newspaper, which is indeed an example of increasing open-mindedness among the Kosovar daily press. I shall naturally try to see to it that the mistakes that have been referred to are put to rights, but I am not the one who will do it. That will be up to the JIAS, the OSCE and UNMIK. In the registration process, which is being carried out according to very up-to-date methods using databases, there are certain elements that were understandably skewed.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I ask them to guarantee democratic elections without violence so that we will be in a better position to discuss their future. Of course, I make no one sign a political or legal statement. I am pleased that the Russian Ambassador referred to provisional autonomy, as we did in Tokyo. It is in that context that I shall try to move ahead, thanks to the pact, after the municipal elections. Not only did we propose this to the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS), but we have tried and continue to try - as Mr. Ivansov behind me, who is in charge of policy at UNMIK, can attest - to see the official representatives of Belgrade every day or almost every day.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“One single incident makes me indignant, too. However, we did have a profoundly, historically, humanly, sociologically and psychopathologically volatile situation. How can that be expected to disappear in one and a half years? Look at what is occurring in other peacekeeping missions. I will not be callous enough to mention some by name, but the level of violence is extremely high. That is the way it is. Obviously, there would be no peacekeeping missions without violence. So we do what we can and our people work day and night, but they cannot stand behind every individual or guarantee personal security to everyone. Unfortunately, that is impossible. Let us make no mistake. The pact is in no way a legal one. It is entirely a moral and emotional one.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Yegoshkin was detained too long at the border. I assure the Russian Ambassador that there was no ulterior motive for that. Reference was made to the attitude ofthe Doctors Without Borders organization. I am grateful for that. I was involved in the establishment of that organization. I was somewhat pained by the attitude of some people who, instead of making constructive criticisms in a difficult situation, left in protest against violence. Fortunately, they were replaced by other doctors of that organization and I believe their protest served no purpose. One must sometimes protest, but not against one's friends. I agree that no one is happy at the level of excessive violence, but it is in constant decline. Once again, I offer the statistical charts demonstrating that, although I do not attach too much importance to statistics.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Valery Yegoshkin, who visited me for an hour and a half. I was very pleased to meet and speak with him. We got along very well. During the one and a half hours I spent with him, he had no complaints. He said nothing about an arrest. If he had, I would have looked into it. On behalf of the international community, which I represent in part - though not on behalf of the Kosovo Force, which I do not represent - I offer our apologies if Mr. Yegoshkin was detained too long. Although I do not offer excuses for anyone, Mr. Yegoshkin was crossing the border at a time when security was important and when the announcement of federal elections - particularly the presidential and the National Assembly elections of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - made the situation extremely explosive. I am sorry that Mr.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Never did I speak of independence, never in one and a half years: not once have I done that in public. I acknowledge that the phrase in the Financial Times was an ambiguous one; I know it by heart - as one can imagine, I read it. But this was simply a case ofincorrect interpretation. The population of Kosovo admits that it is contemplating independence. I believe that we must apply resolution 1244 (1999), which speaks of "substantial autonomy", and that the Kosovars, or some among them, took this to refer to a phase. That was not my personal opinion. You will never, ever find me remiss in the interpretation of that phrase, but I apologize if my statement was misunderstood. I recall the incident that was referred to by the Russian Ambassador, particularly since I have here the card of his colleague, Mr.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“By what miracle could I have got rid of them other than through the miracle of democracy? The majority of those who were imposed in the municipalities will undoubtedly be rejected in the future through a vote, or they will hold other posts. I hope that will be done in the best possible spirit; it is the only way to possibly remove those who did not enjoy legitimacy from the posts they occupied by force. That is how I would respond to some of Ambassador Lavrov's arguments. It is not that I am too optimistic; I try to be a realist. I am trying not to forget my limitations or the great principles of resolution 1244 (1999), which it is my job to implement, and which I am implementing willingly. But let us rely on the facts for our criticisms; they are enough. Let me say one word about the article in the Financial Times.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I thank the representative of France for having given me the opportunity to pay tribute to the team I lead, in Pristina and throughout the country, who are activists more than bureaucrats. Will any momentum be generated by these elections in these communities? I think so; I hope so. Will we see a rejection of hatred and a movement towards positions of peace and reconciliation? I hope so. Once again, we have to understand that these were opposing sides, and that indeed they were fighting one another. I would say to the representative of the Russian Federation that it is paradoxical that I should be criticized for organizing elections. I have also been rightly criticized for accepting certain parties who were imposed in the municipalities during the war.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Yesterday, for the first time, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Mr. Rugova's party, was rather passive. Of course, we saw the first ofthe public demonstrations by Mr. Rugova; never had there been so many people demonstrating in Pristina. Mr. Rugova made a speech, and there was not one single incident. I myself systematically witnessed the launching of every party's campaign so as not to be selective. I think this marked the beginning of democracy. So yesterday there was a very important event at Pristina: the beginning of the LDK campaign. That might not seem so significant, but in Kosovo it is astonishing if you think about the background of the two key actors: the former KLA and the LDK. I hope this trend will continue.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I think that the roots of democracy will be found in these municipal elections and that they will later spread. Here again, I am thinking of what the representative of Bangladesh said: that the security situation will improve thanks to these elections, because we will be giving people responsibility. That is the only way to show respect for them, the only way to show that they are considered to be full-fledged citizens. I hope rather that the violence will diminish during the electoral campaign. I hope I am not wrong, but it is curious that there has been less violence ever since the start of the campaign, as though the campaign had caused this phenomenon psychologically and sociologically. If an outlet is provided by the international community for making these arguments, we will all have reason to rejoice.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“We will give them democratic legitimacy and will place better means at their disposal. And that is all. Serbs are already working in those municipalities, and they will continue to do so. I am sorry that once again Serbs have not registered to vote, but I am sure that they will participate in this endeavour. Is a year and a half enough? Is it too long? How much longer should we wait? Should we wait for the violence to stop again? Well, centuries have gone by and have not been long enough to eliminate that violence. Should we wait another year, or two, or three? Is there a criterion? I do not know. We shall see if history vindicates me; if it does not, it will vindicate some members of the Council, and I will be the first to acknowledge the mistake. But I do not think that history will prove me wrong.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I listened to Ambassador Holbrooke's flattering remarks about the Mission, and I thank him very warmly. The representative of Bangladesh rightly observed that the elections are essential for the restoration of peace. I agree - and so do 13 out of 15 countries. That does not mean that the other two are wrong, but it is still a nice majority. How can we hope to restore democracy if we do not play out the scenario of elections to its very end. And that scenario begins with local elections. It is not an enormous thing that after a year and a half we are asking that the existing municipal councils be endorsed or modified. Those municipal councils do indeed exist and do indeed engage in administration, with the involvement of UNMIK. They administer daily life in the municipalities.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Holbrooke of the United States spoke the truth about the historic moment we are experiencing. I do not wish at present to take a position on the events in Belgrade, but I think that I might venture to say that this is a unique opportunity for our Serb friends and for the Serb people to reach out to democracy. They have shown their will to do that. We must help them not to miss this opportunity. I am certain that the majority of Serbs - certainly those with whom I have dealt in Kosovo and those I know who come from Belgrade and elsewhere - have awaited this opportunity with high hopes. Let us not disappoint them. This is indeed an opportunity for the Serb people to live up to its historic calling in this region, for peace, justice and democracy. Our Serb friends expect us to support them.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“We experience that impatience every day. Members have paid tribute to the team that I lead; by myselfI can do nothing, and I am nothing. The Secretary-General appointed me to head the Mission, which was a great honour. But nothing could have been done without the dedication and tireless work of all the staff members of the agencies, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) the European Union and, especially, the United Nations. They are a brilliant, dedicated, creative team who work night and day. I think that anyone who has visited the region can attest to their dedication to the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999) and to peace in the region. I am proud to be heading that team, which is a very exceptional one indeed. Mr.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Fortunately - and I remember next to me a few months ago General Klaus Reinhardt was here to affirm this - we have the possibility of requesting the soldiers of KFOR to intervene with a view to tempering that violence. But it is not a soldier's job to extemporize civilian police work, although they do it very well. At some point we will need to do what the Brahimi report has urged: we will have to create the conditions necessary for peace so that peacekeeping missions and missions to impose a peace - because one cannot keep a peace that does not exist - can do their jobs. We must understand how necessary it is to train international police together so that they can be effective. And of course, those police officers should not be penalized in any country for participating. I have heard the Council's impatience, and I share that impatience.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I do understand political impatience, but I also believe that we have to remain reasonable, and reason may return bit by bit to Kosovo. Do not believe that we are indifferent to violence. In the marvelous team that I have the honour to lead we devote all our energies to trying to staunch that violence, to reduce it. Look at the level of violence elsewhere in the world; you hardly need to do that to believe me. Just look at this curve of violence and you will see. It is not just Kosovo where there is violence. We spend our time in trying with the police - and that includes 49 nations - to innovate and make the international community's intervention more effective.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I think that those who have visited this region, Kosovo, at least on two occasions can testify that the situation has radically changed, practically changed, technically changed, materially changed, and I would even say that on a routine, day-to-day basis it has changed. As for change in attitude and conduct, more time will be necessary. Even the Security Council can do nothing there. Human conduct has a timeframe which is not the same as that of either the media or of politics. That notwithstanding, I share your impatience and frustration. Thirteen centuries of confrontation between these ethnic groups, these peoples, these communities - thirteen centuries of not living together, thirteen centuries of not talking with each other, thirteen centuries of not seeing each other, and you want violence to stop in 15 months?”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I would like to thank you for both your words of appreciation and your criticism. Positive appreciation seems to have won the day, I think, but of course I am not in the right position to judge that. I am grateful to the Ambassadors of the Russian Federation and China for having provided us by their criticism an opportunity to improve our work. I have a great deal of respect for these countries and the personalities of the Ambassadors, and I would like to respond to them quickly. Some 15 months ago, you probably would not have spoken thus. I believe, quite modestly, that I have done my best.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Otherwise - there are some unfortunate signs that show us that we might not achieve our end - otherwise, as I say, the international presence, in particular the military presence might become occupation forces, and that's why I think that we have to get ourselves out of this uncertain situation as soon as possible so that the Kosovars can be given a positive view of what their future can be, as well as the future of their children.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In the former Yugoslavia, you had public State property, State property, cooperative property, etc. We have to work to give investors confidence and develop the economy. We're still too dependent on donors, and the European Union in particular, which has shown itself to be very generous. Lastly, we definitely have to place our trust in the Kosovars, whatever the difficulties may be, whatever residual hatred may appear, despite our fatigue, even with the depression that we feel in the evening when we see that we have not made enough headway. Nonetheless, the Kosovars must be given responsibility. There is no democratic solution in Kosovo without going through the phase of administration being handed over to the Kosovars and democracy given to them as well.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Not only must the political authorities who have signed statements, but the Kosovars themselves must agree to allow Serbs to become full-fledged citizens in the Kosovo they have. In that connection I am encouraged - I have spoken to you about this and you can look at the figures - by the improvement in the level of violence and especially since the campaign began. Communities must all enjoy the same rights. This is still not yet the case. One hears that it will take an entire generation to accomplish that, well I know that. But I think that the degree of political maturity in Kosovo is such that it could happen faster. Secondly, we have to develop the economy of course. And that is a very big job. It is not privatization- that is too technical, too theoretical when you look at the reality - but there has to be some opening of enterprises.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“The pact is that municipal elections are to be held in a proper, democratic and calm way and then a discussion of substantial autonomy would follow. Take your municipal fate in hand in a democratic and proper way, by means of a vote, and then we can hold further discussions. UNMIK and the Kosovars can find the best way to give them greater responsibility, because greater responsibility is what is needed. Greater responsibility would be given to an administration that would then be closer to the Kosovars. Some points must be made quite clear. I call upon them to reduce ethnic violence. The Serbs have to be free to travel from their enclaves - I won't call them ghettos, but they are a lot like them.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“The ambiguities of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) remain. We have to explain what appears in resolution 1244 (1999), that is to say, its very reason for being: self-government and substantial autonomy. We want the municipal authorities to function with those principles in mind, i.e. self-government and substantial autonomy. For that purpose, account must be taken ofthose elections so as to strike a new balance amongst the administrative elements that have been established over the past 15 months. Some parties will show themselves to be stronger than others. That also must be taken into account. And I will make proposals along that line. I have therefore been proposing to the Kosovars whom I have been meeting in all these 30 municipalities of Kosovo a pact. We changed the name from a contract.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“On behalf of the United Nations and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), I travelled around in the provinces to explain the position of the United Nations mission. I called it my "outreach campaign". I spoke with thousands and thousands of people in each town who came to hear what our position is and to ask questions. The general impression that I can give you - which I believe to be the right one - is that the voters as well as the candidates want there to be a democratic election. They are ready for democratic government in the municipalities and elsewhere. But that does not suffice. Even if that does happen - and I hope that it does, remember that this mission was said to be impossible - even if it becomes even slightly possible - and I would be the first to rejoice - that would not be sufficient.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In my view there are several problems or solutions. First of all, we will have to implement the electoral results in the municipalities. We have to turn the results of the municipal elections into a reality, and it might not be easy. We hope everything happens in a proper and calm way. We know that each candidate signed an attestation according to which he promises to respect not only the outcome of the elections, but to assume all democratic responsibilities in the towns that are involved. The democratic tradition in Kosovo, even if it did exist a long time ago, has not existed for some years. But, I believe that the Kosovars really are ready for and aspire to establishing true democracy.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Together with Bishop Artemije, we have set up a Joint Committee to facilitate the return of displaced Serbs to their homes in Kosovo. Let me conclude by saying that I am happy that the Kosovo Serbs are willing to participate in the elected municipal structures and that the Albanians have already accepted such a process. At the end of the day, we will have representative municipal assemblies with participants from all national communities. It will take time, but we remain determined to foster coexistence and thus lay the foundations for eventual reconciliation. The first democratic elections will be a very important step in such a process. (spoke in French) I would now like to briefly address the third point. What is ahead? Where are we going? What will happen in Kosovo after the municipal elections? How do we envisage the path ahead?”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In this respect, how can we judge the third element: the non-participation of members of the Kosovo Serb minority in these elections? Of course, I respect the decision of the Serb National Council. I respect their argument. It is true that both the security situation as well as the small number of Serb returnees make it difficult for them to participate, but in my view it was a wrong decision and a political mistake. These elections will be just the first of many. Nothing will be prejudiced by participating in them, neither on the Albanian nor on the Serb side, and we are working hard to address the problems of the Serbs. As an example, KFOR and UNMIK police are working every day to improve the security situation of all minority members.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I am happy to report that, since the creation of this mechanism and the beginning of the political campaign, the political violence has decreased substantially. If members are interested, I am ready to distribute statistical charts based on figures collected since the beginning of our mission. But, of course, violence remains a very difficult issue every day in Kosovo. And, of course, the electoral campaign will go on for another four weeks. We will have to remain very cautious and be able to react quickly to any problems. I think it is fair to say that, both from the technical point of view as well as from the point of view of a clean and calm electoral campaign, all the elements are there to hold successful elections on 28 October. I hope we will.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Around 1 million people have applied to be registered as voters. In addition, we have had a very lively candidate-registration process, with over 5,000 candidates belonging to 19 parties, 2 coalitions, 3 citizens' initiatives and 15 individual candidates. The electoral campaign started on l3 September. So far, it has gone well, with no major incidents. This was not necessarily to be expected. In August, we experienced a significant upsurge of political violence directed in particular at members of the Democratic League of Kosovo. UNMIK, UNMIK police and KFOR, in another concerted effort, have set in motion a mechanism to address this kind of violence, offering, inter alia, special protection measures for a wide range of candidates.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Together with OSCE, we have worked for 14 months to prepare the best possible elections. I would like to address three areas: the technical preparation, the ongoing electoral campaign - including, of course, political violence - and the non-participation of the Serbs in the electoral process. The civil administration and institution-building pillars of UNMIK - the second and third pillars - have worked hard to conduct a full-fledged voter- registration process. I am confident that we will be able to have a complete and accurate final voters' list ready for the elections on 28 October. Given the magnitude of the task, the fact that there was very little data to start with and Belgrade's policy of non-cooperation, this process has been very complicated, but I am confident that we will have a solid basis for the elections.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I am glad that UNHCR has appointed a Special Envoy to address their fate, but I fear that not much will be achieved for missing and imprisoned Kosovo Albanians if the international community does not press Belgrade hard to change its so-far uncompromising stance. At this very moment, 68 prisoners recently released from Serb prisons are holding a hunger strike in Kosovo in solidarity with their colleagues still incarcerated. They have reported that they were tortured during their detention. I am extremely concerned about the remaining prisoners, who have been held in Serbia for 17 months and who may now be forgotten by the world during this time of political turbulence in Serbia proper. Let me go to my second point: preparations for the 28 October elections.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“We have tried to counter this truly deplorable situation with a multitude of initiatives, such as the agenda for coexistence, which includes special assistance programmes for the Serbs and the establishment of specialized local community offices. I inaugurated several of these offices just recently. These offices work exclusively to facilitate access to services for and to increase protection of minority members. Another key problem that is still very bad is the fate of missing persons and detainees. I am sorry to bother the Council with this problem. I have addressed this issue here several times already.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“In the media, we tried to work for self-regulating regimes, while the need to take strong decisions was unavoidable. When a Kosovar newspaper publishes the name of a suspect, you cannot accept that, because the so-called suspect will be killed. I think that we have by now corrected this approach. You have to do both at the same time: address the immediate needs and lay the foundations for sustainable long-term solutions. Of course, the biggest problem that we face is the situation of members of non-Albanian communities. Serbs and Roma, in particular, are often still excluded from daily life and are still under great personal security risks.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“We had to learn that the absence of war does not mean that the mission area has already entered into a post-conflict situation. Let me give a few examples. In economics, it was a mistake to try to develop a pure market economy, while neglecting such immediate and basic social needs as shelter, housing, utilities and social employment. In education, it was a mistake at the beginning to insist on multi-ethnic schools, thus de facto preventing minority children from receiving any schooling at all. In justice, we tried to build a local judiciary and failed to bring in international judges and prosecutors, which was necessary. There is also a need to give the Special Representative special powers to build a proper judiciary system.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“Already, Serb workers have started again to work at the Zvecan smelter. My last example of exemplary cooperation by all pillars of UNMIK and KFOR was ensuring security on the critical day of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia elections last Sunday, 24 September, although I would say that I sometimes would have wished that cooperation to be even stronger and more united. Of course, there are not only achievements and successes. We at UNMIK, we here in the Security Council, and we in the international community at large should be very frank with ourselves. One key mistake was that we often tried to implement "pure" but unrealistic policy programmes, instead of taking the still-existing conflict circumstances into account. But UNMIK and KFOR are not a post-conflict mission; they are a low-intensity-conflict mission.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“With the help of KFOR, we have demilitarized the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and, with OSCE, we have started to build a genuine Kosovo police. We now have a bit fewer than 2,000 Kosovo police officers; our goal is to have some 4,000 Kosovo police officers in the coming six months to one year. More recently, in another important example of cooperation with KFOR, we took over the Zvecan lead smelter of the Trepca complex to address an immediate public health emergency and at the same time to lay the foundations for administering Kosovo's assets and creating a multi-ethnic workforce. The whole operation was done for the benefit of the local population of all communities. I have received the most recent numbers from the blood tests among the workers, children and pregnant women in Zvecan; believe me, this was really a health emergency.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“I have asked those countries to stop these returns, because winter is coming. With the help of the United Nations pillar, we have established a functioning civil administration in all areas of public life everywhere in Kosovo. But I have to say that we got the necessary staff very, very slowly, though now this is close to being done. With the help of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) pillar, we have developed the media sector and have started a broad- based effort to build democratization. I will say more about the election process later in my statement. With the help of the European Union pillar, we have laid the foundation for a functioning market economy. That is easy to say, and easy to set up - but not easy to adapt to the real conditions of life on the spot.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“The 20 joint UNMIK-Kosovo administrative departments are all up and running. They have about 60,000 Kosovars from all communities on their payroll; that figure will eventually rise to some 65,000. In other words, the Council is in charge ofthe payroll of 60,000 to 65,000 civil servants in Kosovo. I believe that there are a number of other achievements in Kosovo of which members are aware. With the help of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) pillar of UNMIK, we have managed without major problems the return of close to 1 million refugees. Please note that not only have we managed to deal with those one million persons, but we have also managed to deal with an additional 100,000 returnees, freshly returned mainly from Germany, Switzerland and other European countries.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source
“On the political front, we have managed to include political representatives from all communities in our work. We created the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS) last December. In the Kosovo Transitional Council, we have 36 members from all communities and from all parts of society debating critical issues. These are lively, stimulating and very important debates. And the debates are very frank - between the communities, not between UNMIK and the Kosovars. In the Interim Administrative Council (IAC), the pillar heads of UNMIK work together with the leading Kosovo Albanian representatives and with Mrs. Trajkovic from the Serb National Council. Every regulation of UNMIK is discussed here before I, in my capacity as Special Representative of the Secretary- General, take the final decision.”
2000-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4200 (2000) · source