YouSaid · the spoken record

Osmani-Sadriu

lines on the record: 54
first: 2021-10-15
most recent: 2023-10-23
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“This is who we are: a nation of survivors who thrive, a nation committed to peace because we have seen the opposite of it, a nation committed to democracy because we have lived the opposite of it, and a nation that is ready to pay any price to ensure the survival and the success of liberty.”
2023-10-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9450 (2023) · source
“At that table, led by European Union negotiators, on one side there is the Prime Minister of Kosovo, a war prisoner who was almost tortured to death, and on the other side, there is the Minister of Propaganda of the regime that tortured him. But we will never give up on dialogue as the only means for resolving any differences between us, because Kosovo is a country full of Mandelas, Gandhis and Martin Luther Kings, and of people who strive for the future, for peace and reconciliation. Our Parliament, our Government, every institution and every house in our Republic is full of survivors of horrendous crimes, but all of them are committed to and working for peace.”
2023-10-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9450 (2023) · source
“It is being victims of a genocidal war that has shaped us into the strongest defenders of peace, stability, human rights, the rule of law and freedom, but also defenders of truth against propaganda. Today the Council heard the representative of Russia and Ms. Brnabić speak about the so-called Kurti terror. Kurti is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, but he was also a prisoner of war who was almost tortured to death in their prisons, while the President of Serbia, during those same years, was the Minister of Propaganda for Milošević. As if that was not enough, they publicly state — even nowadays, as the President of Serbia did last night — that they wish that they had never released Kurti from prison alive. Yet again, the Prime Minister of Kosovo has chosen dialogue.”
2023-10-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9450 (2023) · source
“The biggest difference between Kosovo and Serbia is that we are not afraid of justice. That is why we ourselves created the Specialist Chambers, because we will not allow a moral equivalence to be created between those who committed genocide and those who defended our people from genocide. As was the case in the past, we are fully confident that justice will once again prevail. My people were victims of some of the most horrendous crimes in human history. It is precisely the pain and the suffering we had to go through that make us so committed to never seeing that happen to anyone else ever again, no matter their ethnicity, religion or other background.”
2023-10-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9450 (2023) · source
“Ms. Osmani-Sadriu: I would like to start by thanking all those countries that have been contributing not only through their speeches but also through their work with us on the ground for peace and stability in the entire Western Balkans. To those who have concerns, I would like to say that we want to work with them to make things better, because we in Kosovo believe that democracy is never a finished project. It was actually sufficient to listen to the speech by the representative of the Russian Federation to understand which party here is telling the truth and which one is propagating falsehoods through a propaganda machine. Russia once again used propaganda against the people of Kosovo and against those who fought for the freedom of Kosovo, the Kosovo Liberation Army.”
2023-10-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9450 (2023) · source
“I invite them to come to our country and see it for themselves — see what is going on on the ground, the suffering and the deep wounds that are still open because there has been no justice for the Serb perpetrators and, at the same time, see the great and outstanding potential of the young people of Kosovo and what we can do. Let us join Member States around the table as a sovereign nation that can give so much to the world. The meeting rose at 12.55 p.m.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Selaković’s propaganda because there is in fact absolutely no proof that he was shot by the Kosovo police. There is absolutely no proof. The embassies of the countries that are present in the Republic of Kosovo know the facts. They have been open about the facts. They have shown their full support for Kosovo’s rule-of-law efforts on the ground. I invite all those who are in doubt to recognize our young republic, the suffering of the people of Kosovo and the reality of an independent sovereign country, which will never change.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“The current Speaker of the Parliament in Serbia publicly threatens Serbian citizens who are cooperating with the international community in speaking about the whereabouts of those mass graves. He publicly threatened them on national television, saying that Serbs who spoke about the mass graves and their whereabouts would be spoken of as traitors to the nation. That kind of impunity does not happen anywhere in the world. Mr. Selaković can of course continue with his propaganda and try to insult us. But, as I mentioned at the very beginning, the truth cannot be changed, because it happened in front of his eyes. I, of course, did not mention Srecko Sofronijevic as a member of those that were involved back in 1999. I mentioned Mr. Selaković to demonstrate Mr.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Ms. Osmani-Sadriu: I will try to be brief. Of course, Mr. Selaković cannot understand what victims of the war go through. After being forced to flee my home by the Serbian regime, alongside hundreds of thousands of other Kosovars, I hid in the mountains for months. Only in May 1999 were my family and I able to leave for Montenegro, where I stayed as a refugee for a short time. I therefore know what it means to be both an internally displaced person, because of Serbia’s terror and genocide, as well as a refugee. That is why we have opened our hearts and minds to the people of Afghanistan. I was of course thinking about Mr. Djindjic, not Mr. Tadić, but the truth remains that the late President of Serbia, who was killed in Serbia, actually spoke of those mass graves. His closest collaborators now confirm that.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We want the return of the bodies to their grieving mothers. Back home, we want the mothers to have a place where they can lay a flower on the empty graves of more than 1,600 people. I urge Council members never to forget, so that the slogan “Never forget” is no longer needed. Never forget what the true face of the Serbian regime is. Perhaps for Mr. Selaković, I would conclude with the words of John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Serbia cannot intimidate us. Freedom is in our DNA.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Let me give Council members a couple of other names — Dragan Obradović and Srećko Sofronijević — who, according to the Humanitarian Law Centre in Belgrade, are the two people who ordered the crimes. Of course, they are in Serbia. Of course, they have been rehabilitated. Of course, they were given excellent jobs by the new regime in Serbia. And of course, impunity continues. I can go on and on with names of people and families whose wounds are still open because Serbia continues to sleep on mass graves. I can show you the map, Mr. President. This is the map of the mass graves found in Serbia so far. According to former President Boris Tadić, who was killed in Serbia, there are many other mass graves in the country. I urge Serbia to open these mass graves. We want our loved ones back. We want them home.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Indeed, some of the children, several as young as two, were still alive — injured, but still alive — and they were burned alive in their house. And if that was not enough, the military and the police returned to the house to burn it down a second time. In fact, they set the entire house on fire three times. If Mr. Selaković went to that house today — and, as the President of the Republic of Kosovo, I invite him to do so — I would invite him to kneel on the ground there, because, in the words of Willy Brandt, that is what a human being does when words can do no justice. One kneels at a grave. Some 54 people, most of them small children, including six-month old Liria Muccioli, were burned three times. What was their crime? Did Serbia ever apologize?”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Let me start with Liria Muccioli, six months old — the name “Liria” means freedom — who, together with 53 members of her family, most of whom were small children under the age of seven, but also their mothers and their grandmothers, was not allowed by the military and the police to flee her house and the Milošević regime during the war. At that time, we were taking orders from the Minister of Interior — now the Speaker of the Serbian parliament — and from the Minister of Propaganda — now the President of Serbia — and many others. The family was returned to a little room in their house where they were all executed: 54 people, most of them little children. If that was not enough, the military and the police burned the house down.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We never play the game of collective blame, which is why Kosovo is committed to the dialogue. I want to reassure the Council of that. We are committed not just to sitting at the table, but to actively engaging, putting forward proposals that would bring more peace and stability to the region. But since Mr. Selaković is abusing the time to speak in this Chamber today to defile the names of Serbs, the citizens that I proudly represent — the Serbs of Kosovo, the Albanians of Kosovo, the Turks of Kosovo, the Roma of Kosovo, the Ashkali of Kosovo, the Egyptians of Kosovo, the Gorani of Kosovo and everyone else, who are welcome and living peacefully in Kosovo — perhaps I could mention some names too.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Serbia should therefore start countering impunity and stop glorifying war criminals and rehabilitating them. Yes, Kosovo has fully supported the establishment of the Specialist Chambers. No other country in the history of the world has shown such a commitment to international justice. All of the leaders of Kosovo have voluntarily cooperated with this tribunal. Do Council members know why? It is because we have nothing to hide. We have nothing to hide. The truth has happened before the world’s eyes, and the truth is that members of NATO — democratic countries around the world — intervened to stop the Serb genocide. That is a truth that cannot be revised through Serbia’s and its allies’ revisionist history projects. The truth is that is we have been the victims, and Serbs were the aggressors.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“It is the capital of Kosovo, and it does not fall within the agreement that would provide for Serb-majority panels in the court. We have therefore fully respected the agreement signed in Brussels. Let me speak for a moment about the so-called attacks on churches. Let me cite NATO again. Through its representatives in the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Kosovo, NATO publicly recently stated that, in the past 10 years, there has been no serious incident against the Visoki Dečani monastery or other churches in Kosovo. This is the truth. And in fact, it is Kosovo police, the multi-ethnic Kosovo police of the independent Kosovo, that is securing most of these churches except for the Dečani monastery, where KFOR is involved. Again, KFOR has confirmed that no serious incident has happened there in the past decade or so.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“As the President of all the people of Kosovo, in front of all members of Security Council, I want to commit once again to doing everything in our power to protect the Serbs of Kosovo from these attacks from illegal and criminal structures. Mr. Selaković has also mentioned the case of Ivan Todosijević. In that case, the person before the courts of Kosovo was indicted for denying war crimes, in full compliance with the prohibition by the European Court of Human Rights of genocide denial. War crimes cannot be denied because doing so contributes to hate speech, impunity and further tensions. But the agreement to which Mr. Selaković referred earlier provided that the special panels would only be for the Serb-majority areas, and Pristina is not a Serb-majority area.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“The truth of the matter is, according to international reports, that from 2017 to 2020 the percentage of ethnically motivated crimes was 0.03 per cent. It is not 3 per cent or 0.3 per cent; it is 0.03 per cent in Kosovo. And we are committed to bringing that down to zero, because the Serbs in Kosovo are not afraid of me. Rather, the Serbs in Kosovo are afraid of the parallel illegal criminal structures, aided and abetted, financed and supported and turned into gangs by President Vučić himself and no one else, and they are the ones, as mentioned by the representative of the United Kingdom and representatives of some other States in this Chamber, who are violating all of these basic rights, including the right to free elections, and they are the ones intimidating Serbs from participating freely in elections.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“While I would like to express my condolences in that respect as the President of all the institutions and the President of all the people of Kosovo, no matter their ethnicity, I want to speak the truth here in front of all present today. There is absolutely no report from any local or international institution — and we have such a high international presence in Kosovo that it would be able to speak about this — that that woman died as a result of the rule-of-law efforts of the institutions of Kosovo. Not even an autopsy has been done; so Mr. Selaković comes here today and gives distorted information with respect to what happened on Wednesday in Kosovo. He speaks of 100 ethnically motivated crimes, but, in fact, he mentions the same crime numerous times to get to that number of 100.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“It is better that he faces that reality, and it will be better for all the citizens of Serbia as well, so that they can see a future forward, a future of peace and stability in which their leaders no longer wage war or create destabilization. They have also suffered from you enough; it is not just us. I agree that there is a tragedy behind every refugee and every internally displaced person. I have been one myself. And not only I but more than 80 per cent of the people of my country were forced to flee the Milošević genocidal regime, which is now being glorified every single day. War criminals are not just being glorified; they are being rehabilitated by the current Serb institutions. Mr. Selaković speaks of the death of an old woman in recent days in Kosovo.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Ms. Osmani-Sadriu: Let me start by thanking those members of the Security Council that have recognized and fully supported the decisive rule-of-law efforts of the institutions of Kosovo, which are to the benefit of all citizens in Kosovo, no matter their ethnicity. Let me also thank all those who have emphasized the important role of women in society. We want to work hand in hand with each and every one of them to expand the role of women in our society, in politics and elsewhere, and we are doing exactly that nowadays. Perhaps now I shall move on to the latest piece of pure propaganda by Mr. Selaković. I am a proud citizen of the independent and sovereign Republic of Kosovo. The independent Republic of Kosovo is not going anywhere.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“It has been more than a decade since Judge Trindade, as part of the ICJ, ruled on Kosovo’ declaration of independence and its compliance with international law. Since then, the people of Kosovo truly have been the masters of their own destiny. So I urge my dear friends to come and talk to us, to hear our side of the story, to see the truth and nothing but the truth, to visit the independent Republic of Kosovo and to see for yourself the progress that we have made and witness first-hand the warmth of the people of Kosovo. The Republic of Kosovo is here to commit to joining all present in facing and addressing the new challenges that lie ahead and to jointly celebrate new successes as they come our way as part of the United Nations family.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“In the words of Judge Trindade of Brazil, a judge at the international Court of Justice (ICJ) when it decided on our declaration of independence and who commented on Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo: “States exist for human beings and not vice versa. Serbia cannot invoke territorial integrity to commit grave breaches of international humanitarian law and then try to use this as a shield or shelter to escape from the reach of law and to enjoy impunity after shocking the conscience of humankind”. He continued: “An international organization like the United Nations, created on behalf of the peoples of the world, is fully entitled to help the people of Kosovo in becoming masters of their own destiny, since in this way the United Nations would be acting in pursuance of its own Charter”.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“It is not enough to preach freedom of expression but strongly exercise media control. We have a cancer at the heart of Europe, fuelled by a fascist desire to create a Serbian world, aided by their ally, Russia. Unless we all wake up to that fact urgently, I fear that we will witness a resurgence of Serbia’s aggression. Kosovo’s independence is permanent and irreversible, and the sooner everyone comes to terms with that reality, the better it will be for peace and stability, not only in our region, not only in Europe, but for the world as well. The Republic of Kosovo’s right to exist cannot be denied; it cannot be stopped; and, most importantly, it cannot be ignored. The majority of the world has recognized our young republic; the time has come for the rest of it to do so.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“When Vučić talks about “the ability to shoot targets from a distance of nine kilometres, deep within enemy territory”, he does not mean just Kosovo. Within that perimeter there are eight countries of the region, six of them NATO members. When he talks about creating a Serbian world, he means Greater Serbia — words that members all heard during the 1990s. It is not enough to profess a belief in European ideals, but mass produce ethnic division and hatred across the Balkans. It is not enough to profess a belief in human rights while systematically abusing the rights of minorities through passivation in Presevo Valley and other areas of majority Albanian population. Passivation is ethnic cleansing through administrative means. It is not enough to profess belief in the rule of law but show no signs of fighting crime and corruption.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We have the highest number of children lost per capita, if we compare the statistics to those of any other war in the former Yugoslavia. More than 1 million Albanians were ethnically cleansed from their homes in Kosovo. What happened in Kosovo and in our region happened in front of the eyes of the Council and the eyes of the world. No single attempt by Serbia to deny those crimes or revise history will ever be successful so long as we have a voice. However, the words “never forget” should not be just a slogan. We should never forget the true face and real aims of the Serbian regime. Unfortunately, Milošević’s ministers are ruling the country today. Their strategy might have changed, but their goals remain the same, aided by pure propaganda similar to that heard today.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“That should raise alarm bells around the world, in particular for allies who worked with us to bring peace to our region. Vučić talks in plain and clear language when he expresses his ambitious and dangerous ideals. He makes no attempt to hide his admiration for his former boss, the Butcher of the Balkans, Slobodan Milošević. According to him, “Milošević was a great Serbian leader whose intentions were certainly for the best, but the results were poor”. Let me talk about the results of that regime. Approximately 140,000 innocent people lost their lives during the Milošević genocidal wars in the former Yugoslavia. In Kosovo, more than 13,000 people brutally murdered, 20,000 women were raped, and more than 1,600 people were forcibly disappeared and are still missing to this day. They are in mass graves in Serbia.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Meanwhile, they approached military vehicles and Russian combat aircraft a mere one kilometre away from our border. In an unprecedented, unnecessary and hostile act, the Russian Ambassador to Belgrade, alongside his military attaché, nonetheless showed up to give Serbian troops words of encouragement. In the twenty-first century, what so- called peace-loving nation threatens stability in such a flagrant manner? Our history does not begin at the negotiation table in Brussels. We are all old enough to remember the sheer destruction and devastation that took place during the 1990s in the Western Balkans. It is no coincidence that Serbia’s efforts to bring about instability occur simultaneously throughout Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. That plan has an author, and its name is the Serbian Government.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Perhaps the most concerning is that we have witnessed and evidenced during the past few elections, also detailed in the reports of the European Union, as well as those of the United States Department of State. When it comes to the agreement on licence plates, unfortunately, throughout the past decade, Serbia never upheld its end of the bargain. It instead forced citizens of the Republic of Kosovo to remove their licence plates in a derogatory and dehumanizing way every single time they crossed the border. When that agreement expired, Kosovo introduced the principle of reciprocity, as provided in the agreement itself. In return, Serbia used its illegal structures to incite violence and commit acts of terrorism as its citizens burned down public property and attacked with explosives.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“There is a crucial difference between what used to obtain in the past and what is happening now in our rule-of-law efforts. This type of crime has always been multi-ethnic. Crime, especially organized crime, has no ethnicity. However, what is different now is that the fight against such crime is multi-ethnic. Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb police officers, alongside one another, are fighting organized crime. Serb judges, Albanian judges, Serb prosecutors and Albanian prosecutors are fighting organized crime alongside one another. That is the difference — the fight against organized crime is multi-ethnic, and that is why it will be successful. However, there is more to it. We witness threats from Serbia’s illegal structures in the north and their violence regularly in the everyday lives of Kosovo Serbs.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“According to the United Kingdom, “acting against organized crime is in the interests of all citizens of Kosovo. We support the Kosovo Government in upholding the rule of law throughout the country. Efforts to obstruct that action with violence, as well as the inflammatory rhetoric, only serves to aid those seeking to create divisions between communities in Kosovo”. According to Germany — obviously after the statements of the Serbs: “stop [comparing] today’s police action with Kristallnacht; it is unacceptable. Such comparisons contribute to narratives of Holocaust distortion and denial. Protect the facts. That is exactly what I am doing here — protecting the facts. I also invite the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to include those quotes in his next report.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Both the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the United States and other Quint Embassies have been clear that that was a rule-of law-action against organized crime all over Kosovo. Since we were quoting, let me clarify the real public position of KFOR. According to KFOR, “the operation took place in several municipalities, including those in the north. In terms of approvals, the Kosovo police has full authority and responsibility for exercising rule-of-law actions. When executing them, it does not need additional permission”. Let me also quote the United States. According to the United States, it is concerned about “the response against the police action, which was in favour of the rule of law all over Kosovo. The violence directed towards the police, [the] media and citizens is unacceptable and needs to be addressed”.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“To negotiate and compromise with crime is to become a part of it. This Wednesday’s rule-of-law efforts by Kosovo’s multi-ethnic police institutions can under no circumstances be labelled as action in the north, because it was action in all parts of Kosovo, against persons of various ethnicities, who had one thing in common — they were directly engaged in smuggling and organized crime. Let me inform the Council of the reality of that effort under the rule of law. The prosecutor and the judge who carried out the investigation into organized crime were both Serbs, and so are most of the police officers in the north. While eight Kosovo citizens were arrested, out of them six were Kosovo Albanians, one was Bosnian and only one was Serb.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“That would not be the first time that Serbia has ignored its legal obligations, but how do we expect this to be a credible process if Serbia signs agreements but never implements them? Despite an agreement being reached in 2013, to which Mr. Selaković referred a couple of times, the Government in Belgrade has not yet dissolved the illegal criminal structures that exist in northern Kosovo. They continue to incite terror and intimidate the Kosovo Serbs living in the north, and do not allow them to integrate into the society of which they are part. They also engage in challenging our institutions working to establish the rule of law in that part of our country. Let me be clear on this — the fight against organized crime, whether in the north or the south, is non-negotiable and must be uncompromising.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“With regard to the creation of a mono-ethnic association, as specified in the agreement signed in Brussels, that was submitted for the seal of approval from our Constitutional Court. However, it is that very court that ruled that the agreement is in clear violation of our Constitution, because any court that interprets our Constitution — a Constitution that is founded on the idea of promoting and embracing multi-ethnicity — cannot stand behind an agreement that would end up doing the exact opposite. By significant contrast, according to the European Union itself — the guarantor and mediator of that dialogue — Serbia has not implemented two thirds — I repeat, two thirds — of the agreements signed. I therefore ask Mr. Selaković not to lecture us about non-implementation.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Serbia must be encouraged to come to the table with an open mind and with ideas that will move the region forward. Most important, Serbia needs to understand that the reality of an independent Kosovo will never change. Our patience will not wear thin. We will continue to be a positive force and a constructive party to the dialogue, presenting the interests of our country in the best way by seeking justice for the forcibly disappeared during the war and looking for ways to instil sustainable peace. If we want to be successful in that endeavour, we need our counterpart to start implementing. Kosovo has implemented the vast majority of the agreements — over 90 per cent, according to Brussels.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Despite what our counterparts may hope, it is not, and never will be, about the status of Kosovo, which was resolved once and for all in 2008 with the support of most members of the Council. The dialogue is between two equal parties, and the parties should be treated as such. Above all, that dialogue is about the end beneficiaries, namely, the citizens and the peoples of both countries, improving their lives and building a more prosperous and secure future for them. Despite having been the victim of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, Kosovo continues to be a strong advocate for peace and for engaging in the dialogue with Serbia in good faith. That has been particularly clear in recent months, as Kosovo continues to bring ideas to the table while Serbia rejects everything without engaging with the content.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“They walked side by side with us towards building on our joint achievements, and they share our common challenges. Unfortunately, we cannot say that is the case with Serbia, but what I can say today is that we, as Kosovo, are committed to making that the case with Serbia as well. The dialogue between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia is designed to lead us towards meeting that goal. Kosovo has, is and will continue to not only sit at the table but to also actively engage in the dialogue, where the final goal is mutual recognition. What the dialogue is not about, though, is saving the personal career of any politician in Serbia involved in the process. It is not about coming up with dangerous adventures that belong to the nineteenth century.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Kosovo also understands all too well that regional cooperation is at the heart of our ambition to join the EU, and that all such initiatives must be based on the rules of the EU. That is why we are proud to participate in the Western Balkans Berlin process, the only initiative that aims to have our region join the European Union. Let me make one thing clear, in case anyone has any doubt. Kosovo has always been the peaceful neighbour: a neighbour that does not use its institutions to interfere in the internal affairs of others or to create destabilization; a neighbour that cherishes and takes pride in the successes of others. It is precisely in that spirit that we see regional cooperation today. Our region is small, but friends of Kosovo within it are in great numbers. Those friends recognize our struggle and our reality.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“In that connection, I say today that is it long overdue for Kosovo to have the support of all and to become a member of international organizations such as the World Health Organization, UNESCO and INTERPOL, as well as to be given its deserved seat at the next Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be able to discuss alongside all other members the common fate of humankind. Ultimately, we see membership of the United Nations, its agencies and other international organization as a coronation of our historical efforts to promote well-being, peace and security at home and abroad. That is why those memberships are so important to us, and why they form a key pillar of our foreign policy efforts.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We believe in a united Europe as a political and a values-based project. We believe in the peace and stability that NATO provides. Equally so, we profoundly believe in a world led by the values embodied by the United Nations. As long as Kosovo is left out of United Nations bodies and other international organizations, the collective effort of this family of nations will always be one step away from fully delivering on its mission. The common projects of preventing future pandemics, fighting climate change, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and combating international crime will be at least one step away from being fully complete.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“While they are using that budget, I invite them to be impartial and not send an entirely distorted message of what happened in the north of Kosovo, thereby showing unprecedented bias and only contributing to tensions in our region. The painful irony that Kosovo is still not a State Member of the United Nations is that it is one of the biggest champions of peace and security in the world. Every single citizen of our young republic understands the devastation of war, which is something we desperately want to avoid anywhere in the world. The people of Kosovo are true internationalists at heart. They want to see the world, nurture existing relations and create new ones with people of the countries in every corner of the world. We are passionate pro-Europeans. We are passionately pro-NATO.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Upon Serbia’s request, the General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice to rule on Kosovo’s declaration of independence. That ruling was unequivocal: no provision of international law was violated. Therefore, we call on Serbia to respect international law, as we likewise call upon those members that are still in doubt with respect to Kosovo’s independence. The Republic of Kosovo today is a free, sovereign, independent and increasingly prosperous country. That should serve as sufficient evidence to make it clear to everyone that UNMIK has not only overstayed its mandate but is also there in contradiction to the interpretation of the International Court of Justice. While we thank it for its work, we urge the members of the Security Council to put its budget to better use.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Following the NATO intervention to put a halt to Serb war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the people of Kosovo, the Council authorized the establishment of an international civilian presence to provide an interim — I repeat, interim — administration. The International Court of Justice, a United Nations organ, has confirmed that the legal regime of resolution 1244 (1999) was supposed to work only until the final status of Kosovo was determined. That status was determined, once and for all, on 17 February 2008, when Kosovo’s declaration of independence was, according to the International Court of Justice, in full compliance with international law as it was made pursuant to the proposal of the United Nations Special Envoy, Mr. Ahtisaari.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“As former refugees ourselves, no one better understands their suffering than the people of Kosovo. There is too much to share here, but for now I ask that everyone keep their hearts and minds open to the people of Kosovo. We will do the rest. Rest assured that the youngest country in Europe will not only exceed expectations and continue to strengthen its statehood, but it will also keep making our allies proud. As we discuss the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), I want to take a moment to address the members of the Security Council. UNMIK was established 22 years ago under extremely different circumstances.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“From Dua Lipa and Rita Ora to world-renowned football players, academics and scientists, we thank them all for being our greatest ambassadors and showing the world the best of Kosovo. Today our country is a genuine representation of a peace-loving and peace-exporting nation. Our soldiers serve alongside United States troops in peacekeeping missions, and they continue to display unmatched professionalism. In the midst of one of the biggest crises in recent history, our people and our institutions opened their hearts and minds to the citizens of Afghanistan seeking refuge. That is not only a reflection of who we are as a people, but it is also a confirmation of our readiness to stand by our allies and actively contribute to the international community.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Kosovo’s story is also the story of an almost 14-year- old independent country where one of the highest voted members of Parliament is Vasfije Krasniqi, a brave and outspoken survivor of rape during the war; where Saranda Bogujevci, a survivor of a massacre against her entire family, is now the Vice-President of the Parliament; where the votes of the citizens in the last elections produced a Parliament composed of more women members of parliament than the EU average, and where the country is led by a woman for the second time. As well as endless successes at home, our incredibly engaged and successful diaspora all over the world continues to make us want to burst with pride.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Or indeed it is the inspiring story of Fahrije Hoti and the women of Krusha, who are perfectly portrayed in the film Hive — which I invite members to watch — Kosovo’s triple-award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, and hopefully soon to be an Oscar winner. The film is the strongest testament to the consequences of the war and the perfect embodiment of resilience, survival and triumph.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“But above all, Kosovo is thriving in an era of unprecedented institutional stability and trust. Our reforms to strengthen the rule of law are being conducted at a record level, and we hope to become an example of effective and meritocratic governance not just for the region, but also beyond. I can give Council members endless statistics about our successes, but the story of Kosovo is, and has always been, a story of its people. Today that is the story of three women who are now Olympic gold medallists — Majlinda, Nora and Distria — who have turned our young Republic, a two-time Olympic runner, into a threefold Olympic gold medal winner.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“It is also worth noting that, as a historical net importer, Kosovo’s products are becoming household names in markets such as those of Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and many more. Our products are even making their way to countries such as Ukraine, India and China. And we hope that political relations will soon reflect the existing economic ties. In other words, Kosovo is proving to the world its transformative spirit across many areas of the economy and other sectors. Despite being the last country in Europe to start administering vaccines, Kosovo today is not only vaccinating the fastest, but it has also surpassed the region and some EU member States in the percentage of the population that has been inoculated against the coronavirus disease.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source