YouSaid · the spoken record

President Nikolic

lines on the record: 44
first: 2017-02-27
most recent: 2017-02-27
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“I call on those States that have recognized Kosovo to reconsider their decision and thereby contribute to efforts to find mutually acceptable solutions. Serbia is ready for agreements, but not for blackmail. It is ready for talks, but not for ultimatums or unilateral solutions. It is ready for the substantial autonomy of Kosovo and Metohija, but never for an independent State of Kosovo. And it is ready, in a context of substantial autonomy, to guarantee all rights to national communities, rights that, in the context of Serbian laws and everyday life, exceed by far the standards of most countries.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“On behalf of the citizens of Serbia, I would like to thank all of the countries that respect international law and support our position. The political leaders of Pristina should be aware of all of this so as finally to be able to embark on reasonable negotiations and to keep the promises they have made, just as their ancestors did. On this occasion, I call on those States that have not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo to resist the shameless pressure brought to bear by the powerful and to remain true to their principled respect for international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the supreme authority of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Those who do not have such pain turn their backs on the pain of others. I would never wish your children to live in the conditions in which Serbian children in Kosovo and Metohija do. I would not, because I believe in the right of a child to grow up in peace, the parents' right to raise that child in peace, and people's right to live out their life, come the time, in the home of their ancestors. I would not, because I believe in God. I would like to be clear once again: Serbia will not recognize Kosovo, whatever we might be offered in return and whatever pressures we may be subjected to. This has everything to do with the defence ofprinciples and a permanent adherence to justice. Those who adhere to principles and fight for justice are always right.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“It is forgotten that a unilateral declaration of statehood means nothing if it is not the result of an agreement with the mother country and people. That this is right is confirmed by the constant pressure on Serbia to renounce its territory, the land where it established its statehood almost 10 centuries ago. We shall not do that; no one else would. In the Council we have a guarantee in that certain permanent members respect international law and support the integrity and sovereignty of Serbia. We know that some countries recognized so-called Kosovo out of their own interests, but we also know that more than 70 per cent of humankind does not share this View. Perhaps I am speaking to some of those present here in vain. We in Serbia say that it is futile to whisper to the deaf or to wink at the blind.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“It is forgotten that the Serbs had founded their State on the territory of Kosovo in the Middle Ages, and that ever since the Serbian emperors and kings built their churches and monasteries there, most of which are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites as Serbian heritage. Unfortunately, most of them are also now on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The question arises: In danger from whom? Certainly not from us, who seek to preserve our Christian heritage. It is also forgotten that Kosovo was populated by Albanians most intensively only in the past two centuries, especially during the dictatorship of the Communist leader Enver Hoxha, from whom they fled Albania to Kosovo and Metohija and were received by Serbs in good faith as brothers.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Five years ago, I decided to join the dialogue with the provisional authorities in Pristina in order to calm the tensions and, above all, ensure a normal and safe life for Serbs and the non-Albanian minorities in Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia's experiences in the dialogue have made me wonder if I did the right thing. Many forget that, historically, Kosovo and Metohija is the territory of Serbia, and not of the Albanians, who, according to the Ottoman census, did not even live in the territories in the fourteenth century. It is forgotten that Kosovo Day, in which Kosovo as a Serbian land was celebrated in the United States some 99 years ago. On that occasion, President Woodrow Wilson sent a message of American goodwill towards Serbia and the Serbian people to the Serbian community of the United States.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Detrimental is the habit of Pristina authorities to resort to unilateral actions, with the support of some major Powers, the sponsors of their attempts at independence, contrary to the Brussels dialogue as the agreed framework for resolving the outstanding issues. The continuity of this regrettable practice is evinced by Kosovo's efforts tojoin UNESCO, INTERPOL and other organizations, which unnecessarily disturbs the atmosphere in which the dialogue takes place and which is keeping us back from what is supposed to be the primary goal for both sides, namely, the stabilization of the situation in the region and the quest for sustainable and mutually acceptable solutions. Serbia, for its part, honours agreements.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The last thing we want is for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija to pose a constant threat to the stability and progress of both Serbia and the region, for which reason we shall continue our dedicated work on the process of normalization and responsibility and regardless of the increasingly frequent manifestations of the lack of constructiveness and the presence of harmful unilateral actions by the other side. There are numerous examples of unilateral steps that Pristina has taken outside the agreements reached within the dialogue, such as the attempts to join international organizations. As a matter of fact, the dialogue provides for the resolution of all issues - all issues - through the dialogue between the two parties with the facilitation of the European Union.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“However, in order for the dialogue to be truly purposeful, it must be grounded in the genuine desire to resolve the problems on the basis of compromise, and it must not be abused as a platform for the imposition of the interests of one side alone, especially not for the purposes of promoting the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, which the Republic of Serbia will never recognize. The solution to the question of Kosovo and Metohija cannot be based on diktat and on the presentation ofa fait accompli to the Republic of Serbia. The solution is only possible through dialogue and by solutions acceptable to all sides.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“At the same time as the political situation of Kosovar Albanians becomes more polarized, a trend towards further escalation is observable, with the constant threat of the Albanian electorate redirecting its discontent to the members of the non-Albanian communities, primarily the Serbs, which requires heightened attention from the international presence. Guided by the interest of regional stability and a vision for a different life in the region, and truly dedicated to reconciliation, the rule of law and democratic values, the Republic of Serbia is firmly committed to maintaining the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, whose primary aim in the solution of everyday problems of the people living Kosovo and Metohija, with full respect for resolution 1244 (1999), which represents the basis and framework for the resolution of these issues.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“On this occasion, I would also like to reiterate that we consider it necessary to introduce a new section in the report with respect to northern Metohija, which would focus on the situation of the minority communities south of the Ibar River. Radicalization of the political climate and the strengthening of the political, ethnic and religious intolerance amplify the instability of the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija. A drastic increase in religious extremism, with elements of terrorism, is evident in the province, as are activities by radicalized extremists returning from the battlefields of the Middle East.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“In a word, it must not be allowed that the questions of essential importance for a normal and dignified life of Serbs and the members of other non-Albanian communities be submerged in general statistics without regard to the ethnic component that underlies all the problems in Kosovo and Metohija. That path cannot be acceptable when it is construed as proof of readiness to accept the existing conditions without the intention of making any substantial changes, proceeding from the fact that enclaves have their own distinctive problems and are worthy first and foremost of recognition by the State and of greater efforts towards resolving numerous everyday problems.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Systemic double standards in which members of non-Albanian communities have to face numerous obstacles when trying to exercise their rights - the most basic right to live without fear of physical violence, the right to see perpetrators punished, the right to return and stay in the place of return, the right to employment and the right for children to receive an education, the right to health protection, property rights and religious rights - are the rule. As long as crimes go unpunished and as long as the authorities in Pristina carry out their designs without consequences and fail to implement the provisions of the Brussels Agreement, a dignified life in a multi-ethnic community will not be possible. In that regard, I note the responsibility of the United Nations.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Failure to react to such incidents is a form of tacit acceptance of, or even the support for, the continuation of such practices, which is neither in the spirit of Security Council resolutions nor any other United Nations instruments and declarations, in clear violation of the spirit of law and justice. We therefore request that the question of minority rights be accorded greater attention in the reports of the Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK. It is evident that systemic, legal, administrative, institutional and political threats to the human rights of the non-Albanian communities are widespread in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“It is clear that UNMIK carries out this part of its mission with difficulty, the key reason being the absence political will of the majority community and its unwavering intolerance of all other communities. For example, a declaration aadopted by the local Municipal Assembly in Suva Reka makes the return of internally displaced persons to Musutiste contingent upon the resolution of the question of missing persons and upon an apology by the Republic of Serbia and the Kosovar Serbs for crimes allegedly committed during the conflicts of 1999. Of no value at all are the Serbs' title deeds proving ownership of property or the right to live in houses they have inherited from their forefathers. Empty, too, are the Brussels Agreement and the UNMIK mandate. No one reacts to such wilful acts or the denial of all rights to Serbian returnees.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Out of the requests, some 97 per cent were submitted by Serbs and other non-Albanians, while approximately 18,000 lawsuits relative to compensation for property damage were filed in courts in the province. It is therefore evident that the basic conditions for the sustainable return of the displaced are not present, with the lack of guarantees for the safety of persons and the protection of property, the absence of the rule of law and the widespread discrimination against and lack of respect for the non-Albanian population and their fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms. The number of returnees to Pristina continues to be discouragingly small, despite the fact that the creation of conditions conducive to an unhindered and long- term sustainable return is one of the main tasks of UNMIK's mandate.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“If the international community is not concerned and does not stop these prohibitions, it is sending a clear message that it approves Pristina's position that the Serbs are unwanted, that they will never be able to be the masters of their own destiny, that there are no conditions for their safe return, and that their lives - let alone their property and security - will never be safe. The restitution of private property, which is one of the most frequent violations of human rights that internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija are facing, remains an unresolved problem, Over 40,000 requests for the restitution ofillegally seized and usurped property have been submitted to the Kosovo Property Agency, which is under the control of Pristina.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“A bomb was planted near the Orthodox church in the Serbian part of Orahovac, an explosive device was found at the water-supply line in Kosovska Mitrovica, a school bus with children aboard was stoned on the road between Silovo and Koretiste - all of these instances evince the discrepancy between Pristina's formal pronouncements and the reality on the ground. Is it not a clear cause for concern and reaction by the entire international community that Serbs continue to be prevented from visiting their churches and graveyards even during the major Christian holidays, such as Christmas?”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Let me give a concrete example: between 1 October 2016 and 31 January 2017, that is, in the past four months alone, over 30 ethnically motivated attacks against Serbs and other non-Albanians have been recorded. Physical attacks were committed, attempts were made to prevent displaced persons from celebrating Christmas Eve in the Church of the Assumption of Holy Virgin Mary in Djakovica, the property of returnees was broken into and set on fire and the memorial plaque of the abducted Serbian journalists in the municipality of Orahovac was damaged once again.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Impunity for the crimes committed must not be allowed or tolerated. It is a civilizational matter and a litmus test for the entire membership of the United Nations. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate that law and justice are above politics and that all victims are equal in suffering. Many incidents confirm that security in Kosovo and Metohija continues to be unstable and that there is a latent danger of escalating violence. I would reiterate that it is the returnees in the nationally mixed environments who are the most vulnerable. Accordingly, this question should be accorded greater attention in the reports of the Secretary-General.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“That is telling proof that nuclear arms, including those containing depleted uranium, are in fact by-products of civilization. They are an invisible, ideal killer and a means of mass transgenerational destruction, leading to lasting irriversible changes in all natural organisms, despite being the end result of state-of-the-art technology. The bombs containing depleted uranium that were dropped on Serbia 18 years ago are today damaging the ecosystem of the entire planet. However, I leave that topic to be considered by us all to be an inseparable part of the Security Council's mission in the field of armament, the use of arms and the consequences to humankind's future survival on planet Earth. I do not know, therefore, why there was no strong condemnation of what I would refer to as clear threats made by Ramush Haradinaj.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Instead, I shall advise of the consequences with which we live 18 years later and include facts also available to the World Health Organization. Science has established that, once the micro- and nano-particles of depleted uranium enter the body, they have heavy metal radioactive and toxic effects and, if they are sufficiently small, they pass through all corporal barriers, including the blood- brain barrier and the placenta, and can be found in all tissues and organs ofa contaminated person, as well as in the intrauterine fetus. Research conducted in 2004 by Gatti and Montanari reveals that if someone comes from a territory hit by missiles containing depleted uranium, one cannot exclude the presence of depleted uranium as a potential pathogen, even ifthere is no proof ofits presence in that person's tissue.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The French judiciary is to decide on the request to extradite Ramush Haradinaj to Serbia. He is accused of committing the gravest war crimes. In an attempt to flee justice, this brute, one of the commanders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, does not refrain even today from openly threatening Europe and the world with a new war and states that "Serbia will fare just as it did in 1999". Allow me to take the Council back in just a couple of sentences to 1999, not through the stories of the people killed, innocent civilian victims and ruins, ofthe destruction and demolition during the aggression, which is not difficult for me to recall was carried out against a sovereign European State, without the approval of the Security Council and the United Nations.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“At the same time, in that regard, it is of the utmost importance not to resort to manipulation and abuse for political purposes, employed ever so often by the authorities in Pristina. This provides clear evidence of Pristina's lack of readiness to assume responsibility within its own ranks for war crimes. I point that out well aware of the upcoming commencement of the work of the Specialist Chambers, established to try the crimes committed in Kosovo and Metohija in connection with the assertions in the Dick Marty report on the trafficking in human organs of abducted Serbs, as well as other war crimes and crimes against humanity. Serbia also attaches great importance to the solution of the problem of missing persons, as a priority humanitarian question.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“A truly democratic society cannot be developed in an atmosphere in which the crimes committed against the Serbs and other non-Albanians, their property and historical, cultural and religious heritage and identity go unpunished. That is also becoming increasingly clear to those countries that once supported the attempt by the authorities in Pristina to join UNESCO. I emphasize that there can be no true reconciliation unless all crimes are tried. It is an obligation towards the families, who have the right to find out the truth about the fate of their loved ones. The Republic of Serbia has never called into question the need for all those who committed war crimes, irrespective of their ethnic identity, to be brought to justice, on the contrary.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Every effort to create at least an illusion ofa multi-ethnic society in Kosovo and Metohija is rendered meaningless in that way. The Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are therefore sent an abundantly clear message that their centuries- long history, culture and religion are unwelcome. In their fictitious endeavours to protect the Serbian cultural and religious heritage, Pristina resorts to double talk - as historical, cultural and religious heritage is not protected from the desecration, arson and destruction of the centuries-long Christian heritage that belongs not only to the Serbs, but also to the medieval memory of humankind.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The situation in Kosovo and Metohija continues to be characterized by a continued lack of physical and legal safety for the Serbs and all other non-Albanians, especially for IDPs, either who have returned or are willing to return to their previous homes. The padlocks on the Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina symbolize the intolerance of, and the attitude towards, non-Albanian communities, especially the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Behind that unambiguous anti-civilizational act is the resolve to erase all traces of the existence ofthe Serbian people and their culture from a city in which more than 50,000 Serbs lived until 1999. The international community must not allow the brutal ethnic cleansing of the Serbs and other non-Albanians from Pristina to be carried out symbolically by the violent acts of usurpation of this holy site.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The dynamics must be defined and the date on which the management team will commence work must be determined, while the community is to be based exclusively on what has been agreed and not on some subsequent attempts to unilaterally change the agreements that have already been reached with facilitation by the EU. The establishment of the association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, with substantive powers provided for by the Brussels Agreement and by accompanying agreements, rather than with the competencies of a non-governmental organization, is also necessary in order to prevent a further escalation of mistrust. Anything else would amount to the flouting of commitments that have already been made and would render the very dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina meaningless.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo was entrusted the task of establishing the rule of law and human freedoms for the Serbs through the institutions of the system. It is also in that context that Serbia views the importance of convening regular meetings of the Security Council from which messages are sent to either side, especially to Pristina, that agreements are not, and cannot be, just a dead letter and that, instead, they must be achieved in practice and enforced. Four years is more than sufficient time. Procrastination and excuses must no longer be taken lightly. The establishment and the commencement of the work of the association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo is of primary importance.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“As such, it also deserves to be accorded much greater attention in the reports of the Secretary-General, whose task it is to protect basic human rights, primarily the right to life, freedom of movement, housing, the right to work and education, the right to the preservation of the cultural uniqueness of a people and the freedom of religion. Serbia confers by agreement all those rights on the Provisional Institutions in Pristina. Under the Brussels Agreement, Pristina has to confer all such rights on the association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, the institution that is to implement them within the non-Albanian and, especially, Serbian populations in Kosovo and Metohij a, in municipalities in which they constitute the majority.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Serbia demands that Pristina honour the agreement reached four years ago, nothing more, nothing less. Serbia also expects to hear the united and powerful voice of the international community, including that of our partners from the European Union, against the callous position held by Pristina on this issue of vital importance to the Serbs. What is the use of agreements reached and obligations assumed if they are not implemented? The establishment of the association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo is a precondition for the normal life and sustainable survival of the Serbian people in the province; it provides for systemic, institutional protection of guaranteed human rights.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“That bona fide compromise-based approach of ours is also reflected in the 4 February agreement on the landscaping of part of the area near the bridge in Kosciuszko and Mitrovica. Almost four years have elapsed since the signing of the First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations. A key segment of the agreement, agreed and signed, relates to the establishment of the association/community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo. Unfortunately, it has not been started yet. Pristina representatives are sending ever more open messages that they are not interested in the community and that they will not honour the agreement guaranteed by the EU. The obstinacy of the Pristina negotiators will not be checked by a few public criticisms of Pristina made in the West en passant.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The manifestation of the institutional intention to use violence against peace-loving students - members of non-Albanian communities - was also a serious threat to peace in a volatile security situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Just as it has on many previous occasions, the Republic of Serbia also reacted reasonably and responsibly on that occasion, taking decisions and conveying messages whose only goal was to preserve peace and whatever level of stability existed in the region and to eliminate the danger posed to the lives of the remaining non-Albanian population in the province. In no way has Serbia ever provided any pretext to Albanian extremists, yet they continue to employ every asset to provoke conflict on a larger scale.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“In that wave, let me recall, Serbs were expelled from almost all cities and towns in Kosovo and Metohija. The deployment of special police units is absolutely unacceptable and represents a call to armed conflict. Ask them what orders they had in case the train full of students were to appear at the administrative crossing. They did not know how to answer me at a meeting in Brussels in the presence of Ms. Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Perhaps they will tell the Council. Perhaps they will tell the Council, as there are many here who support their behaviour, which was a direct threat to civilian lives.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“There is not a single decision ofthe United Nations under which Kosovo and Metohija is not a constituent part of Serbia. For me, the real provocation is that all representatives of the provisional administration in Pristina continue to aver that Kosovo is an independent State. Would members justify the actions of Serbia, a State Member of the United Nations, if it responded to that provocation with the threat of arms? I am sure that members share my concern at the dispatch, short of the mandatory agreement of the local Serbian community, of the ethnically pure special police units, armed with offensive weapons, to the north of Kosovo and Metohija, populated by and large by Serbs still harbouring a vivid memory of the wave of organized ethnic cleansing in March 2004.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Let me point out in that regard that the initiative for the operation of a train on that route was not made by politicians, but by students of the only university in Kosovo and Metohija in which instruction is in Serbian. The request of over 10,000 young men and women for a better and more economical traffic connection with Belgrade and the rest of central Serbia was met by threats, the mining of the line and recourse to long guns and combat vehicles. Such an approach is in direct contravention of the spirit ofthe dialogue aimed at normalizing relations and poses a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. They say that the train was carrying the message that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia and that it was a provocation that they were ready to stop by the force of arms.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“The aim is to provoke conflicts - from the ban on Serbian-language textbooks to the continuous attacks on Serbs and their property and the unlawful attempt at confiscating the Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Combine at Trepca, to the latest instance of preventing a Belgrade train from entering Kosovo and Metohija, the gravest violation of the basic human rights and the freedom of movement. Traffic connections among people in the twenty- first century cannot be considered a provocation against anyone; rather, they are an obligation of all civilized societies to ensure economic development and decent living conditions to its citizens.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Let me recall that more than 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) continue to live in central Serbia, without any hope of ever returning home. Regrettably, such hope is not provided by the international presence either. Serbia is interested in protecting the lives and property of all the residents of the province and creating conditions for sustainable IDP returns. Yet all our commitments to the dialogue, agreed to by Belgrade and Pristina and facilitated by the European Union, are continually undercut by violations of agreements and aggressive acts of the authorities in Pristina.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Also, my country has been ready for compromises. All along, we have striven to find mutually acceptable solutions to for many complex issues. That approach by Serbia has not been reciprocated by the other side, which often stalls the implementation of commitments it has assumed by agreement and signature. Certain results have been achieved, but they are far from what is expected. For its part - only one part, though - Serbia is firmly committed to the preservation of peace and the creation of conditions in which all residents of Kosovo and Metohija will be ensured security and respect for basic human rights. This is the place and opportunity for us to face the fact that the situation in Kosovo and Metohija is, as borne out by the reports of the Secretary- General on the work of UNMIK, different altogether.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“In that context, I would like to emphasize in particular the detrimental statements made in respect of a possible formation of an army of Kosovo. It would be a gross violation of resolution 1244 (1999) and, at the same time, present a new, serious threat to the efforts invested in stabilizing not only Kosovo and Metohija, but also the Western Balkans. The Republic of Serbia will continue to pursue a responsible and peaceful policy and will provide no excuse to anybody to engage in escalation and violence. In the dialogue betweenBelgrade and Pristina, Serbia has sought to pave the way towards gradual normalization. For a genuine and implementable agreement, though, it is necessary that the other interlocutor be sincere too. Serbia's proposals submitted within the dialogue have been constructive and realistic.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Only through such an approach will it be possible to bring about stabilization in the southern Serbian province and uphold Serbia's right, as a sovereign State, to territorial integrity. Our primary goal was, is and will be to safeguard peace, stability and human lives. By responding determinedly to all the challenges, the Government institutions of the Republic of Serbia have been instrumental in easing the tensions in Kosovo and Metohija when they threatened to escalate. The message that I send to all extremists from this organ is that peaceful solutions have no alternative. Problems and outstanding issues must be solved through dialogue, and not by threats and the use of force. The Republic of Serbia expects the international community to stand united in defence of this civilizational achievement.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Also, these meetings lend support to the dialogue conducted between Belgrade and Pristina with the facilitation of the European Union (EU). We fully agree with the observation in the report (S/2017/95/Rev.l) before us regarding the importance of ensuring that UNMIK is appropriately resourced to address current and emerging challenges, including fragile reconciliation and the evolving threat of violent extremism. It is evident that the United Nations Mission needs optimal, larger staffing and financial capabilities in order to address all the requirements of the implementation of its mandate. There is no doubt that the Republic of Serbia is committed to resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue, within a status-neutral framework.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“He was a diplomat who contributed through his indefatigable work not only to protecting the interests of his country but also to international diplomacy and the global political policies of our age. Serbia will forever be grateful to him for the understanding and support he extended over many years, as well as for the dedication and energy that epitomized his work in the Security Council. I would like to point out once again the importance of convening regular quarterly meetings of the Security Council, at unchanged intervals, to discuss the present agenda item. This is an important contribution to transparency and openness and, equally relevant, it is the only way to create conditions for the unhindered implementation of UNMIK's mandate in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“At the beginning of my statement, let me welcome Mr. Zahir Tanin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and thank him for his overall commitment to the implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) under resolution 1244 (1999). I also thank the members of this organ for the attention they give to this issue on a regular basis. I also take this opportunity to wish His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, the new Secretary-General of the United Nations, every success in his future work. It is with sadness and sorrow that I note that Ambassador Vitaly Churkin is not with us today sitting behind the nameplate of the Russian Federation.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source