YouSaid · the spoken record

President Nikolie

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54

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2014-05-27

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2014-05-27

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1. “Without international help, they will face great difficulties in alleviating the consequences. There is life beyond politics, outside of these walls, but I know that we will manage to live with the consequences with the help of our friends.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

2. “President Nikolie (spoke in Serbian; English interpretation provided by the delegation): I do not intend to make any comments on the statements by the Council members; they reflect the positions of their Governments. By commenting, I would perhaps put the citizens of my country at odds with the positions taken by some countriesjust because I do not agree with some Council members. I would simply ask members, when thinking about this problem, to think as if it happened in their own country. I wish that such a situation never occurs in other countries. I wanted to address the Council again to thank members for their condolences and compassion towards the citizens of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia who have suffered due to the terrible flooding.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

3. “We need assistance to make it possible for the citizens to restore what they have lost, to redo agricultural work where possible and, where it is not, to help them weather the year and begin the next year under more normal conditions. The Council has received DVDs featuring some of the tragedy that hit Serbia. I would appreciate it ifCouncil members viewed them. Humans do not demean themselves if they ask for help, but they are great only if they proffer help. I express my gratitude to all countries and peoples that have helped or that will help Serbia in the coming period to overcome the tragedy and destruction brought about in catastrophic floods. We do not ask from others what they do not have, but only part of what they have in excess of their needs. Their little more is much for us, and it is necessary.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

4. “We reach out a hand to touch the other side. Our hand is extended for the sake of our children and their children. Last week, Serbia was hit by catastrophic floods, among the largest that have affected Europe in the last 100 years. The natural disaster claimed dozens of human lives, flooded towns and villages, destroyed arable lands, devastated the economy and caused inestimable damage. To diminish the magnitude of the catastrophe, the citizens heeded the call of their Government and expressed a high level of solidarity, fighting courageously and calmly to save what was possible to save. Unfortunately, notwithstanding an enormous will and desire, we cannot rebuild alone what has been destroyed.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

5. “The families of Serb victims have an equal right, like other victims of crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, to see that justice is done. For the historical reconciliation of the two nations and a comprehensive solution for the problem of Kosovo, it is necessary that both sides make compromises. We have done our bit and will continue the dialogue with the same intensity and greatest constructiveness. However, Pristina must be made aware that there can be no durable and comprehensive solution without an agreement with Serbia and a Security Council decision. Fifteen years have elapsed since the armed conflict in Kosovo and Metohija. Instead of living in the past and making mutual recriminations, it is time to reach a sustainable solution for the future of the two nations.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

6. “The chief investigator into the allegations made in Dick Marty's report, international Prosecutor Clint Williamson, is in possession ofa voluminous dossier on the crimes committed by former KLA members, and he is expected to hand it over to the judges of the special tribunal. The Prosecutor's dossier contains the names of 120 KLA commanders expected to be charged with the enforced disappearance of 320 Serbs in the regions of Orahovac, Drenica and Metohija. Given that Serbia has done all it could to elucidate and prosecute all those who committed crimes against the Albanian population in Kosovo, we rightfully expect that the full truth will be known and that all those responsible for those heinous war crimes against Serbs in Kosovo will be punished.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

7. “That is the only way to contribute to the creation of conditions for lasting reconciliation and find a final solution for the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. According to the report of the Council of Europe entitled "Inhuman treatment of people and illicit trafficking in human organs in Kosovo", hundreds of Serbs were kidnapped in Kosovo before, during and immediately after the 1999 conflict, and they were all sent to clandestine camps in the Republic of Albania. Many of them were forcibly operated on to harvest their organs, often in vivo, and later killed. Their organs were then sold on the international black market.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

8. “Whenever we review the situation in the province, we should ask ourselves how much we have helped the local population to live better. I am not certain that the conditions are ripe for the Council to remain less actively seized of the matter. Although significant progress has been made, the final goal still eludes us. While appreciating the legitimate interests of the Albanian, Serb and other populations of Kosovo, and fully respecting the mandate of the United Nations, Serbia will resume dialogue, pending a mutually agreed and sustainable solution. I expect UNMIK and all international players to continue to work within an undiminished scope and with the same intensity, and I urge the Special Representative of the Secretary- General to adopt a more engaging approach.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

9. “The transfer of EULEX powers to the Provisional Institutions in Pristina is harmful and unfair because, on the one hand, it is unreasonable that Serbia would have no say in it, and, on the other hand, it is considered responsible for implementation of the Brussels Agreement, We must not lose sight of the fact that behind all our speeches, behind all reports and statements made, there are people whose sole wish is to have normal living conditions for their families, who wish to work to educate their children and ensure their safe future and a happy childhood and who want to enjoy all the rights available to them. Therefore, the reports on the situation in Kosovo should not become mere statistics. People are not mere numbers.”

   2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

10. “Although the powers and responsibilities of UNMIK relating to police, customs and the judiciary have almost entirely been transferred thereby to EULEX, it cannot be said that UNMIK has been replaced by the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. Therefore, the EULEX reconfiguration must be carried out in cooperation with UNMIK and the United Nations, upon their approval and consent. Regarding the transfer of powers to the Provisional Institutions in Pristina, I am confident that all those present in the Council will agree that powers reserved for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General can be transferred to the Provisional Institutions only with his authorization. The fact that those powers were entrusted to EULEX in no way diminishes the powers and responsibilities of the Special Representative.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

11. “On the other hand, I recall that in resolution 1244 (1999), the international community agreed to the return of our forces to Kosovo and Metohija. In the light of the intended reconfiguration of EULEX, I would like to remind the Council that under resolution 1244 (1999), UNMIK is vested with the sole executive and legislative powers in Kosovo and Metohija. Consequently, the consent of the United Nations was needed to engage EULEX. EULEX received legitimacy in accordance with the Security Council presidential statement (S/PRST/2008/44), dated 26 November 2008, provided that it acted in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999), within the status-neutral framework of the United Nations.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

12. “Will the international community give the green light to that act, particularly taking into account the announced establishment of the special criminal tribunal to hear cases involving crimes committed by the KLA in organ trafficking, as reported by the Special Rapporteur of the Council of Europe, Mr. Dick Marty? The support of Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly for the Marty report, with a vast majority of votes of member States, should have served as a strong warning to the international community and to all institutions that the inhabitants of Kosovo cannot see protection in such structures, but see only a threat. There is no legal basis for the creation and operation of Kosovo's armed forces.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

13. “I recall that the Kosovo security force has been based on the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), a paramilitary formation that during the war in Kosovo and Metohija spearheaded terrorist actions and took part in organized crime. Even though the international community intended to calm the situation on the ground, to demilitarize the KLA and to transform it into security structures, it made a breach. Instead of punishing, it supported separatism and spurred continued political violence and ethnic hatred. I ask the Council whether the security forces whose members belong to criminal structures and international terrorists could be relied on in regional and collective security frameworks.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

14. “That resolution states that the international forces bear the responsibility for maintaining a secure environment for all inhabitants of the province, and therefore the possibility of creating the so-called armed forces is ruled out. Such an announcement poses a threat not only to stability in Serbia and the region, but also seriously undermines the authority and role of the United Nations in safeguarding international peace and security. In that context, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed out that resolution 1244 (1999) remains the sole legal framework for the continued international security presence in Kosovo and Metohij a, the mandate of which has been clearly defined.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

15. “On the other hand, in areas in which there is agreement on amendments of the legal framework to help establish the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which is binding on Pristina, to date, no political will has been demonstrated to embark upon this process as an initial step towards implementing the agreements. With the excuse of preserving peace, the Pristina side has been sabre-rattling. I am referring to the announced establishment of the so-called armed forces of Kosovo, which is not only in violation of the dialogue in which we have patiently invested, but also a gross violation of the provisions of resolution 1244 (1999).”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

16. “At this time, it is unclear how their claims will be dealt with, bearing in mind that only those creditors who have filed claims against Trepca company via the management team in charge of the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities have claimed to be owed more than €268 million. Furthermore, we also note that amendments have also been proposed in other areas. Such actions by Pristina show their inconsistency and disregard for the agreements reached. That is not the only area where laws are being amended before they have even been negotiated in Brussels.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

17. “We have recently been informed that the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government intend to alter the legal status of the Trepea industrial complex, the majority owner of which is the Republic of Serbia. The complex employs many Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija. The adoption of a new law designed to amend the ownership structure and the legal status of the Trepca complex would undoubtedly be another unilateral act that could result in altering the rights and the status of Trepca employees and members of the Serbian and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohija. That is yet another attempt at illegal disposition of the property owned by the Republic ofSerbia and a violation of fundamental property principles. Amendments to legal regulations would waive the rights of creditors.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

18. “The Kosovo Property Agency has iniated approximately 40,000 proceedings for the restitution of usurped land, while almost 700,000 plots of land have been occupied, according to unofficial data. One of the problems affecting property restitution is the lack of appropriate protection against eviction owing to unlawful repossession. Also of interest is the observation with regard to the expropriation of Serbian property in Kosovo and Metohija based on the decision of the so-called Kosovo authorities for the purposes of highway construction. In the Gracanica municipality, for example, about 170 out of 213 expropriated properties belong to Serbs.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

19. “All this indicates a discriminatory implementation of regulations and rules. The issue of minority rights also implies the restitution of property belonging to non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohija, among which Serbs constitute a majority. Moreover, there is the open question of the property owned by the State of Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The legal mechanisms established by UNMIK and EULEX to address property issues, assistance to courts to reduce the backlog of cases and provide adequate protection to individuals in cases of human rights violations have, regrettably, not produced results. Such litigation accounts for 40 per cent ofthe unresolved cases before the courts in Kosovo and Metohija. Furthermore, the large number of forged ownership documents also impedes the upholding of property rights.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

20. “Therefore, we call on our partners and friends at the United Nations to support wholeheartedly and use their influence and authority to create conditions conducive to the equitable representation of numerous minority communities in all institutions without being overruled by the majority, as required also in the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, where it is recognized that the promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities "contribute to the political and social stability of States in which they live. Cases involving forged sales agreements have remained unsolved. Serb claims for compensation for the damage caused to their property have been refused on a massive scale.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

21. “We demand that Pristina fulfil the basic precondition of enabling the equal right to vote without discrimination to Kosovo Serbs and other minorities in Kosovo and Metohija, as also indicated in the report on the work of UNMIK that is under consideration today. The actions of Pristina, as observed by UNMIK, is in direct contravention of its declared readiness and openness to increase mutual trust among all communities in Kosovo and Metohija. That is the purpose of the ongoing dialogue in which Serbia has invested considerably.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

22. “For all the pledges made and emphasizing the commitment to multi-ethnicity as democratic values and human rights, Pristina in practice consistently applied measures discouraging and dissuading Kosovo Serbs to participate in the public life of Kosovo. Unilateral actions by Pristina announcing the revision of electoral rules at the expense of Serbs and displaced persons are unacceptable and undermine the legitimacy of the forthcoming general election scheduled for 8 June. This time, Belgrade will, after careful consideration, decide whether to call on Kosovo Serbs to go to the polls or not.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

23. “Despite having lived in fear and uncertainty for years, they are still ready for reconciliation and have faith that their coexistence with Albanians is possible after all. However, in preparing themselves for the elections, the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina, preparing themselves for the elections, have done all they could to challenge the voting right of Serbs. Calling the internally displaced persons to mark their vote on the forms with the symbol of an independent State, which has gained its independence by driving them out of their ancestral homes - a quarter of a million of them - is an example of the utter hypocrisy and provocation. By manipulating the voting registries, Pristina attempted to put in place a new, forcibly changed ethnic structure and therefore directly influence the result of the vote.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

24. “This means that crimes are not punished, while further attacks are encouraged because they remain outside the reach of justice. We note that the Pristina institutions and the international community have done next to nothing to protect Kosovo Serbs and other non-Albanians, particularly the most vulnerable people like internally displaced persons. Serbia has encouraged its compatriots in Kosovo to go to the polls in the local elections. It encouraged them to do so in order to strengthen their legitimacy, under the roof of the community of Serbian municipalities, the establishment of which is envisaged in the Brussels Agreement, therefore guaranteeing their survival and the realization of their rights.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

25. “Although the overall situation, as indicated in the report for the period from 21 January to 15 April, has been described as relatively stable, I believe that this limited period of time does not reflect the general situation in Kosovo and Metohija. The circumstances are characterized by the substantial gap between the professed benchmarks and respect for human rights and the actual situation. In considering the generally made assessments presented as fact for a limited period of time, it seems to me that we forget that it only takes a spark like the one in the pogrom of March 2004 to escalate dormant tensions. Despite the continued international presence, impunity, relative importance and depersonalization of the crimes committed from 1999 onwards send a bad message, that of fear to the Serbs and other peoples in Kosovo and Metohija.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

26. “We expect the problem of secret indictments, which we have warned about for years, to be resolved. With witness accounts as the only evidence, witnesses must testify in an orchestrated manner 15 years after the crimes were allegedly committed. Mr. Ivanovie, who is being detained in a prison in Mitrovica, was arrested on the basis of such testimony. In addition, the appellate court failed to provide an explanation as to why the legal deadline to act upon his arrest appeal was allowed to lapse. The Republic of Serbia once again most vigorously protests the arrest of Oliver Ivanovie and demands his release from prison along with an explanation as to why he was arrested in the run-up to the mayoral elections in northern Mitrovica, where he stood as one of the candidates.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

27. “The coming period will be crucial for the implementation of the arrangements made and for the further normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. That process must take place in full sight of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and Metohija and the Security Council. We support the initiative to set up a special court and an office of the prosecutor based outside the territory of Kosovo and Metohija to try all cases resulting from the investigations carried out by the EULEX Special Investigative Task Force. Serbia will lend its full support to the efforts to bring all those responsible to justice, as it has done in the past. However, stability has not been promoted by the arrest of Oliver Ivanovic', a mayoral candidate for North Mitrovica.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

28. “In the light of the intended modification of the mandates of those missions under the pretext of a changed actual situation on the ground, allegedly as a result of the reaching of the Brussels Agreement, I draw attention to the argument that this cannot alter the binding nature of resolution 1244 (1999). In that context, I am opposed to the resort to such excuses as being overburdened and focused on other, more urgent matters instead of convening Security Council meetings devoted to considering the situation in Kosovo and Metohija more frequently. Great expectations and the increasing requests of Belgrade and Pristina concerning the implementation of the Brussels Agreement require the Council's meetings be held with undiminished momentum so as to ensure that its members are regularly provided with insight into the situation on the ground.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

29. “Therefore, I believe that a decision to downsize UNMIK and reduce the number of international personnel would have an outright negative effect on the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and affect the execution of the functions entrusted to the Mission. Consequently, I call on the Council, under the roof of the United Nations, to resist attempts to marginalize the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and Metohija and to attach relative importance to its role within the overall international and security presence in the province. I ask the Council to make itself both more visible and more effective in the discharge of its mission, as it works together with other international players, such as EULEX, the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and UNMIK, which are also active under United Nations auspices.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

30. “We highly appreciate the constructive approach taken by the United Nations and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Farid Zarif, as well as by the organizations working under the United Nations umbrella, including the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). They have created conditions for all sides to work together on improving the living conditions and respect for the human rights of all inhabitants ofKosovo and Metohija, regardless of their ethnicity. I believe that the Council will agree that disagreements with regard to the question of the status of Kosovo and Metohija should not stand in the way of efforts aimed at working together towards finding practical solutions to issues that Pristina has been sweeping under the carpet for many years.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

31. “The current discriminatory treatment of minority communities makes it impossible for their members to lead normal lives, especially with respect to the enjoyment of all rights legally provided for in instruments in force in Kosovo and Metohija. The non-discrimination law promulgated by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General himself provides special protection to minority communities, bans all forms of discrimination and protects individuals not only against discriminatory acts of public authorities, but also against discriminatory acts of legal and natural persons. Regrettably, UNMIK and the Pristina institutions have not followed up on the high quality of that legal text with concrete and appropriate measures to implement it, which has allowed gross violations of the law and everyday instances of dramatic discrimination.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

32. “Eighteen incidents and attacks on temples and property of the Serbian Orthodox Church have been recorded, including the latest wave of threats against Orthodox places of worship ranging from the graffiti scribbled on the monastery of Visoki Deeani to the announcement that the Church of Christ the Saviour in Pristina will be razed. At the same time, we welcome UNMIK's resolute response to declare null and void the decision of the municipal authorities of Pristina to deny the Serbian Orthodox Church the right to use land on which the Church of Christ the Saviour had been built in the centre of the city. Lastly, constant attempts at renaming and obliterating the existence of Serbian cultural and religious heritage, coupled with unlawful sales of the property owned by the Republic of Serbia, continue unabated.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

33. “Their security and the free use of their own language has not been respected, nor have their access to institutions and the right to participate in elections and their right to vote. There are no appropriate mechanisms for the restitution of dispossessed property or mechanisms for preventing property from being repossessed following eviction of occupants. Entry into possession is also prevented. Returnees are not given free choice of place of return nor are there conditions for the sustainable return of internally displaced persons. Even if they somehow decide to return, local communities go out of their way to make them feel unaccepted and unacceptable.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

34. “The introduction of procedures and administrative obstacles has prevented the return of Serbs. Since 1999, less than 5 per cent of the expelled Serbs have returned to Kosovo and Metohija. The demographic picture is far from the much vaunted multi-ethnicity of our southern province, which is best illustrated by the fact that there have been only 50 voluntary returns to the province. That is far below any acceptable minimum. The international community has not discharged one of the main tasks entrusted to it under resolution 1244 (1999) - the free and unimpeded sustainable return of all refugees and displaced persons to their homes. Serbs and other minority communities in the region of Kosovo and Metohija still face problems. Their freedom of movement continues to be restricted and impeded.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

35. “In parallel with negotiations, the Albanian side has worked to strengthen their independent State through so-called low-intensity terror against the Serb population, which is totally unacceptable to Serbia. Low intensity ethnic crimes may suffice to impose serious constraints on the freedom of movement of Serbs and other non-Albanians whose life is defined by a complex number of minor restrictions - prohibitions on travel alone or by night, choice of time and place to do errands, restrictive use of Serbian language in public, safe attendance of schools, and so on. Public condemnation of ethnically motivated incidents could definitely contribute to inter-ethnic dialogue and tolerance, including the raising of awareness that the future lies with multi-ethnicity and acceptance of returnees from other ethnic groups.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

36. “Serbia considers that, in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999), only UNMIK may, on behalf of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, conduct negotiations on stabilization and association. The European Union must see to it that international law is respected and observe the rules on the basis of which it came into existence; otherwise, its very foundations will be at risk. If a decision is made to the effect that Kosovo and Metohija may negotiate with the European Union independently, it would lead the European family to lawlessness and chaos, with each party acting in its own individual interest. In order to be able to ensure the best possible results in the implementation of the Brussels Agreement we must establish much clearer rules and build much greater confidence.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

37. “The fact that accession negotiations were opened on 21 January 2014 and that a screening for Chapter 35 negotiations was held shows that Serbia has fulfilled its obligations resulting from the Brussels Agreement in a timely manner and that it has approached the dialogue itself in a constructive spirit. However, the report of the Secretary-General (S/2014/305) states that Kosovo is conducting negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU. Serbia has no mechanisms at its disposal to prevent that, but it may ask certain questions. Is the European Union a union of States or a union of States with a para-State? Will it once again set a precedent without a precedent? According to that precedent, provinces of all Member States will also be eligible to become Member States.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

38. “It is more now important than ever that both parties be truly committed to dialogue; otherwise, the idea of a tranquil life together will become a dead letter. I am sure that the European Union will provide valuable assistance to us in building confidence, in particular in the further course of Brussels negotiations and in the framework of European integration. We also see the start of the accession talks with the EU as an impetus to further work on improving living conditions for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, as we are convinced at present that a constructive approach to fostering European values will be fully embraced by Serbian society.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

39. “The international community can redress that historical wrong only if it helps Serbia alleviate the consequences of bombing by repairing and rebuilding the damaged infrastructure, economy and public and cultural institutions. Every day an ever greater number of officials of the countries that took part in the bombing of Serbia also demand justice for Serbia. The damage is too high to be remedied by Serbia alone. By engaging in negotiations with Pristina at the highest level, by acting responsibly and patiently, and by signing the Brussels Agreement, we have made it possible for the first time since the bombings for Serbs, Albanians and other nations in Kosovo and Metohija to live together.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

40. “The final figures of the damage done are still not known; according to various estimates, the damage amounts to dozens of billions of United States dollars. I am not complaining today about the pain and suffering inflicted upon us. I do not deny individual responsibility for the crimes committed against the Albanian population and I insist that those responsible be held accountable. But I disagree that in a conflict between a State and separatists, there could be only one responsible party, namely, the sovereign State. I am not complaining and I am not asking for the payment of war reparations in the classic sense, but as long as I am President of Serbia I will remind the Council of its obligation to compensate us for the enormous, irreparable damage caused to our civilian facilities and to the economy as a whole.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

41. “More than 40,000 buildings, 422 educational institutions - schools, universities and dormitories - 48 medical centres, including hospitals and clinics, the building housing the national television broadcasting company and 74 television relays were demolished. Also destroyed or demolished were around 90 cultural, historical and architectural places of interest, including 16 Christian Orthodox and Roman Catholic monasteries. During the bombing, nearly 2,000 civilians were killed and 7,000 wounded; 30 per cent of these were children. More than 750,000 inhabitants of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia left their homes in search of a normal life beyond the borders of their own country. One in every four inhabitants was deprived of his or her livelihood.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

42. “During the air strikes, 2,300 missiles were dropped, with the use of prohibited depleted uranium ordnance, cluster bombs and electromagnetic fibre weapons against thermal power plants and other power transmission systems. The bombing of oil refineries provoked black and acid rain, while oil and oil derivatives and toxic chemicals contaminated the water supply systems in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and other Balkan countries. More than 5 million people lived without electricity and water. Some 200 industrial plants, eight power stations and infrastructure facilities, including 82 bridges, seven railway stations, six airports and a multitude of roads, were destroyed or seriously damaged.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

43. “In the recent past, circumstances have become extremely complicated, with ethnic cleansing and pogroms against Serbians and the destruction of their holy places and of cultural heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. At the same time, we have been identified as the sole party responsible. Does the greatest responsibility lie in defending people, even members of the Albanian community who were not ready to commit crimes and hate others, and in trying to protect territories? Can foreign policy missteps and misunderstanding of international relations and geostrategic interests be considered responsibility? Serbian forces withdrew from the country's own territory of Kosovo and Metohija pursuant to resolution 1244 (1999) after 78 days of a NATO bombing campaign that took place without the Security Council's authorization.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

44. “Serbia's wealth and strength lie in its unity in diversity and in the respect and understanding it has for others. With more than 27 nations, cultures and languages, it is both unique and diverse, and under Serbia's Constitution minorities have even more rights than do citizens of Serbian nationality. That wealth is the result of Serbia's geography. Because we are at the crossroads between East and West, we have always been the setting for confrontation between interests from the outside. Whether orchestrated or organic, incidents from those confrontations have become triggers for war, suffering and loss of life.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

45. “Let me clarify - Serbia will not be forced to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija by attrition. No one will win an election in Serbia if he or she makes such a commitment or accepts Kosovo and Metohij a's independence as a fait accompli. Such an attitude is not evidence of rigidity; rather, it is the result of an aspiration to survive. No one should expect us to willingly and passively submit to our own destruction. Serbia is resolutely against the promotion of Kosovo's independence. If that were not the case, the survival of the Kosovo Serbs would be at the mercy of the so-called altered situation on the ground. No one would be spared assimilation or final exodus, which would result in all traces of their existence being wiped out.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

46. “We who represent small nations seek justice. Serbia has always respected, without exception, the territorial integrity of United Nations Member States. Might, where there is no right, is reprehensible. It should thus go hand in hand with justice - in other words, what is mighty should be just, and what is just will be mighty. Serbia expects that justice and equity should be equally applied in its case, no more and no less than for other countries. Serbia does not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija, but it is engaged in negotiations with it and will continue to do so, with a View to ensuring peace and prosperity for all the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija. That is the unwavering position of the current Government and will be the position of any future Governments.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

47. “Serbia's territorial integrity is defined in article 8 of its Constitution, which states that the territory of the Republic of Serbia is integral and indivisible and its borders inviolable, and that the Province of Kosovo and Metohija, as an autonomous entity, is an integral part of the territory of the sovereign State of Serbia. That would still be the case had it not been for the creation of the Kosovo precedent, which launched an era of consistency in the inconsistent application of international law. A great many countries have recognized Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, which split off part of a sovereign territory that had no right to secede. And yet other nations' identical decisions, in identical situations, have been declared null and void. Is this justice and equity, or an exhibition of might-is-right?”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source

48. “Western officials immediately responded that the Kosovo precedent was sui generis, thus de facto and de jure denying the essence of a precedent, which is a decision creating a new rule that can apply to similar or analogous cases in the future. To sum up, we will have to coin a new way to define a precedent that is not a precedent. In my opinion, such a phenomenon is contrary to logic. It negates scientific achievements, respect for international law and the fact that all countries of the world, big or small, are equal.”

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49. “civilization today would be no different from that of medieval times, and we would have learned nothing from the past. International relations, however, also depend on precedents imposed by some countries, possibly even by force. Such a precedent was created by Kosovo and Metohija's unilateral secession from Serbia. Paradoxically, in this case, a precedent was established that, it was claimed, was in fact not a precedent. And then came Crimea, where the people and authorities of that peninsula, in declaring their independence, referred to the famous precedent of Kosovo, which , they said, Western countries themselves helped to create.”

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50. “As we have warned on a number of occasions, the precedent set by the declaration of Kosovo's independence has resulted in porous State borders and potential new focal points for crisis that have also affected the continent of Europe more generally. All this testifies to the importance of abiding by the fundamental principles on which the United Nations was founded and to which many United Nations Member States, including Serbia, are committed to respecting and defending. International law is based on sources derived from international conventions, customary law and generally accepted rules. Any decision, just or unjust, must follow particular rules or regulations. The very existence of international law is a guarantee of legal certainty that precludes voluntarism and arbitrariness as well as ensuring legality. Without it.”

    2014-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7183 (2014) · source