YouSaid · the spoken record

Sahovic

lines on the record: 131
first: 2001-03-22
most recent: 2003-10-30
sittings or episodes: 15
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

“In view of the many interconnections in terms of present ownership and the need to build a common economic space in our region, we believe that it is of utmost importance that Serbia be actively involved in the privatization process in Kosovo and Metohija. On a related matter, the Republic of Serbia is being held responsible for, and is servicing, $1.4 billion of debt incurred by entities in Kosovo and Metohija. At the same time, many Serbian banks have substantial receivables due them from entities in the province. UNMIK, however, proposes to carry out privatization while unloading the enormous debt burden on a fragile Serbian economy. The situation in Kosovska Mitrovica has often been cited as a cause for international concern.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“However, our concerns about the political implications of this act remain, even more so in the light of the attempt by the provisional institutions to sign a trade agreement with Albania, which we strongly condemn. We agree that Kosovo and Metohija will not be able to move forward until and unless an economic recovery begins. In that context, the Government of Serbia has informed UNMIK of its full support for privatization in the province, believing it to be a basic precondition for future stable economic development. After all, we in Yugoslavia have also embarked on the path of privatization. However, my Government considers that the model proposed by UNMIK fails to respect the fundamental principle of the protection of creditors.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“Yugoslavia expects that this pledge will result in the first step towards ending the current situation, in which Povratak deputies come to the Assembly in armoured vehicles accompanied by a heavy international security detail. We also feel obliged to recall that the Kosovo Assembly, acting contrary to Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), the Constitutional Framework and the repeatedly stated positions of this Council, recently adopted a resolution rejecting the agreement on the delineation of the border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia, as well as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia-UNMIK Common Document. My Government expressed its appreciation of Mr. Steiner's prompt declaration of the resolution as legally invalid.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“Bearing all this in mind, it is not surprising that only about a mere few hundred Serbian internally displaced persons out of a total 226,000 have ventured to return to Kosovo and Metohija to date. If this tempo remains unchanged, Kosovo and Metohija will forever remain a mono-ethnic society. Consequently, we find it difficult to comprehend what constitutes the improved chances for returns that UNMIK officials have recently been speaking about. My Government welcomes the constitution of the Kosovo Government as one of the positive achievements. The representatives of the Serbian Coalition Povratak have taken their rightful place, thereby affirming their willingness to participate in building the future of Kosovo and Metohija. In particular, we welcome the Prime Minister's pledge to work on behalf of all residents of the province.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“Some time ago, it was mentioned here at the Council that when Serbs and other non-Albanians travel in Kosovo and Metohija, they take buses that have no timetables. For security reasons, dates and times of arrivals and departures are unknown. This situation continues. Unforgivably little has been done to clarify the fate of 1,300 abducted and missing non-Albanians. The property of minorities has been usurped, their cultural heritage destroyed. In the town of Orahovac, 60 per cent of Serbian graves have been desecrated. The Serbs, the largest minority in the province, have received no reassurances whatever that even their language will survive. The Serbian language programme of TV Kosovo lasts seven minutes a day.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“So much has yet to be done and achieved in order to restore normalcy to the province. Therefore, we find it necessary to recall a few facts concerning the three-year presence of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Recent pronouncements of a dramatic drop in crime and improved security for minorities do not give an accurate picture of the dangers that the ever- dwindling minority population faces every day. Two thirds of the total number of murders and abductions of Serbs and other non-Albanians in the last four years have been committed since the arrival of international forces. Few, if any, perpetrators have been brought to justice. Only recently, Aleksandar Dodic, 18, was murdered at mid-day in the Vitina marketplace. Freedom of movement outside enclaves is still non-existent.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“Before I proceed with my statement, I would like to thank you, Sir, for convening this meeting and to congratulate you on the exceptional manner in which you conducted the business of the Council during the month of June. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Guehenno for his as usual very informative and comprehensive briefing. Three years of the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija were marked recently. The Special Representative, Mr. Steiner, spoke on that occasion in very positive terms of the results achieved in their mission thus far. No doubt, there has been some progress in some areas. Kosovo and Metohija is certainly not the same place it was in June 1999. However, we must be fair and realistic in our assessment in order to be able to move forward.”
2002-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4559 (2002) · source
“Yugoslavia has made its relations with neighbouring countries one of its foreign policy priorities. Through this lasting, strategic determination, we are contributing to the strengthening of regional stability, which is a prerequisite for, and the best means of, speeding up the process of integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures - a goal that all of us in the region share. The further development and improvement of our relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina constitutes an extremely important element of such an approach. My Government also looks forward to working closely with Lord Ashdown, the newly designated High Representative, towards the fulfilment of this aim, and we wish him success in discharging the important responsibilities that he will soon assume.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“They are firmly based on the Dayton/Paris Agreement, their framework was prepared in cooperation with the High Representative, and they are fully transparent. One of the outstanding issues that requires sustained attention is the return of refugees. In this connection, I would like to point out that, as a result of my Government's initiative, the heads of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) missions to Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia have agreed on the principles for refugee returns. The document they signed in this connection was confirmed by the OSCE Standing Committee, as well as by a joint statement by the delegations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Yugoslavia in Vienna, which was strongly welcomed by the OSCE. We hope that this important development will be reflected on the ground.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“An agreement on the encouragement of mutual investments and a customs cooperation agreement were also signed, as were a number of other accords that will enhance ties between the two economies and help secure a free flow of goods and capital. Dual citizenship issues are in the process of being regulated, as are the delineation of the borderline between Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. To that effect, an Inter-State Commission for the State Border has been established, and its work is progressing well. Special parallel relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska should also be understood in the overall context of relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Close contacts between the parliaments of the two countries have been established as well. In November 2001, a delegation of the Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia paid the first visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. A return visit followed in February this year. In the area of political deliberations, bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are gradually being expanded into the field of economic and other forms of cooperation of the most immediate practical interest for the citizens of the two countries. A free trade agreement was signed in Belgrade on 1 February 2002, a significant step along the road of regional cooperation among Balkan States.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Yugoslavia has respected, and will continue to respect, the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and has demonstrated its readiness to develop cooperation with it. The relations between our countries are characterized by a dynamic political dialogue, exemplified by many contacts between the highest representatives of the two States. As a follow-up to an earlier decision to establish an inter-State council, a meeting of the Council was held on 18 December 2001 to institutionalize all-round cooperation between the two countries. During the recent visit of Prime Minister Lagumdzija to Belgrade on 19 February, the Standing Committee of the Inter- State Council decided on a joint approach to projects financed by the international community, particularly within the framework of regional cooperation and the Stability Pact.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Jacques Klein, for his efforts and accomplishments in leading the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), as well as for his detailed analysis today. We are all aware of the importance of this meeting. It signifies the announcement of a new and significant phase of international commitment in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which the European Union will play a pivotal role. We have just heard Mr. Javier Solana's inspired assessment of this task. Indeed, this is yet another example of the European Union's involvement, which is so crucial to the entire region. On this special occasion, allow me to reiterate that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as a signatory of the Dayton/Paris Agreement, remains a staunch supporter of its full implementation.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Before addressing the subject under discussion today, I would like to congratulate Norway on the assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. It is a particular honour to participate in today's deliberations under your guidance, Your Excellency. We are grateful for the Secretary-General's very important statement. I would like to thank Mr. Wolfgang Petritsch for his comprehensive report on the developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for his briefing today, and to avail myself of this opportunity to convey the appreciation of my Government for his achievements as High Representative. Also, I extend our appreciation to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Hans Haekkerup played as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kosovo and Metohija and as Head of UNMIK. Over the past year, important developments took place in the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999). His contribution to that process was significant, including in strengthening and improving the relations between Yugoslavia as the host country and UNMIK. I thank Mr. Haekkerup for all his efforts. My Government looks forward to close cooperation with the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Steiner, who we just heard is to be appointed, in addressing many challenges that we are facing in the ongoing process of implementing Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“The continued attention and support of the Security Council in this process is essential. Progress in this and other aspects of cooperation between my country and UNMIK would be greatly facilitated by the conclusion of a status-of-mission agreement. In addition to being an important new step in the partnership between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the international community, a status- of-mission agreement would resolve a number of technical and other issues in the functioning of UNMIK in a much more effective way and would make the lengthy practice of taking separate decisions on every individual issue obsolete. There is no doubt that the agreement would facilitate UNMIK activities and would contribute to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). In conclusion, let me acknowledge the role that Mr.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“We are very appreciative of the contribution made to the process by KFOR and UNMIK. We also highly value the message of the international community, including the Security Council, sent before the elections, that violence, as a means of achieving political goals, will not be tolerated in Kosovo and Metohija and that the elections will not affect its final status. After all, this is provided for by resolution 1244 (1999) and the Common Document. That Document is important not only as a good basis for the development of fruitful cooperation between my country and the United Nations Mission, but also for the resolution of a series of concrete issues listed there. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia expects, as a priority in the coming period, that it will be fully and consistently implemented.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“In addition to continuous security problems, there are other very important outstanding issues, such as the stalemate in the process of the returns of internally displaced persons and the tracing of missing and abducted persons. They need to be addressed urgently, in cooperation with UNMIK, KF OR and the competent Yugoslav authorities on the basis of the Common Document of last November, as well as with provisional self-government institutions. My Government has been a determined partner of the international community in tackling these and other issues in order to achieve the common goal of a multi- ethnic, multireligious and multicultural Kosovo and Metohija. Along these lines, we have made an important contribution to the process of voter registration and the preparation and holding of elections.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“Unfortunately, the international presence in the province is still unable to ensure security and occasionally faces setbacks, as in the recent release of the two suspects in the case of the terrorist attack on a passenger bus near Podujevo last February. A year after dozens of Serbian internally displaced persons, including women and children, were killed and wounded - and at a time when the international community is mobilizing unprecedented resources to combat terrorism around the world - the perpetrators of this blatant terrorist act remain at large in the area administered and controlled by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and KFOR. We strongly condemn this fact.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“Numerous incidents, including murders of both Serbs and Albanians, the planting of explosive devices, and intimidation are unfortunately still standard items in the news coming from Kosovo and Metohija. A few weeks ago, a prominent Serb was killed in front of his house in Kosovska Kamenica. Last week, another tragic event occurred when a newly elected Albanian member of Parliament was killed in Pec. We condemn these acts. Such an environment is not compatible with the efforts to improve the overall situation and hinders the work of the provisional institutions. Security for all is a prerequisite for the successful functioning of these institutions and the inclusion of Serbs and other non-Albanians in their work.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia regrets that fact, in particular because the self-government institutions are envisaged as a significant element in the process of the implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and an important part of a mechanism to establish confidence within Kosovo and Metohija society. Elected representatives must justify the trust bestowed on them and prove that they are ready and able to address the difficulties that continue to plague Kosovo and Metohija. Indeed, the difficulties are many. My Government is deeply concerned over the lack of security in Kosovo and Metohija, particularly for non-Albanians. This concern has been expressed repeatedly in the Secretary-General's reports, including the report now before us.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shared the view that an important step forward had been taken. We maintained the position that it was of crucial importance for Kosovo and Metohija to make sure that its democratically elected representatives established provisional institutions of self-government and commenced work. However, today, two months later, these institutions, charged with the task of addressing everyday problems besetting Kosovo and Metohija with the joint and equal participation of representatives of all ethnic communities, have not yet begun their work.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“Before addressing the item on the agenda, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the newly elected members of the Council and to wish them every success in discharging their duties in the next two years. My delegation would also like to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his report and to thank Mr. Guehenno for his, as always, comprehensive report. When the Security Council last met to review the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, all of the participants in the debate expressed satisfaction at the fact that the province-wide elections took place in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere. There was a sense of cautious optimism around this table about the prospects for the future.”
2002-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4454 (2002) · source
“We therefore expect the Security Council, as well as the United Nations Administration in Kosovo and Metohija, to ensure that the newly elected leadership takes no steps to dash renewed hopes for viable multi- ethnicity in that troubled area. In this context, let me reiterate that we highly appreciate the engagement of the Security Council in these past months, from the June visit to Belgrade and Pristina to the October and November presidential statements. We also hope that such an approach will be maintained. For our part, I would once again like to underline the commitment of my Government to working closely with UNMIK, the Security Council and the international community as a whole on creating a peaceful, multi-ethnic Kosovo and Metohija as an important precondition for achieving overall stability in the region.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“In the present fragile situation, restraint needs to be exercised, particularly by those who will hold high office in the provisional institutions of self-government. It is not cheap propaganda that is needed now, but constructive efforts by all to make the provisional institutions of self-government credible, efficient and effective. It should be clearly understood that the elected representatives in Kosovo and Metohija are actually facing a test of their political maturity. They have an enormous responsibility to prove that democratic forces are taking over from the forces of violence and destruction.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“It is clear that these were not elections meant to solve the final status of Kosovo and Metohija. The Security Council and the international community as a whole have repeatedly emphasized the necessity of the full respect of resolution 1244 (1999), which guarantees the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This resolution continues to be the sole basis for the consideration of the future status of Kosovo and Metohija. Regrettably, before the official election results were even known, some of the local Albanian politicians called on the international community to recognize the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. We consider this to be, to say the least, counterproductive.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“Joint efforts by and equitable treatment of representatives of all ethnic communities in these institutions should provide a basis to address and begin to gradually resolve the numerous problems the province is currently experiencing. That would be the best way to demonstrate that peace, democracy, freedom and orientation towards Europe are realistic objectives for all ethnic groups and their political representatives in Kosovo and Metohija. We are all aware that the November elections represent the beginning of a new phase in creating a future for Kosovo and Metohija - a phase, we hope, that will be characterized by constructive efforts on all sides to bring, first, security and political stability and, then, democracy and prosperity to the province.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“Her husband was seriously wounded. Throughout Kosovo and Metohija, there is still little or no freedom of movement for Serbs. Fewer than 100 of 250,000 internally displaced persons have been able to return in the two and a half years since the arrival of UNMIK and KFOR. The fate of more than 1,300 missing persons is still unknown. There is discrimination against minorities in the judiciary. Property is continuously being usurped. In spite of all these adverse conditions and the many dilemmas stemming from them, the Serbian community has shown its willingness to participate in the intricate process of articulating the future of Kosovo and Metohija through the provisional institutions of self-government.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“This document is important not only as a comprehensive catalogue of the problems that need to be addressed through permanent and intensive dialogue among all concerned but, perhaps even more, as a framework of future concrete cooperation between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and UNMIK. Now, in the aftermath of the elections, we should not forget the extremely difficult conditions that Serbs and other non-Albanians have been facing over the past years and that, regrettably, they continue to face as we speak. As the Council has repeatedly confirmed, the security situation of non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija is highly unsatisfactory. Violence and intimidation continue. Just a few days ago, on 22 November, we witnessed yet another terrorist attack on Serbs in the village Obilie. An innocent elderly woman was killed instantaneously.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, for its part, has made a significant contribution to the satisfactory conclusion of the electoral process, both in the preparatory phase, including registration, and during the actual elections. As a result, the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija and the internally displaced persons accepted the call of President Kostunica and the Yugoslav and Serbian Governments to vote. Members of the Council are well aware that this was not a simple call to make. The decision of the members of the Serbian community from the province to participate was not easy either. Such a decision would not have been possible without the common document signed by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and UNMIK on 5 November this year.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank Assistant Secretary- General, Mr. Annabi, for his detailed briefing. My Government considers the 17 November elections in Kosovo and Metohija a very important event in the process of implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), which will lead the province to a multi-ethnic society in which equal rights will be enjoyed by all. We are satisfied that the elections, in spite of the prevailing grave situation, took place in a manner that can be generally characterized as peaceful and orderly. The clear signals of the international community that violence would not be tolerated as a method for achieving political goals, together with the engagement of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and KFOR, contributed to such an outcome.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4430 (2001) · source
“That, I believe, should become a trend in the future, and only that can bring peace, reconciliation and recovery to the region.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“The same applies to the contribution we would like to see the ICTY make in dealing with cases of crimes committed against Serbs and other non- Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija since the deployment of UNMIK and KFOR in the province in June 1999. However, I would like, in conclusion, to point out that all concerned should concentrate on their own responsibilities towards the Tribunal, rather than looking elsewhere or in the neighbourhood. This is what we in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are trying to do. Only in such a manner can we improve our capabilities to cope with the past and gradually take over, with full responsibility and in a manner consistent with the principle of the rule of law, cases that the Tribunal wishes to refer to national jurisdictions.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“There were some attempts in yesterday's discussion on the report of the Tribunal to connect ICTY cases to issues related to State responsibility, which is completely outside the scope of the Tribunal's jurisdiction. Such an approach will not help efforts to achieve wider reconciliation and improvement in relations within the region. I will not elaborate here on issues related to the importance of improving the Tribunal's functioning, such as those related to sealed indictments, the frequent change of its rules of procedures or compensation for those who were acquitted, since I mentioned them yesterday in the General Assembly.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“I am confident that in the coming period it will improve further. It should also be understood that cooperation is a two-way process. For its success, as eloquently stated yesterday in the General Assembly by the Ambassador of Norway, it is important that the population in the region be informed about and understand the significance of the Tribunal's work. Therefore, we believe that the ICTY should make consistent efforts to explain its mission as a balanced and impartial one. It is also extremely important to strictly preserve the Tribunal's role as a judicial mechanism for determining individual responsibility for crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“The staff of the Office has full freedom of movement and the ability to discharge their duties unimpeded including interviews with victims and witnesses. Tribunal investigators participated in a number of investigations in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. What we consider very important at this stage is that the work on formulating an internal legal framework aimed at facilitating cooperation with the Tribunal is under way. A law on cooperation with the Tribunal, once finalized a and I hope and am confident that it will be soon - will regulate the cooperation with the ICTY in the most comprehensive manner. Cooperation with the ICTY is a process, and it should be understood as such. If we look back at the last 12 months, we will see significant improvement.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“The federal Government and the Governments of both Republics are making serious efforts and have taken a number of concrete measures to enhance cooperation with the Tribunal. The transfer of Slobodan Milosevic' to The Hague is one of those measures which has been widely recognized as a major development and a turning point in that respect. A number of other indicted persons from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have been transferred to The Hague, as well as some from elsewhere in the region who resided in Yugoslavia. Some important voluntary surrenders also took place, including those connected to the Dubrovnik case, which was facilitated by the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the Republics. Cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade is also proceeding well, we believe.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“In this connection, one of the issues that has been raised both yesterday and today was the need for more consistent and comprehensive cooperation on the part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with the Tribunal. Allow me therefore a few comments on the subject. On many occasions in the past month, it has been emphasized from the highest levels of our Government, including by the President, the Foreign Minister and the highest Serbian and Montenegrin authorities, that the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal is of crucial importance for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. My country is well aware of its international obligations in that respect and is committed to fulfilling them.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“From what has been heard so far, it appears that the prevailing assessment is that both the general climate for the Tribunal's work, especially in the area of the former Yugoslavia, and its actual performance in the course of the past year have improved. We share this view. Indeed, the present Governments of the countries directly concerned - and of course, I include my own country - adopted in the past year a constructive and cooperative approach towards the Tribunal. The ICTY, on its part, is implementing measures aimed at improving its proceedings to make them more expeditious and efficient in order to fulfil its envisaged task in the foreseeable future. However, it has also been stressed that much more needs to be done to achieve that objective.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Madam President, on the outstanding manner in which you have presided over Security Council deliberations on a number of extremely important issues during this month. My delegation listened with great attention to the introductory interventions of the Presidents of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) and of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), as well as the Prosecutor, Ms. Carla Del Ponte. Yesterday and today, the activities of the ICTY have been the focus of our attention here at the United Nations, first in the General Assembly and now in the Security Council.”
2001-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4429 (2001) · source
“Finally, allow me to reiterate once again Yugoslavia's full commitment to the consistent implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and our readiness to invest further efforts in this direction. We are willing and able to fully contribute to improving the situation and to making it possible to hold viable elections next month. However, the greatest responsibility in this respect lies with UNMIK which, as the Special Representative has repeatedly noted, is in charge of administering Kosovo and Metohij a.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“Furthermore, we recently concluded an agreement with the United Nations on the status of the United Nations liaison office in Belgrade, and my Government expects to proceed quickly to institutionalize cooperation with UNMIK by concluding an agreement on the status of UNMIK's Office in Belgrade, as well as a comprehensive status- of-mission agreement. We would also like to intensify cooperation with the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija on a range of concrete issues, including the implementation of the UNMIK Regulation on the Prohibition of Terrorism and Related Offences, of last June, as well as concerning related problems, including those of organized crime, trafficking in drugs and persons and the illegal flow of arms.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“While there is a genuine desire to support Serb participation, we believe that better conditions must be created before we can responsibly do so. The message that has come from today's Security Council meeting, however, is extremely important and positive and provides us with a basis to advocate, in the coming days and weeks, Serb participation in the elections. For that I am grateful to Security Council members. On a more optimistic note, I would like to stress the steady improvement in the relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the international community, in particular UNMIK, in working towards the common goal of gradually stabilizing the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“In this context, we believe that calling on Albanian leaders to fully contribute to ensuring security, freedom of movement and the right of minority communities to return would constitute an essential step towards our common goals. Furthermore, we consider it necessary to send a clear message that the forthcoming elections should not in any way precipitate the decision on the final status of Kosovo and Metohija. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is repeatedly called on to encourage the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija to take part in the elections. Regrettably, for the reasons that I have stated, Yugoslavia is not yet in a position to take a final decision as to whether or not to encourage Kosovo Serb participation in the elections.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“I should also like to draw the attention of the Council to the assessment, in paragraph 61 of the report (S/200l/926), that, "While the majority have certain responsibilities towards the minority communities, the latter also have a crucial obligation to participate in the UNMIK-led election process." It is our understanding that in democracies - even aspiring ones - the majority have the primary responsibility for ensuring minority rights. Those who were in government in my country until not so long ago - actually, until one year ago today - grossly neglected this concept, and the consequences of that neglect are now very obvious and very great.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“The Secretary-General pointed out that, in the reporting period, the number of ethnically motivated attacks against Kosovo minority communities increased, and included incidents of intimidation, harassment, assault, arson and murder, an alarming number of them involving the use of weapons. To claim that it is imperative for all communities to participate in the elections if they wish to have a say in the daily running of their affairs is simply not enough. Conditions have to be created for all to be able to campaign and go to the polling stations without being afraid of what may happen to them. In addition, I should like to recall once again that only 80 Serbs out of more than 250,000 displaced and expelled non-Albanians have been able to return to Kosovo and Metohija in the past two years.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“In recent months, ever since the elections were scheduled, my Government has repeatedly emphasized that the security situation and freedom of movement, as well as conditions for the return of internally displaced persons, must be improved so that Serbs and other non- Albanian voters can participate and give legitimacy to the elections. Unfortunately, the situation with regard to those three issues, as well as to other problems, such as the fate of missing persons, is still very grave. In this connection, I would like again to refer to the Secretary-General's report and emphasize some of his comments.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“According to the available data, some 170,000 Serbs and other non- Albanians responded to the call - a far larger figure than the one often wrongly quoted as representing the number of Serbs and other minorities living in the province. The biggest challenge, however - the elections themselves - lies ahead. The Secretary-General has reported that the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) sees the next step - the participation of Kosovo Serbs and other minorities - as being critical to both the legitimacy of the elections and the Mission's goal of bringing about inclusive provisional self-government. We entirely share that view.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“I will therefore restrict myself to making just a few comments on some of the most topical issues, among which, of course, the elections of 17 November are central. An important pre-electoral phase - the registration of voters - has been completed, in what, we believe, to be a satisfactory manner. As we consider it vital that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and Metohija successfully implement its mandate, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia made a maximum contribution to the registration process. This was amply demonstrated by the exceptionally good response of Kosovo Serbs to the registration appeal, particularly after the highest representatives of Serbia and Yugoslavia called on them to register.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source
“It is a great pleasure for me to see you, Sir, presiding over Security Council deliberations, and I wish you every success in carrying out your important tasks. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report, which we examined with immense interest. I would also like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Haekkerup, for his statement and his assessment of the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Very recently, Security Council members had the opportunity to hear in detail the Yugoslav position on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija from Mr. Neboj sa Covie, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo.”
2001-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4387 (2001) · source