YouSaid · the spoken record

Tanin

lines on the record: 865
first: 2007-01-31
most recent: 2021-10-15
sittings or episodes: 78
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

“The international prescriptions set forth to Pristina and Belgrade are categorical imperatives: non-confrontation, resolving issues through dialogue, and placing the objective improvement ofthe lives ofpeople ahead ofmore limited and parochial calculations. I hope that the Council will help to hold leaders to their words that they will maintain a sincere and consistent commitment to dialogue and the full implementation of all the agreements already reached, and avoid making statements or undertaking activities that undermine its potential and put at risk all the benefits it is designed to bring to the population: security, prosperity and peace. Kosovo's institutions continue to face daunting challenges to delivering as their leaders might wish. Political infighting persists.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Nonetheless, with the restarting of the top-level dialogue, there are signs that work is again happening towards this goal. Discussing the details involved in implementing the future association/community of Serb-majority municipalities will certainly help the Kosovo Serbs to re-engage with the range of Government activities from which they have unfortunately removed themselves over the past three months. As seen in the past, one-sided approaches or steps aimed at resolving issues that affect both sides, and indeed overall progress in the normalization process, are more likely to lead to confrontation than to positive results in the direction desired by those who contemplate such steps. There is no alternative to dialogue.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“It was removed without incident on 5 February, and construction subsequently began on a newly agreed park space plan that addresses the concerns of all stakeholders. Most recently, Pristina has renewed calls for the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo armed forces, including through the adoption of a resolution in the Assembly of Kosovo. This initiative remains opposed by the Kosovo Serbs and Belgrade, with reference to resolution 1244 (1999), emphasizing the exclusive role and authorities of the international security presence, the Kosovo Force (KFOR). In the short term, the effects of the recent stresses in Kosovo still reverberate. Trust and confidence among Kosovo Serbs and Albanians have been affected; they will take time to rebuild.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“At the beginning of this month, partially as a response to an escalating situation, Belgrade and Pristina leaders finally met at the highest political level in Brussels, under the auspices of the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This meeting was an essential step to chart a path out of a deteriorating situation and to publicly reconfirm their commitment to working together. A few days later, after close consultations led by the EU Special Representative and involving various other diplomatic partners, the Mayor of North Mitrovica and the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning of Kosovo signed an agreement to remove the wall that had previously been constructed as part of the bridge redevelopment plan near the northern end of the Mitrovica bridge.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Belgrade leaders perceive the actions and words of Pristina as attempts to sidestep processes based in the dialogue facilitated by the European Union (EU) and create new realities on the ground. Irrespective of the divergent perceptions and interpretations, the facts were that a succession of events, detailed in the Secretary-General's report, combined to undermine trust, to inhibit the space for productive dialogue, and to push the situation uncomfortably close to renewed instability and confrontation. I should note that, since the issuance of the report, several other significant developments have taken place, including some more constructive ones.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“These events and political posturing reduce space for progress within the top-level political dialogue - a process that remains as fragile as it is essential and irreplaceable. During my recent discussions in Pristina and Belgrade, each side naturally expressed differing perceptions of the reasons behind the reduced quality of communications and relations, and in general accused one another of having engaged in intentional provocations. Pristina leaders perceive various actions and words from Belgrade as being calculated to undermine the objectives of the Pristina Government, particularly as regards its outreach efforts towards the northern Serb-majority municipalities.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Mr. Tanin: Before I begin my remarks on the situation in Kosovo, I would like to convey my profound sadness over the passing of Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of the Russian Federation, and to express my sincere condolences to his wife, his family and the Government of the Russian Federation on having lost one of his country's greatest diplomats. We will miss him in the Council. As noted in the Secretary-General's report (S/2017/95/Rev.l), the past few months in Kosovo have been characterized by inconsistent progress as well as heightened tension between Belgrade and Pristina, including a reciprocal series of reactions and counter- reactions, accompanied at times by threatening and bellicose rhetoric.”
2017-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7891 (2017) · source
“Empirical data from knowledge products such as the surveys I mentioned help to update our understanding of the real concerns among the different geographic and ethnic communities. What did not work yesterday might work today. That concept, and constructive innovation in general, should guide our endeavours. To play our part in supporting a better future for all people in Kosovo, the Mission continues to rely upon the support of the Council. I thank the Council sincerely for that support.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“A logical optimization of our existing resources is helping to ensure that the Mission discharges its mandate in a focused and constructive manner, together with all of its partners. Of crucial importance is the Mission's relationship with the Kosovo institutions, and I am pleased to confirm that the improvement in relations reported in the Secretary-General's most recent report on Kosovo is continuing. Among the many benefits for all parties, that improved communication helps the Mission to ensure accurate and balanced reporting on the situation in Kosovo. As highlighted by members of the Council in past meetings, we can all help to advance the cause of reconciliation.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“In the light of the many questions that have been raised, an objective, thorough and transparent investigation into that incident is essential. Violent extremism and terrorism are evolving threats in Kosovo and the region. Countering those threats requires a holistic approach in which law enforcement is one essential component. Last week, the authorities in Kosovo arrested a number of individuals who had allegedly been recruited by extremist militants in Syria to plan and conduct attacks in Kosovo and the region. Kosovo's security bodies deserve special commendation for their vigilance. As I have reported to the Security Council, UNMIK is steadily adapting itself so as to more effectively address the contemporary challenges in Kosovo.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“While the Assembly of Kosovo moved to adopt a resolution on the values of the Kosovo Liberation Army, it is individuals who have been convicted of crimes, and not groups or organizations. One week ago, I had an opportunity to meet with David Schwendiman, the newly appointed Specialist Prosecutor of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He informed me that preparations for the full functionality of the Specialist Chambers were well advanced. The integrity ofthe judicial process requires that all parties refrain from seeking to exert improper influence or sway public opinion, including through unfounded speculation about the specific content of the judicial process. The death in custody of Vetevendosje party activist Astrit Dehari has raised concerns and provoked indignation in many quarters.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“The pain caused by the unresolved cases of missing persons is real and understandable, but the right to a safe and dignified return is also fundamental. An opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation has been missed. I wish to highlight the progress in efforts to advance the rule of law in Kosovo. Commitment to the impartial application of the rule of law should be recognized and supported. There is deserved recognition for the determination to pursue cases of high-profile corruption, including the investigations into organized criminal activities a few members of Kosovo's political class. A clear distinction should be made between individual and institutional responsibility.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“In Ferizaj/Urosevac, the Mayor appointed a Deputy Mayor for communities, despite being under no obligation to do so. The municipal authorities responded to a request for assistance to clean and secure a Serbian Orthodox cemetery, and undertook to provide ongoing support to maintain the cemetery. In Fushe Kosove/Kosovo Polje, the municipal authority approved the allocation of funds to clean three Serbian Orthodox cemeteries. In North Mitrovica, the long- standing barricade on Prince Milos Street was quietly and voluntarily removed on the evening of 28 October. Unfortunately, exceptions do exist. The declaration by the Suhareka/Suva Reka Municipal Assembly in late October, opposing the return of Kosovo Serb, is regressive and regrettable. The absence of a response by the Kosovo governing institutions is disappointing.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“The dialogue process delivered progress during this period, including on the freedom of movement, and in recent days a breakthrough was announced on the telecommunications issue. In contrast, there have been few visible signs of progress on the implementation of the community/association of Serb-majority municipalities. Ultimately, political and societal reconciliation processes must reinforce each other. I hope that political dialogue is what awaits Kosovo in 2017, accompanied by the necessary progress at the community level. In those efforts, the roles of the EU and the United Nations continue to converge. Itake this opportunity to praise some of the excellent efforts towards reconciliation at the municipal level, where municipal authorities have listened and responded to the concerns of their communities, resulting in real progress.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians alike, in substantial majority, believe that the association/community of Serb-majority municipalities will increase the security of Kosovo Serbs. In their annual reports, the EU and the World Bank continue to highlight low levels of employment generation, and the exceptionally high rate of youth unemployment, as fundamental issues to be tackled in Kosovo.Youngpeopleunabletofindopportunitieswithin accepted parameters are vulnerable to the temptations of alternative narratives, including extremism. Regardless of these familiar dichotomies between political issues and ground-level concerns, the European perspective remains a force for stabilization throughout the Balkan region.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“The results of recent surveys, including one commissioned by UNMIK, indicate that there is little ethnic division in priorities at the community level; unemployment, corruption and lack of economic development are the biggest concerns. Among other recent notable findings are the facts that the level of trust in governing institutions is low; the level of trust in international institutions is also low; a range of party political allegiances appear to be shifting; all ethnic groups place more emphasis on dialogue among community leaders as the method for advancing reconciliation than on political level dialogue; and the normalization of relations with Serbia is considered to be an important priority in roughly equal proportion in both Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb communities - over 50 per cent in both cases.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Both the law and the procedure generated strong protest among the Serb community, as well as from Belgrade, to the extent that Kosovo Serb representatives and officials have suspended their participation in governing institutions. The international member of the Special Chamber of the Kosovo Supreme Court has requested that the Constitutional Court review the constitutionality of the law, based on concern that it appears to contravene fundamental property rights. The divergence between the preoccupations of governing elites and their electorates is a common pattern. This phenomenon is present in Kosovo as well. The priorities identified as being most important by voters at the community level are often strikingly distant from the issues dominating the elected bodies and popular media spaces.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“He has also recently met with a mixed Serb and Albanian youth group to encourage understanding of the possibility of a common future that would be better than is the situation today. Such gestures remind us of the potential of genuine dialogue, including but not limited to the EU-facilitated political process. In contrast, the accelerated passage through parliamentary procedure of a new law on the Trepca industrial complex emerged as another obstacle to constructive dialogue. Irrespective of the details of the law itself, the manner of its adoption was certain to produce the negative reactions that we witnessed. Assembly members were given less than 48 hours to review the draft, with almost no opportunity for analysis and argument.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“However, the divergent positions of the ruling and opposition parties are just as entrenched, and the general political atmosphere remains deeply polarized. For Kosovo, this is unfortunate at a time when relations among traditional regional rivals - for example Tirana, and Belgrade - have benefitted from renewed dialogue and the strengthening of economic ties. Despite the political polarization, some of Kosovo's leaders are forging ahead with a farther-sighted view of reconciliation and the rebuilding of mutually beneficial relations. I would like to highlight President Thaci's recent engagement jointly with the family associations of both Albanian and Serb missing persons, and his emphasis on treating this issue on humanitarian, not political grounds.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Many of the political expectations with which Kosovo the year yielded fewer results than hoped. Difficulty building a broad political consensus has meant that the territorial delineation agreement with Montenegro, agreed in 2015, remains unratified, with attendant consequences for Europe's visa liberalization plans for Kosovo. Political divisions have also made it more difficult to reap the benefits of normalizing relations with Serbia within the dialogue facilitated by the European Union (EU). Kosovo's EU Stabilization and Association Process, a major development with far-reaching potential, has been given little focused attention by officials or the public, despite holding the promise of much wider opportunities than the visa liberalization matter can offer by itself. The political violence of earlier months has subsided.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“Mr. Tanin: During the three months since my last presentation to the Security Council (see S/PV.7760), there has been some consolidation of the political situation in Kosovo. Regionally, some new, positive developments, together with some new reasons for concern, have emerged. Some of these are well covered in the Secretary-General's report before the Council (S/2016/90l); others have emerged since the submission of the report and deserve to be highlighted. I take note that, besides this being the last briefing on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) of 2016, it is also the last UNMIK report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has personally dedicated considerable time and attention to this issue during the past decade.”
2016-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7811 (2016) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to highlight that, during the past few months, we have thoroughly reviewed the activities of the Mission and developed a focused vision not only for recalibrating and optimizing our work, but also for creating an atmosphere with all stakeholders that allows the Mission to engage more efficiently and effectively on both existing issues and emerging issues, such as the global problem of violent extremism and the development of workable frameworks for reconciliation. In short, we will be implementing the objectives that the Security Council has entrusted to us in a more up- to-date manner. I thank the Council for its continuing support for UNMIK.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In recent days, we have been able to significantly strengthen constructive engagement with Kosovo leaders, which was reflected, among other things, in substantive meetings with President Thaci, Prime Minister Mustafa and Foreign Minister Hoxhaj. My constructive engagement with Belgrade leaders, including my discussions this week with President Nikolie, Prime Minister Vucie and Foreign Minister Dacie, remain essential for maintaining our balanced and objective role within the framework of regional interaction and towards the full realization of our mandate.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Local authorities have taken numerous strong measures to mitigate the threat, but the presence of elements that have participated in recent foreign wars gives us all reasons to be vigilant and aware. The Kosovo authorities have implemented a strong law enforcement approach with respect to those who advocate violence and those who facilitate volunteer fighters. As the authorities have acknowledged, that can work only when it goes hand in hand with a development approach that effectively targets the specific socioeconomic drivers of extremism in Kosovo. There is also an important role to be played by the international community through well-coordinated assistance, including from the United Nations.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Those visits remind us also of the fact that all leaders share a solemn responsibility to do more to help resolve the missing persons cases, which date back from the time of the conflict. Seventeen years after the end of the conflict, the fate of over 1,600 persons remains undetermined. All communities are affected by the loss. The issue of the missing should not be allowed to slip from the political agenda, but the missing will be found, and their fates determined, only if there is fundamental and sustained commitment by all, including our Mission. The phenomenon of violent extremism is a swiftly evolving global challenge. The presence of radical Islamist elements and organizers in Kosovo is known.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“But it bears emphasizing that the victims of intimidation always have a different perspective from those who have not experienced it. More sensitivity to that essential truth is needed by the authorities on all sides, as well as on our part. With respect to reconciliation, I wish to commend the courageous initiatives taken by President Thaci. On 21 July, he visited and paid respects at a memorial commemorating 14 Kosovo Serb civilians from Staro Gradsko who had been murdered in that village shortly after the end of hostilities. A few days later, he visited another memorial to an unsolved crime against Kosovo Serbs in the village of GoraZdevac where, in 2003, teenagers swimming in a river were murdered.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“It is the full implementation and enforcement of those strong legislative frameworks that remains an essential objective. Over the past three months, there have been no large-scale inter-ethnic disturbances, nor any significant attacks against cultural sites. However, vulnerable groups, in particular among non-majority communities, have been subject to higher rates of intimidation. Statistics in that area must always be treated with enormous caution, but those available at the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) suggest that there are, on average, around 25 potentially ethnically motivated crimes recorded in Kosovo every month. All communities are affected, and the primary motives behind the crimes are frequently found not to have been political.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In order to achieve returns, constructive engagement is needed with returnees and receiving communities, which must be matched by political commitment, but, even more important, by the commitment of resources. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, some 9,400 displaced persons are now registered to return. For that to take place, clear and realistic commitments need to be present, together with the allocation of the requisite resources and efforts in order to ensure that the proper conditions are in place. Kosovo possesses a rich and diverse cultural heritage that includes religious, linguistic, artistic and social diversity. The Kosovo system has comprehensive legislation protecting the freedoms of language use, association and worship.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Leadership from both sides is at least as important as pragmatism and commitment, in order not only to reinvigorate but possibly also to deepen the process going forward. Few of those displaced by the conflict have returned to their homes, and of those who returned, many have not stayed. Approximately 16,000 persons remain displaced within Kosovo, with many more outside. With the passage of time, many have by now built new lives in their places of displacement. Yet the voluntary, safe and dignified return of displaced persons is a fundamental right, and that issue should, I believe, be brought back into focus by all, including by the international community.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“It is the European Union perspective in the region that continues to be a main driver of reform, particularly in the vital areas of governance, the rule of law and human rights. Progress continued to be made in some areas during the reporting period, including the start of the refurbishment of the Mitrovica Main Bridge, as well as the narrowing of differences on the telecommunications issue. With regard to other agreements, in particular the agreement on the association/community of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo, more focused work is clearly necessary. It is natural for delays in implementation to lead to second-guessing of the process itself by observers and participants alike.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Having returned from Belgrade just yesterday, I was also struck during my conversations with top leaders by the emphasis given to regional cooperation and better understanding of the positions of other sides when working to overcome the obstacles to trust and progress. As in the case ofPristina, they also specifically stressed the need for the European Union-led dialogue to be successful. Prime Minister Vueic' in particular stressed to me that too much time was being lost and that what was needed was more serious and much more sustained commitment and work on dialogue - not only from leaders and negotiators but from the European Union and from all of us in the international community as well. The European Union-led high level dialogue remains a cornerstone in the road towards reconciliation.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“If stability and prosperity are to be achieved, the post- conflict generation is in need of clearer direction and better opportunities as inhabitants of modern Europe and as world citizens. A lack of promising trades and professions, public corruption and extremes of economic inequality all fracture the communities far more than ethnic or religious nationalism. Therefore, an impetus for reconciliation emerges from below, but in my View it needs to be strengthened from above as well by leaders. I already hear that clearly from some leaders. But I have also heard it from other segments of society as well, where individuals recognize the centrality of putting the past behind if there is to be meaningful movement forward.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Behind all of that, it is apparent that economic, educational and health- care issues, as well as the rule of law and combating corruption, are the dominant concerns of people at the local level, not inter-ethnic politics. Recently, a young man in the Prizren region approached me to say that corruption was the biggest problem for his generation and for all people in Kosovo, a message I have heard on many occasions. Throughout all of the former Yugoslavia, the immediate post-conflict generation has now reached voting age, and many are now graduating from tertiary education. Many young adults have known little of public life besides divisive post-conflict rhetoric.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In Gjakove/ Dakovica, the Mayor indicated that authority came with responsibility, not just privilege. In North Mitrovica, the main concerns were access to employment, reliable public services, and confidence in governing institutions. In Obilie/Kastriot, the impact of nearby outdated energy facilities, over which the municipality has had little or no say, endangers public health and safety and reduces social cohesion and local economic growth. In Vushtrri/Vucitrn, I learned that the different communities are able to work together towards a common future, and that inclusive governance is one of the key elements needed for that work. I heard the desire for improved relations and more confidence among the ethnic communities.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“In addition, acts of political violence, including three incidents involving explosives in August that targeted the Assembly, the home of a Kosovo official and the headquarters of a public broadcaster, are absolutely unacceptable. That is a problem that should continue to be managed responsibly by the authorities. From my recent talks with top leaders in Kosovo, I have the impression that they understand the need to place realism and practicality higher on their political agenda. Many have their eyes upon emerging wider trends, and the opportunity those trends offer to seize levers of opportunity and remove old obstacles in order to achieve faster progress. I have gained the same impression about local leadership during my visits to municipalities and communities throughout Kosovo.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Although the agreement had been arrived at with informed international support, the consideration of its ratification by the Assembly was postponed. No doubt, consensus-building efforts ought to have been made much earlier, well before the issue became a lightning rod for rancour and partisan debate. Regardless, new efforts have been undertaken by political leaders in order to ensure all additional questions are answered. Meanwhile, the opposition parties continue working from the wings to try to generate, exploit and, if possible, prolong such moment in the supposed crisis. Whatever success they may ultimately achieve in strengthening an alternate pole of influence, the opposition appears to be more aware that the use of violence is counterproductive to that objective.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“Mr. Tanin: I am pleased to update the Security Council on recent key developments in Kosovo since the Secretary-General's previous report (S/2016/407) and offer some observations. The situation in Kosovo over the past three months has been more stable than it had been during preceding reporting period. Nonetheless, security threats and political tensions remained beneath the surface. Following a period of relative calm, after months of unruly stand-offs in the Kosovo Assembly, a single issue gave way to new controversy: the ratification of the agreement on Kosovo's territorial delineation with the Republic of Montenegro. Political arguments and accusations followed, often straying far from the underlying facts. That irritated public sentiment, obstructed the functioning of the Assembly and delayed work on more pressing issues.”
2016-08-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7760 (2016) · source
“We are also drawing on expertise and resources from across the United Nations system in areas where they may be of assistance, for example the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and many bodies that are specialized in pressing issues, including thejust handling ofmigrant and refugee flows and discouraging young people from the paths that lead to violent extremism and terrorism. To work at its best and in order to work together with the leadership in both Pristina and Belgrade - as well as with EU institutions - and to remain flexible and adapt our Mission, we depend upon the informed support of the Council. With the Council's support, that is where we intend to take the Mission in the days ahead.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“We have been assessing and recalibrating our own use of resources to assist areas where they most directly promote the fulfilment of our mandate, on human rights issues for example. Indeed, as the leading United Nations body on the ground we are working closely with Kosovo institutions as well as with international partners to promote the realization of high human rights standards. We are part of the broadest and most inclusive efforts to help discourage corruption and support the rule of law area, realize better opportunities for families and for the younger generation, and strengthen the protection of non-majority and vulnerable communities.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Whatever political reconfiguration may or may not be in the cards, what is more important is that Kosovo's political actors behave responsibly by taking on the issues that matter most for the future. Our Mission remains unique, not only for what it is, but also for what it is not. UNMIK no longer administers Kosovo. It is not aparallel structure. It is not an obstacle to any objective, any institution or any individual. UNMIK remains important for the support and legitimacy it can provide; for the focus it can help to encourage; for the experience and know-how it freely shares; and for its role as a bridge between the Council and the people and communities of Kosovo and the region.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Within Kosovo's political sphere, continuing differences and intense debate remain essential. I hope those debates will move into acceptable channels where they belong and where leaders can best work towards meeting the real interests of people. That includes, obviously, a strong democratic opposition. The political profile of the Kosovo opposition has for the past year been involved in a tense effort to change the horizon of power in the Assembly by any means necessary, including violence. I believe that its reconsideration of that path, though wrongly portrayed by some as a descent into dissent, is rather an opportunity to revitalize the atmosphere, which still suffers from deep mistrust, and to return to healthy democratic norms without sacrificing the substance of political dissent and debate.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Real Kosovo politics are local. What matters is how leaders, like those to whom I have spoken in various municipalities, address the everyday needs of the people in their communities; how they understand their grievances; how they find solutions. If identity politics primarily drove the wars during the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, what we are witnessing now is the unity or polarization of people around issues that are foremost social, economic, and environmental. While visiting different parts of Kosovo, I observed how much of what we sometimes call the "old world" is dispensable. Militant nationalism has lost the mandate of the heavens. What is sorely awaited is a new alternative. When I speak with Kosovo's young people about their concerns, "jobs" and "justice" are the two words I hear the most often.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Resources that are applied through international channels, including through our Mission, should be mutually reinforcing and directed efficiently towards meeting these common goals. I have spoken to leaders representing all parties, political stripes and communities during the past weeks and months. I will do much more of this in the coming days. The main concerns I hear are those that are familiar everywhere in post-conflict settings: the need for economic opportunity, positive future prospects for communities and families, better health care and a clean environment. While visiting municipalities in the north and other parts of Kosovo, I saw just how essential it is that the engagement of the international community - including the United Nations, the EU and Member States - be focused on the real living conditions of the people.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“During his inaugural address, President Thaci stressed themes of reconciliation and spoke of the difficulty but also the necessity of leaving the past behind. The dialogue and agreements between Pristina and Belgrade are essential to this process and are real steps on the path to lasting peace. Kosovo still faces the hard-nosed realities caused by unemployment, inequality, the challenges of developing a productive economy to meet sustainable development goals and overcome legacies of impunity, and weaknesses in its rule oflaw institutions. All these factors are serious challenges to the mandate ofpromoting peace and stability. International involvement should be a central component of support that can help Kosovo's institutions, and indeed the wider region, to meet such difficult challenges.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“I believe that this must remain a central objective on both the EU and United Nations agendas during the coming months. The establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo, ever since it was first agreed in April 2013, has been subject to much misunderstanding and controversy in public discourse among both communities. To borrow words spoken by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini 10 days ago in Pristina, the Community/Association represents "a step towards a stronger Kosovo, not a weaker one, and in a more stable region". It was agreed by both sides at the highest level in order to allow for the livable integration of the Serb community and other communities into public life in Kosovo.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“The capacity to meet the standards ofintegration directly reinforces the capacity for productive political dialogue and other important channels of mutual cooperation. Kosovo's recent advancement in its European perspective should reinforce and enhance the dialogue process between Belgrade and Pristina, which is fundamental to Kosovo's future security and to peace in the region. A salient feature of the consensus on which the EU-facilitated dialogue rests is the requirement for flexibility and innovation. All possibilities should be on the table and should be debated openly if this framework of discussion is to make swifter and meaningful progress. This moment, with electoral processes nearly concluded on both sides, appears to be a propitious time to re-energize the talks and build new momentum.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“Again, placed side by side, these crucial achievements demonstrate the progress that the region is making towards the goal of greater integration, with all the benefits such integration brings. The links are not always clearly spelled out between the ongoing peace process, which is at the core of our UNMIK mandate, and these EU processes. In fact, the links are fundamental, stressed not simply in resolution 1244 (1999) , but also in the far-sighted European Council Summit held in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2003 and ever since. The standards and conditions set forth in EU stabilization and association agreements are not ends in themselves, but more importantly the means for generating peace, prosperity and well-being for people. For Pristina and Belgrade, integration is closely interlinked with the EU-facilitated high-level dialogue process.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“The European Commission formally proposed to the EU Council and EU Parliament to transfer Kosovo to the visa-free short-stay list for travel in the Schengen area. The authorities of Kosovo deserve credit for the efforts made towards fulfilling the conditions of the visa liberalization road map. At the same time, they have acknowledged that a great deal of work remains to be done in order to translate this important step into the concrete economic and social progress expected by Kosovo's people. I note that one month earlier, the EU Stabilization and Association Agreement for Kosovo was also announced. The Republic of Serbia's Stabilization and Association Agreement entered into force in September 2013.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“The election of a new President of Kosovo, albeit under a divisive atmosphere, and the newly mandated Government of the Republic of Serbia provide together, I believe, an excellent opportunity to draw a line under a period that has often been marked by political infighting and other distractions. I have noted with appreciation the conciliatory messages and vision presented both by Prime Minister Vucie and by President Thaci following their respective electoral successes. I join other engaged actors in the hope that these peaceful transitions of power will help the political scene to settle and offer more room for energy to be spent on other, more fundamental challenges facing the region. Less than two weeks ago, the population of Kosovo received important and undoubtedly welcome news.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source
“First of all, Kosovo has been and continues to be at the centre of issues that are vital to overall security in Europe and to relations in a wider context. As I emphasized in my previous statement to the Council in February (see S/PV.7637), internal political dynamics in Pristina preoccupied our Mission - as well as the European Union (EU) missions and many other actors * for almost one year, culminating this April in the inauguration of a new President of Kosovo. Also during April, Serbian general elections were successfully held, with a new Parliament and Cabinet there currently in the process of formation.”
2016-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7693 (2016) · source