Problems continue over Kosovo’s independence
Published: 10 September, 2009, 20:11
Edited: 11 September, 2009, 15:52
TAGS: Breakaway regions, UN, Kosovo, Interview, Politics
“The process of [Kosovo’s] recognition is advancing much more slowly than was expected. The Security Council is split over the issue,” Lamberto Zannier, the UN’s Special Representative for Kosovo told RT on Thursday.
According to Zannier, the United Nations’ Secretary General had to step in with initiatives that could facilitate the deployment of the EU mission and reconfiguration of UNMIK (United Nation’s Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) as part of a broader dialogue with Belgrade.
The head of the UNMIK also said many problems still remain on the ground today – more than a year since Kosovo declared its independence.
“Our success so far is that we have certainly contributed to maintaining a satisfactory level of security and stability on the ground,” he said. However, Zannier continued, “the relations between the communities are still complex.”
During his visit to Moscow, the head of the United Nations’ mission in Kosovo met senior officials of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, including Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov.
Following the meeting, the Ministry announced its position concerning the present state of affairs regarding the recognition of Kosovo:
“We have discussed the situation in Kosovo after Prishtina unilaterally declared its independence, in defiance of the UN Security Council’s resolution 1244. The Russian side has pointed out that stability in the region can only be achieved on the basis of strict implementation of this basic document and the leading role of the UN Security Council.”
10.09.2009, 19:03
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In retrospect, it would have been wiser for everyone concerned if UN Resolution 1244 was carried out. Once US and European countries recognized unilateral independence of Kosovo, Pristina authorities essentially imposed a very narrow ethicity-based governance, and now UN and all other international bodies do not have many options. EULEX is supposed to cure this problem, and introduce law and order, justice system and good governance. This remains a pipe dream. What will remain a mystery to me is the strange decision by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to use the Office of the Secretary General to essentially block UN Security Council from doing its work. Ban Ki-Moon, under the great pressure from US, UK and some EU countries, decided to bypass R. 1244. Upon declaration of independence, Ban Ki-Moon had the right to dismiss the Assembly under the governing Institutional Framework, the key document governing the work of UNMIK. If the Pristina remained in defiance, Ban Ki-Moon should have implemented what he is authorized, that is, to demand that NATO provide security, while reconsitituting the institutions in Pristina that met the legal requirements of the Constitutional Framework. Instead, he collapsed under pressure, and did not act in the face of the defiance to UN authority. Instead, he tried to pass the buck to the Security Council. Naturally, there was no agreement in the Security Council. There was no appetite for US/UK schema to implement Marti Ahtisaari plan for "Conditional Independence", as the proposal wold have been vetoed, and the informal count of Security Council members, permanent and others, indicated lack of support. It is not UN SC role to implement the R. 1244, and the Constitutional Framework that underpinned it. It was Secretary General's job.
The failures of Secretary General do not end there. Following the declaration of independence, Pristina government proceeded to violate all the provisions of R. 1244, with impunity. Role of UNMIK was reduced to watching helplessly as the Kosovo "government" proceeds with their plans. Many UN Resolutions have not been honored or implemented. But seldom has UN been so humiliated, as UN officials were actually on the ground, and acting as a nurse-midwife to a new country! All the while sheepishly swearing by "R. 1244". Having literraly dismantled R.1244, the humiliation of UN Secretary General does not end. Since UNMIK became useless, US, UK and EU, came up with a schema to replace UNMIK with EU body that would provide the administrative support to Kosovo. This organization, EULEX, was to provide judges, prosecutors, and administrative personnel capable of transforming Kosovo into a law-obiding state. But how to bring in EU force, and replace UNMIK, without tearing UN R. 1244 to shreds? The formula was found. Ban Ki-Moon provided a shamefull vehicle for bypassing UN SC. He again bent under pressure and allowed his regular UNMIK report on the situation in Kosovo, to be used to allow EULEX to be deployed to Kosovo! Once Ban Ki-Moon agreed to be used in this manner, President of Serbia, Tadic, had no place to hide. Before Ban Ki-Moon opened the back-door to EULEX, Serbian position was to accept whatever UN SC decides. The idea was to insure that the UN SC decision on the role of EULEX would have been well thought out and protect Serbian interest. With this maneuver, Serbia could not refuse the pressure from US, UK and EU. Serbia was forced to capitulate, and accept the "Report" by the Secretary General to UN SC, that is to change the status of Kosovo. UN SC could not reject the Report, as Serbia agreed. Now, that EULEX is in trouble, what is the next step, Secretary General?