U.S., Europeans plan Kosovo resolution
Visiting Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku, right, and host Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha hold a news conference in Tirana Wednesday, May 9, 2007 saying that Kosovo's independence would serve peace and stability in the region. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
May 10, 2007
United Nations- The United States and key European nations will introduce a U.N. resolution Friday endorsing internationally supervised independence for Kosovo, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday.
Zalmay Khalilzad said the resolution has enough support to win Security Council approval unless Russia casts a veto.
He said the Americans and Europeans decided to put forward the resolution because Kosovo's future status needs to be resolved. If it isn't, there is a likelihood that Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians will declare independence "which will cause significant difficulty."
Kosovo is a province of Serbia but it has been under U.N. and NATO administration since a 78-day NATO-led air war in 1999 that halted a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Last month, U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted internationally supervised independence. The proposal was welcomed by Kosovo's Albanian majority but vehemently rejected by its Serb minority as well as Serbia and Russia, which has strong cultural and religious ties to the Serbs.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has circulated elements for a rival Security Council resolution calling for additional talks between officials in Serbia and Kosovo and stepped-up efforts to meet U.N.-endorsed standards including protecting minorities and ensuring that Serbs who were forced to flee their homes can return to Kosovo.
He told reporters Thursday that there were several points in the two proposals "which I don't think can be reconciled."
Churkin sidestepped a question on whether Russia would consider vetoing a resolution that supported eventual independence for Kosovo, noting instead that there has never been a proposal for part of a country to be given independence.
"This is certainly a threshold situation in terms of international law and international affairs, so it does require very serious consideration and it does require the need to use all options available in case strong views need to be protected," he said.
"We have a difficult problems before us," Churkin said. "We believe that this problem requires further negotiations."
The Security Council held an open meeting Thursday to hear a report on the mission it sent to Kosovo and Serbia late last month for a firsthand assessment before tackling the divisive status issue.
Afterward, most council members spoke, and Khalilzad said he believes the resolution endorsing Ahtisaari's proposal for internationally supervised independence would get 10 or 11 "yes" votes in the 15-member council — more than the minimum nine needed for adoption.
But he said the big question is whether Russia will veto the resolution or abstain.
Khalilzad said the five permanent veto-wielding council members — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France — would meet late Thursday to discuss the proposed U.S.-European draft resolution. He said it would be introduced to the full council on Friday.
China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, called the Kosovo issue "a major challenge" for the council and said Beijing is prepared to work constructively to find a compromise solution.
"There is a need for all sides to reflect on the ways and means to promote reconciliation..., maintain the lasting peace and security in the Balkan region, and maintain integrity and authority of international law," he said. "On this major issue, adequate patience, flexibility and caution are necessary and worthwhile."
Panama's U.N. Ambassador Ricardo Arias proposed the council adopt the Ahtisaari proposal but delay its implementation for six months "to resume negotiations to ensure that both Serbia and Kosovo can come to an agreement."
Russia's Churkin said the Panamanian proposal "does go in the direction of understanding the Russian position that further negotiations need to continue, but of course we do not impose any time limit on the continuation of the negotiations."
Zalmay Khalilzad said the resolution has enough support to win Security Council approval unless Russia casts a veto.
He said the Americans and Europeans decided to put forward the resolution because Kosovo's future status needs to be resolved. If it isn't, there is a likelihood that Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians will declare independence "which will cause significant difficulty."
Kosovo is a province of Serbia but it has been under U.N. and NATO administration since a 78-day NATO-led air war in 1999 that halted a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Last month, U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted internationally supervised independence. The proposal was welcomed by Kosovo's Albanian majority but vehemently rejected by its Serb minority as well as Serbia and Russia, which has strong cultural and religious ties to the Serbs.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has circulated elements for a rival Security Council resolution calling for additional talks between officials in Serbia and Kosovo and stepped-up efforts to meet U.N.-endorsed standards including protecting minorities and ensuring that Serbs who were forced to flee their homes can return to Kosovo.
He told reporters Thursday that there were several points in the two proposals "which I don't think can be reconciled."
Churkin sidestepped a question on whether Russia would consider vetoing a resolution that supported eventual independence for Kosovo, noting instead that there has never been a proposal for part of a country to be given independence.
"This is certainly a threshold situation in terms of international law and international affairs, so it does require very serious consideration and it does require the need to use all options available in case strong views need to be protected," he said.
"We have a difficult problems before us," Churkin said. "We believe that this problem requires further negotiations."
The Security Council held an open meeting Thursday to hear a report on the mission it sent to Kosovo and Serbia late last month for a firsthand assessment before tackling the divisive status issue.
Afterward, most council members spoke, and Khalilzad said he believes the resolution endorsing Ahtisaari's proposal for internationally supervised independence would get 10 or 11 "yes" votes in the 15-member council — more than the minimum nine needed for adoption.
But he said the big question is whether Russia will veto the resolution or abstain.
Khalilzad said the five permanent veto-wielding council members — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France — would meet late Thursday to discuss the proposed U.S.-European draft resolution. He said it would be introduced to the full council on Friday.
China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, called the Kosovo issue "a major challenge" for the council and said Beijing is prepared to work constructively to find a compromise solution.
"There is a need for all sides to reflect on the ways and means to promote reconciliation..., maintain the lasting peace and security in the Balkan region, and maintain integrity and authority of international law," he said. "On this major issue, adequate patience, flexibility and caution are necessary and worthwhile."
Panama's U.N. Ambassador Ricardo Arias proposed the council adopt the Ahtisaari proposal but delay its implementation for six months "to resume negotiations to ensure that both Serbia and Kosovo can come to an agreement."
Russia's Churkin said the Panamanian proposal "does go in the direction of understanding the Russian position that further negotiations need to continue, but of course we do not impose any time limit on the continuation of the negotiations."
Labels: Kosovo, Serbia, United Nation, United States
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 7:11 AM
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