SC – Debate on the Report on the United Nations Interim Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)
Statement by Ambassador Christian Ebner, Deputy Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations
New York, 3 August 2010
I would like to welcome Mr. Vuk Jeremic, Foreign Minister of Serbia, and Mr. Skender Hyseni, Foreign Minister of Kosovo, and thank them for their statements. I also thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Lamberto Zannier, for his presentation of the report before us. Let me reiterate Austria’s full support to UNMIK’s continued efforts to facilitate dialogue between all parties.
Austria welcomes the fact that the security situation in Kosovo has been largely calm during the reporting period. As set out in the Secretary-General’s report, in total we have seen a decrease in security incidents. We appreciate the fact that the security forces – including the Kosovo Police, EULEX and KFOR – have been working effectively in order to prevent clashes in volatile situations. At the same time, we clearly condemn isolated acts of violence due to tensions between both sides. Austria fully supports the important work of KFOR and EULEX and will continue to keep up her commitment in both missions.
We welcome the progress made by EULEX in particular with regard to monitoring, mentoring and advising, trials and processing of cases, the continued scanning of data on commercial traffic at Gates 1 and 31 and in their cooperation with both sides. We welcome the EU’s accelerated efforts to enhance its visibility and presence in the north and hope that cooperation with both sides will lead to further progress including in the establishment of mixed panels in the Mitrovica district court and the restoration of full customs control in Northern Kosovo.
Austria would also like to highlight the valuable contributions made by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo in monitoring, protecting and promoting human rights, including community rights. We also value its support to democratic institutions, in particular to independent institutions and to Higher Education Institutions that work to the benefit of non-majority communities.
We share the Secretary General’s assessment that the lack of progress in reconciliation between the communities coupled with the prevailing economic difficulties continues to present a challenge and to foster the risk of unrest. Austria therefore believes that we must not lose our focus on areas such as economic development, good governance, rule of law, fight against corruption and organized crime as well as with regard of the situation in northern Kosovo. We see a need that reports to the Council cover all those areas.
Austria welcomes the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice delivered on 22 July on the “accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo”. We believe that this advisory opinion provides an opportunity for a positive turning point in the relations between Kosovo and Serbia as well as with regard to the European aspirations of both States. This opportunity should not be missed.
The Court has made it absolutely clear that Kosovo’s declaration of independence of February 2008 did not violate general international law, SC resolution 1244 or the Constitutional Framework. We hope that this opinion in response to the request by the General Assembly, which specifically addresses the situation of Kosovo, will enable Kosovo and Serbia to ultimately overcome their fundamental disagreement regarding basic legal and territorial questions.
First and foremost, however, the advisory opinion permits the authorities of Serbia and Kosovo to adopt a pragmatic approach and start a process of dialogue on practical problems affecting the daily lives of people from both ethnic backgrounds living in Kosovo. Pragmatism must now also apply with regard to finding arrangements for the participation of Kosovo in regional and international fora in consultation with the respective organisations.
The European Union – in reaction to the publication of the advisory opinion – has reached out to both Serbia and Kosovo. In her Declaration of 22 July, delivered on behalf of all 27 Member States of the European Union, High Representative Ashton has made it unequivocally clear that the future of both Serbia and Kosovo lies in the European Union.
We therefore appeal to Serbia and Kosovo to work with the European Union in good faith and to redouble their efforts towards turning European values of dialogue and cooperation into reality for the sake of the populations of Kosovo as well as Serbia, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.
We fully support the approach of further enhancing coordination and cooperation between the UN and the European Union in order to promote dialogue aimed at addressing issues of common concern between Belgrade and Pristina.
