Summary: November 6, 2002: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the UN, on behalf of the European Union, at the open meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Kosovo (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the associated countries - Cyprus, Malta, Turkey, as well as the EFTA country of the European Economic Area - Iceland, align themselves with this statement.
At the outset, Mr. President, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Guéhenno for his comprehensive briefing. This briefing, together with the Secretary-General's report, gives a broad overview of the recent developments in Kosovo.
Mr. President,
On the 26th of October, municipal elections took place in Kosovo. It was the first election where all municipal assemblies were elected for a four-year term. The European Union commends the professional manner in which it was held. We consider the election as both free and fair. We therefore join the Council of Europe in describing them as a significant step in the process of creating a democratic society in Kosovo. One incident however did cast a shadow over the otherwise peaceful elections.
That was the killing of the President of the Municipal Assembly and two other persons in Suhareke/Suva Reka. The European Union strongly condemns these killings. They represent an attack on the democracy in Kosovo and the perpetrators must be brought to justice.
The municipal elections were characterized by great variations in the voter participation from district to district. The European Union regrets the low participation among the Serb minority in certain areas. We share the view of SRSG Steiner that the Serb minority, by staying away from the ballots, has missed an opportunity to contribute to the shaping of their communities.
Mr. President,
Laying the foundation for economic progress is key to putting Kosovo on the path to a better future. We agree with the Secretary-General that the main challenges are creating jobs, ensuring that the basis for a market economy takes firm root, and increasing the capacity of the Kosovo workforce through education and training. The provisional institutions must assume primary responsibility for the economic and social progress of all of Kosovo's inhabitants. In this regard the EU supports the work
of the Kosovo Trust Agency in establishing clear property ownership, facilitate and protect new investments and put idle assets into productive use. We expect to see full support from all parties to meeting the difficult challenges ahead.
Continued efforts to combat organized crime and corruption will also be essential for creating a sustainable basis for economic development in Kosovo. The European Union welcomes the work done by UNMIK and the Kosovo Police Force in this regard.
UN's authority throughout all of Kosovo is unconditional. There can be no partition, no mono-ethnicity and no parallel structures. Progress in Mitrovica depends on replacing parallel structures with legitimate institutions. It also depends on full co-operation of local actors with UNMIK and KFOR in the implementation of resolution 1244. In this connection we stress the importance of continuing the process towards further decentralization. We reiterate our call on Belgrade to discontinue its
financial and political support of the parallel structures, including the bridge watchers. Kosovo Serb judges and prosecutors must work within legitimate legal structures and thereby contribute to upholding the rule of law in Kosovo. To achieve this, we must replace fear with trust and build confidence through the concrete measures proposed by the SRSG. This will open the way to ending confrontation between those on opposite sides of the Ibar. There is nothing to loose by cooperation for the
people in the northern part of Mitrovica. They only stand to gain.
Mr. President,
The issue of returns remains the test of Kosovo's progress towards a multi-ethnic society. The European Union remains supportive of UNMIK's efforts to increase the pace of returns. In this regard, we welcome the information in the Secretary-Generals report that the previous trend of net outflow of minorities has stopped. The European Union furthermore welcomes the cooperation between UNMIK and Belgrade in securing that returns are sustainable. Still much more could be done however. We regret
the reports of local obstruction of returns and urge all authorities to work with UNMIK and UNHCR to improve the conditions for returns.
The fate of missing persons also remains a serious strain on all communities in Kosovo. Resolving this remains a crucial obstacle to reconciliation and should therefore receive the necessary attention by the authorities. To this end the European Union welcomes the work of the newly established Office of Missing Persons and Forensics (OMPF).
In conclusion, Mr. President, I would like to stress that the European Union remains supportive of SRSG Steiner's policy of "standards before status". The focus of the Kosovo politicians must be on achieving a culture based on the rule of law, on tackling crime and violence and on ensuring economic progress before considering the future status of Kosovo. The final status of Kosovo will need to be addressed in due course in line with resolution 1244. The solution must secure a society that is
both multi-ethnic and democratic and that contributes to stability in the wider region.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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