EU Presidency Statement - The situation in Kosovo

Mr. President,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and the EFTA country, member of the European Economic Area, Iceland, declare that they align themselves with this statement.

We welcome the participation of the Secretary General's Special Representative Mr. Steiner in today's meeting and we thank him for his statement.

We would also like to express our appreciation to Ambassador Kolby of Norway for his comprehensive report on the Security Council mission to Kosovo by the end of last year. For the European Union, it is reassuring to know that the Security Council continues to closely follow the situation there and is still interested and very much committed in safeguarding its stability and monitoring its development. Since it is only with the active involvement and the continuous help by the international community that the area will manage to deal with its many and pressing problems.

Mr. President,

There is no doubt that the situation in Kosovo has moved forward since the adoption of Resolution 1244 in 1999. Nevertheless there is equally no doubt that it is still a long way before the province achieves the goal of establishing stable and truly functioning multi-ethnic and multi-cultural democratic institutions which will allow full minority participation.

Full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99 remains the cornerstone of EU's policy on Kosovo; and the "standards before status" policy provides the benchmarks which form the basis for Kosovo's future. Responsible self-administration and the consolidation of a climate of peaceful co-existence among the ethnic groups are of paramount importance in building a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Kosovo.

Mr. President,

Despite the settlement of 1.5 million refugees and internally displaced persons in SE Europe, over 1 million still remains displaced, which constitute a major humanitarian, social and political challenge for all of us. Achieving genuine and sustainable reintegration of minority returnees is as an indicator of political and democratic maturity, as well as of compliance with internationally accepted standards.

A Kosovo where members of minority communities are oppressed will face a bleak future of self-isolation. All regional actors must spare no efforts in establishing the appropriate security and legislative conditions which will make the returns feasible and in allocating resources to ensure their sustainability and the inclusion of the returnees into the economic recovery process.

Efforts should also focus on the real issues facing the province, economic development, tackling unemployment, attracting foreign job-creating investments, privatization, education, health and fight against organized crime.

The EU supports SRSG Steiner's objective to tackle these challenges: laying the foundation for economic progress, establishing a political culture based on the rule of law, including the fight against organized crime and violence, and building a fair and just society with dignity for all. The EU calls on all the parties to cooperate fully with UNMIK and KFOR in pursuing these objectives.

Organized crime especially is a scourge for the region threatening the very foundations of all our efforts there. It nourishes corruption and ethnic conflict, impedes the building and normal functioning of democratic institutions, the rule of law and market economy, and finances illegal armed groups. Its elimination is of vital importance if any stability and development is to be achieved.

Respect and protection of cultural monuments and religious sites is another challenge we have to deal with. The EU unequivocally condemns all religious vandalisms and supports all efforts aimed at preserving and restoring the cultural monuments and religious sites which are the common heritage of the peoples of the region, irrespectively of their ethnic affiliation or religious beliefs.

Mr. President,

We have repeatedly said in the past, UN authority throughout Kosovo is unconditional. There can be no mono-ethnicity and no parallel structures. We support UNMIK's intention to transfer further competence to the PISG; with power comes responsibility. And responsibility means, among other things, compliance with international obligations, including cooperation with ICTY.

At 25 November 2002, UNMIK took over the north Mitrovica parallel municipal administration building, in an effort to dismantle the parallel structures which have been established there. The EU welcomes the extension of direct administrative authority by UNMIK in Northern Mitrovica as an important step towards the further normalization of the situation in Kosovo. And it is a fine example of the positive impact that the close cooperation between UNMIK and the authorities in Belgrade can have on handling the many issues the region is faced with. We welcome this cooperation and we urge its further enhancement in the future. We also believe that the cooperation between Belgrade and the elected representatives of the people of Kosovo is instrumental in creating the conditions of security necessary for the stability and development of the whole region. All parties need to demonstrate that they can carry out their commitments within the existing Framework. It is unacceptable for anyone to unilaterally decide Kosovo's status.

Mr. President,

Having touched upon the areas for which benchmarks have been established, I would like to reiterate the EU's strong commitment to the Stabilization and Association Process for the Western Balkans as the cornerstone of our relevant policy. Enriched with knowledge drawn from the just completed enlargement process and in order to strengthen the accession-oriented dimension, the Stabilization and Association Process explores ways to introduce the aim of economic and social cohesion into EU policies, assess the priorities and eventually lead to European integration.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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• EU Presidency Statement - The situation in Kosovo (10/6/2003)