Summary: June 10, 2003: Statement by H.E. Ambassador Adamantios Th. Vassilakis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, on behalf of the European Union, at the Security Council. The situation in Kosovo (New York)
Mr. President,
Since this is the first time we are speaking under your Presidency, allow me first to congratulate you on the assumption of your duties. I would also like to extend our congratulations to the previous President, Pakistan, for his excellent job.
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, as well as the EFTA countries members of the European Economic Area, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, declare that they align themselves with this statement.
We welcome Assistant Secretary General Annabi's briefing on the situation. We would like to stress that the continuous and unabated interest and involvement of the international community, especially through the Security Council, is of paramount importance if this area is to finally achieve peace, stability and prosperity.
Mr. President,
On this fourth anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, let me reiterate that full implementation of UNSCR 1244 remains the cornerstone of EU's policy on Kosovo. Building a democratic, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Kosovo with full respect for the rule of law and for human and minority rights is our stated course of action. The "standards before status" policy provides the agreed framework for achieving these objectives.
Terrorism and violence will not be tolerated, be it ethnically, politically or criminally motivated. We unequivocally condemn incidents like the recent killing of two 80-year old Kosovar Serbs and their son in the village of Obilic. We welcome the condemnation of this act of violence by all parties in Kosovo and the visit by Prime Minister Rexhepi to Obilic. We expect all parties to do their utmost so that the perpetrators are soon brought to justice.
A Kosovo where in turn members of minority communities are oppressed will face a bleak future of self-isolation. Our efforts should aim at establishing the appropriate security, economic and legislative conditions which will allow the minorities to be, as they should be, an integral part of the Kosovar political, economic, social and cultural life, making at the same time the return of refugees feasible and sustainable.
Organized crime is the single most urgent challenge we have to deal with in the region. Coupled with extremism and with deep roots in the political and social life of the area, organized crime threatens the very foundation of the principles and values we try to instil in the new institutions formed there thus rendering our efforts fruitless.
Mr. President,
Political stability in Kosovo requires the formation of stable institutions through the establishment and strengthening of local democracy. We fully support the process of transfer of competencies to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, as set out in Chapter V of the Constitutional Framework and taking into account the capacity of these institutions to handle them. Building effective, transparent and accountable institutions to the benefit of all communities, while at the same time
adhering to the obligations stemming out of the Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Constitutional Framework and not pre-judging the final status, should be our main objectives.
Mr. President,
The EU is strongly committed to securing peace, security and conditions of political and economic development in the region by enhancing its European perspective through the Stabilization and Association Process. The Thessaloniki Summit, to be held on 21 June, will focus exactly on this European perspective aiming at promoting both regional ownership and regional cooperation, including a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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