Summary: August 5, 2004: ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. DIRK JAN VAN DEN BERG, AMBASSADOR PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NETHERLANDS TO THE UNITED NATIONS to the Security Council on the Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. President,
The European Union would like to welcome the appointment of Mr. Jessen-Petersen, as the new SRSG and chief of UNMIK. We look forward to cooperating closely with him, and wish him best of luck in fulfilling his demanding new job. The European Union would like to thank the former SRSG, Mr. Harri Holkeri for his commitment to work in challenging circumstances. Finally, I would like to welcome the presence of Mr. Zoran Loncar, the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Governance of
Serbia, who represents Serbia and Montenegro.
Mr. President,
The violent events of mid-March constituted a serious setback for the future of Kosovo and its people. The report before us covers the period subsequent to the events, from April 1st to July 15, 2004. As we take stock of the progress made towards reconciliation and mutual tolerance, the picture that emerges is mixed, but moderately more positive than ever since the violence of March.
Kosovo Albanian leaders have indeed reached out to Kosovo minorities. During the last few months, already half of the people that were displaced have returned to their homes and villages. Around a third of the properties damaged have been reconstructed, and the authorities have pledged to rebuild the remainder of the destroyed buildings. The intention to establish a Ministry of Community Matters, Human Rights and Return is a promising sign, as is the recent agreement reached on an
anti-discrimination law.
While the European Union commends the Kosovo Albanians for these efforts, it also calls upon them to truly undo all consequences of the March riots. Any person living in any part of the world wants to live in a safe environment where he or she does not need to fear his neighbors because they belong to a different group. It is crucial that the people that remain displaced should be able to return to their homes as soon as possible. Efforts to punish those responsible for the violence have been
undertaken, but not at all levels and not as vigorous as expected.
Likewise, we call upon the Kosovo Serbs to be receptive and responsive to ouvertures made by Kosovo Albanian leaders. In that respect, the lack of involvement of the Kosovo Serbs in the political process is still a cause for concern. Participation in the Provisional Institutions at the political level, and participation in the upcoming elections in October is in the interest of the Kosovo Serbs themselves. They should be strongly encouraged to do so. The EU believes that resumption of the
dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is essential. Now is the time to rise to the challenge.
Mr. President,
Violence of the kind that occurred in March has to be, and indeed was, condemned. Those responsible for the destruction must be brought to justice. We also have to ask the question whether enough is being done to prevent a repetition of the events. The Secretary-General took his responsibility by requesting Ambassador Kai Eide to make a comprehensive review of the policies and practices of all actors in Kosovo. By now, the assessment and analysis of Ambassador Eide have been submitted to the
Secretary-General.
The European Union believes that the mission of Ambassador Eide was timely. The sharing of his conclusions will be welcomed. It seems that a broad discussion on the fundamental questions regarding Kosovo and the policies of the international community should be held at the right time. As to the structure of the presence of the international community, the EU looks forward to work closely with the UN and the new representative of the SG, Mr Jessen-Petersen, in order to find ways to improve the
action of the international community in Kosovo.
Meanwhile, there ought to be progress on the standards, not just in reports but visibly on the ground. As the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bernard Bot, stated on behalf of the European Union during his visit to the region two weeks ago, the European Union is committed to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1244, and the policy of Standards before Status. The standards are aimed at promoting values such as respect for minorities, tolerance, democracy and the rule of
law. Their implementation will be key for Kosovo's future. The implementation of standards will be a long lasting process and will continue after the mid-2005 Review. It is part of the process drafted during the Thessaloniki summit of June, 2003 on the perspectives of inclusion of the Western Balkans countries in the European Union.
Mr. President,
The European Union considers the Joint Declaration of 14 July to be a step in the right direction and a positive signal of commitment by Kosovo leaders of all origins. As stated earlier, the Declaration announced the establishment of a Ministry of Community Matters, Human Rights and Return. All parties expressed a shared commitment to do their utmost to ensure that sustainable return of internally displaced people can take place.
The Declaration also supported the current promising efforts on reform of local government. In that regard, the EU welcomes the progress achieved and commends the working group on local government, co-chaired by UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions, for its proposals. Reform of local government and decentralisation are important steps forward towards ensuring sustainable government, the protection of minority communities, and better living conditions for all inhabitants in Kosovo. The EU
calls upon all communities and interested parties in Kosovo to fully engage in this important process and to undertake concrete steps to start implementation of the reforms as soon as possible.
Mr. President,
The EU is a strong contributor to the economic development and reform efforts in Kosovo. As indicated in the report of the SG, the third wave of privatization has been launched. The EU looks forward to a renewed momentum for this process, and calls on all parties involved to take a rational, non-political approach to the issue of privatization.
Let me finalize, Mr. President, by stating that the commitment of the EU to Kosovo is not limited to Pillar IV. We strongly believe that the future of Kosovo is within European structures. Consequently, the European Union continues to be the largest donor of financial support to Kosovo. It will do its utmost to enable Kosovo to become part of not only the political and economic union that the EU constitutes, but also of the community of values it stands for.
Thank you.
*Croatia continues to be part of the Stablisation and Association Process
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