Ban Ki-Moon: Kosovo Relatively Peaceful
Belgrade | 18 June 2009 |Ban Ki-Moon
His report described the security situation in Kosovo as 'relatively peaceful', despite several incidents in northern Kosovo and despite Pristina's request for UNMIK to withdraw.
"I call on the communities and the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade to continue to closely cooperate with all international representatives in order to reduce tensions to a minimum and reach a solution in a peaceful fashion," Ban Ki-moon said.
Serb-run municipalities in northern Kosovo, such as Mitrovica, operate separately from the rest of Kosovo. Serbian leaders there only accept UNMIK and KFOR as legitimate missions, installed under Resolution 1244, and will not accept any control from the Kosovo authorities, the report added.
"UNMIK can serve as a bridge between [the EU rule of law mission] EULEX and local political leaders in northern Kosovo," said Ban Ki-moon.
He recalled that Pristina had blocked several visits to Kosovo by Serbian officials to Kosovo, describing this as problematic.
The amount of returnees was described as disappointing; some progress in the protection of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo had been made, however.
Lamberto Zannier, UNMIK chief, told the session that UNMIK's operation under Resolution 1244 maintained the mission's neutral status as regards Kosovo's status, placing it into a good position to encourage reconciliation and cooperation in the region.
The first phase of reconfiguration was now complete, he added, so that UNMIK could now focus more on diplomatic issues and take a more active political role in encouraging dialogue between opposing groups.
Zannier said problems over supplying electricity to Serbs who had not paid their bills for the last 10 years had seen progress; 98 per cent of the local Serbs had accepted a payment plan and were now receiving electricity in return.
Zannier also said advances had been made in the field of cultural protection and in finding missing persons. Pristina and Belgrade were slowly coming together to work on resolving their differences, he maintained.
