Serbian officials protest reconfiguration of UNMIK, but are ready to negotiate

28/07/2008

Serbia's foreign minister and minister for Kosovo relayed their objections to reshaping the UN mission to Kosovo, which Serbia still regards as part of its territory.

By Igor Jovanovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade -- 28/07/08

UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier. [File]

New UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier was in Belgrade on Wednesday (July 23rd). During the visit, his first since assuming the post, Serbian officials conveyed their dissatisfaction with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's decision to begin reconfiguring UNMIK without the Security Council's consent.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic met with Zannier. They agreed to go forward with negotiations between Serbia and UNMIK on reshaping the international presence in Kosovo, as Ban has proposed.

But the Serbian officials reiterated Belgrade's position that any takeover by the EU's EULEX mission of UNMIK duties must abide by Security Council Resolution 1244 and gain the approval of the council, where Belgrade enjoys strong support from permanent members Russia and China.

Last year, Security Council members were unable to agree on a "supervised independence" plan put forward by former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari. Kosovo authorities, who declared independence unilaterally earlier this year, continue to use the plan as the basis for going forward, but Belgrade insists it cannot be implemented without council approval.

Serbia has ruled out any recognition of Kosovo's move, while also demanding that the authorities in Pristina ensure protection of the Serb minority's rights.

According to the Serbian foreign ministry, Zannier said UNMIK wishes to preserve peace and stability in Kosovo and that UNMIK will maintain its neutrality towards the status of Kosovo.

The conferees also agreed on the "urgent" need to discuss problems in the judiciary and police in Kosovo; hence, those issues will be reviewed "as soon as possible".

"There will be no confirmation by the Security Council of anything that is not completely acceptable to Belgrade," Jeremic said later on Belgrade's Pink TV. He added that he received assurances of this stance during his recent visit to Russia, which has been a pro-Serbia voice in the UN.

Officials in Pristina played down the importance of Zannier's talks in Belgrade and said that any decisions concerning Kosovo would need their consent. Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci said Zannier's visit to Belgrade could be only "routine".

"We expect no significant changes or different approaches, but it must be said that two things are clear -- one, that only Kosovo and its officials can speak for Kosovo, and two, that status and political issues cannot be discussed. Those are closed issues," Kuci told the Pristina daily Zeri.