KOSOVO - GUIDANCE FOR JULY 25 UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIK

UNCLAS STATE 079953

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNSC PREL UNMIK KO
SUBJECT: KOSOVO - GUIDANCE FOR JULY 25 UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIK


1. The Department requests that USUN draw on the following
points during the UN Security Council discussion on the UN
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK),scheduled to take place on Friday,
July 25.


2. Begin Points:

Mr. President:

We welcome the Secretary General,s quarterly report on
UNMIK. UNMIK has accomplished a great deal in Kosovo during
this period under very difficult circumstances, and I would
like to take this opportunity to thank former SRSG Reucker
and his deputy Larry Rossin for their hard work and
significant achievements during their tenure. I would like
to formally welcome the appointment of Mr. Lamberto Zannier
as the Secretary General,s new Special Representative in
Kosovo. Mr. Zannier is well qualified to assume this role
and the United States is confident in his ability to
consolidate UNMIK,s considerable achievements in preserving
peace and stability in Kosovo. He and his staff have the
support of the United States as they work to implement the
Secretary General,s plans to reconfigure UNMIK.

I welcome Foreign Minister Hyseni to the Council and
congratulate him on his historic appointment as Kosovo's
first Foreign Minister and on the progress his government is
making as it charts its new independent course.

I also welcome Foreign Minister Jeremic here today and
congratulate Serbia on demonstrating its commitment to rule
of law through the arrest of Radovan Karadzic. The new
Serbian government is making commendable efforts to improve
relations with the EU and we encourage Serbia to further
illustrate these pro-democracy gestures by engaging
constructively with the EU on Kosovo.

Today, I would like to make three points.

First, this is a time of great promise for all the people of
Kosovo. The July 11 donors conference in Brussels exceeded
expectations with pledges totaling 1.9 billion dollars. The
Conference underscored the commitment of key members of the
international community to help foster economic growth,
support regional stability, and encourage prosperity for all
the people of Kosovo. I am pleased to note that, since
Kosovo's declaration of independence on February 17, a
constitution and 41 laws have been passed with strong
commitments to protection of minority community rights as
well as religious and cultural heritage in line with the
recommendations of former UN Special Envoy Ahtisaari.
Furthermore, three minorities including two ethnic Serbs
continue to serve as ministers in Kosovo,s government;
ethnic Serbs are active in several of Kosovo,s local and
central government institutions; 43 countries have recognized
Kosovo,s independence; and Kosovo has applied for membership
in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The
government of Kosovo and the vast majority of Kosovo,s
citizens -- from all ethnic groups -- have shown goodwill and
restraint, despite continued provocations by hardline
opponents of Kosovo,s independence. The progress and
stability in Kosovo has been laudable and should be commended
by all members of the Council.

Second, despite this progress, we share the Secretary
General,s concern regarding the continuing lack of control
on the Serbia-Kosovo border. Smuggling remains rampant, and
the threat of violence from hardliners remains worrisome. We
call on Serbia to end its manipulation of ethnic-Serb police
officers in Kosovo and to support all authorities in their
efforts to restore legitimate customs and other normal border
functions.

The threat of violence against those who would seek to
re-impose order on the border is part of a larger pattern of
ongoing provocations that must cease. I draw your attention
to a few examples.

-- Tragically, a UN policeman was killed when the UN and KFOR
responded to March 17 violence by Serb assailants and Serbian
Ministry of Interior personnel.

-- Despite UNMIK's declaration that May 11 Serbian local
elections contradicted UNSC 1244 and their results in Kosovo
were invalid, Serbian authorities have supported individuals
that have no legal standing, creating conflict with the
legitimate local authorities appointed by UNMIK and recently
recognized by the Government of Kosovo.

-- And, as we have noted on several occasions, we deplore
ongoing efforts by hardliners using financial levers and
physical intimidation to coerce ethnic Kosovo Serbs not to
participate in Kosovo institutions.

We call on the new government in Belgrade to halt the
destabilizing policies of the past and to support legitimate
efforts at building reconciliation and stability.

We also share the Secretary General,s concern about the
property dispute at the Decan Monastery. This issue
highlights an important principle as the Government of Kosovo
and the international community work to ensure that minority
cultural and religious rights are respected within
independent Kosovo, as stipulated in the Ahtisaari plan. We
continue to insist that the Government of Kosovo and
municipal authorities must respect UNMIK Executive Directives
issued prior to June 15. The SRSG,s letter to Bishop
Teodosijie and the Mayor of Decani is a step in the right
direction. Looking ahead, the International Civilian
Representative will exercise oversight to ensure that the
Government of Kosovo meets its obligations to protect the
rights of minority communities and their cultural and
religious heritage.

Third, as this Council has remained deadlocked and unable to
provide guidance to the Secretary General regarding UNMIK,s
future, we welcome and fully support the Secretary General,s
announced decision to reconfigure UNMIK in light of new
realities on the ground in Kosovo, particularly as Kosovo's
new constitution has come into force. This decision by the
Secretary General is completely in line with his existing
authorities under resolution 1244. We look forward to quick
progress on UNMIK,s reconfiguration and its carrying out of
the residual functions as the Secretary General has
previously outlined. As we have consistently held since a
broad international coalition moved to implement the plan of
former Special Envoy Ahtisaari, UNMIK must adapt to the new
reality of Kosovo,s independence and the establishment of
the International Civilian Office and the EU,s Rule of Law
Mission, EULEX.

Specifically, we welcome and fully support the decision by
the Secretary-General to authorize transfer of
responsibilities regarding rule-of-law from UNMIK to EULEX.
EULEX will play a critical role in supporting the development
and enforcement of rule of law throughout Kosovo. It is for
that reason that the United States will contribute police and
judicial personnel to the EU-led mission. We look forward to
EULEX's early deployment throughout Kosovo and encourage the
UN and the EU to conclude technical negotiations that would
allow for full EULEX deployment as soon as possible. All
parties must recognize that the deployment of EULEX
throughout Kosovo will help ensure stability for all
ethnicities in Kosovo.

This Council can still contribute to the preservation of
UNMIK,s tremendous legacy of having preserved peace and
stability in Kosovo since its establishment in 1999. We call
on all Council members to support the Secretary General as he
exercises his authority under resolution 1244 to guide UNMIK
as it makes a key transition in Kosovo. We also ask that
Council Members support the members of the International
Steering Group and the EU as they work to take on the
responsibility of international supervision of Kosovo, and by
extension the preservation of UNMIK,s positive legacy.

End Points.
RICE