UN Secretary General can suggest changes to the composition of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) including the end of the mission, but the decision must be made by the UN Security Council where the five permanent members, including Russia and China, have veto power, Beta news agency learned.
The diplomatic source, which the Belgrade-based news agency contacted after the US Ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley, sent a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres asking for the initiation of UNMIK’s exit strategy, said the Mission cannot be ended without the Security Council’s decision.
Asked about the procedure in such cases, the same source said that, theoretically, the UN Secretary General does not have to respond to the letter at all, but previous practice showed that US suggestions and initiatives were rarely ignored.
The source also said it is interesting that the US initiative came right after the August UN Security Council session which did not deal with the regular quarterly report on UNMIK’s work. They said this was the first time to happen since 1999.
Heley’s letter to Guterres, sent on October 9, requested the initiation of UNMIK’s exit strategy, which was rated by Belgrade as an initiative for this Mission to leave Kosovo.
