The Committee for Foreign Affairs, met today with Zahir Tanin, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General. After the meeting which lasted more than two hours, Tanin said to the media that UNMIK is a decision of the Security Council and that this is the reason why they are here. He also said that they will be in Kosovo as long as the Security Council wants them to be.

“We discussed about how can we work together, as you know the United Nations are here to help Kosovo, help Kosovo population, communities. We have been here from the beginning and we are here now to see how we can work more closely, how can we contribute to peace, stability, security, together with other international members, KFOR, EULEX. UN is an organisation which belongs to all member states, which represent humanity, protection of peace and security, which is the reason of its existence after the World War II. UNMIK mission is a decision of the Security Council and this is the reason why we are here and we will be here as long as the Security Council wants us to be,” he said.

Head of the Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, Elmi Recica said after the meeting that the role of UNMIK in Kosovo is the one determined by Resolution 1244.

“UNMIK has the role that it has been based on Resolution 1244 and it responds directly to the UN Secretary General,” he said.

Asked about the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to shut down this mission, he said that they do not have anything concrete from the Ministry. “We will very soon call the Minister for Foreign Affairs to report, and we will learn about it,” he said.

Puhie Demaku member of the Committee form Vetevendosje movement spoke after this meeting about the two concerns of her party. “The two concerns of the Vetevendosje Movement have been confirmed. The first one is lack of benefit from these kinds of missions that exist in Kosovo. Their efficiency has dropped and it is unnecessary, especially during these after independence years, when we should have consolidated institutions which would do their job,” she said.

The second concern according to her is the request of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to shut down this mission. She said that with this request, Kosovo institutions once again reflected their lack of seriousness, being that only the Security Council can do so.

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General, Zahir Tanin held this meeting with the request of the Committee for Foreign Affairs.