Kosovo back on UNSC agenda, Serbia grateful to Russia, China (BETA, Tanjug, B92)
The issue of Kosovo and Metohija has been included back on the agenda of the UN Security Council. The next session that will consider a report on the situation in the southern Serbian province has been scheduled for November 14.
This has been confirmed for Tanjug by First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.
"The program of the SC's work for November has been adopted, where a session dedicated to KiM (Kosovo and Metohija) is back on the agenda, and scheduled for November 14," he said.
He explained that some countries continued to ask to leave Kosovo out of the UNSC agenda, but did not seek a vote on the issue, leaving instead the decision up to the presiding country - this month, it is China.
"I wish to thank China for the exceptionally important support to have Kosovo back on the SC agenda, as well as Russia and other SC members who supported that proposal," Dacic added.
Beta is also reporting now that UN Secretary-General's new report on the work of the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, will be considered at the Security Council on November 14.
Guterres' report was to be presented in August, but that was while the rotating presidency of the Security Council was held by the UK which, like most countries of the West, advocates less frequent sessions about Kosovo, something that Serbia and Russia oppose.
The presidency was held by the US in September, which is also in favor of the changed format, while the president in October was from Bolivia, which does not recognize the independence of Kosovo.
China took over the presidency on Nov. 1. The first meeting of the Security Council this month was dedicated to consultations about the program of work.
In the report that was to be presented in August, Guterres welcomed the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, although there has been no significant progress in the EU-facilitated talks.
In the report about Kosovo for the period from April 16 to July 15, Guterres expressed concern over the fact that, even after six months, there had been no result in the investigation into the assassination of Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic, in broad daylight in Mitrovica North, and urged the Kosovo authorities to step up the investigation and use all available channels for help.
Guterres reported that, overall, the situation was stable in the observed period, unlike the period in the previous report, but that there had been incidents which could re-fuel tensions.