LOCAL PRESS

 

UN Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija; UNMIK Chief criticized Chitaku (Beta/Tanjug/B92)

 

The United Nations Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija began in New York. The UN Secretary-General's report on the work of UNMIK for the period 16 May 2019 to 15 September this year was discussed at the session. “The international community also expects the new leaders to affirm their commitment to the negotiations with Belgrade and ensure that obstacles to dialogue are removed", the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Zahir Tanin told the Security Council on Thursday night. “Particular efforts should be made to ensure that political rhetoric and actions are conducive to resumption and progress in the dialogue after a year of stalled negotiations,” Tanin said. He welcomed the continued efforts of many international actors to resume political dialogue. Tanin said that any potential agreement between Belgrade and Pristina would only be sustainable with local ownership but highlighted the need for the international community to stand “united and firm in its support toward a viable agreement”. Momentum from an election that heralded the most “significant change” in Kosovo’s politics in years could trigger renewed efforts for rule of law, job creation and the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, the Head of UNMIK says. The snap elections held on 6 October, which had the highest voter turnout since 2010, were called during a difficult time of internal political division, disunity in the governing coalition and “most importantly, the public's perception of inability to deliver on promises to the people of Kosovo,” Tanin told the Security Council. The preliminary results point to the victory by the opposition - Vetëvendosje and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Tanin noted voters endorsed “unconventional” candidates who did not share the same political vision or background as previous leaders", expressing his hope that the new leadership could use momentum from the election to deliver on election promises. “Kosovo Serb majority areas recorded the highest voter turnout in recent times, confirming a trend of active participation by this community in Kosovo elections. Serbian List may become the only Kosovo-Serb parliamentary group represented in the legislature,” Tanin said. The elections were assessed positively by international observers, but challenges, such as campaign financing and intimidation and voter pressure in the Kosovo Serb-majority areas were also highlighted. “I remain hopeful that the new leadership can use the momentum of this election to deliver on its promises to the people by advancing the rule of law, fighting corruption and organized crime, and tackling unemployment,” Tanin concluded. “UNMIK plays crucial role on Kosovo and Metohija,” UNMIK Chief underlined in his speech in front of Security Council. He added that without the prior authorization of the United Nations, Kosovo Police drove and retained an UNMIK vehicle, and forensic examinations were conducted on an UNMIK-owned telephone and two SIM cards. “The arrest and detention of UNMIK staff members while on official duty, as well as the institution of criminal proceedings against them, were in clear violation of their immunity from arrest and detention and from legal process. The use of excessive force, interference with Mission property, and the continuation of criminal proceedings against both staff members are in clear breach of the applicable legal framework, including Security Council resolution 1244, UNMIK regulations and international human rights law standards,” Tanin stated. He added that the international staff member was also declared “persona non grata”, a concept that is not applicable to, or in respect of, UN personnel. “These actions are unacceptable and should not be condoned,” Tanin added in his report.

In a report covering the period 16 May to 15 September 2019, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres estimated that a long pause in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue halted progress towards normalization of relations, which opened the risk of instability on the ground. In the report, Guterres called for the formation of a new Kosovo government so that the dialogue with Belgrade could be resumed quickly, including the removal of all obstacles to dialogue resumption.

 

Pristina sole culprit for no dialogue (Tanjug/Novosti/Beta/FoNet/RTV)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic announced at a UN Security Council meeting that Belgrade is ready to continue the dialogue with Pristina, if conditions are created and stressed that Pristina is solely responsible for having no dialogue at the moment. Dacic said at a UN Security Council session dedicated to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija that Pristina is solely responsible for the lack of dialogue and recalled that a year ago, taxes on goods from central Serbia were introduced a year ago. He said it was an outrageous measure, unilaterally adopted and that Pristina was the only one responsible for making the dialogue meaningless at the moment.

Despite the condemnation of the entire international community and the numerous calls for taxes to be withdrawn, they have been in force for almost a year, with several hundred million dollars in damages and increasing every day, he said. Dacic also said that irrational and unacceptable attempts were made to establish an artificial balance of responsibility between Belgrade and Pristina for interrupting dialogue and explaining that the decision on fees was a response to Serbia's campaign to withdraw recognition of the so-called “Kosovo”. Our activities are a response to the recognition campaign, which is Kosovo, with the help of some of you, has been in the lead ever since they declared independence. If you are already calling on Serbia to suspend the campaign, we expect you to invite Pristina to stop lobbying as well as to stop doing it yourself, Dacic said, adding that we are small, but we are not stupid.

Dacic said that the potential prime minister of so-called Kosovo, Albin Kurti, is not abandoning the idea of ​'Greater Albania, and asked whether some ambassadors having their photo taken with Kurti next to the flag of Albania means giving legitimacy to these dangerous and destabilizing intentions. He said that Kurti was a man who has, throughout his political engagement, advocated the idea of ​'Greater Albania and said that he has now shown he had no intention of giving up on that idea. As he said, Kurti put the Albanian flag in a place of honor in his office in Pristina instead of that of so-called Kosovo. “He wants to be prime minister of so-called Kosovo without the flag of Kosovo, but with the flag of Albania. The serious question is whether the fact that some diplomatic representatives of your countries who were photographed in this decor give legitimacy to these dangerous and destabilizing intentions. You have spent a lot of time saying that Serbia violates the integrity of Kosovo, and now they are sitting in the office of the future prime minister who denies Kosovo's integrity,” Dacic told UNSC members. He asked them why they are silent now and what would happen if some of them came to his office, only to see he had set up the flag of the Republika Srpska, which is a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Would you keep quiet to it calmly like in Pristina? Please warn these ambassadors that they are ambassadors in Pristina, not in Tirana. You are bringing me to an unpleasant situation to defend the territorial (integrity) of so-called Kosovo from Albin Kurti,” Dacic said, recalling that Kurti was openly saying that he didn't want to talk to the Serb List.

Dacic recalled a series of false information that the ambassador of so-called Kosovo to the US Vlora Citaku had uttered during the last session, referring to her statement that Albanians had no right to use the Albanian language in Serbia. “As a confirmation of this lie, I will show you what a document issued by the Serbian authorities in 1990, when Vlora Citaku was 10 years old, looked like. I will show you a birth certificate issued in Kosovo. Vlora Citaku is still a citizen of the Republic of Serbia and is registered in the birth records in the Pristina area under number 6194 for the year 1980,” Dacic said at the UN Security Council session. “Mrs. Citaku, would you like to take a look? You also have a birth certificate like this,” Dacic said and showed the document. The Serbian Minister then indicated that Citaku never asked to be released from the Serbian citizenship: “Maybe she will say now that it is irrelevant to her, but since the German representative is here, let her explain that to him - since Germany requires from every Albanian from Kosovo to provide a certificate of release from the Serbian citizenship,” he said.

 

SzS accuses EU of supporting Serbia’s regime (Beta)

 

The Alliance for Serbia (SzS) said in Nis that the boycott of the next spring’s general elections was the only option since people did not know who to vote for because regime-controlled media had been destroying the image of everyone who dared to say ‘no’ to the authorities for the last seven years, Beta reported on Thursday. Stefan Mitorvic, of the ‘That’s Enough’ movement, said that the EU was pressuring the opposition in Serbia to take part in the elections because “the EU supports this regime.” He said that TV channels with national frequency demonized every single political opponent. Democratic Party member Miodrag Stankovic said the Alliance would not take part in the elections “because there is no election.” “People must know who to vote for, but in the last seven years, they are not informed because the media are closed. The current regime has usurped the media and doesn’t allow people to get true information, ” he told a round table discussion in Nis. Stankovic added the authorities could stop “to demonize” the opposition since it would not take part in that show. Nis’ branch of SzS has been in the boycott campaign for some time. “We are on the ground daily and call on people not to go to the polls,” Stankovic said. The participants in the debate also invited opposition parties that had not yet decide whether to boycott the elections in March next year to do so.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Izetbegovic calls on B&H lawmakers not to tie work of B&H parliament to appointment of new convocation of B&H CoM (BHT1)

 

The Main Board of SDA held a session in Sarajevo on Thursday. Ahead of the session, leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic stated that appointment of a new convocation of the Council of Ministers (CoM) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) should not be linked to work of legislative body and expressed hope that they will make HDZ B&H loosen up their stance. SDA and HDZ B&H are supposed to take part in another negotiation round next week, because according to Izetbegovic, institutional negotiations are already underway. He said: “At this moment, important things can be solved in the Presidency (of B&H) and that is where the negotiations are underway. This is a bit of a public secret. With help of the international community (IC), advisers of the three members of the Presidency are searching for compromise and a solution for the (Annual National program (ANP) and cooperation with the NATO. I think that a solution will be found there. After that, our meeting as leaders of the parties will be basically distribution of positions”. Izetbegovic announced talks which will be held with HDZ B&H delegation and confirmed that SDA wants to hear from HDZ B&H leadership if this party supports B&H’s path towards NATO and activation of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) or not. He said this in regard to Wednesday’s statement of HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic where he emphasized that preconditions should not be set for the process of authority formation, referring to SDA’s condition on adoption of the ANP prior to formation of the new B&H CoM. Covic said he wants the “relations to be relaxed”, but he is quite contradictory in his other statements about the ANP, Izetbegovic assessed. The inaction of the B&H Parliament costs taxpayers at least BAM 60,000 per day, Izetbegovic said, urging MP’s to start working and arguing that their work should not be connected to the deadlock in forming the B&H CoM. “We will once again ask for the legislative branch of authority to be completed and for the work at the state level to begin. Every day that this government body does not work costs taxpayers BAM 60,000,” said Izetbegovic, adding that this is only the figure which can be directly determined but that the overall cost is likely much higher.

 

Sarovic: Work of B&H parliament cannot be connected to process of formation of new B&H CoM convocation (BN TV)

 

Thesis that says the new convocation of the B&H Council of Ministers (B&H CoM) must be formed first in order to unblock the work of the state Parliament is ‘topsy-turvy’, SDS leader Mirko Sarovic said in a statement for BN TV on Thursday. He points that these two things are “two completely separated processes” and emphasizes that election winners are “blocking the work of legislative authority due to their inability to form executive authority”. Sarovic says that three coalition partners on the state-level wish to blame the opposition for their own inability to complete the necessary processes. He notes that nobody is trying to dispute the right of SNSD, HDZ B&H and SDA to form the authorities, as the election winners, but Sarovic reminds these parties that they are obliged to ensure the normal functioning of the B&H Parliament, as they elected the leadership of that institution. If they do not do this, we will take over, because that is our right, said Sarovic, adding that he solely thinks about the interests and needs of B&H citizens. “We would like to acquire the necessary 22 signatures. Will we be successful? That is another matter; but I believe we should at least try,” Sarovic said. Asked if he is holding talks with DNS on authority formation in B&H, Sarovic confirmed that he has been maintaining good relations with that party for quite some time and they even cooperate in some local communities. That cooperation will be intensified in the future, Sarovic adds, saying that DNS and SDS only had “informal talks” on the topic of formation of state-level authorities. Sarovic commented SNSD’s statements about potentially leaving the negotiations on the B&H level and said that those statements should not be taken seriously, as “SNSD strongly wishes to be part of authorities on the state level”. Sarovic concludes that SDS will closely follow developments on the state level and will continue to hold talks with all willing parties. “Those talks will not only be held on the topic of the authority formation, but future cooperation as well,” he stated. In a statement for Srna, SNSD Spokesperson Radovan Kovacevic said that the best example of political rudeness is what SDS leader Sarovic is currently doing in the best interest of SDA, referring to SDA’s political blackmail as a failure. Kovacevic noted that Sarovic wonders why it is a problem that the B&H CoM works in “technical mandate” and it is not a problem that the Federation of B&H Government also works in this way. Sarovic is thus trying to say that he is not the problem, according to Kovacevic.

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ plan of activities for 2020 includes activities related to activation of MAP (Glas Srpske)

 

Glas Srpske daily learns that B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs drafted a plan of activities for 2020, which noted that the Ministry will be included into activation of Membership Action Plan (MAP), despite the fact that RS is officially against that. Daily got in possession of the document which reads that special attention in 2020 will be given to improving of bilateral relations between B&H and NATO and its member states. Document reads that they will use mechanisms and tools of cooperation, including participation of B&H representatives in peacekeeping missions. According to this, the Ministry will have a coordinating role in interdepartmental cooperation on internal, regional and global security, which refers to control of weapon export and implementation of international obligations. Daily argues that the Ministry plans to pay special attention to activities relating to “activation of MAP and implementation of NATO communication of B&H strategy and coordinating action plans”. Sum of above BAM 3 million is planned for development of political dialogue with NATO, reads the daily. The daily raises question why this document, which refers to implementation of activities on MAP activation, was even drafted, but Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak did not want to answer their inquiries, but referred them to the Press Office. He did not even want to say if he saw the document and who drafted it. Delegate in B&H House of Peoples, Dusanka Majkic (SNSD) said that it is obvious that nothing changes in the Ministry’s plans for 2020, despite the fact that the RS has adopted the Resolution on Military Neutrality and clearly expressed its stance regarding the NATO path. She noted that this program corresponds to Foreign Policy Strategy for the period 2018-2023, which is something that RS representatives expressed their reserves about. Majkic concludes that it is obvious that RS parliament resolution is not obligatory for the Ministry and Minister Crnadak, adding that Minister Crnadak is fully responsible for failure to respect the Resolution on Military Neutrality.

 

China’s ambassador: Montenegro isn’t China’s Trojan horse (CDM)

 

China respects Montenegro’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the development path you have chosen, says in the interview for CDM, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to our country, Liu Jin. He says that Montenegro isn’t the Trojan horse of China and adds that such statements are intended to spoil friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. Construction of the priority highway section will be a monument to China-Montenegro friendship, a symbol of Chinese generous help to the development of Montenegro.

 

CDM: What is your opinion about the cooperation with competent institutions in Montenegro regarding construction of the priority highway section? Are Chinese investors interested in building other sections of the highway?

Liu Jin: The famous Chinese philosopher, Kang Youwei, traveled to the Balkans in 1908 and predicted that Montenegro “will be a prosperous nation when its traffic connection improves, some hundred years later”. And just slightly more than hundred years later, his prediction became a reality in Montenegro. Highway project in Montenegro is a road to the full development of this country and better life of its citizens. Construction of priority highway section is a monument of Montenegro-China friendship, symbol of China’s sincere assistance to the Montenegro’s development. As the flagship cooperation project between our two countries, priority part of the highway isn’t just the first of its kind in the history of Montenegro, but this is also the first time that a Chinese company has built large-scale transport infrastructure in Montenegro. Obstacles and challenges aren’t insurmountable. Since the beginning of this project, both sides have been cooperating closely and successfully, accumulating experiences and overcoming problems. Implementation of the project is going smoothly. MoraCica bridge was connected on 11 October. This bridge is the key part of the priority section and guarantees the completion of the entire project. As far as the construction of other sections is concerned, it is up to the both parties to negotiate. Once the highway is finished, Montenegro will be connected to Serbia and further, to the hinterland of Europe, which will be useful for the people in Montenegro and other European countries in the decades to come.

 

CDM: Apart from infrastructure, what are other economic branches which Chinese investors would invest in? Are there any new projects in sight?

Liu Jin: According to the IMPF and the World Bank reports, Montenegro’s economy has been making considerable progress in recent years and is one of the best countries in the Western Balkans. Chinese government encourages its companies to invest in Montenegro. However, progress in investment cooperation hinges on the market. As far as I know, many Chinese companies have expressed great interest in investments in renewable energy and tourism industry in Montenegro.

 

CDM: Brussels officials said on many occasions that Montenegro “is the Trojan horse of China”. What’s your comment?

Liu Jin: China respects sovereignty and territorial integrity of the WB countries. Our country respects the path people in the region have chosen and we understand and praise the efforts of the countries in the region to integrate into the EU. As far as Montenegro’s EU accession is concerned, China respects your development path and welcomes the accession process. Friendly bilateral relations between Montenegro and China are useful for both countries, and there’s no third-party meddling. The Cold War is over, but there’s still that war mentality lingering in the minds of some people. The Trojan horse analogy symbolizes the Cold war mentality and it lacks rationality and common sense. Such remarks are deliberately smearing friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between Montenegro and China. Not only is this unfair to China, but it’s also a sign of disrespect for Montenegro. The fewer people with this kind of Cold War mentality, the better, because this kind of thinking will neither contribute to the development of international relations, nor will it be conducive to maintaining national stability. It will only create contradictions and barriers.

 

CdM: Chinese investments in the WB have been on an upward trend for years. Apart from economic dependence, there’s also danger from the Chinese political influence in the Balkans. Does China really want to exert political influence in the Balkans?

Liu Jin: Chinese investment in the WB is concentrated on the areas connected to the national economy and living standard, which has promoted regional economic growth, created new jobs, improved living standard of local people, and was widely welcomed by them. Such investment projects are important achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative and 17+1 cooperation. They are also a great example of a concept of cooperation between China and the rest of the world for the promotion of the Community of a Shared Future for Mankind. China has no political ambitions in the WB region and it doesn’t represent a strategic threat to the countries in the region. China and WB countries have been cherishing tradition of friendship and understanding. The scope of cooperation between Montenegro and China is still limited and does not create any form of dependence. China respects the WB countries’ independent choice of development path. Cooperation with China has promoted the development of of the economies of regional countries, so this influence is a positive influence and is also widely welcomed by central and Eastern European countries.

 

CDM: Are Balkan countries key link with the Beijing Silk Road, a project that is supposed to create the way for export to Europe and beyond its borders?

Throughout history, the Balkan region was one of the most important routes of the ancient Silk Road. Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by the president Xi Jinping in 2013, linked this region to China once again. The BRI upholds the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.  This initiative supports the principles of comprehensive consultations, joint contribution and common benefit. The spirit of the Silk Road follows peace and cooperation, openness and inclusion, mutual learning and benefit. So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with more than 160 countries and international organizations. The trade volumes between China and these countries exceed $6 trillion. FDI investment exceeds $80 billion, creating more than 244,000 new jobs in these countries.  International community endorsed this Initiative. Implementation of BRI is focused on the coordination of policy, connection of infrastructure, smooth trade, financial integration and closer ties among people. This is closely related to promoting trade and investment and exchanges in various fields. Next month, China will host the second International Import Expo in Shanghai, which reflects China’s determination to commit to a higher level of opening up. Specifically, China will strive to expand imports, actively reduce tariff levels, and eliminate trade barriers. The Expo is an important platform for all the countries including Montenegro to introduce products and services to the Chinese market. The Expo will be held annually, and I hope that Montenegro will seize this opportunity and make good use of this platform.

 

Palmer: The United States is a friend and partner of North Macedonia (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

The United States is a friend and partner of North Macedonia and remains committed to this relationship and the country’s European integration that includes both a path forward towards NATO and EU, said U.S. Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer.

Over the past two days, Palmer met with President Stevo Pendarovski, FM Nikola Dimitrov, Defense Minister Radmila Shekerinska, VMRO-DPMNE and DUI leaders Hristijan Mickoski and Ali Ahmeti, as well as Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Thursday. “U.S. is a friend and partner of North Macedonia. We are committed to this relationship and we’re committed to North Macedonia’s European integration that includes both a path forward towards NATO, which is clean and clear, and a path forward towards membership in the European Union. We are looking forward to partnering with the authorities in Skopje and partnering with our European friends and allies” Palmer told reporters after the meeting with Zaev. He reaffirmed U.S. support for North Macedonia’s European integration and perspective. “This is something we made clear here in Skopje and we will continue to make it clear with our European partners as well,” said Palmer and added that U.S. ambassadors from the region of the Western Balkans also gathered in Skopje for broad-based, wide-ranging discussion about regional issues. Discussions with North Macedonia’s top officials focused on recent developments in North Macedonia, Brussels, the region. “I reaffirmed in all of my conversations in Skopje the importance the United States attaches to the relationship with North Macedonia, the pleasure for the U.S. Senate to approve the instrument of ratification for North Macedonia’s accession to NATO. We are looking forward to this country becoming the 30th member in short order,” noted Palmer.

 

Zaev: Filling the NATO Ambassador post is a priority (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that the ambassador’s post in NATO must be filled as soon as possible. “The government filling the NATO Ambassador post is a priority, is committed to nominating ambassadors for at least half of the vacant ambassador posts and consultations are underway with the President and the Foreign Minister, but filling the NATO Ambassador post is a priority,” said Zaev. In response to a question by VMRO-DPMNE MP Antonijo Miloshoski on whether the government was planning on nominating Teuta Arifi for ambassador to the U.S., Dane Talevski for NATO ambassador, Misho Dokmanovikj for ambassador to Israel and Sashko Nasev for ambassador to Bulgaria, PM Zaev said two of those names were discussed about, whereas the other two haven’t been mentioned at all. Miloshoski noted that the question had been intended for Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, but since he was absent from the session the PM could give an answer. Zaev added that it was too early for him to give his views on the matter, having in mind that the President or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs might not agree with him. The PM pointed out that sending an ambassador to NATO was a priority at this point, and said that he would discuss this with FM Dimitrov in the coming days and ask him to expedite the procedure. He also said that he expected the procedure for new ambassadors to be completed at some point in November or December, or maybe January or February. Miloshoski was not happy with the answer and said that the government shouldn’t send political ambassadors to important diplomatic centers in a pre-election period.

 

Rama-Conte joint press conference (Radio Tirana)

 

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, was received with an official ceremony by the Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte. Albanian Prime Minister’s visit to Italy comes after European Commission decided to postpone opening date for Albania’s accession into the European Union and a few days after the visit of the head of Italian executive in Tirana, where he clearly expressed Italy’s strong support for Albania’s journey towards EU. A day earlier during a meeting in Rome with Macedonian Prime Minister Zaev, the Italian Prime Minister considered the European Commission’s decision to postpone the opening of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia as a historic mistake. Italy has shown that it is one of Albania’s main allies along its development and integration process. Within two weeks, the prime ministers of the two countries met in Tirana and Rome. Prime Minister Conte said at a press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama that they will work on initiatives in various businesses. He has made an appeal to the Albanian opposition to engage in dialogue with the government to resolve the crisis. For his part, Prime Minister Rama reiterated that Albania has no other way but to integrate fully into the European Union. Mr. Rama thanked Italy for the valuable assistance provided to the Albanian people. He stated that he has received support to fight not only organized crime but also to develop business relationships. “I invite Italian entrepreneurs to invest in Albania,” Mr Rama said.

 

Reeker: USA disappointed. Some EU leaders have 19th-century views (Radio Tirana)

 

US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Reeker has criticized certain EU leaders for their stance on Albania and North Macedonia. The top US official says these leaders have nineteenth-century views of the Western Balkans. Philip Reeker said the United States is “disappointed” with the decision taken by EU ministers on October 15th. “The US is disappointed by the EU’s decision not to open negotiations. Some EU leaders have 19th-century views,” Reeker was quoted as saying.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Security Council: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UN Press Release, 31 October 2019)

 

DAVID CLAY (United Kingdom), welcoming progress in Kosovo, said that, however, much more needs to be done to counter corruption and organized crime and to strengthen the judicial system.  Affirming that Kosovo police should be able to confront organized crime wherever they find it, he stressed that it is also important that international personnel should be given the immunities due.  He urged both Pristina and Belgrade to cooperate fully with the Special Chambers and proceed with domestic prosecution of historic crimes.  He also highlighted the importance of support to survivors of sexual crimes.  Commending the country on the elections, he expressed concern about some reports of intimidation.  He called on the new Government to focus on tackling the pressing issues facing the country, to improve inclusivity and to work for regional security.  He called on Pristina to remove tariffs and on Belgrade to cease the “derecognition” campaign, also calling on both sides to resume European‑sponsored talks under a renewed commitment to helping secure peace for future generations.  He thanked UNMIK and all those who contributed to Kosovo’s stability and development and pledged his country’s continued support.

ANNE GUEGUEN (France), congratulating Kosovo on the conduct of elections, expressed hope for progress in reform in the rule‑of‑law sector.  Welcoming UNMIK’s work in bringing people together and other areas, she emphasized the need to respect immunity for international personnel.  Stressing the importance of normalization between Pristina and Belgrade, she called on the two parties to resume dialogue.  Her country will continue to work with Germany to move the dialogue forward, she said.

VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said that the situation in Kosovo remains inauspicious and the dialogue seems to be in a coma.  Expecting an intensification of European Union activity to resume the talks, he said that in order for progress, however, the tolerance for Pristina’s provocations needs to be nipped in the bud.  Unfortunately, he saw no progress regarding respect for the rights of Kosovo’s Serbian community, given reports of intimidation, raids by police and growing aggression towards UNMIK personnel.  The commission’s conclusions on the detention and beating of an UNMIK staff member coincided with the findings of the Russian investigation:  the goal was to prevent the staff member from carrying out his duties.  The images of the incident do not show a young beautiful democracy as has been claimed.  He said that the brutal beating showed how low the police culture is in the country and why Kosovo should not participate in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).  At the same time, UNMIK is basically being squeezed out of Kosovo so no one will be able to witness the lawlessness there.  In addition, regional security is threatened by the Greater Albania project and the return of terrorist fighters to Kosovo.  Nothing is being done by the European Union to address this, or to address the tariffs and impunity of criminals in Kosovo.  His country’s position is clear:  a settlement must be agreed upon by the parties themselves based on Council resolution 1244 (1999).  Meanwhile, the situation requires a watchful eye.  He called for the distribution of a draft presidential statement his country had submitted on the issue.

JOANNA WRONECKA (Poland), congratulating Kosovo on the conduct of the elections, expressed hope that the change in the political spectrum will bring about effective governance that is able to continue reforms.  In regard to the United Nations Mission, she said that the need to freshly assess its comparative advantage is becoming even more apparent as time passes.  At the same time, she expressed deep appreciation for UNMIK’s historic role, commending the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo and the International Security Force in Kosovo for their contributions as well.  As her country continues to view the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina as key to the stability of the whole region, she called on the parties to resume talks towards a comprehensive agreement for that purpose.  In that context, she encouraged Kosovo to remove punitive tariffs, encouraging Serbia to desist in actions aimed at undermining Kosovo’s international position.  She called on the political elites in Kosovo, regardless of affiliation, to continue reforms that lay the basis for a just, inclusive and prosperous environment.  Adding that Kosovo is fully capable of managing its own future, she pledged her country’s willingness to continue to extend assistance and share experiences.

MUHSIN SYIHAB (Indonesia) called on both parties to engage in sincere actions to deescalate tensions on the ground.  Religious sites are sacred sanctuaries to create a positive spirit, he said, condemning all vandalism and calling on law enforcement to investigate and bring those responsible to justice.  Dialogue remains the only feasible way to achieve a win‑win solution for both parties.  He regretted that no high‑level meetings were held between Belgrade and Pristina within the framework of the European Union‑facilitated dialogue.  Trust‑building cannot be successful if the rule of law is not strengthened and the judiciary is not perceived as credible, independent and impartial.  Underscoring the vital role of UNMIK in engaging grass‑roots communities, he expressed concern about the incident in Zubin Potok, involving the arrest of UNMIK staff by the authorities in northern Kosovo.  “We urge a thorough investigation on the incident that clearly violated international law and immunities of international United Nations staff members,” he said.

XOLISA MFUNDISO MABHONGO (South Africa), Council President for October, speaking in his national capacity, reiterated his country’s support to UNMIK in creating an environment conducive to compromise, reconciliation and stability.  “We commend UNMIK’s continued engagement with all stakeholders in pursuit of building trust amongst the communities through dialogue and with initiatives aimed at empowering the youth and women,” he said.  South Africa remains concerned about the situation regarding the arrest of UNMIK personnel.  The continued stalemate in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is of concern as well.  “We call on the two sides to refrain from actions or rhetoric that may increase tensions and further entrench divisions between the parties,” he added.  South Africa can attest that the path to achieving long‑term solutions to what seems like intractable situations may not be easy but is vital to the peace and security of the region.  South Africa called on all parties to show flexibility and take the necessary steps to actively pursue the resumption of dialogue, with the aim of working towards a viable and mutually acceptable solution and the normalization of relations between the two sides.