Tweet
UN WARNS OF REGRESS IN KOSOVO PROCESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kosovo's overall progress towards building a
functioning economy and establishing democratic institutions of
self-government has been encouraging, but those advances could soon
unravel unless the Serbian province's future status is determined,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.
In his latest progress report on the work of the United Nations
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Ban writes that
the progress being made under UN administration is threatened by the
continuing tensions between the province's ethnic communities.
"Sustaining and consolidating progress made by Kosovo will require
concrete prospects for the conclusion of the future status process
and the active and constructive cooperation of all involved," he
says, adding that the determination of Kosovo's final status should
as such remain a priority of the Security Council and the broader
international community.
In March, a report by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the
future status process Martti Ahtisaari found that the only viable
option for Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others
by nine to one, was a phased process of independence. Kosovo's Albanian
leadership support independence but Serbia is opposed.
Mr. Ban notes in his report that Kosovo's so-called Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) have made "concrete progress"
towards meeting the standards, a set of eight overall targets that
include building democratic institutions, enforcing minority rights,
creating a functioning economy and setting up an impartial legal
system.
"The Provisional Institutions have laid the basis for a peaceful
and normal life for all of the people of Kosovo," Mr. Ban writes,
while observing that much remains to be done in achieving some of
the targets.
UNMIK has run Kosovo since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces
amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.
The Secretary-General stresses that reintegrating and reconciling
the communities of Kosovo "remains an uphill challenge." Kosovo
Serbs in particular feel that the PISG do not represent them, and a
large majority boycott the institutions and rely instead on parallel
structures supported by authorities in Belgrade.
"At the same time, returns of Kosovo Serbs remain disappointingly low
due to uncertain economic prospects and continuing security-related
concerns."
Mr. Ban's report, released ahead of Security Council consultations on
Kosovo scheduled for next Monday, contains a technical assessment
of the progress towards the standards by Joachim Rucker, the
Secretary-General's Special Representative in the province, the UN
communication unit reports.
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kosovo's overall progress towards building a
functioning economy and establishing democratic institutions of
self-government has been encouraging, but those advances could soon
unravel unless the Serbian province's future status is determined,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.
In his latest progress report on the work of the United Nations
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Ban writes that
the progress being made under UN administration is threatened by the
continuing tensions between the province's ethnic communities.
"Sustaining and consolidating progress made by Kosovo will require
concrete prospects for the conclusion of the future status process
and the active and constructive cooperation of all involved," he
says, adding that the determination of Kosovo's final status should
as such remain a priority of the Security Council and the broader
international community.
In March, a report by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the
future status process Martti Ahtisaari found that the only viable
option for Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others
by nine to one, was a phased process of independence. Kosovo's Albanian
leadership support independence but Serbia is opposed.
Mr. Ban notes in his report that Kosovo's so-called Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) have made "concrete progress"
towards meeting the standards, a set of eight overall targets that
include building democratic institutions, enforcing minority rights,
creating a functioning economy and setting up an impartial legal
system.
"The Provisional Institutions have laid the basis for a peaceful
and normal life for all of the people of Kosovo," Mr. Ban writes,
while observing that much remains to be done in achieving some of
the targets.
UNMIK has run Kosovo since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces
amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.
The Secretary-General stresses that reintegrating and reconciling
the communities of Kosovo "remains an uphill challenge." Kosovo
Serbs in particular feel that the PISG do not represent them, and a
large majority boycott the institutions and rely instead on parallel
structures supported by authorities in Belgrade.
"At the same time, returns of Kosovo Serbs remain disappointingly low
due to uncertain economic prospects and continuing security-related
concerns."
Mr. Ban's report, released ahead of Security Council consultations on
Kosovo scheduled for next Monday, contains a technical assessment
of the progress towards the standards by Joachim Rucker, the
Secretary-General's Special Representative in the province, the UN
communication unit reports.