Summary: May 11, 2004: Statement to the Security Council of the United Nations by Ambassador Richard Ryan on behalf of the European Union on the Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the pleasure to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria and Romania, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. President,
I would like to express our appreciation for the presence here today of Mr. Holkeri, and we welcome the opportunity to hear a briefing on the situation in Kosovo. The EU has expressed its full support for the efforts of SRSG Harri Holkeri, UNMIK and KFOR to stabilise the situation, and to ensure the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1244 and the policy of standards before status.
In our statement to the Council on 13 April, the European Union strongly condemned the recent ethnically motivated violence in Kosovo that resulted in many dead and wounded, the destruction of personal property and the destruction of Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries, which is part of the common religious and cultural heritage of all Europeans. The EU also strongly condemned the attacks on the troops of KFOR and on the personnel and sites of UNMIK. Extremism and intolerance are contrary
to European values. The EU urges the Provisional Institutions of Self Government to take concrete steps to fulfil their commitment to rebuild multi-ethnicity and reconciliation throughout Kosovo.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General's report clearly sets out the background to the recent violence, and the report also notes the need for concrete actions by the leaders and people of Kosovo to ensure that the violence is not repeated. The European Union emphasises its full support for the policy of "Standards before Status", and we note that the presentation of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan (KSIP) on 31 March in Pristina is a step forward in the standards process. We urge the Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government to demonstrate their responsibility for and commitment to achieving concrete progress on the implementation of the standards.
We also stress the importance of reconciliation between the communities in Kosovo and urge the parties to resume the direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade in order to address critical issues of common interest. The EU stands ready to support this dialogue.
The European Union has reaffirmed its strong commitment to a secure, democratic, multi-ethnic and prosperous Kosovo. The recent violence has been a setback for Kosovo, and has endangered the progress made in recent years. The EU believes that in the aftermath of the violence, the immediate priorities must be to ensure security, to facilitate the return of displaced persons, to reconstruct destroyed property and religious sites and to bring those responsible to justice. Progress by the PISG in
meeting the standards will be assessed periodically, and progress towards a process to determine the future status of Kosovo, in accordance with resolution 1244, is conditional on the positive outcome of a comprehensive review.
Mr. President,
The EU urges all political leaders in Kosovo, in particular the Kosovo Albanian leadership, to work closely with UNMIK and KFOR to address the many challenges that lie ahead, including economic development. The EU welcomes the Presidential Statement adopted by the Security Council on 30 April, which outlined the need to allow for more effective local government through devolution, and also to ensure the physical security and the full protection of the rights of members of all communities in
Kosovo.
Thank you Mr. President.
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