S/PV.4171 Security Council

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peace-keeping Operations. There being no objection, it is so decided. I invite Mr. Annabi to take a seat at the Council table. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear a briefing by Mr. Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary- General for Peace-keeping Operations. I am pleased to give him the floor. Mr. Annabi: Since the last briefing provided to the Security Council by Mr. Bernard Kouchner, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, on 9 June, last month, the activities of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) have focused on several key areas. At the forefront of the Mission’s agenda has been the ongoing effort to improve security throughout Kosovo. Special measures have been taken to enhance and improve security throughout Kosovo. Special measures have been taken to enhance security for minority communities, and UNMIK considers that the situation is showing some signs of stabilization. UNMIK also continues to concentrate on the advancement of the Joint Interim Administrative Structures process and on ensuring maximum involvement in that process by all political groups. Significant progress was achieved here with the return of the Kosovo Serbs in the Interim Administrative Council, the IAC, at the end of June. However, this success has been tempered by the current suspension of participation of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the PDK, in the same body. Finally, preparations for elections have continued. In general, registration results have been encouraging, but the Kosovo Serb community and much of the Kosovo Turkish population are not participating. I will now touch on the various aspects of the situation. I apologize in advance for what will be a somewhat lengthy briefing, but there have been a number of significant developments over the last month. I will first touch on the political situation. In the face of escalating violence in late May and early June, the Serb National Council of Gracanica (SNC-G) temporarily suspended its participation in the IAC and the Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC). The suspension was lifted on 25 June when the SNC-G voted to resume participation in the Joint Interim Administration structures institutions for an additional three months. The decision came in the wake of a number of concerted steps on the part of the international community to encourage the SNC-G to resume its participation. As part of the agreement concluded with the SNC-G to resume its participation, on 29 June Bishop Artemije and Special Representative Kouchner signed a joint understanding that outlined steps to be taken in order to further improve the security and living conditions of the Kosovo Serb population. In reaction, the Kosovo Albanian community expressed fears that the implementation of that joint understanding might lead to a delegation of security powers by UNMIK to the Kosovo Serb population. Citing similar concerns, Mr. Thaci decided to freeze his participation in the IAC, and that of his party, PDK, in the KTC. The meetings of the IAC and of the KTC at the end of May and at the beginning of June focused heavily on the upsurge of violence against Kosovo Serbs. But both the IAC and the KTC issued statements condemning in the strongest possible terms what in many cases appears to be systematic violence against members of minority communities. The three Kosovo Albanian members of the IAC — Mr. Thaci, Mr. Rugova and Mr. Qosja — also issued separate statements supporting ethnic tolerance. In addition, the Special Representative, together with the Kosovo Albanian political leaders, visited the sites of two egregious attacks against Kosovo Serbs in order to publicly condemn all ethnically motivated violence. The day after, the discussions of the IAC and the KTC focused on the debate over the design of the electoral system to be used in the proposed municipal elections. On 8 July, the Special Representative signed the regulation on the conduct of the municipal elections, which accepted the central election commission’s recommendations for a proportional system of voting with open lists of candidates. This was opposed by Mr. Thaci’s PDK party. On 11 July, the IAC endorsed a draft regulation on the structure and functions of municipal administrations throughout Kosovo. The draft regulation establishes provincial institutions for democratic and autonomous self-government at the municipal level and is, in UNMIK’s view, an important step in the progressive transfer of administrative responsibilities from UNMIK to the local authorities. The endorsement by the IAC of this draft regulation came in the absence of Mr. Thaci, who has indicated that he does not support it. In addition, Mr. Qosja opposed the draft provision establishing local community offices. Despite the recent violence and the general refusal on the part of the Kosovo Serb community to engage in the civil registration process, Kosovo Serb representatives in some municipalities have begun to participate in recent municipal board meetings. For example, board meetings in Vitina and Novo Brdo, in the region of Gnjilane, have been attended by Kosovo Serb representatives since the end of last month. However, in the mixed municipalities of the Pristina region Serb representatives continue to refuse to participate in the deliberations of the municipal councils. Turning to the security situation, the first two weeks of June witnessed an increase in the frequency of ethnically motivated attacks, primarily targeting Kosovo Serbs. Between 31 May and 15 June, a total of 6 Kosovo Serbs were murdered and 10 injured in a series of attacks. During the second week of this month, there were also four grenade attacks against members of the Kosovo Roma community. These attacks, which took place at Stimlje, in the region of Prizren, and in Mitrovica, left four Roma injured, including, regrettably, two children. UNMIK reports that the number of threats against non-Serb families residing in northern Mitrovica is on the rise. UNMIK continues to conduct home visits to isolated Kosovo Albanian and Slav Muslim families to identify needs for humanitarian aid, medical services and security. Minority communities in urban Pristina and north of the city also continue to report lack of freedom of movement and access to essential services. Beginning in the third week of June, Kosovo saw several incidents of violence and unrest within Kosovo Serb communities. One such incident took place in northern Mitrovica on 21 June following the arrest by UNMIK police of a Kosovo Serb suspected of stoning a garbage collection truck driven by a Kosovo Albanian. A crowd quickly formed and became violent following the arrest, and 11 Kosovo Serbs and 8 UNMIK police officers were injured in the ensuing fray. Seven vehicles belonging to UNMIK and four belonging to non-governmental organizations were damaged or destroyed. In the wake of the incident, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) temporarily suspended most of its humanitarian activities in northern Mitrovica. On 23 June, another violent incident took place in Strpce, in the region of Gnjilane, following the disappearance of a Kosovo Serb. A well-organized group of Kosovo Serbs ransacked and vandalized the UNMIK municipal building in Strpce, targeting the offices of international employees. The body of the missing local Serb was later discovered, revealing that he had been murdered. In response to this incident and other violent protests in which the lives of Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers were endangered, KFOR’s Multinational East Brigade suspended protection for convoys entering and leaving the town on 3 July. However, the suspension was lifted three days later following the arrest of a local Kosovo Serb charged with leading the crowd in the 23 June incident, as well as the issuance of an announcement by the local community leaders declaring their readiness to cooperate with KFOR and UNMIK in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999). On 5 July explosions were reported in the Kosovo Serb village of Velica Hoca, again in the region of Prizren. Following those explosions, violent protests erupted in which two United Nations vehicles were destroyed. Members of the Serb community barricaded the main road leading into the village. When UNMIK police and KFOR arrived to investigate, local Kosovo Serbs put their children on top of the barricades to prevent KFOR and UNMIK police from proceeding. The blockade was eventually dismantled and the crowd dispersed. A KFOR weapons search, which began on 15 June, resulted in the discovery of two concrete bunkers filled with a large number of weapons, as well as a training site close by, near Klecka village in the central Drenica valley. Another cache of weapons was discovered on 18 June. One of the bunkers showed signs of having been recently accessed. The weapons discovered included a large number of grenades, mortars, small arms, ammunition and other explosives. According to documents found at the site of the cache, the weapons belonged to the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Mr. Ceku, the Commander of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), has denied all knowledge of the weapons caches and stated that it was “good for Kosovo” that the caches had been discovered. An investigation into the incident is under way. In the early morning of 7 July, a violent altercation occurred in the town of Streoc, in the Pec region, involving Ramush Haradinaj, a former KLA commander and founder of the new political party known as the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, several members of the Kosovo Protection Corps, Sedik Musaj, formerly associated with the Armed Forces of Kosovo (FARC) and now aligned with the Democratic League of Kosovo, and possibly other individuals. Having been wounded in the incident, Mr. Haradinaj sought medical assistance some hours later from KFOR and was subsequently transported to the United States hospital at Camp Bondsteel. It was determined that his injuries could not be treated in theatre, and he was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Germany. UNMIK police is conducting a full investigation with the support of KFOR. Owing to his medical condition, Mr. Haradinaj has yet to be interviewed by police investigators, and UNMIK investigators will travel to Germany to conduct the interview as soon as it is feasible. The incident has received extensive coverage in the local and international press, with widely varying speculation being put forth regarding the possible circumstances of this incident. UNMIK has cautioned all concerned not to prejudge the ongoing extensive police investigation. An international prosecutor and an international investigating judge will be assigned to handle the case. I should like now to touch on the measures that have been put in place by UNMIK to improve security. In response to last month’s violence, UNMIK and KFOR have continued to explore all possible avenues for improving the security of minorities and increasing their access to municipal services. In Gnjilane, UNMIK has been working with KFOR to assist Kosovo Serbs during the harvesting period by enhancing security and enabling farmers to purchase fuel, to which they have had limited access. In that same region, speed-deterrent obstacles, which are designed to prevent drive-by shootings, have been introduced in Kosovo Serb villages and in mixed villages. In northern Mitrovica, where low-level harassment of Kosovo Albanians and Bosniacs continues, the design and implementation of UNMIK police and KFOR joint security operations has continued to be refined. A total of 13 local community officers, whose role is to facilitate the access of Kosovo minority groups to a full range of municipal services, have been deployed to this region. In line with the joint understanding signed between the Special Representative and Bishop Artemije, UNMIK police has concentrated in recent weeks on developing a special security task force which is designing additional measures to combat ethnically targeted violence. Its first priority is to address the threat facing the Kosovo Serb community. This task force is working in close cooperation with KFOR to plan measures to enhance the application of joint security operations. Emphasis is being placed on building what is called a partnership for security at the local community and neighbourhood level. UNMIK police will assist in educating the local population about crime prevention and general security practices and will strengthen information-sharing and cooperation at the local level. This task force will also develop recommendations for preventive investigation and law-enforcement measures, taking into account available UNMIK police and KFOR resources. Measures were also enacted by the Special Representative to curb the threat posed by irresponsible behaviour on the part of the local media, such as the publication of inflammatory articles that might endanger the lives of individuals. Two regulations designed to govern the licensing and regulation of both broadcast and print media have been promulgated by Mr. Kouchner. The regulations include a code of conduct and provide for sanctions for violations of the regulations or of the code as well as an appeal process. The regulation governing print media has already been used against Dita, following that daily newspaper’s publication of the names of Kosovo Serbs whom it accused of war crimes. As regards relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, UNMIK has proposed the establishment of a Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) in order to facilitate dialogue on practical problems of mutual concern with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The terms of reference of this Joint Consultative Committee are now under intensive discussions between UNMIK and the Committee for Cooperation of the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Pristina. UNMIK believes that the putting in place of the Joint Consultative Committee will be of considerable importance, and it plans to focus its consultations initially within that Committee on concrete issues of immediate relevance to both sides, such as transport, communications, postal services, trade, finance, education and travel. UNMIK is hopeful that this Joint Consultative Committee will be able to commence activities shortly. As regards the situation in southern Serbia, there have been reports in the last few weeks of an increased Serbian police presence throughout the ground security zone, and on 21 June 13 families totalling 103 people left Ternovci Vogel and crossed into Kosovo. These newly displaced persons indicated that their flight was prompted by a fear of reprisals after two elderly Serb residents in their village were killed by unknown assailants. Although this displacement was less dramatic than the internally displaced flows experienced in February and early March, it does indicate that the situation in southern Serbia remains fluid. I should now like to turn to the election preparations and to the registration process. The civil registration process is now coming to a close, and UNMIK reports that significant progress has been made in the effort to register the population. As of the end of last week, as of 7 July, 893,281 applications had been received. Of these, 100,912 have been reviewed, and UNMIK has been able to substantiate close to one third of these cases. The total number of names placed on the civil registry now stands at 812,644. The campaign to register “habitual residents” of Kosovo who are currently living abroad has also met with marked success. The total number of approved applications submitted outside Kosovo now stands at 55,352, with an additional 44,824 cases still under review. Despite the active participation of the Kosovo Albanian population in the registration process, the Kosovo Serb community and much of the Kosovo Turkish community are continuing to boycott the process. In the latest of many efforts made by UNMIK, the Institution Building Pillar of UNMIK organized a major meeting on 7 July in Leposavic with 42 Kosovo Serb leaders from all over the province to discuss the civil registration process and the upcoming elections. All of the Kosovo Serb representatives present at that meeting, including those of the SNC-Gracanica, the SNC-Mitrovica and the Serb National Assembly, agreed that Kosovo Serbs should not register until such time as significant progress has been made with respect to security and the return of Kosovo Serbs to their homes in Kosovo. For their part, most Kosovo Turk leaders have preconditioned their support for the registration process on a guarantee by UNMIK to reinstate the rights of their community as set forth in the 1974 federal constitution. Intensive efforts have been made by UNMIK to find a compromise solution to this particular issue, but with little success so far. UNMIK has proposed a series of measures, many of which go beyond the guarantees found in international instruments such as the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities adopted by the United nations General Assembly. These measures included the use of the Turkish language on future identification cards and the translation of all UMNIK regulations into Turkish. UNMIK is making a special effort in areas where Kosovo Turks live to keep registration centres open for longer hours until the end of the registration process. On 8 July the Special Representative signed into force Regulation 2000/39 on the municipal elections in Kosovo. This Regulation establishes the basic provisions governing the conduct of the upcoming municipal elections. Under the Regulation, the Special Representative is given the authority to determine the date for Kosovo’s municipal elections, after consultation with the Secretary-General. The first municipal officers elected through these municipal elections will serve two-year terms. Another important element aimed at ensuring at even representation of all segments of Kosovo society is a provision that at least every third candidate be a woman. I now turn briefly to humanitarian issues. Since the beginning of June more than 11,460 persons have returned to Kosovo voluntarily from various countries in Western and Central Europe. To date — that is, since the establishment of UNMIK last year — a total of some 860,740 individuals have voluntarily returned to Kosovo, that is, since June 1999. Forced returns to Kosovo continue on a daily basis, with more than 1,425 persons sent back during the month of June and more than 350 returned during the past week. These returns, mainly from Germany and Switzerland, have included 50 persons with criminal records. The high rate of forced returns has stretched the capacity of the airport and reception facilities as well as the absorption capacity of the local public services and the host communities. Following the creation of the Joint Committee on Returns in May, a steering committee was established under the chairmanship of UNHCR. The role of this steering committee is to conduct joint assessments of potential return locations, through small teams of representatives from UNMIK, KFOR and SNC- Gracanica. Joint assessments have so far been undertaken for three locations proposed by the SNC- Gracanica. Progress, particularly in regard to what are called “go and see visits”, has been set back by an increase in violent attacks against Kosovo Serb communities. However, the steering committee was tasked on 29 June with coordinating the first go and see visits of Kosovo Serbs to the province. The destination of the visit is to be Slivovo. A letter to Oliver Ivanovic of the SNC-Mitrovica was also signed by the members of the Joint Committee on Returns. It asked him to join the Committee. However, so far he has not accepted that offer. The issue of prisoners and missing persons remains, of course, a pressing concern for all communities. On 2 June representatives from the KTC working group on prisoners and missing persons met with a delegation of ministers from the European Parliament. The Kosovo Albanian representatives of the working group expressed their concern regarding the situation of Kosovo Albanians who are currently held in prisons in Serbia proper. Representatives of the Kosovo Serb community explained that they supported the release or transfer of Kosovo Albanian detainees held in Serbia proper. At its meeting held during the first week of July, the working group expressed its concern regarding the treatment of Kosovo Albanians held in the Nis detention facility, and it officially transmitted this concern to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Turning to civil administration, work is continuing on re-equipping the judicial system. Bilateral support has played a key role in this effort. In June, last month, the United States Government donated a number of quick-start packages consisting of essential office supplies and equipment. These packages are being distributed to courts in four municipalities, and further deliveries are planned for the near future. The Swiss Government has also confirmed the provision of 1 million deutsche marks for Dubrava prison, and the Government of the Netherlands has agreed to provide and pay for four correctional officers for Ljlipjan prison. A further 62 new local recruits have joined the Kosovo Correctional Service since June. Appointments to fill the vacant positions of local professional judges and local lay judges in Kosovo will be approved by the Special Representative by the end of this month. In the meantime, to date the Special Representative has appointed a total of five international judges and three international prosecutors, who are now serving in the district courts of Mitrovica, Pristina and Gnjilane. Since the beginning of March, the Kosovo Protection Corps has completed some 28 field projects in which 1,450 of its members have participated. These projects included refurbishing schools, infrastructure repair and general cleaning up activities. Thirteen additional field projects are currently ongoing and planning for a further 50 projects is under way. As regards the police component of UNMIK, as of 8 July it had reached a total strength of 3,895 out of an authorized strength of 4,718. This number includes over 700 specialized police officers from six different specialized police units and two additional specialized police units are scheduled for deployment within the next two months. I would like to say a word about economic reconstruction. Discussions within the Working Level Steering Group, including major donors, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, were held on the Kosovo Consolidated Budget. The Central Fiscal Authority estimates that there will be a further requirement of up to DM50 million in undesignated budgetary support and up to DM7.9 million in designated grants for the Kosovo Protection Corps activities. No firm commitment on the level of additional funds was given by the Working Level Steering Group, but this issue will be considered further at another review meeting in September. On revenue collection, last week’s revenue collection from customs, sales taxes and excise duties stood at DM4.5 million. This was a very good week for UNMIK, as this total exceeds the weekly target of DM3 million. The white paper on enterprise development strategy has been presented to and received strong support from representatives of major donors, the World Bank and the IMF. The first steps in implementing the strategy in this regard will be to establish a basic commercial legal framework and an ownership adjudication tribunal. An agreement for the lease the Sharra cement factory was signed with Holderbank, a Swiss investor, on 13 June. The tender for the lease was the first of its kind in Kosovo. Turning to utilities, on 20 June, the supervisory board of the Kosovo Power Company approved the action plan presented by the electricity company. The action plan aims at improving the general financial situation and management of the company. The power situation in Kosovo has been severe over the past week due to serious problems with generation capacity at both power stations. These problems were exacerbated by low coal production and the temporary absence of power imports from other countries in the region. To conclude, I would like to say that UNMIK will continue in the coming weeks to concentrate on two pressing issues: first, the security situation and, secondly, the preparation for the municipal elections. Members of the Security Council are encouraged to provide both personnel and political support for the UNMIK police component. As is clear from the numbers I have given, international police officers continue to be needed. Statements of support for ethnic tolerance and denunciations of violence would also help to underscore the international community’s abhorrence of continued and targeted attacks on minorities and the international community. As regards the municipal elections, Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Turks should be encouraged to register, to participate and to understand that UNMIK is determined to continue the process of building democracy and the best possible institutions in Kosovo, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to it by this Council.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his useful and comprehensive briefing. The hour is late and I will not attempt to emulate him, either in length or in detail, but I do want to make a few points which my delegation feels are relevant to our consideration of the situation in Kosovo as it now stands. First, I would like to stress the importance that the United Kingdom attaches to the decision of the Kosovo Serbs, embodied by the Serb National Council of Gracanica, to rejoin the joint administration structures. That decision is right and brave and deserves our full recognition. At the same time, we regret the decision of Hashim Thaci not to participate in the meetings of the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS). As we said last month to the Kosovo Serb delegation that was in this Chamber during the briefing given by Special Representative Kouchner, working with and within those structures is the best way towards lasting stability. We very much hope that Mr. Thaci will reconsider his position soon. Assistant Secretary-General Annabi rightly concentrated on the security situation in Kosovo. We remain concerned about continuing violence against Serbs and other minorities. Mr. Annabi indicated the usefulness of statements deploring ethnic violence and asking for tolerance. He can take it that the United Kingdom is fully behind those sentiments. Those on the ground in Kosovo will be aware of the United Kingdom-led programme of the Kosovo Force (KFOR), Operation Trojan, although it may be less familiar to some of us in this Chamber. That programme is doing pioneering work in central Kosovo to improve the security and quality of life of the Serb community. We hope others will replicate this example to help Serb communities elsewhere in Kosovo. I would like also to draw attention to the vital importance of expeditiously putting in place procedures for the holding of municipal elections on time and on schedule. The Special Representative has yet to set a date for the elections, but I want to repeat now, as I said during our last briefing on Kosovo, a remark about the importance of registration and of participation in those elections by all the communities in Kosovo. It is of concern that the registration effort among the Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Turks has not yielded the results we had hoped for. I would urge everyone with an influence to redouble their efforts to ensure that the registration process is as full and as complete as possible. My other comments will refer specifically to the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and, in particular, to staffing issues. We welcome the decision taken by the Secretary-General to devolve responsibility for staff recruitment to UNMIK. We hope this will speed up the recruitment process and help to alleviate staffing shortages within UNMIK. It is very important that the Secretariat should get this right. Adequate staffing is a key and vital element of making the system work better. As we have said before, reinforcing the justice system remains of key importance. I am pleased to be able to say that UNMIK has accepted two United Kingdom candidates as prosecutors. In response to UNMIK’s request, we have sent in more than 60 applications for court clerks. We are now gathering applications for international judges and have received over 250 expressions of interest. We hope these applications can be processed quickly and turned into people on the ground, so that the work that so urgently needs to be done can be done. Finally, the United Kingdom is playing its part in stamping out organized crime, which has had such a destabilizing effect throughout the Balkan region. We are on course to deploy 20 police officers and other specialists to form the core of the UNMIK criminal intelligence unit in late August. We hope that the final organizational arrangements, for us and other contributors to that unit, can be completed quickly.

We are grateful to the Assistant Secretary- General, Mr. Annabi, for his briefing. The development of the situation in Kosovo during the month that has elapsed since our most recent discussion of the subject here has unfortunately emphasized that key provisions of resolution 1244 (1999) remain unfulfilled. The security situation for the non-Albanian population is continuing to deteriorate. Neither military nor civilian international presences have been able to do anything about that. The problem of returning hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons to the region has not been resolved. We were interested to read an article in The New York Times on 3 July that referred to a comment by the former deputy head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. McNamara, to the effect that from the very outset the leadership of that United Nations Mission did not make any effective efforts to put and end to the violence and that it tolerated intolerant and vengeful behaviour. All the warnings to the extremist leaders have remained merely words; they have not been followed up with any specific actions. Mr. McNamara correctly pointed out that the scale of the violence against the minorities shows how systematic it is. From the outset of UNMIK’s activities, no action was taken to put an end to what has now turned into a culture of impunity, so that ethnically based crimes go unpunished under the auspices of international presences. Mr. McNamara’s analysis corresponds with the assessment in the report of Amnesty International published last month, and notes the passivity of certain divisions of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in the face of ethnic violence. This evaluation concurs to a large extent with our analysis of the situation in Kosovo, and given these conditions, Russia has clearly stated that it cannot support the holding of municipal elections in Kosovo this year. We are not opposed to the holding of such elections in principle, but we cannot close our eyes to the fact that thus far not even the minimum necessary conditions have been created to enable them to be truly free, fair and democratic and thereby to serve as a basis for further progress in the peace process in accordance with resolution 1244 (1999). Such conditions can be created only if security and safety is assured for all the inhabitants of Kosovo and if there is freedom of movement for all, an open and free political environment and the safe return of refugees and displaced persons, and if guarantees for freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of speech are provided. These are obvious facts. A detailed list of the universal criteria for conditions for the holding of elections — any elections — is to be found in the document of the second Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which was held in Copenhagen 10 years ago. It is very likely that such criteria are well known to all those who are preparing for the elections in Kosovo. Furthermore, paragraphs 7 and 8 of that OSCE document were included as an annex forming an integral part of the Rambouillet documents that refer to elections in Kosovo. We note, therefore, that the pre-electoral situation in that region is not in conformity with all of these requirements, first and foremost from the point of view of genuine safety and security for the non-Albanian population. A similar conclusion was reached recently by Human Rights Watch. There is no machinery to date which can guarantee that the voices of the non-Albanian inhabitants of Kosovo will be heard, or ensure that they will be represented in the local organs of power. Not only would the non-participation of hundreds of thousands of such people in the elections distort both the ethnic and political picture in Kosovo, but this in turn would have a destabilizing effect on the situation in the region, including outside Kosovo. We are convinced that under current conditions we cannot force through the holding of elections, because we would thereby block all the efforts being made to create a generally democratic and multi-ethnic society in Kosovo. The policy being pursued to hold elections at all costs may simply lead to the legalization of the structures of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which, under the cover of the Kosovo Protection Corps, continues to indulge in lawlessness. I would also like to state that, in view of the possible consequences, the possible destabilization of the situation in the region that might result from the holding of the elections, we believe that the matter cannot be resolved by the leaders of UNMIK alone. UNMIK is directly linked to peace and security in the region and, therefore, the matter should be given serious consideration by the Security Council. We are greatly concerned about the new facts that are being revealed about the violations of resolution 1244 (1999). Mr. Annabi told us that huge stocks of weapons are still being discovered. We know about that. It is revealing that, after the discovery of such weapons — which, as Mr. Annabi said, show every sign of being KLA weapons — the leaders of the Albanian separatists organized demonstrations and meetings to protest their confiscation. At those meetings they even demanded that the weapons be returned to the Albanians and that KFOR end its search for weapons. We would like to know exactly what the leaders of UNMIK and KFOR said in response to these demonstrations. In any case, we can confirm that there has been no real disarmament of the KLA. Previous speakers have already mentioned that the actions of Hashim Thaci, who started the boycott of the Interim Administrative Council when the Kosovo Serbs were returning to it, did not serve the cause of reaching a settlement. We know that Hashim Thaci also gave Mr. Kouchner an ultimatum in the form of a statement consisting of 10 paragraphs setting out conditions for his return to the Interim Administrative Council. Such conditions include revising the agreements between the Serbs and UNMIK and more active involvement of KLA ex-combatants in local police forces, among others. We would be interested to know how Mr. Kouchner responded to that ultimatum. We wish to recall that we still have not received any appropriate replies to the concerns we expressed previously in connection with violations of resolution 1244 (1999). We know well what the questions were, but no replies have been received so far. The questions relate to the identity cards published by UNMIK, where it said “Kosovo” under “citizenship”; to the fact that diplomatic offices are being opened in Kosovo and are being visited by representatives of other countries without notice being given to the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and to many other facts. UNMIK continues to attempt to amend the status of the Slatin airport in Pristina. The UNMIK leadership is trying to unilaterally amend the text of the military- technical agreement of 3 June 1999, in violation of the Helsinki Agreement. We have mentioned this frequently, but the attempts continue. No one has explained to us yet why the provisions of resolution 1244 (1999) have not been fulfilled, regarding the return of agreed-upon contingents of Yugoslav servicemen and policemen, why an agreement has not been reached with Belgrade on the status of foreign missions in Kosovo and why proper cooperation has not been arranged with the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. We believe that a rather belated step to correct this situation might be to start work in the joint consultative committee, which was referred to today by Mr. Annabi. In this room one month ago, our delegation drew attention to a specific document which confirms that among the leaders of the Kosovo Protection Corps there are people with a criminal past, who have been involved in murder and provocation, of whom UNMIK and KFOR are aware. However, no response has been received in connection with these facts. Recently, we learned through non-governmental organizations that Kosovo has turned into a major staging point for drug smuggling into Europe. However, we have seen nothing in the Secretariat reports on this topic. We request the Secretariat to inform the Security Council whether or not it knows anything about drug trafficking through Kosovo. In conclusion, Kosovo is, of course, big politics. But this should not be big politics for just one person, but the general policy for all members of the Security Council and of the United Nations. We have a consensus resolution, resolution 1244 (1999), which incorporates this policy on the behalf of the international community, but it is not being implemented and is even being violated in many key aspects. Russia will continue to seek the remedy of this situation so that the Kosovo settlement plan, which was unanimously approved by the Security Council, will be fully and comprehensively implemented.

I wish, at the outset, to thank you, Madam President, because this meeting devoted to Kosovo is taking place in a setting that makes it possible for States not members of the Council to hear firsthand, at an open meeting, information furnished by the Secretariat. It is our wish that this type of free and interactive format be retained to the extent possible at open briefings. In this spirit and in response to the very comprehensive briefing given by Mr. Annabi, the French delegation will confine itself to three brief comments and one question. First, on 9 June 2000, Mr. Kouchner came before the Council and gave us an overall assessment of the situation in Kosovo, one year after the adoption of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). One of the major issues raised at that meeting was the question of restoring dialogue between the communities within the Joint Administrative Structures. A Kosovo Serb delegation was present, and their concerns were brought to the Council’s attention. The Kosovo Serb representatives have since decided to participate again in the Joint Administrative Structures set up by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We must welcome this decision and recall that all the Kosovo communities should enjoy equal security. Cooperation among representatives of all Kosovars and international organizations can only serve to promote this and make it possible to set up democratic institutions in which all acknowledge the others. Of course, difficulties remains. Thus, we have taken note of what Mr. Thaci has said. We know that UNMIK and Mr. Kouchner are continuing their efforts to find a solution, and we encourage them in that direction. Secondly, the next important stage will be the holding of local elections. Those elections may cause a genuine democratic shock among the Kosovar population, which will be positive for the development of this society. It is therefore essential that the elections be prepared meticulously. It is necessary to continue encouraging the Kosovar Serbs to participate. By creating impediments to registration and thus to participation of Kosovar Serbs in the elections, Mr. Milosevic is preventing them from deciding their own destiny and is showing that he is not, as he as pretends to be, the defender of their interests. Thirdly, UNMIK’s success does not rest solely with the establishment of political and administrative structures allowing future coexistence to prevail in Kosovo. Success also depends on its action to restore basic public services, rebuild housing and reopen schools. That counts above all in the eyes of the population. The success of UNMIK has been possible thanks to contributions provided from the onset of the operation and, in particular, thanks to the contribution of the European Union. The European Union is still by far the major contributor to Kosovo, with a contribution of more than 3 billion euros in 1999 and 2000 in the civilian domain. Its member States provide almost two thirds of KFOR’s troops, bringing the European Union’s total contribution to 8 billion euros for those two years. Finally, I have one question. UNMIK must continue to have the necessary resources for its work, and particularly in the area of personnel. Could the Secretariat give us its assessment of personnel needs and steps planned to cope with the difficulties caused by rotation and departures in summer?

As in the past, we see positive trends in Kosovo in the context of mixed and even troubling developments. We are pleased to note the continued leadership of Mr. Kouchner, the effective working relationship between the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Force (KFOR), and the responsiveness of the Mission to the many difficult problems on the ground. The level of violence remains unacceptable. We regret it; we want it stopped. But we should not be surprised. As we have all come to understand, there are no quick and easy fixes, just the continued requirement to seek progress. The progress that the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is making to find qualified international judges, the cooperation between UNMIK police and the Kosovo Force (KFOR), and agreements such as the one with Bishop Artemije on security are all reassuring. However, as the Council’s own mission to Kosovo stressed, we must be realistic in how we evaluate the situation on the ground and how we look at the efforts of UNMIK and KFOR. We applaud KFOR’s recent success in identifying arms caches and the ongoing efforts to strengthen control of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC). We are heartened by UNMIK’s determined efforts to find the difficult balance between freedom of the press and security for individuals. We continue to believe that in addition to strengthening the rule of law, the solution to the violence lies in the political process and the determined support of the international community. Elections and a responsible governing structure are the best way to temper passions. We applaud the decision of the Kosovo Serbs to rejoin the joint interim administration. We are also encouraged that UNMIK and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have registered over 800,000 people for the upcoming municipal elections in the fall. They continue to look for ways to encourage Serbs and other minorities to participate in this process. This is important, and we should all join them in doing so. Finally, we note that the United States has forwarded some 50 résumés of qualified candidates for staff positions in UNMIK in response to the appeal from the Secretariat. We will continue to support this process, and we encourage others to do so as well so that UNMIK has the staff and resources it needs to accomplish its difficult mandate. I would also like to second Mr. Annabi’s call for personnel and political support for the developing police force, and for our condemnation of violence no matter where it originates.

My delegation is grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Hédi Annabi for his comprehensive and extremely useful briefing. The situation in Kosovo continues to require the close attention of the Security Council, hence the importance of regular briefings given to Council members and the larger membership of the Organization. My delegation would like to focus on a limited number of issues of particular importance to us. First, the still-unsettled, and indeed precarious, security situation in Kosovo, as described by Mr. Annabi, remains a matter of very serious concern to my delegation. We continue to give our full support to the ongoing efforts of both the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) to address this serious problem. We have also emphasized on previous occasions the need for the leaders of all the communities in Kosovo to play their constructive role to contribute to these efforts. We note some positive responses and actions taken in this regard. We welcome the signing of last month of joint declarations at both Pristina and Gnjilane, in which the leaders of the Albanian, Serb and Turkish communities condemned all acts of violence and terrorism directed against any inhabitants of the two municipalities. At the same time, they committed themselves to work together for common peace and prosperity. This is indeed a very heartening development that represents a concrete contribution towards lessening inter-ethnic tension and that should be emulated by the other municipalities throughout Kosovo, especially in Mitrovica. Speaking of Mitrovica, the current de facto division of the city is unacceptable and must be reversed as soon as possible. Furthermore, the outbreak of a series of violence and rioting in the northern part of the town late last month — where UNMIK personnel and the staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international personnel, as well as their offices and transport and other facilities were subjected to attacks by the Serbs — should be strongly condemned. Those responsible for these acts should be held accountable. On this point we have read about possible involvement by outside elements in those attacks and acts of intimidation. We wonder whether Mr. Annabi is in a position to confirm those reports and to tell us what actions have been taken to prevent such occurrences. We note the signing on 29 June of the Joint UNMIK-Serb National Council (SNC) Understanding, which lays down additional steps to improve the situation of the Serb community in Kosovo. We certainly consider the initiative a very important part of UNMIK’s efforts to improve the level of freedom, security and fundamental rights of the Serb community. However, we feel that the agreement by the Serb National Council of Gracanica to participate in the Joint Administrative Structures as observers for another three months, as its response to the Understanding, fell short of expectations. We, like others in the Security Council, have called for their full, active and unqualified participation in the Joint Administrative Structures. Secondly, the signing of the Joint UNMIK-SNC Understanding has drawn a negative reaction from some quarters of the Kosovo Albanian community. At least, the leadership of one of Kosovo’s largest political parties, the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK), has decided to withdraw from the Interim Administrative Council (IAC). This is a serious setback. We would also appreciate it Assistant Secretary-General Annabi could enlighten us on any efforts being made to encourage the PDK to reconsider its position and return to the IAC. Their return and full participation is important. In this regard, we wish to underscore the importance for UNMIK to continue with the ongoing efforts at close and all-inclusive consultations with leaders of all Kosovo communities so as to further strengthen the IAC. We believe the efforts to engage local leaders and populations in the administration of Kosovo should be even more vigorously pursued at this critical stage so as to fully prepare the Kosovars to handle their own affairs. My third point relates to the civil registration process and the holding of municipal elections in Kosovo this fall, for which, as Mr. Annabi has indicated in his briefing, preparations are well underway. We welcome Mr. Kouchner’s issuance of UNMIK Regulation 2000/39 last Saturday, which outlines the necessary law governing the proposed municipal elections. We have urged all communities to participate in the registration process. We look forward to the successful conduct of the elections, which will lay a viable foundation for the future of Kosovo. We would be grateful for additional details as to the status of the registration and whether UNMIK expects to attain the target number of 1.3 million people registered by the closing date, on 15 July. Finally, my delegation, along with many other members of the Council, had earlier expressed our strong support for the appointment of a special envoy of the Secretary-General to look into the issue of detainees and missing persons for reasons we had already explained — not the least of which is the need to resolve this sensitive and emotive issue in the larger interest of reconciliation among the Kosovars. We would be grateful if Mr. Annabi could update us on this important matter. In conclusion, my delegation wishes to reiterate once again its full support and appreciation to UNMIK and Mr. Kouchner for the efforts they have made in the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999) in Kosovo. Important achievements have indeed been made, but many challenges still lie ahead before self-sustaining peace and stability can be established in Kosovo. Hence the need for the sustained and strong support of the Council and members of the international community for the efforts currently underway in Kosovo.

We would like to thank Mr. Annabi for the information he provided us this morning. Since the meeting which the Council held on 9 June to hear a briefing by the Special Representative, Mr. Bernard Kouchner, institutional advances have been registered that include the establishment of the office of the Ombudsperson. This institution is synonymous with democracy and respect for human rights, and we hope that it will begin its work soon. Its multi-ethnic and independent character will enable it to gain the trust of the individuals, groups and organizations which it is designed to serve. Another factor we deem important because it relates to the very essence of the agenda for coexistence is the decision of the Serb National Council (SNC) to resume participation in the work of the joint institutions, even though it will do so as an observer and for a period of three months, not as a fully fledged member. We are aware that the SNC’s decision is the result of the signing of an Understanding with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) whose goal is the adoption of concrete measures to guarantee the freedom, security and fundamental human rights of the Serb community in Kosovo. We hope that this agreement will be interpreted by the Serb community as proof positive that UNMIK and KFOR are committed to achieving a better future for all of the inhabitants of Kosovo. We hope also that the Serb community in Kosovo will, for its part, cooperate decisively in the creation of a secure environment, not only for its own benefit but for the benefit of all. We also extend this appeal to the Kosovar Albanians. That is why we deem unwise, to say the least, the decision taken by the leader of the Kosovo Democratic Party to suspend its participation in the Joint Interim Administrative Structure in response to the signing of the aforementioned agreement between the Serb National Council and UNMIK. It is imperative that everyone understand that in Kosovo there must be room for all ethnic groups. As we have noted on other occasions, we believe that the next municipal elections will represent a good opportunity to ensure that everyone in Kosovo understands that life in democracy is based on participation, not exclusion. That is why we sincerely hope that all of the communities will participate in this process. A democratic society, in addition to providing the opportunity to elect legitimate representatives, requires that justice and the rule of law prevail. That is why we must continue to work to put an end to acts of vengeance between ethnic groups and to bring their perpetrators to justice. These efforts must involve the media, which, under the pretext of freedom of the press, incite hatred and fuel the desire for vengeance. We are concerned by the recent discovery by KFOR of large caches of arms. Though on many occasions we have been told that in this region it is common practice to carry a weapon and that the borders are porous, we must recall that resolution 1160 (1998), which imposes a weapons embargo and other prohibitions, remains in force and must be complied with, in particular by neighbouring countries. Clearly reconciliation will be difficult to achieve if the refugees and displaced persons are not afforded the opportunity to return to a secure environment and if there is no resolution to the question of missing persons and persons who are being held in Serbian prisons. Finally, we wish to express our gratitude and support to UNMIK and the Kosovo Force.

I wish to thank Mr. Annabi for his very comprehensive briefing. We would like to add only a few brief remarks to what has already been said by others. Special Representative Kouchner’s issuance of the municipal election law for Kosovo, which Mr. Annabi has spoken of, is an important further step towards free and fair elections in the fall. Self- government on the local level will give Kosovars a chance to elect the leaders who conduct the politics which affect people most directly. We are particularly pleased that, through extensive consultations with both local representatives and international organizations, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has decided on a system which will create optimal conditions for candidates to participate in local politics. Pluralism will be promoted by the use of a proportional system with open lists. Representatives of smaller parties, groups or communities will stand a fair chance of being elected to office. The requirement that one third of all candidates on the top of the lists be women will reinforce the importance of equitable representation for all segments of society. UNMIK faces important challenges in organizing free and fair elections. The support of the international community is essential if UNMIK is to succeed. Efforts must be made to prevent violence and intimidation from being a factor in the elections. Ongoing intensive security measures are clearly needed in this regard. UNMIK’s actions to ensure that the media refrain from publishing information which can reasonably be expected to incite hatred, intolerance or violence are also important. We encourage UNMIK to continue to monitor closely media operations in the run-up to elections in order to maintain civil law and order and to protect human rights. As the close of the registration process approaches, we believe that all Kosovars have an interest in participating in the electoral process. Full participation is the best guarantee for all communities to be fairly represented at all levels of public administration and to contribute to the shaping of the future of the province. Lastly, we support the creation of an ombudsperson institution in Kosovo and welcome the recent signing of its regulation by Mr. Kouchner. This institution can contribute in a meaningful way to the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999). It will provide Kosovars of all ethnic backgrounds with a legal recourse against the violation of their human rights. We hope that Mr. Nowicki will start his important work as soon as possible.

I would like at the outset to thank Mr. Annabi for his briefing. We have taken note of the progress achieved by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) under very difficult circumstances, especially in the areas of infrastructure reconstruction, institution-building, the resettlement of refugees and the recovery of the economy. We hope that UNMIK will increase its efforts to facilitate the participation of all parties and all ethnic groups in the Interim Administrative Council, thereby continuing to guarantee the multinational character of Kosovo. The situation in Kosovo remains very serious. The Kosovo Serbs and other minority groups have been the victims of numerous attacks, and their human rights continue to be violated. We are deeply concerned about these developments, as these acts are obviously organized and premeditated. Investigations of these human rights violations have not yielded any results, and their perpetrators remain unpunished; indeed, there is a very serious situation of impunity. Facts have shown that the acts of violence committed in Kosovo are not ordinary acts of revenge or criminal acts, but part of an attempt to turn Kosovo into an area inhabited only by Kosovar Albanians. This trend is becoming increasingly obvious, which is very dangerous. We are also very concerned at the fact that Serbian refugees are encountering numerous difficulties in the repatriation process, and that very few people have returned. On the one hand, the extremists among the Kosovo Albanians have resorted to acts of terror to discourage the Serbs from returning to their homes. At the same time, acts of kidnapping and murder have been committed against the refugees who have returned. The homes of the Serbs have been taken over or burned or looted. On the other hand, the protection measures of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) are not effective enough. Although the committee to help repatriate the Serb refugees has been established, not enough work has been done to adopt actual measures. Given the aforementioned circumstances, we are concerned that the election be conducted under safe, free and just conditions. All in all, the situation in Kosovo is very serious. This shows that resolution 1244 (1999) has not been carried out in a comprehensive manner. We hope UNMIK and the Kosovo Force will make greater efforts to turn the situation around.

I too would like to thank you, Madam President, for having convened this open meeting and to thank Mr. Annabi for the exhaustive statement he has just made to us. Not long ago, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Council focused in detail on the evolution of the situation. At that time, in the light of the report of the Secretary-General and the statement of his Special Representative, the Council conducted a minute analysis of the situation. The situation has certainly improved, but it remains fragile and unstable. Like other delegations we feel that this was an interim report and that it behoves the international community to continue to track the situation steadily and periodically. The critical emergency phase in Kosovo has passed without major incident. The number of refugees and displaced persons returning to Kosovo has reached 900,000, and basic social services have been restored and are functioning better, promoting a return to normalcy. These grounds for hope, however, should not hide the often tragic reality in Kosovo and the tense relations among the communities. We would like here to express our concern about the wave of violence targeting the United Nations Mission and other international organizations that are coming to the aid of the inhabitants of this region. This wave of violence is unacceptable and is jeopardizing the joint efforts of the international community, as is the ethnic violence spurred by hatred and intolerance and directed at minorities. These things are to be condemned, and the authors of such acts should be prosecuted so as not to be allowed to act with impunity. I would also like to address the question of the organization of the municipal elections. We think this is a decisive stage that should make it possible for the minorities to be represented in the municipal councils and in the decision-making bodies, and thus help establish the principles of multi-ethnic peaceful coexistence. We hope that the electoral campaign will focus on the future of the region and on the protection of minorities. We will follow with interest the registration process and the establishment of electoral lists. The United Nations Mission should give priority to the issue of demining. We appreciate the work being done by those countries that are actively participating in the demining operation, and we urge the international community to support the efforts of UNMIK and of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in this area, so that the minefields that remain in Kosovo can be completely cleared. We have already spoken on the question of the detainees and displaced persons. For us this is a constant source of concern. The inhabitants of Kosovo cannot become reconciled with one another if this question is not definitively resolved. An investigation should be carried out regarding disappeared and missing persons so as to learn what has happened to them. So long as this wound is not healed, it will be difficult to establish a truly multi-ethnic Kosovo. We reiterate here our support for the nomination of a special envoy for missing persons. It is also important to note that the economic situation in Kosovo continues to improve. Economic prosperity will promote stability and social well-being. In this respect we feel that UNMIK must play a leading role in restoring confidence among investors in the future of this region. We cannot overemphasize the need to promote a culture of peace, tolerance and multi-ethnic peaceful coexistence as the foundation for any lasting solution, not only for Kosovo, but for the entire region of the Balkans. Lastly, I would like once again to pay tribute to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and to the dedication of its staff, as well as to all those who are active in the field. I would like to recall the positive role being played by moderate parties that have decided to work with UNMIK to achieve a better future for the entire region.

I would like first of all to thank Mr. Annabi for his very useful and comprehensive briefing. We took note with satisfaction of a number of positive developments over the past few weeks in the area. Still, in view of the general situation in the province, we are not very optimistic. Ukraine welcomes the fact that, largely due to the efforts of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Serb National Council took the decision to rejoin the Interim Administrative Council and the Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) as observers, after having withdrawn for several weeks. We applaud the signing on 29 June of the joint UNMIK-Serb National Council understanding on the participation of Kosovo Serb representatives in the Joint Interim Administrative Structure institutions. The document laid out concrete steps to be taken by UNMIK to enhance security and access to services for the Kosovo Serb community, in particular the creation of the UNMIK Police Special Security Task Force. We consider these measures extremely important and timely, and in our view they are aimed at easing the hardships faced by the Serb community. At the same time, we regret the decision of the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) leader, Mr. Thaci, to suspend temporarily his participation in interim structures, in the wake of the above agreement. With the municipal elections coming, political games of this sort are counter-productive. My delegation views positively the UNMIK efforts to build up the judiciary system in Kosovo through the further appointment of international judges and prosecutors to a number of district courts in Mitrovica, Gnjilane and Pristina. However, we would like more clarity about the concept of establishing a Kosovo war and ethnic crimes court, as proposed by UNMIK, and about the correlation between its jurisdiction and that of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. I would be grateful to Mr. Annabi for additional information on this subject. We welcome yesterday’s nomination by the Special Representative of the Ombudsperson for Kosovo, to investigate and mediate complains from individuals, groups and organizations about possible abuses of power by international and local authorities. It is our hope that the creation of this post will contribute to establishing the rule of law and promote reconciliation between ethnic groups. We remain convinced that progress towards turning Kosovo into a peaceful and tolerant, democratic and self-governing entity within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia cannot be achieved until and unless all ethnic groups’ basic human rights — most of all the right to life — are protected. Unfortunately, the general situation regarding the security of the national minorities has not improved. On the contrary, the systematic and ongoing violence against non-Albanian minorities in Kosovo, especially against remaining Serbs and Gypsies, is on the rise. Therefore, we cannot be fully satisfied with the activities of UNMIK and the Kosovo Force (KFOR). While acknowledging their efforts to promote an atmosphere of safety and security, we encourage them to take a more assertive approach to stop all kinds of violence, as well as to eliminate the illegal possession of weapons. For example, the huge arms cache discovered by KFOR in Drenica in late June, allegedly belonging to the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), proved that the process of disarmament has not been effective and that there is an illegal arms flow in Kosovo. In this connection, we feel that the relevant Security Council Committee could be more effective. We are similarly concerned by the increased number of attacks on UNMIK and KFOR personnel and their property. Such actions are absolutely unacceptable. My delegation welcomes the resumption of operations in northern Mitrovica by the humanitarian pillar of UNMIK, other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. In the context of the preparatory work for the municipal elections to be held in October, my delegation is profoundly concerned by the fact that almost no Serbs have so far registered to vote. As we stated earlier, the abstention from participation of Kosovo Serbs in the civil registration process and municipal elections could throw their results into question and undermine the political credibility of the United Nations. We learned with interest of the UNMIK plan to establish quotas for national minorities in the municipal councils, irrespective of their participation in the elections. In our view, this approach, despite its good motives, could contradict the very notion of democratic elections and does not solve the problem of the participation of Serbs. Last but not least, since the problem of the lack of UNMIK police personnel is still very critical, let me draw the attention of the Secretariat to the current situation of Ukraine’s offer to provide UNMIK with a special unit of 115 policemen. Such a unit has been in standby readiness for a couple of weeks now, awaiting the United Nations inspection team to come to Ukraine at the beginning of July to authorize the unit’s deployment. However, the United Nations inspection has been postponed several times for indefinite periods. We are really disappointed by the inconsistency of the United Nations Secretariat in tackling this issue, which is incompatible with the urgent need for additional police personnel in Kosovo, as was confirmed by Mr. Annabi today. We call on the Secretariat to re-address this matter as soon as possible. Finally, let me also ask Mr. Annabi about the current state of and prospects for the adoption of the draft municipal regulation, which is meant to define the responsibilities and powers of municipalities. Just a few days ago, we received the UNMIK regulation on the municipal elections in Kosovo, which, without the regulation on the municipalities themselves, seems to be incomplete.

You, Madam, have the appreciation of my delegation for holding this open meeting of the Council on the situation in Kosovo. May I also begin by thanking Mr. Hedi Annabi for updating us on the issue. While many positive developments have been taking place in Kosovo under the United Nations administration, we feel that there should be a speedier return to normalcy of the situation in Kosovo. In this connection, we would like to make the following points. First, as to staffing requirements, we are concerned that the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) has not been able to attain the desired level of staffing for civil administration and civilian police, as requested by the Secretary-General. There is no doubt that the situation needs further improvement. However, in addition to the ongoing efforts, the prerequisites include a full complement of police personnel, judges and civilian administration personnel, among others. Unless we can ensure the smooth operation of the civil administration with the requisite strength, the restoration of the desired level of security will doubtless be delayed. My second point refers to missing persons and detainees. We have referred to this persistent problem quite a number of times in the Council. The persons who remain missing and captive are obviously the source of constant agonies and anxiety to their families. The continuation of such an unfortunate situation breeds mistrust and is therefore counterproductive to attempts at building interethnic harmony. The sooner the problem of missing persons is resolved, the better it will be for the outlook for peace. In this context, we support the appointment of a special envoy of the Secretary-General for missing persons and detainees in Kosovo. My third point refers to elections. We are encouraged by the steady progress towards the holding of municipal elections. The recent draft regulation on the structure and function of municipal administrations throughout Kosovo, which was endorsed by Kosovo’s Interim Administrative Council, is indeed a welcome development. We should believe that defining the powers and responsibilities of the municipalities is a prelude to establishing institutions for democratic and autonomous self-government at the municipal level and is an appropriate step towards the gradual transfer of administrative responsibilities from UNMIK to local authorities. My fourth point refers to economic activity. The pace of economic activity in Kosovo has been slowly picking up. It is, however, still insufficient for the creation of requisite job opportunities for the people. The economy needs a significant boost, to which the international community and organizations can and should play an important role by providing an infusion of appropriate help and assistance. This will give the people of Kosovo the optimism to look forward to the future, rather than being haunted by their past miseries and plunging into desperate action and adventures. In conclusion, I would like to say that the restoration of peace in the region, which has been a hotspot of conflict and inter-ethnic violence for a long time, is a task of immense complexity. Nonetheless, the notable progress already made shows that this is not impossible. What we need to do in the Council is to reiterate our strong support for the process of reconstruction and reconciliation already under way in Kosovo.

In view of the late hour and therefore the general desire to exhaust the list of speakers, I will be brief. Like other delegations, we attach the highest priority to the preparations for the municipal elections to be held this fall. We welcome the fact that Mr. Kouchner has now signed the regulation on the conduct of these elections. We should therefore continue convincing the Kosovo Serbs that it is in their own interest to participate in these elections, meant to establish local self-government as a major step towards a truly multi-ethnic Kosovo. We also therefore continue to be concerned at the ongoing violence committed against the minority communities, the personnel of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and local politicians, including recent clashes among the Albanian parties themselves. We have expressed our strong support for Mr. Kouchner on several occasions, but this time we do so with added conviction on account of his special arrangements for Kosovo Serbs. We reject the criticism voiced by some Albanian quarters that these undermine the principle of a unified and multi-ethnic Kosovo. In the present circumstances, additional protection for minorities is more than justified. We therefore call on Mr. Hashim Thaci to resume his participation in the Joint Interim Administrative Structure as soon as possible.

We, too, would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his comprehensive briefing on the situation in Kosovo. My delegation wishes to express its support for the men and women of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) for their dedication and good work, sometimes performed in very difficult circumstances. We also note with appreciation the partnership for security being forged between UNMIK and KFOR on the one hand and various communities in Kosovo on the other. As for the election, we note the progress made with regard to the election registration process, and we hope that the contacts between the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and UNMIK will facilitate and encourage the participation of all the communities. In this regard, we wish to stress that all efforts must be brought to bear to make it clear, especially to the communities of the Serbs and Turks who decided not to participate, that it is in their best interests to participate in free and fair elections for a multi-democratic Kosovo. We would also like to acknowledge the institution of the office of Ombudsperson, which has been established to see to it that all minorities and other communities have a say in Kosovo.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Jamaica. Last month, the Security Council had the opportunity to be briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Bernard Kouchner, and to hear his assessment of the progress made by UNMIK since its establishment by the Security Council in June 1999. My delegation shared Mr. Kouchner’s assessment regarding the magnitude of the unique undertaking entrusted by the international community to UNMIK and the Mission’s critical role in promoting peace, reconciliation and stability, in creating viable and democratic structures and in establishing a framework for sustainable development in Kosovo. As many of the issues of concern to my delegation have been raised by other speakers, I will limit my statement to a few brief remarks. It is evident from today’s briefing by Assistant Secretary-General Annabi that the advances made in the area of the civil administration of Kosovo are being hampered by continued ethnic violence. The gains made are not sustainable in an environment of violence and fear. Equal importance must therefore continue to be given to the promotion of reconciliation and tolerance. It is in this context that the reports of the discovery of caches of weapons are deeply disturbing to my delegation, and we look forward to being informed of the results of the investigations being carried out by UNMIK and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and to the prosecution of those responsible. We have noted the special measures being put in place to better protect the Serb communities, and we join other members of the Council in welcoming the signing of the Joint Understanding between UNMIK and the Serb National Council of Gracanica on additional measures to protect the freedom, security and fundamental rights of the Serb community. We were therefore very disappointed at the announced withdrawal of the Kosovo Democratic Party leader Thaci from the Joint Interim Administrative Structures, and hope that this decision will be reversed. We wish to reiterate our concern about the attacks on humanitarian agencies and personnel, and we hope that, with the resumption of humanitarian activities, more focus will be given to the protection of these personnel. We wish to underline our support for the efforts being undertaken by UNMIK and KFOR to deal with the security of international personnel. With regard to the operation of the media in Kosovo, my delegation is of the view that there must be responsible, unbiased reporting, as misrepresentation of facts in this volatile environment can have lethal consequences. We note that the municipal election law that was signed on 10 July has been implemented and that the civil registration period will close on 15 July. We are disappointed to learn about the limited number of Serbs who have registered to participate, as we believe that it is necessary to ensure, as far as possible, the participation of all ethnic groups in these elections in order to encourage a sense of ownership of the democratic process. On other issues, my delegation shares the views expressed by the representatives of Bangladesh and Malaysia on the staffing of UNMIK and the need to resolve the situation of missing persons and detainees. In conclusion, I again wish to thank Mr. Annabi for his briefing and reiterate Jamaica’s support for UNMIK as it seeks to fulfil the mandate entrusted to it by the Security Council. I now resume my function as President of the Council. I give the floor to Mr. Annabi to respond to the questions and comments made. Mr. Annabi: As it is rather late, I will try to be brief and will be ready to revert at a later stage with additional replies to some of the questions that I might not address now. We have, of course, taken note of the concerns that have been expressed by Ambassador Lavrov and the representative of China regarding the holding of the municipal elections, and we will certainly convey these concerns to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The regulation that has been adopted to govern the conduct of municipal elections makes it clear that the announcement of the date of the municipal elections will be made by the Special Representative after consultation with the Secretary-General and the Deputy Special Representative in charge of institution-building. In making that determination and setting the date, they will, of course, pay careful attention to all aspects, including security conditions and other aspects that may disrupt the holding of a credible and fair election. On the discovery of the weapons caches and the reports that the Albanians have demanded the return of these weapons, I mentioned the statement by Mr. Ceku, the head of the Kosovo Protection Corps, welcoming the discovery by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) of these weapons, and therefore I am not aware of any intention on the part of KFOR to return those weapons to whomever they may have belonged. As regards Mr. Thaci’s refusal to participate in the Joint Interim Administrative Structures, in view of the conclusion by Mr. Kouchner of a Joint Understanding with Bishop Artemije regarding security conditions for the Serb minorities, Ambassador Lavrov asked what Mr. Kouchner’s response was. Mr. Kouchner has made it clear that this Joint Understanding is aimed at improving conditions for minorities, and for the Serb minority in particular, and he pointed out to Mr. Thaci that the position they have taken may be seen by the international community as opposition to ensuring security for the minorities, and that may, of course, have negative consequences for the assistance that the international community is extending to Kosovo. He has therefore urged Mr. Thaci to reconsider and to cooperate with UNMIK in creating an environment in which better security conditions can be put in place for all communities in Kosovo. As regards the issuance of identity cards, these provisional identity cards, issued by UNMIK as people are registered, contain UNMIK symbols with information appearing in both Albanian and Serbian Cyrillic script. These identity cards are strictly for use within Kosovo and do not contain any reference to citizenship. There may have been one or two isolated mistakes at the very early stage of UNMIK regarding the issuance of birth certificates, but that has been corrected, and we are not aware of any identity cards referring to citizenship. Clearly, they do not contain reference to citizenship and are not delivered for that purpose. On the establishment of liaison offices in Pristina, the purpose of these liaison offices of certain Member States in Pristina is essentially to organize and coordinate the cooperation between UNMIK and the international donor community. They are not intended to be diplomatic missions. They are not regarded as diplomatic missions, and certainly the privileges and facilities that may be extended to them will be construed in a way that makes that point clear. Again, it is essentially to facilitate cooperation between UNMIK and the donor community. As regards the question by Ambassador Levitte as to the outstanding requirements for personnel in UNMIK and the measures that have been taken to replace those who may be leaving at the end of their term and in the course of the summer, (spoke in French) I would like to mention, in that respect, that last month, during Mr. Kouchner’s visit, we distributed an exhaustive report on the need for additional personnel, with descriptions of the posts. I therefore think that Member States have accurate information available on the needs that continue to exist. With regard to replacement and rotation, we have, as mentioned here, delegated the maximum responsibility to UNMIK on the ground to proceed with these replacements and to inform us of their needs. In fact, we have just appointed as Director of UNMIK Administration Mr. Da Costa, who was the head of recruitment for peacekeeping operations, to personally ensure that recruitment takes place as quickly and as comprehensively as possible. Of course, we will call Member States’ attention to new or additional needs which might be pointed out to us by the Mission. (spoke in English) As regards the efforts being made by UNMIK to persuade Mr. Thaci and the Kosovo Democratic Party to return to the Interim Administrative Council, I can assure Ambassador Hasmy that this is something that Mr. Kouchner is actively working on. He is in touch with them to persuade them that it is in their best interest to participate in these structures, because their refusal and the motives invoked for their refusal to participate may be counterproductive and counter to their own interests. So he will continue his efforts to persuade them to participate, just as he has worked actively to persuade the Serbs to also participate. On the issue of the designation of a special envoy for missing persons, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is currently exploring the conditions under which this can be done. We will keep the Security Council informed of developments. I do not have more information on this issue at this point. Turning to the question raised by the Ambassador of the Ukraine and to the issue of the establishment of the Kosovo war and ethnic crimes court, this court has not yet been established. We have been consulting with the Legal Office, with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in this regard. The ICTY has confirmed publicly that there would be no conflict between this proposed court and the ICTY. This war and ethnic crimes court would deal with crimes committed in Kosovo, but the ICTY can request that any crime committed during the war in Kosovo be directed and referred to it. I regret the delays regarding the deployment of the special police unit from Ukraine. I will, of course, look into it. These deployments involve a complicated process. The unit needs to be ready, and I welcome your confirmation that the unit is ready. We need to send teams to visit these units, to discuss the arrangements and the equipment they need to have. We try to coordinate these visits so they can cover several countries at the same time. That sometimes creates some delays, but of course it is based also on financial considerations, to try and avoid unnecessary expenses. Finally, we have to have in place the necessary structure to accommodate them when they arrive in theatre. So we need a combination of these three different conditions in place to be able to affect the deployment. We will do what we can to activate this in cities in UNMIK’s interest. Finally, on the question regarding regulation on the municipalities, there is indeed a regulation which will establish the numbers, names and boundaries of the municipalities, which is being finalized. I totally agree with you that one does not go without the other. In other words, the regulation on the conduct of the municipal elections cannot be implemented without the issuance of the regulation on the boundaries of the municipalities. This regulation, as I said, is being finalized and will be adopted soon. That, I think, covers some of the main questions.

Let me thank Mr. Annabi, first of all, for his very useful briefing and for the answers he has given to the questions raised. There are no other speakers inscribed on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.