Russia's ambassador to UN concerned about Kosovo
The Russian ambassador at the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has voiced grave concern about the deterioration of the situation in Kosovo. UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, Chief Lamberto Zannier evaluated at the Security Council session that "both Serbian and (ethnic) Albanian sides need to invest their efforts".
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, May 18, 2010
When addressing a UN Security Council meeting, Churkin described as unsatisfactory the situation around the return of the refugees and the preservation of Serbian cultural heritage.
Churkin called attention to the continued desecration of Serbian cemeteries and churches.
He then said that he was just as concerned about the Pristina officials' plans to adopt a law whereby Serbs would have to produce their foreign passports when entering Kosovo.
UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, Chief Lamberto Zannier evaluated at the Security Council session that "both Serbian and (ethnic) Albanian sides need to invest their efforts".
He assessed the situation in the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica as politically delicate, particularly in regards to courts, adding that UNMIK was trying to contribute to the situation improvement.
Zannier warned that little was being said about everyday problems of citizens.
UNMIK is investing efforts in renewing the dialogue between the northern and southern parts of Kosovska Mitrovica, said Zannier, adding that representatives of the UN Mission had talked with leaders of both sides but that political argumentation had prevailed.
Stating that 1,800 persons are still recorded as missing, Zannier spoke about the incidents in the village of Zac, where Serbs are not allowed to return to their homes, as well as about the decision of the Kosovo authorities to disconnect the telephone lines of the Serbian operators in Kosovo, which had led to a communication halt in the minority-populated areas.
Kosovo Albanian government's foreign minister Skender Hyseni also attended, to state at that the "Kosovo institutions continue to work to the benefit of all citizens of Kosovo, including ethnic minorities, the Serbian minority in particular", but that the "role of Serbia in Kosovo does not help".
Tanjug news agency reports that speaking at the session in which he took part as a private person, Hyseni said that this role was "disturbing at one point".
In regards to the so-called integration strategy for the northern, mostly Serb areas of Kosovo, Hyseni said that it should provide "conditions for a normal life of all citizens of Kosovo regardless of their ethnicity".
He also said that "Kosovo wishes to discuss issues of mutual interest with Serbia and to have normal relations with Belgrade".
