Serbia "won't rest or retreat" on Kosovo organ probe

He asked for support to Serbia's formal proposal for investigation of the human organs trafficking allegations.

Jeremic noted in his address that "no existing institution can either conduct a comprehensive investigation, or ensure the cooperation of all concerned".

"Only a mechanism created by the Security Council can do that - and without it, any number of alleged participants in the human organs trafficking criminal conspiracy could remain beyond reach," said the minister.

A report filed by Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty in late 2010 named former members of the ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators of atrocities in Kosovo and northern Albania in 1999 and 2000. The victims are thought to have been kidnapped Serb and other civilians.

Jeremic told the council that "justice would be ill-served should anyone implicated in this heinous endeavor not answer for what he did because of mandate or jurisdictional limitations," adding that "we ask for nothing more, and have no moral right to settle for anything less".

"If all investigations into war crimes committed by Serbs received mandates from this body, then why is it that investigating war crimes committed against Serbs should not take place under the auspices of the Security Council as well?," Serbia's foreign minister wondered.

"We will not rest or retreat until the full truth about what happened is uncovered. This is our solemn obligation to all the victims of this terrible inhumanity, and to their families. We shall not let them down," said Jeremic, added that this was also a part of the reconciliation process and a prerequisite to establishing a lasting peace between Serbs and Albanians.

Jeremic stated that a statement made by the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, that it has the capacity, the expertise, the location, and the jurisdiction to head the investigation was "factually incorrect".

He said the mission had a mandate to operate only in Kosovo, while "the alleged criminal trail leads not only to a number of European countries, but also into parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East".

He also mentioned the Medicus Case, to say that it involved "another criminal conspiracy to source human organs for illicit transplant, and mirrors in many ways the KLA-led organs trafficking operation."

"While EULEX has been able to indict a number of ethnic-Albanians on various charges, two of the ringleaders-both foreigners-have fled Kosovo, and cannot be extradited. Therefore, even if all the defendants currently in the custody of EULEX are convicted, justice will only partially be served."

Jeremic told the council that while EULEX "cannot conduct a comprehensive investigation on its own, it should play a crucial role in uncovering the truth", but also urged the EU mission to "assure its full statutory independence from the ethnic-Albanian institutions", and provide "an effective witness protection program".

Addressing the ongoing Belgrade-Pristina talks, the minister said that "Serbia remains strongly committed to these talks, and will continue to offer multiple proposals for each topic", expressing belief that the UN needs to be present during the negotiation sessions.

"Let me underline how critically important it is that no one tries to alter realities on the ground unilaterally," stressed Jeremic, adding that the province's ethnic-Albanian authorities "repeatedly sought to extend the reach of their Pristina-based institutions to North Kosovo against the will of the local (mostly Serb) population, including multiple attempts to deploy heavily-armed special police units".