Serbian government "to send letter to UN chief"

The Serbian government is "preparing a letter to be sent to the UN secretary general", writes a Belgrade daily, and says it concerns the crisis in Kosovo.

(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, September 13, 2011

According to Danas, the government is warning that the Priština authorities were making statements about taking over administrative line crossings that were announcing violence.

The letter, also addressed to UN Security Council members, says that statements made by Kosovo Albanian authorities about what would be taking place after September 15 - when an agreement reached between Belgrade and KFOR expires - represents an implicit announcement of use of force, that jeopardizes the security in Kosovo and in the wider region.

It also jeopardizes the dialogue held between representatives of Belgrade and Priština being held under EU mediation, notes the letter, according to the newspaper.

In it, the government also points out that the responsibility for the possible implementation of violent and unilateral acts lies on Priština and international institutions that have the mandate to secure peace and security in Kosovo and Metohija.

The government at the same time "calls on the UN, EU and NATO to undertake appropriate measures in line with their powers, remove the threat of violence and secure conditions for continued dialogue".

The letter, according to the daily, is one of diplomatic measures the Serbian government is undertaking "in a preventive action" in response to announcements from Priština that they would "establish order and peace" in the predominantly Serb north that rejects their authority, and bring customs and police to the Brnjak and Jarinje checkpoints.

At the same time, heads of Serbia's diplomatic missions "in the world's most powerful countries" have been tasked with presenting the contents of the letter to their hosts "at the highest possible level", says the article, and adds that communication with foreign ambassadors posted in Belgrade "has also been intensified".

Should the government in Pristina still decide to go ahead with its unilateral plans, Serbia and Russia agreed to immediately call a session of the UN Security Council - writes the newspaper.