Pantic asks Ban Ki-moon to support UNMIK role
Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor Krstimir Pantic on Thursday urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to help stop the process of diminishing and underestimating the influence of the UN Mission in Kosovo and prevent the abolishment of the UNMIK Administration Mitrovica (UAM).
(kosovocompromisestuff) Thursday, January 24, 2013
Pantic addressed a letter to Ban in which he asks the secretary-general to use the power of his authority to influence KFOR representatives to ensure the unimpeded operation of Civilian Protection in the territory of the four municipalities in northern Kosovo.
He recalls that the Civilian Protection was formed in line with the Geneva Convention in order to assist the local population in case of natural disasters, attack on person or property, and in particular to prevent further ethnic cleansing of the territory of Kosovo, especially considering that hasty preparations are under way for the formation of the so-called Kosovo armed forces, even through this is in violation of valid Resolution 1244.
In the letter which is also addressed to UN General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic, Pantic warns the Albanians' goal is to use legal and physical violence to change the ethnic structure of the population, assimilate or exile the Serb population from Kosovska Mitrovica and, against their will, impose institutions of the so-called Republic of Kosovo.
Pantic says the responsibility for this series of events and the consequences would be borne solely by UNMIK Head Farid Zarif and the UN.
He recalls that at a February 15, 2012 referendum, 99.75 percent of the people in northern Kosovo voted against institutions of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo.
Pantic also warns about the unfavorable and quite fragile situation in northern Kosovo, citing many recent incidents and pointing to the inefficiency and partiality of EULEX and the failure to respect the six-point plan for the north.
He notes that the political process and the dialogue established between Belgrade and Pristina can not develop successfully if it continues to be burdened by everyday problems and unilateral attempts by the Pristina authorities to change the reality in northern Kosovo by force.
"It is our opinion that the UN Security Council and the secretary-general need to provide political, material and other kinds of support for a greater influence of UNMIK and the UNMIK head on events in Kosovo, until a final compromise solution is reached and a corresponding decision is passed by the UNSC," wrote Pantic, who is also the deputy head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo.
He recalls that the Civilian Protection was formed in line with the Geneva Convention in order to assist the local population in case of natural disasters, attack on person or property, and in particular to prevent further ethnic cleansing of the territory of Kosovo, especially considering that hasty preparations are under way for the formation of the so-called Kosovo armed forces, even through this is in violation of valid Resolution 1244.
In the letter which is also addressed to UN General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic, Pantic warns the Albanians' goal is to use legal and physical violence to change the ethnic structure of the population, assimilate or exile the Serb population from Kosovska Mitrovica and, against their will, impose institutions of the so-called Republic of Kosovo.
Pantic says the responsibility for this series of events and the consequences would be borne solely by UNMIK Head Farid Zarif and the UN.
He recalls that at a February 15, 2012 referendum, 99.75 percent of the people in northern Kosovo voted against institutions of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo.
Pantic also warns about the unfavorable and quite fragile situation in northern Kosovo, citing many recent incidents and pointing to the inefficiency and partiality of EULEX and the failure to respect the six-point plan for the north.
He notes that the political process and the dialogue established between Belgrade and Pristina can not develop successfully if it continues to be burdened by everyday problems and unilateral attempts by the Pristina authorities to change the reality in northern Kosovo by force.
"It is our opinion that the UN Security Council and the secretary-general need to provide political, material and other kinds of support for a greater influence of UNMIK and the UNMIK head on events in Kosovo, until a final compromise solution is reached and a corresponding decision is passed by the UNSC," wrote Pantic, who is also the deputy head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo.
