Ban Ki-Moon might hint at EU mission at the UN SC session
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon might make a hint to Brussels about sending the EU mission during the UN Security Council session on Kosovo in New York on January 16, diplomatic sources said in Brussels.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, January 14, 2008
During the presentation of the UNMIK report on the situation in Kosovo, Ban might simply stress that he "takes note" of the EU preparations for the sending of a mission, which the EU might use as a positive indication for its decision.
The sources said that Brussels was completing the preparation of a joint action document, which should serve as a guideline for the sending of an EU mission.
The mission is practically ready, but there is still no legal basis nor formal decision made.
The mission will be discussed at the EU Council of Ministers meeting on January 28, although the format of the meeting is still not known, but the decision will probably wait until the completion of Serbian presidential elections.
The European Union has not overcome its differences over the mission, since Cyprus and some other countries agree with the stand of Serbia and Russia that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 cannot be the legal basis for the mission.
Belgrade and Moscow believe that such a basis would be a "creative interpretation" of Resolution 1244 and an indirect introduction of a possibility to implement the Ahtisaari plan and recognise the "coordinated independence" of Kosovo.
In the meantime, the European Commission on Friday said that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 was a sufficient basis for sending an EU mission to Kosovo.
