Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

UN Security Council Kosovo-Serbia session turns into nearly 4 hours of name calling

UN Security Council Kosovo-Serbia session turns into nearly 4 hours of name calling

A United Nations Security Council status update on efforts to achieve a final peace between Serbia and Kosovo turned into nearly four hours of name calling with accusations blaming each side for everything from ethnic cleansing to intentional diplomatic obstruction.
The purpose of the meeting was to review a 26-page "monitoring report" issued by the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, headed by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General Caroline Ziadeh that spelled actions taken to ease tensions and provide support.

But rather than address the report, representatives for Serbia and Kosovo instead outlined grievances blocking their hopes for peace during the three and one-half hour session that prompted most other participating nations to take rhetorical sides.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General head of UN Interim Administration Mission (UNIAM) in Kosovo, Caroline Ziadeh of Lebanon opened the session with encouraging words summarizing monitoring efforts and acknowledging agreements previously signed by Serbia and Kosovo leaders including those recently in Brussels intended to achieve "normalization."

"Our focus is on the empowerment of communities to flourish in spaces where ethically divided prejudice and political rhetoric are being transcended. Trust building can directly help light the path to political normalization," Ziadeh, who is from Lebanon, told the Security Council members and participants.

"Together these approaches mark a genuine path towards a more sustainable, peaceful and ultimately prosperous future for all."

Ziadeh emphasized that the two sides need to "overcome divisions caused by miscommunication and by frequent political invective, acknowledging "accusative rhetoric," "pitfalls" and "insufficient political will" without naming names.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Serbia, Ivica Dacic vowed to abide by peaceful negotiations but said the efforts to achieve "normalization" are being sidelined by Kosovo's efforts to win independent statehood and EU membership wirthout addressing the suffering and losses by Serbian citizens of Kosovo who have been forced to leave because of discrimination and tensions since the two territories separated.

"The harsh truth is that Kosovo and Metohija in the past 20 years has turned from a multi-ethnic environment into an almost ethnically pure territory," Dacic said.

"In Krishna, more than 40,000 Serbs used to live while today there are less than 100 of them. In the ancient imperial city of Prizren where I was born and in which today I need permission to visit, there used to be 10,000 Serbs and today there are only 20 left."

Dacic praised Ziadeh's efforts, but stressed that the situation in Kosovo is "complex and distrubing."

"I am convinced the efforts of the Special Representative of the Security General, Miss Ziadeh, have constructive intentions ... however the fact is the report we are considering today is not and will never be sufficient for a comprehensive and essential understanding of all of the implications of security and other challenges in Kosovo and Metohija and regional and global flows."

Dacic said noted that the Serbian population of Kosovo has been pushed out and no effort has been made to allow them to return to their homes or properties.

"There is still an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty and pressure towards Serbs and other Albanians on the ground," Dacic said.

"The harsh truth is that Kosovo and Metohija in the past 20 years has turned from a multi-ethnic environment into an almost ethnically pure territory. ... In Krishna, more than 40,000 Serbs used to live while today there are less than 100 of them. In the ancient imperial city or Prism where I was born and in which today I need permission to visit, there used to be 10,000 Serbs and today there are only 20 left."

Claiming that four of Serbia's most important Orthodox Churches in Kosovo built in the 1300s and on UNESCO's World Heritage Endager list have experienced serious damage.

"There is no way that Kosovo can become a member of the United Nations because they do not have a majority ... we are absolutely devoted to dialogue. ... The other side is only interested in the independence of Kosovo. This agreement in Brussels is not an agreement on recognizing each other but on normalizing further relations," Dacic said.

"The obligation taken 10 years ago to form the Association of Serbian Municipalities is something that needs to happen now, otherwise there won't be any kind of an agreement."

Kosovo political leader Donika Gervalla-Schwarz responded to Dacic's assertions, accusing them of blocking the agreements signed in Brussels. She called Serbia's leaders including Dacic as "cul[prits" in "this breach of contract."

"Their political DNA makes it impossible for them to keep their word. It promises, and given signatures are not honored. Negotiations become a farce. This is uncivilized. This is outrageous. And this is a sign of disrespect to the entire diplomatic community. The Serbian strategy is to block Balkan integration into Europe. And behind this attempts in power are the Russian working via Serbia it's Balkan process. When dealing with people who engage in dishonest and unfair behavior, it is important to take punitive action rather than negotiate with them. More and more voices in Europe from Kosovo to the Netherlands and Germany are now calling for sanctions against Serbia. Because you don't negotiate with cheaters, you face them with the consequences," Gervalla-Schwarz retorted.

"EU integration will eventually move forward without Serbia. This is not only true or the Berlin process but also for the EU project of the common regional market which promotes integration into the EU market and this applies to the dialogue between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia. Serbia has largely disregarded signed agreements from 2011, 2013 and 2015."

Gervalla-Schwarz said that Kosovans were the "victims of genocide and brutality" by the Serbians and accused the Serbian leadership of fomenting "racism, hate and incitement."

Several nations spoke in calmer terms urging the two sides to persist in following the "path of peace" towards normalization including an officials with the United Arab Emirates.

"Peace is not a simple story of before and after. There are many chapters," said Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, United Arab Emirates Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

"The recent agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is the most significant breakthrough in relations between both states in over a decade, and we must all support this welcome trajectory. ... there is a path forward."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
×