By KUNA
United Nations : The Security Council remained divided late Sunday following an emergency session called for by Serbia and its ally Russia to discuss Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence earlier in the day.
“Our position is that this declaration should be disregarded by the international community and should be declared null and void by the head of UNMIK there,” Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin told reporters following the closed-door session.
In June 1999, the council adopted resolution 1244 establishing the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), placing the province under UN administration and authorizing the Mission to build peace, democracy, stability, and self-government.
British envoy John Sawers, however, told reporters “no country supported the proposal from Russia that the declaration be declared null and void.
“Everybody recognized that the situation had indeed moved. Not everybody welcomed it, but a great majority recognizes that the UN now had to adapt to what it is likely to be a new situation.” “We all agree that 1244 remains in place and will remain in place unless and until the Security Council makes any decision to the contrary. There is nothing in 1244 that rules out recognition of the independence of Kosovo,” he said.
The next step, he speculated, would be “whether or not countries recognize this declaration and that’s a matter for individual countries to make.” EU Foreign Ministers are scheduled to meet Monday in Belgium to decide what to do next.
A joint statement reflecting the EU and US position read out by Ambassador Johan Verbeke of Belgium to reporters said “We regret that the Security Council cannot agree on the way forward … But we are determined to take up our own responsibilities, as states and through the EU and NATO, to secure stability and security in the region.” Today’s events, he said, thus “represent the conclusion of a status process that has exhausted all avenues in pursuit of a negotiated outcome. We regret the failure to secure a mutually agreed outcome, but the status quo had become unsustainable.” He denied Serb and Russian claims that the declaration was contrary to international law.
“The processes under way are fully in accordance with international law, including resolution 1244 which provides the framework for transition to a sustainable new status for Kosovo,” Verbeke said.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters following the session, quoting his special envoy for Kosovo Joachim Rucker, that the Kosovo declaration pledges to continue to adhere to resolution 1244 and to work constructively with UNMIK.
The Kosovo declaration, he noted with satisfaction, reaffirmed the province’s commitment to Martti Ahtisaari Settlement proposal and stated that there would be equal opportunities and no discrimination against any of the Kosovo’s inhabitants; ethnic Albanians or Serbs.
International negotiations, led by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari, began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo.
In February 2007, Ahtisaari delivered a draft status settlement proposal to leaders in Belgrade and Pristina by which he suggested “supervised independence” for the province.
His proposed plan remained vehemently opposed by Belgrade and Moscow.
Ban and the EU members called today on both ethnic groups in Kosovo – the Muslim ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority – to refrain from any actions or statements that could endanger peace, incite violence, or jeopardize security in Kosovo and the region.
The council is scheduled to meet again on Monday in an open meeting to listen to Serbian President Boris Tadic and other speakers.