Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you Madam President. I, like others, would like to thank Special Representative Zarif for his briefing this morning and for his efforts over the past four years as Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. I wish him well in his next role and we look forward to working with his successor. I also welcome Deputy Prime Ministers Dačić and Thaçi to this discussion.
The last time the Council considered this agenda item, we, like others, urged the Kosovo Assembly to take the remaining steps required in order to establish a specialised court to try cases arising from the EU Special Investigative Task Force. We are therefore pleased to note that the Assembly recently voted to approve a constitutional amendment for the establishment of this special court. We warmly welcome this move, which we recognise was not easy. It demonstrates an important commitment not only to justice and accountability, but ultimately also to long-term reconciliation.
The decision of the Kosovo Assembly was an important step towards addressing the serious allegations that have been made, but it was of course only a first step. There remains much to do before the special court and associated prosecutor’s office is established and functioning. Reaching that point will not be a simple process. We therefore urge all involved to build on the momentum of the decision of the Kosovo Assembly and to drive the process forward expeditiously.
In terms of the political situation, we welcome the continued high-level engagement between Belgrade and Pristina in the EU-facilitated dialogue. We encourage both sides to approach this dialogue constructively. The more progress that is made in normalising relations, the more flexibility will need to be shown by all leaders in order to address core issues. Particular attention is needed to resolve outstanding issues in Northern Kosovo. Practical cooperation, such as that demonstrated by the Mayors of South and North Mitrovica, helpfully contributes to this process.
Beyond this, we encourage both sides to make progress on other issues identified in the Secretary-General’s report, including in relation to the protection of cultural and religious sites, the issue of internally displaced persons, and the question of missing persons.
Finally, Madam President with respect to the frequency with which the Council considers this agenda item, New Zealand echoes the words of others this morning and we reiterate the comments we made during the Council’s last discussion on Kosovo regarding the organisation of the Council’s work. We are not convinced that the Council’s current practice with respect to UNMIK is calibrated optimally. While it is important for the Council to hear from those affected by its decisions, we believe there should be flexibility in how the Council monitors the situation in Kosovo so that it can more appropriately reflect the situation on the ground.
Thank you.