UPCOMING U.N. DEBATE ON KOSOVO WITH A SENSE OF CONTROVERSY

By Erol Avdović

UN's Farhan Haq
(Photo Hajat Avdovic
Webpublicapress 2011)

NEW YORK (Webpublicapress) -- UN Security Council decided to move the regular debate on Kosovo from previosily confirmed 24^th to August 29^th,  after authorities in Belgrade requested for that change of the date in New York. The new date was granted earlier last week. It was confirmed to Webpublicapress (WPP) by the acting deputy spokesman for the UN Farhan Haq. The move wouldn’t look a bit strange, if Srebian foreign minister Vuk Jeremić, by the end of July did not come to New York to seek urgent Council’s meeting because of deteriorating situation in Northern Kosovo. He was then unsuccessful in his bid.

CLOSE DOOR DIPLOMACY

Acctualy, Mr. Jeremic looked so disappointed after the meeting was not held, that he even accused some permanent members of the Council of denying his right to speak. Back in July, he said “somebody did not like to hear the truth” about happenings in Northern Kosovo.

It is not secret, Mr. Jeremić thought of United States, Great Britain and France, although some other members of the SC had little or no apetitte to give him a chance to speak about Kosovo again. It was a common sense among at least some diplomats at the Security Council that Jeremic’s speech “was to predictable”, as one western diplomat said to WPP.

Farhan Haq: No details on letter to Ban Ki-moon
(Photo by Hajat Avdovic, Webpublicapress 2011)

French ambassador to UN Gerard Araud, told Webpublicapress (WPP) that no member of the Council, even Russia -- did not ask for the emergency meeting at the Security Council on Kosovo, to support Jeremic’s reques for one such meeting bay the end of July.

“If anybody asked for it – we would have that meeting on Kosovo at the Security Council. But nobody did”, Mr. Araud said. 

While publicly outcring the lost opportunity for Council to have an emergency session on Kosovo in July, behind the close door, Mr. Jeremić was looking for postponing the regular debate on it.

LETTR TO THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL

While awaiting for the open debate on Kosovo in New York, based of regular six months report by UNMIK, the presidents of four Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo sent a letter on Thursday to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. In the letter, they asked UN to prevent any unilateral action by the Kosovo authorities and to ensure the safety of Serbs in northern Kosovo, a B-92 TV station from Belgrade reported.

"We ask you to perform the legal mandate that is entrusted to you and inform the UN Security Council and General Assembly and to prevent the operation that could have catastrophic consequences", was written in letter signed by the presidents of the municipalities of Zvečan, Leposavić, Zubin Potok and Kosovska Mitrovica.

WILL THE LETTER BE INCLUDED?

Haq: latest development will be included
(Photo by Hajat Avdovic, Webpublicapress 2011)

Answering to WPP question can he confirm or say that the letter of the Serbian leaders from northern Kosovo will be somehow included in the Secretary-General’s report, as an amendment or will it be even commented on, UN spokesman Haq said he “wouldn’t be able to provide details of the briefing at the Security Council before it has been given”. 

But he did not rule the possibility for the mentioned letter to be additionaly included in the Mr. Ban’s report that was already published and even given to some UN reporters, including Webpublicapress.

“Clearly, as with other cases, when there are more recent developments since a written report has gone to the Security Council, those further developments would be included in the oral briefing to the Security Council” Haq said. “Beyond that, we’ll just share with you the briefing once we have it”, he added.

But, Farhan Haq confirmed to WPP, “certainly it (the SG’s report on Kosovo) would include whatever the latest developments are”.