Serbian president Boris Tadic told an in-camera meeting of the UN Security Council on April 21 that the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) should continue its mandate in the territory without power being transferred to any other authority, and called for new negotiations on Kosovo's status.
The UNSC met to consider a regular quarterly report by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker.
According to a statement of his remarks, Tadic said that Serbia did not accept the report's approach of "acknowledgement of the circumstances", meaning Kosovo's February 17 2008 declaration of independence. "It is absolutely unacceptable that the report does not mention Serbia's demands or her argument that the 'new reality' is the result of a violation of Resolution 1244," Tadic said.
Serbia's main domestic and foreign policy goals, of preserving its territorial integrity and integration into the European Union, could be achieved "only if realised in parallel," he said.
He urged UN member states that had recognised Kosovo as independent to reconsider their decision. Tadic asked for support for Serbia's plan to include Kosovo in its voting for parliamentary and local elections on May 11.
The Voice of America reported on April 21 that UNSC member states were divided over the election plans.
VOA reported US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad as saying that the Serbs should reconsider their position on the election plan. "We believe the election -- and I directly addressed the President of Serbia -- that those elections should not go forward, that they would be illegitimate, and that the UN representative, Mr. [Joachim] Rücker, has characterized it as such. Going forward with that would not be helpful," Khalilzad said.
UK ambassador John Sawers stated the same view, saying that holding the elections "on an ethnic basis would be divisive and unhelpful," but Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said: "We believe that the Serbs have every right to conduct their parliamentary and municipal elections when they see fit".
Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci said that his government respected dual citizenship for all citizens in Kosovo, but would view Serb-organised local elections as illegitimate.
The UNSC met to consider a regular quarterly report by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker.
According to a statement of his remarks, Tadic said that Serbia did not accept the report's approach of "acknowledgement of the circumstances", meaning Kosovo's February 17 2008 declaration of independence. "It is absolutely unacceptable that the report does not mention Serbia's demands or her argument that the 'new reality' is the result of a violation of Resolution 1244," Tadic said.
Serbia's main domestic and foreign policy goals, of preserving its territorial integrity and integration into the European Union, could be achieved "only if realised in parallel," he said.
He urged UN member states that had recognised Kosovo as independent to reconsider their decision. Tadic asked for support for Serbia's plan to include Kosovo in its voting for parliamentary and local elections on May 11.
The Voice of America reported on April 21 that UNSC member states were divided over the election plans.
VOA reported US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad as saying that the Serbs should reconsider their position on the election plan. "We believe the election -- and I directly addressed the President of Serbia -- that those elections should not go forward, that they would be illegitimate, and that the UN representative, Mr. [Joachim] Rücker, has characterized it as such. Going forward with that would not be helpful," Khalilzad said.
UK ambassador John Sawers stated the same view, saying that holding the elections "on an ethnic basis would be divisive and unhelpful," but Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said: "We believe that the Serbs have every right to conduct their parliamentary and municipal elections when they see fit".
Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci said that his government respected dual citizenship for all citizens in Kosovo, but would view Serb-organised local elections as illegitimate.
