FDPM and FM Dačić spoke at the UN Security Council session on the work of UNMIK

The following is the integral version of the address given by the head of Serbian diplomacy at the UN Security Council:

"Mr. Chairman,

Dear members of the Security Council,

Ladies and gentlemen,

As always, I am honoured to be here today. I am convinced that the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ms. Ziadeh, is constructive in his intentions, and we appreciate her desire and commitment. However, the fact is that the report we are considering today is not and will never be sufficient for a comprehensive and essential understanding of all the implications of security and other challenges in Kosovo and Metohija to regional and global flows. Therefore, continuing the consideration of the Secretary General's report in an open format is of key importance in order to better describe the complex and disturbing situation in the area of Kosovo and Metohija to all Member States of the United Nations and the general public.

I am speaking to you at a moment when calls for observance of the Charter of the United Nations have never been heard louder in this distinguished body. It is exactly these appeals that the Republic of Serbia has been making continuously for the past twenty-four years, but with one small and significant difference. We are led by a powerful minority to believe that the example of Kosovo and Metohija is the so-called sui generis. Throughout history, it has been shown that such exceptions create precedents, and precedents greatly influence existing rules and interpretations of norms of international law. It is obvious that there are double standards that lead to different views of the universal principle of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of each UN member state. This does not seem to apply only to Serbia.

That is why it is my duty to call for the consistent application of the valid, I repeat - the valid UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which, unfortunately, has not been consistently and fully implemented to this day. At the same time, in accordance with this resolution, we call for the undiminished presence and action of UNMIK in its unchanged capacity, full scope and stipulated mandate. Resolution 1244 as your 1999 act is still in force. Either abolish it observe it. And if you don't observe it, then the question is whether the UN exists anymore.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is at a very complex and politically important, and perhaps decisive, moment. On the one hand, with the agreements from Brussels of 27 February and Ohrid (18 March), with the mediation of the European Union, we preserved the momentum in attempts to normalise relations. On the other hand, and the Secretary General's report itself partially shows, there is still an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and pressure towards Serbs and other non-Albanian communities on the ground. First of all, it is necessary that all previous agreements, since the Brussels Agreement, which I signed 10 years ago together with Ms. Catherine Ashton and Mr. Hashim Thaci, be consistently and fully implemented. It is necessary to form the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities as soon as possible, because this is the only possible mechanism for protecting the rights and security of the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In this same hall 10 years ago, on 14 June 2013, the session of the UN Security Council was held after the signing of the Brussels Agreement, where it was assessed as a historically important document. The then Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, wrote in his report that the Agreement provided for the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities with a statute and a framework of competences. The US Chief of Mission at the time, Ms. Susan Rice, stated that the Agreement affirmed far-reaching local self-government for ethnic Serbs in the north. The head of the French delegation, Mr. Brien, said that Kosovo had to ensure a future community with substantial autonomy in areas where Serbs form the majority. And what happened in these 10 years? Nothing.

 We are aware that Pristina is deliberately avoiding this obligation, and it is devastating that they will only start talking about this important topic on 2 May, even though it is recognised as a key and first step in the implementation of the European plan, and that no less than by the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and the Security Policy, Mr. Josep Borrell, who told the entire European community that the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities had to be established, I will quote, immediately. We are sure that, taking into account everything that has been done so far, Mr. Kurti will never fulfill the obligation to establish the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities, because his goal is not peace and the success of dialogue, but to expel all Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. And as you know, establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities is the first and necessary condition for the further implementation of the agreements from Brussels and Ohrid. In other words, it is necessary to ensure a dignified and normal life for all people living in Kosovo and Metohija. I would like to emphasize that the Republic of Serbia will take all legal political and economic measures to protect the lives and fundamental human and political rights of Serbs and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija. In order to continue the comprehensive social and economic progress of Serbian communities, the Government of Serbia, through a special investment programme, will accelerate infrastructural development and increase financial support measures for the economy, farmers, youth and socially vulnerable categories.

Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Security Council,

The harsh truth is that, in the past 20 years, Kosovo and Metohija has turned from a multi-ethnic environment into an almost ethnically clean territory. I will repeat the information that more than 40,000 Serbs lived in Pristina, and that today there are less than 100 of them. In the ancient imperial city of Prizren, where I was born, and which today I need permission to visit, there used to be more than 10,000 Serbs. Serbs, there are about twenty of them left, and so on, and so on... What words would you use to describe this phenomenon, according to which the systematic elimination of all Serbs, along with the deprivation of all their rights has been done? Is there support for such destructive action and who provides it?

It is devastating that after 24 years since SC Resolution 1244, the Secretary General's Report still states the number of 200,000 displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija, and that the return is at such a low level (in the report we heard, saw and read, 112 voluntary returns were recorded, of which 60 are Kosovo Serbs) that at this rate we need centuries for all exiles to return to their homes and to their hearths. You heard me right, centuries. The return which is less than 2%, that is 1.9%, is the lowest percentage of returnees in post-conflict areas in the whole world. Is this information the result of the democratic development of Pristina and its contribution to the peaceful coexistence of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija? And do you really think that we should not mention this issue anymore? Do you really think that those who have been exiled should be exiled forever? Or does the Resolution 1244 of this body, the United Nations Security Council, say otherwise.

We have also witnessed that the Serbian Orthodox spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is subject to attacks by Kosovo Albanians on two grounds. They attribute this heritage as medieval Albanian facilities or falsely present it as Byzantine or Illyrian. In the twenty-first century, we are witnessing the erasure of history, the destruction of certain buildings of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the desecration of Orthodox cemeteries and the denial of the right to freedom of religion. Citizens cannot even visit the graves of their ancestors. Is this the principle of self-determination of some at the expense of eliminating others? Pristina's goal and intention to erase the traces of everything Serbian in Kosovo and Metohija is also evident in this action. Let's add to that the current trend of frequent ethnically motivated attacks on religious holidays. The wounding of the eleven-year-old boy Stefan Stojanović and his twenty-one-year-old cousin Miloš Stojanović, whose sin was to celebrate Orthodox Christmas and go to the forest to collect the holy yule log, and all this raises the question of what kind of message are we sending to the remaining Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija? What opportunities have we created for the return of 200,000 Serbs who were exiled from Kosovo? What are the prospects for remaining non-Albanian communities?   

Resigned to the current state of democracy in Kosovo and Metohija, the legitimately elected representatives of the Serbs have stepped out of political life, insisting on the fulfillment of well-known conditions: number one, and clearly supported here 10 years ago, establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities, which is an international obligation of Pristina, accurately indicated in this body as well, I quoted 10 years ago; enabling the freedom of movement of Serbs and the withdrawal of illegally deployed Albanian special police forces from the north of Kosovo and Metohija, all of this was envisaged by the Brussels Agreement. Belgrade supported this type of peaceful protest and considers the demands of the Serbian community logical and legitimate. I would like to remind you that during the last year, the fundamental democratic right of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija was violated twice, when they were prevented from voting in the referendum and when, for the first time, voting was not carried out in the elections on 3 April, which is in direct contravention of the Resolution 1244 and OSCE Decisions. Paradoxically, the current Pristina leadership insisted on the recent holding of special elections in four municipalities with a majority Serbian community. Serbia is completely against the violent and illegal holding of extraordinary elections, because the motive for such a decision by the current leadership of Pristina is completely clear to us - it is a clear attempt to forcibly take away the rights and competences of the Serbian community and establish full control. And it is obvious that such a step has the support of some of the powerful minority, because the recognition of the results of these extraordinary elections represents a kind of defeat of democracy, more precisely, it represents the occupation of the north of Kosovo and Metohija. I would like to remind you that the elections were held violently, under great pressure, in containers secured by the same persons who shoot at Serbs and other non-Albanians. Naturally, only 13 persons of Serbian nationality voted in such elections out of the total number of 45,095 people. Does it seem normal and legal to you that barely 2% of the population decides the fates, and when I say 2%, I also mean the 1,500 Albanians who participated in it out of a total of 45,000 registered voters, is it normal that barely 2% of the population decides the fates of 98% of people at a time of pronounced inter-ethnic tensions? Not to mention justice... And all this at a time when the issue of Pristina's membership in the Council of Europe is forcibly being considered. This blackmail and political maneuver for delaying the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities for exactly ten years must be clearly and widely condemned. The current Albanian leadership does not even care about the statutes, let alone the common values of the institutions whose membership they want to use to fulfill their political goals. Pristina obviously believes that their precedent takes precedence over every right, and that each move they make will nevertheless be accepted. This may be true, as the EU visa liberalisation that they have been granted does not include Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija and is discriminatory against them compared to Albanians. All mechanisms of premature enhancement of Pristina’s capacities are only putting the Serbian community in a more difficult position and further depriving them of their rights. If a lack of reaction means approval, one might reasonably get the impression that the destructiveness that the current Pristina authorities are showing by putting pressure on the non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohija is being legitimised and rewarded. I believe that you will agree that this can hardly be considered a part of a compromise. The continued violation of collective political rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija has gained a particularly dangerous antidemocratic form in the constant pressures on the representatives of the Serb List, who are legitimate political representatives of almost the entire Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. Unlike the monster belonging to the so-called Kosovo Security Force who was arrested for an attempted murder of a Serbian boy but has been released from detention after only three months, Vice President of the Serb List Bratislav Nikolić and four Serbs from the village of Štrbac have been rotting in prison under politically inspired charges, with no trial, for no less than 18 months.

Due to the particularly aggravated security situation in the province towards the end of the last year, Serbia has, fully in accordance with the text of the Resolution 1244, sent a request for return of up to 1,000 members of Serbian armed forces to Kosovo and Metohija, which has been denied. Let me repeat this: in accordance with the text of the Resolution 1244, adopted by you, the United Nations Security Council. We insist that KFOR should make additional efforts to ensure the right to life and security of the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija. Last year in the North of Kosovo and Metohija: the so-called Regional Operations Support Units of Kosovo Police (ROSU) conducted as many as 12 raids in municipalities with the majority Serbian population without the consent of KFOR or the four mayors. This year, five such illegal raids are known to have already occurred. It is crucial that KFOR acts as a deterring factor to such actions, because such increasingly frequent incidents may cause a spiral of violence which would be very difficult to control.  I would like to use this opportunity to highlight another negative trend in the actions of the current Pristina authorities - the instrumentalization of members of the so-called Support Units and the police for heightening of inter-ethnic tensions. There are numerous examples of this, including the fact that it was a member of the so-called Kosovo Security Force who participated in the aforementioned attack on Serbian children during a religious holiday. For that reason, we are very surprised that, contrary to international law and in spite of the warnings from the United Nations, the European Union and NATO, the process of transformation of the so-called Kosovo Security Force into an army has continued. Let me remind you that, pursuant to the Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement, only the International Security Force (KFOR) has the mandate for all military aspects of security. And it is this distinguished body that is not allowing the temporary institutions in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija to establish their own armed forces. Any attempt of further empowering those forces will be a source of further problems. How are we to interpret the establishment of their strongholds and bases near the administrative line, if not as a threat? And what’s more, in territories exclusively populated by Serbs.

A particular reason for concern is the implementation of arrangements on members of the so-called Kosovo Security Force joining an infantry unit of the United Kingdom armed forces in the Maldives. This action is fully in contravention not only of Resolution 1244, but also of the relevant Resolutions of the UN General Assembly concerning peaceful resolution of the conflict over the Maldives.

 Ladies and gentlemen,

Serbia's strategic commitment is to full membership in the European Union. We share and promote European values and advocate for consistent observance of the fundamental norms of international law, respecting the fundamental principles of the United Nations. In this regard, we are committed to the process of finding a sustainable solution in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which we consider to be a strategic interest of the entire region and Europe, as well as the wider geopolitical situation. You have heard only some of the problems concerning the deteriorated security situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which is being intentionally used to prevent us from fully focusing on finding a compromise. Waiting one year for assumed obligations to be fulfilled is too long, but waiting ten years is outrageous. We must not neglect these obligations, or else we will completely fail the people who live in Kosovo and Metohija. We have to sincerely commit to the dialogue, but, unfortunately, I am sure that we are going to once more hear a number of accusations against Serbia from the representatives of Pristina concerning the obviously different interpretations of the Ohrid Agreement, and that the focus will be on the consequences of the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija. They will again call Serbia responsible and portray it as someone's tool. It is very interesting that representatives of Pristina find it so easy to speak of patronages, and to always only highlight the responsibility of Serbia and Belgrade. The only question they never answer is about their own responsibility for the current security situation and for their failure to fulfil the obligations they have assumed, such as the obligation to establish the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities. They never say anything about this matter, and their silence speaks volumes. I must once more clearly and unambiguously call for an unconditional, urgent establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities, in accordance with the Brussels Agreement. It is outrageous that talks about this important matter are only going to start on 7 May, while an action taking place in the Council of Europe itself is directly undermining this dialogue.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is the twenty-fifth time that I am speaking before this distinguished body on the importance of Kosovo and Metohija for the Serbian people. The Serbian people have lived in Kosovo and Metohija for centuries. And will continue to live there. This is, among other things, reflected in our historical, cultural and religious heritage, which we cannot and will not abandon. We have heard that, in order to justify the violation of international law committed by recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, the term sui generis is used as an alibi. This is true. Kosovo is sui generis for Serbia. Kosovo is where Serbia came to be, where the essence of Serbian history and Orthodox Christian faith can be found. Four medieval Serbian churches from the UNESCO’s World Heritage List are located in Kosovo and Metohija: the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery from the 13th century, the Church of Bogorodica Ljeviška from 1307, the Gračanica Monastery from 1321, and the Dečani Monastery from 1335, which have all been on the UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger since 2006. Since 2021, the Dečani Monastery has been on the list of the seven most endangered cultural monuments in Europe. The Dečani Monastery has been attacked with grenades, and graffiti about the Islamic State have been written on its walls. Kosovo Albanians are not even observing the decisions of their own courts concerning church property. The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, has been banned from entering Kosovo and conducting religious rites there, even from entering the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery, which has been the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church since the 13th century. Is this democracy and human rights? Patriarch Porfirije is banned from entering Kosovo, but returnees from the Islamic State (ISIL) have been free to come. Let me remind you that, in terms of the percentage of the population, the largest number of foreign terrorists have been from Kosovo. Three hundred and fifty of them in Syria and Iraq. Twenty-eight have been killed on the front lines fighting for the Islamic State. Twenty-six of them are still there. It is true, ladies and gentlemen, that Kosovo is sui generis for Serbia. Just like Jerusalem is sui generis for the Jewish people. Just like Mecca is sui generis for Muslims. Just like Vatican is sui generis for Catholics. This is why here, in the United Nations headquarters, I want to say clearly, on behalf of the Republic of Serbia, that Serbia can never and will never recognise the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, nor will it accept and vote for Kosovo’s UN membership.

I have similarly reaffirmed multiple times that Serbia wants peace, that we want to talk and contribute to achievement of the long desired normalisation of circumstances and peaceful life of both Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija. At this stage in the dialogue, we have no more time to waste, and we must truly commit to the ultimate goal - which is, at least for Serbia, peaceful coexistence and normalisation of circumstances.

As I pointed out at the start of my speech: at a time when calls for observance of the United Nations Charter are louder than ever, we are fully entitled to expect such appeals to apply equally to all United Nations Member States. Unfortunately, we are today all aware of the consequences of the support shown to the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo in 2008. We tried to warn others of the negative effects of such an action, and our warnings have come true. Pandora’s Box has been opened in international relations. The independence of the so-called Kosovo has resulted in serious turbulences in international relations, divisions between countries, both globally and in all international organisations and political groups. Fifteen years since the announcement of the so-called independence, I would like to tell you very clearly and precisely, and I stand by these words, as a Minister of Foreign Affairs who knows the position of each of the United Nations Member States, that 28 countries have withdrawn their recognition of Kosovo over the last few years, and that, of 193 UN Member States, 84 recognise Kosovo. Ladies and gentlemen, Kosovo cannot possibly become a United Nations Member State, because that decision would not be supported by the majority. You can ask the current members of the Security Council.

 I have to use this occasion to once more express my gratitude to the majority of the United Nations Member States, who have not recognised the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, because they are observing international law and are aware, just like we are, of the danger that any unilateral actions resulting in violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country may spill over into other regions and countries throughout the world.

Finally, I would like to say this one thing to all United Nations Member States and to this distinguished body: through the observance of the UN Charters and UN Resolutions, we want to establish normalisation of global flows as the universal principle which will apply to all and be implemented without any exceptions or double standards.

We are absolutely committed to dialogue. As you see, it was ten years ago that I signed the Brussels Agreement. All that the other side cares about is Kosovo’s independence. The Ohrid and Brussels Agreements are not agreements on mutual recognition, but on further normalisation of relations. Is this too little for representatives of Pristina, or not - it is not on us to decide. We are ready and will invest utmost efforts to implement all the principles of the agreement, but it must first be known that an obligation assumed ten years ago - establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities - must be fulfilled immediately, or there cannot be any agreement.

Thank you for your attention."