12 minutes agoKS UN meetings in Kosovo diminish: Only two a year
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)Security Council members have agreed to reduce meetings regarding UNMIK's work in Kosovo, the DW suggests. Security Council members have found a compromise on the issue of changing the frequency of meetings they hold for UNMIK activities and the situation in Kosovo by reporting [...]
Security Council members have found a compromise on the issue of changing the frequency of meetings they hold for UNMIK activities and the situation in Kosovo by the secretary-general's report.
Since 1999, when Resolution 1244 was issued, it has been in order that every three months the UN secretary general will inform the Security Council of the security situation, human rights and others in Kosovo. The Security Council is also informed once a month of the UN mission's chief, of UNMIK's activities. This pace has not changed since then, despite changes that have occurred in Kosovo.
Therefore, the Security Council member states that have recognised Kosovo have long demanded that the pace of information meetings change, because the situation in Kosovo is more stable and that other crises in the world require the strength and energy of the Security Council. But those countries that have not recognised Kosovo have insisted on the contrary.
In August 2018, the United Kingdom held the rotating Security Council presidency and initiated expanding the deadline for holding meetings for Kosovo from three to four months. The idea was rejected by Russia and other KS members. Even now in February, the United Kingdom launched discussion to find a compromise in the reporting cycle, failing to hold the meeting now in February. Until the day before, it was not certain whether the meeting would be held.
A compromise has been holding the KS meeting now in February, and extending the deadline for other meetings. The following year there will be two more meetings, one in June and one in October. And next year, in 2020, the Security Council will meet only twice a year, in April and October. How further development will depend on the situation in the country, the president of the Security Council says in a statement.
Security Council P3 countries -- that is, the permanent three, US, Great Britain and France -- also require changing UNMIK's mandate. What has been discussed and agreed to this point is unknown.
