Security Council to hold open information meeting for Kosovo in April

The UN in New York has adopted the methods of work, and since March 16th continues functioning with remote employees and minimalised physical presence staff. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres occasionally addresses the public with video messages. His spokesman, Stephanie Dujaric, holds the virtual press conference daily. The modification in line with the situation has included the Security Council, which does not physically assemble in the hall, but consults video conferences or makes online agreements. The Security Council vote is also set to take place online.

This new approach will be used on April 24th, when the Security Council holds an open information meeting for Kosovo, the first for this year. Chief UNMIK, Zahir Tan, will inform Security Council members of the latest developments in Kosovo and recognise with the UN Secretary General's report. Securityunciport.org, an NGO funded by various foundations and governments, among them the German government, has summed up developments in Kosovo expected to be part of the Secretary General's report, DW reports.

On March 2nd, Robert O'Brien, American Adviser for International Security and Richard Green, the US special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo received Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuči<18x1> at a meeting at the White House, notes the NGO report. “For the public no specific agenda became known, but some media reported that leaders were presented with the version of a draft final agreement for Kosovo. According to the media, the final agreement would include the possibility for territorial adjustment, possible mutual recognition, and Kosovo's membership in the UN.”

Serbia is expected to send high-level participants, while Kosovo is ambassador to the US. The last informational meeting of the Security Council for Kosovo is held on 31 October 2019, where the future reduction in the number of meetings was established.

Divisions among permanent KS members concerning Kosovo continue similarly: France, the UK and the US support Kosovo independence, China and Russia do not recognise independence and support Serbian stance. Security report writes that: “The US demands more and more UNMIK's departure, and the issue will likely become important in the coming period”. The mandate has been given to him UNMIK indefinitely, in Resolution 1244. Any attempt to change that would require a different resolution.

The next presidency of the Security Council holds the Dominican Republic in April. Her representative, Jose Singer Weissinger, briefed reporters during a virtual press conference early in April that it is running the Security Council by Santo Domingo, the capital of his country.

Other Security Council members, in addition to the five life “members of the Dominican Republic, are currently Germany, Belgium, Estonia, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria and Saint Vincent and Grenadine. / DW