Ruecker orders Kosovo leaders: Don't underestimate the UN

In this discourse he spoke of the role of the UN mission during 2006-2008, and the history of how Kosovo has reached independence.

Former Prime Minister UNMIK in Kosovo, Joachim Ruecker, said that many people are unaware of the basic functions of the United Nations, and that the UN should not be overlooked because, according to him, are still the anchor of international rule-based order.

You have invited me to talk about the role of the United Nations, and in particular the role of the UN mission here in Kosovo. But maybe we go to a level with them for a second and we talk about the role of the United Nations in today's world. Today, many are no longer aware of the basic functions of the United Nations, as foretold in the Charter. What I'm saying is don't underestimate the UN, we're still the anchor of international order based on rule”.

And I think that in 1999 we had another moment after NATO's intervention here in conflict, and the oppression of Serbia and in fact the attempted genocide in connection with Kosovo Albanians, we had this moment when the UN Security Council was actually functioning and passed the famous Resolution 1244. UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which made it clear that the UN in 1999 has ownership of the conflict that was still under way. And this Security Council resolution, 1244, was naturally adopted to the Security Council shortly after NATO's intervention in the former Yugoslavia to halt Milosevic's brutal crackdown and the expulsion of Kosovo Albanians, and it was adopted on 10 June 1999 ...the UN's mission in Kosovo became the largest civilian peacekeeping mission in UN history”, Ruecker said.

He added that in 2006 there were still laws from the time of the former Yugoslavia, UNMIK regulations and should manage these directives and executive decisions, and all this should be transferred to a new potential government and began planning a final transition under new status.

In 2006 we began planning a final transition, to a final authority, under a new status, so we started from within,... A complex project management scheme that we structured in five different sections, how we would go through the current Constitution, which was the so-called constitutional framework from 2001, how we would manage the security transition, how we would manage the legal, very important transition, because we had different sets of laws that were really valid”.

We had laws from the time of the former Yugoslavia, we had UNMIK regulations, and we had to manage these directives and executive decisions, and all this had to be transferred to a new potential government. Then we have a technical transition, property and economies of civil administration, rule of law, governance, etc., and we have had other issues such as administration of state property, etc. ” he added.

Ruecker said that in May 2005 there was a report on standards implementation status. UN Secretary General Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland, appointed special envoy for the process of Kosovo's future status, along with Austrian Johan and 10 November 2005 The Security Council supported their appointment. The first team of unity was President Rugova, Chief Prime Minister Nexhat Daci, Hashim Thaci, Veton Surroi and Blerim Shala.

“in May 2005, there was a kind of important step on the road to a mechanism for resolving the status issue, there was a report on the status of implementing standards from ... (emer), and he concluded that, in fact, we can now start the status process and the secretary general, given this assessment that UNMIK has achieved what is attainable and ... The Secretary General in New York concluded that something must now be done to facilitate and promote a status process. So, what did he do? UN Secretary General Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland, appointed special envoy for the process of Kosovo's future status, along with Austrian Mr. Johann, and November 10, 2005 The Security Council supported their appointment”.

“During that time, Kosovo leaders met still at the House of President Rugova in Pristina and discussed their plans. And they formed what was called the Unity Team, because they knew they now needed a united Kosovo presentation when it came to negotiations under the leadership of the Ahtisaari facilitator. And the first team of Unity was President Rugova, the prime minister (name), Chief Prime Minister Nexhat Daci, Hashim Thaci, Veton Surroi, Blerim Shala,” said Ruecker.

Ruecker also published a book “Standard and status”, which talks about how Kosovo's independence became possible. / KP/