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The Ohrid Agreement, Kosovo-Serbia – at the center of the debate in the UN Security Council

2023-04-27 20:33:06, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Ohrid Agreement, Kosovo-Serbia – at the center of the debate in the UN

Calls for the implementation of the agreement for the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations and the mutual accusations of the representatives of both sides for non-fulfillment of international obligations permeated Thursday's debate in the United Nations Security Council for Kosovo.

The debate took place on a report of the UN Mission on the situation in Kosovo, from October last year, which included the tensions that engulfed the north of Kosovo. Both sides criticized the report as incomplete, but while Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that the United Nations Mission should continue to function, Kosovo's Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla described UNMIK as a "destabilizing factor" that it does not serve stability and peace in the region.

The Serbian minister said that on the ground in Kosovo there is an environment of "fear and pressure on the Serbs", while insisting on the implementation of the agreement on the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, "this is the only possible mechanism for the protection of rights and the security of the Serbian community in Kosovo".

However, he emphasized that Prishtina is deliberately avoiding the fulfillment of this obligation.

"We are sure that (Prime Minister Albin) Kurti will not fulfill the agreement because his goal is to deport the Serbs," said Minister Dacic.

He said that incidents against Serbs in Kosovo have increased, while the return of those who moved after the war is very low. Minister Dacic criticized Western diplomats who support the April 23 elections in northern Kosovo, which were boycotted by Serbian voters.

The Serbian minister said that his country "will never accept Kosovo's independence and will not support its membership in the United Nations".

The Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Donika Gërvalla, said that Serbia is trying to block the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.

"It is clear that Serbia does not want an agreement in the talks. On the contrary, it wants to prevent any agreement because the Serbia of 2023 no longer wants to join the European Union", said the Foreign Minister of Kosovo, underlining that the Serbian state is increasing its dependence on Russia.

Minister Gërvalla said that "Serbia is the biggest threat to peace in the Balkans", while mentioning the crimes committed by Serbian forces against Albanians during the war in Kosovo.

"President (Aleksandar) Vu?i? was the Minister of Propaganda of President (Slobodan) Milševi? and he is still acting as Minister of Propaganda and not as President. The right-hand man of the Balkan 'butcher' who was responsible for the Balkan wars, is the person who just spoke before us", she said, emphasizing that Minister Dacic, "is responsible for mass murder, rape and war crimes".

However, she said "we will talk more because we want peace and solutions".

Most of the members of the Security Council called on both parties to implement the agreement mediated by the European Union and to implement the previous agreements, emphasizing the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

The agreement, also supported by the United States, requires good neighborly relations, recognition of documents and symbols, and respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It requires that the parties do not hinder each other in the integration processes, but it does not require mutual recognition.

Next week the leaders of both countries will meet in Brussels to discuss the implementation of this agreement.

The adviser of the US Department of State, Derek Chollet, wrote that he talked with the Serbian president Vu?i?, about the failure in the negotiation process and especially the urgency for the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority. "We are waiting for a constructive meeting on May 2", he wrote./ VOA