UN to Retain 'Symbolic Presence' in Kosovo

Brussels _ The UN Secretary General will recommend the 'symbolic presence' of the UN in Kosovo in a letter on the mission's future, Balkan Insight can reveal.

Ban Ki-Moon is due to send the letter on Wednesday in which is he to outline to Pristina and European Union leaders how the United Nations Mission in Kosovo is due to adapt after June 15 after Kosovo's Constitution comes into force.

Ban will back the “reconfiguration” of UNMIK and recommends its “symbolic presence” in Kosovo.

“The symbolic presence means that the EU countries that haven’t recognised the independence of Kosovo will not block future multilateral agreements between the EU and Kosovo, as long as it will have an appendix referring to Resolution 1244," sources explained to Balkan Insight.

Although most EU member states have recognised Kosovo's February 17 declaration of independence from Serbia, some such as Spain, Romania and Cyprus are hesitant, arguing the move is a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.

This came into force after the 1998-1999 conflict between Serb forces and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, and introduced a UN administration in Kosovo which would govern Kosovo on Serbia's behalf. Hence Kosovo would remain a Serbian province.

Since the resolution is still in force, Serbia, and chief ally Russia argue Kosovo's independence is illegal.

Based on the proposal for Kosovo’s ‘supervised independence’ devised by former United Nations envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, a mission led by the European Union must be established in Kosovo to supervise the rule of law, as a successor to the current UN mission, whereas the UN’s responsibilities must be transferred to the Kosovo government.

But Serbia and Russia are against the deployment of the EU’s mission known as EULEX, calling for the continuation of UNMIK’s mandate arguing EULEX seeks to formalise Kosovo’s independence. The majority of Kosovo Serbs are also opposed to the mission.

This has seen the UN reluctant to leave Kosovo and EULEX delay the full deployment of its mission as the transitional period, which was envisaged to have lasted three months since February 17 when independence of Kosovo was declared, is over.

“The paragraphs concerning the presence of EULEX are still being worked on, and the wording is softened, but the lining has to be as acceptable as possible for the Serbian and Russian side as well,” this source said.

“The wording in the letter will allow EU to interpret it as a ‘green light’ for the EULEX mission,” an official told Balkan Insight.

Sources confirmed that the letter would be sent on Wednesday to policymakers in EU institutions as well as to the presidents of Serbia and Kosovo.