14 May 2012

UN / KOSOVO

UN special representative Farid Zarif briefed the Security Council on the latest work of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). UNTV

Posted at: May 14, 2012 5:41 pm

Duration: 02:16

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: UN / KOSOVO
TRT: 2.16
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS

DATELINE: 14 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters

14 MAY 2012, NEW YORK

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Farid Zarif, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo:
"Some of the developments during this reporting period give reasons for cautious optimism and satisfaction. Others are stark reminders of the persistent fragility and instability that remain far too close to the surface some 13 years after the adoption of resolution 1244 of 1999."
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Vuk Jeremic, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Serbia:
"At the heart of all our difficulties lies the unresolved status of Kosovo. I would like to express my country's sincere gratitude to the vast majority of member states and of those seated on the Security Council that respect Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. I appeal to them to continue to refrain from recognizing any solution to Kosovo that is not the product of a clear agreement between the parties."
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Enver Hoxhay, Representative of Kosovo:
"We call upon Serbia to withdraw its illegal police and security structures to start implementing fully and in good faith the agreements reached in the technical dialogue and to behave in accordance with the European principles of cooperation and good neighbourly relations."
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Ambassador vitally Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations:
"Recently we see appearing in various media accounts disturbing information that Kosovar authorities are establishing contacts with representatives of the Syrian opposition to train insurgents in the district in particular. This would run afoul of the efforts of the Special Envoy of the UN and the LAS supported by the international community. Moreover turns Kosovo into an international training centre for insurgents of various armed units, could become a serious destabilizing factor, one beyond the Balkan region."
11. Wide shot, Security Council

STORYLINE:

Addressing the United Nations Security Council in New York today (14 May) on the issue of Kosovo, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General said that while some of the developments during this reporting period gave reasons for "cautious optimism and satisfaction".

Farid Zarif, also said that developments were a stark reminder of the "persistent fragility and instability that remained far too close to the surface" some 13 years after the adoption of resolution 1244 of 1999.

A dispute between Kosovo and Serbia over the control of two border crossings in northern Kosovo resulted in several violent clashes between local Serb residents and the NATO-led Kosovo Force last year. Tensions eased after dialogue resumed.

Meanwhile, last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the progress made in the dialogue facilitated by the European Union between Serbia and Kosovo, saying the talks were creating a better foundation for peace and stability in the region.

Serbia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vuk Jeremic told the Council members that 
at the heart of all the difficulties lied the unresolved status of Kosovo, and while thanking all member states which respected Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Jeremic appealed to them to continue "to refrain from recognizing any solution to Kosovo that is not the product of a clear agreement between the parties".

Kosovo's representative, Enver Hoxhaj called on Serbia to withdraw its illegal police and security structures from the north, to start implementing fully and in good faith the agreements reached in the technical dialogue.

Meanwhile Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warned against Kosovar authorities who had been allegedly training Syrian insurgents.

Churkin said that "this would run afoul of the efforts of the Special Envoy of the UN and the LAS supported by the international community. Moreover turns Kosovo into an international training centre for insurgents of various armed units, could become a serious destabilizing factor, one beyond the Balkan region".