Dec 08, 2014

Kosova: Thaci speaks of imminent UN membership


Hashim Thaci, Kosova’s outgoing Prime Minister, addressed the UN Security Council on 4 December to highlight the progress made with international recognition of Kosova over the past few years. Thaci said that the coalition agreement reached by feuding parties after the June elections shows just how far Kosova has come, and that the next step would be to secure territorial integrity through UN recognition. Kosova has already been provisionally accepted into the International Olympic Committee.

Below is an article published by inNews: 

Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has said that Kosovo has made progress and that he therefore hopes it will soon become a member of the UN. 

He addressed the UN Security Council on Thursday and called on the members to acknowledge Kosovo’s progress, adding that the new reality required courage to establish new relations between the UN and Kosovo, and that he was convinced it would happen very soon, with Kosovo becoming a member of the UN. 

According to Thaci, northern Kosovo has been a constant point of crisis, potential escalation of violence and uncertainty in terms of which laws and constitution apply there, and the Kosovo Serbs do not trust the government in Pristina. 

This year was the year of cementing Kosovo’s territorial integrity, he pointed out.

The local and general elections were held under Kosovo’s laws and completed successfully, with the people of Kosovo, the ethnic Albanians, Serbs and others, showed that they share the same hopes of a safe future and new jobs, he noted. 

The citizens of Kosovo today, regardless of they are, are not interested in nationalist speeches and dreams, but want jobs, prosperity and peace, he stated, adding that the international observers had said the elections had been free and democratic, and that the northern Kosovo had been integrated into the Kosovo system. 

He remarked that Kosovo would create a special tribunal for war crimes and stressed that he believed in justice. 

Thaci listed the number of recognitions of Kosovo’s independence, which has reached 108, as Kosovo’s successes, along with becoming a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Commenting on the political crisis following the June elections, he stated that the two largest parties in Kosovo, as well as parties representing minority populations, had agreed to form a government, which would happen next week. 

The technical talks between Belgrade and Pristina continued despite elections in Kosovo and Serbia and many successes have been achieved, but a lot remains to be done, he noted, adding that the task was not easy, but that Kosovo would fulfil every agreement and obligation in order to integrate the Serb minority.

In terms of the global battle against terrorism and Islamic radicalism, Thaci claims that some marginal groups in Kosovo advocated for Kosovo citizens to join the conflicts in Syria and Iraq as members of ISIS. 

The government has taken steps to stop that by arresting tens of suspects and organisers, including imams who incited hatred, he stated, adding that there would be no comprising with the radical elements. 

He condemned occasional attacks against the Serbian Orthodox Church and underscored that the Church was an important foundation of shared heritage in Kosovo while claiming that not all of the attacks had had an ethnic or religious background. 

Concerning the economy, Thaci said that Kosovo had achieved a success when it comes to facilitating business, and that it was in the final stages of getting some foreign investors in its tourism and energy industries.