President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga met today with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, during his visit to Kosovo.
President Jahjaga thanked the UN Secretary General for his personal engagement for Kosovo and democratic processes of our country. She praised the work of UN Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, especially during the re-building, transitional and state-building stages.
The UN mandate in Kosovo is one of the most successful UN mandates and one of the missions that was accepted by the whole nation. UNMIK’s help, particularly at the first transitional stage, was immense and was highly appraised, with merits going to all those men and women from all the countries that have served here under the UN umbrella.
This what you see here, today, The Republic of Kosovo, a sovereign and independent country, a factor of peace and stability, a civic state where all citizens regardless, enjoy equal rights and freedoms, is a joint success of us and you.
Since the very beginning, both parties were aware of the fact that the mission is not here for itself, but to create conditions that arose from the free will of the people to build its own future.
The expression of this will was accepted by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which declared that it is in full harmony with the UN SC Resolution 1244, of June 10th 1999 and with the international law.
President Jahjaga said that Kosovo is an independent and democratic state, build upon civic principles, and this is all a mutual success of the international community and the citizens and the institutions of Kosovo.
President Jahjaga emphasized that the supervisory stage of Kosovo’s Independence will end shortly, but the international presence will continue to remain here through the EULEX justice and police mission, and through a symbolic presence of the UN mission, particularly important for the reports presented by the UN Secretary General to the Security Council debates, in order to present the true advances of the Kosovar society.
President Jahjaga stated that Kosovo has made advances in the process of integration and reconciliation and despite of the fact that this is a long process, minority communities are already integrated and are giving their immense contributions in all the levels and all the institutions of the country. She also said that Kosovo constitution guarantees the protection of the religious and cultural inheritance of all the ethnic groups.
Speaking about the international processes of our country, President Jahjaga stated that Kosovo belongs to Europe and that becoming member of EU, NATO and UN would be the best way to accomplish the democratic reforms.
“EU integration will help us to once and for all leave the past behind and get together around our common future as independent countries. This would be the best guarantee that peace will triumph in our region,” stated President Jahjaga.
She also spoke about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which she assessed as the best way to normalize the relations in the region and to establish policies of good neighbourhood. President Jahjaga said that Serbia must implement the agreements reached so far at the EU facilitated dialogue as they ease the lives of citizens of both countries.
Speaking about the situation in the three municipalities in the north of Kosovo, President Jahjaga said that illegal structures in this part of the country are holding the ordinary Serbian citizens hostage. President Jahjaga said that Kosovo’s institutions are dedicated to work together with the international partners to be able to come closer to the Serbian citizens of Kosovo and to discuss with them the solution to all the issues they might have.
“ There is no other alternative but dissolution of the illegal and criminal structures in the three municipalities in the north of Kosovo, structures that are intent to holding hostage the stability of the country and that undermine the general advances achieved in our region” said President Jahjaga.
President Jahjaga asked for UN Secretary-General’s help in uncovering the fate of the missing persons, the fate of whom has been unknown for the last 13 years.
At the end, President Jahjaga thanked the Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon for his personal engagement by reiterating once again that “ this is a joint success of ours, success that moves the processes ahead and that advances the country”.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon thanked the President for her hospitality and praised the achievements of Kosovo. He said that since the beginning of his mandate in 2007, Kosovo has been in the focus of his engagement and dedication. He said that the whole region must work towards Euro-Atlantic integrations and must work harder in preservation of the stability and peace. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said that the progress achieved at the Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue must be advanced and expanded.
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