UN Security Council divided on Serb voting
New York, 22 April (AKI) – The United Nations Security Council has again demonstrated deep divisions over Kosovo on the issue of whether local Serbs (photo) should be allowed to vote in Serbia's municipal elections on 11 May.
The divisions emerged at a session of the UN's top decision-making body late on Monday, echoing the split which emerged within it over Kosovo's declaration of independence in February.
All UN Security Council members agree that Kosovo Serbs should be allowed to vote in Serbia's parliamentary elections also slated for 11 May.
But the United States and Great Britain believe that allowing local Serbs to take part in Serbia's municipal elections would be “illegal” and would further complicate relations between minority Serbs and majority ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
UN Security Council permanent member and Serbian ally Russia, which has backed Belgrade in opposing Kosovo independence, said its Serb population had the right to elect their representatives at local and national level.
Kosovo Serbs boycotted municipal and parliamentary elections last November.
The Security Council convened to discuss behind a closed doors a report by the chief of the UN administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) Joachim Ruecker on the situation in Kosovo since ethnic Albanians seceded from Serbia with the support of western powers.
Ruecker said UNMIK, which has controlled Kosovo since 1999, will continue its mission “under changed circumstances”. But he said UNMIK will gradually transfer power to local Kosovo authorities by mid-June when Kosovo's new constitution comes into force.
“We must accept the fact that the situation has changed and the fulfillment of our mandate doesn’t mean the same as in 1999 when there were no Kosovo institutions and UNMIK's intervention was needed in every sense to prevent total anarchy,” Ruecker said.
Serbian president Boris Tadic criticised Ruecker’s report.
He acknowledged the report took into account “the new reality on the ground” after Kosovo's declaration of independence.
But Tadic said Ruecker's report ignored Serbian objections that such a reality was created by an “illegal act of secession” and in violation of Security Council resolution 1244 which defines Kosovo as part of Serbia.
Tadic said that the “citizens in Kosovo, who recognise the Republic of Serbia as their state, have the right to elect their municipal and parliamentary representatives”.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) UN Security Council divided on Serb voting
Showing posts with label U.N.S.C.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.N.S.C.. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
DAR AL ISLAM-IRAN: THE U.N. & THE U.N.S.C. SHOULD BE RESTRUCTURED (WITH IRAN REPLACING THE U.S. OF A. AS TOP DOG)
Iran calls for restructuring of UN, Security Council
Iran has called on Wednesday for restructuring the United Nations and the Security Council at the 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Cape Town, South Africa.
"As two major international bodies, the UN and the Security Council have seriously suffered from US unilateralism," said Majlis Vice-Speaker Mohammad Mohsen Abu-Torabi in his address to the IPU session.
The IPU meeting opened on Sunday.
Some 1,500 representatives from 140 member states have taken part in the ongoing week-long event.
Abu-Torabi said that IPU member states could "resists to the US unilateralism and pave the way for the UN reinforcement."
He stressed that the IPU member states could, through cooperation and making joint efforts, help international security and find solution for current challenges facing the contemporary world.
He urged all regional and international bodies to make joint efforts and find due responses to the current international challenges including the spread of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, poverty, environmental crisis and organized crimes.
Euro-Dhimmis along with the O.I.C. membership are working to respond positively to Irans new vision of the United Nations & its Security Council...
Pertinent Links:
1) Iran calls for restructuring of UN, Security Council
Iran has called on Wednesday for restructuring the United Nations and the Security Council at the 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Cape Town, South Africa.
"As two major international bodies, the UN and the Security Council have seriously suffered from US unilateralism," said Majlis Vice-Speaker Mohammad Mohsen Abu-Torabi in his address to the IPU session.
The IPU meeting opened on Sunday.
Some 1,500 representatives from 140 member states have taken part in the ongoing week-long event.
Abu-Torabi said that IPU member states could "resists to the US unilateralism and pave the way for the UN reinforcement."
He stressed that the IPU member states could, through cooperation and making joint efforts, help international security and find solution for current challenges facing the contemporary world.
He urged all regional and international bodies to make joint efforts and find due responses to the current international challenges including the spread of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, poverty, environmental crisis and organized crimes.
Euro-Dhimmis along with the O.I.C. membership are working to respond positively to Irans new vision of the United Nations & its Security Council...
Pertinent Links:
1) Iran calls for restructuring of UN, Security Council
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Serb and Kosovar officials in face off
TENSIONS mounted yesterday after Serbian and Kosovo officials came face-to-face for the first time since Kosovo declared independence - a move Belgrade said it would challenge in court.
"Let me tell you loud and clear: for as long as Serbia is, Kosovo shall never be," Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told a meeting of Balkan foreign ministers in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, attended by a Kosovo delegation.
"Kosovo will not be a member of the United Nations. It will not be a member of the OSCE. And as such, it will not belong to the world community of sovereign nations. It will never acquire this ultimate status of legitimacy," he said.
Mr Jeremic said later yesterday that Belgrade would ask the International Court of Justice to ascertain "whether or not this (declaration of independence) was done in compliance with international law".
The minister urged the international community not to recognise Kosovo until the ICJ had made its ruling.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Serb and Kosovar officials in face off
TENSIONS mounted yesterday after Serbian and Kosovo officials came face-to-face for the first time since Kosovo declared independence - a move Belgrade said it would challenge in court.
"Let me tell you loud and clear: for as long as Serbia is, Kosovo shall never be," Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told a meeting of Balkan foreign ministers in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, attended by a Kosovo delegation.
"Kosovo will not be a member of the United Nations. It will not be a member of the OSCE. And as such, it will not belong to the world community of sovereign nations. It will never acquire this ultimate status of legitimacy," he said.
Mr Jeremic said later yesterday that Belgrade would ask the International Court of Justice to ascertain "whether or not this (declaration of independence) was done in compliance with international law".
The minister urged the international community not to recognise Kosovo until the ICJ had made its ruling.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Serb and Kosovar officials in face off
Friday, February 29, 2008
DAR AL HARB/ISLAM-U.N.S.C./IRAN: "IRAN WILL HAVE THE FINAL VICTORY IN THE NUCLEAR ARENA..."
World powers will not prevent us from pursuing our nuclear ambitions
World powers will not prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions, the Iranian president warned today.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments came as the UN prepared to vote tomorrow on a third round of sanctions against the rogue Islamic Republic.
The Security Council said a new resolution is likely because Iran had refused to halt work which Britain believes is aimed at making nuclear bombs.
However Mr Ahmadinejad today said any such action would be illegal and vowed to resist pressure from the West.
"The Iranian nation will have the final victory in the nuclear arena. No power will be able to obstruct the movement of the Iranian nation," he told a military gathering in the capital, Tehran.
The president said no amount of UN sanctions would deter Iran from what he insists is a peaceful programme designed at mastering technology to make electricity so the Islamic Republic can export more of its oil and gas reserves.
"Let the world know that the Iranian nation will build up Iran despite all the difficulties," he said.
"The Iranian nation has overcome the superpowers and is standing on the victor's podium. All powers are beneath the Iranian nation's feet."
The five permanent council members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - and Germany, which is not on the Security Council, agreed in Berlin on January 22 on a draft text outlining a third round of sanctions against Iran.
The U.S. had hoped for a swift vote on the text but talks have dragged on for over a month.
American and British envoys said it looked as if a vote would go ahead tomorrow.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) World powers will not prevent us from pursuing our nuclear ambitions
World powers will not prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions, the Iranian president warned today.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments came as the UN prepared to vote tomorrow on a third round of sanctions against the rogue Islamic Republic.
The Security Council said a new resolution is likely because Iran had refused to halt work which Britain believes is aimed at making nuclear bombs.
However Mr Ahmadinejad today said any such action would be illegal and vowed to resist pressure from the West.
"The Iranian nation will have the final victory in the nuclear arena. No power will be able to obstruct the movement of the Iranian nation," he told a military gathering in the capital, Tehran.
The president said no amount of UN sanctions would deter Iran from what he insists is a peaceful programme designed at mastering technology to make electricity so the Islamic Republic can export more of its oil and gas reserves.
"Let the world know that the Iranian nation will build up Iran despite all the difficulties," he said.
"The Iranian nation has overcome the superpowers and is standing on the victor's podium. All powers are beneath the Iranian nation's feet."
The five permanent council members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - and Germany, which is not on the Security Council, agreed in Berlin on January 22 on a draft text outlining a third round of sanctions against Iran.
The U.S. had hoped for a swift vote on the text but talks have dragged on for over a month.
American and British envoys said it looked as if a vote would go ahead tomorrow.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) World powers will not prevent us from pursuing our nuclear ambitions
Thursday, February 28, 2008
DAR AL HARB/ISLAM-BALKANS: THE KOSOVAR PANDORA'S BOX KEEPS ON GIVING
International group formed to supervise independence
Vienna, 28 Feb. (AKI) - The European Union and several other countries formed on Thursday an International Steering Group (ICG) to supervise the independence of Kosovo declared by majority ethnic Albanians on 17 February.
The ICG, which will be the highest international authority in Kosovo, was formed at a meeting in Vienna and will comprise 15 countries, including members of the six-country 'Control Group', such as the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France and Germany.
Its sixth member, Russia,will not be part of the ICG, because it opposes Kosovo's independence, Dutch diplomat Peter Feith, who will be the EU civilian representative in Kosovo, told journalists.
Other members of the ICG are Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey, Finland, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Feith said the membership was open to other countries on the criteria that “they must be friends of Kosovo independence”.
Feith said it would be good if Russia also joined, but stressed that “chances are small for that to happen at this moment”.
Russia has blocked Kosovo's independence drive in the UN Security Council and is backing Serbia’s diplomatic battle to deny independence to Kosovo, which has a 90 percent ethnic Albanian population.
Russia is a member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council along with the US, China, France, and Britain thus it can veto any resolution regarding Kosovo's membership in the UN.
Feith said the main ICG task would be to implement a plan by former UN negotiator Martti Ahtisaari for what he called an internationally supervised independence.
After the plan was blocked in the UN by Russia, the EU decided to go at it alone, bypassing the Security Council and 20 countries have so far recognized Kosovo on a bilateral basis.
The EU mission is due to replace the current UN administration, which has controlled Kosovo since 1999, but Belgrade and Moscow have said that EU presence in the province would be illegal without the approval of the Security Council.
EU action is backed by a 17,000 strong NATO force deployed in Kosovo, and Feith said the international community “would tolerate no violence” in the province. The remaining 100,000 Serbs in Kosovo oppose independence and have vowed to recognise only Belgrade’s authority.
Belgrade has for the past nine years kept parallel institutions in Kosovo and vowed it would continue to do so. But Feith said no parallel institutions or partitioning of Kosovo would be tolerated.
Most Kosovo Serbs are concentrated in the north of the province, with their backs on Serbia proper, and have for the most part ignored ethnic Albanian authorities in Pristina.
The province has been practically partitioned along the River Ibar, and Feith said Serbs would be allowed to keep “special ties” to Belgrade.
“These ties, however, must be transparent and must respect the authority of the government in Pristina,” he concluded.
Pertinent Links:
1) International group formed to supervise independence
Vienna, 28 Feb. (AKI) - The European Union and several other countries formed on Thursday an International Steering Group (ICG) to supervise the independence of Kosovo declared by majority ethnic Albanians on 17 February.
The ICG, which will be the highest international authority in Kosovo, was formed at a meeting in Vienna and will comprise 15 countries, including members of the six-country 'Control Group', such as the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France and Germany.
Its sixth member, Russia,will not be part of the ICG, because it opposes Kosovo's independence, Dutch diplomat Peter Feith, who will be the EU civilian representative in Kosovo, told journalists.
Other members of the ICG are Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey, Finland, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Feith said the membership was open to other countries on the criteria that “they must be friends of Kosovo independence”.
Feith said it would be good if Russia also joined, but stressed that “chances are small for that to happen at this moment”.
Russia has blocked Kosovo's independence drive in the UN Security Council and is backing Serbia’s diplomatic battle to deny independence to Kosovo, which has a 90 percent ethnic Albanian population.
Russia is a member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council along with the US, China, France, and Britain thus it can veto any resolution regarding Kosovo's membership in the UN.
Feith said the main ICG task would be to implement a plan by former UN negotiator Martti Ahtisaari for what he called an internationally supervised independence.
After the plan was blocked in the UN by Russia, the EU decided to go at it alone, bypassing the Security Council and 20 countries have so far recognized Kosovo on a bilateral basis.
The EU mission is due to replace the current UN administration, which has controlled Kosovo since 1999, but Belgrade and Moscow have said that EU presence in the province would be illegal without the approval of the Security Council.
EU action is backed by a 17,000 strong NATO force deployed in Kosovo, and Feith said the international community “would tolerate no violence” in the province. The remaining 100,000 Serbs in Kosovo oppose independence and have vowed to recognise only Belgrade’s authority.
Belgrade has for the past nine years kept parallel institutions in Kosovo and vowed it would continue to do so. But Feith said no parallel institutions or partitioning of Kosovo would be tolerated.
Most Kosovo Serbs are concentrated in the north of the province, with their backs on Serbia proper, and have for the most part ignored ethnic Albanian authorities in Pristina.
The province has been practically partitioned along the River Ibar, and Feith said Serbs would be allowed to keep “special ties” to Belgrade.
“These ties, however, must be transparent and must respect the authority of the government in Pristina,” he concluded.
Pertinent Links:
1) International group formed to supervise independence
Monday, July 09, 2007
DAR AL HARB/ISLAM - THE WEST/IRAN: I.A.E.A. HAS CHOSEN THE TEAM THAT WILL VISIT IRAN
Makeup of IAEA team to Tehran finalized: Iranian envoy (RECAST to add more quotes)
Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh said here Monday that the makeup of the IAEA team to visit Tehran on July 11 has been finalized.
Talking to IRNA, he stressed that the IAEA team enjoys a technical, legal and political nature.
The team led by the IAEA safeguards chief Olli Heinonen is to visit Iran on Wednesday for discussions on how to resolve Tehran's disputed nuclear activities.
He further announced that the agency director for safeguards operations Herman Nackartes, the IAEA legal advisor Johan Rautenbach and director in charge of the agency's external relations and policy coordination Vilmos Cxerveny will be other members of the the IAEA team.
The IAEA delegation is to discuss with Iranian negotiators drawing up of a modality and framework to settle remaining issues on Iran's peaceful nuclear case, Soltaniyeh added.
He reiterated the delegation is not to make any inspection (to Iran's nuclear installations) and will only hold talks with the Iranian officials.
The IAEA delegation will probably meet with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani on issues related to Iran's peaceful nuclear program, he said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said here Sunday the July 11 visit by the IAEA team to Iran is currently the most important issue on the table of the nuclear talks.
He told reporters that Tehran and the IAEA are expected to cooperate on drawing up a modality and a framework on how to settle the remaining issues with the agency within two months.
He added that the negotiations between Tehran and the IAEA will be within frameworks of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Pertinent Links:
1) Makeup of IAEA team to Tehran finalized: Iranian envoy (RECAST to add more quotes)
Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh said here Monday that the makeup of the IAEA team to visit Tehran on July 11 has been finalized.
Talking to IRNA, he stressed that the IAEA team enjoys a technical, legal and political nature.
The team led by the IAEA safeguards chief Olli Heinonen is to visit Iran on Wednesday for discussions on how to resolve Tehran's disputed nuclear activities.
He further announced that the agency director for safeguards operations Herman Nackartes, the IAEA legal advisor Johan Rautenbach and director in charge of the agency's external relations and policy coordination Vilmos Cxerveny will be other members of the the IAEA team.
The IAEA delegation is to discuss with Iranian negotiators drawing up of a modality and framework to settle remaining issues on Iran's peaceful nuclear case, Soltaniyeh added.
He reiterated the delegation is not to make any inspection (to Iran's nuclear installations) and will only hold talks with the Iranian officials.
The IAEA delegation will probably meet with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani on issues related to Iran's peaceful nuclear program, he said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said here Sunday the July 11 visit by the IAEA team to Iran is currently the most important issue on the table of the nuclear talks.
He told reporters that Tehran and the IAEA are expected to cooperate on drawing up a modality and a framework on how to settle the remaining issues with the agency within two months.
He added that the negotiations between Tehran and the IAEA will be within frameworks of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Pertinent Links:
1) Makeup of IAEA team to Tehran finalized: Iranian envoy (RECAST to add more quotes)
DAR AL HARB/ISLAM - U.K./IRAN: THE U.K. WILL PUSH FOR A NEW SET OF SANCTIONS IF IRAN CONTINUES IN ITS NUKE DEVELOPMENT
Miliband warns Iran over nuclear ambitions
By Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent
David Miliband, the new Foreign Secretary, indicated last night that Gordon Brown’s Government would not shrink from confrontation with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
Mr Miliband insisted the new Government would “not retreat from the world” in the wake of Tony Blair’s departure but would be a “robust defender” of the national interest.
He also signalled Britain was preparing a tough response if Russia this week formally refused to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, the man wanted by the UK authorities for the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.
Jack Straw, one of Mr Miliband’s predecessors as Foreign Secretary, once said that military action against Iran was “inconceivable”.
But in an interview with the Financial Times today, Mr Miliband refused to repeat the statement.
“I think that the whole of the international community wants a non-military, diplomatic solution to this problem,” he said.
“I don’t think it does any good to speculate any wider than that.”
Instead, he warned Iran that the British government would keep up a tough stance on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, insisting the Iranian regime “doesn’t have the right to set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East”.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Miliband warns Iran over nuclear ambitions
By Brendan Carlin, Political Correspondent
David Miliband, the new Foreign Secretary, indicated last night that Gordon Brown’s Government would not shrink from confrontation with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
Mr Miliband insisted the new Government would “not retreat from the world” in the wake of Tony Blair’s departure but would be a “robust defender” of the national interest.
He also signalled Britain was preparing a tough response if Russia this week formally refused to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, the man wanted by the UK authorities for the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.
Jack Straw, one of Mr Miliband’s predecessors as Foreign Secretary, once said that military action against Iran was “inconceivable”.
But in an interview with the Financial Times today, Mr Miliband refused to repeat the statement.
“I think that the whole of the international community wants a non-military, diplomatic solution to this problem,” he said.
“I don’t think it does any good to speculate any wider than that.”
Instead, he warned Iran that the British government would keep up a tough stance on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, insisting the Iranian regime “doesn’t have the right to set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East”.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Miliband warns Iran over nuclear ambitions
Friday, June 29, 2007
DAR AL HARB/ISLAM - U.N.S.C./IRAN: THE U.N.S.C. IS IN THE "WAIT & SEE" MODE...YEAH, WAIT & SEE ON WHOSE SOILD IRAN'S NUKE WILL BE TESTED
Iran''s nuclear file may not return to UNSC any time soon -- UK envoy
UNITED NATIONS, June 28 (KUNA) -- British envoy Karen Pierce on Thursday said the Iranian nuclear file may not return to the Security Council any time soon because of the ongoing talks between EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian nuclear chief negotiator Ali Larijani.
"It's possible that it will take longer this time than we have taken in previous occasions," Pierce, British Deputy Permanent Represntative, told KUNA. Other diplomats said the file may not return to the council before the end of August.Both officials met last week in Portugal and are expected to meet again in three weeks. Subsequently, Larijani met with IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei in Vienna, Austria, and invited him to send experts to Iran for further inspections of suspected sites.
"Inviting IAEA experts is helpful, but whether or not it makes a serious contribution to the next steps, I don't think we know yet. It's helpful, but not more than helpful," Pierce said. "We haven't yet brought it (file) back to the council. So for the moment it is still (among) the Solana-Larijani and the E3 (UK, France, Germany) plus 3 (US, Russia, China) group. We evaluate it step by step. There is always the risk that we're being played a game that it is never going to come to fruition. But at the moment the issue is still between capitals. I don't have a date for bringing it to the council," she added.
The council imposed limited sanctions on Iran in resolution 1737 last December for refusing to halt uranium enrichment activities, and tightened them in resolution 1747 last March, vowing to tighten them even more after sixty days if the IAEA reports that Iran has not complied with the council and IAEA demands.
The IAEA issued its report on May 23 confirming that Iran not only defied those demands but also expanded its activities.
Around that period Iran began talks with Solana and now the door is open for further talks and visits by IAEA experts, and in the meantime, the council is in "wait and see" mood.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Iran''s nuclear file may not return to UNSC any time soon -- UK envoy
UNITED NATIONS, June 28 (KUNA) -- British envoy Karen Pierce on Thursday said the Iranian nuclear file may not return to the Security Council any time soon because of the ongoing talks between EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian nuclear chief negotiator Ali Larijani.
"It's possible that it will take longer this time than we have taken in previous occasions," Pierce, British Deputy Permanent Represntative, told KUNA. Other diplomats said the file may not return to the council before the end of August.Both officials met last week in Portugal and are expected to meet again in three weeks. Subsequently, Larijani met with IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei in Vienna, Austria, and invited him to send experts to Iran for further inspections of suspected sites.
"Inviting IAEA experts is helpful, but whether or not it makes a serious contribution to the next steps, I don't think we know yet. It's helpful, but not more than helpful," Pierce said. "We haven't yet brought it (file) back to the council. So for the moment it is still (among) the Solana-Larijani and the E3 (UK, France, Germany) plus 3 (US, Russia, China) group. We evaluate it step by step. There is always the risk that we're being played a game that it is never going to come to fruition. But at the moment the issue is still between capitals. I don't have a date for bringing it to the council," she added.
The council imposed limited sanctions on Iran in resolution 1737 last December for refusing to halt uranium enrichment activities, and tightened them in resolution 1747 last March, vowing to tighten them even more after sixty days if the IAEA reports that Iran has not complied with the council and IAEA demands.
The IAEA issued its report on May 23 confirming that Iran not only defied those demands but also expanded its activities.
Around that period Iran began talks with Solana and now the door is open for further talks and visits by IAEA experts, and in the meantime, the council is in "wait and see" mood.
...
Pertinent Links:
1) Iran''s nuclear file may not return to UNSC any time soon -- UK envoy
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