Why is the session of the UN Security Council on Kosovo important at this moment?

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Source: Kosovo Online

The holding of an emergency session of the UN Security Council on the situation in Kosovo, as insisted upon by Serbia, is of utmost importance following the tragic events in Banjska. The peace and security are at risk, and the situation threatens to escalate further, according to sources of Kosovo Online. They emphasize that now, perhaps more than ever before, it is crucial to insist on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and to make Serbia's positions heard in the most important international organization.

Brazil has assumed the presidency of the Security Council today, and it does not recognize Kosovo. Tomorrow, Brazil will announce the work program for this body for October.

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic announced that the Security Council session on Kosovo could be held on October 9th or 12th and stated that Serbia would safeguard the United Nations Charter, Resolution 1244, and its territorial integrity. He mentioned that the past seven days had been the most challenging in the last 15 years, due to the events in Kosovo and a general campaign of lies and misinformation launched against Serbia.

Former diplomat Zoran Milivojevic believes that Serbia, especially after the events in Banjska, for which there is still no reliable information on how three Serbs and an Albanian police officer died, should not give up on the demand for the UN Security Council to urgently address the situation in Kosovo.

He warns that there has been an escalation, and peace and security are at risk.

"The situation has definitely escalated, and it is an immediate task for the competent authority, which is the Security Council, to put the issue of the situation in Kosovo on the agenda in accordance with Resolution 1244. Conditions are being created, both politically and in terms of security, for this issue to be placed on the agenda, given that in October, Brazil, which has not recognized Kosovo, will chair the Security Council, followed by China," Milivojevic says for Kosovo Online.

He believes that after the events in Banjska, it would make no sense for any of the Security Council members, regardless of their political views, to even question such a session. Especially since issues such as security in Kosovo fall directly under their jurisdiction and because a binding resolution requires them to address this topic.

"For us, it is important to convey the situation in Kosovo on a global scale because, in accordance with Resolution 1244, it is a global issue, and it is the global responsibility of all member states and the Security Council as the body responsible for it. Therefore, it is important to point out that this is an escalating issue that requires political means to avoid jeopardizing peace and stability. Secondly, it would be significant for us just to have the question of the situation in Kosovo on the Security Council's agenda. This then proves that the Security Council does have jurisdiction and that the negotiations being conducted with the mediation of the EU and with the consent of the UN General Assembly are not yielding results. So, the topic should be where it belongs," Milivojevic says.

He also points out that regardless of the views that member countries may express during the session on Kosovo, it is important for the Security Council to discuss it and give instructions to KFOR.

"If the Security Council does not respond, we then enter a spiral of violence, and the question arises of what purpose KFOR serves and what is happening there. Therefore, it is important for us to persist in this session and insist on it, as well as on respecting Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which mandates that peace and security be protected at all costs. And to insist on Resolution 1244, which is binding, as well as on the Security Council's obligations to react when there is an escalation on the ground," Milivojevic concludes.

Political analyst Dimitrije Milic also believes that at this moment, it could be in Serbia's interest to request the convening of an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council regarding the situation in Kosovo, especially since Brazil, which does not recognize Kosovo, is taking over the presidency of that body today. As he points out, when this issue is addressed on a global scale, it becomes challenging to ignore and sideline.

If the Kosovo issue were to be placed on the Security Council's agenda, Serbia could present its arguments that are not currently being heard in the current circumstances.

"In a conditional sense, on one hand, it suits us because this issue is addressed on a global level, and then it becomes difficult to ignore and sideline it because when this issue is addressed, the Serbs have some opportunities to present arguments that are not currently heard, to present them on the world stage," Milic said.

However, on the other hand, he believes that it would not be in Serbia's favor if Russia or China were to align with Serbia, considering that Russia is isolated from the West.

"And it doesn't suit us because those states that do not influence the dialogue process will be on our side, such as Russia, or it could be China, depending on the extent to which China is interested in getting involved in this issue. Currently, Russia is not the most popular state in Western circles, quite the opposite. And that kind of association with Russia is not necessarily in Serbia's favor," Milic noted.

The Security Council has 15 members, five of which are permanent with veto power - the United States, Great Britain, France, China, and Russia. Among the ten non-permanent members, the current ones are Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.

Out of these, ten have recognized Kosovo (the United States, Great Britain, France, Albania, Gabon, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the UAE, and Ghana, although there have been statements that Ghana withdrew recognition), while Kosovo is not recognized by five Security Council member states (Russia, China, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mozambique).