Guterres presented the Report: The main priorities in Kosovo are stability and de-escalation of tensions

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has released the Report on the situation in Kosovo, which states that the main priority of the Security Council is to maintain stability in Kosovo and de-escalate tensions in the north, as reported by RTV.

Guterres has suggested that the format of the UN Security Council session on Kosovo in October, during Brazil's presidency, could be changed, possibly to be closed to the public, especially after the tensions that marked the session on April 27.

As stated, changing the format would allow for a "more candid discussion of the challenges of implementing the February agreements."

Furthermore, it is mentioned that Security Council members are united in supporting the EU-mediated dialogue, but deep divisions exist among the five permanent members: those recognizing Kosovo (the US, the UK, and France) and supporting its government, and those not recognizing Kosovo's independence (Russia and China) who strongly support Serbia's position.

Among other members that will attend the session, seven recognize Kosovo (Albania, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates), and three do not (Brazil, Ecuador, and Mozambique).

Another issue on which the permanent members of the UN Security Council do not agree is the issue of amending UNMIK's mandate, as Guterres stated.

The US has called for ending UNMIK's mandate and reducing the frequency of Security Council sessions on the Kosovo situation, similar to the UK's position, while Russia opposes this idea and advocates for open and regular UN Security Council sessions.

The report describes events in Kosovo from February of this year, when Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accepted the European Union's proposal for normalizing relations, up to September of this year when EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Josep Borrell attributed the negotiations' stagnation to Kurti's insistence that Serbia formally recognize Kosovo before the implementation of the February agreement.

"Kurti was not prepared to move forward and initiate a credible process for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. Kurti insisted that the formalization of de facto recognition be the first step," Borrell said at the time, adding that Vucic had accepted the EU proposal for the simultaneous implementation of the agreement's points.

Guterres emphasizes that the UN Security Council will continue to monitor diplomatic efforts to advance the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and all efforts toward achieving a final, legally binding agreement.