Mitic: UN Security Council session opened maneuvering space for Serbia; Brnabic presented arguments to which Osmani had no response

Scientific collaborator at the Institute for International Politics and Economics, Aleksandar Mitic, assessed for Kosovo Online that last night's UN Security Council session, which discussed the situation in Kosovo, had opened a significant maneuvering space for Serbia, "which is not small", and added that the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, had presented arguments in her closing statement to which the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, had had no response.

"The UN Security Council session proceeded as expected. There were predictable divisions between those supporting Serbia's territorial integrity and international law and those supporting the so-called unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence, which violates international law. Unfortunately, some of these countries are permanent members of the Security Council. However, this time, they did not offer as strong support to Pristina as was expected, especially after recent events. Osmani attempted to involve Russia in the whole matter in a rather forceful way, especially in her closing remarks," Mitic says.

As he points out, the closing statements received by the Prime Minister of Serbia and the President of Kosovo showed a difference in the quality of arguments on both sides.

"Our side, specifically the Prime Minister, indeed, in a precise and well-argued manner, pointed out the difference between words and actions—what Pristina says versus what happens on the ground, from ethnic cleansing to the non-implementation of the Brussels Agreement, primarily regarding the CSM and various forms of discrimination against the Serbs. Osmani, on the other hand, stuck to the rhetoric they've been repeating for a quarter of a century about their 'Kosovo Liberation Army', which supposedly defended the Albanians from some 'genocide'. In other words, without any concrete arguments, without any response to the very clear arguments presented not only by Belgrade but also highlighted by the Russian Federation and China," Mitic believes.

He assesses that China had a very strong and clear stance in favor of Serbia's territorial integrity.

"I think it was precisely the support we received in the Security Council last night from these two permanent members, but also from some other members, including, I would say, the Chairman of Brazil, who also does not support the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence, that should be the foundation and give us momentum when I speak of resisting these pressures that are currently ongoing under the leadership of the so-called Western five. Serbia should understand that it has this maneuvering space, which is not small," Mitic emphasizes.

Our interlocutor says that Serbia has been repeating its position for a quarter of a century in various formats, especially at UN Security Council sessions.

"It's clear that some countries do not want to hear or simply acknowledge this and move on. As for this latest escalation, we could have heard about other incidents and triggers, but the fact is that the situation has not improved for the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. The US and Great Britain simply do not want to listen to Serbian arguments. There is no ear for it because for them the key is how to get Belgrade and Kosovo Serbs to accept what they call the new reality, which is to accept the so-called Franco-German plan in the latest package and the Ohrid Annex. It seems to me that there hasn't been any significant change there," he says.

He adds that the same rhetoric could have been heard "five, ten, or fifteen years ago".

"That's why it's important for some people in Belgrade not to be deluded, as we can see in Belgrade media and among analysts, and even in the leadership itself, people looking for nuances in various statements by key Western actors. That doesn't exist; their goals are clear, and there may be occasional tactical and rhetorical differences, but there is no difference in this regard. Belgrade must continue to insist on the argumentation that was presented very well yesterday," Mitic believes.

Speaking about the ideas that have been circulating for a while now from some permanent members of the UN Security Council about abolishing UNMIK, Mitic says it is clear to whom and why that suits.

"The situation has changed because those countries seeking the abolition of UNMIK are violating Resolution 1244 and practically undermining UNMIK's authority from the very beginning. Without going into all the details of the violation of Resolution 1244, UNMIK still operates according to that Resolution, which is a crucial support for the Republic of Serbia in defending territorial integrity. It is clear why countries like the USA and Great Britain want to disband UNMIK and destroy Resolution 1244. This mission has been largely degraded precisely because of the actions of those who support Kosovo's independence and thereby violate international law," Mitic concludes.