UN SRSG Jessen-Petersen sees continued important role for OSCE in Kosovo

VIENNA, 10 February 2005 - Soren Jessen-Petersen, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Kosovo, said on Thursday that the OSCE would continue to play an important role in Kosovo as the United Nations presence is scaled down.

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, he said 2005 would be a crucial year for Kosovo as the international community reviewed the implementation of standards, especially those concerning better protection and better living conditions for minorities. Fulfilment of the standards is a precondition for any discussion on the province's future status. "As we rapidly approach the mid-year review and further down the line the future status determination, the UN's role in Kosovo will have to change and will change, ultimately leading to a handover of functions to institutions or successor missions set up through the political process on which we are now embarking," the SRSG said.

"As the UN scales down its presence, the role and responsibilities of other main international actors are likely to increase. A continued OSCE role in key areas of human rights monitoring, institution and capacity-building and the rule of law may well become even more important in the foreseeable future."

The Special Representative said security had improved considerably in Kosovo in the last few months but remained fragile. Democratic institutions were functioning well and welcome progress had been made in efforts to devolve powers to the local level.

UNMIK continued to transfer more competencies to the Kosovo authorities in areas not related to sovereignty.

"A greater transfer of authority and a robust accountability policy must be accompanied by a systematic policy of capacity-building," Mr Jessen-Petersen added. "The OSCE, as the core capacity- building organisation within UNMIK, is uniquely placed to identify capacity gaps in consultation with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and help address them."

The Special Representative said his message to all the people of Kosovo was simple: "The key to the future of Kosovo is in your hands. The way to status goes through standards: standards to design a stable multi-ethnic democratic Kosovo that is ready for status determination, and ready for status. There are no shortcuts, no bypasses, no automaticity."

"Hopes remain that Kosovo, the Western Balkans and the region at large will rise to the challenge of finally putting the fratricidal and impoverishing conflicts of the past to rest and concentrate on a common European destiny," he added.

"It is a time of opportunity now. It is for the international community, including the member States of the OSCE, to muster the will, the courage and the patience to see this through."