Waiting for Kosovo, Russia Speaks of 200 Precedents, Serbia of State Secrets

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, February 14 -- With Kosovo widely expected to declare independence this month, the Security Council met behind closed doors on Thursday, at the request of Serbia and Russia. The room was packed with representatives of countries who petitioned to attend, a number of them citing their concerns about the precedent of perceived Council inaction in the face of separatism. Afterwards, UK Ambassador John Sawers told reporters that Kosovo would not be a precedent, that its situation is unique. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin quickly countered that only the United States and members of the European Union were giving the green light for Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. Inner City Press asked Amb. Churkin about the UK's position that there are no analogies to Kosovo. "I can see two hundred situations with complicated histories," Churkin answered, "some geographically close." Video here, from Minute 4:24.

            Abkhazia and South Ossentia are two regions where desire is expressed to break-away from Georgia. Transdniestria has in many ways already split off from Moldova. The fate of Western Sahara has hung on the balance for decades. But even if, based on the name, one were to count Nagorno-Karabakh as two, where are Churkin's 200 situations? That is a map we'd like to see, and one that the UN's Department of Political Affairs might be expected to have.

            Serbia's foreign minister Vuk Jeremic spoke at length of Serbia's earnestness in wanting to continue negotiations, under "the roof of sovereignty." Asked what Serbia will do if and when independence is declared by Kosovo, Jeremic said he would not answer, it is a "state secret." He said it would not include violence, but everything else is on the table, including presumably reductions in electricity, blockades and other trade actions. He was asked if he would be staying in New York to the weekend, since Kosovo is expected to declare independence on Sunday. Jeremic said that unfortunately he cannot stay in New York for the weekend, but that he would expect the Council to meet if independence is declared, and that meeting to have Serbian representation at a "high level." Asked the same question about Sunday, Churkin advised the press not to make other plans.

Serbia's foreign minister Vuk Jeremic outside the Security Council: see you Sunday?

            Inner City Press asked Amb. Churkin if Russia has spoken with Ban Ki-moon or the head of UN peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, about the controversy surrounding whether Security Council approval is needed to shift any of the work of the UN Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, to European forces. "We have had extensive contacts with the Secretariat, and they understand our position," Churkin answered. Inner City Press followed-up, but what is their position? Video here, from Minute 9:19.  "They understand the strength of our legal message," Churkin answered. We'll see.

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These reports are usually also available through Google News and on Lexis-Nexis.

Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.  Video Analysis here

  Because a number of Inner City Press' UN sources go out of their way to express commitment to serving the poor, and while it should be unnecessary, Inner City Press is compelled to conclude this installment in a necessarily-ongoing series by saluting the stated goals of the UN agencies and many of their staff. Keep those cards, letters and emails coming, and phone calls too, we apologize for any phone tag, but please continue trying, and keep the information flowing.

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