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At yesterday's UN Security Council meeting, the removal of the UNMIK mission from Kosovo was requested. Such a request came from the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla, and the United States representative to the UN, John Kelley.
In his statement, John Kelley recommended that UNMIK begin transferring its functions to other UN agencies on the ground that are better suited to the job, so that the process towards the mission's final closure is deliberate and gradual, rather than sudden.
He further justified the financial side of the operation of this peacekeeping structure. According to Kelley, UNMIK is a peacekeeping mission without peacekeepers, with 81 percent of its budget going to personnel salaries, which according to him goes against President Trump's policies of wasting American money.
"The United States is committed to eliminating wasteful spending in international organizations. UNMIK is a peacekeeping mission without peacekeepers, with 81 percent of its budget going to staff salaries even though the mission has long outlived its original mandate. The United States calls on other Council members to review UNMIK's mandate so that together we can begin an orderly winding down of its operations. The time to begin this transition is overdue," the statement said, among other things.
Full announcement:
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Special Representative Ziadeh, for your briefing. I also acknowledge the presence and remarks of the Kosovo Foreign Minister.
Madam SRSG, we recognize your leadership and UNMIK’s past efforts in Kosovo to promote dialogue and legal reform. But the time has come for UNMIK to withdraw. We recommend that UNMIK begin transferring its functions to other UN agencies on the ground, better suited to the job, so that the process towards the mission’s ultimate conclusion is deliberate and gradual, not abrupt.
The United States is committed to eliminating wasteful spending in international organizations. UNMIK is a peacekeeping mission without peacekeepers, with 81 percent of its budget going to staff salaries even though the mission has long outlived its original mandate. The United States calls on other Council members to review UNMIK’s mandate so that together we can begin an orderly winding down of its operations. The time to begin this transition is overdue.
As we have said before, UNMIK no longer has a role in the governance of Kosovo and the mission remains over-resourced and overstaffed.
Regarding future UNMIK meetings, we strongly urge that they be closed-door meetings, as a closed format would encourage a more candid and less performance-based discussion. We also believe that these briefings should be further reduced to annual meetings, given the time demands of the Security Council.
Kosovo and Serbia must work to reduce tensions, refrain from escalating measures, and build peace and stability between them and within the broader region, as a basis for a more prosperous future.
The ultimate goal should be mutual recognition. Normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is essential for stability in the Western Balkans. America and the global community are safer when countries resolve their conflicts peacefully and more prosperous when they create the climate for expanding international trade and investment.
Je vous remercie Monsieur le Président.
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