S/PV.5839
5839th meeting
Monday, 18 February 2008, 3 p.m.
New York
Security Council resolutions (Kosovo)
Mr. Ettalhi (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (spoke in Arabic): I should like at the outset to welcome to the Security Council His Excellency Mr. Boris Tadić, President of the Republic of Serbia. I also wish to welcome the presence of His Excellency the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, at this meeting and to thank him for the information that he has provided to the Council.
My country hopes that Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence yesterday will not signal a return to what the Balkan region experienced during the 1990s, when the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was dissolved amid violence and threats of violence. We are full of hope, particularly since both parties have reaffirmed their resolve to follow the path of a peaceful and negotiated settlement. Both parties should be reminded that, unfortunately, the recent developments that led to Kosovo’s declaration of independence can be traced back to a failure to respect the legitimate rights of minorities, a lack of respect for basic freedoms and the use of force instead of dialogue and reconciliation.
Perhaps at this juncture it would be useful to once again renew our call to both parties, at this critical and important stage in their history, to avoid any provocative action and to remain committed to what they have repeatedly pledged before the international community, that they would renounce violence or incitement to violence. We welcome the renewed pledge by His Excellency President Boris Tadić and his reaffirmation that they will not resort to violence and that Serbia will always follow a policy of peace as a source of its strength. We wish to welcome the pledge by Kosovo officials that they will implement the Ahtisaari plan in terms of minority rights and guaranteeing their security and that they will work to provide all necessary conditions for the sustainable return of internally displaced persons, to maintain freedom of movement, protect rights and correct any illegal situations.
My country calls upon the friendly State of Serbia to refrain from any actions that would have a negative impact on the already difficult living conditions of Kosovo citizens, because such actions would only deepen the gap that was created by practices that Kosovars suffered at the hands of Serbia’s former rulers. Everyone must work on bridging that gap instead of widening it — regardless of bitterness at this stage.
Libya has been, and always will be, supportive of complete commitment to the principles of justice and to international law, which stipulates complete respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States. We wonder how our world would be today if those noble principles, entrenched through centuries of sacrifice and pain, were forfeited.
We are confronted with an exceptional situation in an exceptional region in an exceptional time, during which a certain group — unfortunately, for cultural and ethnic purposes — has suffered from repercussions of blind violence, ethnic cleansing and deprivation of the most basic of their rights. That has led to intervention in order to put a stop to those inhuman practices, and it led to the developments that have just taken place.
My country cannot accept that the situation before us today constitutes a precedent in order to undermine the territorial integrity of States. I do not think we are alone in that. This Council must state its complete abidance with respect for the territorial integrity of States, and that what has taken place, regardless of developments that might ensue, cannot constitute a precedent to be used as a term of reference or as an excuse.
