UNMIK/PR/1563 Monday, 12 June 2006 SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen announces his decision to leave his post PRISTINA - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Søren Jessen-Petersen today announced that he will be leaving his post at the end of June. After almost two years on the job, it is time for me to rejoin my family in Washington DC. I am aware, of course, that I will be departing at an important moment in the history of Kosovo. I am confident, however, that the political process leading towards a status decision is on track. When I arrived in Kosovo, I stated my belief that there will be no normalisation, no stabilisation in the western Balkans unless the issue of Kosovo is resolved the last piece in the puzzle taking the region from the conflicts of the 1990s to a peaceful and prosperous future. My experience here only strengthened that belief, as well as my determination to ensure that Kosovo was firmly on the path towards clarity of status, in order to benefit its citizens and the citizens of the region. The destiny of Kosovo is clear and the future course towards a democratic and multi-ethnic society is more than ever in the good hands of the people and the elected political leaders of Kosovo. The international community, led by UNMIK and KFOR, will be there to continue its support. The SRSG, who arrived in Kosovo on 15 August 2004, served longer than any of his predecessors in the position. During the last two years, which were characterised by a stable and improving security environment, Kosovo was judged by the Security Council to have made sufficient progress in standards implementation in order for the process to determine Kosovos status foreseen by UNSCR 1244 to be launched. During the same period, Kosovo evolved into a vibrant, mature democracy capable of surmounting a number of important challenges. These included the October 2004 elections (judged to be free and fair), the resignation of former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and his voluntary travel to the Hague Tribunal, the launch of status talks, the long illness and death of President Ibrahim Rugova, and the orderly succession in the positions of President, Assembly President, and Prime Minister earlier this year. It has been a privilege and an honour for me to work with and for the people of Kosovo, said the SRSG. I am very grateful for the support of my partners, including the institutional leaders, party and religious leaders from all communities, local leaders, women leaders, and many, many others. My frequent trips throughout Kosovo brought me into contact with many ordinary men, women, and young people of all ethnicities, and they have given me a great deal of hope for the future of Kosovo. They have shown me that reconciliation is possible, that they share the wish to build a prosperous and tolerant society, and that they are courageous and prepared to look towards the future and away from the past. I would also like to thank my international partners and their representatives in Kosovo, notably KFOR and in particular its two Commanders, Yves de Kermabon and Giuseppe Valotto , NATO, the European Union, the OSCE, the Contact Group, the heads of the international and UN offices in Pristina, and numerous other international governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations. I have often been asked whether I would be the last SRSG to serve in Kosovo. I can say that, whereas I opened the last chapter of UNMIKs mission in Kosovo, I am confident that my successor will close it. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> You can search right from your browser? It's easy and it's free. See how. http://us.click.yahoo.com/_7bhrC/NGxNAA/yQLSAA/1dTolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> =============== Group Moderator: [EMAIL PROTECTED] page at http://magazine.sorabia.net for more informations about current situation in Serbia http://www.sorabia.net Slusajte GLAS SORABIJE nas talk internet-radio (Serbian Only) http://radio.sorabia.net Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sorabia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
