UN moves to reconfigure mission in Kosovo after its independence

Nov 25, 2008, 18:43 GMT

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ordered Tuesday an accelerated reconfiguration of the organization's mission in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia earlier this year and is now recognized by more than 40 countries.

The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has ceased to carry out most of its tasks after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, Ban said in a report to the UN Security Council, which planned to meet Wednesday to discuss the new development.

'The reconfiguration is both timely and necessary, and is being accelerated in order to adapt it fully to the prevailing circumstances on the ground,' Ban said.

'It is taking place in a transparent manner with respect to all stakeholders and is consistent with the UN position of strict neutrality on the question of Kosovo's status,' he said.

The European Union was sending a law and order mission to assist Kosovo as a full-fledged state.

Ban said the EU mission, known as EULEX, will be deployed throughout Kosovo in coordination with UNMIK, while the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will focus on assisting the reconfigured UN mission.

Kosovo has disagreed with the way UNMIK was reconfigured while it was accept by Serbia.

Ban said in his report that the new Kosovo government in Pristina had rejected the new lineup of UNMIK and preferred a 'quick deployment' of EULEX and would cooperate with it instead.