Speech

The UK is committed to supporting Kosovo바카라 사이트™s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and helping to build an inclusive and multi-ethnic democracy: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on Kosovo

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor
Published
8 April 2025
Location:
United Nations, New York
Delivered on:
(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

The UK is a longstanding friend of Kosovo. 

We remain committed to supporting Kosovo바카라 사이트™s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and its development of an inclusive and multi-ethnic democracy. 

During his visit to Kosovo last week, the UK바카라 사이트™s Foreign Secretary reaffirmed our commitment to that goal.

We welcome Kosovo바카라 사이트™s recent elections.

These were assessed by international observers as peaceful and competitive. 

The UK looks forward to working closely with whoever forms the next government.

As a strong supporter of Kosovo바카라 사이트™s statehood, we welcome Kenya바카라 사이트™s recent recognition of Kosovo, adding to the many countries recognising Kosovo across the globe. 

We encourage those who have yet to recognise Kosovo바카라 사이트™s independence to do so.

Mr President, while the Secretary General바카라 사이트™s report rightly points out the pressure felt by many Kosovo-Serbs, we also welcome actions that have been taken to improve community relations, such as Kosovo바카라 사이트™s successful efforts to recruit police officers from non-majority communities.

We regret however that no judges or prosecutors from non-majority communities have, to our knowledge, asked to be considered for reintegration into the Kosovo institutions. 

We look forward to active participation of Kosovo-Serbs in peaceful municipal elections during the next reporting period.

More broadly, Mr President, we encourage Serbia and Kosovo to engage constructively with the EU바카라 사이트™s Special Representative, Peter Sorensen, to reach a comprehensive and legally binding normalisation agreement through full implementation by both sides of the Brussels and Ohrid Agreements. 

We strongly encourage Serbia to bring to justice without further delay those responsible for the 2023 attacks on KFOR troops and in Banjska, and to fulfill its pledge to co-operate in the investigation of the attack on the Iber-Lepenc Canal. 

I would like to end by expressing the UK바카라 사이트™s gratitude to the Special Representative and all Mission staff who have contributed to UNMIK바카라 사이트™s work. 

However, with conditions on the ground now unrecognisable from 1999, as we have said before, we believe it is time for the Council to review UNMIK바카라 사이트™s role and responsibilities to ensure it can continue to effectively support security, stability and human rights in Kosovo, in a way that reflects the world of 2025.

Updates to this page

Published 8 April 2025