You are here: 2004 / Plenary Sessions / Plenary Session 4 / Address by the Deputy Special Representative for the UN Interim Administrarion Mission in Kosovo, Jean-Christian Cady
	Participants Countries and organizations Conference documentation Conference programme				Address by Dr. Tarek Heggy Address by the Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Pierre Sané Address by the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Pavel Vosalík Address by the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Jakub T. Wolski Address by the Director of the European Training Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Professor Wolfgang Benedek Address by the Ambassador of Brazil in Stockholm, Elim Dutra Address by the State Secretary for European Affairs of Belgium, Raoul Del Corde Address by the Ambassador of Australia in Stockholm, Richard Rowe Address by the Ambassador of Turkey in Stockholm, Tomur Bayer Address by the Deputy Special Representative for the UN Interim Administrarion Mission in Kosovo, Jean-Christian Cady Address by the Chief of Activities and Programme Branch of the UNHCHR, Jan Cedergren Address by the Deputy Director of the Bureau for Crises Prevention and Recovery of the UNDP, Georg Charpentier Address by the Head of the Central Division in the Directorate General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe, James Wimberley Address by Dr. Stephen D. Smith, Aegis Trust and Beth Shalom Address by the Deputy Special Representative for the UN Interim Administrarion Mission in Kosovo, Jean-Christian Cady Cady, Jean-Christian Address by Jean-Christian Cady, Deputy Special Representative for the UN Interim Administrarion Mission in Kosovo Kosovo is a good example of what the international community and the United Nations can achieve to stop ethnic cleansing and build policy instruments that will prevent it from occurring again. To be able to achieve success in that domain, there is a prerequisite: a clear and common will of the international community to stop an ethnic cleansing from occurring or from being continued. After a long period of unsuccessful diplomatic efforts, NATO’s military intervention was the expression of this will for Kosovo. There needs to be also the deployment as soon as possible on the ground, of an international mission with a military component and a robust mandate and sufficient means to separate the antagonists and ensure law and order. For Kosovo, this mandate was given by the Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 1999 which established under United Nations auspices, an international civil and security presence with two components, the civil component led by the United Nations, the military component under NATO command. This presence needs to be established quickly. One of the shortcomings we had in Kosovo was that during the time it took to establish the full peacekeeping presence, in the summer and autumn of 1999, numerous interethnic retaliation actions took place and the victims became the perpetrators. The second difficulty is the return of the involuntarily displaced persons. If practically all members of the Albanian community returned to Kosovo in a matter of weeks after the establishment of the international presence, the same thing cannot be said of the Serbs. Four years and the half after the beginning of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, most members of the Serbian community who departed from Kosovo during and after the conflict, have not returned, despite UNMIK’s efforts. Even though some of them do return, many Serbs feel that the interethnic security situation is too fragile and the unemployment too high, to allow them to settle again in Kosovo. Before reconciliation can occur, effective justice needs to be delivered, so that no crime is left unpunished, whoever the victim or perpetrator. UNMIK has successfully prosecuted war criminals and will continue to do so. The missing persons, those who disappeared during and immediately after the conflict, are also a lingering issue that perpetuates bitter memories of the conflict. On both sides, we are working on a quick identification and return of the bodies, found in graves in Kosovo and Serbia proper. The main challenge of UNMIK is to create stable conditions for a multiethnic Kosovo, not only to prevent ethnic cleansing from occurring again when the mandate of the international mission comes to an end but also to ensure a normal development and prosperity of all communities, free from harassment and with equal access to institutions, an impartial police and justice system. The police and justice system today includes all ethnic communities of Kosovo and is truly multiethnic. The central element of the International Community’s strategy for Kosovo is the “Standards before Status” approach. The future status of Kosovo can only be discussed only when standards approved by the Security Council on 10 December 2003 have been achieved. The implementation plan for the Standards for Kosovo, on which we are working together with the government of Kosovo, has precisely the purpose of removing on a sustainable basis the causes for ethnic conflict. We are working for a Kosovo where all – regardless of ethnic background, or religion – are free to live, work and travel without fear, hostility or danger and where there is tolerance, justice and peace for everyone. This is an ambitious program. It may take time to achieve. But I am confident that, with concerted effort of the International Community it will become a success. >> Back to top				Introduction Opening Session Plenary Sessions Plenary Session 1 Plenary Session 2 Plenary Session 3 Plenary Session 4 Workshops, Panels and Seminars Closing Session and Declarations Other Activities
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