[NYC-L] UN vetoes Kosovo border resolution

[Mentor Cana]

Thursday, 23 May, 2002, 15:16 GMT 16:16 UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_2004000/2004509.stm

UN vetoes Kosovo border resolution

- Ethnic Albanian MPs want Kosovo's full independence -

The United Nations mission in Kosovo has taken the unprecendented step of
invalidating a resolution taken by the province's local assembly, which was
seeking to challenge a territorial settlement.

- Steiner struck the motion down within minutes of its adoption -

The UN administrator in Kosovo, Michael Steiner, within minutes declared
"null and void" the resolution adopted by the ethnic Albanian-dominated
assembly which rejected a border agreement between Yugoslavia and
Macedonia.

Kosovo, which borders Macedonia, legally remains part of Yugoslavia. The
unanimously passed resolution is being viewed as an attempt by the province
to act as an independent state.

The incident is also seen as the most serious rift in relations between the
province's ethnic Albanian leadership and the UN since the world body took
charge of the province in June 1999.

The vote is also likely to earn strong criticism from Belgrade - and has
already prompted a walkout from the assembly by the Serb deputies.

Warnings

Ethnic Albanian MPs - who press for Kosovo's outright independence - have
been unhappy with the border agreement between Yugoslavia and Macedonia
since it was signed last year.

They say that over 4,000 hectares of land were removed from Kosovo without
any consultation with the local population.

The BBC's Nicholas Wood in Pristina says that while some UN officials have
sympathised with the MP's grievances, the UN Security Council and the
European Union, have warned that the assembly has no rights to discuss
issues affecting the region's borders or internal security.

Letters from the Security Council and the EU not to go ahead with the vote
were presented to the assembly before the session.

They warned that Kosovo's reputation would be damaged if the motion was
adopted.

Walkout

Nevertheless, the assembly went ahead with the resolution.

 - Rugova leads the independence-seeking assembly -

This in turn prompted the Serbian deputies to leave the parliament, saying
they would no longer take part in the assembly or the province's government
unless the motion was rejected.

The 120-strong Kosovo's first multi-ethnic assembly opened its inaugural
session in December 2001, following elections the month before.

But the UN retained the final say on the most contentious policy issues,
banning the assembly to vote for the province's independence.