Transcript
One to One with SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen
Interviewer: UN Chief of Radio, Jackson Allers
Producer: UNMIK Radio
UN:
Hello and Welcome to UN Radio in Kosovo. I’m Jackson Allers and today marks the first of hopefully many interviews to come with the new head of the UN Mission in Kosovo, Special Representative to the Secretary General, Soren Jessen-Petersen.
Hello to you Mr. Jessen-Petersen, glad you could join us
SRSG:
Pleasure
UN:
Let me first start with a simple question – and one that many people are curious about. You’ve inherited a large mission here in Kosovo, one of the largest in the United Nations family and one that has a great deal to prove in Europe and the world. What do you see as the biggest challenges for you and for UNMIK in the near future?
SRSG:
Well, first of all you say that the mission has a lot to prove. I think the Mission has proven a lot. I think there have been a lot of achievements. A great deal has been built up by scratch. And, I think that one should recognize the achievements, but at the same certainly recognize that on the way, there have, understandably also been shortcomings. But I think the first point is to recognize the achievements.
The immediate challenges ahead are and I’m glad to say by now, pretty clear because we have now broken what was until recently the taboo of final status talks. We have now outlined and agreed with the Contact Group in meetings in New York last week – we’ve agreed on the way forward, which means we will accelerate, prioritize implementation of Standards. We are moving and aiming at a review of the priority among the Standards - mid-2005- in case of a positive assessment of progress, to be followed by the beginning of talks on Status.
These are the immediate challenges: managing and supporting the implementation of standards, in particular the priorities; full regular reviews getting us to a final review in mid-2005, and then to start reflections and eventually the process leading to status talks.
UN:
There is another issue that you’ve have expressed particular interest in, the issue of Returns and the process of Returns. You said specifically at a Press Conference during your first official visit to Belgrade, that it normally takes about 5 years to see substantial progress [on returns] – no doubt you base this on your 25 years of experience dealing with refugee and returns work throughout the world…it’s been 5 years for the UN Mission here in Kosovo, can you assess where Kosovo stands on the issue of returns?
SRSG:
There are two basic conditions for returns to work: security and secondly that those returning do enjoy access to their rights, economic, social rights, jobs, education, etc. In Kosovo, until now, security has been a major problem. In places around Kosovo, security is a problem, but there are places where security and the security problem may be more of a perception than a reality.
I see a significantly improved security situation in many places. And, I believe for many returnees, security ought no longer to be the main obstacle. For others, it still is. However, the other obstacle is – What kind of a society will they be returning to? Will their children have access to schooling? Will they have access to employment? Will they have access to all their social rights? This is an issue that has to be addressed.
I believe we are moving forward, and whereas I talked about five years – that is more based on my experience in Bosnia. It took about five years from the Dayton Peace Agreement until returns, to what were called ‘Minority Areas,’ really began to happen. It began to happen when security issues were no longer a problem; when the property issues were resolved. We have made progress now on the property issues.
I believe we are beginning to see the basis, the foundation laid that would allow for a larger number of returns. It will be difficult, but I see no reason why we cannot succeed in getting a much larger number of returnees back. It must be a priority, and I think we will succeed.
UN:
On the issue of returns, again – the European Stability Initiative released a report that disputes the amount of Serbs that are living in Serbia proper, those who have been displaced; the report claims that there are 65 thousand displaced living there, which contradicts the claims from Belgrade and even in Kosovo, that there are as many as 220 thousand living there. Do you have plans for creating a clear figure for the people displaced who are living in and outside of Kosovo?
SRSG:
Well, I think in any return operation, it is of course essential that we have a clear idea of the scope of the problem. That also means a clear idea of the numbers of the displaced, and eventually a good idea of how many may wish to return. And we evidently have to look at that again.
I have seen the report, and the report, in many ways, is a very credible report, and I think it would be worthwhile looking into it again.
I think what is important here is, however, not to get detracted by a focus on numbers. But rather to work on having the conditions in place to allow people to exercise a free choice. Conditions must be in place so that people can sit down, reflect on it, and then decide whether to go back or stay.
UN:
Now, you’ve said that people should have the choice to go back to their origin points. Is that correct?
SRSG:
Ideally, one should always work on establishing the conditions so that people can return to the place from where they fled in the first place. However, a free choice also means that there may be people deciding that they do not wish to return to their place of origin, but they may return to other places in Kosovo.
Our primary goal should be to work on return to place of origin. But, free choice does imply that if a person, having all the information available, does decide that his or her future is elsewhere, that should also be respected.
UN:
You’ve talked about transferring competencies to the local government, that’s a major theme. Do you have a clear picture yet as to where you think those powers are going to be transferred?
SRSG:
Yes, we are beginning to have a clear picture. This is one of the first things I did after arriving, that was to ask my colleagues to prepare a note for me on, not only what we have done, but also what could be done further in the area of further transference of competencies.
I asked for a note telling me, not what I could not do, but what I could do. I have received those notes. We’ve had internal policy discussions. We will complete them next week, and then I think we are ready to discuss with the Provisional Institutions, further transfer of powers.
I think we have a pretty good idea. There is quite a lot of space. We will not be transferring any powers attributable to sovereignty, but as I said, there is space for the transfer.
However, as I’ve said repeatedly: entrusting more responsibilities to the authorities also means more accountability. And I will certainly exercise that accountability in a very, very rigid way.
UN:
On the issue of accountability: there is an October 15 deadline set by the government for the reconstruction of houses damaged in March. If the government doesn’t reach that goal, with regards to the concept of accountability, what do you see happening there?
SRSG:
First of all, the 15th of October deadline is important because it is important to maintain the pressure to make sure that everything be done to repair, reconstruct all the damage done in the March events.
Before we move forward on accountability, we have to examine why in certain cases it was not completed in time. There may be good reasons and there may be bad reasons. If there are bad reasons, first of all, we have to see how we can accelerate and make sure that it be completed in the shortest time possible.
If indeed it is a result of negligence, or lack of will, then we have to and we will deal with it.
UN:
I would like to dispel a rumor. Will there or will there not be a special UN envoy to move Kosovo closer to Status?
SRSG:
There is already a special UN envoy, that is me! The Special Representative of the Secretary General, and I don’t think there is any intention to appoint a second special representative.
Yes, there has been a lot of speculation in the media, but that speculation is wrong! It is based on no reality whatsoever. What is true is that we have been having discussions with the Secretary General on the right way forward.
The Secretary General’s view is that it is the responsibility of the Special Representative, which means me, to lead the process that brings us to Status talks. That process would be led by the Special Representative of the Secretary General, in close consultation with Secretary General.
There will not be a special envoy. There are no plans at this stage to appoint anybody. There are no names. It is all rumors and it is speculation. And, the sooner it be stopped, the better for Kosovo.
UN:
In your last two months as the SRSG, gathering information, what have you learned about Kosovo that differs from your previous experience in the Balkans?
SRSG:
What I have learned from Kosovo – I sort of had a feeling that was the case, even before coming here. That is, the countries in the region, they all come from a similar point of departure. Kosovo comes from a very different point of departure.
The process that we are involved in, only really started in 1999. Therefore, it does take a little bit longer here. The challenges that we are faced with are in many ways much, much greater.
We have not talked about the economy. That is the biggest challenge facing all of us. I think this is the biggest threat to the stabilization, normalization in Kosovo - that is the lack of progress in the area of the economy.
I think one has to recognize that the point of departure was much, much more difficult because in many areas we started from scratch, given the history of this place. And, for the same reason also to recognize that in many ways therefore also the problems are different.
Whereas I can look at the experiences in Bosnia, and other places, I also have to be careful that I don’t draw parallels that are too close because the points of departure are different.
However, what they all have in common is that all the places here are part of the same region. Kosovo is part of this region. Kosovo is and will be part of Europe. And, as I said upon arrival, resolving Kosovo is, in my view, resolving the last piece of the puzzle in the Western Balkans, which should bring stabilization, normalization and eventually economic European integration for all the places in the region. And therefore, I think resolving the issue of Kosovo is of the interest of all the states in the region, including the neighboring states.
UN:
Because you brought up the economy, the final question: How key is final status to attracting investors?
SRSG:
Final status is very, very important to attracting investment at the level that is required. However, it is no reason and should be no pretext for not already working very hard on doing so. And, I think we still could work and should work harder in identifying areas where we are ready.
Today, private investment could be solicited and attracted. A lot of work is underway. There’s been progress recently in the area of privatization. Where again, private investment, investment from abroad has been mobilized.
However, it is obvious that the real breakthrough, in terms of having access to the financial institutions, having access to international loan arrangements, etc. also really accessing the private investors – the real breakthrough will only happen as a result of resolution of the status.
UN:
Thank you very much Mr. Jessen-Petersen
SRSG:
Thank you very much.