China: It's Time for In-depth Reflection on Kosovo

China said Friday that it is time for in-depth reflection on Kosovo, a Yugoslav province, where the current situation is very critical as Serbs are suffering from deportation and persecution.

The statement came as Shen Guofang, the deputy Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, took the floor at an open U.N. Security Council meeting, at which Bernard Kouchner, head of the U.N. Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), briefed the 15-nation body on the latest developments in the Serbian province.

"We are of the view that it is time for in-depth reflection," he said. "The Security Council has the political responsibility and moral obligation to face this reality, and it should seriously seek the resolution to the serious problems faced by Kosovo, otherwise the credibility of the United Nations will continue to be impaired."

"First, the international presence should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)," he said."UNMIK should respect the laws of FRY and seek cooperation with FRY."

However, "some of the current administrative measures adopted in Kosovo impair the sovereignty of FRY and it has created a false impression that Kosovo is going to independence."

Shen said that "any attempt to lead Kosovo to independence is dangerous and illegal, it will deprive the Balkan region of peace and the ultimate victim will be the people of the Balkan region." "UNMIK can not afford to make a slightest mistake on this very important policy of issue," he said.

Secondly, "we are very concerned with the security of Serbs and other minorities in Kosovo," he said.

"We firmly oppose any forms of ethnic cleansing," he said. " The flagrant violations of basic human rights in Kosovo, no matter when it take place and which ethnic group it target, can not be accepted by the international community."

"All human rights violations are crimes," he said. "The crimes, be they big or small, can not be tolerated."

"In the same way, it is irresponsible to use past events as excuses to explain the way to the critical situation," he said. " We are concerned at the ways UNMIK and the international peacekeepers turn about the situation."

Apart from that, he said, "What arises our particular concern is that a large number of non-Kosovo Albanians have entered Kosovo, and this will change the demographic composition of Kosovo," which has a multi-ethnic society since ancient times.

"There should a Kosovo where different ethnic groups can have peaceful coexistence, and this should be the target of UNMIK," he said.

"We are opposed to any attempt to create national division and sabotage national unity," he said. "Fundamentally, the solution to the Kosovo issue can only be achieved within the framework of FRY through substantial autonomy and good ethnic policy."



People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/