EULEX “can handle investigation on its own”

Source: Tanjug, Večernje novosti

BRUSSELS, BELGRADE -- Brussels stands by the position that the UN does not need to get involved in investigation of Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty’s organ trade allegations.

"EULEX is fully capable and in the best position to carry out an investigation into the organ trafficking," EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton’s Spokeswoman Maja Kocijančić told daily Večernje novosti.

Tanjug got confirmation late Wednesday from the UN Secretariat that that it has received Serbia's proposal for an investigation into Marty's claims.

We can confirm that we received Serbia's proposal and that it will soon be published as a UN Security Council document, Tanjug was told.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon received Belgrade's proposal from the Serbian mission to the UN.

According to procedure, the UN Secretariat will translate the document into all official languages of the world organization and publish it as an official document.

Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said Wednesday that the main element of the proposal was that the mandate for the investigation of Marty's allegations must come from the UNSC.

He pointed out that the UN secretary general would send the proposal to UN Security Council member countries, so that the presiding member, right now Columbia, and next month France, could start official consultations upon Serbia's request.

"All war crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia were investigated under a UN Security Council mandate, and the investigators were obligated to report to the UN Security Council. The same must be ensured now, I see no reason why the victims from Kosovo, if the allegations are proven true, should be treated as less important," Jeremić said after a meeting with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere.

A regular UN Security Council session on Kosovo is set for May 12, when UNMIK will report on the situation in the southern Serbian province and this could be the ideal opportunity to put the Serbian proposal on the agenda.

In order to get the green light from the UNSC, the Serbian proposal needs to receive support from a majority of the nine members, and avoid a veto from any of its permanent members - Russia, the U.S., China, France and Great Britain, the daily stressed.