Ban urges establishment of special court for KLA crimes

NEW YORK - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the Kosovo authorities and the EU to establish, by early 2015 at the latest, a special court to deal with war crimes committed in Kosovo-Metohija by the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in 1999.

"I strongly urge the Kosovo authorities, as well as the supporting European Union structures, to ensure that a specialist court is in place by early 2015," Ban said in the latest report on the situation in Kosovo, to be presented to the UN Security Council on August 25.

The report unveiled on July 29 by Clint Williamson, Chief Prosecutor of the Special Investigative Task Force for KLA crimes, "is essential not only for sustaining fundamental principles of international justice but also for combating impunity and ensuring accountability," the UN Secretary-General said.

He also thanked the leadership of the European Union "for fully committing the political and financial resources to complete this process."

In the report for the period from April 16 and July 15, published on the UN website, Ban noted that "the strong commitments by Belgrade and Pristina to make progress along the path to European integration, coupled with continued active engagement by the European Union, have proved to be critical driving forces towards the critical objective of normalising relations between Belgrade and Pristina."

Ban welcomed the formation of the new government of Serbia, headed by Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, on April 29, noting "with appreciation the early reaffirmation by the new government of its commitment to the continuation of the European Union-facilitated high-level dialogue with Pristina and full implementation of the agreements reached in 2013."