European Parliament resolution on the situation of the Serb and other national minorities in Kosovo
Date: 1999-11-18
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, aid policy, ethnic conflict, human rights, multinational force, national minority, political violence, protection of minorities, repression

7.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 189/235

Thursday 18 November 1999

6.
Calls on the Federal Court of Pennsylvania to commute the death sentence passed on Mumia Abu
Jamal and instructs its delegation for relations with the USA to raise the issue at its next meeting with the
US parliamentary representatives;

Calls on the members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor George Bush Jr to

7.
grant clemency to Larry Robinson and commute his sentence;

8.
Appeals to the Supreme Court of the United States to meet its obligations under the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to abolish capital punishment for crimes committed by minors;

Calls on the Council to consider the possibility of making the abolition of capital punishment an

9.
integral part of the human rights clause when negotiating agreements with third countries;

10.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the President of
the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Congress and Administration of the USA, the Governor of the
State of Pennsylvania, the Federal Court of Pennsylvania, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, the
Governor of the State of Texas and the Florida Supreme Court.

9. Human rights: Respect for Serbs and other minority groups in Kosovo

B5-0270, 0275, 0281, 0298 and 0305/1999

European Parliament resolution on the situation of the Serb and other national minorities in
Kosovo

The European Parliament,

1 having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia,

1 having regard to the conclusions of the Presidency of the European Council in Cologne on 3 and

4 June 1999,

1 having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999), the full withdrawal of all Serb security
forces, the end of NATO’s air campaign, as well as the development of the Kosovo International
Security Force (KFOR) and the setting up of the UNMIK (UN Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo),

1 having regard to the Military Technical Agreement between KFOR and the governments of the Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia, agreed on 9 June 1999,

1 having regard to the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe signed by the Council on 10 June 1999,

1 having regard to the Statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the demilitar-

isation of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) of 23 September 1999,

1 having regard to the Statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on 4 November

1999 concerning the ongoing violence in Kosovo,

A. deeply concerned about the recent acts of violence against the Serb and Roma population of Kosovo,
in particular about the attacks on the convoy of 155 Serbs, organised by the UNHCR on 27 October
1999 in Pec,

B.

deeply concerned about the shooting attack against Mr Momcilo Trajkovic, President of the ‘Kosovo
Serbian Residence Movement’ and co-chairman of the Serbian National Council, on 31 October 1999
in his home in Pristina,

C. deeply concerned about the murder of the Bulgarian UN official Valentin Krumov in Pristina on

12 October 1999,

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Thursday 18 November 1999

D.

alarmed by the conduct of the leadership of the former KLA which battled for Kosovo’s independence
from Yugoslavia, creating faits accomplis without regard to UNMIK’s legal authority and the values
which were the proclaimed basis of both NATO operations and the UN mission,

E.

F.

pointing out that in spite of the recently signed agreement the former KLA has not completed its
disarmament and that in many parts of Kosovo the self-proclaimed Provisional Government is inter-
fering with and often hindering, the work of UNMIK administrators,

deeply concerned about continued armed aggression against KFOR members,
including shooting
against KFOR soldiers on duty, and deeply concerned about the dangerous situation in which repre-
sentatives of international organisations such as the UN and OSCE and of NGOs are trying to carry
out their work and help to re-establish a peaceful Kosovo,

G.

taking into consideration that until today it has not been possible to set up a legal provisional interim
government,

H.

recalling that the European Union’s strong military, political, economic and financial commitment in
the province is based on a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo,

I.

stressing that the number of Serbs and other minorities living in Kosovo is rapidly decreasing because
of the climate of intimidation that makes it impossible to create the conditions for a real dialogue
between the various ethnic groups;

Strongly condemns the continued violence against ethnic and religious minorities, political figures

1.
and representatives of any international organisation;

2.
Firmly condemns the recent acts of violence against the Serb population in Kosovo and calls on the
leaders of the Kosovo Albanian community to fully respect UN resolution 1244, condemn those acts of
violence, use their influence and leadership to work with KFOR and UNMIK to stamp out the violence and
intimidation in Kosovo, collaborate with the inquiries of UN authorities and distance themselves clearly
from such actions;

Expresses its understanding for the mourning of the Albanian population of Kosovo for their victims,
3.
but cannot accept this as a pretext for the ongoing killings, abductions, detentions, abuse of power, har-
assment, intimidation, arson, looting, destruction of property and take-over of houses by that part of the
population of Kosovo;

Stresses that all Kosovars 1 irrespective of their ethnic origin 1 must be able to stay in and return to

4.
Kosovo, and live there in peace without harassment or intimidation of any kind;

Calls on the leadership of the former KLA to respect the European values and principles and to

5.
ensure that the oppressed of the past will not become the oppressors of today;

Calls upon the part of the population which is still armed to stop their aggressions and to contribute
6.
to a peaceful reconstruction of their homeland, since this cannot be the task of the international organisa-
tions alone;

Urges all parties concerned to re-establish the dialogue between all political forces in Kosovo and

7.
stop any further intimidation of political opponents;

Urges ethnic Albanian leaders to cooperate fully with UNMIK and the Kosovo Transitional Council

8.
with a view to facilitating the reconstruction process and the rebuilding of civil society;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Thursday 18 November 1999

9.
Expresses its strongest support to the UN envoy to Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner, in his undertakings to
establish as soon as possible a legal interim government in which all political groups of Kosovo should be
represented, and asks him, though only in the event that no local representative can be found, to name a
representative of UNMIK as interim mayor;

Is of the opinion that the European Union should reconsider its funding for reconstruction work in

10.
Kosovo if the human rights situation of all the inhabitants of the province does not improve drastically;

Urges the Commission and the Task Force for Reconstruction to give preference, with the exception
11.
of humanitarian assistance, to reconstruction projects in those municipalities that are trying to favour a
climate of cooperation among the different ethnic groups, opposing expulsions and preventing violence;

Expresses its solidarity with all representatives of international organisations and NGOs who are
12.
actively contributing to the reconstruction of Kosovo, often in very difficult and dangerous circumstances;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the OSCE, KFOR

13.
and the Secretary General of the UN.

10. Human rights: Alexander Nikitin

B5-0290, 0291, 0295 and 0302/1999

European Parliament resolution on the forthcoming trial of Alexander Nikitin

The European Parliament,

1 having regard to its resolutions of 16 November 1995 (1), 15 February 1996 (2) and 18 September
1996 (3) on the harassment of the Bellona Foundation, the arrest of Alexandr Nikitin and the case of
Alexandr Nikitin respectively,

1 having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights and the Russian Constitution, particu-

larly Articles 15(3), 54 and 123(3) thereof,

A.

B.

expressing its satisfaction that the case of Alexandr Nikitin is being tried by a civilian judge at the
St Petersburg City Court,

understanding the importance of this case to the development of the rule of law in the new demo-
cratic Russia,

C. whereas Mr Nikitin is still required not to leave the city,

D. whereas Mr Nikitin is, for the eighth time, being charged with treason; whereas the new indictment

has not been made available to him before the trial,

E. whereas, on 26 July 1999, Mr Nikitin appealed to the European Court of Human Rights to remedy the

violations of his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights;

Asks the Russian authorities to guarantee Alexandr Nikitin an impartial and public trial based on the

1.
principles of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Russian Constitution;

Urges the Russian authorities to give Alexandr Nikitin full access to the indictment and to the legal

2.
foundation of the charges against him;

(1) OJ C 323, 4.12.1995, p. 112.
(2) OJ C 65, 4.3.1996, p. 162.
(3) OJ C 320, 28.10.1996, p. 196.