Along with our partners in the EU, Ireland's position on the Kosovo final status issue has been that a final settlement for Kosovo must provide for a multi-ethnic, secure and democratic Kosovo, consistent with EU values and standards and contributing to the stability of the region. The EU has consistently highlighted the protection of minorities and the right to return of refugees and internally displaced persons as key priorities in this regard.
In this context, Ireland strongly supported the final status proposal by the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Kosovo, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, which provided for internationally supervised independence for Kosovo with strong guarantees for the highest level of internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms and which made the protection and promotion of the rights of minorities a central element of the proposal.
The Kosovo Assembly declared independence on 17 February, stated that it accepted fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari proposal, and undertook to implement its provisions through priority adoption of legislation, particularly those that protect and promote the rights of communities and their members. The Assembly subsequently adopted a Constitution on 9 April, which came into force on 15 June. This states that the Republic of Kosovo protects and guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms as provided by the Constitution. It adds that communities and their members shall have specific rights in addition to those human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to express, maintain and develop their culture and preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion, language, traditions and culture.
In the report of the UN Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) dated 28 March 2008, covering the period 16 December 2007 to 1 March 2008, UNMIK noted that overall compliance with the Prime Minister's Administrative Instructions regarding the establishment of Human Rights Units (HRUs) within ministries reached approximately 70 per cent in late 2007. However, it added that many ministries still lacked appropriate levels of human and other resources in HRUs to ensure their effective operations.
The report further noted that the Human Rights Advisory Panel has held three working sessions since its inaugural session in November 2007. The Panel elected its Presiding Member, adopted Rules of Procedure and continued with its examination of complaints, dealing with issues such as property rights and access to courts.
As regards the issue of returns of refugees and IDPs, the report noted that, while these remained disappointingly low, UNHCR estimates that 1,756 minority community members returned in 2007 as opposed to 1,668 in 2006. The report adds that the Ministry of Communities and Returns (MCR) budget for returns is €7.14 million for 2008, an increase from €5.2 million in 2007, although lack of funding remains an important obstacle to returns. The Ministry has proposed to allocate this amount for Community Development and Stabilization projects, construction of social housing for IDPs, organised return projects and individual returns. The Government, through Irish Aid, has been pleased to support return projects in Kosovo in recent years.
I note the recent comment by the UN Secretary General that there remains scope for further improvement in certain areas, in particular in the field of the return of refugees and IDPs. The Government strongly believes that there should be robust mechanisms to safeguard the human rights of all citizens in Kosovo and that deficiencies in this regard should be urgently addressed. I welcome the clear commitment of Kosovo to the full implementation of all obligations contained in the Ahtisaari proposal, as outlined firstly in the Declaration of Independence and as provided for now in the Constitution. The EU will continue to urge the authorities in Kosovo to step up their efforts to ensure promotion and protection of human rights for all, with a particular focus on the continued problems faced by minorities, refugees and internally displaced persons.