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Peter Due, Special Representative and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), told the Security Council during his first briefing inside the iconic chamber on Thursday that while the December 2025 polls featured broad participation, the momentum is being tested.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking in New York, Mr. Due noted that the process of electing a new President remains incomplete, following a year of political stalemate.<\/p>\n
Mr Due – who took the key role three months ago – emphasised that the return of Kosovo Serb mayors in the north was a positive step yet warned of \u201cchallenges\u201d including administrative gaps and language barriers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are not merely technical issues,\u201d he said, urging continued engagement. Guided by Resolution 1244 (1999), UNMIK is focusing its efforts on community-level dialogue.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTrust among communities, and between communities and institutions, allows progress, dialogue and cooperation to take root<\/strong>,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n The mission itself is navigating a UN-wide liquidity crisis, having reduced encumbered positions by nearly 30 per cent. Despite these financial constraints, Mr Due insisted the mission remains vital in fostering an inclusive culture \u201cwhere every community sees itself reflected in the path forward\u201d.<\/p>\n The debate underscored a fundamental rift between Serbia and Kosovo regarding the UN\u2019s ongoing role.<\/p>\n The Council remains split on whether the mission has outlived its purpose.<\/p>\n The United States<\/strong> representative argued there is \u201cno justification for treating Kosovo in 2026 as though it were still the Kosovo of 1999,\u201d describing UNMIK as an \u201coverfunded peacekeeping mission without peacekeepers\u201d that has reached \u201cthe end of the road\u201d.<\/p>\nDiverging paths: Belgrade vs Pristina<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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International friction<\/strong><\/h3>\n