UNMIK/PR/468
After a series of emotional farewells with the people of Kosovo, UNMIK staff, police and KFOR troops, Dr. Bernard Kouchner flew out of Pristina’s Slatina airport at 3 p.m. today, heading for Paris aboard a French government jet, ending his 18-month posting as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo.
His successor as SRSG, Hans Haekkerup of Denmark, arrived by UN helicopter from Skopje shortly after Kouchner’s departure. A planned meeting of the two was aborted due to heavy snowfall which caused Pristina’s commercial airport to close and diverted Haekkerup’s flight from Copenhagen to FYROM.
On his last day in Kosovo, Kouchner’s final stops included a visit to the Serb monastery at Gracanica, where he reviewed a comprehensive strategy for the return of Kosovo Serbs during the year 2001, along with members of the Joint Committee on Returns. He also noted that UNMIK would be drafting two new regulations designed to improve the situation of the Serb community—one on the protection of churches and another regulating the sale of Serb property. Later, at a final impromptu press briefing, Kouchner said the failure to sufficiently protect minorities and particularly Serbs was his deepest regret at the end of his mission.
At mid-day, in a formal ceremony hosted by KFOR Commander General Carlo Cabigiosu, Kouchner was saluted by flag-bearing troops from the 39 contributing countries and awarded NATO’s highest honor—the NATO Medal—by the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, General Joseph Ralston.
Both the SACEUR Ralston and General Cabigiosu praised Kouchner for his promoting an unusually close cooperation between the military and civilian presence in Kosovo, noting that Kouchner’s past as a human rights activist made the relationship an all the more significant achievement. Kouchner agreed, saying “who would have believed that I would have had a love affair of 18 months with 50,000 guys?”
SACEUR Ralston called Kouchner “brilliant and compassionate, capable and committed” and a man who “promoted consensus,” as well as “outstanding military-civilian relations in an environment of mutual respect.”
“He pushed and pulled everyone in Kosovo to bring this administration and this society to where it is today,” General Cabigiosu said of the outgoing SRSG.
For his part, Dr. Kouchner praised the current KFOR command for its work to defuse the tension in the Presevo Valley, for their assistance in preventing violence before and during the October municipal elections and for their quick response in setting up the ‘witnessing’ of the September Yugoslav elections which led to the downfall of Slobodan Milosevic.
“Your troops have been engaged not only in routine military duties, but have gone that step further to really made a difference in the every day lives of Kosovars,” Dr. Kouchner said, referring to all four KFOR rotations. “Indeed you have done your job so well that the Kosovars cannot imagine anymore a life without you!”
At his final impromptu press conference, Dr. Kouchner was asked his position on general elections, which he has frequently proposed should be held this year. He reiterated his conviction that elections were crucial for producing credible leaders in Kosovo and for advancing the mandate of Resolution 1244. However, he added that much time might be required to fully define the parliament or body which will be elected.
Dr. Kouchner departed with his some of closest staff—Senior Adviser Eric Chevallier and Nadia Younes, his Spokeswoman and Director of Public Information.