UNMIK/PR/1498
PRISTINA – Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Søren Jessen-Petersen and KFOR Commander Lt-Gen. Giuseppe Valotto this morning co-chaired the quarterly meeting of the Kosovo Protection Corps Development Group (KPCDG) at UNMIK headquarters. Participants at the meeting included KPC Co-ordinator Maj.-Gen. Chris Steirn, KPC Commander Lt.-Gen. Agim Çeku, Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Gen Ramadan Qehaja, representatives of the Quint Liaison Offices, the Dutch Liaison Office, the European Commission and European Union.
The KPCDG praised the excellent response of the KPC to the natural disasters that had recently afflicted Kosovo, including the major landslide in Kaçanik / Kačanik and the floods throughout Kosovo, particularly in the Obiliq / Obilić and Mitrovicë / Mitrovica regions.
“What the KPC did was heroic and I thank and congratulate them for their swift and effective interventions and assistance to all communities in need in Kosovo. I would also like to commend the KPC for their efforts and progress made in implementing Standard 8, and wish to highlight that the KPC continues to perform very well when it comes to the implementation of Standards,” said the SRSG.
Updates were made on KPC projects. Quint representatives were urged to support these processes through lending financial support and key experts. The Government pledged to progress with the draft Law on Pensions in response to the need for resettled KPC members to be treated with honour and dignity.
The SRSG reminded participants of the recent promulgation of Regulation 2006/3 amending Regulation 1999/8, which came into effect on 24 January 2006 and which reflects the increasing responsibilities being accorded to the KPC. The new Regulation authorises the KPC to undertake additional humanitarian tasks, including the monitoring of unoccupied reconstructed homes of ethnic minorities, to perform ceremonial duties, and to attend appropriate security courses. The new Regulation will allow the KPC to expand its humanitarian role in Kosovo, and to professionalize and modernise through approved educational courses.
