UNITED NATIONS, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The arrests of two staff members of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) were unacceptable, said a Chinese envoy on Monday.
"Recently, the UNMIK staff were obstructed in their mandated work. China finds it deeply concerning and completely unacceptable," said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, referring to the arrests and alleged abuse of two UNMIK staff members: Mikhail Krasnoshchekov, a Russian national, and Dejan Dimovic, a Kosovo Serb.
"The privileges, immunities and safety and security of UN personnel must be fully respected. Parties concerned should provide conditions for UNMIK to implement its mandate within the parameters of law," Wu told the Security Council.
China supports the leadership of Zahir Tanin, the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of UNMIK, in ensuring UNMIK's mandate implementation and in conducting constructive cooperation with all parties, said Wu.
In a briefing to the Security Council, Tanin said the arrests of the two UNMIK staff members in a police operation in northern Kosovo on May 28 violated their immunities.
"Relevant immunities of our staff members from arrest and detention have failed to be observed. United Nations property was also improperly seized and searched, in contravention of all relevant laws and the organization's immunities," said Tanin.
The two UNMIK staff members were later released from police custody. But both are believed to face the possibility of criminal legal processes in Kosovo.
