The chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia, together with the European Union Special Representative (EUSR), met on Thursday for the first time in a trilateral format, within the framework of the Joint Commission on Missing Persons.
The news was announced through the official EU website.
According to this announcement, the establishment of the Joint Commission was agreed upon by the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the President of Serbia in the Declaration on Missing Persons, on 2 May 2023, during a high-level meeting facilitated by the EU High Representative/Vice-President.
“The objective of the Joint Commission is to oversee the implementation of the Declaration on Missing Persons, which aims to contribute to clarifying the fate of missing persons, including those forcibly disappeared, to provide closure to their families, and to promote reconciliation and lasting peace,” their announcement states.
In accordance with the agreed Terms of Reference, the Commission will support the efforts of the Working Group on Missing Persons, chaired by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), by facilitating the parties’ implementation activities, resolving disputes and reviewing progress.
It is further noted that the EU facilitator, Kosovo, Serbia or the ICRC may refer to the Joint Commission any matter related to the implementation, application and interpretation of the Declaration on Missing Persons, as well as any controversial issue arising within the ICRC-chaired Working Group, including the issue of reviewing and updating the Terms of Reference and General Framework of the ICRC-chaired Working Group on Missing Persons, if the latter fails to reach consensus on this matter.
“The Joint Commission will discuss issues within its mandate according to the agreed Terms of Reference. Any decision on controversial issues referred to the Joint Commission by the ICRC-chaired Working Group will be referred to the ICRC-chaired Working Group for approval and implementation. The EU highly expects the Joint Commission to make a significant contribution to clarifying the fate of the missing and helping to close a painful chapter for the families, who have waited too long for answers.”
Otherwise, on December 17, 2024, the chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia agreed in Brussels on the Terms of Reference for the Joint Commission on Missing Persons to be established under the Declaration on Missing Persons agreed upon by President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia and Prime Minister Albin Kurti of Kosovo on May 2, 2023. /Telegrafi/