Mr. President,

I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for his briefing. I welcome the presence of the Prime Minister of Serbia, Mr. Dačić; I have also listened carefully to Mr. Thaçi's statement.

China has always maintained that Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity should be fully respected. Resolution 1244 (1999) is an important legal foundation for addressing the question of Kosovo. That task should be carried out within the framework of the relevant resolutions and through dialogue and negotiation between the parties concerned so as to reach a mutually acceptable solution.

China welcomes the many rounds of high-level political dialogue that have been held recently between Belgrade and Pristina and that have made good progress. We hope that both parties will remain committed to promoting constructive dialogue, try to reach agreement on issues in the relevant areas, and seek a lasting solution to the question of Kosovo that will help maintain peace and stability in the Balkans and in Europe generally.

At present, the security situation in Kosovo is generally stable, but in the north tensions remain, and we are very worried about the situation. The parties concerned should adopt a prudent attitude, stick to dialogue to settle their differences and refrain from any action that might worsen the situation.

China appreciates the work done by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) under the Special Representative, and supports its continuing efforts to implement the Council's mandate. We hope that UNMIK, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo Force, the Kosovo and the other international presences will strengthen their coordination in order to ensure that they play a positive and constructive role in settling the relevant issues.

China is very concerned about illegal trafficking in human organs in Kosovo. Any activities contravening international law or international humanitarian standards should be met with zero tolerance. The United Nations should play its part in a comprehensive and independent investigation of such cases.

Thank you, Mr. President.