Security Council condemns recent killing of UN police officer in Kosovo

Security Council members today condemned the recent killing of a United Nations police officer in Kosovo, underscoring their support for the work of the UN mission there and appealing for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe of Syria, the Council's President for the month of August, said in a press statement that members "strongly condemned" the murder on Sunday of Maj. Satish Menon, a civilian police officer from India serving with the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the first fatality suffered by the police force since the mission was established in 1999. They expressed their condolences to the family of Major Menon, who was shot while on duty in the northern part of the province, and to the Government of India, he added.

The members "reaffirmed joint efforts of the international community to build a better future for Kosovo, and they underlined that UNMIK police and the Kosovo Police Service have an important role in this effort and in contributing to guarantee security and the rule of law," Ambassador Wehbe said.

They also appealed to all concerned to fully cooperate with UNMIK and the international security presence to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, he added.