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Kosovan–Malaysian relations

Kosovo	Malaysia

Kosovan–Malaysian relations are foreign relations between Kosovo and Malaysia. Formal relations between the two countries first began in 2000, when Malaysia became the first Asian country to establish a liaison office in Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008 and Malaysia recognized it on 30 October 2008. Since that time, Malaysia has pledged assistance to Kosovo in several areas.

Pre-independence relations

Prior 1999, Kosovo was an autonomous province within the Republic of Serbia, and had no significant foreign relations of its own. In 1999, following the Kosovo War, Kosovo became an international protectorate under the authority of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). During this period, Kosovo began to establish independent relations with foreign nations.

In June 1999, immediately after Kosovo became an international protectorate, Malaysia agreed to send sixty peacekeepers to join the UN Mission. The 60 peacekeepers included 50 policemen and 10 military officers, holding ranks from major to colonel. Later that year, in September, Malaysia began to make plans for a "a centre to coordinate medical relief aid and missions to help Kosovo war victims," and began raising funds for assistance to Kosovo.

In September 2000, these plans finally took effect when Malaysia established a liaison office in Kosovo to "to coordinate Malaysian assistance and to liaise with the Malaysian security personnel assigned to the United Nations," becoming the sixth country, and the first in Asia, to establish such an office. The establishment of the office was in line with a broader Malaysian policy of self-determination in the Balkans, and a concern for the large Muslim population of Kosovo. The liaison office in Kosovo quickly began to disburse Malaysian aid, totaling more than $700,000 in the first year, including money to construct a mosque and purchase medical supplies for a hospital in Pristina.

In the fall of 2000, the Malaysian government also strongly supported holding elections in Kosovo as soon as possible. On September 28, 2000, the Malaysian ambassador to the United Nations, Datuk Hasmy Agam, praised the progress towards elections, but told the UN that free and fair elections could "only be guaranteed by the active support of the international community." In the same speech, Agam also strongly advocated for new UN efforts to promote security and stability in Kosovo, and expressed a strong desire to work on the issue of missing persons. After successful municipal elections in Kosovo in October 2000, Malaysia pushed for a Kosovo-wide general election.

On September 18, 2000, the first group of Malaysian policemen sent to Kosovo returned home. The next month, Malaysia sent a deployment of one hundred policemen to continue assisting the UN security effort. In 2001, Malaysia sent a third deployment, this time of 33 policemen to participate in the international peacekeeping forces in Kosovo. In November 2001, all of the Malaysian forces to serve in Kosovo up to that time received a medal and letter of appreciation in recognition of their services.

Recognition

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. The Malaysian foreign ministry issued a statement welcoming the declaration, and saying: "Malaysia hopes the declaration of independence fulfils the aspiration of the people of Kosovo to decide their own future and ensure the rights of all to live in peace, freedom and stability." Despite its supportive statement, Malaysia did not immediately recognize Kosovo, and Malaysian foreign minister Rais Yatim, issued a statement in April saying that Malaysia was "not in hurry to impose recognition or otherwise."

In August, after a meeting with the Serbian foreign minister, Malaysia decided to put the issue of Kosovo's recognition on hold until a ruling of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the declaration. Kosovo, however, sought to pressure Malaysia for earlier recognition. In September 2008, Kosovo's foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, met with Rais Yatim and asked him "to recognize Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state as soon as possible." Yatim provided Hyseni with a promise that Malaysia "would recognize Kosovo very soon, and would work on establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries."

As Yatim had promised, Malaysia did not wait for the ICJ decision, and recognized Kosovo on 30 October 2008. As a result of Malaysia's recognition, Serbia immediately expelled the Malaysian ambassador. Despite the Serbian opposition, Malaysia maintained its support of Kosovo.

Relations since recognition

Since recognition, Malaysia has assisted Kosovo in establishing internationally-recognized sports leagues. In November 2008, Valton Beqiri, the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports of Kosovo visited Malaysia and met with Tunku Imran, Chairman of the Malaysian Olympic Committee, and member of the International Olympic Committee. Imran pledged assistance in gaining spots for athletes from Kosovo in international tournaments.

Malaysia initially planned to convert its liaison office in Kosovo into an embassy, but in January 2009, it closed the office and scrapped plans the embassy plans for financial reasons due to reorganization within the Malaysian foreign ministry.

References

1. "Malaysia to establish liaison office in Kosovo". Business Times. September 12, 2000. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
2. "Malajzia njeh Republikën e Kosovës" (in Albanian). Ministry of Foreign Affaires of the Republic of Kosovo. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
3. "Malaysia to send 60 peacekeepers to Kosovo". Associated Press Worldstream. June 20, 1999.
4. "M'SIAN MILITARY OFFICERS LEAVE FOR KOSOVO NEXT MONTH". Malaysia General News. June 22, 1999.
5. "MALAYSIA TO SET UP KOSOVO RELIEF AID COORDINATION CENTRE". Malaysia General News. September 2, 1999.
6. "MALAYSIA ESTABLISHES LIAISON OFFICE IN KOSOVO". Malaysia General News. September 9, 2000.
7. "SECURITY SITUATION IN KOSOVO CAUSE FOR CONCERN: MALAYSIA". Malaysia General News. September 28, 2000.
8. "Malaysia urges UN mission to hold election in Kosovo". BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific. December 21, 2000.
9. "Police team returns after Kosovo duty tour". New Straits Times. September 18, 2000.
10. "33 police personnel leave for Kosovo". New Straits Times. November 25, 2001. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
11. "125 UN PEACEKEEPERS RECEIVE MEDALS AND APPRECIATION LETTERS". Malaysia General News. November 13, 2001.
12. "Malaysia Welcomes Kosovo's Independence". Japan Economic Newswire. February 20, 2008.
13. "MALAYSIA NOT IN HURRY TO RECOGNISE KOSOVO, SAYS DR RAIS". Malaysia General News. April 24, 2008.
14. "Serbian foreign minister says Malaysia to freeze Kosovo recognition process". BBC Monitoring Europe. August 11, 2008.
15. "Foreign minister urges Malaysia, Egypt to recognize Kosovo's independence". BBC Monitoring Europe. September 30, 2008.
16. "Malajzia njeh Republikën e Kosovës" (in Albanian). Ministry of Foreign Affaires of the Republic of Kosovo. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
17. Gabriel, Paul (November 2, 2008). "Serbia expels Malaysia's envoy". Retrieved 2009-04-24.
18. "Malaysia To Stick To Kosovo Recognition".
19. "Malaysia to support Kosovo sports federations". New Kosova Report. November 5, 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
20. "Daily says Malaysia closing down office in Kosovo due to financial reasons". BBC Monitoring Europe. January 11, 2009.

See also

• Foreign relations of Kosovo
• Foreign relations of Malaysia

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