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October 31, 2003
ERP KiM Newsletter
31-10-03b
Progress in Kosovo Not
Encouraging - General Conclusion of the UN Sec. Council
CONTENTS:
 Changing of Constitutional Framework May Lead to
Additional Problems in Kosovo
Change of Constitutional Framework Without implemented
Standards
Encouragement to Extremism and Further Ethnic Cleansing of
Serbs and other non-Albanians (ERP KiM Commentary)
UN Envoy Warns Security Council That Kosovo Still
Faces Serious Problems
During a briefing to the Council in
New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for
Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, urged Kosovo's leaders to do more to discourage
inter-ethnic violence and to improve dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia
and Montenegro.
Progress in Kosovo not Encouraging, UN Official
Says
"This is not a rosy
bed at all," said Harri Holkeri, a former Finnish prime minister who now
heads the U.N. mission in Kosovo and is the special envoy of
Secretary-General Kofi Annan there.
Meeting of the UN Security Council on
UNMIK, (extracts)
Ivanovic Does Not Accept More Than Kosovo of
1974
Ivanovic said that separation of Kosovo would influence the
separation of Macedonia and Presevo Valley. "Serbia doesn_t accept
division of Kosovo, but I don_t deny the possibility of Kosovo getting the
special status that could be same as it was in 1974," said
Ivanovic.
INET, Kosovo and Metohija News, Oct 30,
2003
More News Available on our:
Kosovo Daily News
list (KDN)
KDN
Archive
This newsletter is available on our ERP
KIM Web-site:
http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html
Change of
Constitutional Framework May Lead to Additional Problems in Kosovo and
Metohija
Change of
Constitutional Framework Without implemented Standards
Encouragement to
Extremism and Further Ethnic Cleansing of Serbs and other
non-Albanians
TOP
ERPKIM
Info-Service
Gracanica, October 31, 2003
Yesterday's
decision of the Kosovo and Metohija Parliament, despite opposition of the
Serb deputies, to initiate a process of changing of the
Constitutional Framework has created additional tensions in the Province.
The present Framework is far from an optimal solution but it was
finally accepted as a compromise between excessive Albanian ambitions to
constitute de facto an independent state and the legitimate right of the
UN to preserve its reserved-competences and ensure implementation of the
UN SC Resolution 1244. In short, the latest proposal by the
ethnic Albanian deputies requests additional ministries of Interior,
Foreign Relations and Defense which would give Kosovo everything but a
formal recognition of an independent state.
Having in mind that
almost no progress has been made in the policy "standards before status"
it appears that Kosovo Albanian deputies are more interested in achieving
their final goal of secession than improving quality of the society for
all its residents regardless of their ethnicity and religion. - Deputies
of the coalition "Return" at a session on Thursday in the Kosovo and
Metohija Parliament objected to the initiative of Albanian deputies for
changing the Constitutional Framework, assessing that would not be
possible as long as the standards determined by former UNMIK chief Michael
Steiner were not in place.
Handing over Security issues into the
hands of those who were directly involved in crimes committed by
the UCK/KLA during and after the armed conflict between the Yugoslav
security and the Kosovan rebels would not only deteriorate the level of
security for non-Albanians but would additionally encourage extremist
attacks on Serbs, many Serbs think. "Constantly we can see attempts of
Kosovo Albanians to ignore the standards and immediately resolve the issue
of status which proves the lack of true vision and political
responsibility", said Dr. Rada Trajkovic, a Kosovo
Serb MP to ErP KIM.
On the other side
Kosovo Albanians complain that without "vital" ministries they cannot
fully implement the standards. In fact, such a rationalization is
only an attempt to avoid responsibility which has already been granted to
them on the local (municipal) levels where institutions have become one of
the most important tools of legalizing ethnic discrimination. High level
of corruption, lack of political experience and responsibility would make
additional transfer of competences a grave mistake which would take Kosovo
several steps back, into disorder and chaos, Serb deputies
believe.
Therefore, UN Mission has to
persevere in keeping its reserved competences and make the Kosovo
political leaders follow their words with concrete actions. One of the
best examples of empty rhetoric is the letter signed (under pressure of
some Western diplomats) by Kosovo Albanian leaders in which
they invited displaced Serbs to return to Kosovo. In a few last months
after the letter was
published these leaders and their institutions have done
absolutely nothing to make Serb return possible and if there had not been
efforts of UNMIK and KFOR even those a few hundreds of Serb returnees
would have never come back to their homes.
TOP
UN Envoy Warns
Security Council That Kosovo Still Faces Serious
Problems
During a
briefing to the Council in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's
Special Representative for Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, urged Kosovo's leaders
to do more to discourage inter-ethnic violence and to improve dialogue
between Kosovo and Serbia and Montenegro.
TOP
United
Nations News Center
30 October - The top United Nations envoy for
Kosovo warned the Security Council today that the province was still
plagued by problems as it recovers from the war in 1999.
During a
briefing to the Council in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's
Special Representative for Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, urged Kosovo's leaders
to do more to discourage inter-ethnic violence and to improve dialogue
between Kosovo and Serbia and Montenegro.
Noting that Serbia and
Montenegro continued to operate parallel courts and coordinating
structures in Kosovo, he said: "Belgrade must work with Kosovo structures
and replace this unacceptable policy with a commitment to truly
multi-ethnic organs of government in Kosovo."
But Mr. Holkeri also
said that Kosovo Albanian leaders in Pristina must stop making their
participation in any talks conditional on changes to government structures
and the setting up of new ministries.
"Such bargaining is not
acceptable. Dialogue is one of the standards approved by the Security
Council," he stressed.
Many refugees, especially from minority
communities, remain afraid to return to their homes because of ethnic
violence, he said.
According to the envoy, the unemployment rate in
Kosovo is about 57 per cent, and the public is becoming frustrated with
the government's inability to reduce the rate.
But he said Kosovo's
economy is showing signs of progress, and welcomed the government's
agreement to resolve problems with the electricity supply.
Mr.
Holkeri said firm commitment is needed from all parties, including the UN
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), to ensure that the
situation improves.
"The short-to-medium term outlook for Kosovo is
uncertain, but the strong desire of Kosovo's people to live in a peaceful,
stable, lawful society is crystal clear."
TOP
Progress in Kosovo
Not Encouraging, UN Official Says
"This is not a rosy bed at all," said Harri
Holkeri, a former Finnish prime minister who now heads the U.N. mission in
Kosovo and is the special envoy of Secretary-General Kofi Annan
there.
TOP
DPA
(Deutsche Presse Agentur)
October 30, 2003
New York (dpa) -
The transformation of Kosovo into a democratic society under the rule of
law has been slow, the United Nations special envoy in that territory said
Wednesday.
"This is not a rosy bed at all," said Harri Holkeri, a
former Finnish prime minister who now heads the U.N. mission in Kosovo and
is the special envoy of Secretary-General Kofi Annan there.
Holkeri
said in an interview before he was to appear before the U.N. Security
Council on Thursday to report on his work that the local economy is making
progress, but unemployment rates are high and a privatization programme
instituted by the U.N. has met difficulties.
Asked what the
15-nation council should do, Holkeri said, "I will ask for support of the
international community, for without that support, one can hardly see any
progress on any issues."
Holkeri said the security situation and
rule of law are "vulnerable" to multi-ethnic tensions in Kosovo, which is
dominated by Albanians who form 90 per cent of the total population. The
remainder is made up of Serbs, Roma gypsies and other
minorities.
Despite ethnic tensions, security has improved and
crime and murder rates have decreased, he said.
Holkeri said what
unifies the Kosovars is the desire for independence from Serbia. But the
government in Belgrade is opposed to Kosovo becoming an independent state
and the Serbian Parliament in September voted unanimously to declare
Kosovo an "indivisible" part of Serbia.
But Holkeri dismissed any
moves by Belgrade against Kosovo independence as "irrelevant," saying that
only the U.N. Security Council has the final say in the future status of
that territory.
"The decision will be made by the council, no one
else," he said. He described U.N. efforts to democratize Kosovo as an
"uphill battle, but not a mission impossible."
"You see progress
here and there, but Kosovo is not any kind of heaven on earth overnight,"
he said.
He said the future status of Kosovo would be determined by
progress made in implementing benchmarks to transform it into a democratic
society under rule of law and with good governance.
Holkeri said
his mission is being downsized as progress is scored in establishing a
police force in Kosovo. There are now fewer than 4,000 international
police and close to 6,000 Kosovo police officers. NATO, which is
responsible for security, is also downsizing, he said.
In order to
ease tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, the Kosovo capital, dialogue
began this month in Vienna between representatives of both sides, Holkeri
said. But he pointed out that the talks have been downgraded to working
groups focusing on the return of refugees, missing persons, energy,
transportation and communication.
TOP
Meeting of the UN
Security Council on UNMIK (extract)
TOP
RELIEF
Web
Source: Deutsche Presse Agentur
Date: 29 Oct
2003
UN Security Council
30/10/2003
Press
Release
SC/7909
Meeting of the UN Security Council on UNMIK
(extract)
Background
When the Security Council met this
morning, it had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the United
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document
S/2003/996) covering the period since 1 July. According to the report, the
new Special Representative and Head of UNMIK, Harri Holkeri of Finland,
who took over from Michael Steiner of Germany on 13 August, reaffirmed the
Mission's key
priorities: improving the rule of law and the security
situation; furthering returns and minority rights; and strengthening
economic development in order to promote substantial autonomy and
self-government in Kosovo in accordance with resolution 1244
(1999).
The report states that non-reserved responsibilities listed
in Chapter 5 of the Constitutional Framework will be transferred to the
Provisional Institutions of Self-Government by the end of 2003. Mechanisms
are being developed to gradually increase the responsibilities of the
Provisional Institutions. As part of increasing efforts to enhance
cooperation between UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions, a benchmarks
implementation plan is being developed to set clear timelines and success
criteria in line with the "standards before status"
formula.
Political gridlocks affecting, and in some cases
completely stalling, the operations of some municipal assemblies have been
resolved. However, according to the report, in most municipalities, the
civil service shows a general lack of professionalism in implementing
transparent, non-politicized and ethnically balanced procedures.
Belgrade-sponsored parallel administrative structures are common in most
mixed and ethnically Serb municipalities. In addition, Kosovo Serbs
employed by the Provisional Institutions often receive a second salary
from Belgrade. Minority employment in the civil service remains
unsatisfactory. On the other hand, representation of women at the
professional level in the public sector has improved.
Regarding
rule of law and security, the report notes that the period has been
characterized by a number of violent attacks in which the victims were
members of the Kosovo Serb community, as well as UNMIK law enforcement
authorities. Progress continued in the prosecution of serious criminal
acts such as war crimes, terrorism and organized crime. Three war crime
trials have been completed. With 14 international judges and 12
international prosecutors, the judicial system maintained its capacity to
address serious crimes and sensitive inter-ethnic judicial matters. The
UNMIK Department of Judicial Administration continued to strive towards
establishing a multi-ethnic judiciary and an efficient court
infrastructure.
Freedom of movement still remains an issue of great
concern to minority residents, according to the report. The increased
feeling of insecurity following violent incidents has taken a toll on the
confidence of the minorities. Freedom of movement for minorities was
further hindered by the decision of the Serbian Government not to sign an
agreement allowing the use of Kosovo licence plates in Serbia proper and
its public call for Kosovo Serbs not to register their cars with
UNMIK.
Despite recent violent incidents involving Kosovo Serb
victims, the overall rate of returns continued to accelerate. This year,
2,200 displaced persons have returned to areas where they are a minority,
states the report. However, the figure represents a small fraction of the
number of Kosovo Serbs internally displaced in Serbia and Montenegro. The
level of returns in the Roma/Ashkali/Egyptian communities has remained
relatively stable. In July, Kosovo Albanian leaders and leaders of the
non-Serb minorities had signed an open letter encouraging displaced
persons to return to Kosovo.
The UNMIK continued to support the
implementation of community-based projects aimed at fostering inter-ethnic
dialogue and cooperation between receiving communities and returnees. A
draft anti-discrimination law was approved by the Government on 17
September. The ability of minority communities to use their own language
freely has somewhat improved. The reluctance to use minority languages in
municipal administrations, however, is a matter of significant concern,
according to the report.
Regarding the economy, the report states
that the privatization process of socially owned enterprises has moved
forward in the past quarter. Tax revenue collection in Kosovo has
continued to exceed revenue targets. The Housing and Property Directorate
has made a final accounting of disputed property cases. It had received
28,587 claims of which by 1 September it had resolved 31 per cent. The
vast majority is expected to be resolved by the end of 2004.
The
start of direct talks on practical matters of mutual interest between
Pristina and Belgrade was launched on 14 October in Vienna, Austria,
following extensive rounds of consultations with the Kosovo Albanians,
Kosovo Serbs, and the political leaders of Serbia and Montenegro and the
Republic of Serbia. Direct, working level cooperation between Pristina and
Belgrade continues in a number of areas through the mediation of UNMIK
officials. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare now holds regular
monthly meetings with counterparts in Belgrade, the report
states.
Briefing By Special
Representative
HARRY HOLKERI, Special Representative of the
Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK, said that far too many people in
Kosovo silently tolerated ethically based violence there. That must be
opposed. A future without violence was needed.
Attacks by
extremists, he said, from one side or the other, could resume at any time
to discredit the peace-building activities of UNMIK and the Kosovo
multinational security force (KFOR). The overall security situation had
vastly improved across most of Kosovo, but the dramatic advances enjoyed
by the majority community had not been felt by all. The rule of law was
being openly flouted in many places.
Combating that phenomenon, he
said, would require intensive cooperation between UNMIK's police and
justice pillar, with the full engagement of the Kosovo Police Services and
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led peacekeeping force. The
KFOR, the Kosovo Police and the judiciary were becoming more effective and
locally operational. But much remained to be done to improve the security
situation, upon which progress in many other key issues
depended.
Recent incidents of violence had had serious effects in
minority communities, he said, and fear would keep displaced persons from
returning to their homes, despite encouragement such as an open letter
from the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and their allocation
of ?7 million to fund return projects.
He said that overall,
however, freedom of movement had continued to improve in most of Kosovo,
with UNMIK providing transport services for minorities. The challenge
remained to ensure that all municipalities demonstrated a clear commitment
to a tolerant, multi-ethnic society. Returns also required planning and
sufficient financing; donor funds should be released in a timely
fashion.
Another fundamental objective was direct dialogue between
Pristina and Belgrade. His aim in that area was to translate the political
commitment of Thessaloniki's European Union/Western Balkans Summit into a
concrete framework for communication between the parties. In that regard,
challenges included conditions, on the part of Prime Minister Rexhepi, on
a consensus of political parties or the Assembly. In addition, some
Kosovo-Albanian leaders had made their participation conditional on
changes in governmental responsibilities and structures. Such linkages
were unacceptable.
Representatives of the international community
emphasized that dialogue was one of the benchmarks that should be
fulfilled before talks on final status could begin. He said the failure of
the Government and the coalition parties to accept responsibility for
contributing to the achievement of that benchmark had resulted in the
launching of the talks in Vienna on 14 October with the participation of
only two out of three institutional leaders. The Belgrade and Pristina
delegations did not interact, but listened carefully to what the other
side had to say.
Now momentum had to be maintained, he continued.
The four working groups with multi-ethnic representation on the Kosovo
side must be promptly established and begin technical talks in Belgrade
and Pristina. He appealed to the Council and the international community
to provide continued support to the dialogue process. With those efforts
ongoing, he continued, the Provisional Institutions for Self-Government
and UNMIK were now intensely focused on a joint plan for implementing the
eight benchmarks.
Kosovo's economy was showing progress, as tax
revenues and customs duties exceeded expectations, he said. However,
unemployment remained at about 57 per cent overall, and was even higher
for women and young people. Privatization was essential, but the Kosovo
Trust Agency was expressing concern related to immunity of its personnel
and the legal platform provided by current legislation. Further discussion
was necessary.
The UNMIK was nearing completion of the agreed
transfer of competencies in non-reserved areas to the Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government based on the Constitutional Framework. It
must be ensured that the Provisional Institutions were in a position to
absorb the new responsibility. Kosovo leaders were increasingly demanding
that UNMIK also transfer competencies in reserved areas. Mr. Holkeri said
he had told them that the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
advance into reserved areas was beyond his mandate and would require
Council action. He had indicated, however, his readiness to give
favourable consideration to establishment of new structures that might be
needed for that purpose.
The fact that the Belgrade authorities
continued to strengthen parallel structures was of very serious concern,
he said. Belgrade must work with Kosovo structures and replace the
unacceptable policy with a commitment to truly multi-ethnic organs of
government in Kosovo. Parallel courts continued to function in the
northern municipalities and even outside of Kosovo, a situation which was
really unacceptable.
The short to medium term outlook for Kosovo
was uncertain, but the strong desire of Kosovo's people to live in a
peaceful, stable, lawful society was crystal clear, he said. The public
was growing frustrated with the Government's apparent inability to tackle
matters that affected their well-being.
Belgrade's continued
support of parallel structures, the possibility of a renewal of ethnically
motivated violent attacks, and the resulting fears that kept many
displaced persons from returning were all challenges that required firm
commitment to the principles and objectives embodied in resolution 1244
(1999). The UNMIK, KFOR and the international community still had much to
do together in Kosovo to ensure the fulfilment of standards. That would
enable the Council to determine Kosovo's future status, he
concluded.
TOP
Ivanovic
Does not Accept More Than Kosovo of 1974
Ivanovic said that
separation of Kosovo would influence the separation of Macedonia and
Presevo Valley. "Serbia doesn_t accept division of Kosovo, but I don_t
deny the possibility of Kosovo getting the special status that could be
same as it was in 1974," said Ivanovic.
TOP
Kosova Sot
(Pristina Daily in Albanian language)|
Pristina, October 30,
2003
On Wednesday, Deputy of Kosovo Assembly, Oliver
Ivanovic said that Kosovo couldn_t ever be separated from Serbia. He tried
to describe Kosovo as a dangerous place to live. He also said that the
entire parliamentary group of the Serbian coalition in Kosovo Assembly
goes to work with in an armored truck. Ivanovic expressed his comments in
an opened round table organized by the Macedonian Magazine "Forum" in
Skopje with the issue "Kosovo from the Serbian perspective." Ivanovic
discussed many issues that have to do with Kosovo seen from the Serbian
point of view. Ivanovic said that separation of Kosovo would influence the
separation of Macedonia and Presevo Valley. "Serbia doesn_t accept
division of Kosovo, but I don_t deny the possibility of Kosovo getting the
special status that could be same as it was in 1974," said Ivanovic.
Nevertheless, Ivanovic said that now is not the time when Kosovo's
final status should be discussed. "In my opinion, it would be better if
Kosovo's final status could be postponed for about ten years," said
Ivanovic. Asked from Albanian journalists how it could be logical for him
to request Kosovo's status to be postponed for ten years while Serbian
deputies travel in armored trucks, Ivanovic said that there are
improvements. As concrete events he mentioned his cooperation with Kosovo
authorities, such as, Prime Minister, Bajram Rexhepi and Kosovo Assembly
President, Nexhat Daci. Ivanovic believes that everybody is convinced that
Kosovo's final status matter cannot be discussed without fulfillment of
the proper standards. As an argument for this he mentioned international
organizations NATO, EU, OSCE and UN that indicated this fact.
On
the other hand, Ivanovic mentioned the incapability of Europe to determine
what does it really wants to do with Kosovo. Based on all these facts,
Ivanovic said that after year 2005 Kosovo status could be
discussed.
TOP
News from Kosovo
and Metohija, INET, Oct. 30
TOP
www.inet.co.yu
I*Net News,
Belgrade
Thursday 30 October 2003
21:40 Hague
tribunal deputy prosecutor Graham Blewitt, who testified today in the
trial of Slobodan Milosevic before that tribunal, stated that the
prosecutor's office had warned Milosevic as early as 1998 that crimes were
being committed in Kosovo that fall under the jurisdiction of the
tribunal. Blewitt was called upon to identify letters sent by Louise
Arbour, the tribunal's chief prosecutor at that time, to Milosevic and the
Yugoslav authorities regarding events in Kosovo in 1998 and
1999.
20:00 A regional conference on "Dialogue and Cooperation
between Citizens and Local Authorities" will be held in Presevo tomorrow,
the Novi Sad Center for Regionalism advised. The Center is organizing the
conference in collaboration with the ministry for human and minority
rights.
12:20 Three houses inhabited by Serbs were attacked in
Obilic on the night of October 25. Despite the fact that more than four
months have passed since the murder of the Stolic family in Obilic, the
perpetrators still have not been captured and attacks in Obilic are still
occurring. Kosovo ombudsman Marek Antoni Nowicki reiterated the need for
appropriate officials to react immediately and adequately to protect the
Serbian community by ensuring security and human lining conditions in
Kosovo, the information service of the Kosovo ombudsman's office
advised.
09:30 The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to
debate the situation in Kosovo today, with reference to the regular
quarterly report of UN secretary general Kofi Annan.
TOP
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