February 09

Beta News Agency, Belgrade

February 8, 2003

PRISTINA, February 8, 2003 (Beta) - Recently in some Kosovo villages it has often been possible to see armed men wearing black uniforms and masks stopping and demanding to see the identification of local residents, writes today's "Koha Ditore".

Multiple sources confirmed for the independent Pristina daily that members of the ANA are driving through villages and stopping people, usually late at night, and demanding to see their identification, causing fear and concern among citizens in several locations in Kosovo.

The ANA appeared in public last year in Macedonia, proclaiming itself to be an Albanian guerrilla organization created as a result of dissatisfaction that the members of the now disbanded National Army of Liberation (ONA) agreed to negotiate with Macedonian authorities, thus ending the crisis in that country.

Radio B92
February 8, 2003

BUJANOVAC -- Sunday ? Seven of the Albanians arrested in yesterday?s police raid in the Kosovo border villages of Veliki Trnovac and Konculj have been remanded in custody for a month, B92 correspondent Radoman Iric reports.
Large quantities of arms and military equipment were found in the possession of those arrested.
Five of those arrested were released late on Saturday because of a lack of evidence.
The Albanian protests over the arrests in Bujanovac had died down by today, however the chairman of the Bujanovac Council, Nagib Arifi, warned that unrest could be expected in the days ahead.

TOP

RESOLUTION 1244 RULES OUT INDEPENDENCE - SOLANA

SRNA
February 8, 2003

PRISTINA -- Saturday ? EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has warned the chairman of the Kosovo Assembly, Nedzat Daci that any attempt to declare Kosovo independence would be in breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
Solana in his letter reiterated that the time had not yet come for resolving the final status of the province, adding that the assembly would be exceeding its authority by adopting a declaration of independence.
A group of members of the assembly yesterday abandoned plans to table a declaration of independence, saying they were aware it would cause a conflict with the international community.

TOP

BETA
February 8, 2003

BUJANOVAC -- Saturday ? Twelve Albanians were arrested this morning in a police swoop on two villages in the Bujanovac municipality on the Kosovo border.
Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic told said this afternoon that a large quantity of arms was seized in the raid.
Most of those arrested were found in possession of arms and military equipment, Covic told media in Bujanovac, adding that the police operation would continue.
The leader of the officially disbanded Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, Sefcet Musliu announced that he is in hiding, saying that against him there is evidence that he forced members of the multiethnic police at gunpoint to enter a hairdressing salon where a group of Albanians beat them with bats.
Covic confirmed that among the arrested was Bujanovac Councillor Jonuz Musliu, the former political leader of the Liberation Army, in whose house in Konculj were found bullet-proof vests, a radio transmitter and other items.
?This operation is not connected with politics or ethnic relations, but with a terrorist group which is disturbing the population of south Serbia,? said Covic.

TOP

'Blic' daily interview with Rasim Ljajic, Yugoslav Minister for national and ethnic minorities

Blic, Feb 10, 2003

Belgrade - 'I expect that ruling coalitions in Serbia and Montenegro begin talks regarding appointments to posts in the new state union of Serbia and Montenegro. Within DOS there is an agreement in principle that I take the post of minister for human and rights of the minorities', Rasim Ljajic actual Yugoslav Minister for national and ethnic communities says in his interview with 'Blic' daily.
Q: Special charter about human rights has not been passed yet?
'I am satisfied with the basic text of special charter on human rights. The most important is that it is in line with international standards.'
Q: What do you think about the future of new union of Serbia and Montenegro?
'Realistically speaking, without emotions, the chances for its survival are fifty-fifty as they are for its splitting into two independent states. Its future will depend on several factors such as success of economic reforms, functioning of new union and its further approaching European and North-Atlantic institutions. In any case, both Serbia and Montenegro should be ready for both solutions'.
Q: Do you expect that new Serbian Constitution will be passed within six months as stipulated in Constitutional Charter?
'I don't expect it having in mind the experience with Constitutional Charter and some other quite ordinary laws. We have the most numerous coalition in Europe. Having that in mind and the fact that we are politically and ethnically so heterogeneous six months are simply to short time for new constitution.
Q: What status should Sandzak get in the new constitution?
'SDP supports that Serbia is defined as regional state. We support asymmetric type of regional division such as Italian or Spanish model. The latest local elections in Sandzak proved that it is no longer a threat for this country as some used to speak about it. Sandzak does not have any requests leading to secession. We expect from Serbia to show that it treats Bosniacs as equal factors of the community and that would be an act of trust into and an act of responsibility of Bosniacs towards the country they live in'.
Q: What is your opinion regarding Kosovo status and initiative of Prime Minister Djindjic?
'I said some time ago, that Kosovo status would come in focus in 2005. Djindjic initiated immediate settlement of that issue, but I do not see these two initiatives in collision. However, Djindjic's initiative gave results. It happens for the first time that Belgrade really has proposal for settlement of Kosovo issue. Belgrade also has to be ready for some radical solutions when Kosovo status is concerned that many are not going to like very much. The international community has to insist on such solution that both sides should be equally dissatisfied'.

TOP

ERP KIM Info-Service is the official Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren and works with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Artemije.
Our Information Service is distributing news on Kosovo related issues. The main focus of the Info-Service is the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian community in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija.
ERP KIM Info Service works in cooperation with www.serbian-translation.com as well as the Kosovo Daily News (KDN) News List
Additional information on our Diocese and the life of the Kosovo Serb Community may be found at:

LATEST NEWS:
/default4.html

Disclaimer:
The views expressed by the authors of newspaper articles or other texts which are not official communiqués or news reports by the Diocese are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Serbian Orthodox Church