Belgrade - Testifying first-hand regarding the situation in Kosovo and Metohija after the March pogrom filled the just completed, third visit this year of Bishop Artemije (Radosavljevic) of Raska and Prizren to the United States of America. In an interview for "Danas" Bishop Artemije explains that in all his meetings with representatives of the Serbian emigrant community in Pittsburgh, where he attended the Serbian Days event organized annually by the Serb National Federation, as well as in conversations with U.S. congressmen, senators and officials of the State Department in Washington he emphasized that "despite the avalanche of promises that ensued after March 17 and all the commitments to rebuild destroy Serb houses and holy shrines, nothing concrete has yet been done, at least as far as churches and monasteries are concerned".

They weren't very convincing  How did they react in the U.S. to your assessment that "many Kosovo Albanians are expecting the U.S. to tolerate ethnic cleansing in Kosovo"? - They categorically claimed that they do not tolerate it, that everyone responsible will be brought to justice, that they are putting in a lot of effort in toward that end and working on it. But they weren't very convincing.

- We are still in the process of talks and negotiations. My priority, which I emphasized everywhere, is to create basic living conditions in the two monasteries, Holy Archangels and Devic, because the monks and nuns cannot spend the harsh winter in the portable containers where they are now housed. We left everyone with a copy of the publication "The March Pogrom" recently published by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Serbia," said Bishop Artemije.

False picture Gracanica, Belgrade - Following a statement by acting UNMIK chief Charles Brayshaw regarding money set aside for the restoration of destroyed churches and monasteries, the Diocese of Raska and Prizren issued a statement emphasizing that "[s]o far work has not even begun on any of 30 Orthodox shrines damaged or destroyed during the March pogrom, let alone on any of the other 11o shrines damaged during the previous five years of so-called international 'peace'". "It makes sense to ask what happened to the one million euros provided earlier for restoration when work has not even begun; if it had, the Diocese of Raska and Prizren would be the first to know. Even if the entire sum had been spent on the purpose for which it was intended, for that matter, it is grossly inadequate to cover the cost of repairing the damage. Just the damages done during the March pogrom is estimated at incomparably more. It is with regret that we must conclude that an effort is being made to create a false public perception that work is being done on restoring churches and monasteries. The rebuilding of destroyed churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija has not even begun. The Kosovo government is avoiding payment of damages and UNMIK is manipulating the public while the nuns of Devic Monastery and the monks of Holy Archangels spend their fourth month living in portable containers and tents without the most basic living conditions," the Diocese of Raska and Prizren emphasized in its statement.

 Your visit to the U.S. occurred at the same time as Serbian president Boris Tadic's visit to Washington. Did you hold joint meetings with U.S. representatives?

- We did not hold joint meetings; however, both of us visited many representatives of the U.S. administration in separate meetings. I think that the fact that our visits occurred at the same time is of great significance and that it turned out well. We met on July 21 when President Tadic held a lecture and press conference, followed by a cocktail reception. We met and agreed to continue our talk in Belgrade. He left a positive impression there. He was especially positive in addressing Kosovo and Metohija, and everything else for that matter.

 After his return from the U.S. president Tadic stated that the U.S. is relative open toward cooperation with Serbia although this is still depends on fulfilling certain obligations toward the international community. What were your impressions and do those conditions also relate to Kosovo and Metohija?

- From Tadic's presentation and the questions he was asked during the press conference it was obvious that great weight is being given to the issue of cooperation with The Hague, Mladic... However, what was apparent at this gathering and what could be felt everywhere I went was a different attitude toward us after the election of a president of democratic orientation. Of course, there are certain conditions which must be met in order for this openness to be realized. As far as Kosovo and Metohija is concerned, no one had given any preconditions. The discussion was open and frank and there was no dilemma regarding the fact that the question of Kosovo and Metohija must be resolved. In all the talks I conducted in Washington my collocutors showed complete understanding, agreeing with everything I said and trying to immediately consult with their associates on the spot in order to determine what was necessary to initiate certain activities. It was agreed that several congressmen would be visiting Kosovo and Metohija next month to see firsthand and determine the situation on the ground and put pressure on the leaders of the ethnic Albanian institutions. Concretely, congressman John Gribovski is preparing a delegation that will be coming to Kosovo in early August by way of Strasbourg. They will spend three or four days visiting our destroyed holy shrines and reviewing the factual situation, which will become very important when their voice, too, is heard in the United States. I think the visit is a promising development.

 Did representatives of the U.S. administration express any concrete position regarding the issue of decentralization of Kosovo which is to be deliberated by the Security Council in the near future?

- In the National Security Council I spoke with Mr. Freed who is responsible for this area and he spoke about the need for the decentralization of government in Kosovo. I explained to him what the Serbs understood decentralization to mean and he responded that this should have been done three years ago. I retorted: "Yes, of course. We asked for it three years ago. We were promised that it would be done but it wasn't." To which he answered: "That's our mistake." He admitted as much.

 How does the U.S. see the Serbian Government Plan proposed as one of the solutions for the decentralization of Kosovo and Metohija?

- I did not talk concretely about the Plan. But where I did mention it there were no negative reactions. The plan certainly can serve as the basis for upcoming talks.

UNCHANGED POSITION

 Did you discuss the upcoming Kosovo elections and the participation of Kosovo Serbs in Kosovo provisional institutions?

- There was some mention of it here and there. My position is categorically that under the present conditions after three years of Serb participation and work in the institutions have not permitted us to solve a single one of our problems and taking into account that after the March pogrom the situation in Kosovo and Metohija has hardly improved, Serbs will not participate in upcoming elections nor can they continue to cooperate with institutions such as we have today. That is why decentralization is essential because for Serbs to stay on in Kosovo institutions would be national suicide.

 While you were away some Serb representatives filed a candidate list.

- Let everyone do what he thinks best. I am stating the same position as in the very start and it remains unchanged regardless of whether someone will participate or not in the upcoming Kosovo institutions.

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION

 To what extent can the Church at this moment help to creating a consensus among Serbs for such an important decision?

- The Church has always worked toward and called for unity. However, not everyone listened to the Church. I think that it is still in the same position today.

 In reports regarding this visit there is mention of the fact that on June 25 of this year an agreement was signed between the Serbian Orthodox Church and provisional institutions calling for the creation of an independent commission under the auspices of the Council of Europe to concern itself with the process of restoration of patrimonial sites. What kind of agreement is this, considering your position toward the Kosovo provisional institutions?

- The agreement was not signed with Kosovo provisional institutions but with a representative of UNMIK. It calls for the creation of an international commission to spearhead the process of reconstruction and restoration of the monasteries. It will include a representative of the Council of Europe, who will chair the work of the commission, and one representative each of the Church, the Serbian Ministry of Culture or Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments from Belgrade, and the Ministry of Culture from Pristina. These are the conditions under which the commission can be formed and begin work because someone has to issue bids, review proposals and approve them, seek construction contractors... The commission still has not been formed. We do not know who the representatives from the Council of Europe and from Belgrade will be.

 Acting UNMIK chief Charles Brayshaw said last week that UNMIK has set aside an additional one half million euros for the restoration of churches and monasteries destroyed during the March violence on top of the already committed one million euros.

- Not a single dinar or euro has been spent for the churches. Nothing at all has been done. This is funding approved by the Kosovo provisional government. We need to form this committee in order for the government to make a decision to allot funds.

 Is it a coincidence that your visit took place shortly before a Security Council session which will deliberate a report by Kai Eide, the special representative of the UN Secretary General on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija after March 17?

- It wasn't planned that way. It simply happened. However, I'm certain that my testimony before the congressmen will influence decision making in the Security Council.

 You plan to visit the U.S. again before the end of the year. Those who consider the U.S. responsible for the present situation in Kosovo and Metohija consider every visit to Washington, not only your own, to be a knock on the wrong door while others consider every testimony to be precious. What were your impressions while there?

- I don't believe that I am knocking on the wrong door but on the door of those from whom we can expect something. All my previous visits to the United States have prepared the ground for me to now be able to come forward with concrete requests. For example, the visit in February before the March pogrom was of decisive importance for the understanding of March 17.