DECISIONS

At the meeting held on April 2, 2000 in Gracanica Monastery the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija discussed the present situation of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and the issue of the Serb participation in the Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) and the Interim Administrative Council (IAC).

Since the day of its creation SNC of Kosovo and Metohija supported the idea of defending basic national interests which are essential for the survival and protection of the Serbian people and their holy shrines in Kosovo and Metohija. Everyday suffering of the Serbian people makes the issue of the internal unity of our people in Kosovo and Metohija more important than ever for our survival and existence. At this meeting we wish to demonstrate our strong commitment to stay on our ancestral land and request the repatriation of more than 200.000 displaced Serbs back to their homes in Kosovo and Metohija. We support the SNC of Kosovska Mitrovica in their political resistance to ethnic Albanian extremists who intend to ethnically cleanse the Serbs from the north of Kosovska Mitrovica region.
Due to extremely difficult situation in Kosovo and Metohija and a clear commitment to improve the security and begin the process of repatriation of Serbs to the Province, SNC of Kosovo and Metohija has accepted the following decisions in accordance to the positions accepted on SNC meeting on January 24, 2000, the report of the delegation of SNC and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) after their visit to USA, presented on February 17, 2000 as well as the discussion at the SNC session on March 18 and April 2, 2000.

1. SNC has unanimously supported the "Agenda for Coexistence", presented on March 24, 2000 by UNMIK officials. Certain elements require more precise definitions.

2.Being aware of the different situations in which Serbs in Kosovska Mitrovica region (Northern Kosovo) and the rest of the Serb enclaves live, as well as the present position of the Mitrovica SNC Executive Board on the issue of the Serb participation in KTC and IAC, we reiterate our appeal to preserve unity of the SNC and the entire Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, which is one of major national goals.

3.SNC has brought a decision to delegate its representatives which would in a status of OBSERVERS attend the sessions of the KTC and IAC in the period of the following three months after the date this decision is made

4.SNC representatives have decided that in the following three months

a) UNMIK and KFOR should stop the violence, systematic persecutions and ethnic cleansing of Serbs, especially in the remaining ethnically mixed regions: Gnjilane, Vitina, Obilic, Kosovo Polje, Lipljan, Kosovska Kamenica, Orahovac and Novo Brdo.

b) Resolute actions should be undertaken to find the Kosovo Serbs kidnapped or missing since 1998 to the present day. Those who are found responsible for the crimes: murders, abductions, looting, destruction of houses and religious monuments during and after the war must be brought to justice.

c) UN Mission should make a thorough reassessment of all regulations and decisions of SRSG Dr. Bernard Kouchner which are not in accordance to the UNSCR 1244. If it is found that such decisions are not in compliance with the UNSCR 1244 and the international law we will request these decisions to be abolished.

d) It is essential to abolish all decisions made by self-appointed administrators of the so called Interim Government of Mr. Hashim Thaci by which the names of streets and towns were changed. Such decisions are most directly discriminating the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija and are violating the status of the Province.

e) As soon as possible it is important to finalize the process of organization of the local community offices according to the accepted Agenda for Coexistence.

f) We expect from the international community to launch a radio station for the Serb population of Kosovo and Metohija, during the above mentioned time period.

g) We believe that issues of television and a newspaper for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija should be resolved till the end of June of this year.

h) It is necessary that concrete locations for the return of Serbs expelled from Kosovo and Metohija are identified until the end of April.

i) Specific obligations of donors should be determined until the end of May and finances set out for funding the project of returning the Serb refugees.

j) Reconstruction of burned and destroyed Serb homes and churches should start during May and June.

k) During the above mentioned three-month period it is necessary to start with organized vacating of forcibly taken over Serb apartments and return of expelled Serbs to cities and suburban areas.

5. If positive results in consistent and full implementation of the mentioned requests and regulations of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 are shown on the ground, the Serb National Council, after this three month period, will replace its members-observers with regular members and actively participate in the work of the above mentioned bodies of the Kosovo Administration with the aim of quicker and more just resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija crisis.

6.If there are no positive results in accomplishing the agreed cooperation and projects with the aim of returning Serb refugees to the Province, improvement of living conditions for teh Serb population of Kosovo and Metohija, establishment of democratic institutions in the Province, which would contribute to creation of truly multiethnic and democratic society in Kosovo, the Serb National council of Kosovo and Metohija retains the right to withdraw its members-observers from the mentioned bodies (KTC and IAC) and to start looking for new ways of finding solutions for the survival and secure life of the Serb national community in Kosovo and Metohija.

7. We believe that the SNC of Kosovska Mitrovica is free to create its path in resolving the problems of the Serb national community of Northern Kosovo and that it bears full historical responsibility for that.
This will not and must not violate the unity and mutual assistance of all Serbs on the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

President of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija
Bishop of Raska and Prizren
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Gracanica, April 2, 2000.