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CONTENTS: THAÇI REFUSES TO MEET IVANOV THAÇI REFUSES TO MEET IVANOV All daily papers reported that PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi refused to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov because of the continuing Russian diplomacy in blocking the democratization process in Kosovo and the whole Balkan region. This is expressed by the one sided stances at the UN Security Council and contacts which can be characterized as pro-Serb, and also for being directly involved in sending military equipment for wagging war against Albanians. MATHEWS: EVERYBODY IS PAYING A HIGH PRICE FOR EXTREMISM Garry Mathews, Principal Deputy SRSG, said on Tuesday that the conflict and the activities in Macedonia and along the Kosovo-Macedonia border are issues that worry UNMIK, reported Koha Ditore on page two. He explained that UNMIK's mandate covers Kosovo and given that point, the Provisional Government that administers Kosovo has very little to do with Macedonia. He emphasized that this was the basis for talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. Nevertheless, said Mathews, the consequences of these activities do force the administration to look into them. He mentioned that the arrival of refugees and the closing down of border crossings are very serious issues for UNMIK. Mathews made these comments on Tuesday at the main KFOR Headquarters after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. Ivanov arrived in Kosovo following a visit to Belgrade at a very disturbing time for the Balkans. Mathews said that he discussed with Ivanov very important issues for Kosovars, including the situation in Macedonia. "We discussed as to how we can stop the violence and the extremists, and also the possibilities of bringing economic progress to all the people in the region," said Mathews. He added that UNMIK has requested the Macedonia government to reopen the border crossings. "The closing of the border crossings has negative consequences for all Kosovars and they have to be reopened immediately". Mathews expressed his belief that the attempts begun within the last few days will bring the situation in Macedonia under control. He added that one thing has to be clear for everyone: There is no place for extremism, because everybody pays a high price without exceptions. AUCTIONS WITH GENERAL ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO Zëri on page one carried a column by its Editor-in-Chief Blerim Shala commenting that the Kosovo central government cannot be established without general elections. Shala stressed: "Russian Prime Minister Igor Ivanov stayed in Kosovo after publicly declaring Moscow's official willingness to provide Belgrade and Skopje with military assistance. A day earlier, Ivanov had 'revealed' the available ammunition for Belgrade and Skopje from his 'diplomatic briefcase', this being messages of a political 'caliber' for Kosovo's Albanians. Simply put: Ivanov determined Kosovo's final status within FRY, fiercely opposing the general elections to take place in Kosovo, while having the courage to say that all of these are in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The truth lies approximately 180 degrees away from Ivanov's statements. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 leaves entirely open the issue of the final status, whereas UNMIK's obligation is to organize Kosovo's democratic government at all levels. The Kosovars are exhausted and very frustrated with all kinds of auctions, as far as organizing the general elections in Kosovo are concerned. Let us recall that, although it is well known how Bosnia looked like after the Dayton Agreement, the general elections took place ten months after the war ended. Kosovo cannot be without a central government anymore and this government cannot be substituted by IAC and KTC. Central government cannot be established without general elections, which must take place this year. On the contrary, the option being considered regarding Kosovo's final status as an urgent issue, will be strengthened. Nevertheless, Ivanov's statements and Moscow's last stances contradict the reasonableness of Russian soldiers remaining in KFOR." WHY IS THE CONSTITUTION IMPORTANT FOR KOSOVO For more than a year, the constitution remains the most politicized topic among Kosovar opinion as well as in the relationship between the internationals and nationals, reported Zëri on page six. The President of Kosovo Constitutional Forum, Blerim Reka, concluded that Kosovo is the only remaining European society without a constitution for almost two years after the war ended. "Kosovo is still not being governed with a constitution, while Fischer's project regarding a 'European Constitution' - which is a constitution for 15 EU state members - is present in the European Union. The main remarks of the European Union are that Kosovo is not sovereign", stressed Reka in an organized roundtable "Why does Kosovo need a constitution and what kind will it be." Reka, who discussed the comparative judicial-international arguments, which justify Kosovo's constitution, believes that the international military intervention in Kosovo sent clear political messages. These messages say that human sovereignty is above state sovereignty; physical human integrity is above state integrity. Reka says that Kosovo's (interim) constitutional issues should be treated in this transitional stage under the international civil administration. "With a constitution it would be necessary to achieve Kosovo's independence, its right to create and develop relations with neighboring states and other states, to be able to guarantee freedom and human rights, and to defend the minorities based on international conventions", concluded Esat Stavilevci. WHO IS ALI AHMETI? Koha Ditore on page six carried a biography of Ali Ahmeti, political leader of the National Liberation Army, published in "Gazeta e Re". The paper said that Ali Ahmeti was born in the village of Zajas, near Kërçovë, in Macedonia. He is 42, and has had a rich political career. He began his activities in 1981 in the demonstrations in Prishtina, where he came to study from Kërçovë. Ali Ahmeti was arrested along with another group of students. He was imprisoned in Prishtina Prison. After release, he migrated west, then to Zurich, Switzerland. There, under the influence of his uncle, Ali joined the Kosovo Popular Movement (LPK). Shortly after, he became one of the most active members of the PLK. At that time, an international arrest warrant was issued against him by the Yugoslav authorities. Then, unlike many members of the LPK, he spent most of his time in Kosovo and Macedonia in hiding. After 1990, when a part of the LPK joined Rugova's Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Ali became one of the most prominent figures of the llegal Organization in Migration. As a member of the LPK's chairmanship, he is one of the founders of the former Kosovo Liberation Army and along with Xhavit Haliti, formed the specific sector of the Movement that was in charge of organizing the illegal fight in Kosovo. According to the report, Ali Ahmeti has a calm and quiet character. He is married and has two children who live in Zurich. During his entire illegal activity he was also known by the pseudonym Abaz Gjuka. However, Ali Ahmeti reportedly had powerful clashes with the political wing of the KLA. During LPK's general assembly held in Zurich, he was accused of organizational irresponsibility in the field and for some failures of the KLA. Even though from that moment on there was a gap between him and the KLA political directorate led by Hashim Thaçi, Ali Ahmeti never made a statement or gave an interview accusing his former friends. Well-informed sources on the issue, say that the main reason why he split from the political directorate was the fact that Thaçi's men considered that though the plan of the Movement was to unite all Albanian lands, at that moment it posed a danger for Kosovo and its issues. After the liberation of Kosovo, Ali Ahmeti continued his activity in the remaining lines of the LPK, although in July 1999 he agreed for the dissolution of the party. He never stopped working on ethnic-state relations in Macedonia, where he remains the most wanted man for terrorism, according to an international arrest warrant. Now Ali Ahmeti has appeared in public and represents the Albanian fighters in Macedonia. AAK-ORGANIZED A ROUNDTABLE, RAISED THE MITROVICA ISSUE Koha Ditore on page six, carried a report from the roundtable of Kosovar political parties, organized Tuesday by the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo. Albanian political parties came out of the round table 4with a joint statement that would help find a solution to the Mitrovica problem. With this statement, the party leaders tend to redraw the attention of Kosovar political entities both local and international regarding priority issues for Kosovo. Ramush Haradinaj, chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), was quoted as saying, "we want to send a clear message from here on our commitment for fulfilling all our rights in Kosovo, but also a clear message and guarantee for the citizens of the Serb minority that their future lies in cooperation with us and our municipal and regional leaders". Adding to the issue, he said, "We should no longer wait for the solution of our problems. The latest events in Mitrovica show that Kosovo must face its problems and those who lead these people should take over responsibility for these efforts to bear fruit". The statement of the meeting of political parties noted the following: the territory of Kosovo will function as an integrity; to implement the 1 February agreement for Mitrovica; all Mitrovica citizens and leaders should approach the Mitrovica political process and to take over concrete responsibility, including the members of the Serb community; all Mitrovica representatives should cooperate with the SRSG, the IAC and KTC; to stop the murders and damaging the wealth of non-Serb population in northern Mitrovica; political parties are ready to apply pressure upon the IAC and KTC to solve the Mitrovica problem; to apply pressure on the Serbian government to give up their influence on the Serb minority in Kosovo and from destructive actions in Kosovo; and to emphasize the importance of Mitrovica's economic element for all of Kosovo. "We should be prepared to tell the international community that Kosovo is one, and that it will remain as such, regardless of the cost. We, as Albanians, are prepared to pay the price in order to realize our right for Kosovo's territorial integrity," Haradinaj added. All political parties present at Tuesday's roundtable agreed with the conclusions of the Alliance, and stressed the need for fulfilling those conclusions with several proposals made during the roundtable. They agreed that the Mitrovica problem must be solved as soon as possible through democratic means, and that the town must not remain divided.
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