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UNMIK-OSCE-EU-UNHCR-UNMIK Police and KFOR Press Briefing, 26 April 2001 UNMIK Spokesman Michael Keats UNMIK Spokesman Michael Keats SRSG The SRSG went to Brussels as planned, together with COMKFOR, the EU head and Deputy SRSG Andy Bearpark and nine others members of the KTC and those representing all communities in Kosovo. Security Companies There is a news release outside on the granting of licenses to seven companies to provide security services in Kosovo. As mentioned earlier, these will be the only companies entitled to provide such services here from now on. Detainees in Prizren The detention of the 44 persons, detained in Prizren has been extended by a further period of 60 days. Mitrovica On Mitrovica, there is no change in UNMIK's position. We are firm in stating that the sales taxes will be applied. As mentioned earlier the letter has gone to President Kostunica. All northern Kosovo politicians have been informed so we hope that this little exercise will end soon. Speaking of ending, this is my final appearance before you. You won't have me to kick around anymore. I am off on Saturday. Susan Manuel will be returning. It has been a pleasure to see you all. OSCE Spokeswoman Claire Trevena CEC Political parties themselves will get an update on much of this information at the Political Party Consultative Forum, which is being held at the OSCE's Political Party Services Centre in Pristina on Monday . This too will be chaired by Ambassador Everts. Fun Run On Saturday the Kosovo Police Services School is hosting a 10 km "Fun Run". The route will take the competitors through Vushtrri/Vucitrn and across country before finishing at the school. It's being organised jointly with the United Arab Emirates KFOR contingent. It is open to anyone for a fee of 20 DM which also provides participants with a T-shirt and an end of race barbecue. People interested can register at 9 am at the school or earlier by calling Dale Samuels at the school on 028-70155. Media are most welcome to attend. The race itself starts at 10 am Saturday morning at the school. There will be a press release on this later today. EU Spokesman Mike Todd DTI The total number of successfully concluded commercialisation deals now totals five. There are a number of other deals pending. Housing The Department of Reconstruction has this week produced its housing guidelines for 2001. They will be distributed to municipalities over the next few days. Housing remains a problem in Kosovo, although much has been done over the last 20 months to tackle the major reconstruction efforts required. But 2001 will see continued efforts to see adequate shelter provided for all of Kosovo's population: particularly the most vulnerable. Power Situation We are continuing to see progress made in the area of power production. Units A1, A4, B1 and B2 and both units of the Hydroelectric station at Gazivode are producing electricity. There combined peak output is around 600mw. A feasibility study has now been completed by a German consultancy on repairing Units A2, A3 and A5. Funding options for the repair of these remaining units is being pursued (37m DM). UNHCR Spokeswoman Astrid van Genderen Stort UNHCR would like to express its happiness at the release of the 143 detainees, belonging to the Gjakova group. Returns to FYROM UNHCR is working closely with the government of FYROM on creating conditions for return to Tetovo and the villages above. In February and March, over 10,000 FYROM citizens fled to Kosovo following fighting inside FYROM. Presently approximately 8000 persons remain (4300 having been registered in Prizren, while registration is presently ongoing in Gnjilan and other areas hosting displaced people from FYROM). In FYROM a presidential decree was issued this week establishing an inter ministerial working group on returns, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Interior, the President's office, the EU and UNHCR. UNHCR sees this as a positive step forward and a sign of willingness of all parties involved to return the displaced people to their homes as soon as possible. Several thousand people possessing passports have returned over the past weeks and the IDP's from inside FYROM have returned to Tetovo and the areas surrounding the town. UNHCR in Kosovo is working in co-operation with other agencies to provide assistance for the remaining displaced persons from FYROM Ground Safety Zone In view of the planned re-entry of the VJ forces into sector B, UNHCR remains of the opinion that this should not take place too soon. The High Commissioner has written to Lord Robertson indicating…that the NATO with terminology of conditioned changes in the Grand Safety Zone, it is important to remember that the conditions that will lead to the security of the civilian population in Southern Serbia. Meeting in Medvedje UNHCR is planning another up meeting between the Council for the displaced of Medvedje and Deputy Prime Minister Covic and his team following the 11 April meeting. The meeting will focus on measures to be taken to facilitate return of the 5000 displaced people from Medvedje in Kosovo to their homes. Meetings in Belgrade The special envoy visited Belgrade last week where he met with President Kostunica and exchanged thoughts on the situation in southern Serbia and the protection of minorities. UNMIK Police Spokesman Charley Johnson Klina Murder The only thing that I have today is from Peje area. In that area we are looking for a suspect, described to us by witnesses in the Klina murder. We are looking for a male of approximately 20 years of age, about 175 cm, wearing a black jacket and jeans. But certainly that would fit quite a number of people. The thing we are trying to encourage again is anybody with information with relation to this crime is should please contact UNMIK Police. KFOR Spokesman Sqn. Ldr. Roy Brown Klina Murder I have a few short items for you this morning, but let me first of all say how saddened we are at the murder in Klina, on Tuesday, of Ismet Raci. Whatever the motive for the killing, such incidents only add to the security concerns of the people of Kosovo. We urge anyone with any knowledge of this crime to assist the UNMIK Police with their investigation. I am pleased to announce that the repatriation yesterday of the Djakova group was wholly successful. Good cooperation between KFOR's Multinational Brigades and careful coordination with UNMIK Police and the ICRC, ensured that the route from Gate 3 to Djakova was secure and that no incidents occurred. Mitrovica Since KFOR demonstrated its resolve to maintain freedom of movement for all, by forcing a passage through a blockade in Mitrovica North on Sunday, the situation in the city has remained clam, if a little tense. KFOR's Multinational Brigade North General Alan Tartenville is talking to local Serb leaders to try to resolve the problems peaceably. His non-confrontational approach is working. KFOR has freedom of movement in all areas while UNMIK is able to operate in all but some northern parts of the city itself. We hope that the Serb people of Mitrovica will now dismantle the remaining blockades voluntarily; airing their grievances instead through appropriate channels. Land Mines Last Saturday, near Ornica, three men went into a field, one on a tractor and the other two on horseback. Sadly, the tractor hit an anti-tank mine killing the driver. Since then, KFOR explosive ordnance disposal experts have dealt with unexploded ordnance in a number of incidents - destroying or removing hand grenades, a mortar bomb, and five anti-personnel mines. On one case, a hand grenade exploded in the loft of a house. I raise these points as a reminder that there is still a large number of ordnance items in Kosovo and that it is totally indiscriminate as to who it maims or kills. Now that spring has finally arrived and you venture out to plant crops or simply enjoy the countryside, we ask you to take great care. Don't touch mines and report anything suspicious to KFOR or UNMIK Police who will deal with it. Weapons Handover On the positive side, in one instance this week, two well-meaning members of the community handed over to UNMIK Police four hand grenades. This shows a very commendable attitude and bodes well for the forthcoming weapons amnesty that begins on 1 May. We would however urge citizens to follow the guidelines for the amnesty and not carry explosives to KFOR or UNMIK Police. Just inform us of their position and allow us to retrieve them. Strategic Reserve Forces Exercise Finally let me remind you that the Strategic Reserve Forces Exercise - DYNAMIC RESPONSE - begins tomorrow, with the air drop of a company, plus the battalion headquarters of the 1/508th US Airborne Battalion onto the Vitina Drop Zone. A media event has been organized for this - for further details please see our Media Ops staff. Also immediately following this press conference, Captain Harte of our Exercise Planning Branch will give a more detailed briefing on the exercise here in the auditorium. Questions: RB: You are exactly right, we did. One of our UAV failed to return from a routine mission of Tuesday. The drone is a CO289 reconnaissance drone that uses photographic film to image activity on the ground and we use it almost on a daily basis to monitor activity on the ground security zone (GSZ) in line with the Military-Technical Agreement. We have now been able to establish the whereabouts of it. The confirmed location is in the GSZ, close to a place called Gronje Suja. We understand it's in a minefield, which is going to make it quite difficult to recover. Q: Is it in a zone controlled by the UCPMB or the Yugoslav forces. RB: To the best of my knowledge, it's in a mine field which lies between an area controlled by the UCPMB and an area controlled by the FRY forces, what we call no man's land, in military parlance. Q: The UNHCR is urging KFOR to slow down the process of return of the FRY forces in Sector B and A. What's your comment on that, especially because these sectors are fragile sectors. RB: As you know the NAC met on Wednesday and came to no consensus as to when we should allow the return to happen. So far as the commander of KFOR is concerned, he is very keen, as he told you on Monday, that the return will only take place when the conditions and the timing is right for it to do so. Q: What are these conditions? RB: The conditions, I can't go into any specifics, but obviously confidence needs to be established on both sides before the entry can occur with a strong possibility of an acceptable result. Q: The OSCE is still training elected members of municipal assemblies. In 180 days, the municipal assemblies were elected, what has been concretely done, what kind of job has been done, what kind of responsibilities and powers the municipal assemblies have so far. CT: That's a question you should ask the assembly members themselves
and possibly the UN. We held the elections for the municipal assemblies,
so each municipality will have control over certain aspects of its own
life and so now it is in the hands of those people that the people of
Kosovo elected. Our work is to assist them in training them for their
roles, but it is now up to them. |