23 November 2002, Saturday Edition

CONTENTS

· Steiner unsatisfied with Assembly's work in support of minorities (Koha)
· Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue has not started, says PM Rexhepi (all dailies)
· EU and Solana lack the power to remove Kosovo from preamble of Serb-Montenegrin constitution? (Zëri)
· Shala: Vicious circle (Zëri)
· Another political offensive of Povratak, concessions from UNMIK expected?
· Covic's statement 'unfounded and speculation' (Koha Ditore)
· Why should Ethem Çeku be dismissed from the post of minister? (Bota Sot)
· Muça: Between Luzerne and Kofi Annan's visit (Koha Ditore)
· Haxhiu: Guarantee the work of journalists in Kosovo! (Koha Ditore/Epoka)
· Three key witnesses in Dukagjin trial don't appear in court (all dailies)

RTK's News Headlines

Steiner unsatisfied with Assembly's work in support of minorities (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore claims that one of the reasons that forced Kosovo chief administrator Michael Steiner to write to Assembly speaker Nexhat Daci and tell him that he has decided to monitor the Kosovo Assembly, is that he has noticed that minority members of the assembly are sometimes impeded to carry out their functions according to the regulation on the work of the Assembly.

Koha Ditore also claims that an internal report that was circulating in UNMIK offices in the last two days, explaining why Steiner made his decision. "Why now. We have noticed that the minority members of the assembly are sometimes impeded to carry out their functions according to the regulation on the work of the Assembly," says the report.

UNMIK, according to Koha Ditore, considers that the iceberg tip of this was reached at the plenary session of 7th November, when following a disagreement between Povratak members and Assembly speaker Daci, the first decided to leave the assembly session. "It is the duty of the assembly to protect and support the rights of smaller communities - and the way to do this was determined by the Constitutional Framework and the interim regulation on the work of the assembly," notes the report. "The level in which the Assembly respects and supports the rights of smaller communities will have a huge influence in the talks on the final status."

The report also says that the Assembly is a cradle of developments and that it should take care of the minorities. "90 percent should take care of the 10 percent."

Koha Ditore also carries the remainder of, what it calls it, the internal report.

Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue has not started, says PM Rexhepi (all dailies)

All dailies report that Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi has refused the offer of Allan Kassof, chairman of the Project for Ethnic Relations, to meet with Serbian Deputy PM Nebojsa Covic.

Koha Ditore reports that Rexhepi sent a letter to Kassof on Friday in which he made it clear that the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade didn't start in Luzerne. "The meeting that Mr. Daci and I had with Covic and Mihajlovic was a meeting of chance, and was not an official meeting and cannot be perceived as the start of dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade," Rexhepi wrote to Kassof.

EU and Solana lack the power to remove Kosovo from preamble of Serb-Montenegrin constitution? (Zëri)
Zëri reports that Kosovar Albanians have lost their hopes that the European Union and its senior officials will affect the new constitutional charter of Serbia and Montenegro so that it doesn't mention Kosovo as part of Serbia.

Zëri claims that the text of the preamble will remain as it is, that "Serbia is constituted by the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo" with the addition that "Kosovo will continue to be under the administration of the United Nations in accordance with Resolution 1244". The second part of the preamble that refers to Resolution 1244 is said to be done with the suggestions of the European Union.

"After Michael Steiner and Bajram Rexhepi's stay in Brussels, during the donors meeting for Kosovo, Javier Solana had publicly said that Belgrade should change the formulation about Kosovo in the preamble of the constitution of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Diplomatic sources in the EU now say that Solana made that statement to only temporarily calm down the Albanians," added Zëri.

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Shala: Vicious circle (Zëri)

Zëri carries a column by editor Blerim Shala, who claims that 'according to the latest reports from Brussels, we still have to be worried about the problem of formulations in the constitutional charter of Serbia and Montenegro. Now we have to be worried about the fact that the formulation that says that Kosovo is an autonomous province of Serbia has been joined by the explanation that Kosovo is under UN administration according to Resolution 1244. Translated into the political language this means that after the UN administration, Kosovo will return to Serbia. Therefore, this is a prejudgment of Kosovo's final status. It seems that Javier Solana has agreed with this formulation. We will very soon see his public reactions to this issue, because the constitutional charter is expected to be endorsed soon.'

Another Povratak political offensive, concessions from UNMIK expected? (Zëri)

Zëri claims that the Serb members of the assembly have once again betrayed the promise that they gave to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan saying that they would end their boycott of the Kosovo Assembly. Four days later, Povratak chief Rada Trajkovic came out with new requests in the address of chief administrator Michael Steiner, COMKFOR General Fabio Mini and OSCE Head of Mission Pascal Fieschi.

"The Povratak Coalition has once again gone into the offensive demanding concessions from the international administration. UNMIK still doesn't have a stance whether or not it will accept the Serb demands for a meeting with Steiner. Silence in the Kosovo Assembly," reports Zëri.

Covic's statement 'unfounded and speculation' (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that municipal officials in Mitrovica have reacted toward the statements of Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic who said that southern Mitrovica would have no administrative competencies over the northern part.

Mitrovica MA Deputy Chairman Mursel Ibrahimi was quoted as saying, "We believe that Covic's statement is unfounded and that it is speculation. We will work toward expanding authority throughout the municipality of Mitrovica and that is our obligation. I think there will be no partitioning of Mitrovica."

On the other hand, AAK leader in Mitrovica, Nazmi Fejza, said that Covic was only using the space allowed to him by UNMIK to manipulate with Kosovo Serbs.

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Why should Ethem Çeku be dismissed from the post of minister? (Bota Sot)

Bota Sot carries a commentary by columnist Bardhyl Ajeti, who brings out his reasons why Ethem Çeku should resign from the post of Minister at the Kosovo Government. Ajeti ties his claims to the testimony of one witness in the trial of the Dukagjini Group, who claimed that Ethem Çeku is also responsible for the murder of Bashkim Balaj, Sinan Musaj, Rexhë Osa and Idriz Peja. Ajeti writes:

"Imagine a person involved in crime to carry out the function of a Minister. Can Ethem Çeku be the minister of the families of Bashkim Balaj, Sinan Musaj, Rexhë Osa and Idriz Peja. No way. Not only for them, but he cannot be a minister for any citizen of Kosovo. As a matter of fact, he must resign. The time when he gave this order, he was in the facilities of the Dukagjini Company, which served as headquarters and was the property of Ekrem Lluka, where the five soldiers of the Mërgimi Brigade were sent. However, following Ethem Çeku's order, four of the soldiers 'traveled' not to ever return again. Following Ethem Çeku's order, the five soldiers of the KLA were sent to Ratishë, where they the horrible crime took place. The things that we are saying are part of the experience of a live witness."

Muça: Between Luzerne and Kofi Annan's visit (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore carries a commentary by Bashkim Muça, a journalist of the Tirana-based newspaper Shekulli. Muça writes that 'despite the suffering and the unsolved problems, Albanians should finally overcome interethnic hatred'.

Haxhiu: Guarantee the work of journalists in Kosovo! (Koha Ditore/Epoka)

Koha Ditore and Epoka e Re carry the open letter that Baton Haxhiu, chairman of the Association of Professional Journalists of Kosovo, has sent to chief administrator Michael Steiner, UNMIK Pillar One and the Media Commissioner.

Koha Ditore quotes Haxhiu's letter as saying: "…You who come from the West, should take on the role of guaranteeing the work of journalists in Kosovo. On the contrary, we are very concerned for the future of our profession. We don't need another dead journalist to understand how dangerous it is to work in Kosovar media."

Three key witnesses in Dukagjin trial don't appear in court (all dailies)

All dailies report that witnesses Vesel Murriqi, Xhevdet Bojku and Ilir Selimaj didn't appear in court. Murriqi was said to be sent in a hospital and therefore couldn't testify, whereas the reasons for the non-appearance of Bojku and Selimaj are unknown.

Epoka e Re runs a headline Witness Vesel Murriqi doesn't dare face the questions of Daut Haradinaj.

Dailies also report that the defense attorney have asked for the accused to be released.

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RTK News Headlines
19:30 edition

Albanians Celebrate 80th anniversary of Independent State
Presenter's intro and documentary footage focused on the celebration of the Nov. 28th the National Flag and Independence day, marking its anniversary. A long report emphasized the importance of the independence of Albania which was said to have "'preserved the identity and the survival of the nation".

Project On Ethnic Relations Willing to Set Up Another Luzern-modelled Conference
Presenter's intro focuses on the letter by Kosovo PM Bajram Rexhepi responding to the suggestion by Alan Kassof, chairman with PER on the idea of organizing another conference, alike the one that took place last week in Luzern Switzerland under the auspices of this US organization.
In his response to the letter, PM Rexhepi also explains that the meeting and the talks he and his associates had with Serbia's govt. officials were of an informal nature.

Shift of Command at Bondsteel
Report focuses on the statement by Bondsteel Comander Gen. Lut who was on Friday concluding his mission in Kosovo and succeeded by the Gen. Daniel Keef.
Soundbites: Gen. Lut on the fact that the Bodsteel is perceived by Kosovo citizens a a city of hope, and that it should be done not only by "american troops 'occupying an area' but also by the people of hope, decisive to protect its future"...

"Povratak" Wants to Meet UNMIK SRSG
Presenter's intro quotes Oliver Ivanovic, Povratak coalition member after meeting Serbia's Deputy PM Covic that the coalition is willing to meet with UNMIK SRSG Steiner, COMKFOR and OSCE chief in order to discuss the coalition's possible return to the regular Kosovo Assembly sessions.

Kosovo Students Should Pay 80 Euros for Registering New Academic Year
Kosovo Ministry of Education confirms its agreement on the amount that needs to be paid by the students regarding the payment for academic year registration.
The amount that was branded "obligatory" is 80 euros for all students studying with Prishtina university.
Soundbites were taken from the meeting with Rexhep Osmani, education minister in Prishtina on Friday.

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Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
· Steiner unsatisfied with Assembly's work in support of minorities
· After historical summit, NATO will face new challenges
· Vesel Muriqi - sick, the non-appearance of other witnesses unexplained
· Tanusha residents once again threaten Macedonia
· Students will have to pay for studies

Other headlines
· Covic's statement 'unfounded and speculation' (2)
· Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue has not started, says PM Rexhepi (3)
· Non-resolving of Kosovo's final status - a destabilizing factor in Balkans (4)
· The accused for attacking the police says he is not guilty (5)
· Kosovars spent 39 percent of their money in food (6)
· Gjilan leads in criminality, not Ferizaj (8)
· Kosovo-Serbia boundary to fall in competencies of border police (8)
· The New York Times: Changes in Albanian politics (10)
· You should take on the role of guaranteeing the work of journalists in Kosovo (11)

Zëri

Front page
· EU and Solana don't have the power to remove Kosovo from preamble of Serb-Montenegrin constitution?
· PM Rexhepi refuses Kassof's new proposal to meet with Covic
· Another political offensive of Povratak, concessions from UNMIK expected?
· Shala: Vicious circle
· Macedonia marks borderline with Kosovo
· Wolfgang Petrisch: Rambouillet was planned according to Dayton model
· Three key witnesses in Dukagjin trial don't appear in court
· Tirana and Prishtina historians mark 90th anniversary of independence

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Other headlines
· Kosovo should be a state similar to independence, says ICG (2)
· Four Albanians suspected of war crimes (2)
· Minister Osmani: Teachers will receive assistance promised by Govt (4)
· Legally regulate the status of former combatants, says veterans of war (4)
· Meeting between ministers Çeku and Bogdanovic fails (4)
· Russian Bolsheviks try to cause an incident at NATO Summit (5)
· Increase institutional cooperation between Kosovo and Albania (5)
· US Congressman Earl Pomery to visit Kosovo (5)
· The reviewed 2002 budget will be 509 million euros (7)
· Serb police and army killed women and children (9)
· [Politika] Covic's 'recipe': Toward the past! (9)
· Kakuk: I don't know what is UNMIK's stance on this issue (10)
· A journalist who threatened the German police officer has been arrested (12)

Bota Sot

Front page
· President Moisiu: We are optimistic that Albanians is moving toward NATO
· Why should Ethem Çeku be dismissed from the post of minister?
· Dr. Rugova: The act of Sabri Hamiti - a huge wealth for the Albanian nation
· Fatos Klosi's servants in Kosovo are alarmed
· Funds valued at 1,9 million euros will be distributed and they are not misused

Other headlines
· Two years since the murder of the national hero Xhemail Mustafa (2)
· KPC expands authority throughout Kosovo, including northern Mitrovica (2)
· US President Bush meets Albanian President Moisiu (3)
· Daci supports institutional cooperation between Kosovo and Albania (3)
· Serb who threatened international policeman has been arrested (3)
· Vesel Muriqi is sick, witnesses Bojku and Selmanaj don't appear in court (3)
· Close cooperation between UNMIK and Albanian Police in fighting trafficking (4)
· Aliu: Is it truly impossible to fight organized crime? (5)
· Students will have to pay 80 euros per semester (9)

Kosova Sot

Front page
· Are Rugova, Thaçi and Haradinaj eternal leaders
· Are the determined prices unaffordable for student standards?
· What did PM Rexhepi write to Mr. Kassof
· Where will the Customs and the Tax Administration remain?
· Why Kosovo needs international mediation for the beginning of talks?
· Sole eyewitness didn't appear to continue with his testimony
· Those who knew how to make war, know how to make peace, says Rexhepi
· Will UNMIK agree for Bridge Watchers to be integrated into KPS?

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Other headlines
· US Congressmen Pomeroy to visit Kosovo (2)
· Some deputies have forgotten where are the doors of the assembly (3)
· Covic undermines Steiner's seven-point plan (4)
· Support for institutional cooperation between Kosovo and Albania (4)
· Independent Kosovo would bring economic development to the Balkans (5)
· Decision for return of Serbs to the assembly, after meeting with Steiner (6)
· Why did meeting between Minister Çeku and Minister of Agriculture fail? (6)
· Trial of the leader of the Bridge Watchers begins (15)

Epoka e Re

Front page
· Allan Kassof: Come and let us continue the secret meetings in Switzerland!
· The mistake and the correction of Prime Minister Rexhepi
· Witness Vesel Murriqi doesn't dare face the questions of Daut Haradinaj
· Guarantee the work of journalists in Kosovo!
· Rexhep Osmani is preparing new and dangerous revolts
· Why didn't the newest trial spectacle begin?

Other headlines
· Kosovo should be a state that is similar to independence, says ICG (3)
· Ilir Meta to visit Belgrade on 26-27 November (3)
· No hope for Kosovo until its status is resolved (3)
· Issue of Serb deputy chairman postpones forming of Prishtina MA? (4)
· Minister Bogdanovic had escaped when Çeku and Brenke arrived (7)
· The character of the past war should be decided, says Rexhepi (9)
· Gracanica is blocked (10)

24 Orë

Front page
· The fabricators are 'sick', the defense asks for the release of liberators
· Fabrications will do you harm, Vesel Murriqi!
· NATO makes historic expansion
· Find another flag for Daut, Remi and their friends!
· Paradox of prejudgments against freedom fighters

Other headlines
· Rexhepi: Those who knew how to make war, know how to make peace (2)
· Border police to take over competencies from 2 December (2)
· Bogdanovic didn't welcome Minister Çeku! (6)
· PM Rexhepi refused offer for secret meeting with Covic (7)
· Students will have to pay 160 euros for one year (7)
· UNMIK is once again silent [on Covic's statements] (7)

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Belgrade Media Highlights

Saturday, 23 November 2002

· Covic's interview to Danas (Danas)
· Ilir Meta soon in Yugoslavia (Politika/Tanjug)
· Round table in Bujanovac (Glas/Tanjug)
· KFOR blocked roads to Gracanica (Politika/Beta)
· Albanians stoned a bus (Politika/Tanjug)
· Bozovic on a hunger strike (Glas/Tanjug)
· Protest over the recent arrest of Tanjug's correspondent (Vecernje Novosti)
· Trial to Jovic commences (Blic)
· KP is not returning yet to assembly (Nacional/Srna)
· Meeting between Bishop Artemije and Mini (Danas)

Other news:
· Three times for Kosovo (NIN)
· KP to decide whether to return to the Assembly upon meeting Steiner, says
Rada Trajkovic (RTS)


Covic's interview to Danas (Danas)
How do you see Kosovo and Metohija following the departure of the international forces from this region?

"I don't see it at all for now, just the same as I can see very poorly B-H following the departure of the international forces. I think that a lot of time has to pass in order to see this at all. I can say that I see Kosovo or B-H as multi-ethnic but that this multi-ethnicity will be sustainable, this I cannot say. I cannot see finally and for it to be realistic, to be sustainable, just as I cannot see the region of B-H without international forces. I link them totally coincidentally, but in a way we have two protectorates, yet different since B-H is a state, while Kosovo and Metohija is a protectorate within our country. Politicians must be realistic and they should not act hastily in their statements. If you give a sound statement concerning Kosovo every day you could have a title or front page every day. But I don't think we will have any benefits from this in practice and in the region of Kosovo. I think the international peace forces will remain in this region for some time, very descent time. The final goal is multi-ethnic life in this region."

Does this mean that the Constitution of Serbia cannot be passed until the final status of Kosovo is defined?

"No, it doesn't mean this. Why are some people rushing? I think that those who are rushing or haven't thought about this rushing are now willing to try to also throw Kosovo in the political game, that is games inside parties and among leaders. The Constitution of Serbia could be made with an open form. Within Serbia there is one zone, one region under UNSCR 1244, and while this resolution lasts, the region will have the international community's administration and protectorate. And when changes occur, then there will be changes in that part, chapter or article of the Constitution. I am not for constitutions according to the principles of declarations. The Yugoslav, Serbian and Montenegrin parliaments can pass anything that comes to their minds, but the question is whether this is possible to implement. I don't think that the Constitution of Serbia is conditioned with the final status of Kosovo. In any case, those who rush with the final status of Kosovo ought to know that they will bear responsibility for what could happen with Kosovo. I am for a realistic solution when it comes to Kosovo, I am not for extreme solutions and I am for opening a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. I made such a step."

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Ilir Meta soon in Yugoslavia (Politika/Tanjug)
Albanian Vice Prime Minister Ilir Meta, who is also his country's Foreign Minister, will pay an official two-day visit to Belgrade on Nov 26 to discuss the boosting of bilateral relations as a contribution to the creation of a climate of trust and stability in the Balkans. Thursday's Yugoslav parliament session determined the basis for talks with Meta which, as announced on Friday, "affirm the revived political top level dialogue between the two countries and continue the trend of promoting bilateral cooperation and good-neighborly relations."

Round table in Bujanovac (Glas/Tanjug)
Serbian Deputy Premier Nebojsa Covic, who also heads the Coordination Body for Southern Serbia, said in Bujanovac that in Southern Serbia it is necessary "to complete the process of setting up the multi-ethnic police and a multi-ethnic government, with the full integration of the ethnic Albanians into the institutions of the system". "I believe that in the coming year it is important to maintain stability in the Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja municipalities," Covic told a round table held in the Bujanovac Spa on Friday and Satruday in the organization of the Fund for Humanitarian Right and dubbed Albanians in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja.

KFOR blocked roads to Gracanica (Politika/Beta)
Members of the Swedish KFOR contingent blocked all access roads to Gracanica and nearby villages and controlled all vehicles on the road. The Swedish troops said that detailed controlled was conducted which was part of the armament search. At the same time, blocked was the house where KP caucus whip Rada Trajkovic lives. "I am not familiar with the reason of the blockade," Trajkovic told Beta.

Albanians stoned a bus (Politika/Tanjug)
A group of Albanians stoned a busload of Serb pupils heading for Kosovska Mitrovica, the information service of the Serbian Orthodox Church announced. Tangible damage was inflicted, but no one was injured. The attack ensued after a decision by KFOR last month to suspend military escort for Serb pupils due to allegedly improved safety, it is said in the statement.

Bozovic on a hunger strike (Glas/Tanjug)
Journalist Bojan Bozovic, arrested by UNMIK Police on charges that he had allegedly threatened an UNMIK policeman, is on a hunger strike and is resolved in continuing the protest until he is released, his sister Irena Bozovic said. "My brother is in an horrible state, and he has been refusing water and food, aware that the indictment against him had been staged," she said.

Protest over the recent arrest of Tanjug's correspondent (Vecernje Novosti)
Regarding the arrest of Tanjug's correspondent Bojan Bozovic, the Serbian Association of Journalists has sent a letter to SRSG Michael Steiner that states among other things: "The decision of the investigative judge Sucri Sulje in Kosovska Mitrovica to detain Bojan for one month over alleged telephone threats to UNMIK Police member from your country means the most harsh violation of human and professional rights of journalists." In the letter it is recalled that Bozovic is charged without any grounds, that the German policeman threatened him, that no evidence material was found during the search of the family house, and that the arrest was performed without an order.

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Trial to Jovic commences (Blic)
The trial proceedings against a Kosovo Serb, Slavoljub Jovic, charged with participation in riots in Kosovska Mitrovica, on June 21st 2000 and 8th April 2002, when many citizens and UNMIK members were injured, began in the District Court of Kosovska Mitrovica on Friday. Jovic is charged with six criminal offences. He denied the charges before the Court Council.

KP is not returning yet to assembly (Nacional/Srna)
KP Presidency and the Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic consider conditions do not exist for the return of Serb AMs to the Kosovo Assembly. Among the asked conditions is the observation of the assembly's work, apology by Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci, and protection measures from Albanian extremists. "KP demands that the OSCE, apart from supervising the work of the assembly, expands control on the work of local assemblies, that would create conditions for the protection of Serbs from being outvoted," Rada Trajkovic said.

Meeting between Bishop Artemije and Mini (Danas)
The Raska-Prizren Bishop Artemije, the Chairman of SNC for Kosovo and Metohija, has talked with KFOR Commander, general Fabio Mini, in the Gracanica Monastery about the current issues of protecting Serbian Orthodox Churches, security of Kosovo Serbs, the return of IDPs and UNMIK's work. "General Mini promised he will do everything that is in accordance with UNSCR 1244 in order to achieve the goals because of which KFOR came to Kosovo and Metohija," Bishop Artemije said.

Other news:

Three times for Kosovo (NIN)
Predrag Simic (Advisor to Yugoslav President)
At last week's meeting held in the Swiss town of Lucerne, the team from Princeton exceeded itself because almost all those who represent something in Albanian politics in Albania, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia's south, Macedonia and Montenegro found themselves at the conference table. With the exception of Ibrahim Rugova who hasn't attended such talks even in the past and controversial Adem Demaci, considered the man of the past even by many of his followers, it was only the absence of Veton Suroi and several Albanians whose presence had been unavoidable in such dialogues until now, that was noticed. Since in the meantime there have been certain changes on the Albanian political scene, the conference in Lucerne was an opportunity for promoting a new generation of Albanian politicians.

The atmosphere that reigned at the gathering is best depicted by ebullient faces of Albanian politicians, and somewhat less animate faces of their neighbors who found themselves eye to eye with the more organized Albanian representation that did not hide the newly attained self-assurance and belief that the winds of history are finally blowing into the canvas of the Albanian national issue in the Balkans, and that they have behind them the powerful hand of at least one of the leading powers of the modern world. Numerous journalists, joint shots of Albanian political leaders from
various Balkan countries and the overwhelming welcome by the local Albanians (those adept maintain that the Albanian Diaspora in Lucerne was one of the main KLA bases), completed the atmosphere that reigned at the Sweizerhof Hotel between Thursday and Sunday.

SRSG Michael Steiner arrived in Lucerne with the speech he gave for the first time at the Humboldt University in Berlin on 12 November, becoming in the meantime the subject of intense analyses at many foreign ministries. In the document entitled "Three Times for Kosovo" Steiner gives his view of the process led by the international community in Kosovo, and, even more important, of the issue of the final status of Kosovo. Steiner's slogan says "standards before status." The future status of Kosovo is an open issue but, he considers, one can already now say what Kosovo will not be: firstly, there will be no return to the status quo ante, secondly, there will be no division and, thirdly, there will be no cantonization nor "free lance independence without added ties" (perhaps only Steiner knows what this actually means).

Since there will be no elections in Kosovo in the next two years, Steiner thinks time should be used for "building a functional society in Kosovo and for normalizing relations with the region, first of all with Belgrade" which, however, "must not have the right of veto." Steiner concludes his speech with the analyses of the upcoming expansion of the EU that will surround "western Balkans" and turn into an enclave inside the EU. That is why UNMIK should soon be replaced with EUMIK, somewhere around 2004.

It is interesting to notice that Steiner stated as one of the main problems towards establishing a dialogue with Belgrade the unclear signals that stem from the conflict on the Serbian political scene. Although the organizers were of the opinion that "Albanian nationalism is not fashionable anymore in the West", the issue of "great Albania" or, at least, "great Kosovo" could not have been avoided, and most (although not all of them) of the Albanian politicians reacted with the thesis that at issue is a "chimera" invented by those circles in the neighboring countries that wish to suppress the "Albanians' fight for human rights." However, what was heard at the conference for the first time were warnings by Albanian leaders that they "commenced last year a war in Macedonia in order to protect their rights and that they would not have second thoughts to repeat this if Skoplje did not implement the Ohrid Agreement." One could hear from them that SFRY broke-up following Albanian demonstrations in Kosovo and Metohija in 1981 because "it was not capable of resolving the Albanian issue" which is new in such debates since such a role had until now been ascribed exclusively to Slobodan Milosevic.

One could clearly see in Lucerne how much the deadlock in relations between Belgrade and Podgorica and failure of the presidential elections in Serbia have weakened the international position of the country and that a possible failure of repeated presidential elections would practically eliminate Belgrade as any important player in the Balkans. It is bad, however, that out of some two hundred thousand Serb IDPs, only several hundreds of them, that is less than 1%, have returned to Kosovo and Metohija. The Albanians still see northern Mitrovica as the main problem despite the fact that the southern part of the town with 60 000 inhabitants has been totally ethnically cleansed and that the northern part of the town, where 11,000 Serbs, 3,000 Albanians and 1,000 other nations live, is the last large multiethnic enclave in Kosovo. In light of this, dualism of the authorities in the north seems as the last bar to the final ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, and this actually doesn't differ very much from the parallel bodies of authority responded to by Kosovo Albanians against the Milosevic repression during the nineties.

A curiosity at the conference in Lucerne was that only the American ambassadors in the region were ready to hear these arguments. Therefore, there is not much reason for anger over the latest paper of the SRSG who is paving the way towards resolving the final status of Kosovo (for which it is asserted in circles around the Secretary General that it reflects Steiner's personal opinion and that it wasn't the subject of discussion at the UN). Past experience with the special representatives for Kosovo goes to say that they usually made efforts at finding their place in the existing relation of powers and avoiding a conflict with the Albanian majority that would push the international mission to a position where Slobodan Milosevic ended.

In other words, Serbs in Kosovo had as much as Belgrade managed to impose on itself as a relevant partner and lost as much as Belgrade's international position weakened, and this could be the main message of Steiner's new proposal. Occupied by itself, the Serb political public did not even notice some of the very important situations like the one of the recent publication of the report by the Council of Europe on the human rights situation in Kosovo which did not spare UNMIK itself and which offered a rare opportunity under present circumstances to ease the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo expellees. Albanians did not miss such opportunities over the past ten years.

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KP to decide whether to return to the Assembly upon meeting Steiner, says Rada Trajkovic (RTS)

KP caucus whip in the Kosovo Assembly Rada Trajkovic said that Serb participation in the work of the Assembly would depend on the outcome of KP's meeting with UNMIK, KFOR and OSCE's representatives. Upon the KP Presidency meeting in Kosovska Mitrovica, Oliver Ivanovic told journalists that KP expected that a meeting with the Chief of UNMIK Michael Steiner, COMKFOR Fabio Mini and the Chief of OMIK Pascal Fieschi would be held early next week, before the next session of the Assembly scheduled for Thursday.

"We shall demand from them to provide us instruments, which would protect us from discrimination in the Assembly and in the interim self-government institutions," Ivanovic announced.

Rada Trajkovic pointed out that, "If Nexhat Daci wants to have a dialogue with the Serb community, he has to apologies publicly? and our participation in the work of the Assembly will depend on the outcome of our meeting with Heads of UNMIK, KFOR and OSCE."

She said that KP demanded that KFOR's escorts should be reestablished for the Serb pupils living in the enclaves, as well as renewed protection for the Serb churches in Kosovo, which was abolished upon an assessment of the international mission that the security situation had improved.

"We are ready to participate in the work of the Assembly, but upon Nexhat Daci's brutal attack on the Serb AMs, we have destabilization and increased violence against Serbs," said Trajkovic, and, as examples, she mentioned the demolition of two churches, the bus-attack in Obilic and other incidents.

Oliver Ivanovic said that KP reviewed the situation in the Assembly and concluded that, "the work in the Assembly is not possible." He agreed that behavior of Nexhat Daci and others in the Assembly has caused a wave of violence against Serbs.

However, Ivanovic says that the best way of continuing the struggle for the better living conditions and for the rights of Kosovo Serbs goes through the institutions and, "it is the only way for us to go."

Upon the meeting of the KP Presidency Nebojsa Covic met the President of the SNC of northern Kosovo Milan Ivanovic and other political leaders of northern Kosovo Serbs.