26 December 2002

CONTENTS

It is still not time for Kosovo's final status, says SRSG Steiner (Kosova Sot)

Kosova Sot carries an interview that SRSG Michael Steiner gave to Radio Free Europe. 'Nothing has been done this year for Kosovo's final status, because it is still not time to deal with this issue. Initially, certain standards have not been fulfilled,' said Steiner.

SRSG Steiner said that the freedom of movement, functioning institutions and IDP returns should be assured before addressing the issue of the final status. 'The majority must be engaged for the rights of minorities, whereas minorities, especially the Serbs, must accept the new reality in Kosovo, which is different from 1999. Kosovo is under the supervision of UNSC Resolution 1244, the basis of which has served to build institutions,' he added.

The UNMIK chief also said that the only way to find a solution for the final status is by changing the reality in Kosovo. 'Such a thing requires functional institutions and a legal system, not perfect but at least similar to that of neighboring countries… This issue can also be solved through dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade and not by one-sided steps such as the preamble of the constitutional charter of Serbia and Montenegro, or by a certain decision in Prishtina. No one can have the right of veto, because in the end the Security Council will decide on this issue. But Kosovo still hasn't reached this phase,' said Steiner.

Negotiations on Kosovo's final status to start in 2004? (Zëri)

Zëri carries an article by its correspondent in Brussels, Ekrem Krasniqi, who claims the European Union has started using the 'strategic memory' so that it can address the issue of Kosovo's final status by 2004.

Krasniqi writes that in 2003, the European Union is expected to clarify some tactical and political aspects in relation with the US, Russia and China. Belgrade officials have started perceiving the EU strategy and they are already on an offensive to legally benefit Kosovo Serbs and Serbia. All these things are expected to take place in Kosovo at a time when the German chief administrator Michael Steiner is expected to receive a new diplomatic post from his friend, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

If 2004 will find Kosovar Albanian politicians unprepared for the process of negotiations on Kosovo's political status, it seems that this will not happen to the European Union, which after the war has been the main financial contributor and aims to dominate and take over responsibilities in the Balkans and to solve two pending issues. The EU has already launched the process of determining the political fate of Serbia and Montenegro, and it is expected that next summer it will find the courage to address the issue of Kosovo.

When negotiations on Kosovo's status begins, Steiner will have a post somewhere far away

It seems that next year the international community will not open a very important chapter for the future of the Balkans: the political status of Kosovo.

In the meantime, according to diplomatic sources in the EU, the organization must determine the fate of the state of Serbia and Montenegro, in order to eliminate a current difficulty in the Balkans and facilitate the efforts of the EU and the international community to find the most adequate compromise for the major issue for the EU, the region and Kosovars: Kosovo's political status.

The diplomats of a EU country member said that the EU has recently started using 'its strategic mind' to come up with a idea on how to launch the process for determining the Kosovo's political fate, so that a year later, (2004?), it can launch concrete projects for talks between the international community, the Serb authorities in Belgrade and Albanian authorities in Prishtina.

EU diplomats also said that in the meantime, EU circles are expected to surprise Prishtina but not Belgrade, on the status or statuses that can be offered to both sides for Kosovo or even for some parts of the territory of Kosovo. The standards that have been proposed as an idea and the project of the UNMIK chief will probably not be awaited to be fulfilled, and the fulfillment of some standards will not find Michael Steiner in his current post, when the negotiations will take place. In fact according to some German diplomatic sources, in Berlin it is thought that Steiner will remain in Pristina for another six months until he is given a major diplomatic post. In this way, the man who couldn't win the sympathy of the European Union this year because of his 'pro-Albanian' stance, as some European diplomats say, will be far away from Kosovo in another post, when the status of Kosovo will be included in the agenda of the international community.

Diplomatic sources have told Zëri that there are good chances that talks on Kosovo's political status will start in 2004. By that time there will be a formal agreement at least among some EU country members on how to resolve Kosovo's political status. The same sources said that one year would be enough for the EU countries to get the approval of the US, Russia and China in the process of resolving Kosovo's fate, in which the EU will be the carrier of the largest part of the job, when it comes to the international community.

The reason why negotiations between Prishtina, Belgrade and the international community must wait for another year mainly have to do with the un-definite fate of relations between Serbia and Montenegro, since even though these countries have agreed on the new constitution of the union, they still haven't had the last say.

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Shala: The lesson from the selfish experience (Zëri)

Zëri carries an editorial by Blerim Shala who says that if Kosovar Albanians had the political tolerance as they do have religious tolerance, they would be an example for the region. Shala says that bishop Mark Sopi's message that we shouldn't forget what west did for us should be respected by all Albanians.

One of our very positive characteristics is tolerance on religion. Bearing in mind the fact that we were forced to be divided on confessional bases, the only way to be again together was that on our hierarchy of values, the national belonging to be the most important and to respect the faith of each other. Many people in the past and even during the last war in Kosovo, tried to divide Albanians on faith bases, to put them on the side of faith fundamentalism (no matter which one) because in that way we would all be marked as failure. But at least in this issue we have shown tolerance, prudent and understandable. This is why we won.

This time we have once again proved that we honestly mean when we celebrate together our great religious holidays. We should learn from ourselves. If we could transfer this atmosphere of religious tolerance among us to politics, we would certainly be an example for the region on our political tolerance. But on this issue we are too far from our aims.

Bishop Mark Sopi, on his messages for Christmas among the other things reminded us that our aims don't oppose the western ones for this part of Europe. He also asked not to forget what west did for us.

This was a required message for all Kosovars. We have reasons to be frustrated for many things in Kosovo, for an unsatisfying dynamics on changing the situation, for very often not understandable failures. But, the contradictions of the complicated process on creation of democratic society in Kosovo shouldn't turn in confrontation with the west.

Djindjic: Serbs have agreed with strategy of Serb self-governance (Koha)

Citing information broadcast by Serbian media, Koha Ditore reports that the representatives of Kosovo Serbs, led by Bishop Artemije, have reached an agreement on Wednesday in Belgrade with Serbian PM Zoran Djindjic and his deputy Nebojsa Covic to compile a joint strategy in order to improve the security conditions for Kosovo Serbs.

Based on these sources, the Kosovar delegation consisted representatives of coalition Povratak, Rada Trajkovic, Gojko Savic and Oliver Ivanovic, coordinator of Kosovo government for return Zoran Todorovic, while Milan Ivanovic represented Serb National Council.

Based on Serbian media, Djindjic refused to speak about the details of these talks and said that this was "an internal agreement among the participators of this meeting", says Koha Ditore. Nevertheless he said that the first and most important step is establishment of local Serb community self-governments, priory at the municipality where they are majority and also at the local communities and villages.

'They must build their own structures, which will be strong enough and efficient to satisfy and protect the rights and basic interests of Serbs,' Djindjic was cited as saying and added that the fields that Serbs are interested on were stressed earlier and they are security, education, health care and courts.

"All these measurements are in agreement with UNMIK, but what we want is faster and more clear protection of Kosovo Serbs, in order for them to lead with their own fate democratically and free" Djindjic was quoted as saying.

Chief of the coordinating center for Kosovo, Nebojsa Covic, said that this meeting will result a higher scale of synchronization of Serbian government, because this will be something that will we add to the Serb motive to live together. He announced that the plan for establishment of councils in each village, local community and neighborhood would be made in January.

Leader of the Serb delegation, Bishop Artemije, expressed his compassion on why this meeting wasn't held earlier, since according to him some of the problems would already be solved. "We will be together in the future, while our main aim is survival of our population in Kosovo and Metohija, without which there is no solution of Kosovo's problem" Bishop Artemije was quoted as saying.

Koha says that Rada Trajkovic, satisfied "with readiness of the Serbian government to help survival of Serbs in the province, in institutional organization and economical help said that " Today starts the organizing and realization of concrete projects for the Serb community and on 21 January of next year we will start with the dynamics of planting Serb roots in Kosovo, in those places where they have remained.
President of SNC expressed disapproval of Kosovo Serbs "to live in the province if it becomes independent", says Koha Ditore.

After the meeting with Serbian PM, leaders of Kosovo Serbs met with "Yugoslav" president Vojislav Kostunica.

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Covic will talk on behalf of Kosovo Serbs in 2003 (Koha Ditore)

Under a subheader, 'The Serbian envoy for Kosovo talks about future plans', Koha Ditore carries an interview that Nebojsa Covic to the Zvecan-based TV Most.

'Reaching unity among the Serb community in Kosovo is a big and important task that awaits Kosovo Serbs,' said Covic. 'I think we have a good nucleus in Kosovo within the representatives of Coalition Povratak, the Serb National Council and parties and other political factors.'

Covic said it was his duty to facilitate a situation in Kosovo which in general is complicated for all people.
Covic also said that the Coordination Center for Kosovo which he leads enjoys the support of Serbian PM Zoran Djindjic and FRY President Vojislav Kostunica. 'I believe it is an honest support, even though in politics you always must have a certain percentage of reserve, but I am almost absolutely sure that both of them [referring to Djindjic and Kostunica] have honest stances when it comes to Kosovo,' he added.

Covic refuted rumors based on which changes would be made in Serb and Yugoslav bodies that deal with the issue of Kosovo. 'I am very calm in this respect and I still work according to my program. And this means that I don't have much time to deal with rumors.'

Macedonia Update

Ali Ahmeti's party on the verge of division (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that there are a lot of divergences in the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI), led by the former leader of the National Liberation Army, Ali Ahmeti. According to the daily newspaper, the wing of the political party which derives from the NLA insists to advance war personalities in various party posts, the other wing of the party insists that these posts should be given to more moderated officials.

The disagreements began during the candidacy of Hysni Shaqiri for deputy chairman of the Parliament. The wing of war insists that Shaqiri should hold the post, while the other wing says that there should be an alternative for Shaqiri's candidacy.

PDSH says there will be new conflict in Macedonia in spring (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that the Albanian Democratic Party (PDSH) led by Arbën Xhaferri has warned that there could be resumed armed activities in spring due to the dissatisfaction of Albanians.

PDSH deputy leader Iljaz Halimi told a Macedonian newspaper, 'The current government is conducting a policy which turns back the rights of Albanians, and this leads to the conclusion that there should be a harsher war for Albanians to win their rights.'

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