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25 January 2002
CONTENTS
1. LDK claims talks have
failed; PDK accepts co-governance agreement
2. Michael Steiner's return
to the scene
3. Solana to set up deadline
for election of Kosovo President
4. Manuel: Steiner to
take up duties in early February
5. Steiner's interviews
for DPA and Dresdner Neueste Nachricten
6. Parties in conflict
in Shtërpce to enter talks today
7. Have there been changes
in the border between Kosovo and Macedonia?
8. Kosovo Supreme Court
upholds Sabit Geci's sentence
9. Belgrade fabricates
training camps for Albanian extremists
10. KPC Zone Two reacts
against sentencing of senior officer Saramati
1. LDK claims talks have failed; PDK accepts co-governance agreement
Zëri reports that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has announced via a press release published by the Kosovo Information Center that there has been no agreement for co-governance. The latest stance of Rugova's LDK has been a surprise for a western diplomat engaged in the talks between the main political parties since the LDK had already accepted the agreement in principle.
On the other hand, the Thaçi-led Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) declared it was willing to accept and sign the agreement. "Following intensive talks at the US Office to reach an agreement for setting up Kosovo institutions, the Kosovo Democratic Party has accepted the offer," said PDK deputy chairman Hajredin Kuçi.
Kuçi also told the paper that the offer implies the establishment of governmental institutions and that the LDK would have the post of President of Kosovo and Assembly Chairman, while the PDK would take the post of Prime Minister.
Commenting on the party's candidate for prime minister, Kuçi said that the PDK aims to propose a candidate with a professional background, leadership ability and who enjoys support from both international and local political entities.
Asked to comment on the LDK's statement that denied that Rugova's party
would give up the prime minister's post, Kuçi called upon the PDK's
rival political entity to fulfill and respect the promise it had made.
"I believe that the LDK gave serious offers and promises and not
a bluff in the face of public opinion," he added.
2. Michael Steiner's return to the scene
Koha Ditore on page eleven carried the reactions of leading German officials and media on the appointment of Michael Steiner as the Kosovo's chief administrator.
One of the most widely read German daily newspapers, Bildt, carries a front-page column announcing daily winners and losers. Two days ago, the winner was Michael Steiner, former political advisor to German Chancellor Schroeder, who was appointed chief of the international civil mission in Kosovo. A good day for Steiner. Not only because the Bildt is read by 10 million people but also because his return to the international political and diplomatic scene is a personal victory for Steiner and a good opportunity to remain in the arena [the Balkans] in which the engagement of the international community continues to be huge.
On the other hand, several Balkans experts assessed Steiner's appointment as an astute move by the United Nations Secretary General, because Steiner has twelve-years of experience in the region and managed to get inside the head of Balkans politicos.
In order to show the variety of reactions to Steiner's appointment, Koha Ditore also pointed to a report by one of the top journalists of the German newspaper, Suddeutsche Zeitung. "And if the journalist is from Berlin, then one cannot expect anything other than a report that deals with things that characterize political life in the German capitol: intrigue, half-improvised quotes and, in most cases, cynicism toward the politicians. Nonetheless, the text published in Suddeutsche Zeitung creates the impression that even the author didn't know what to say about Steiner, despite his doubts and uncertainties. In fact, the journalist argued that it was not the Caviar Affair that made Steiner hand in his resignation, but instead some earlier mistakes," added Koha Ditore.
Koha Ditore also added that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had congratulated Steiner and expressed his belief that he would do a good job in Kosovo. Schroeder also said that Kofi Annan's decision to appoint Steiner as the top international official in Kosovo was also recognition of Germany and its roll in the Balkans.
3. Solana to set up deadline for election of Kosovo President
Referring to statements made by UNMIK officials in Prishtina, Zëri
reports that during his visit to Kosovo, EU senior official Javier Solana
would establish a "deadline" for the election of the President
of Kosovo and the creation of other institutions of government.
UNMIK officials also added that Solana would meet with Acting SRSG Charles
Brayshaw, COMKFOR Marcel Valentin, OSCE Head of Mission Pascal Fieschi,
the leaders of the three main political parties in Kosovo, the representative
of the Kosovo Serbs, and with Kosovo Assembly Chairman Nexhat Daci.
4. Manuel: Steiner to take up
duties in early February
Quoting UNMiK spokeswoman Susan Manuel, Koha Ditore reports that
the new UNMIK Chief Michael Steiner will take up his duties in Kosovo
at the beginning of February. Manuel said that before coming to Kosovo
Steiner would go to New York to meet with senior UN officials.
5. Steiner's interviews for DPA
and Dresdner Neueste Nachricten
The new UNMiK chief administrator Michael Steiner told the German news
agency DPA on Wednesday that the future of Kosovo required strong
relations with Europe, and he pointed to the return of Serb and Roma refugees
to Kosovo as one of the highest priorities, Zëri reports.
"The engagement of the international community within the frameworks of the European Union and the Stability Pact tends to open up new perspectives for southeastern Europe, while gradually leading it toward euro-Atlantic institutions," Steiner was quoted as saying.
Commenting on current political events in Kosovo, Steiner said that the "battle" between the Albanian political leaders, which has blocked the establishment of Kosovo's government, proves that the parties have a lot to learn about democratic principles and the will to reach compromises. "I believe that the political parties in Kosovo still have deficiencies, and that they should undergo a certain process of training. The Kosovar political leaders should know that obstructions in setting up the government hurt Kosovars the most," Steiner said.
In closing, the recently-appointed Kosovo chief administrator expressed concern over the two latest acts of violence in Kosovo, in which an assembly member was shot dead and a member of the Kosovo Protection Corps was seriously wounded. "I don't want to be alarmed about an increasing instability, however the recent acts of violence increase concern and outline the necessity of creating rule of law structures which include decisive efforts against crime," he added.
On the same page, Zëri also carried an interview Steiner gave to the Dresdner Neueste Zeitung.
Commenting on the differences between the international mission in Sarajevo and the one in Kosovo, Steiner was quoted as saying, "The mission in Bosnia had a different construction. It had a unique mandate and it was the last point of a negotiated peace solution that ended a long war. In Kosovo, we have a mission in accordance with UN SC Resolution 1244, with powerful rights of intervention. My predecessors were forced to govern Kosovo practically as an enlightened monarchy. This has changed since the elections. Now the competencies have to be transferred onto the elected representatives in Kosovo. However, they must first get on with their work and form the government."
Asked about his opinion of the current situation in Kosovo, Steiner said that unfortunate things are still happening. "However, the situation has to be compared with the one immediately after the war. Then one can see the noticeable progress achieved by Kouchner and Haekkerup," said Steiner.
6. Parties in conflict in Shtërpce to enter talks today
Koha Ditore reports on page two that after the recent violence and protests by both Albanians and Serbs in Shtërpce, the situation has calmed down and talks between the two parties mediated by UNMIK have been announced. On Thursday, KFOR deployed additional troops in the area, while the crowds of both communities peacefully left the site, thus accepting dialogue as a way out of the current crisis in the municipality. A meeting between the two communities will be held on Friday at 10.00 hours in Shtërpce, chaired by municipal administrator Charles Meffier. There will be another meeting between the two parties at US Camp Bondsteel, the paper added.
On the same page, the paper carries another report from Shtërpce claiming that the Albanian protest leaders decided to remove the blockade and had put forward certain conditions. The report also carries the statement of the Shtërpce Municipal Council which demanded the arrest of all war criminals and the perpetrators of the 22nd January turmoil, the creation of security conditions, the dismantling of the Serb parallel administration and the inclusion of Albanian officers in the police force in Shtërpce. Municipal Council chairman Bahri Hyseni also told the council members that he had talked to Kosovo Assembly chairman Nexhat Daci who might visit Shtërpce in the next few days.
7. Have there been changes in the border between Kosovo and Macedonia?
Following an agreement between the Serbian and Macedonian governments, approximately 400 acres of socially owned and privately held land in the villages of Dobëllde and Mjak within the territory of Kosovo are now considered the property of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Koha Ditore reports.
After the agreement, adds the paper, the residents of the village Mjak fled their homes fearing conflict in the area. Residents of both villages expressed concern about their property, despite the fact that KFOR, UNMIK, and municipal structures promise that the border between Kosovo and Macedonia would not change.
"Before the war, our village numbered 78 houses, however only 38 houses remained after the agreement was signed. We used to make our living from agriculture and farming but now we have lost our land," a resident of Dobëllde told Koha Ditore. "If our land is not returned to us, I fear that the entire village will flee. UNMIK and KFOR claim that the borders cannot be changed, whereas it has already been changed."
The paper added that former UNMIK chief Hans Haekkerup and KFOR officials had reiterated several times that the border between Kosovo and Macedonia could not be changed. Before departing from Kosovo, Haekkerup wrote several letters to the Viti Municipal Assembly in order to give assurances that Kosovo's territory would remain untouched, regardless of agreements between neighboring countries. In his last letter, Haekkerup told the municipality's leading officials that no country was authorized to change Kosovo's territory through an agreement with another state. "Kosovo's territory will have the same borderline as decided on June 10, 1999. Kosovo's territory cannot be administered by any other country, as long as the United Nations Security Council authorizes a political solution for Kosovo," Haekkerup wrote.
Samet Dalipi, chairman of the Viti Municipal Assembly, told the paper that he had already informed the highest authorities in Kosovo regarding the changes to the borderline. Dalipi said that the US Office in Prishtina informed him that certain properties now belonged to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. "UNMIK also informed me that the borderline between Kosovo and Macedonia had been changed in accordance with an agreement between the Macedonian and Serbian governments. However, they gave me no further details," he added.
Dalipi was also quoted as saying that during a meeting with former administrator Haekkerup and his deputy Tom Koenigs he was told that the issue was up to the governments that had signed the agreement.
8. Kosovo Supreme Court upholds
Sabit Geci's sentence
The court panel chaired by the International Judge Vagn Joensen has upheld
the sentence of five years and six months handed down to Sabit Geci, thus
denying the appeal lodged by Geci's lawyer, Koha Ditore reports.
The paper noted that Geci and another two men had been tried in April
2001 for endangering security and damaging the property of others through
extortion.
9. Belgrade fabricates training camps for Albanian extremists
Milovan Coguric, a senior official of the Serbian Ministry of Defense, said that there were worrying signs of increased activity of Albanian extremists in southern Serbia, Zëri reports. During an interview for Agence France Presse, Coguric was quoted as saying that training camps for Albanian terrorists were located in eastern Kosovo. He cited locations in Upper and Lower Karaçevë, Sedllarë and Hodonoc, all of which are located near Kamenica.
On the other hand, COMKFOR Marcel Valentin said that he could not confirm Coguric's claims, and added that his soldiers had not spotted any such activities.
The paper added that the area mentioned by Coguric was secured by American and Russian KFOR troops and was under strict control.
Shaip Surdulli, chairman of the Kamenica Municipal Assembly, told Zëri that there is absolutely nothing true in Coguric's statements. "We all know that in the Kamenica area, especially along the boundary with Serbia is under the strict control of KFOR soldiers. This statement is a continuation of Serb speculations which tend to dim Kosovo's image in the eyes of the international community," said Surdulli.
A former member of the general staff of the now-disbanded Liberation Army for Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja (UCPMB) refuted the existence of such camps within Kosovo's territory. The former military leader, who preferred to remain anonymous, also told Zëri that such statements by Serbian officials were no surprise given the fact that the Serbian government makes such "discoveries" every month. "We have laid down our arms and now we are committed to solve the problems through political means," he concluded.
10. KPC Zone Two reacts against sentencing of senior officer Saramati
The Second Zone of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) has qualified the sentencing of its senior officer Ruzhdi Saramati as a tendentious and rigged trial, Zëri reports.
In a reaction issued by its press office, the Second Zone expressed the deep outrage of its staff regarding the five-year sentence of Saramati. "The arrest was arbitrary and it could be clearly seen during the six sessions that the trail was rigged. Ever since his arrest, Saramati had been detained in the US military camp Bondsteel according to an executive order which violates the laws of the European Convention of Human Rights and Freedoms," noted the reaction.
According to the reaction, "the proofs put forward by the international judge and the sentence announced by the Prishtina District Court are not without basis and arguments are in opposition to the righteous fight for freedom that was supported by the international community. "The Second Zone of the KPC demands the repeal of the verdict so that Saramati can return to his family and work," concluded the reaction.