United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Press Conference, 06 March 2002

SRSG Michael Steiner
UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel

SRSG Michael Steiner

Good to see you again.

I don’t know why you are so interested just because I had a lunch….Not bad.

So, I just had an open and frank discussion with Dr. Covic. As this was our first meeting naturally we talked about the principles of cooperation between UNMIK and Belgrade. And here, you know, the rules of the game are very clear. Pristina is not Belgrade; Belgrade is not Pristina. I will not mix into the Belgrade affairs and Belgrade will not mix in Pristina’s affairs.

At the same time, as you know, Kosovo is not an island in the ocean. This means that we have to talk and that we will have to raise and solve in the future a number of practical issues. This is why we need to talk with Belgrade.

I informed Mr. Covic about the recent political developments here in Kosovo, the encouraging developments. You will not be surprised that he already heard about these developments, so I didn’t give him the information from the scratch.

And in this context I welcomed that already on 28 February, remember this is one day after the famous dinner we had, he said on RTS and I quote him “ that he was encouraged by the Agreement which guaranteed an equal approach to all communities in Kosovo and that Povratak expected at least one ministerial post in the future Government of Kosovo.”

However, at the same time we agreed that there couldn’t in the past and cannot be in the future, parallel structures here in Kosovo, and you know, and I said it already several times since I arrived here, this is for me the Red Line concerning the cooperation.

So in short this meeting was about establishing the ground rules for our future cooperation; and for me of course the Bible in this context is the Security Council’s Resolution 1244.

I thank you.

Questions:

Q: Mr Steiner, did you talk about Kosovo Government? Can Coalition Povratak expect more then one ministry and were they any new requests from Belgrade when we talk about the Government?

SRSG: No, I talked about the rules of the game before. Now this was an office call of Dr. Covic from Belgrade. What concerns the governmental institutions, this is something we do here in Kosovo and of course I want the Serb community in Parliament to be represented, and they have the right to that according to the Constitutional Framework, but that is an issue I will take up directly with Povratak.

And let me say in this context, so there is no misunderstanding, that I think we will in the end solve this problem and will in the end have participation from the Serb community in the Government.

Q: Mr. Steiner, you said you will not mix in the Belgrade affairs and vice versa, that Belgrade should not mix in the Pristina affairs. But Dr. Covic has made serious accusations about Kosovo’s new Prime Minster, Mr. Bajram Rexhepi, that he is a criminal. How serious did you take these accusations and is there an investigation on Kosovo side concerning this?

SRSG: I have received material but I have seen nothing to substantiate the allegations one could read in the press.

Q: What sort of materials, are these witness statements or…?

SRSG: We don’t have material, and the competent organs have looked into things we have received. We don’t have material which in any way substantiates allegations that Dr. Rexhepi is involved in crimes as allegations reported in the press might suggest.

Q: Mr. Steiner, do you think that Mr. Covic should be responsible for the allegations made against the Prime Minister of Kosovo?

SRSG: He has not made allegations to me.

Q: You said you will not tolerate the parallel structures in Kosovo. Do you consider Mr. Covic’s Coordination Centre to be a parallel structure in Kosovo and what are other parallel structures here?

SRSG: No, you know that under 1244, UNMIK is supposed to be present in whole of Kosovo. This is also true for the North; this is also true for Mitrovica. You know that UNMIK is working on that. For us the line is clear. Regarding the Coordination Centre, this is something which is based in Belgrade; it is fine to have a coordination centre. I am just saying that the authority cannot be duplicated here in Kosovo. There is one authority, of course we have this new situation that happily we have a government here, but in essence we cannot have other structures which replace or duplicate the structures created under 1244.

Q: From the letters that you have received and also from the information that appeared in the press, it seems that there is a great dispute within Povratak Coalition. How difficult is it then going to be to put on board and to announce a seat as a minister in Kosovo Government?

SRSG: I must tell you that since I am here I have been confronted with not so easy questions. So as you know even very difficult questions have been solved in the past thanks to the readiness also of the respective leaders to find a solution and I think we will also find a solution to the issues you have mentioned.

Q: Did you talk with Mr. Covic about Kosovo prisoners in Serbia?

SRSG: We are working on this issue and you know my position.

Q: Did you talk with Mr. Covic about the border – this agreement between Serbia and Macedonia?

SRSG: No, I didn’t talk about this issue, and you know what UNMIK’s position on this issue is. The Security Council has made a statement last March. The Security Council has spoken on this issue and I will not comment this issue.

Thank you very much.

SM: Thank you very much everybody. Thank you Mr. Steiner.