Media Analysis 1 October 2003

• Holkeri: I will head delegation from Pristina on October 14th (all dailies)
  
• Cox: Talks, an opportunity to prove abilities (Koha Ditore)
  
• Editorial: Kosovo Assembly to choose: consensus or chaos (Zëri)
  
• Surroi: Auto pilot (Koha Ditore)
  
• Shala: The true nature of talks (Zëri)
  
• Miftari: On House Watchers and other watchers (Koha Ditore)
  
• Editorial: No consensus, no dialogue (Kosova Sot)
  
• Rexhepi: KTA Board's tolerance (Koha Ditore)
  
• Police and courts present problem for KEK (Koha Ditore)
  
• KTA asks 130 million euros from the budget (Koha Ditore)

Belgrade Media Update

• Holkeri confirms launch of Belgrade/Pristina dialogue on October 14
  
• Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly held session on Kosovo
  
• Serbian Ministry of Interior warns of possible terrorist attacks
  
• Labus says creation of a Serb entity solution for Kosovo

Holkeri: I will head delegation from Pristina on October 14th (all dailies)
All dailies quoted SRSG Harri Holkeri as saying that officials from Kosovo and Serbia would discuss practical issues of mutual interest on 14th of October in Vienna.

Koha Ditore reported that SRSG Holkeri proved to be very committed on Tuesday when he stated that the date of talks could not be postponed and that politicians should not be involved in a circus.

Koha Ditore also quoted Holkeri as saying, 'I am going to head the delegation from Pristina on 14th October.'

Commenting on the request of Kosovar leaders for the transfer of competencies, Holkeri said that the issue was not related to the dialogue with Belgrade. 'The transfer of competencies is a separate issue; however, we are working all the time. I have received a letter from the prime minister, we have had several discussions and we will continue… There are competencies that can be easily transferred, not many of them have remained; however, there are some reserved areas, chapter eight, which is not so easy. I cannot violate the position of the Security Council; we cannot enter that area, but we can assist in several other issues so that the government and the prime minister are with us when we move ahead. We have special plans about the exchange of information between my office and the office of the prime minister. We have to wait and see what practical arrangements can be made. I waiting for advice from my legal office,' Holkeri added.

Koha claimed that unlike the two first issues, Holkeri proved to be more agreeable in the latest request made by Kosovo Assembly speaker Nexhat Daci for the assembly to verify any eventual agreement with Belgrade. 'Certainly this is going to depend on the agreement that we are going to have and the results, if the result is with in the competency of the government that the latter will certainly be the one to sign it,' Holkeri said.

'There are issues of representation and other similar things, and important issues that I fully understand, feelings on both sides, but everyone is very committed. I believe that it is now my responsibility to do the organize, to meet, talk and start working,' Holkeri said. 'As a politician I would like to say one thing that serious politicians do not get involved in tricks, tricks belong to the circus and not to the serious business in which we are trying to resolve the problems of ordinary people.'

Cox: Talks, an opportunity to prove abilities (Koha Ditore)
'I hope that the Kosovo Assembly will give the mandate to the government to enter the dialogue with Belgrade, since it is time to show that Kosovar political leaders have the courage, abilities and aim to emerge onto the international scene,' said chairman of the European Union Parliament Pat Cox after a meeting with Kosovo chief administrator Harri Holkeri in Pristina yesterday.

'Talks with Belgrade will present the most important political moment for Kosovo's legitimate leaders to prove that they have the courage and skills to speak in the name of the people and show that they can cooperate with neighboring countries despite the difficult past,' said Cox.
Koha Ditore reports that after meeting SRSG Holkeri, Cox also met with President Ibrahim Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, assembly speaker Nexhat Daci, Milorad Todorovic and assembly presidency member, Oliver Ivanovic.

After meeting President Rugova, Cox said that upcoming talks between Prishtina and Belgrade had an important place in the agenda of the European Parliament.

Rugova didn't comment on the upcoming talks, but promised Cox that he would engage in building good relations with all regional countries. 'I hope Kosovo will one day have its own representatives at the European Parliament,' Rugova added.

Prime Minister Rexhepi reportedly briefed Cox 'on the options and skepticism of the Kosovo Government for talks between Prishtina and Belgrade due to lack of competencies'.

Editorial: Kosovo Assembly to choose: consensus or chaos (Zëri)
An op-ed piece by the editorial section of Zëri suggested that 'the decision for talks with Belgrade should not be a result of an ordinary voting process, with the majority and minority in the Kosovo Assembly, but a consequence of a consensus built by LDK, PDK and AAK'.

A day before the Kosovo Assembly session which would decide on the eventual participation in talks with Serbian representatives which according to UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri are expected to commence on 14th October in Vienna, no Kosovar officials seems to know the assembly procedure on this highly sensitive issue. Bearing in mind the efforts of the coalition government and the predictable difficulties that are related to dialogue, there should be no dilemmas that the decision for talks shouldn't be a result of an ordinary voting process. We say this because the public statements of important Albanian politicians on Tuesday have left room for the possibility that if the three main political parties (LDK, PDK and AAK) don't reach consensus, the members of the Kosovo Assembly would then decide on the issue of talks.

Regardless of the results of the voting process, even if the majority votes for a certain position, the consequences of this result are going to be very grave and easily predictable. Imagine a voting process where the members of one of the three parties oppose the dialogue. When it is known that that party has its ministers in Prime Minister Rexhepi's government and that they can be forced to enter dialogue on practical issues, how can they possibly participate in the talks that were opposed by their party? If they oppose the dialogue, how can this problem be overcome at the government which is based on the consensual agreement among the three political parties?

The decision through the voting in the assembly could shake the government and weaken local institutions, which are expected to enter the most delicate phase in the process of taking over competencies from the international administration.

There are certain issues, such as the dialogue, which would be addressed by political consensus if there were no coalition government. All Kosovar officials lose and win in this case. The politicians who believe that they could gain political points in the 2004 elections from their current positions are terribly wrong.

After all, there have been cases in the past, when our main political parties have demonstrated the ability to fully cooperate and create a joint position. We believe that it is still not too late to reach such an agreement on the issue of the dialogue. If something like this doesn't happen, if there is no well-prepared scenario for the assembly session, we will witness the live coverage of a political mess and the major failure of the local authority to address the issue of the dialogue.

Surroi: Auto pilot (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carried an opinion piece by publisher Veton Surroi who writes, 'in order for things not to remain unclear, I wish for negotiations to commence in Vienna on October 14th, and that the Prime Minister and President of Kosovo, and their counterparts from Belgrade participate in the initial meeting'.

An important Kosovar politician has recently complained in Brussels that I have personally become one of the key obstacles in the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade. Set aside the compliment that a single column can have positive or negative influence on the political mood, I must publicly say that I am not against the upcoming 'dialogue', or negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade. I am against the naivety of the approach of Kosovars and a part of the international community. I am against the belief, which has spread so much among our current political actors, that everything has to start from the scratch, and that previous experience cannot serve for anything, be it even as a memory.

Ten years ago, it was we Kosovars who offered 'talks on practical issues' to Belgrade. In fact we were engaged together with the international community, which was represented by Lord Owen and former Secretary of State Vance, to convince Milosevic to start the negotiating process. Our goals, who were insisting on such an approach were numerous. First for Kosovo to become a negotiating party through its representatives of 'alternative politics' or the 'Republic of Kosovo'. Second, international mediators to be involved in the process of negotiations, and they could have created tools to pressure Milosevic's regime. Third, if Serbia would not accept the offer of dialogue, it would be clearly seen that Serbia was against a peaceful solution.

Ten years later, with a total lack of initiative in Kosovar politics, roles have changed. Now Serbia is offering a dialogue, and Kosovars are spending their time by throwing the ball at each other, and the international community is in a phase when it must apply pressure on Kosovar representatives.

Ten years ago, we were trying to build a suitable position on the status issue through 'practical issues'. Ten years later, Serbia, which still controls one part of Kosovo, has the opportunity to use 'practical issues' to gain advantage on the issue of status.

If Kosovo were an airplane in the last four years, the best description for it would be that it is being controlled by an auto pilot. This means that the pilot and copilot of flesh and blood are not behind the wheel, but there is a machine that navigates the aircraft based on previously made mathematical calculations.

This is the way Kosovar politicians are entering the dialogue. They have no initiative; they don't know what they have to say, apart from asking for support from each other.

The international mediators are in no better position. The dialogue for them is also navigating in unknown territory. For them too dialogue is on auto pilot, but their advantage is that they are not on the plane.

And for us, the passengers, the dialogue is commencing the way it shouldn't, with humility. Kosovo is entering talks on practical issues with Belgrade, without explaining in principle any of the three basic fields of conflict between Kosovo and Serbia. In recent past when Serbia as a state waged a policy of genocide against Kosovo. The field of the present time when Serbia as a country continues to wage a policy of conflict by controlling the Serb minority. And the field of the future, where Kosovo and Serbia's positions are diametrically opposite.

These three fields require mutual principles, between Kosovo and Serbia, with the assistance of the international community. Principles are not necessarily solutions, they are positions adopted by both parties that facilitate the process of finding solutions and also facilitate the task of mediation. Instead of the list of principles, Kosovo is being offered the list of practical topics, as if this was about two countries that were involved in a minor incident, and are now reestablishing their relations.

Preparations for negotiations have already reached the phase where it would be counter-productive to impede them. If nothing else, this negotiation phase between Prishtina and Belgrade could bring about two basic deficiencies that need to be corrected.

On the one hand, the lack of a negotiation context, for which the international community is responsible, and it is treating this issue just for the sake of it. In time, the negotiating process is going to teach the mediators where they must intervene in the future in order to make things better.

On the other hand, the lack of seriousness in the Kosovar side. It is difficult to call the government serious (and sometimes even to call it a government because on numerous occasions ministries function separately) if it constantly tries to get instructions from outside. It is difficult to call the assembly serious (and sometimes even to call it a functioning assembly, because in the name of 120 assembly members with different opinions there is always the assembly speaker with his individual opinion) if its most serious law is the Law on Seeds.

In order for things not to remain unclear, I wish for negotiations to commence in Vienna on October 14th, and that the Prime Minister and President of Kosovo, and their counterparts from Belgrade participate in the initial meeting.

If for nothing else, I wish they would be symbols of responsibility instead of the auto pilot.

Shala: The true nature of talks (Zëri)
Zëri-editor Blerim Shala wrote that the Kosovo chief administrator Harri Holkeri announced the date of the first meeting between Kosovar and Serbian/Montenegrin representatives.

The leading authorities from Prishtina and Belgrade are expected to meet in Vienna on October 14th, in the presence of highest-ranking officials of EU, NATO and the diplomatic representatives of the leading western countries. Holkeri foresees that the first meeting is going to be very brief and more symbolic, and that the real work would follow later when experts of both sides address concrete problems.

Based on his public statements one cannot have the impression that Holkeri has realized how delicate the decision is for Kosovar officials to go to these talks. It is not clear to us whether this is a result of Holkeri ignoring Kosovar officials, or could it be related to the lack of cohesion among Kosovar entities.

For example, during the press briefing Holkeri did not hesitate to say that the issue of competencies (for local authorities) is separate from the issue of dialogue, and this in itself is not according to the logic of developments in Kosovo. If Holkeri's basic idea is to have talks between Prishtina and Belgrade on practical issues, it is very natural for Kosovar officials to ask for more responsibilities and obligations for addressing the problems that will be presented in the dialogue.

Vice versa, if the Kosovar side does not follow Holkeri and UNMIK officials in talks, then the character of the talks is going to change and our officials cannot be held responsible for the success or failure of the dialogue.

Miftari: On House Watchers and other watchers (Koha Ditore)
In an opinion piece for Koha Ditore, columnist Naser Miftari wrote:

I recently laughed when I heard an UNMIK spokesperson trying to point out the difference between the Bridge Watchers and some kind of watchers that have emerged in northern Mitrovica, the House Watchers.

With the outrage that keeps people in this part of the Mitrovica bridge waiting for four years now, an Albanian forced this spokesperson to say whether the people who were guarding the houses bought by the Serbian Government, are in fact the Bridge Watchers. And the latter, without hesitation replied: No. They are house watchers!

I would say this was a naïve reply in an environment where people go to sleep and wake up every morning with the feeling of fear. But it was also an inappropriate question. Albanians don't care if they are watchers of flies or even rain watchers and this doesn't change the perception of Albanians about the danger posed to them if they decide to return. And this fear of Albanians doesn't date from four years ago, it goes back 10 years when Albanians made a movie about watchers, only that they called it 'The Mist Watchers'.

'The only difference between Bridge Watchers and House Watchers is that the latter are probably paid in euros, while the first are paid in Yugoslav Dinars,' a person said humorously on Sunday.

The truth is that regardless of their job descriptions, the watchers are not allowing people from both sides to return to their homes and the message that they are conveying is that of fear. The fear that if you go back to an environment with a Serb majority you are going to get killed by the watchers, be it the bridge watchers or the house watchers, and the fear that if you return to an environment with an Albanian majority you are going to get killed by similar Albanian watchers.

The issue of security is going to be an extremely important element in upcoming Albanian-Serb talks. There are going to be various versions on how to offer security from both sides. There could even be attempts to legalize these watchers. This would certainly serve as a good prelude to war, and certainly not to solve the issue of security.

Both Albanians and Serbs recall the ideal of security from Tito's era, when bandits and criminals were executed on the spot and were allowed to perform their activities with the sole condition of not committing any evil against the people, and our people could find their bags and clothes on the beach whenever they came back from swimming, and they also found their newspapers, bread and milk on their doorstep every morning. Our children were free to go wherever they pleased, without time limitations and without the slightest sense of fear that someone might kill, rob or rape them.

However, this feeling of security passed away with the fall of communism. Furthermore, apart from the war and the killing campaigns launched by Serbia in Kosovo in 1998/1999, the last 23 years in the region have led to a lack of security for everyone, be they Albanians, Serbs or someone else. Milosevic's regime has burned down even the potential areas where Albanians, Serbs and others could have built something together, be it for security or something else.

And what is being offered to Serbs today by the Albanian majority is the will to provide security. In the first postwar days, this will was equal to zero. But in the last four years it has grown a lot. Whereas Serbs, on the other hand, haven't even voiced willingness to provide security to Albanians. The Serbs will continue to keep the watchers, whatever they might be. Before going to talks, Belgrade should do its part of the job, remove these illegal watchers to prove that it is at least being honest when it claims that the security situation in Kosovo must be improved.

Editorial: No consensus, no dialogue (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot commented on the beginning of the dialogue between Albanians and Serbs and the position of the Kosovar institutions.

It is very clear, there is no consensus between Kosovo Albanian politicians regarding the issue of dialogue. Does this mean that Kosovars will not be in Vienna on October 14? It is difficult to say things one way or the other. While under international pressure, the locals, at least a part of them, could give up as they did before. Considering that in the Vienna meeting the Serbian leaders are due to participate, it is understandable who will participate from Kosovo. Based on the demands from Kosovars for equality in the dialogue, it is not difficult to understand that the president and the prime minister could be part of delegation chaired by SRSG Harri Holkeri. Now the time to review the situation is very short and there is lack of consensus between Albanian politicians. As things are moving now, it seems that the involvement of the Kosovars in the dialogue is being forced by the international community. If the parliamentary groups have no consensus, then there is no need for the assembly to have meetings and why should the prime minister and the government be there. The situation resembles the time when our leaders were not agreeing on the creation of the government and it intervention by the international community was necessary. Therefore, what is not being done so far, will not happen in the next fourteen days. Holkeri already has positive answers from Belgrade but not from the Kosovars. The risk that this dialogue may fail is very great. The Serbian authorities have never apologized for the tragedy that they caused in Kosovo and also never contributed to build peace and create the self-government institutions. On the contrary, they used all the means possible to impede UNMIK and the work of Kosovo's lawful institutions. So, such a dialogue even with the neighbors couldn't begin. First, there should be public apologies from the Serbian leadership to the Albanian people and later the dialogue should begin. Perhaps, Holkeri who know the Balkans so well, this situation is not important, but in fact his intensive work could become a hostage to it.

Rexhepi: KTA Board's tolerance (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore commented on the problems faced during the first rounds of privatization.

Those who purchased Rugova Hotel in Peja, the brick factory in Kaçanik and a part of the Farmakos Company have backed out from their decision. The same thing happened before with the person who purchased the brick factory in Skenderaj. Nothing extraordinary, apart from losing €2,500 that bidders deposited at the beginning of the process.

But the problem begins to get complicated when KTA begins to negotiate with the second bidder or when it re-announces the tender. These are the KTA Board's options.

In the Skenderaj case, the KTA Board decided to issue another tender for the brick factory because the difference between the first and second bid was €1,500,000, while in the case of the three enterprises mentioned earlier in which the winning bidders have backed out, the KTA is planning to begin negotiations with the second bidders. If the KTA accepts this option, the prices of the enterprises will be very low. So, Farmakos will be cheaper by €700,000 like the Rugova hotel, while Silcapor will be 'lighter' by €1,500,000.

If this plan is implemented, the KTA will have in its account three million euros less. Workers have the right to react because of the huge difference between the first and the second bids. They want to tenders for these enterprises again. Further more, it is being said that different bidders have been working in tandem, which would damage the whole process. And if it is acknowledged that bidders have agreed on something, the tender must be cancelled.

In order not to delay the whole thing, perhaps it is not bad if KTA raises the criteria for bidding, at least to increase the level of deposit. If this is the case, tender participants will become more serious, while the 'lost deposit' would be very high.

Also, the union is right when it says not to open bids if there are only two bidders. The aim is to keep the secrecy. We will mention the case of the tobacco industry when two offers were opened publicly. The best offer was €581,000 but the KTA Board refused it for low price of cigarettes manufactured. Opening the offer revealed the price of this enterprise. In the next tenders, bidders will not offer higher prices.

The last problem identified recently in the privatization process is the payment deadline, is it ten days or more? We should understand why the KTA Board is tolerant in its deadlines. They are aware that purchasers have no cash; therefore there are delays in meeting these deadlines. However, what is written in the KTA documents is a rule, which must be respected. If this does not happen, it means that the regulation is being infringed. If the KTA Board doesn't want to be blamed, it should change its operational polices, or it should demand strict implementation of its regulation. Even Mr. Mendricki, in one case, said that this document is not a holy book. It is not even law. It can be changed depending on the circumstances.

The first two rounds of privatization have identified problems and difficulties. If the KTA Board finds mechanisms to overcome it, it would be very easy in the future. Particularly when it is known that privatization will last until June 2005, when it is planned to sell all five hundred socially owned enterprises.

Police and courts present problem for KEK (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported that KEK is demanding €114,000,000 and also support of the institutions. KEK is having troubles with the police, courts and the lack of law on energy. KEK has no support, said its financial manager Visar Kelemendi at the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce meeting.

'We don't have support either from the police or the courts. We had disconnected our consumers, but they are connected again. Every illegal connection in the electrical network is a penal act,' Kelmendi said. He added that this game is becoming painful because they were loosing self-confidence while consumers are gaining confidence that KEK wasn't able to do anything to them.

Questioned at the meeting about the KEK management, he stressed that the problem is not with the managers, but with the institutions and consumers as well. 'I don't know who would pay debts of the privatized enterprises which are € 8,500,000,' Kelmendi said.

The chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Ismail Kastarti questioned KEK officials about hundreds of millions of euro donations invested in the KEK. 'KEK has used € 670,000,000 while its effects are unknown,' he said.

The KEK Financial Manager said that he had no access to investments. 'We have received only € 180,00,000 donations and everything can be seen in our books,' Kelmendi said.

KTA asks 130 million euros from the budget (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore claims that the Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) has 'gone too far' by asking for 130 million euros from the Consolidated Budget of Kosovo. But this request was declined by the Budget Committee, which set the budget for 2004 and allocated only €14,000,000 to KTA. The total of Kosovo budget is foreseen to be €619,000,000 while the demands were €787,000,000.

The request of the KTA received harsh reactions from the local members of the committee, especially Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, ministers Sadriu, Jakupi, Morina and the chairman of the assembly budget committee, Haki Shatri, reported Koha Ditore.

'The KTA demands for such amounts of money is irrational. However, the difficulty in this institution is not that it requires so much money but that it has so much bureaucracy and its legislation. People in this institution, like Mr. Mendricki have no courage to face complaints and leave work half done. I have demanded from SRSG Holkeri to revoke three laws according to which the KTA operates,' Prime Minister Rexhepi said. He urged re-orientation of KTA's role in order that this institution not decide things on its own. 'The KTA should be re-oriented because it cannot become stronger than the government They will not get the required money. We don't know how much we will benefit from the privatization and the KTA could benefit more from Kosovo's budget than from the purchase of the enterprises,' he said.

The Kosovo budget assets cannot be invested in socially owned enterprises before privatization because it will go into the tender and it is not known to whom would this belong to, Rexhepi said.

The paper carried a box item also which said that Rexhepi called KEK a dinosaurs. 'KEK is a dinosaur that just wants money. We reach an agreement with the World Bank and the IMF not to invest in public enterprises although we gave €24,000,000 for KEK,' Rexhepi said after the comments that EFC [Economic and Fiscal Council] secretary Mike Ives made for KEK.

The Minister of Industry and Trade Ali Jakupi also criticized the KTA demand, while the chair of the Kosovo budget committee Haki Shatri said that the KTA demand will not get approval from the deputies.

'The Assembly has invited KTA officials three times to report on the privatization process but they have failed to do so,' he said.

Koha Ditore further reported that the money allocated to each ministry and local institution. The paper concluded that after the approval by the SSRG, the budget is due to be approved by the Assembly on November 1.

Belgrade Media Update

Holkeri confirms launch of Belgrade/Pristina dialogue on October 14
UNMIK Chief Harri Holkeri announced yesterday in Pristina that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue on the technical issues would commence on 14 October in Vienna. He underlined that Belgrade was ready for a constructive dialogue and commented that "the beginning of the dialogue is the beginning of the fulfillment of the standards that are more important from bringing the decision on the province's status, and the dialogue will be on the practical issues, very important for the life of the people in Kosovo." Holkeri said that the leadership of the temporary Kosovo institutions supports the dialogue in principle and expressed his "sincere hope" that the "Kosovar leaders will hear my call and participate in this effort to fulfill one of the benchmarks of which dialogue is an essential part." The Kosovo Assembly is due to decide on Thursday and at the request of the Kosovo government, whether and under which conditions Pristina will take part in the talks in Vienna. Oliver Ivanovic, MP of the Serb coalition Povratak in the Kosovo Assembly, said that the Serb representative in the Pristina delegation would be named upon the debate in the Kosovo Assembly and after the delegations from Belgrade and Pristina are formed. Serbian D/PM and Head of the Coordination Center for Kosovo Nebojsa Covic said that not all the parameters for the initial Belgrade-Pristina dialogue were completely defined, pointing out that Belgrade could talk at any level, republican or that of the State Union, but that one should bear in mind that Serbs were not going for talks with another state. In a statement issued upon Covic's meeting with Kosovo Serb representatives in Belgrade yesterday, it is stressed that the problem of the return of Serbs and non-Albanians to Kosovo with clear and time-limited plans to implement the return process must be raised at once in the Vienna talks.

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly held session on Kosovo
The Council of Europe (CoE) Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg held a debate on the situation in Kosovo under urgent procedure initiated by the Serbia and Montenegro (SaM) delegation with view to discuss the lack of respect for the human rights of Serbs and members of other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo. The debate was opened by SaM Parliament Speaker and delegation chief Dragoljub Micunovic who called on the international community to take "energetic and decisive steps toward the full and consistent implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the speedier return of the displaced, the creation of better security conditions and freedom of movement for all ethnic communities". He warned that Kosovo's future could not be built on the results of ethnic cleansing and the criminalization of its society. Micunovic later on commented that "for the first time we got full support from almost all MP groups in the Council of Europe and, except for the dissonant voice from Albania, they all accepted my speech whose main point was that the current state of human rights in Kosovo is below the level that Europe and the civilized world can tolerate." He added that the legal committee will name rapporteurs for Kosovo and that a succession of debates in CoE committees would result in a resolution on Kosovo that would be binding for all CoE members if voted. CoE General Secretary Walter Schwimmer said that the CoE's stand on Kosovo is in harmony with Resolution 1244 and that the CoE will neither take a stand for or against the independence of Kosovo, nor do nothing against the SCG, or "against the people of Kosovo".

Serbian Ministry of Interior warns of possible terrorist attacks
The Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) issued a statement saying that it has stepped up security measures in accordance with its powers, as it disposes of operational findings that the illegal Albanian National Army (ANA) is planning terrorist attacks in southern Serbia and in Kosovo just before the beginning of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. According to the MUP, the terrorist organization ANA intends to set explosive devices in places where ethnic Albanians gather, including schools, in order to create a massacre which would then be blamed on Serbs. It further claims that ANA is planning to use its own people and Serb criminals. In a letter sent to Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) President Svetozar Marovic, Serbian D/PM Nebojsa Covic expresses his concern about the fact that southern Serbia, where ANA is active, would be "left in charge of inadequately trained people and the security of the country will be jeopardized if we send our best special troops to Afghanistan."

Labus says creation of a Serb entity solution for Kosovo
The former FRY D/PM and current leader of the G17 Plus party Miroljub Labus declared to the Vienna daily Der Standard that the security for the Serbs in Kosovo could only be achieved by creating a Serb entity that would have the power to decide on the issues of police, health care and education. He said that UNMIK had failed to secure "sufficient security" and urged the decentralization of Kosovo. Labus further commented that he is prepared to make more concessions than most of the other Belgrade politicians on the issue of the final status of Kosovo, and considers that a lasting solution would be Kosovo's membership in EU structures.

· Main Stories 1 October Holkeri:
· I am going to head the delegation from Pristina on October 14th (all dailies)
· Cox: Talks, an opportunity to prove abilities (Koha Ditore)
· Daci meets Rexhepi and parliamentary groups (all dailies)
· Shala: The true nature of talks (Zëri)
· Editorial: Kosovo Assembly to choose: consensus or chaos (Zëri)
· Haradinaj: UNMIK to end its mission in Kosovo as soon as possible (Koha)
· Govt's request fulfilled, assembly's position remains unclear (Koha Ditore)
· Covic: Talks between state and province (Koha Ditore)
· Moisiu: Kosovo's status cannot be delayed (Koha Ditore)
· Surroi: Automatic pilot (Koha Ditore)
· Belgrade wants 'measures against terrorists' in Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
· Council of Europe takes no position on Kosovo's final status (Koha Ditore)
· Skender Buçpapaj: The evil side of 'Europe' (Bota Sot)
· KTA asks 130 million euros from the budget (Koha Ditore)
· Miftari: On House Watchers and other watchers (Koha Ditore)
· Are 12 generals and senior officers going to be suspended from KPC? (Bota)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Holkeri: I am going to head the delegation from Pristina on October 14th (dailies)
All dailies quote SRSG Harri Holkeri as saying that officials from Kosovo and Serbia would discuss practical issues of mutual interest on 14th of October in Vienna.

Koha Ditore reports that SRSG Holkeri proved to be very committed on Tuesday when he stated that the date of talks could not be postponed and that politicians should not be involved in circus acts.

Koha Ditore also quotes Holkeri as saying, 'I am going to head the delegation from Prishtina on 14th October.'

Cox: Talks, an opportunity to prove abilities (Koha Ditore)
'I hope that the Kosovo Assembly will give the mandate to the government to enter dialogue with Belgrade, since is the time to show that Kosovar political leaders have the courage, abilities and destination to emerge into the international scene,' said chairman of the European Union Parliament Pat Cox after a meeting with Kosovo chief administrator Harri Holkeri in Pristina yesterday. [more in Media Analysis]

Daci meets Rexhepi and parliamentary groups (all dailies)
All dailies carry reports from the meeting that Kosovo Assembly speaker Nexhat Daci had yesterday with Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and then with the heads of the main parliamentary groups [LDK, PDK and AAK].

Zëri reports that despite the fact that Daci and Rexhepi claimed yesterday that they have achieved a full agreement on the request of the Government for the Assembly to take on a political position on the issue of the upcoming talks with Belgrade, the heads of parliamentary groups yesterday proved that they haven't reached a consensus to give the green light to the government for talks with Belgrade.

Shala: The true nature of talks (Zëri)
Zëri-editor Blerim Shala writes that Kosovo chief administrator Harri Holkeri announced the date of the first meeting between Kosovar and Serbian/Montenegrin representatives.

'The leading authorities from Prishtina and Belgrade are expected to meet in Vienna on October 14th, in the presence of highest-ranking officials of EU, NATO and the diplomatic representatives of the leading western countries. Holkeri foresees that the first meeting is going to be very brief and more symbolic, and that the real work would follow later when experts of both sides will address concrete problems. Based on his public statements one cannot have the impression that Holkeri has realized how delicate the decision is for Kosovar officials to go to these talks. It is not clear to us whether this is a result of Holkeri's ignoring Kosovar officials, or could it be related to the lack of cohesion among Kosovar entities,' Shala added. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Editorial: Kosovo Assembly to choose: consensus or chaos (Zëri)
An op-ed piece by the editorial office of Zëri suggests that 'the decision for talks with Belgrade should not be a result of an ordinary voting process, with the majority and minority at the Kosovo Assembly, but a consequence of a consensus built by LDK, PDK and AAK'. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Haradinaj: UNMIK to end its mission in Kosovo as soon as possible (Koha)
Koha Ditore quotes Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), as saying that UNMIK should end its mission in Kosovo as soon as possible. Haradinaj made these remarks during the assembly of the AAK branch in Klina.

Koha Ditore also reports that Haradinaj was against talks between Prishtina and Belgrade, because in his opinion Kosovo is currently not in a good position for talks.

Govt's request fulfilled, assembly's position remains unclear (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that presidency of the Kosovo Assembly has included in the daily agenda for Thursday's assembly session the request of the government for the assembly to take on a position on technical talks with Belgrade.

Assembly presidency members Fatmir Sejdiu and Xhavit Haliti were not clear on what is expected to the conclusion of this matter, while on the other hand, Oliver Ivanovic, also a member of the assembly presidency, said that the assembly should endorse the government to go to talks with Belgrade.

Covic: Talks between state and province (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said that talks in Vienna, scheduled to start on 14th October, should be talks between a state and its province and not talks between two countries.

'This is said in UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and I am not saying this to provoke, but because this is the reality,' Covic added.

Moisiu: Kosovo's status cannot be delayed (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore runs an interview that the Albanian President Alfred Moisiu gave to Voice of America. 'Standards are needed, but it should be clarified what should be achieved and what is the deadline. At the same time, work must be done in the status, because it cannot be infinitively postponed. This could be dangerous,' Moisiu was quoted as saying.

Surroi: Automatic pilot (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries an opinion piece by publisher Veton Surroi who writes, 'in order for things not to remain unclear, I wish for negotiations to commence in Vienna on October 14th, and that the Prime Minister and President of Kosovo, and their homologues from Belgrade participate in the initial meeting'. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Belgrade wants 'measures against terrorist' in Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe discussed the situation in Kosovo yesterday.

'Serbs must accept the legitimacy of Kosovar institutions, and in the meantime Albanian authorities in Kosovo should act equally toward all Kosovars, regardless of ethnic backgrounds,' said former British Minister Tony Lloyd.

After commenting on the incident in Gorazdevac, when two young Serbs were shot and killed, the chairman of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, Dragoljub Micunovic was quoted as saying, 'The killing of children should be concerning for the democratic opinion and the international institutions. This should result in measures against terrorists.'

Council of Europe takes no position on Kosovo's final status (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore quotes Walter Schwimmer, secretary general of the Council of Europe, as saying that the CoE would take a position on the final status of Kosovo, but will insist that relevant European conventions be applied in Kosovo.

'The Council of Europe is first of all interested in the respect of human rights in Kosovo,' added Schwimmer.

Skender Buçpapaj: The evil side of 'Europe' (Bota Sot)
'The Council of Europe has held no sessions and has no file on Serbia and Serbs since 1989, when Serbia launched the chain of aggressions, by abrogating Kosovo's autonomy and by starting the Nazi march for creating a Greater Serbia under the chief-butcher Milosevic,' writes Skender Buçpapaj in editorial for Bota Sot. 'The Council of Europe hasn't found a single minute in the last four-five years to salute the liberation of Kosovo and the removal of the murderous Serb machinery from Kosovo.'

KTA asks 130 million euros from the budget (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore claims that the Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) has 'gone too far' by asking for 130 million euros from the Consolidated Budget of Kosovo. 'However, this request was turned down by the members of the Budget Committee… The request of the KTA ran into harsh reactions by the local members of the committee, especially Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, ministers Sadriu, Jakupi, Morina and the chairman of the assembly budget committee, Haki Shatri,' reported Koha Ditore. [extensive coverage in Media Analysis]

Miftari: On House Watchers and other watchers (Koha Ditore)
In an opinion piece for Koha Ditore, columnist Naser Miftari writes, 'I recently laughed when I heard an UNMIK spokesman trying to point out the difference between the Bridge Watchers and some kind of watchers that have emerged in northern Mitrovica, the House Watchers… Albanians don't care if they are watchers of flies or even rain watchers and this doesn't change the perception of Albanians about the danger posed on them if they decide to return'. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Are 12 generals and senior officers going to be suspended from KPC? (Bota Sot)
Bota Sot quotes reliable sources as saying that COMKFOR General Fabio Mini has compiled a list of 12 high-ranking officers of the Kosovo Protection Corps and has asked that these 'generals' should be removed from the KPC.

Kosovo Press Headlines
Koha Ditore
Front page
· Holkeri: I will lead Pristina's delegation on October 14
· KTA demands from budget €130,000,000
· Surroi: Automatic pilot
· Cox: Talks, opportunity to show capability
· Daci and Rexhepi have same stance, drink same coffee
· CoE Parliamentary Assembly to discuss Kosovo

Other headlines
· Covic: It will be a dialogue between a state and its province (2)
· Assembly's stance is still unclear (2)
· Enterprises shouldn't be privatized for the sake of it (5)
· Police and courts present problem for KEK (5)
· Municipality revokes decision to build sports center (6)
· New academic year with old reforms (6)
· Begin building of 14 houses (6)
· New orders for work in capital (7)
· Accidents cost too many lives (7)
· Belgrade is interested in meeting in Vienna (8)
· PPD presents its appetite for government [Macedonia] (8)
· Strikes attack farm manager (9)
· AKSH file in hands of Fehmi Petku (9)
· Miftari: On house watchers and other watchers (10)
· Moisiu: Kosovo's status cannot be postponed (11)
· Haradinaj: UNMIK to finish mission asap (12)

Economy Section
· Rexhepi: KTA Board tolerance
· Higher price for small bread
· Kosovo's mills could produce flavor for 6,000,000 residents

Zëri
Front page
· Daci and Rexhepi have closer stances than parliamentary groups
· Kosovo assembly before choice: consensus or chaos
· Shala: the real face of talks
· LDK take stance on dialogue, PDK is not satisfied with preparation
· Barry Fletcher leaves Kosovo
· Ministry of Health is intervening in Prishtina University Clinic

Other headlines
· CoE discusses Kosovo without presence of its representatives (2)
· Cox demands self-confidence to begin dialogue (2)
· Covic: Nothing spectacular from talks (3)
· KPC is preparing its premises (4)
· KPC is strong mechanism for implementing environment projects (4)
· Ali Ahmeti goes down, Arber Xhaferi authority is increased (5)
· Witnesses against Shefket Musliu questioned in Vranje (5)
· EUROFOR replaces Concordia (5)
· Five arrested in Ternoc are still in police [Presevo Valley] (5)
· Kambier: Purchasers should prepare business plan (6)
· Norwegian KFOR withdrawn from patrolling border with Macedonia (7)
· Handed in weapons do not exceed number 10 (7)
· Haradinaj demands from Assembly to declare independence (8)
· American officials promise assistance to find missing persons (8)

Bota Sot
Front page
· We hope that Kosovo will have representatives in European Parliament
· Topics of discussion, development in the region
· KTA demands €130,000,000; Ministry of Economy/Finance allocate 14,000,000
· Holkeri: As soon as we meet standards, talks on finals statues will start
· Kosovo could be developed with assistance of women
· Paper Bota Sot true spokesperson of national interest

Other headlines
· It was a good meeting for Kosovo and its future (2)
· Cox: EU vision is integration in Europe, but in different times (3)
· Holkeri meets with Contact Group and EU ambassadors (3)
· Buçpapaj: the evil side of Europe (4)
· Promises to find missing persons (5)
· Daci: Assembly will support government (5)
· Identification of three exhumes bodies (5)
· PM will report before deputies (5)
· Ajeti: Why we should remember 1981 when comes October 1 (6)
· Visit in Germany creates impression for positive changes (7)
· Berisha: Will another 12 KPC senior officers be dismissed? (7)
· You cannot build whatever you want (8)
· EU: Measure against trafficking (8)
· Baleta: Without state, Albanians cannot be prepared for talks with Serbs (9)
· Security has few aspects, while country has few problems [Macedonia] (11)

Kosova Sot
Front page
· Assembly is devided regarding dialogue
· Holkeri gets Belgrade's bless
· Energy, security, communication and transport topics of meeting
· Kelmendi: Rugova could proposes laws only as a citizen
· Dialogue is test for Kosovar politicians
· Presidency doesn't deny participation
· Demaçi: struggeling children
· Editorial: No consensus, no talks

Other headlines
· Cox puts pressure on Rexhepi (2)
· Three victims are identified (2)
· Micunovic acuses Kosovo (2)
· PM Rexhepi goes in assembly (3)
· PM Rexhepi meets world of union leaders (4)
· Rexhepi forgets competencies (5)
· Postponing the status is dangerous (5)
· Kosovo's final status is a long way (6)
· Labus: Serbian entity, is solution for Kosovo (6)
· Covic: Nothing spectacular from talks (6)
· UNMIK ignores locals in decision making process, EFC is nowhere (7)
· Veseli: If we legalize illegal buildings, then only urban mafia will benefit (7)
· Work in summer for the winter (8)
· Promotion of development in Kosovo (8)
· In Prizren doesn't rule law (9)

Epoka e Re
Front page
· Will from a party leader of '97?
· Message from Kudusi Lama for our leaders before talks with Serbia
· Municipal president and government announces destruction of LDK
· Luma: October 1 gave end to the container policy
· Haradinaj: UNMIK to finish mission asap
· Defense refused to go to Serbia
· Lushi: Stroke against freedom fighters, Serbian revenge
· Prizren: Four thousand signatures in two days [union Kosovo-Albania]
· Haliti: Kosovo couldn't return to Serbian control
· Peja: Opposition has comments about budget
· Ferizaj: NGOs should monitor specific issues
· Nobody helps war invalids
· Pristina: Municipality revoke decision to build sport center

Other headlines
· Cox hopes that Europe will give mandate to Kosovar leaders to talk (2)
· Votes or discussion about dialogue with Belgrade (2)
· Albanians believe to Arben Xhaferi (2)
· Labus: Belgrade will not return control over Kosovo (3)
· Holkeri expects Albanians to approach seriously dialogue (3)
· Assembly and government have similar stance regarding dialogue (3)
· Delay in licensing private schools (4)
· Agim Çeku promises assistance of KPC to Ministry of Environment (6)
· There is no arrest about crime in Gorazhdec (7)
· Serbs that fought in Kosovo kills each other (7)
· Lots of congratulations, none of recommendation (8)
· Begin building of IDPs Serb houses (10)

Belgrade Media Highlights

· Holkeri: Dialogue on 14 October (Politika)
· UNMIK: No arrests for crime in Gorazdevac (Balkan)
· Covic meets with Kosovo Serbs (Politika/Tanjug)
· Covic on dialogue with Pristina (Vecernje Novosti/Tanjug)
· Micunovic on human rights in Kosovo (Blic)
· Micunovic spoke before the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (Vecernje Novosti/Fonet)
· Marovic meets Cox (Glas/Tanjug)
· Krivokapic on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Politika/Tanjug)
· ANA plans massacre (Vecernje Novosti)
· Kosovo Assembly discusses dialogue on Thursday (Vecernje Novosti/Tanjug)
· Savic warns Daci (Vecernje Novosti)
· Leadership of Kosovo's Security murdered (All dailies)

Holkeri: Dialogue on 14 October (Politika)
Following his return from Belgrade and the meeting with Cox, UNMIK Head Harri Holkeri has announced that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue on the technical issues will commence on 14 October in Vienna. As it was stated at a press conference in Pristina, he announced this "following talks held in Belgrade and the support by the members of the Contact Group and the EU." "The beginning of the dialogue is the beginning of the fulfillment of the standards that are more important from bringing the decision on the province's status, and the dialogue will be on the practical issues, very important for the life of the people in Kosovo and Metohija," said Holkeri and added that Belgrade was ready for a constructive dialogue.

UNMIK: No arrests for crime in Gorazdevac (Balkan)
UNMIK police spokesmen Derek Chappell and Tracy Ranar have denied the reports by part of the Belgrade media that Nejmedin Lausa, called Musa, had been arrested in Pec, suspected of having organized and committed the crime in Gorazdevac, when two Serb children were killed and four wounded. "We don't have such information. Nobody had been arrested nor detained to this day under the suspicion of committing the crime in Gorazdevac on 13 August," said Chappell. Chappell announced that, according to the information by the UNMIK police from Pec, Lausa was arrested for participating in a conflict with Albanians with firearms, which occurred on Saturday near the battery factory in Pec.

Covic meets with Kosovo Serbs (Politika/Tanjug)
The Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic had a meeting in Belgrade with representatives of Kosovo municipalities and districts, KP members, and representatives of other institutions on the situation in the province. It has been emphasized that the upcoming talks of Belgrade and Pristina have to open up, right at the beginning, the issue of return of Serbs and non-Albanians to Kosovo and Metohija with a clear time-limited plans for its implementation - the statement quotes. Covic has stated that the sitting of the KP Presidency will be held on Thursday where a debate will be opened up on the forthcoming dialogue Belgrade-Pristina.

Covic on dialogue with Pristina (Vecernje Novosti/Tanjug)
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and the Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic has stated that he doesn't expect the opening of the talks on Kosovo and Metohija's final status before 2005. "In case somebody wants us to make a temporary agreement, it can happen that we talk in three months, but then this will be something totally different," he said and stressed one should not be in a hurry, but should have in mind that the ethnic structure was changing in Kosovo and that it was becoming ethnically clean. Covic said that not all parameters for the initial Belgrade-Pristina dialogue were completely defined, pointing out that Belgrade could talk at any level, republican or that of the state union, but that one should bear in mind that we were not going for talks with another state.

Micunovic on human rights in Kosovo (Blic)
The Parliament of the Council of Europe will discuss at one of the sessions the human rights situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and will pass a resolution regarding this, it is the conclusion of the debate in the Parliament of the Council of Europe on the human rights in the southern Serbian province, which had been initiated by the SaM delegation. The President of the SaM delegation in the Council of Europe Dragoljub Micunovic told Blic that the Council of Europe representatives mostly positively assessed the stand by the SaM delegation that human rights in Kosovo were below all standards of the Council of Europe. "Our main thesis was that there was no freedom of movement, that committed crimes were not processed, that there was no return of IDPs nor progress in shedding light on the fate of the missing. I stressed that it was not enough for the international community to be horrified with the murdering of children, but to also be concretely engaged," said Micunovic and added that such a stand was "well received by the parliamentarians and the President of the Council of Europe," while only the Albanian representative was against a debate.

Micunovic spoke before the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (Vecernje Novosti/Fonet)

Belgrade has called on the international community to recognize the "dramatic" human rights situation in Kosovo. In a speech to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Dragoljub Micunovic, a senior member of Serbia's governing coalition, warned that Kosovo's future could not be built on the results of ethnic cleansing and the criminalization of society. The speech opened a debate on the human rights situation in the United Nations-governed province. Micunovic said that Serbia had been forced to call the debate after the killing of two Serb children in Gorazdevac. The victims were shot as they bathed in a nearby river. Seven Serbs have been killed in the province since June. "These children were killed only because they were Serbs," he told the Assembly. This sent a message "to all Serbs currently living in Kosovo that they must leave, that reconciliation and the multi-ethnic society that UNSCR 1244 and all of us strive for are not possible." "The killing of children in the 21st century in any of Europe simply because they are of a different nationality must alert not only the democratic public, but also the international institutions concerned with the protection of human rights and safety," Micunovic added, before calling for "large-scale measures against criminals and terrorists".
Micunovic, the speaker of the Serbia-Montenegro parliament, warned that the Gorazdevac killings were not an isolated act but the culmination of a series of terrorist operations. He claimed there had been 6,013 attacks on Serbs and their property or cultural monuments since the arrival of peacekeepers after the end of the war in July 1999, 1,021 Serbs had been killed and 10 monasteries and churches destroyed. The fate of 1,300 Serbs remains unknown, he added. Micunovic called on the international community to take "energetic and decisive steps toward the full and consistent implementation of UNSCR 1244, the speedier return of the displaced, the creation of better security conditions and freedom of movement for all ethnic communities". UNSCR 1244 is the document adopted by the UNSC by which the province is governed. Talks between Belgrade and Pristina are due to begin in mid-October, and will cover practical matters, but not the province's final status. Micunovic said that Belgrade was approaching the dialogue "with a basic wish for us all to stand up to hatred, terrorism and any form of violence." In order to do this, he added, "everyone must understand that there are no good and bad enemies, but that they are enemies of us all - enemies of the human race."

Marovic meets Cox (Glas/Tanjug)
Speakers of parliaments of Serbia and Montenegro and European Parliament Svetozar Marovic and Pat Cox, respectively, have agreed in Belgrade that an internal consensus on accession of the state union to the EU is necessary for successful termination of that process. Marovic has announced that a meeting of the Council for European Integration of Serbia and Montenegro will be held soon where up to date implementation of the Action Plan for harmonization of economic relations will be discussed. Marovic has emphasized that the only precondition in the upcoming dialogue Belgrade-Pristina can be a European future of the region. In regard to SaM's cooperation with the ICTY, Marovic said that the remaining opened issues could be efficiently solved through joint activities of investigating authorities of Serbia and Montenegro, international community, and ICTY's Prosecution. Cox has stated that he is encouraged with talks with Serbia and Montenegro officials, adding that there is an obvious energy invested in the process of European integration.

Krivokapic on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Politika/Tanjug)
During his talks with the European Parliament speaker Pat Cox, Montenegrin Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic reiterated Montenegro's readiness to host Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on the resolving of problems in Kosovo.
After the meeting with Cox in Belgrade, Krivokapic said that he told the European Parliament speaker that it was the desire of Montenegro to have that problem resolved in a stable manner. He emphasized that Cox agreed with his assessment that good multi-ethnic relations were the least problem in Montenegro. Krivokapic underlined that he reiterated to Cox his conviction that the best for Serbia and Montenegro was to be independent states but that Montenegro would cooperate in the process of the State Union's association with the EU. Prior to Krivokapic, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic also met with Cox.

ANA plans massacre (Vecernje Novosti)
The Serbian Interior Ministry undertakes intensified measures, in accordance with its competence, as it disposes of operational findings that the illegal Albanian terrorist organization ANA is planning terrorist assaults on the south of Serbia and in Kosovo just before the beginning of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. According to the Ministry's findings, ANA is planning to cause a massacre by activating explosive devices in facilities where Albanians gather, including schools, and to blame Serbs for that.

Kosovo Assembly discusses dialogue on Thursday (Vecernje Novosti/Tanjug)
Members of the Kosovo Assembly's Presidency have decided that the first item on the agenda of the Assembly's session on Thursday should be the upcoming dialogue Belgrade-Pristina. Parliament Speaker Nedzad Daci has emphasized that the Assembly fully supports an initiative for the provincial government to be a mediator in the dialogue with Belgrade. Prior to that, Daci had a meeting with Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and leaders of three strongest Kosovo Albanian parties Hashim Tachi, Ramush Haradinaj, and officials of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo.

Savic warns Daci (Vecernje Novosti)
Professor Gojko Savic told Novosti that he had warned Kosovo Assembly Speaker Nexhad Daci not to proclaim independence of the province as he had earlier announced in meeting with journalists. "I have also warned to the fact that we from KP demand, without postponing, that the assembly erase from the announced document that the negotiations are "Kosovo with Serbia" because these are not neighbors. At the session, we will not accept any kind of proclamation of independence before the talks on the final status," said Savic.

Leadership of Kosovo's Security murdered (All dailies)
The Serbian Ministry of Interior officially confirmed that on September 30, at about 8.00 a.m., the Security Information Agency's (BIA) operation worker Vladimir Rovcanin killed four and injured another three of his colleagues on the premises of BIA Centre in Nis, where the Department for Kosovo and Metohija has been re-located. Radoje Novicevic, Momcilo Momcilovic, Tomislav Dragovic and Ana Radulovic were killed and Nebojsa Vasic, Rade Aksic and Slavisa Derikravic were injured. Rovcanin, who was engaged in BIA Centre Nis on the tasks for Kosovo and Metohija, tried to escape but was arrested by the police. Serbian Minister of Police Dusan Mihajlovic expressed hope that the investigation would reveal motives and causes of that tragedy.