Media Analysis 23 September 2003

• Holkeri tries to convince Contact Group to ask for meeting at prime ministerial level (Koha Ditore)
  
• Editorial: Silence and factions (Kosova Sot)
  
• Williams: Final status determined by last four years and next 12 months (Koha)
  
• Surroi: One picture is worth 1,000 words (Koha Ditore)
  
• Bajrami: Kosovo's future as a light bulb (Koha Ditore)
  
• Tahiri, criticism for Assembly speaker Daci (Kosova Sot)
  
• What is Guardia di Finanza investigating at Prishtina University? (Zëri)
  
• Eric MacKinlay threatens to suspend PTK directors (Koha Ditore)
  
• Trial of Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic commences in Mitrovica (Zëri)

Belgrade Update

• UNMIK Police fines drivers of vehicles without Kosovo license plates (RTS)
  
• Holkeri tries to ensure dialogue to start at level of PMs (RTS/Koha Ditore)

Holkeri tries to convince Contact Group to ask for meeting at prime ministerial level (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported sources in UNMIK as saying that at today's meeting with the Contact Group in New York, SRSG Harri Holkeri will try to secure a statement calling for the participation of the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the Prime Minister of Serbia at the initial meeting of technical dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade.

Before leaving for New York, SRSG Holkeri said he hoped that in the initial meeting the two delegations would be led by their prime ministers; however, he also added that he could not dictate the composition of the delegations.

Citing the same sources, Koha Ditore reports that according to Holkeri's plan, the first meeting would be held by mid-October.

Koha Ditore also noted that during the dinner with Kosovar leaders on Friday night, Holkeri told them that he preferred Vienna as the place for the first high-ranking meeting between Prishtina and Belgrade.

According to the daily newspaper, the Contact Group is not expected to make remarks on Holkeri's detailed plan, because the UNMIK chief had previously consulted the Contact Group.

Demaci: Dialogue between the wolf and the lamb (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo Sot carried an opinion piece by Adem Demaçi who writes:

If someone thinks that this comparison is not right, here are some facts:

Serbia (and Montenegro) is a recognized state in all the principal political and financial organizations of the world. Where is Kosovo?

The state borders of Serbia (and Montenegro) are recognized by the all countries of the world, while Kosovo's borders are not. Even by the UNSC, which is obligated according to Resolution 1244. But later when Serbia presented a fait accompli (the issue of 2,500 hectares of land on the border with Macedonia), the UNSC did not keep its promises. The entire world today, except for us Kosovars, recognizes as an administrative boundary, the border between Kosovo and Serbia and Montenegro.

Serbia has its landline telephone code and Kosovo is included within this code. Kosovo does not even have a mobile phone code. It has VALA 900, which works according to a European state to whom our post office pays €50,000,000 annually. Kosovo has neither of these codes because it is an experimental, undefined territory.

Serbia and Montenegro has its own passport, which is recognized all over the world, while Kosovo doesn't. UNMIK travel documents are worth nothing.

Serbia (and Montenegro) has its passport and diplomatic offices in most of the countries of the world. Kosovo had a diplomatic mission in Albania, but it was closed because of huge pressure from UNMIK.

Serbia has its army, gendarmerie and police. These forces, although polluted up to the neck with the blood Slovenians, Croats, Bosnians, and Albanians, have not mad important changes to their psycho-political, ideological and organizational structures. Today Kosovo does not have either an army or a police force under its own command.

Serbia (and Montenegro) has sovereignty and integrity over Kosovo according to an agreement that four generous and brave Albanian individuals signed with the international community (without Russians), while Kosovo has only inferiority towards Serbia.

Serbia (and Montenegro) has the right to borrow money from the whole world, while Kosovo cannot do that.

The authentic successor of Milosevic is in power in Serbia. The current Serbian PM was present during the funeral ceremony in Gorazhdec near Peja. He said that the Serb regime conducted a 'defensive war'. Milosevic says the same thing at The Hague. Milosevic went, Zoran came and it is still the same song. Serbian Deputy PM Nebojsa Covic sends us messages every day not to even dream of a free Kosovo and calls our fighters for freedom 'terrorists'. Our fighters who used to fight for freedom and democracy, Covic is calling terrorists ten times a day. The wolves in Serbia took off their furs, because nobody tells them not to. While Kosovo, a lamb, is sleeping and dreaming.

Serbia re-annexed and re-colonized Kosovo politically, diplomatically and legally.

To enter a dialogue today, even on technical issues, with such Serbia is like the dialogue in the stories of a lamb and a wolf.

Editorial: Silence and factions (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot commented on the social situation in Kosovo and lack of unity among Kosovar leaders.

What dialogue is bringing now is chaos of stances, insecurity, skepticism, disagreements, lack of clarity and, in the end, factions. Recently, residents of the Presevo Valley have presented different stances from their municipal leader. They demanded to be part of the Kosovo delegation. Just as in the Kosovo political scene, Albanians of the Presevo Valle expressed the same syndrome: the lack of the unity. In Kosovo after the lack of consensus, silence is dominating everything. According to a saying, who keeps silent, accepts it. Today the Contact Group will discuss with Kosovo's SRSG, Harri Holkeri, the demands that he took from our leaders together with their silence as answer to beginning the dialogue. It could not be any worse. The parties seem to be sleeping. Nobody has even organized a press conference; none of parties has even published a concrete proposal. The only individuals concerned about this issue are reporters who are seeking news and also the analysts. The Government says that it is awaiting the decision of the Assembly, while the latter says that this issue is not a priority. The President is closeted in his house and nothing is clear about this issue. It was said that there is transparence but in reality the opposite is happening, dialogue has become a great iceberg. The SRSG claims to be transparent, but planes are 'leaking' from his pockets, he meets different officials and the public knows nothing about this. Everybody knows that we live in a place with lots of troubles, almost isolated, and the only issue that is of interest to us is the dialogue. It seems that dialogue in these circumstances could be a condition for our future? If this is true, our leaders should explain where we are going now. If we fail to respond to this question because there is still no consensus, then they should explain to us why bread will be expensive, why, after such a long time, we have no jobs, we have no revenues, we are unsafe and illiteracy is increasing.

Williams: Final status determined by last four years and next 12 months (Koha)
Koha Ditore ran an interview with Paul Williams, Professor of Justice and International Relations at Washington University and executive director of the Group on International Law and Polices, on the issue of Kosovo's final status.

Williams, who was also advisor to the Kosovar delegation at the Rambouillet Conference, told Koha Ditore that negotiations on Kosovo's final status would be held between Kosovars and the international community, and not between Serbs and Kosovars, 'therefore, Kosovars should orient their actions toward the international community'.

Williams said that regardless of formal negotiations, Kosovo's final status would be determined by what happened in the last four years and what will happen in the next 12-15 months. He also voiced his belief that Kosovars would have full backing from the US in achieving independence.

Let's start from the present time. Kosovar politicians are showing a hesitation to start technical talks with Serbia due to fear of prejudgments on the issue of status. Is this a reasonable concern and what would be the appropriate approach?
Technical talks are necessary to pave way for negotiations on the final status; however, they are not talks on status. There are several adequate responses. I think it is necessary and adequate for the Kosovo Government and some other people from the government elite to participate in these talks at a technical level. Therefore, I don't expect leaders of parties and governments to participate in these talks, but the individuals who are in charge of transport, communications and energy. It is also important to set the tone for the dialogue with Serbia, UNMIK and the international community. In this regard, the assembly must voice its opinions about the final status of Kosovo, be it even for independence or conditional independence. I wouldn't recommend an act that would impede Kosovo from being flexible in its position, but assemblies often make principle declarations in the phase leading up to negotiations.

Does this mean that now is the time for the Kosovo Assembly to adopt a declaration on independence?
The international community and the US have decided that we are entering a phase when status must be resolved. The first step are technical talks, the second step will be negotiations on the future status. Now is the right time for the Kosovar political establishment to start articulating the parameters or principles, which would form the basis for the final decision. A concern is that Kosovars could react to the actions of the Serbian Parliament. I think it is important for the action in Kosovo to be proactive and not a response toward Serbs because we know that the Serbian Government will continue with its provocations. This is the manner in which they conduct negotiations. I am encouraging the assembly to be more active and committed, and to achieve an independent Kosovo as a result of negotiations.

What is the connection between technical talks and talks related to the status? Are they going to be completely specific or are they going to commence as a result of difficulties that will derive from technical talks?
It is important to know that while technical talks will begin sometime in November, negotiations, in quotes, on Kosovo's final status started one day after the UN adopted Resolution 1244. When we think of negotiations, we imagine going to some foreign capital, Vienna, Paris, London, and sitting at a table. The reality is that ever since Resolution 1244, the international community has been involved in a program of conditional independence or, I should say, sovereignty for Kosovo. Everyday at the State Department, the British Foreign Office, in the Foreign Ministries of the European Union, they are looking at Kosovo and are deciding what the final status is going to be. The final status will be sealed in negotiations, which won't be linked to technical negotiations, and the final status will be determined based on what Kosovars have done in the last four years and what they are going to do in the next 12 months. It is a bit complicated, but there are two ways: formal negotiations and the conduct of Kosovars and relations with the international community, and in my opinion this is going toward an independent status, but the pace of this depends on the actions of Kosovars.

You mentioned the period after the next 12 months. Does this mean that final status will be resolved at that time, regardless of the progress in the second pathway that you mentioned?
I think that the Americans and Europeans have decided that the time has come to solve Kosovo's final status. I don't believe they are going to do this in 2004 because of elections in Kosovo and Serbia, and because of what is happening in Europe and the US. I think that very soon they are going to determine that they must sit together with Serbs and Kosovars in 2005, and the decisions will depend on what Kosovars are going to do from this period until then, for example, if they protect the human rights of Serbs, if they use the powers that will be transferred from UNMIK, then it is going to be impossible for the international community not to give independence to Kosovars. A lot of attention is going to be paid to party campaigns for the elections. If political parties launch a campaign for a multiethnic Kosovo, then it is going to be difficult for a status to be determined different from independence. But if there is growing instability in Kosovo over the next 12 months and relations with UNMIK are tensed, then you are going to see that status will be something different and not independence.

Kosovars are insisting that the US should be included in eventual talks on final status, and even in the technical talks that are expected to commence soon. Are they going to win adequate US involvement?
My biased opinion as an American is that US participation and leadership is essential for successful talks, be it technical talks or talks on final status. While the UN and EU are very skilled, to tell you the truth, they never have a joint and effective voice. Americans are the only party that can serve as a stimulating force to encourage Kosovars to negotiate and to force Serbs to do effective negotiations. Without American participation, negotiations have limited possibilities, be they technical or related to the status. Even the State Department and elements of the US Government which are clearly focused on Afghanistan and Iraq and the war against terrorism are well aware of the special relations between the US and the Kosovo. I think that they are willing to commit to this. The Kosovar political elite must encourage them, but I am certain that they are going to sit at the table.

Kosovars are insisting on American involvement not only because of the lack of an efficient European policy, but also as a result of fear that some EU countries, such as France and Germany, support Serb interests rather than the interests of Kosovars, and that they may object to independence. How reasonable is this?
Yes, this is a reasonable fear. Regardless of Serbia's bad position in the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as in the treatment of minorities in Yugoslavia, some EU countries continue to have special affinity for Serbia. However, Europeans are very practical and they cannot but understand that there is only one acceptable solution for this crisis and this is an independent Kosovo… It is important for Kosovars to commit together with Europeans and convince them that an independent Kosovo is the only solution, and then protect themselves from the potential accusations of Europeans. Since Europeans prefer the Republic of Serbia, they have the tendency to point to the violation of the rights of the Serb minority and other minorities, and they are going to point out the lack of IDP returns. The same thing happened during negotiations for the Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Europeans suddenly started showing concern for the rights of Serbs in Montenegro. And you are going to see this in Kosovo, too, therefore Kosovars must protect themselves from such attacks by protecting the rights of minorities and promoting the level of IDP returns. If Kosovo does this, it will protect itself from the criticism of the Europeans and it will be able to lead negotiations toward independence.

Surroi: One picture is worth 1,000 words (Koha Ditore)
Commenting on the recent visit by former US President Bill Clinton, Koha Ditore's publisher Veton Surroi writes that 'it won't be long before the only thing that will remain from President Clinton's visit are the pictures, and not his message'.

'One picture, as the saying goes, is worth 1,000 words,' the former US President Clinton was telling Kosovars, while referring to the upcoming talks between Prishtina and Belgrade authorities. He said a lot of other things, but when he left that evening, an Albanian-American was surprised when I told him that after six months, the majority of the people and politicians would only remember the pictures and not his words.

Not the pictures of upcoming talks, but the pictures from President Clinton's visit. In our internal political life, it was not so important what this precious man had to say, but who was going to get his picture taken with him.

It seems that the six-month mandate that I predicted is going to expire faster than I imagined.

President Rugova knew this best, and he went to welcome the guest at the Prishtina airport, imposing himself into the already prepared American protocol, which didn't foresee the welcome. For Dr. Rugova this was not only a sign of good manners, but also a calculated political gesture. The picture with the president, especially hugging him, would appear in newspapers and on television, would be fixed in people's minds and, in the end, it would be articulated with the ease of the headline in his newspaper 'President Rugova, the Americans' man …'

And this was nothing new. During the 1990's, Rugova returned from his long visits to the US with trophies. Not with changes in the somewhat passive US stance vis-à-vis Kosovo, and the Balkans in general, not with concrete promises of measures that would prevent the coming war in Kosovo, but with pictures with some high-ranking official. In the eyes of a nation that had no hopes, the pictures of the leader of Kosovo with a US official were the strongest, and only, proof of the hope that maybe we were going to make it.

Dr. Rugova's political rival, Hashim Thaçi, was well aware of this. He had experienced these things as a student when Dr. Rugova didn't even bother to listen to the students who were protesting against the Serbian regime. He had experienced this as one of the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, when Dr. Rugova didn't bother listen to the guerilla formation that took over the responsibility for waging an armed war against the occupation.

The PDK leader waited for his opportunity to have his picture taken, together with thirty others who were present at the cocktail party, while we were waiting for the start of the ceremony awarding the honorary doctorate. And in the end, his picture with the president would appear in the newspapers connected to his party. But unlike other modern-day pictures, the Clinton-Thaçi picture would be retouched, as in the past in many countries without a democratic tradition, in order to take out unwanted faces. With simple computer commands, the figure of Prime Minister Rexhepi, a member of the same political party as Thaçi, would be taken out of the picture.

I would like to make a public correction to my Albanian-American friend. Not even half of the six-month mandate will expire before no one in our political life will remember what Clinton had to say about Kosovars having to perform a more active policy vis-à-vis the majority and the minority. Pictures speak louder than our American guest.

The only consolation is that other pictures, those of a nation welcoming a man who is a representative of a country that is believed to be an authentic friend, have also had their say in the world.

Bajrami: Kosovo's future as a light bulb (Koha Ditore)
In an opinion piece for Koha Ditore, Editor Agron Bajrami wrote that 'the ambiguities surrounding the future of Kosovo are being blurred even more by public institutions that are being developed in the wrong direction'.

Kosovar public institutions are not even close to what they should be in a society that aims to be open and democratic, could be the sentence that summarizes the essence of news, the importance of which brought front-page coverage.

The head of the EU Pillar at UNMIK said that public services companies in Kosovo, such as KEK or PTK, are, in fact, operating on an unclear legal basis, while, at the same time, the University of Prishtina has received the harshest criticism to date in the form of an independent international report.

And while the analysis of the head of UNMIK Pillar IV, Nikolaus Lambsdorff, is that public companies in Kosovo lack the legal framework to exist and the structure of the organization, for example, at KEK seems socialist, in the meantime, the European association, Observatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum - Bologna, criticizes the leadership of Prishtina University of going back to 'communism' with its new status.

Even before the interview with Mr. Lambsdorff and the report on Prishtina University, the public was aware of the fact that things were not good in the area of public services in Kosovo.

But the thing these and other critical statements have in common (which should be very worrying to Kosovars) is that they indirectly admit that the four post-war years in Kosovo have been spent uselessly: Kosovars are building institutions that don't match with their final aims.

Apart from revealing the truth, which is that the important institutions of our society are not functioning properly, this criticism has a deeper meaning that has to do with the (un) intentional misunderstanding of democracy. And this results in failures in the building the key pillars of an open society, which has long-term consequences for all of Kosovo.

This especially goes for the university. 'The Temple of Knowledge.' instead of fulfilling its role as a meeting place of the liberal vanguard of society, according the report, is becoming more like a 'political compromise' of the role of the university in the society.

Did anyone mention reforms at the university?

Furthermore, while the damage at the public companies is greater, but mainly material, in the case of our academic institutions, we are dealing with damage to the intellect of the society.

In other words, the mentality that is installed at the university is a disease that infects the future generations, and the chances for healing grow smaller every day.

It's not that we didn't know this.

As for public services companies, as Mr. Lambsdorff explains, in the legal respect they don't exist. In practice, this doesn't mean that the bills that these companies issue do not exist.

And as far the university goes, the key word is: the future.

According to the Magna Charta Universitatum document, signed by European Deans in Bologna in 1988, and which was also signed by Prishtina University, '…the future of mankind depends much on economic, scientific and technical development… and this is achieved in centers of culture, knowledge and research, as they are represented by true universities'.

And in Kosovo, the future is still perceived as a distant light at the end of the tunnel. With Prishtina University and the other institutions, the light in the tunnel could just be a weak light bulb, similar to KEK's.

Tahiri, criticism for Assembly speaker Daci (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo Sot reported on the criticism that an LDK Assembly deputy sent to the Kosovo Assembly speaker, Nexhat Daci, regarding the last Assembly session.

A senior LDK official, Edita Tahiri, says that the Kosovo leadership is facing big challenges in this period, because it is beginning the period of the dialogue on practical issues in very sensitive circumstances. First, Kosovo is being attacked by aggressive Serb policies, with efforts to annex Kosovo through constitutional means. Secondly, there are indications of social crisis in Kosovo with strikes and with other things that are announced. 'Kosovo's leadership should have been prepared for this situation, so that we are seriously prepared for this dialogue,' Tahiri was quoted as saying. She added that this means that Kosovo should define its national interest and joint national strategy for achieving its independence in writing.

Tahiri considers that to begin the dialogue, an internal consensus at the level of Kosovo institutions and political parties should be reached. 'I think that this consensus should be achieved with the approval of a platform in the Assembly, and I think that in last week's plenary session at in the Assembly, we should have come up with a declaration of defined principles about which dialogue on practical issues should be accepted,' she said.

In order to have a successful dialogue, the Assembly should give its support to the several principles: the delegation should have full competencies, the US and EU should be the mediator in these talks and not Holkeri, and an internal consensus should be achieved. Tahiri considers that Kosovo should have a foreign ministry in this period, in order to have its necessary instrument, which will not only be a part of dialogue, but also of the diplomatic campaign that usually goes along with the activity of foreign policy.

'At the plenary session and in the last week, the debates were not at the required level. The Assembly speaker did not allow freedom of speech to all deputies. The opening debate did not manage to send a strong signal of all the challenges with which Kosovo is faced lately,' Tahiri highlighted.

The Assembly should have articulated its opposition to the aggressive policy and defining principles for a successful dialogue in a clearer way. It should have said that the dialogue on practical issues should not touch on political issues, including Kosovo's status, because Belgrade cannot be an equal side in the talks about Kosovo's status.

What is Guardia di Finanza investigating at Prishtina University? (Zëri)
Zëri reported on new investigations that Guardia Di Finanza Italian is undertaking at University of Prishtina.

After investigations at the Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK), the elite Italian unit for fighting economic crime, Guardia Di Finanza, has now launched investigations at Prishtina University regarding three suspicious procurements.

Education Minister Rexhep Osmani told Zëri that he was waiting for the final results of these investigations, while university officials claimed that everything was 'all right because after they took away the material, Guardia Di Finanza were not seen again in the premises of the university,' as the paper reported.

'Financial control over the Prishtina University is related to two or three procurements. We have not yet had results,' Osmani was quoted as saying. He added that investigations are being undertaken by UNMIK, but he did not mention which procurements were suspicious. 'This is a competence of the investigative authorities,' he told the paper.

Vice-Dean of the University of Prishtina Musliu Bajraktari claimed that the issue is related to an annex of the Physical Training [PT] Faculty. 'Guardia Di Finanza came at the same time as they went to the PTK. The issue is related with the building of an annex for the needs of the PT Faculty,' Bajraktari said. He added that every tender worth more then €25,000 must be announced. The annex cost €100,000; therefore 'Guardia was interested'. 'They were not at my office but they went the the PT Faculty and reviewed all documents,' he highlighted.

Dean of the PT Faculty Mehdi Jashari denies claims of a visit by the Guardia di Finanza to his Faculty, despite confirmation by the university's financial officers.

'It is not true that Guardia Di Finanza came here. They were from the Ministry. None of the Guardia Di Finanza's policemen were here,' Jashari was quoted as saying. However, he admitted that somebody was interested in building this annex and demanded to see offers for this business.

'They saw the offer and nothing more. There was nothing else. This happened two or three months ago. They just came and took the documents,' he said.

The Ministry of Education did not wish to give further information, except to confirm the investigations. 'We haven't made an investigation. They were done by Guardia Di Finanza and they should publish results,' said Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Isuf Zeneli on Monday.

Eric MacKinlay threatens to suspend PTK directors (Koha Ditore)
Citing reliable sources, Koha Ditore reported that at least two local directors in the PTK Managing Board have received suspension warnings from Eric McKinley, acting general director of the Kosovo Post and Telecom.

The reasons for the remarks were the refusal of the PTK Managing Board to obey McKinley's orders not to attend a meeting with the PTK Supervisory Board appointed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Koha Ditore noted that UNMIK has declared the supervisory board to be illegitimate because it interferes in daily management and is in opposition to Resolution 1244, according to which the Kosovo Trust Agency manages public enterprises.

The same sources told the paper that the suspension warnings were signed by McKinley and were also sent to UNMIK Pillar IV head, DSRSG Nikolaus Lambsdorff, and KTA Director Jurgen Mendricki.

Telecom Director Bedri Rama said he had not received the suspension warning. 'There were certain speculations late last week but I haven't received such a warning,' he was quoted as saying. The paper added that the conflicts between McKinley and the local management of the PTK had been going on for quite some time now, but that they erupted with the start of negotiations between Monaco Telecom and PTK to extend the agreement for mobile telephony in Kosovo. 'Even though he was invited several times to take part in the negotiations, Telecom Director Bedri Rama refused to do so,' added Koha Ditore.

Trial of Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic commences in Mitrovica (Zëri)
Zëri reported that the trial of Milan Ivanovic, chairman of the Serb National Council for northern Kosovo, and Nebojsa Jovic, member of the chairmanship of the Serb National Council for Mitrovica, has started at the Municipal Court in Mitrovica. Both men are accused of participating in the turmoil on 8 April 2002, which resulted in the wounding of 22 international policemen.

The paper also reported that after the presiding panel questioned Ivanovic, the international prosecutor proposed looking at the video shots, but the defense objected, saying that this should be done after the other defendant had been questioned.

The defendant, Milan Ivanovic, denied the charges against him before the presiding judge panel, which is chaired by French Judge Pol Chevalile. He said, 'I got out of the car near the Krash shop and after that I threw something that I found on the ground as sign of displeasure with what was happening to the citizens.' Questioned about his motivations to commit such an act, he said it was a revolt against the violence that the international police were doing against the Serbs. He also claimed that with the thing that he threw from a distance of 40m, he couldn't have injured any of the policemen.

Ivanovic accepted that an explosion had been heard after he threw the thing toward police, while a second explosion came 16 seconds later. He also admitted that he first heard information about the riots from his colleague, Marko Jaksic.

After questioning him, the international prosecutor proposed that the court watch video recordings from the riots on that day, but this was opposed by the defense attorney, Toma Fila.

The paper further reported that Nebojsa Jovic was questioned in the afternoon session, while the videos are due to be watched on Tuesday.

One of the Ivanovic's lawyers said that he expects a fair trial. He added that the trial will last eight days, but he is optimistic regarding the final verdict. Also, Ivanovic said that he expects an objective verdict compared to the previous cases, but he also said that this indictment is politically motivated from the time when the SRSG was Michael Steiner. He added that relations have changed since the arrival of the new SRSG, Harri Holkeri. He also said that he is not suspicious of the French judge but of the Albanians who are part of the panel and who are 'satanic [sic], but I hope everything will be OK'. The paper says that lots of witnesses are willing to testify and that Fila is representing the defendants free of charge.

Ivanovic escaped to Serbia for a short while. He escaped an arrest attempt by UNMIK Police at his father's house in Zvecan, while through the mediation of Nebojsa Covic, he later surrendered to the court in Mitrovica.

'Attacks against international police in northern part of Mitrovica were dramatic events, which should not have happened,' said Polish Prime Minister Lestek Milek during visit to the French hospital in Mitrovica at that time.

Belgrade Update

UNMIK Police fines drivers of vehicles without Kosovo license plates (RTS)
UNMIK Police has started fining people driving vehicles without KS license plates in the municipality of Leposavic. The President of the Municipal Assembly Velimir Bojovic said that UNMIK Police did not even accept proofs that insurance has been paid for these vehicles. "An agreement on introducing KS license plates in the northern part of Kosovo still has not been reached with the Serbian authorities, i.e. the deal was to postpone the solving of the problem until the final solution was reached. In spite of this, the special UNMIK Police unit came from Pristina to Leposavic and started stopping vehicles, fining and taking away driving licenses from drivers whose vehicles did not have KS license plates," said Bojovic. He added that this has upset the people who felt this as yet another way of exerting pressure on Serbs in northern Kosovo.

Holkeri tries to ensure dialogue to start at level of PMs (RTS/Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore cites sources in UNMIK as saying that in today's meeting with the Contact Group, UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri will try to ensure the participation of the Kosovo PM Bajram Rexhepi and the Serbian PM Zoran Zivkovic at the initial meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on the technical issues. Citing the same sources, the daily reports that according to Holkeri's plan, the first meeting would be held by mid-October. Koha also runs an interview with Paul Williams, Professor of Justice and International Relations at Washington University who was also advisor to the K-Albanian delegation at the Rambouillet Conference. He assessed that Kosovo's final status would be determined by what happened in the last four years and what will happen in the next 12-15 months. Williams said that "Kosovo is the ally and friend to the US, and Serbia is neither an ally nor a friend." He also underscored that the talks on the technical issues were necessary in order to pave the way for negotiations on the final status of Kosovo. Williams does not expect PMs and Presidents of various political parties to participate in the announced dialogue on the technical issues, but rather experts in fields of transport, telecommunications and energy. He suggested the Kosovo Assembly to declare its views about the final status of Kosovo, should it be independence or conditioned independence.

· Main Stories 23 September
· Holkeri tries to convince Contact Group for meeting at PM's level (Koha)
· Williams: Final status determined by last four years and next 12 months
· Assembly postpones debate on dialogue with Belgrade for another week (Zëri)
· Trial of Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic commences in Mitrovica (Zëri)
· Nebojsa Covic met Kosovo Serb representatives yesterday (Zëri)
· What is Guardia di Finanza investigating at Prishtina University? (Zëri)
· Surroi: One picture is worth 1,000 words (Koha Ditore)
· Bajrami: Kosovo's future as a light bulb (Koha Ditore)
· Morina: Why was secret Russian document published in Koha Ditore? (Bota)
· World Bank and Pillar IV sign agreement for two grants (Koha Ditore)
· Shala: Declining assistance and lack of loans (Zëri)
· Investigation committee on Dubrava Prison tragedy to meet today (Epoka)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Holkeri tries to convince Contact Group to ask for meeting at level of prime ministers (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore cites sources in UNMIK as saying that in today's meeting with the Contact Group, UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri will try to secure a statement calling for the participation of the prime minister of Kosovo and the prime minister of Serbia at the initial meeting of technical dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade.

Citing the same sources, Koha Ditore reports that according to Holkeri's plan, the first meeting would be held by mid-October.

Williams: Final status determined by last four years and next 12 months (Koha)
Koha Ditore runs an interview with Paul Williams, Professor of Justice and International Relations at Washington University and executive director of the Group on International Law and Polices.

Williams, who was also advisor to the Kosovar delegation at the Rambouillet Conference, told Koha Ditore that negotiations on Kosovo's final status would be held between Kosovars and the international community, and not between Serbs and Kosovars, 'therefore, Kosovars should orient their actions toward the international community'.

Williams also said that regardless of formal negotiations, Kosovo's final status would be determined by what happened in the last four years and what will happen in the next 12-15 months.

Assembly postpones debate on dialogue with Belgrade for another week (Zëri)
Zëri quotes officials from the Presidency of the Kosovo Assembly as saying that this week the assembly would probably not discuss the current political developments in the country and would not take a position on dialogue with Belgrade.

Trial of Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic commences in Mitrovica (Zëri)
Zëri reports that the trial of Milan Ivanovic, chairman of the Serb National Council for northern Kosovo, and Nebojsa Jovic, member of the chairmanship of the Serb National Council for Mitrovica, has started at the Municipal Court in Mitrovica. Both men are accused of participating in the turmoil on 8 April 2002, which resulted in the wounding of 22 international policemen.

Zëri reports that after the presiding panel questioned Ivanovic, the international prosecutor proposed looking at the video shots, but the defense objected, saying that this should be done after the other defendant was questioned. [further coverage in Media Analysis]

Nebojsa Covic met with Kosovo Serb representatives yesterday (Zëri)
Citing information broadcast by Serbian media, Zëri reports that security and intensified return of Serbs were the main topics at yesterday's meeting in Belgrade between Nebojsa Covic, head of the Coordination Center for Kosovo, and representatives of Kosovo Serbs.

What is Guardia di Finanza investigating at Prishtina University? (Zëri)
Zëri reports that after investigations at the Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK), the elite Italian unit for fighting economic crimes, Guardia di Finanza, has now launched investigations at Prishtina University regarding three suspicious procurements.

Education Minister Rexhep Osmani told Zëri that he was waiting for the final results of these investigations, while university officials claimed that everything was 'all right because after they took away the material, Guardia di Finanza were not seen again in the premises of the university,' as the paper reported. [more in Media Analysis]

Surroi: One picture is worth 1,000 words (Koha Ditore)
Commenting on the recent visit by former US President Bill Clinton, Koha Ditore publisher Veton Surroi writes that 'it won't be long before the only thing that will remain from President Clinton's visit will be the pictures, and not his message'.

Bajrami: Kosovo's future as a light bulb (Koha Ditore)
In an opinion piece for Koha Ditore, editor Agron Bajrami writes that 'the ambiguities surrounding the future of Kosovo are being blurred even more by the public institutions which are being developed in the wrong direction'. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Morina: Why was secret Russian document published in Koha Ditore? (Bota Sot)
Bota Sot carries an opinion piece by Bajrush Morina who comments on the reasons why Koha Ditore published, in his words, a 'secret Russian document'. [referring to the copy of the plan for the initial points of talks between Prishtina and Belgrade].

Morina claims that other media had concluded that this plan was compiled at the Russian Embassy in Belgrade. Morina also criticized Koha Ditore, suggesting that by publishing the plan, it has instigated fear and concern among Kosovar citizens and the leaders of local institutions.

World Bank and Pillar IV sign agreement for two grants (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the World Bank regional director Orsalia Kalantsopoulos and UNMIK Pillar IV head Nikolaus Lambsdorff have signed an agreement according to which World Bank will allocate two grants valued at €4.8 million, which will go to the budget of Kosovo and Kosovo's energy sector.

Koha Ditore reports that World Bank will do an analysis in both the energy and agriculture sectors, which will determine priorities for grants and future investments.

Shala: Declining assistance and lack of loans (Zëri)
'It was said even earlier that declining international assistance for Kosovo was expected. However, this decline should have been replaced with the transition to the period of Kosovo's economic development through foreign investments and loans from World Bank. Now it can be seen that we can have neither investments nor loans without resolving Kosovo's final status. This is why Kosovo is already facing major economic and social problems, which will be further aggravated in the coming months and years,' writes editor Blerim Shala in Zëri.

Investigation committee on Dubrava Prison tragedy to meet today (Epoka)
Epoka e Re reports that the committee will meet for the first time today which is to investigate the tragic events that led to a fire and the deaths of inmates at Dubrava Prison. The committee includes International Judge Timothy Clayson, Swiss Judge Andreas Werren and local Judge Zait Xhemajli.

Epoka e Re claims that while the committee is expected to hold its first meeting today, local NGOs officials are already claiming that the prison management bears the main responsibility for the tragic events. 'The responsibility for these events falls, first of all, on the director of Dubrava Prison, the Central Management of Prisons in Kosovo and the UNMIK Department of Justice. One part of the blame also falls on the prisoners, but the key blame falls on the prison management,' said Ibrahim Makolli, senior official of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore
Front page
· Holkeri attempts to convince Contact Group to demand meeting at PM's level
· Final status will be determined based on last four years/next 12 months
· Hero who is remembered more on battlefield rather than in capital
· PTK: Directors can't meet with Minister of Transport/Communications
· World Bank and UNMIK Pillar IV sign agreement for two grants

Other headlines
· Dutch Jaap de Hoop Scheffer new NATO chief (2)
· Rugova/Rexhepi: Gen. Fabio Mini should continue working for Kosovo (3)
· Surroi: One picture is worth a thousand words (3)
· Kosovo deputies briefed on German experience in education (3)
· Moisiu to meet with Clark and Powell (3)
· Video recording, best evidence in Mitrovica's trial (4)
· Macedonians refuse to study together with Albanians (4)
· Malisheva: Small municipality with 463 shops and 26 petrol stations (5)
· New competencies for five Kosovo municipalities (5)
· Houses bought by Serbian government guarded by 'Bridge Watchers' (6)
· Kosovo is key place in trafficking of women (6)
· University's status is very bad (7)
· Haradin Balaj: Same reasons for bail as in Limaj case (7)
· Bajram Krasniqi is not working as defense attorney atThe Hague (7)
· OSCE initiative for cooperation (8)
· Ilir Meta on private visit to Kosovo (8)
· Inauguration of new school (8)
· Malisheva: 44 families have urgent need of housing (8)
· Bajrami: Kosovo's future is like a light bulb (10)

Zëri
Front page
· What kind of investigation is Guardia Di Finanza doing at U. Prishtina
· Ilir Meta is visiting Kosovo privately
· Shala: Declining assistance and lack of loans
· Dutch Foreign Minister Scheffer is new NATO chief
· Assembly postpones debate on dialogue with Belgrade for another week
· Mitrovice: Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic trial begins
· Fehmi Lladrovci died a brave man
· World bank assists Kosovo with €5,000,000

Other headlines
· Rejection of Musliu's and Balaj demand for release on bail (2)
· No municipalities have handed in 300 weapons (2)
· General Mini: KFOR will stay in Kosovo as much as is needed (3)
· Mini requires better cooperation amongst institutions (3)
· Contact Group to meet today (3)
· Covic meets Kosovo Serbs representatives (4)
· Pensioners demand solution of their status (5)
· It is very easy for smugglers in Kosovo [German press] (5)
· Thaçi: Kosovo is liberated, but lots of work is left undone (6)
· Macedonia is demanding a new EU police mission (6)
· Macedonian government revokes decision on classes in Albanian (6)
· EAR and UNMIK do not punish contractor [KEK] (7)
· Women trafficking, sophisticated new crime structure (7)
· Albanian citizens in Sterpce are discriminated against (7)
· CARE implements projects in mixed villages (8)
· Children from Kashtanjeva have problems with lack of space in school (8)
· Defense demands verdict against Xhavit Hasani be revoked (9)
· Lajçi: Discussion of possibilities for investment in Peja (9)
· Weapons amnesty might help building of new school (10)

Bota Sot
Front page
· KFOR did a lot, but you could do more for Kosovo
· De Hoop is new NATO chief
· Why was Russian document published by Koha Ditore?
· Debate on Kosovo
· Kosovo municipalities gain certification for self-management
· Who misses JAT?
· Where is the right place for the photo of Kosovo's president?
· Improvement of electrify situation encourages investments
· Kosovo surgery is making huge progress

Other headlines
· [Demaci] Incident in Vienna follows [Thaçi] incident in Budapest (2)
· Mini: New co-operation in fight against organized crime (2)
· Hyseni: Serbian absence does not bring a crisis [Presevo Valley] (3)
· EU countries exchange files of asylum seekers (3)
· Prishtina municipality increases care for the villages (4)
· Local trainers at police academy [KPSS] (4)
· Mulliqi: For a democratic Kosovo (6)
· Justice should find perpetrators of Ahmet Krasniqi's killing (6)
· UNDP announces new motives to hands in weapons (8)
· Baleta: About press in Albania (9)
· Police presence could provoke incidents [Macedonia] (10)

Kosova Sot
Front page
· Edita Tahiri criticizes the Assembly speaker
· Silence conquers Kosovo institutions
· Dialogue between the lamb and the wolf
· €5,000,000 for electricity and institutions
· General Mini welcomed with sweet words
· Dialogue doesn't start without Kosovars accord
· Robertson leaves, Dutch Scheffer is coming
· Ivanovic admits participation in April clashes
· Editorial: Silence and factions

Other headlines
· Presevo Valley residents in two factions about dialogue (2)
· Moisiu speaks about Kosovo in US (4)
· Meta in private visit to Kosovo (4)
· Covic meets Kosovo Serb representatives (4)
· Democracy cannot be built on revenge (5)
· $225,000 reward for 330 weapons (6)
· University status is not perfect but it's good (6)
· Is €20,000,000 enough for power imports during winter? (7)
· Disagreements between PTK and Monaco Telecom (7)
· Finalization of process for licensing municipalities (8)
· Three projects for mixed villages in Gjilan region (8)
· Will northern Mitrovica be ethnically cleared? (9)
· When will administrative workers have the same uniforms? (9)

Epoka e Re
Front page
· [Shefket] Musliu is eager to prove his innocence
· One euro for a hectare [use of land]
· Five inspectors for 500,000 residents
· Qosja: Albanians contribution against KLA is very great
· Xhavit Hasani demands to be extradited to Macedonia
· Where is the ship called Kosovo going?
· Political crisis in Presevo Valley
· Little boxers and big sharks

Other headlines
· Wesley Clark is most favored candidate (2)
· De Hoop is new NATO chief (2)
· Mini: Prime issue in Kosovo is economic development and not security (2)
· Albanians, important or less important in dialogue? (3)
· Neither Balaj nor Musliu are released on bail (3)
· Ilir Meta is visiting Kosovo privately (3)
· Municipalities will obtain $25,000 for 300 weapons handed in [sic] (3)
· Who believes Remi's judge? (4)
· World Bank assists Kosovo with €5,000,000 (6)
· PM Rexhepi will participate in pensioners' protest (6)
· Fetiu: Fehmi Lladrovci's smile (7)
· Court ordered arrest of Jusuf ferizi from paper Bota Sot (7)
· Albanians speak out against Riza Halimi [Presevo Valley] (8)
· We still need Adem and Fehmi [KLA heroes ceremony] (9)
· Kline: Reporters left meeting, clashes between citizens (9)

Belgrade Media Highlights

· Contact Group on Kosovo dialogue (Glas/Beta)
· Mini talked with Rugova and Rexhepi (Politika/Beta)
· Covic discussed security and returns with K-Serb representatives (Politika/Tanjug)
· Marovic on East River (Politika/Tanjug)
· Trial to Jovic and Ivanovic (Blic)
· Gojko Savic's interview (Vecernje Novosti)
· DSS: Kosovo is a state and not party issue (Balkan)
· Baljaj and Musliu remain in ICTY detention (Danas/Beta)
· Kosovo District head on Serbs and decentralization (Vecernje Novosti)

Contact Group on Kosovo dialogue (Glas/Beta)
Diplomat representatives of six member states of the Contact Group will have a meeting in New York where details related to the beginning of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should be agreed upon. The meeting will be on the level of executive directors of ministries of foreign affairs who will be informed by head of UNMIK Harri Holkeri on developments in Kosovo and on attitude of Belgrade and Pristina officials with whom he had talks prior to his departure for New York. Technical issues of mutual interest will be discussed, such as traffic and energy, as well as return of the displaced and the problem of missing persons. The final status of Kosovo will not be on the agenda.

Mini talked with Rugova and Rexhepi (Politika/Beta)
KFOR Commander, Italian General Fabio Mini, has stated following talks with Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova and Premier Bajram Rexhepi that the need of the people and the Kosovo institutions, and not the international community, will decide on the extension of KFOR's mandate. Mini is ending on 3 October his one-year mission at the head of KFOR, and he is to be replaced by the German General Holger Camerhoff.

Covic discussed security and returns with K-Serb representatives (Politika/Tanjug)
Security and intensifying returns of Serb IDPs to parts of Kosovo, wherever it is possible, were the main topics of the meeting of the CCK's managing team headed by the CCK's President Nebojsa Covic with the Kosovo Serbs representatives in the provisional institutions of self-government, KP and municipal authorities. It was also agreed to hold these meetings once a week with a precise follow up of the assigned tasks. Representatives of the Serbian Ministries of Local Self-Government,
Education, Social Issues and Healthcare also participated in the meeting.

Marovic on East River (Politika/Tanjug)
SaM President Svetozar Marovic left for New York on Monday, and will be the head of a SaM delegation at the UN General Assembly session. The SaM delegation also includes the Foreign Ministers of the state union and Montenegro, Goran Svilanovic and Dragisa Burzan respectively.

Trial to Jovic and Ivanovic (Blic)
The trial to Milan Ivanovic and Nebojsa Jovic has commenced before the international trial chamber of the District Court in Mitrovica, presided over by Frenchman Paul Chevalier. The indictment charges them with conducting and inducing the masses in the clashes on 8 April 2002 with the peace forces near the bridge on the Ibar River. Many UN police members have been injured in these clashes and several police cars destroyed, the indictment states. Ivanovic rejected the charges of the prosecution and offered a sufficient number of witnesses and evidence that completely deny the indictment, attorney Vladimir Bozovic told Blic. He, Toma Fila and Ljubomir Pantovic are representing the accused.

Gojko Savic's interview (Vecernje Novosti)
What kind of relationship do you have with UNMIK?
"Completely correct. People from UNMIK who are in charge of education are high intellectuals that better understand our problem than some others. They are the ones who recognized our university, so our diplomas are now easily validated abroad, which is sort of a privilege that some other faculties in the broader part of the Balkans don't have. What is also very important is that UNMIK is not forcing us to tie "our fate" for the interim Kosovo institutions, like the case with the Albanian part of the university. We are working according to the existing programs and plans, and cooperation with the Serbian Ministry for Education and Sport is complete. We have no problems there because Serbia is financing us, while the UN mission is financing the Albanian university. Whether they are working according to the programs from Tirana is not our business," professor Gojko Savic told Novosti.

DSS: Kosovo is a state and not party issue (Balkan)
DSS requests a seat in the negotiation team for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Our request is legitimate on the basis of MP seats in the Serbian Parliament, but also the Kosovo one, and DSS is a party that enjoys the largest trust of the citizens, DSS' high official Dejan Mihajlov told Balkan. He stated that this party didn't know yet who would represent it in the delegations for the negotiations with Pristina. The Party of Serbian Unity (SSJ) has also addressed a request to the government, with the argument that the problem of Kosovo is not a party issue but the most important national and state issue.

Baljaj and Musliu remain in ICTY detention (Danas/Beta)
The ICTY refused a request of former KLA members Haradin Baljaj and Isak Musliu, indicted for war crimes in Kosovo and Metohija in 1999, to be temporarily released - it has been announced in The Hague. Baljaj and Musliu have been charged with the murder of 22 Serb and Albanian civilians in the Lapusnik camp in the municipality of Glogovac in central Kosovo, as well as for illegal arrest and torturing of prisoners. The same indictment is related to Fatmir Ljimaj, commander of that camp, whose request for temporary release was refused previously. The explanation of the Tribunal's decision reads that it is not certain that indictees will return at the time of the beginning of the trial.

Kosovo District head on Serbs and decentralization (Vecernje Novosti)
Planned, organized and synchronized attacks on Serbs and other non-Albanians testify that Albanians do not want a multi-ethnic, but ethnically clean, Kosovo. The Head of the Kosovo District Dragan Velic elaborates this way the estimate that the survival of Serbs in Kosovo is possible, but if they live next to the Albanians. Albanians are contrary to UNSCR 1244 doing everything to reach independence, without restraining from crime and terror. Although it has every right, not a single Kosovo institution is accessible to the Serb side. That is why, says Velic, decentralization must be the first step.