18 November 2003 Morning Edition

Kosovo News

· EU: Kosovo's Standards Could Be Assessed Before Early 2005 (Beta)
· ROUNDUP: Robertson: Troops to stay in Kosovo ``until it flourishes'' (dpa)
· NATO chief says language of extremism in Serbia must be condemned (Tanjug)
· Outgoing NATO chief urges tolerance in Kosovo (AP)
· Kosovo leaders must secure return of displaced - NATO chief (Tanjug)
· Ivanovic says killers of young man must be found in efficient action (Tanjug)

Regional News

· Kostunica meets with head of US office in Pristina (Tanjug)
· Albania ex-president quits race to lead Socialists (Reuters)
· Ilic-Covic-Scandal: I have papers for legal action against senior officials, Ilic (Tanjug)
· Donors' Conference For Serbia-Montenegro In Brussels (Beta)

World News

· Annan cautious about returning UN staff to Baghdad (Reuters)
· EUROPE: Ministers back European arms industry co-ordination (FT)

EU: Kosovo's Standards Could Be Assessed Before Early 2005

BELGRADE, Nov. 17, 2003 (BETA) - At a Nov. 17 meeting in Brussels, the EU foreign minister said the first opportunity to debate whether Kosovo was adhering to international standards could come before the first half of 2005, provided that sufficient progress had been made.

They stressed that the international community's "standards before status" policy was based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, adding that they had decided to help enforce the resolution and the province to meet European standards.

The ministers stressed that the EU would encourage the introduction of European standards and laws in Kosovo by way of mechanisms already being enforced by the European Commission.

In their conclusions, the ministers underlined that the people of a multiethnic and democratic Kosovo would have a place in Europe based on the full enforcement of Security Council Resolution 1244 and the "standards before status" policy.

ROUNDUP: Robertson: Troops to stay in Kosovo ``until it flourishes''

Pristina (dpa) - NATO troops will remain in Kosovo until the aim of a flourishing multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo is achieved, outgoing NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson said Monday.
Speaking on a farewell visit, he said the troop presence would remain even if the United Nations-required set of international standards are achieved within the deadline of mid-2005, a precondition for beginning the resolution of Kosovo's final status.
``The force structure may change, the number of combat soldiers may in the future be reduced. We will never reduce the effectiveness of the contribution that we give to providing the safe and secure environment,'' Robertson told reporters in Pristina.
``If that can be done with fewer troops, then it will be done, with fewer valuable troops, which are desperately needed elsewhere. But a robust presence to deal with challenges will remain.''
At the moment there are around 21,000 NATO and non-NATO troops serving in the NATO-led KFOR force.
Robertson, who was British defence secretary at the time NATO intervened in Kosovo, urged local leaders to achieve the complete halt of the inter-ethnic violence.
He also urged continuation of direct talks between Pristina and Belgrade on technical issues of mutual interest, which began in October in Vienna.
``People here are interested in warmth and food, reliable transport, and their children being educated. You cannot eat a constitution,'' he said. Robertson was travelling on to Belgrade to deliver, he said, the same message.
Since a bloody war in 1999 and subsequent NATO intervention against Yugoslavia, ethnic Albanians who make up the vast majority in Kosovo, insisted on discussing independence first.
Belgrade insists on retaining sovereignty over Kosovo as well as security for Serbs and returning refugees.
Under international pressure, Belgrade and Pristina tentatively began talks last month in Vienna and have set up working groups to discuss issues such as persons missing since the 1999 war, the return of refugees, transport and energy.
Kosovo has been under a virtual UNMIK and KFOR protectorate since 1999, but is still plagued by ethnic violence. Following the Vienna meeting, Holkeri said that standards come before talks on the status. The standards are due to be evaluated in 2005. dpa lu bb pb sc
AP-NY-11-17-03 1436EST

KOSOVO-NATO-CHIEF
NATO chief says language of extremism in Serbia must be condemned

20:46 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA , Nov 17 (Tanjug) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said Monday evening in Pristina that following the failure of the presidential election Sunday in Serbia, its people must condemn the language of extremism and pursue the endeavors for integration in Europe.
Robertson, who paid his last visit to Kosovo-Metohija as NATO chief before the end of his term in December, told a press conference after meeting UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri that he would also visit Belgrade shortly.

Outgoing NATO chief urges tolerance in Kosovo | 20:13 | AP
NOVO SELO -- Monday - Outgoing NATO Secretary-General George Robertson called today on Kosovo's divided ethnic communities to embrace multi-ethnicity and tolerance in his last visit to the province.

Robertson walked the muddy roads of Novo Selo, an ethnically mixed village that is being prepared for the return of Serb refugees who fled the aftermath of Kosovo's 1998-99 conflict.

Robertson shook hands with a few local Serbs and visited their newly constructed houses, some of which stand near old homes now in shambles.

"Milosevic wanted a single ethnic Kosovo. We are determined to create a multiethnic Kosovo," Robertson said, referring to former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, now on trial by the U.N. tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, for atrocities committed in Kosovo and elsewhere in the Balkans.

"Kosovo Serbs call this their home. They have the right to come back," Robertson said. "We want them to come back and this shows the international community is delivering on that."

Tens of thousands of Serbs and other minorities fled Kosovo, fearing attacks by ethnic Albanians seeking revenge for Milosevic's policies. Their property also was targeted after the war.

Tensions between Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority and its Serb minority remain high, even though authorities have reported a decrease in ethnic attacks and U.N. and local leaders have stepped up efforts to return those who fled.

Robertson, accompanied by Kosovo's prime minister, Bajram Rexhepi, appealed to the leadership of both communities to support the return of refugees and build a multiethnic Kosovo.

"All of the leadership ... must show an equivalent message to world that this what they stand for - freedom and decency and safety for all of those who call Kosovo their home," Robertson said.

KOSOVO-NATO-SECGEN
Kosovo leaders must secure return of displaced - NATO chief

18:47 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA , Nov 17 (Tanjug) - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, who is visiting Kosovo-Metohija Monday, said that Kosovo leaders should not just invite displaced persons to return, but must take specific measures to secure their return.
Robertson visited late Nonday the Novo Selo Madjunsko village in northern Kosovo, and conferred with Serb returnees for whom 35 houses have been built.
(end)

Ivanovic says killers of young man must be found in efficient action

16:27 KOSOVSKA MITROVICA , Nov 17 (Tanjug) - Kosovo-Metohija parliament Presidency member Oliver Ivanovic has said the UNMIK police must launch a timely and efficient action and find the murderers of Danijel Milosevic, 18, of Kosovska Vitina.
Talk about the possible identities of the killers is raising tensions in Kosovo province, he said, and the UNMIK police action must not be rash, as it was in the recent case involving the arrest of Vladimir Jovanovic, detained for the alleged murder of UNMIK policeman Satish Menon in northern Kosovo and subsequently released.

Kostunica meets with head of US office in Pristina

19:28 BELGRADE , Nov 17 (Tanjug) - Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) President Vojislav Kostunica conferred on Monday with head of the US Office in Pristina Marcie Ries about the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, process of return and protection of non-Albanians and operation of institutions in the province.
Kostunica said that standards had to be achieved and stressed that the return of the expelled and IDPs should be the priority. He also stressed the need to institutionalise the protection of the non-Albanian population, which had not been done so far. Kostunica said that the beginning of Vienna talks between Belgrade and Pristina was important and that work should be done aimed at improving the situation in Kosovo-Metohija for the sake of stability of the entire region.

Albania ex-president quits race to lead Socialists

TIRANA, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Former Albania President Rexhep Meidani said on Monday he was quitting the race to lead Albania's ruling Socialists to avoid splitting the divided party even further.
Meidani said two weeks ago he would challenge Nano for the Socialists' leadership in order to unite the party, riven by a power struggle between Nano and ex-premier Ilir Meta.
Chronic infighting has thrown into doubt the Socialists' ability to govern, and could endanger Albania's aspirations to join the European Union one day.
Earlier this month the European Union said there was too much infighting and not enough attention to the reforms Tirana needed to make if it was serious about its EU membership candicacy.
MPs backing Meta blocked Nano's choices of interior and foreign ministers in parliament after Nano refused to re-shuffle his government. Nano hopes a December party congress will solve the crisis.
Meidani claimed senior leaders unleashed a witch-hunt against his backers, who feared punishment if they supported him publicly. There was a climate of enmity, not free and equal competition, he said.
``I cannot accept politically being part of the final break-up of the party and have my name serve as make-up to legitimise a congress that might kick my backers out as declared by the party leader and prime minister,'' Meidani said.
Meidani and Tirana mayor Edi Rama, hailed for twice winning the Tirana municipality for the Socialists, have run for the post of party leader against a wall of public indifference when trying to meet Socialist members across Albania.
Meidani's withdrawal came a day after he backed talks between Nano and Meta's group to create a cabinet of Socialist unity led by Nano and to postpone the congress.
The Socialists appeared to be on verge of compromise until Nano declared the talks were informal and the party institutions would decide -- a move that bought him much-needed time.
The long-running feud lost votes for the Socialists, who have governed for six years, in October municipal elections although they won one percent more than the opposition Democratic Party, unofficial results showed.
Reut16:10 11-17-03

I have papers for legal action against senior officials, Ilic

15:28 BELGRADE , Nov 17 (Tanjug) - New Serbia leader Velimir Ilic confirmed on Monday that from the Serbian government, during the state of emeregency, he was asked to testify against Deputy Premier Nebojsa Covic, and that Interior Minisrer Dusan Mihajlovic in a letter sent to him "directly accused the Democratic Party" for the assassination of Gen. Bosko Buha.
"There is a lot of data, papers and I am sick of it all. They are papers for bringing legal action. They are docuemnts for the prosecutor to initiate criminal proceedings againts some senior officials of this state," Ilic said at a news conference.

Donors' Conference For Serbia-Montenegro In Brussels

BELGRADE, Nov. 17 2003 (BETA) - At the donors' conference for Serbia-Montenegro, to be held in Brussels on Nov. 18, the World Bank expects the authorities in Belgrade and Podgorica to submit a report on how the donations have been spent so far, and a comprehensive plan of further medium-term reforms.

In a report which the World Bank had prepared for this gathering, it said that "significant progress has been made in Serbia-Montenegro, especially in macro-economic stabilization, privatization, bringing order to the banking system, the reform of pensions and social welfare."

"The biggest effort was invested in opening the country for foreign trade and investment and the introduction of a modern market economy," it said in the report.

However, the World Bank also said the reforms were incomplete in many sectors and that "the goal must be to improve economic growth, raise income, reduce poverty and create new jobs."

"One of the major priorities is the reform of the public sector, whose institutions are of key importance for carrying out the entire reform plan."

Annan cautious about returning UN staff to Baghdad

By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 18 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan promised to name a chief envoy for Iraq shortly but left open a return to Baghdad of U.N. political staff soon, suggesting they might operate outside the country.
Under pressure from the United States, Iraqis and others to send international staff back into Baghdad, U.N. officials said on Monday Annan was looking for a representative of stature. The chief envoy might not play an important role initially but could have major responsibilities after an Iraqi interim government takes over in June, they said.
Annan withdrew foreign political staff from Baghdad after the Aug. 19 bombing that killed 22 people, including his special representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello. He said he would name a replacement ``in the not too distant future.''
``So, if the situation improves, we will be ready to go back,'' Annan told reporters on Monday. ``But we don't need to be in Iraq 100 percent to do what we can do or offer assistance. So we are looking at what we can do outside and cross-border and eventually what we can do inside.''
Since the United States and the Iraqi Governing Council announced last week they wanted an interim Iraqi Government in place by June, Annan has come under pressure to play a political role.
Calls for the United Nations to return to Iraq have come in the last few days from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin.
``I think it's time now with this new plan for the United Nations to determine whether or not circumstances will permit it to play a more active role inside the country,'' Powell said in Washington.
``We want the U.N. to play a role and it is part of our plan in moving forward.'' Powell added.
Annan said he also spoke to Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader who is this month's president of Iraq's interim Governing Council. Talabani told him the Governing Council would ``need U.N. assistance and advice in implementing the new decisions which have been taken,'' Annan reported.
On Monday, the deputy U.S. national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, came to New York to brief Annan on the new American timetable for ending the occupation.
But Annan repeated that an October Security Council resolution called on the United Nations to play a role in Iraq ``as circumstances permit,'' a reference to safety conditions. He is under pressure from senior U.N. officials not to expose staff to harm.
The Bush administration's decision to speed the transfer of power won praise from Annan last week. He had long agreed with France, Germany and others in advocating quicker restoration of Iraqi sovereignty.
Annan has never championed a U.N. administration or military role for Iraq, as in Kosovo or East Timor. But he has argued that the United Nations play a role independent from the coalition ushering in democracy in Iraq.
The Iraqi Governing Council is required to submit its new plans to the U.N. Security Council by Dec. 15. But diplomats said they expected the report sooner, perhaps as early as this week, and that the 15-nation council might adopt a resolution or a statement endorsing the plan.
Reut01:05 11-18-03

EUROPE: Ministers back European arms industry co-ordination
By JUDY DEMPSEY
Source: Financial Times
Date: November 18, 2003
Edition Name: London Ed1
Section: EUROPE
Page: Page 8
Attempts to improve Europe's military capabilities received a boost yesterday after European Union defence ministers agreed to set up a special agency to co-ordinate and develop the armaments industry.
The decision means defence ministers from the member states could start playing a more active role in spelling out how the EU's capabilities could be improved.
"This agency will identify gaps in existing capabilities," said Geoff Hoon, British defence minister. But he insisted the agency would not lead to a "protectionist" Europe in issues related to defence procurement and development.
Britain, along with several other EU countries, is concerned that Europe could be pushed down this road if the recent decision by Congress to buy only US-made defence products was implemented.
The defence ministers will be represented on the agency's steering board, and the agency head will be Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief. Mr Solana has repeatedly argued that Europe's ambitions to play a more active role on the global stage will remain limited if it does not have sufficient military capabilities to conduct a mix of operations.
It is a view shared increasingly by the member states that in the past year agreed to take over the UN-led police mission in Bosnia and the Nato-led operation in Macedonia and take the lead, under French command, for the peacekeeping mission in Bunia, north-east Congo.
The need for such an agency, long advocated but slow in coming, stems from a growing frustration among several member states over the slow pace of improving Europe's military capabilities. There is also impatience at Commission attempts to create a competitive European defence industrial and technological base as well as a competitive European defence equipment market.
Yet since 1999, when EU heads of state agreed to set "headline goals" - targets member states would meet on capabilities to back the 60,000-strong European Rapid Reaction Force - progress has been patchy.
Distributed by Financial Times