CONTENTS:
BELGRADE WILL NOT GOVERN KOSOVO EVEN IF ….
FIRST RECOGNITION
OF FRY THEN KOSOVO AND MONTENEGRO ISSUES
DOES RESOLUTION 1244 PREVENTS
SERB ELECTIONS FOR KOSOVO SERBS
FLAG - HANDKERCHIEF
GREAT AMOUNTS OF
WEAPONS CONFISCATED IN CAGLLAVICA
BELGRADE WILL NOT GOVERN KOSOVO EVEN IF…
Koha Ditore on page one carried a report about Belgrade not being able to govern Kosovo.
The story said that the UN General Assembly voted to accept the so-called “FRY” in the UN, but, referring a Washington Post story, went on that many diplomats in UN headquarters asked themselves what is Yugoslavia. Currently, it consists of two republics- Serbia and Montenegro, and Kosovo is still a province of Serbia, even though it is under UN administration since last year, continues the Post.
A few European authorities secretly promoted the opinion that Yugoslavia must turn into a free confederation, which consists of three republics: Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, reports The Post, adding that such an idea would receive very little support in Kosovo since the majority of Kosovars expect full independence.
The Clinton Administration has not decided yet whether to support the independence of Kosovo or its reintegration into Yugoslavia. US priority is a decision on the Kosovo issue after a leader that can speak in the name of the Albanian nation is chosen. The paper evaluates that the rapid improvement of Kostunica’s new Yugoslav government and especially its acceptance in the UN can enforce Belgrade’s insistence for the Kosovo and Montenegro regions. “A democratic FRY can offer an essential possibility for negotiated solutions inside FRY’s sovereignty, and I believe we must have several months of patience to approach the difficulties”, stated UN superior official [special envoy?], Danilo Turk.
In the mean time, sources say that the USA and the European Union have put pressure on the Montenegrin president, Djukanovic, to dismiss his intentions of announcing a referendum on Montenegro’s independence, because this might destabilize the region. Yugoslavia was accepted in the UN as a state with the same rights as other former-Yugoslav republics.
The Washington Post reported that UN officials and analysts believe the Kosovars’ hopes for independence vanished with Milosevic’s withdrawal. Former Balkan advisor for National Security in the White House, Ivo Daalder stated this as true. The New York Times also wrote on the Albanian dream of independence being shattered because of the new government in Serbia, and consequently, they are ready to explode. The Clinton Administration requested from the UN the organizing of parliamentary and prime ministerial elections in Kosovo this spring, even though the UN denied that they were ready.
American officials agree that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 does not expel independence for Kosovo, and they say that they want Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to agree peacefully on their relations. This is a task for the chosen leaders of the three entities, as UN French ambassador Jean David Levitte stated. On the other hand, the New York Times reported that James O’Brien confirmed to Kostunica the American support of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, according to which nothing can change without the support of all Security Council members.
The New York Times wrote on the escalating situation in Kosovo because its independence may turn into an unrealistic dream, and the potential violence against KFOR troops will increase. As for the Albanian politicians, everyone supports independence. The paper quotes the publisher, Veton Surroi stating that Belgrade cannot govern Kosovo even if Mother Theresa replaces Milosevic; Holbrooke formulated this differently “not even if Thomas Jefferson ruled Serbia”.
FIRST RECOGNITION OF FRY THEN KOSOVO AND MONTENEGRO ISSUES
Zëri carried on page one a report on admitting FRY to the United Nations.
The remaining Yugoslavia was admitted to the UN even though succession on Tito's Yugoslavia has not been finished yet. France submitted a request in the form of a project resolution for the admittance of FRY by the EU, over which France is presiding. In the request for admitting FRY is written: "The General Assembly after taking in consideration the Security Council recommendation of 31 October 2000 that FRY should be admitted as member of the UN". FRY has been admitted as a member of the General Assembly and as such, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is out of reach.
Regarding Kosovo our source at the UN said that the situation would complicate even more however this does not assume that Kosovo automatically remains part of FRY. According to some US papers, it is unclear for several members of the UN as to whom they have admitted and what does this FRY represent.
A source in Washington said for our paper "good behavior during elections on Saturday would contribute in possible changes of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and opening the doors for Kosovo independence. "UN problem towards Kosovo is not the FRY vote, but the mood of the Security Council which has direct mandate for implementation of UN Resolution 1244" said the same source.
With admittance of "Koshtunica's Yugoslavia" [newspaper’s quotation marks] as some analysts, refer to FRY; UN under the insistence of US Ambassador ignored several issues, which would remain to be discussed in the future.
For Richard Holbrooke it was more important what he promised two months ago when he dismissed the Yugoslav ambassador to the UN and bringing down of Tito's flag and rising the flag of a newly created Yugoslavia. Even though re-admittance of the FRY according to UN rules should be debated for months until all problems that surround Yugoslavia are solved, Holbrooke convinced members of Security Council that first FRY should be admitted then afterwards problems should be discussed. He also convinced Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia not to present their complaints on former Yugoslav property. "This is a historic day for the UN. The Balkans and Europe and naturally for the whole world," said Holbrooke joyfully during the ceremony. At UN admittance of Yugoslavia to the UN without solving, the Kosovo's final status "terribly" complicates the situation. Several UN members expressed their dissatisfaction with US statements where Washington does not exclude the possibility for Kosovo's independence.
Surprisingly the country that is opposing these US politics the most is Britain, the US’s closest ally during last year’ air campaign against Serbia. Bigger differences came alight when a British official said, "US persistence for Kosovo's independence would open another wound in the Balkans. The more guarantees we give for independence more problems we create for the future," said the British official for the Times.
Creation of new Yugoslavia admitted to the UN comprehends Serbia and Montenegro, which remains an open problem for Podgorica since they applied separately to join the UN as an independent country. This is given as one of the reasons why the US admitted FRY to the UN, to reduce Milo Djukanovic's government appetite towards a referendum for independence. Right after FRY was admitted to the UN Zoran Djindjic said that Podgorica and Belgrade achieved an agreement for forming "a society that would serve both of the republics as a single government".
Vojislav Kostunica's statement that he did not recognize as legal UN elections held in Kosovo surprised several European politicians. These acts disturb the politicians that Kostunica sees the issue of Kosovo as the primary problem and not the amassing problems in Serbia.
DOES RESOLUTION 1244 PREVENT SERB ELECTIONS FOR KOSOVO SERBS
Zëri carried on page two a report on UNMIK 's right to allow or ban Serbian elections in Kosovo.
Kosovo Serbs and Serb authorities would like that Kosovo Serbs participate in general elections that are planned for the end of December, to prove that Kosovo is part of Serbia. According to French officials UN Security Council Resolution 1244 enabled Kosovo Serbs to participate in FRY elections, however this is not included for Serb elections.
According to Fransoa Rivazo, a French government spokesperson, if it comes to talks between Kouchner and Kostunica then issues discussed would concern the security of Serbs in Kosovo and a very delicate issue of the imprisoned and missing Albanians. "Kouchner does not have a mandate to discuss other issues with Kostunica only implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244," said the French spokesperson.
NATO officials also noted that UNMIK is the authority to decide would Serb elections allowed for Kosovo Serbs. One official said whatever UNMIK decides KFOR troops will be there to ensure security.
FLAG - PAPER NAPKIN
Koha Ditore carried on page three a column by papers publisher Veton Surroi commenting the admittance of FRY to the UN.
1.The train of euphoria keeps on going
It was notified before from high western diplomats what happened last
night: FRY was admitted as a member of the United Nations.
For
weeks now I have been trying to tell the diplomats that the post-Milosevic
train of euphoria by the west should slow down a little. My first argument
for not recognizing the FRY first it is not a country but a process of
disintegration. Second, the changes in Belgrade only happened at the
presidency; deeper changes would take time and the hardest change would
present relations between Montenegro and Serbia. Third, the admittance
appeared as a very big award for a country, which has not released Kosovar
prisoners and has done nothing to face the crimes committed during the
wars. The opposite happened: the FRY flag was raised with acclamation not
only from former Belgrade friends also from countries, which bombed
Belgrade a year ago.
2.Three blows from one stone
It was a debate between pragmatism for everyday needs and political idealism. Pragmatism won among the western diplomats. This gesture sends a message to the Serb nation that imposed isolation during the Milosevic regime has been lifted with Kostunica's arrival. This reinforces the opposition in Serbia before the 23 December elections. On the other hand, admittance to the UN for the FRY was qualified as a new country and not as succession to the former SFRY, which necessitates the acknowledgment of four countries that came out of disintegration of SFRY, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, and their full right to participate in proper share of inheritance to the property of the old country. Westerners thought with one stone two blows. Moreover, some thought one stone three blows, and the same thought that with this gesture the problems of Kosovo and Montenegro would decline. With admitting FRY efforts are made to form a new community, which would have Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia would be formed.
3.The mistake - same as ten years ago
The speed, which Montenegro was forgotten and the fact that last three
years Montenegro was Milosevic's only direct opposition in FRY, tells a
lot about the force of pragmatism within the international community.
Lessons learned during the last ten years should not discourage
Montenegro. Ten years ago, western powers send a message that Socialist
Yugoslavia will not disintegrate. We know very well what happened. Later
on after Dayton FRY was recognized by EU only to realize that this carrot
was given at the wrong moment and at the wrong address. Recognition of FRY
did not stop the war in Kosovo. On the other side opposition leader in
Serbia know that the flag raised at the UN belong to country, which has
only the outside walls in tact.
4.What is
sovereignty worth?
Sovereignty can be acknowledged, however if you do not have it is not worth much. Belgrade was yesterday admitted as capital of a sovereign country, although we know very well that it does not control all of its territory. Negotiations between Montenegro and Serbia should define a very important segment of FRY. Meanwhile according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 Kosovo or FRY's sovereignty is held temporarily by the UN.
5.The flag at East River
The scene of raising the FRY flag at East River was pathetic. The flag of one dead country was lowered and the flag of another dead country was raised. A post mortem ritual, which transformed flags into paper napkins for one use only. Flags - paper napkins.
GREAT AMOUNT OF WEAPONS CONFISCATED IN CAGLLAVICA
All daily papers carried KFOR’s report on the raid conducted and weapon search and confiscation in Serb enclave, Cagllavica.
Bota Sot carried a repot on page three. On the first day of November, KFOR troops went searching for weapons in enclaves inhabited by the Serb minority in MNB center. KFOR gave precise information for the results of this search, which ended with the arrest of only one person. These weapons were confiscated: ten AK-47 assault rifles, five SKS rifles, eleven shotguns, one sub machine gun, nine revolvers, four plastic explosives, two hundred grams of TNT, nine grenades, several various magazines, three hundred rounds of ammunition for small arms, twenty detonators for explosives, one M-80 anti tank mortar and two bayonets.
250 British KFOR troops took part in this operation, which were helped by several Swedish KFOR soldiers. Explosives similar to the ones found in Gracanica on 18-19 of September were found during this raid. Until now, no other links have been found between these two cases.
“KFOR will not tolerate possession of illegal weapons, I am especially preoccupied with the fact that most of these weapons are not for self-defense”, stated MNB commander, Robert Fry regarding this operation. Fry evaluates this as an important action against extremist acts which will help to get rid of Milosevic’s elements.