CONTENTS:

HAEKKERUP:I WILL ACCEPT THE POST OF CHIEF KOSOVO ADMINISTRATOR
SOME MEDIA HAVE GRAVELY SPECULATED ON RUGOVA'S PARTICIPATION IN ATHENS
SAVA JANJIC WITHDRAWS FROM SNV AND POLITICS
IGOR SIMIC ACCUSED FOR 26 COUNTS OF MURDER
A PRE-ANNOUNCED MISTAKE
UNMIK BEFORE TOTAL COMPROMISE
YUGOSLAV MINISTER CALLS FOR TALKS

HAEKKERUP: I WILL ACCEPT THE POST OF CHIEF KOSOVO ADMINISTRATOR

An exclusive interview carried by Koha Ditore's Augustin Palokaj with Hans Haekkerup Danish Defense Minister.

Mr. Haekkerup how do you evaluate Danish troops contribution that are serving with KFOR.

Right after the end of the NATO air campaign ended in Kosovo we and all other allies evaluated the situation and offered our troops, as KFOR was entering Kosovo. We had earlier troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina and we were already involved in the Balkans. Our troops entered Kosovo right in the beginning gave their contribution and now there are 540 in Kosovo and around in 340 Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is not a small contribution taking in consideration the size of our country. I think in comparing the population with other countries we are giving the biggest contribution with troops in Kosovo. Maybe only Norway is ahead of us.

Big countries sometimes have problems with their public opinion in keeping their troops in the Balkans. Do you have in Denmark such problems?

No, we do not have problems with our public opinion. The people of Denmark are aware of the situation in Kosovo and for the good job that our troops are doing there. I have to say that they are proud of this and they encourage us to continue the mission. In Bosnia and Herzegovina we had up to, 1,500 soldiers and our public opinion supported us.

Some countries have decided to concentrate in Kosovo or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Holland for an example withdrew its forces from Kosovo and concentrated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Will Denmark follow in Holland's steps and where do you see your counties contribution for the future in Kosovo.

Maybe there is some logic in Holland's decision, however we will not make such step. We will keep our forces in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, Denmark will give a big contribution to KFOR. We will contribute about 150 officers to the new KFOR command, which has been decided by NATO. We are aware that there is need to keep the troops there and we are ready to do so.

Your name has been mentioned as possible successor as UN Chief Administrator for Kosovo. Has anyone from the UN contacted you with this issue?  

I can say that I am interested to accept this post, and I am ready to accept the offer. Of course if I am chosen. This is a very important post, and I am ready to accept it and give my full contribution, however this does not depend on me. 

If you are chosen for this post, your reinstatement to Kosovo can be very quick. How do you see the challenges that you might face in Kosovo if UN Secretary General Kofi Annan chooses you?     

I have been now for the past eight years Danish Defense Minister and for this time I have mounted a good experience of the Balkans. I understand the situation thoroughly in the Balkans. I know the history of the region, the people, the mentality and the circumstances in the region. I have visited several times Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. I have been to Croatia where our troops were stationed. For this I should say that I am very interested to take the post of UN Chief Administrator for Kosovo, naturally if I am chosen for it. 

How do you evaluate KFOR and UNMIK as mission for the past 18 months?

I can say freely that a lot has been achieved. We do not have to forget that this a long term mission. We should compare it with Bosnia and Herzegovina mission even though the comparing of these two missions is not right in almost every aspect however, the international community is there for more than five years and only lately, we have started to see positive results security regarding the peace and security.

We have been in Kosovo for 18 months now and a lot has been achieved, close to 1 million refugees returned to their homes. We should not forget the time factor when we talk about the success or the failure of the international mission in Kosovo. There is absolutely a need to continue in the right path return all the refugees to their homes and create greater security conditions.

SOME MEDIA HAVE GRAVELY SPECULATED ON RUGOVA'S PARTICIPATION IN ATHENS

Koha Ditore carried on page ten an official communiqué released by LDK Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Rugova's office.

After the two-day conference "Albanians as majority and minority - a regional dialogue" held in Athens some Kosovo media have harshly speculated regarding Dr. Rugova's participation at this conference. After Koha Ditore, Kosovapress and radio Kosova e Lirë "published" that Dr. Ibrahim Rugova met with Yugoslav interior minister in Athens and some kind of invitations by Belgrade for a dialogue. LDK Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Rugova's office refutes with indignation all these false speculations, and evaluating them as biased and very damaging for the overall situation in Kosovo.

It is regrettable that some Kosovar media have failed to show the development of the conference, and failed to show the essence of the two-day conference.

Albanian representatives at this conference and especially Dr. Rugova and representatives of the international community in Kosovo made a superior presentation of the actual developments in Kosovo and its future perspectives.

LDK Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Rugova insisted at this conference on a full independence for Kosovo and integration to NATO and called for a formal recognition of Kosovo as an independent country.

All Albanian representatives showed a unity at the Athens conference regarding the future of Kosovo. It is very surprising how a part of the Kosovar media instead of confirm the values and the real essence of this conference they continue with their practice of speculating on non-existent meetings and invitations.

Chairman Rugova's office with regret conclude that even though their permanent position regarding the freedom of the press to report as they seem fit however, they should stand up to these trivial and damaging writings.
 
SAVA JANJIC WITHDRAWS FROM SNV AND POLITICS

Koha Ditore carried on page four a report based on Serb news agency Beta.

Sava Janjic resigned from Kosovo Transitional Council and resigned as SNV (Serb National Council) spokesperson informed Serb news agency Beta.

He confirmed for the Belgrade news agency that he has left SNV and the Gracanica Monastery and has withdrawn to the Deçani Monastery where he will continue with everyday religious duties.

SNV officials did not want to comment Sava Janjic's resignation, sources close to this organization informed that father Sava resigned from the SNV because he  "pushed Petar Jaksic an Adventist priest for the manager of the newly formed radio K and M". The same source informed that on the last board meeting of the radio there was a harsh duel between Sava Janjic and other council members who opposed the naming of Jaksic for the post of the manger of this media house, which has not started working yet. 

Beta informs that father Sava handed his written resignation to Bishop Artemije and to Bernard Kouchner UN Chief Administrator for Kosovo. 

IGOR SIMIC ACCUSED FOR 26 COUNTS OF MURDER

District Court in Mitrovica started the trial of a Serb accused for genocide reports on page five Koha Ditore.

On Tuesday at the District Court in Mitrovica started the trial against Igor Simic accused for participating in the murder of 26 Albanians dwellers of the "Kovaçëve" (former Miladin Popovic) on 14 April 1999 during the NATO air strikes informed UNMIK spokesperson Frank Benjaminses.

At this court session four other persons were to be accused in absence, however the court presided by international judge Christer Craphammer who decided now to start a process against persons in absence.

During interrogations Dragan Jovanovic, Srdjan Aleksic, Vlastimir Aleksic, Branislav Popovic together with Igor Simic did not admit the accusations that charged them with premeditated murder of Albanians, expelling them and looting during the NATO air strikes. They are suspected that on 14 April 1999 they killed 26 Albanians.

At the first court, session 12 witnesses were called. It is planned to call another 28 witnesses.

A PRE-ANNOUNCED MISTAKE

Zëri on page one carried a column by Blerim Shala commenting the Serb elections being held in Kosovo.

You almost certainly did not know that Serbia's unusual parliamentary elections, which are foreseen for the 23rd of December,, have an entirely new territorial organizing. Now, Serbia is a single election unit, including Kosovo as well. Now imagine Serbia's map in front of you with Kosovo in it, together with the Serb leaders' words that Belgrade fully respects UN Resolution 1244 of the Security Council with which an international protectorate functions in Kosovo. Things are clear now: Resolution 1244 and the idea of organizing Serb elections in Kosovo expel one another. There is no middle, no compromise at this point.

This time, UNMIK cannot search for "a middle point" with the stance "yes, but no", expressed in September before the FRY elections. At the time, UNMIK legally had trouble stopping FRY elections, however politically undertook many things in order to make impossible the electoral manipulations of Milosevic's regime. Now, things are different and they can be expressed with the stance "no, but yes". Kouchner in all his public presentations has strictly denounced the variant of organizing Serb elections in Kosovo. However, Kouchner's "no" seems as though will be neutralized with a "yes" that comes from outside. In fact this "yes" can turn into a yes to serious problems in Kosovo as an unavoidable consequence of December 3rd.

UNMIK BEFORE TOTAL COMPROMISE

Zëri on page one and two carried a report on Serb elections pre-announced holding in Kosovo.

According to NATO officials, if Serb elections are organized in Kosovo, NATO will not send any additional troops, the last time 2000 soldiers were sent. West sources have informed Reuters that the 23rd of December elections will be allowed to be held in the north side of Kosovo, above Iber River, whereas the Serbs under the river will vote by mail. "If there will be voting in the north side of Kosovo, then we will not be able to provide enough sources to offer security in Serbia's elections", said NATO officials, without wanting to confirm the news not yet announced by UN, respectively Bernard Kouchner. At the same time, they added that UN has not informed NATO whether the Serb elections will be held in Kosovo.

In the meantime European Union officials say there is no common stance for these elections, as usually they toss the responsibility for these elections on UN, respectively on Bernard Kouchner. Kosovo's majority, the Albanians, oppose these elections, which have no legal basis in UN Resolution 1244 of the Security Council.

Referring to Zëri's argument that the Resolution 1244 does not include Kosovo being a part of Serbia, the spokesman of France Foreign Ministry Francois Rivazo arguments this by saying, "however the Resolution does not say that Kosovo is not a part of Serbia either". Rivazo as well as many other European Union officials toss the responsibility for these elections to Kouchner.

Even though Kouchner has expressed himself as against them, it seems as though he has been advised from countries of the European Union to close his eyes toward these elections and to allow them in order for the European Union's favorite, Vojislav Kostunica not to "get angry".
"If the elections are forbidden Milosevic may attack Kostunica by saying that when he was governing, Kosovar Serbs were allowed to vote, now that Kostunica is governing, they are not", arguments Rivazo and in this way he reveals the French stance in favor of holding Serb elections in Kosovo on December 23rd. 

YUGOSLAV MINISTER CALLS FOR TALKS

A minister in Yugoslavia's new government renewed calls for reconciliation talks Saturday after meeting with ethnic Albanian leaders from independence - minded Kosovo reported Koha Ditore on page ten.

"I think there should be talks as soon as possible… but I have not had an answer," said Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic, who was in Athens for a two-day Balkans conference hosted by a US- based organization called the Project on Ethnic Relations. Ethnic Albanians make up the vast majority of the population in Kosovo, a province of Serbia, Yugoslavia's main republic. Kosovo has been under international control since the 78-day NATO bombing campaign forced Yugoslav troops from the province in June 1999. Many residents want full independence for Kosovo, a demand strongly opposed by Yugoslavia.

Zivkovic is part of Yugoslavia's pro-democracy government formed in October after former leader Slobodan Milosevic was ousted. A moderate ethnic Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, met with Zivkovic but refused to appear with him in public, organizers said. Zivkovic insisted his government was committed to safeguarding the right of ethnic Albanians. "What happened to the ethnic Albanians in the last three or four years was horrendous," he said. "But that does not give them the right to blame a whole nation or change its boarders."

Kosovo Albanians present at the talks were skeptical of Zivkovic's invitation. "There was a genocidal war in Kosovo to expel or destroy the Albanian population," said Veton Surroi editor of Kosovo's leading newspaper, Koha Ditore. "That war was lost. And even if Serbia elects Mother Theresa as its president, the Kosovars will not accept Serbia as their state."

The report concludes by mentioning the participants which were Bernard Kouchner, the UN's top official in Kosovo Albanian Premier Ilir Meta, US State Department officials, and Hashim Thaçi who led the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army and currently heads the Democratic Party of Kosovo.