CONTENTS

SERBIAN ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO - BIGGEST POSTWAR PROVOCATION
UN SG ANNAN APPOINTS NEW SRSG IN KOSOVO
SHALA: PRAYER AS POLITICS

SERBIAN ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO - BIGGEST POSTWAR PROVOCATION

Koha Ditore on pages one and two carried an overview of the reactions of Albanian political entities concerning the possibility of holding Serbian elections in Kosovo.

Serbian elections in Kosovo are considered by Albanians as a big provocation in postwar Kosovo and a situation that can worsen interethnic relations between the Albanian majority and Serb minority in Kosovo, whereas UNMIK on the other hand has not made an official stance regarding the elections.

Kolė Berisha, deputy chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said that the organization and the holding of Serbian elections in Kosovo is the biggest provocation that can be made to Kosovo and its people. "This is simply fueling the fire," said Berisha adding that Albanians consider Serbia a neighboring country that has no inherences in Kosovo and has no right to organize elections in another country.

Fatmir Limaj, member of the presidency of the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK), reportedly shared the same opinion with Berisha. "These elections are more of a provocation rather than a step that would play an important role in stabilizing the region. Therefore, we are against Serbian elections in Kosovo," Limaj said.

Ramush Haradinaj, chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), said that Serbian elections, according to his opinion, must not happen since they would damage Kosovo and its stability. "The holding of these elections in Kosovo would damage the integration of the Serb minority in the Kosovar society and would present an obstacle to the effective cooperation with minority citizens, especially the Serb minority," Haradinaj told the paper.

The interim international administration in Kosovo has not made an official response to what is considered by the Albanians as the biggest provocation in postwar Kosovo.
Claire Trevena, spokeswoman for UNMIK, claims that Kouchner's administration is having ongoing talks regarding the issue but that respective decisions have not been made. "We have not made any decisions until now. One thing should be clear that we are not organizing these elections… For the time being there is nothing more we can say," she said.

Citing unofficial sources the paper added that in case Serbian elections would be held in Kosovo they will be organized in the three northern municipalities populated with Serb majority, whereas in the so-called Serb enclaves private houses will be used as polling stations.

Blerim Reka, jurist and expert on international affairs, said that allowing Serbian elections in Kosovo would mean an anomaly in competencies. "Allowing Serbian elections in Kosovo would simply mean violating resolution 1244," said Reka adding that this was not foreseen neither as a project in the implementation of the resolution. Adding to the issue, he was quoted as saying, "it is known that Kosovo is currently under international administration and it is a competency of the United Nations and the SRSG in Kosovo, which should announce that the elections must not be allowed in Kosovo".

UN SG ANNAN APPOINTS NEW SRSG IN KOSOVO

"I wish him all the best," said SRSG Bernard Kouchner after receiving the news that the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has appointed Hans Haekkerup as his representative in Kosovo, reported Koha Ditore on page two.

SG Annan informed the Security Council on Friday of his intention to name Haekkerup, the current Defense Minister of Denmark, as his new special representative in Kosovo. According to UNMIK, Haekkerup is expected to take over the duty of UNMIK chief by January.

Kouchner had publicly expressed his decision to leave from the SRSG post in Kosovo, but he had emphasized that he would do so only when after Annan appoints a successor. Kouchner justified by saying that after local elections a new stage begins in Kosovo.

Annan, on the other hand, thanked Kouchner for his work in Kosovo. "The Secretary General would like to take this occasion to pay tribute to Dr. Kouchner for the inspirational leadership and dynamism with which he led this extremely difficult and challenging mission and for the remarkable success he has achieved there in its first year and a half," it was said in a press release issued by the United Nations.

In the meantime, Kouchner wished for his successor to have a productive time in Kosovo. "As UNMIK Chief he is going to have many challenges. I hope it will be a fulfilling experience for him here in Kosovo, as it was for me," said Kouchner.

Annex: Transcript of a column by Blerim Shala, Zėri, p.1

PRAYER AS POLITICS

As of today, there is a topic less for Kosovo media and a source less for political rumors in Kosovo. Bernard Kouchner is leaving Kosovo in January, while Hans Haeekerup, Danish Minister of Defense will be new UNMIK Chief. Questions, which were so often mentioned in Kosovo during the last months, whether Kouchner will leave and who will replace him have finally been answered.

If we leave asides the diplomatic finesses for saying goodbye to Kouchner and welcoming Haekkerup, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the coming year will be a very difficult test, and maybe even an unsurpassed one for UNMIK's new chief. Even though this year Kouchner made it through a series of obstacles, which were at the same time making his mission difficult and were also choking Kosovo, it seems that in the process of duty handover except for advises on what can be done and the long list of issues which await addressing in 2001, with special emphasis on the legal framework for Kosovo and the organization of overall elections, Kouchner might wish Haekkerup that God be on his side for the successful flow of UNMIK's mission.

But, Haekkerup is not alone in this one. The prayer that God and America to continue being in Kosovo's side, for the time being, seems to be the entire political strategy of Kosovar politicians.