CONTENTS:
KOUCHNER KOSOVO'S HONORARY CITIZEN
UNMIK CHIEF WILL BE
REPLACED ON 15 JANUARY
KOSOVO AND ITS NEIGHBORS
ARTEMIJE: "SERBS
SHOULD ORGANIZE ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO
O'BRIEN: "KOSTUNICA HAS OUR
SUPPORT"
"YUGOSLAV FORCES CANNOT RETURN TO KOSOVO"
THERE IS NO
TERRORIST GROUP "COBRA" IN KOSOVO
KOUCHNER KOSOVO'S HONORARY CITIZEN
"Too sincere to be from the Balkans, not well-trained and entirely unprepared in the political scene to be faced with all the obstacles for him and the international centers during the last eighteen months. Nevertheless he has done so much here that no one else in his position could ever do", this is how one of Kosovo's politicians defines Bernard Kouchner, whose contacts with him have been very often reported Zëri on page five.
Bernard Kouchner, as UN Chief Administrator and head of co-governing institutions established in Kosovo after the war, has had many bright periods in his work and "unpleasant" moments, which he probably wants to forget. Of course not before doing what many biographers do, talk "without gloves" regarding all the challenges he had to face here.
Now all the world knows that Kouchner is leaving and he is being replaced by a less known personality in Kosovo, the Dane Hans Haekkerup. The opinions regarding Kouchner's work are various, however the positive ones dominate. Albanian co-governing members who have been in constant contact with Kouchner and together facing all of Kosovo's problems, are not hasty in evaluations. Nevertheless officials and personalities from public life have stated their opinions: "Kosovo's man who has lived with Kosovo's good and bad things", stated LDK member Kolë Berisha, calling Kouchner not only a UN representative in Kosovo but also the representative of Kosovo in every important meeting at the international level.
On the other hand, Adem Demaçi, who has not had a function in politics after the war and did not have much contact with Kouchner, values Kouchner's "maximum in his work" while facing many challenges and while obligated to follow the line of international documents, which have précised his work. LDK deputy chairman Naim Jerliu said that Kouchner would remain the man, who for eighteen months and with very much dedication, was aiming to realize his mission in Kosovo. "Considering the environment where he began his mission, the destroyed Kosovo after the war and the mission's intentions, surely Kouchner's results and his successes are evident", said Jerliu, calling the work of rebuilding Kosovo and establishing democratic institutions as the two greatest achievements.
In this trail, the highest point of Kouchner's results in Kosovo are the free and democratic elections for local government held at the end of October with which Kosovo established democratic municipal institutions for the first time. "Surely the merit for all these achievements of Kosovo are undoubtedly attributed to Kouchner for his contribution and dedicated engagement in order for Kosovo to rebuild and join the family of democratic countries", continues Jerliu.
However, many things have been left unaccomplished during Kouchner's mandate in Kosovo, a few of which have been promised several times but have not found the road of solution. This trail consists of the practical issue of equipping Kosovar citizens with identification and travel documents. Nevertheless, Jerliu does not criticize Kouchner for this, "we hope that the residents' documents will become reality soon, and this success will be attributed in a way to Kouchner".
From the position of a judicial expert, a man who has had constant contact with Kouchner and has followed his statements when he represented Kosovo in many meetings, Hajredin Kuçi, from the PDK leadership, has attributed good words to the work of UN Administrator of Kosovo. "A positive approach for Kosovo's work, life and perspective have been evident during his work. We should not forget that he came to Kosovo when it was at point zero: an entirely destroyed Kosovo, a Kosovo without institutions, judicial order, but a Kosovo without occupation and communist dictatorship", stated Kuçi, adding that all people faced with problems wish to have even more success, however, at the same time, we must look at the other side, there could have been even less success.
"The SRSG has given a very positive opinion and stance for Kosovo and its perspective. Several times in meetings, he has not been only a UN representative, but Kosovo's representative as well. He has tried to be the voice of Kosovo's nation", stated Kuçi, by adding that, even though he was limited by UN Security Council Resolution 1244, Kouchner has followed it and at the same time he made efforts to respect the will of Kosovo's nation. Kuçi mentions the Athens conference where the SRSG had a clear and very positive stance for Kosovo.
However, will there be good times for Kosovo when the UN Administrator changes? Kuçi thinks that Kouchner should have stayed at least until the general elections "He would surely have completed a process in Kosovo, just like he did with the local government, this would happen with the general government and from that moment on, many competencies would be carried from the internationals to locals. With this, the SRSG's mission would be much more complete". Kouchner will surely contribute to Kosovo in the future. In this context Kuçi mentions Kouchner's statements in 1990 for the poisoning in Kosovo and his great work during this year and a half.
Kuçi expresses his opinion that Kosovo's relevant administrations, maybe the IAC, should initiate naming UN Chief Administrator as an honorary citizen Kosovo, as a reward for all he has done for Kosovo by being its first man for a year and a half. AAK Secretary General Ahmet Isufi, in a statement for Zëri, stated that Kouchner, as an administrator for Kosovo, has done an orderly and great job during the period after the war. "With his engagement he has contributed much in lowering tensions in Kosovo, in establishing primary conditions for Kosovo's institutions. Because the situation was not able to create all conditions for solving the problems immediately after the war, maybe the nation or the political entities are not satisfied. Anyhow I think Kouchner has done a great job and we have great consideration for him due to what he has done for Kosovo"
According to Isufi, the new administrator must continue Kouchner's work
in establishing new institutions, which will be easy for him because
"Bernard Kouchner has laid good foundations for Kosovo and has contributed
in creating new values in Kosovo". While discussing the successes of
Kouchner's work, Isufi said that his greatest success is creating a
tolerant atmosphere between political parties, at the same time the local
elections, establishing the first local
institutions
UNMIK CHIEF WILL BE REPLACED ON 15
JANUARY
Danish Defense Minister Hans Haekkerup will officially start his work as UN Administrator in Kosovo on 15 January, he will replace Bernard Kouchner who has been working in Kosovo for a year and a half, reported Zëri on page five.
It is unclear how much the international administration will change once Haekkerup arrives. But it is clear that Kouchner and Haekkerup are two different persons with various ways of working. International sources say that Haekkerup is different from Kouchner; he is direct and serious, and not spectacular like Kouchner.
"I hope I can lead Kosovo in the right path, and contribute in solving the problems there", stated Haekkerup to the Danish media. Even though he is leaving his task, Kouchner continues his work for Kosovo. During the last few days he has traveled to Paris, Strasbourg and Brussels, where he had various meetings. In Brussels he talked about funds for Kosovo and in Paris he talked with the leaders of the Sadjem firm, which was supposed to have arranged the identity cards by now.
Kouchner returns to Kosovo on Wednesday, where the Kosovo Transitional Council will meet for the first time with the new members resulting from the 28 October elections and, as UNMIK says, to expand its religious and ethnic basis. The new members are Naim Maloku from PQLK, Yagcilar of the Turk Democratic Union, Hilmo Kandic from BSDAK (Bosnian Socialist Democratic Party) and Hamiti from PDASHK. For the first time, the media will be able to follow the Council's work on the TV located outside the hall.
ARTEMIJE: "SERBS SHOULD ORGANIZE ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO
Koha Ditore carried on page four an interview by Bishop Artemije given to the Belgrade daily Danas.
Bishop Artemije, Chairman of the SNV (Serb National Council) based in Gracanica, has said that holding Serb parliamentary elections in Kosovo would prove that Kosovo is part of Serbia and also prove to the remaining Serbs in Kosovo that Serbia is their country.
He said that the Republic of Serbia has to do everything possible to see that parliamentary elections are held in Kosovo so Kosovar Serbs can vote also. He said that UNMIK sees the holding of elections in Kosovo positively even though in the beginning they were seen negatively. The same as during the federal elections, KFOR and UNMIK have a duty to ensure [security at] voting polls.
Bishop Artemije has demanded that the republic [of Serbia] and [Yugoslav] federal governments influence the return of expelled citizens to Kosovo, and the newly formed committee should start concrete actions in stopping the process of selling houses and [other] Serb property in Kosovo.
According to Bishop Artemije, this process has been going on for more than a year and half and it is being done under great pressure from Albanian extremists to "ethnically cleanse Kosovo of Serbs". Bishop Artemije said that Bernard Kouchner was not against Serbs, however "his pro-Albanian position was extremely evident".
"Many of his actions did not go towards solving the Kosovar problems, only the Albanian problems were solved so several times Serbs and other communities were not taken in consideration," said Bishop Artemije.
O'BRIEN: "KOSTUNICA HAS OUR SUPPORT"
Koha Ditore carried on page four an interview by James O'Brien given to Banjalluka magazine and reported by the Serb News Agency, Beta.
James O'Brien, special counselor to the US President Clinton on Balkan issues, said "Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has the support of the USA and the EU for peacefully solving the situation in the south of Serbia," reported Beta.
"We have agreed to certain steps to stop the violence in the region and we will continue to implement this. We have decided that crime and the killing of Serbs there has to stop and will continue our work to prevent violence from escalating again. We will achieve this by a diplomatic process," said O'Brien according to Beta.
According to Beta, "he refuted that Kosovo is definitively out of Yugoslavia," and added that Kosovo is under UN administration. According to O'Brien, "UN Security Council Resolution 1244 for Kosovo implies that first democracy has to be established there," and talks concerning Kosovo's status "will be held later".
The American diplomat said that handing over former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is not the primary condition for the reintegration of the FRY into all world and European circles. He said that "the former president is [trying to make a comeback] and that is a good sign for democracy. Let the people of Serbia tell him again that they do not want him. Our position will not change," said O'Brien.
He emphasized, "The victims of Milosevic's regime in Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina deserve that he be brought before justice," adding that this "can happen only in an international process".
He said, "Events in Croatia and Serbia have given a chance for the region to go forwards to European integration," and added that "Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole has the chance to do the same".
"We cannot allow Bosnia and Herzegovina become a heavy weight to be carried by the region. Every one has to work to help Bosnia and Herzegovina go torwards European integration," was citied O'Brien.
He was asked if the international community "is intentionally avoiding
the arrest of former Serb leader Radovan Karadic because he would be
an unpleasant eyewitness for The Hague and even for members of the
international community during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina". O'Brien
said that is not true and said that Karadic has to go to The Hague. "If he
believes that he has a story to tell then he should do so, however the
place for this is The Hague. He damages his own people by hiding. This has
lasted so long because he does not accept his responsibilities," said
O'Brien.
"YUGOSLAV FORCES CANNOT RETURN TO
KOSOVO"
Goran Svilanovic, the Yugoslav foreign
minister, said on Sunday for the daily Dnevnik and reported in Koha
Ditore, that Yugoslav security forces still cannot return to Kosovo, which
is administrated by the international community. "The return of our
security forces as determined by Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement is
still infeasible without the stabilizing of Kosovo," said Svilanovic.
"On the contrary these people would be victims of new terrorist attacks
and at the moment they could not perform their duties according to the
agreement". According to the Reuters, this statement by Svilanovic is
different from the position of the new Yugoslav regime that overthrew
Milosevic, which has insisted that Yugoslav authorities allow the
immediate return of security forces to Kosovo.
THERE IS NO TERRORIST GROUP "COBRA" IN KOSOVO
Kosova Sot carried a report on page one about Serb allegations that UNMIK police has arrested the attackers of the Yugoslav Embassy [sic] in Pristina.
On Monday, sources from UNMIK police refuted information that the police have arrested anyone in connection to the bomb attack of the Yugoslav Embassy [sic] in Pristina.
Derek Chappell, UNMIK police spokesperson, said that there is nothing new concerning the case in question. "No one has been arrested in connection with the Vukicevic case," he said on Monday at the press briefing in Pristina.
One day earlier the Yugoslav News Agency B92 reported that UNMIK police has knowledge of the attacker. According to the news agency, specialized forensic and investigative UNMIK police teams concluded that Xhavit Sarilaj and Sabit and Tahir Geci organized and carried out the attack on the residence of Stanimir Vukicevic, head of the Yugoslav Committee for Cooperation with UNMIK in Kosovo. According to B92, UNMIK police confirmed this information for the Republika Srpska News Agency Srna. Chappell said that this is not true and that UNMIK police has not released such information to anyone. He said that UNMIK police do not release any information until a case is finished because that would only make the investigative process more difficult. "This case is still being investigated," said Chappell.
Chappell also denied the existence of an Albanian terrorist group in Kosovo that operates under the name "Cobra". This group allegedly is committing terrorist acts in Kosovo.
Srna was quoted by B92 saying that UNMIK police source confirmed that the three above mentioned Albanians are members of the terrorist group "Cobra" and that members of this group are specialized and engage only in executing difficult acts "of diversion and kidnapping".
"We have no information that a such terrorist group exists in Kosovo," said Chappell.