CONTENTS:

974 IDENTIFICATION CARDS READY TO BE ISSUED
HAEKKERUP: TO REMOVE KOSOVO FROM THE HEADLINES BUT TO KEEP THE INTEREST OF INTERNATIONALS
WILL UNMIK ADMINISTRATION CHANGE WITH NEW ADMINISTRATOR
PRESENCE OF PEACEKEEPERS IS ESSENTIAL IN THE BALKANS

974 IDENTIFICATION CARDS READY TO BE ISSUED

The process of issuing identification cards for citizens will start during next week. Citizens receive the ID cards free of charge however for travel document the tax is 60 DM reports Koha Ditore on page nine.

"First 974 identification cards for the citizens of Kaçanik which have no identification at all are ready, their distribution will start next week," said on Friday Wycliffe Rajuwayi international official of the civil registration center in Kaçanik.

Citizens that receive ID card will be able to apply for travel documents said Rajuwayi and added that registration process h started on 11 December and will continue without a definite deadline. Citizens that for one reason or another did not register before the elections can do so every working day at the registration office in the municipal building in Kaçanik said Rajuwayi.

HAEKKERUP: TO REMOVE KOSOVO FROM THE HEADLINES BUT TO KEEP THE INTEREST OF INTERNATIONALS

Hans Haekkerup confirmed Friday in Brussels that by mid January he will take over the post of the international chief administrator of Kosovo from Bernard Kouchner, reported Koha Ditore on page three.

During his stay in Brussels on Friday, Haekkerup had talks with NATO and European Union leading officials, as well as with U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. "I have come here to contact my main supporters, EU and NATO, while on Monday I will visit New York where I will meet with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan," said Haekkerup following the meeting with EU senior official Javier Solana. Haekkerup added that he was still in the stage of gathering required data and information and that it is still too early to talk about concrete things.

Asked by the paper about his main challenges in Kosovo when he takes over post in January, Haekkerup was quoted as saying, "in the long term, I want to remove Kosovo from the headlines, but at the same time to keep the attention and the interest of the international community in supporting Kosovo. I think it is essential to keep the attention of the international community for Kosovo and continue providing assistance, whereas when I say to remove Kosovo from the headlines first of all I refer to decreasing the scale of violence".

Asked to comment on the statements of U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Bernard Kouchner to hold overall elections in Kosovo as soon as possible, Haekkerup said that for the time being he would listen and then he would make his analysis and undertake the necessary decisions. "And for the time being I can say nothing more," he added.

According to the paper, Haekkerup also praised Kouchner's work in Kosovo and said that he would continue what Kouchner had started.

WILL UNMIK ADMINISTRATION CHANGE WITH NEW ADMINISTRATOR

Several high UNMIK officials of the current Kouchner administration have left Kosovo and by the end of December, some political aids will leave reports Zëri on page three.

On 15 January, Kosovo will have a new administrator and several other new members will arrive with the administrator Hans Haekkerup. "There are people that are going because this is the end of anew era, locals elections ended," said an UNMIK official.

On Wednesday, Kouchner met with Haekkerup in Paris in a meeting that lasted more than three hours in planning the handing over of the authority and Kouchner briefed him on the situation in Kosovo. Haekkerup is expected to arrive in Kosovo during the first week of January.

Kouchner's chief deputy Jock Covey is currently in Copenhagen where he will meet with Haekkerup and it is expected that he will remain several more months after Kouchner leaves. Meanwhile, the new UNMIK Administrator is expected that will bring one or two of his aids. Piter Sorrenson is expected to be one of the main Haekkerup's political advisors.

It is not expected that many other changes will occur in the UNMIK administration. Until end of November international administration had 4,112 employees in Kosovo meanwhile this number was planned to rise to 5,351. It is not know will this number change with the arrival of Hans Haekkerup who is know to be a very notable manager. 

PRESENCE OF PEACEKEEPERS IS ESSENTIAL IN THE BALKANS

Gen. Henry Shelton Commander of US Armed Forces opposed the comment made by one of the officials of the newly elected President Bush reports Koha Ditore on page two.

Gen. Shelton evaluated that the Balkans are in danger of another civil war if American peacekeeping forces withdraw as suggested by one of Bush's top aids. Gen. Shelton said that he would discuss "even the smallest details" with the new administration the American strategy for the region. "If American armed forces withdraw from the region than the situation would return," said Shelton in a press conference.

Bush's aid Condoleeza Rice is believed that could become the new counselor for national security said to the New York Times that Bush has warned NATO partners that he wants Europe to be in charge of the security in the Balkans.

"We have to be sure that our long term engagements in helping to form new countries does not endanger our (military) ability," said Gen. Shelton questioned on the situation in the Balkans and the essential presence of American troops in helping to form civil institutions in the region.