CONTENTS

KOUCHNER SUPPORTED BY HOLBROOKE, OPPOSED BY RUSSIA
BERNARD SALOME NOMINATED FOR KOSTUNICA'S ADVISOR?
WORLD BANK NEEDS VISA FROM BELGRADE FOR PROJECTS IN KOSOVO
SHALA: DOES KOUCHNER NEED SEVERAL OTHER MONTHS?
MALIQI: DEEP CRISIS OF LOCAL AUTHORITY

KOUCHNER SUPPORTED BY HOLBROOKE, OPPOSED BY RUSSIA

UNMIK Administrator Bernard Kouchner gave signals Thursday in front of the United Nations Security Council that he might leave his post in Kosovo, reported Koha Ditore on page one.

However, Kouchner did not give the precise date of his departure nor his possible replacement. He said he would remain UNMIK Chief, until UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appoints his successor, added the paper.

Earlier, Kouchner had run for the post of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, but unsuccessfully since that post was given to the former Dutch Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers.

Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations, also said that several times he noticed Kouchner raising the possibility that he might no longer report in front of the Security Council. "I hope this is not true and I doubt that it will happen. I think we will have the chance to you again here, and I personally want to see you here. We need your leadership," Holbrooke was quoted as saying.

During his address to the UN Security Council, Kouchner said it is still too early to talk about the independence of Kosovo, but added that parliamentary elections in Kosovo should be held as soon as possible, possibly in spring. "We must develop self-administrating institutions in Kosovo, by enabling Kosovars to take over bigger responsibility in the administration of Kosovo," he said.

According to Kouchner, successful local elections of 28 October paved the way to parliamentary elections. Following harsh critics by Russia, because of his statement that he cannot organize 23 December Serbian elections in Kosovo, Kouchner reportedly changed his words and said he would consider the possibility. "I would like to say here that UNMIK can in no way organize such elections due to technical reasons," he said adding that Belgrade never came up with such an offer.

Holbrooke reportedly backed up Kouchner proposal for parliamentary elections to be held in spring, thus opposing voices coming from the OSCE and the Security Council itself. Said Holbrooke: "I think that the idea for another year to prepare the elections is ridiculous. The longer we wait, the more difficult it be".

Holbrooke also agreed that UNMIK and KFOR could not supervise Serbian elections in Kosovo. Citing NATO commanders, he added that the elections require additional troops that are not in disposal.

The Russian ambassador, Gennady Gatilov said that Kosovo Serbs should not be excluded from the process of Serbian elections. Russia also requested the lifting of sanctions on weapons against Yugoslavia. Gatilov said that Kosovar Albanians are now persecuting Serbs and that the illegal request of Albanians for independence dominated October local elections in Kosovo. According to the paper, Kouchner responded to Gatilov in words that can be translated as: "sometimes, you seem more catholic to me than the Pope itself".

Russia and Yugoslavia, which is represented at the Security Council by Vladislav Mladenovic, have also requested the return of a Yugoslav Army contingent to Kosovo, a step that Kouchner opposed and called immature. "How do you think this is possible, only a year and a half after the war?," Kouchner asked.

BERNARD SALOME NOMINATED FOR KOSTUNICA'S ADVISOR?

Citing its sources within the European Union, Kosova Sot on page three reported that Bernard Salome, advisor to Bernard Kouchner for economic issues, has been nominated in France as an advisor to Yugoslav president Vojislav Kostunica.

In addition, the paper said that Salome is currently in New York, therefore officials at the international administration could not confirm the information. "Salome has a very important post in Kosovo, he is the head of the ITT Consortium for the Trepça mining complex and is considered to be one of the most merited people for shutting down Zvecan Smelter. The goal of the consortium is to prepare the mining complex in order to start production," it was added.

According to the paper, if Salome leaves from Kosovo all tenders regarding the complex would be pending, since he is now a good connoisseur of the mining complex and his departure would create vacuum.

A matter of concern, as the paper noted, is surely the fact that Belgrade has open tendencies towards Trepça mining complex, and in case Salome is really nominated as advisor to Kostunica, then Serbia's interest in the complex are increasing noticeably.

WORLD BANK NEEDS VISA FROM BELGRADE FOR PROJECTS IN KOSOVO

Christian Portman, the World Bank coordinator at the Stability Pact, said that the institution he represents recognizes Yugoslavia and that all World Bank projects related to Kosovo have to go through Belgrade, reported Koha Ditore on page eleven.

During a press briefing held Thursday in Tirana, Portman said that resolution 1244 treats Kosovo as a part of Yugoslavia "and we cannot act differently". Portman however said that projects for Kosovo could be a of different from those for Belgrade. "Kosovo has completely different from Yugoslavia and we have specific projects of assistance for Kosovo," he was reported as saying.

According to the report, the World Bank emphasized that all credits which would be given for Kosovo would have to be proposed and endorsed by the Yugoslav government.

SHALA: DOES KOUCHNER NEED SEVERAL OTHER MONTHS?

Zëri on page one carried a column by paper's publisher Blerim Shala in which he wrote:

"This time, UNMIK Chief Bernard Kouchner has raised the issue of his replacement in the post of most important politician in Kosovo. During his address to the UN Security Council, after rightfully requesting parliamentary elections to be held in spring, Kouchner also said that he plans on leaving Kosovo. He also suggested Paddy Ashdown, the famous British politician and a connoisseur of Kosovo and Balkans issues, as his replacement".

"This is not the place for more detailed analysis on the Kosovo - Kouchner coexistence. Maybe it is even too early to do so. But even now, there can be conclusions that favor Kouchner's further stay in Kosovo in the coming months, in order to strengthen the process of endorsing a legal framework for Kosovo".

"With all the ups and downs, Kouchner has done a lot for Kosovo. Now he must roundup his investment, by accelerating the establishment of local authority. In the meantime, more convenient circumstances could be created for his successor. In this aspect, Kouchner seems to be right when he proposed Paddy Ashdown for the new international leader of Kosovo. The second stage of the Kosovo process, when great political steps are awaited, needs a man of the political and moral caliber such as Paddy Ashdown".

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Annex: Transcript of a commentary by Shkelzen Maliqi, Koha Ditore, p.10

DEEP CRISIS OF LOCAL AUTHORITY

Recent events provide additional proof to the continuous worsening of crisis of the local political authority in Kosovo. Even though local elections determined the actual configuration of the report between forces, this still has not affected the establishment of the instance of the represented authority, which would competently and swiftly respond to urgent matters and challenges imposed by processes taking place in Kosovo and the region.

The protest for the release of prisoners clearly showed the absence of authority. Even though, undoubtedly, the goal of the protest enjoyed the full support of all political entities, the lack of coordination was noticed on the organization and leadership of the protest.

Neither the LDK, which after elections is considered the party with the biggest responsibility, nor the PDK, which remained an "opposition", came up with a clear stance regarding the protests, thus allowing their spontaneous flow, or to address the parties that had less success in elections. And this leaves you with an impression of a sinking pyramid of responsibility and political activity: entities with big responsibility suffer from progressive paralysis, whereas those with marginal influence take over the role of raising the overall awareness. This caused astonishment in the public opinion. People were confused regarding calls for protests and "overall" strike. Main parties and responsible departments (for example, those of education) did not declare neither for nor against the action, a fact which created nothing but astonishment.

The first critic should be made to the LDK. After winning the elections, LDK should act with increased responsibility towards the electorate that gave it its vote. But this party is still not aware of the changed role, and it continues the old habit of not taking into consideration actions of public importance.

LDK's bureaucracy has some concerning habits. Those who pass by the "Qafa" complex in Prishtina where the LDK main seat is located, could witness a strange phenomenon: the seat is always closed on weekends, be it a calm weekend or not, or if Kosovo is going through crisis or a period of mobilization, a time when the party with responsibility, such as the LDK, should be working day and night. This was the case even during the election campaign. For the LDK, as a party, there is no extraordinary situation or urgent problem that demands action or immediate engagement. When it comes to important and urgent decisions the LDK needs Rugova's advice, whereas Rugova usually does not have the time to communicate with his dependants. The "protocol" has caught with him for sometime now and he is not letting go.

The erosion of the local authority can be noticed in the relations with the international community. Kosovar leaders, for sometime now, are not present in important talks. As a matter of fact, for the time being only the Americans are showing considerable respect towards them. Rugova and Thaçi have been invited in the U.S., to participate in the meeting marking the fifth anniversary of the Dayton Conference.

Meanwhile, as for the summit of the countries of the region, which is to be held in Zagreb, there was no formula of representation for the Kosovars, neither as accompanies nor advisors to Kouchner. The role given to Yugoslavia and Kostunica in this summit and other conferences, leads even to the marginalization of the Republic of Montenegro, whose authority is more legitimate than Belgrade's, all in favor of the artificial strengthening of FRY's sovereignty. This hastiness of FRY's admittance could have prejudiced consequences, where the absence of the local Kosovar authority could not oppose and prevent these acts.

After elections, Kosovo's local authority has remained undetermined and without executive power. Before, the authority was at least simulated through co-participation in Kouchner's councils, from which the voice of the Kosovar entity could be separated as a representative voice and protector of Kosovo's interests.

After elections, the issue of IAC and KTC's re-concept is raised. This is something that causes terrible headache to international administrators.

Kosovo's political scene, which left them the impression of being wealthy, is now sieved and wrinkled. Now, one cannot even simulate a parliament or a joint Kosovar presidency with several entities, since many of them lost, whereas some of them even lost their representative legitimacy.

Only Rugova, Thaçi and eventually Haradinaj, who should replace Qosja, should remain at the IAC, if it is still going to have a meaning.

In KTC, there could eventually be some of the entities which have secured participation in municipal assemblies (for example, PSHDK) and minority representatives.

However, the issue of affirmation and functioning of the local authority remains open until overall elections. The best version would be to reach a consensus and big coalition between LDK, PDK, and AAK, which would not have a formal character, but it would be based on a platform or program, in which strict obligations and responsibilities would be determined correctly.

But, I am quite skeptic that such an agreement could be realized without foreign mediators. Could this happen in Dayton, where Rugova and Thaçi are now?