CONTENTS

UNMIK COMMENCES DISTRIBUTION OF ID CARDS IN KOSOVO
DETENTION OF ALBANIANS QUESTIONS KOSTUNICA'S CREDIBILITY
KOSTUNICA MET WITH NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER
UNMIK POLICE STILL NOT PERMITTED IN LEPOSAVIC 
FLAHAUT: THE INCIDENT IN LEPOSAVIC COULD HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL
ONLY USA CAN SOLVE THE ISSUES IN KOSOVO AND PRESEVO
THE ALBANIAN AND SERB PRIORITIES
IN THE END WE WILL ORGANIZE TO DEFEND OUR DOORSTEP

UNMIK COMMENCES DISTRIBUTION OF ID CARDS IN KOSOVO

All today's papers covered the commencement of the distribution process of ID cards in Kosovo.

The distribution of the first 34,000 ID cards will start in the municipalities of Ferizaj, Vushtrri, Lipjan, Suhareka and Klina. According to UNMIK, the distribution is expected to extend throughout Kosovo in the coming days. The first to be equipped with ID cards are the so-called review cases, but also some others who do not fall in that category, reported Zëri on page three.

Tom Koenigs, deputy to chief administrator Kouchner, told the paper that there were technical difficulties during the process. Referring to the data that was send to a company in India and the certain mistakes made there, Koenigs said, "For someone who does not speak Albanian, it is not immediately clear how to write every single letter. We made an international tender, we took the quickest and the cheapest and we found out too late that the quality was unacceptable for the civil registry". Koenigs said that it is difficult to pronounce Albanian names letter by letter. "A name like Qosja, only a Kosovar is able to pronounce it," he added.

In addition, Koenigs pointed out the international tender and the mistakes made by the Indian company and added: "we have underestimated the technical errors we were about to face. It is a joint mistake of both UNMIK and OSCE to send them to India and not build a local capacity at that time. We though it could be produced with less errors. We should not have given a date in the beginning".

Koenigs said that the voters' list for local elections was accurately satisfying to identify a person, but that was not sufficient for ID cards. "There were hundreds of mistakes regarding the birthplace of which was of no importance for the voters' list. But it has to be written properly in the ID card," said Koenigs admitting that a mistake was made when the task was given to an Indian company.

In addition, the paper said that 14 countries have recognized the validity of UNMIK travel documents, such as Finland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the US, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, Austria and Croatia.

Macedonia, on the other hand, has not recognized the documents and talks between the Macedonian government and UNMIK are expected soon. "We will negotiate with Macedonia," Koenigs confirmed.   

DETENTION OF ALBANIANS QUESTIONS KOSTUNICA'S CREDIBILITY

European Parliament requests the release of all political prisoners held in Serbia carried Koha Ditore on page three.  

European parliament has approved a resolution where they show their concern for the position of political prisoners in Serbia. "European Parliament has called Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica to do what he can for the release of political prisoners from the Milosevic period who are still being held in Serb jails," stated European Parliamentary resolution.

"While political prisoners of the Milosevic period remain as political prisoners even with the new administration this will damage Kostunica's credibility". Appealing to President Kostunica and the new democracy in Serbia, European Parliament show their concern and said that Kostunica should amnesties all political prisoners under the frame-work of the law prepared by the Federal Ministry of Justice. According to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, Albanian political prisoners could be handed over to UNMIK.

European Parliament has called both sides Albanians and Serbs to "conduct investigations on the fate of all the missing during and after the conflict in Kosovo," and in this way "to lay down new foundations of trust between two groups which is a vital condition for peaceful development of Kosovo".

The resolution also condemns the violence in Kosovo and Presevo valley. The European Parliament "calls all the involved sides not to raise the tensions in the security zone between Kosovo and Serbia after the election of President Kostunica when there is an existing chance that a long term peaceful agreement could be achieved between Albanians and Serbs.

Along KFOR's appeal for "reinforcing the control of the borders with Serbia so new attacks by Albanian extremists could prevented," European Parliament has called upon the UN Security Council to "reinstate political conditions for commencing a positive and constructive dialogue between the Yugoslav Federal Government and Kosovar Albanian political leaders.

KOSTUNICA MET WITH NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER

Kostunica said that he is ready to commence talks on Kosovo and the return of Yugoslav security forces carried Koha Ditore on page five.

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said on Monday that Yugoslavia is ready to commence talks with KFOR and UNMIK regarding the situation in Kosovo and the eventual return of statue security forces in the region.

After talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Kostunica repeated that FRY is for a political dialogue with moderate Kosovar representatives and with LDK Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Rugova. He evaluated that there is "to much extremism" even though last local elections won the moderate forces in Kosovo. 

When questioned if he is engaging himself in altering the Military Technical Agreement in the aspect of the security zone at the administrative border with Kosovo, Kostunica said that this depends from the international community and that security has to be for all citizens in the region. He added that the state would greet a greater presence by the police at the security zone because Albanians and Serbs are frightened in this region.   

Yugoslav President evaluated that the return of military and police forces to Kosovo would become possible only when the region becomes safe and secure for all citizens. He repeated that the handing over of former President Slobodan Milosevic to The Hague Tribunal "is not a priority" for Yugoslavia, first should be solved social problems, the crisis in the south of Serbia and the problems between Serbia and Montenegro.

UNMIK POLICE STILL NOT PERMITTED IN LEPOSAVIC 

Internationals evaluate the situation in Mitrovica as calm reports Koha Ditore on page six.

Bikal Rajbahak UNMIK police spokesperson reported that the situation is calm in Mitrovica and said that Sylë Sadiku's case that has been missing for eleven days still is unsolved. The spokesperson informed that police is still not permitted to patrol in Leposavic municipality

Agreeing with him MNB North, spokesperson colonel Yves Kermorvant informed that Anthony Welch Mitrovica Regional Administrator and MNB North Commandeer Gen. Falzone have sentenced Hakif Mustafa dweller of the "Kodra e Minatorve" quarter to 25 days of not remaining in the northern part of Mitrovica.

'This decision has been brought because Hakif Mustafa has been evaluated as a problematic person who has been involved in several incidents in the quarter," said Kermorvant and added that disrespect of this sentence could bring two months of imprisonment.

For the situation in Leposavic, when on Saturday night there were clashes between Serbs and KFOR members, Kermorvant emphasized that the situation was calm on Monday and that Belgian soldiers who were the target of this Serb rebellion have continued their mission and regular patrols.

Koha Ditore source inform that seven Albanians from the "Kodra e Minatorve" have been expelled by KFOR to the southern side, however they admit only that Hakif Mustafa was given a written order from the regional administrator and MNB commander. The others were told by the soldiers that they would be given the written orders signed by these two high international officials in Mitrovica.

FLAHAUT: THE INCIDENT IN LEPOSAVIC COULD HAVE BEEN INTENTIONAL

Belgian Defense Minister regarding the incident in Leposavic where Belgian KFOR soldiers were involved reported Koha Ditore on page five.

Belgian Defense Minister André Flahaut did not dismiss the possibility that in the verge of Serb elections on 23 December someone has provoked intentionally an incident between local Serbs and KFOR.  He said for the Belgian TV that Leposavic has been calm and that Belgian KFOR "had good cooperation with the Serbs and the local government.

He added that official results of an UNMIK and KFOR investigation has to be waited for, so exact circumstances in which Serb demonstrations developed in front of the Belgian army barracks in Leposavic where one Serb died another died from heart attack. Only then things would be clear said Flahaut - if the late citizen of Leposavic was killed by a ricochet bullet fired by a Belgian soldier "in lawful self-defense" firing a warning shot or maybe "the bullet came from one of the kidnapped weapons".

All of Belgian media have given a considerable publicity to this incident emphasizing that "relations between Belgian KFOR soldiers and Serbs in northern Kosovo have been relatively good and that KFOR members shot warning shots in the air which is lawful self-defense and warning procedure".

In Mitrovica District Court international judge Michail Hartman interrogated on Monday Vladimir Tomomovic who was arrested in Leposavic two nights ago by the police. Two eyewitnesses accounts were taken also. Serb source inform that Tomomovic is still under custody. He can be kept until Tuesday 15:00 when 72 hour deadline expires for Tomomovic being detained. Tomomovic was arrested on Saturday night by the local police what brought the citizens of Leposavic to gather and try to release him by force. 

Internationals have said that Tomomovic has been arrested as a suspect for "attempted murder" while the demonstrators said that he was arrested "for a minor traffic violation". 

ONLY USA CAN SOLVE THE ISSUES IN KOSOVO AND PRESEVO

Kosovo seen from the Serb viewpoint reported Koha Ditore on page ten.
Kosovo issue and the crisis in the Presevo valley can be solved only by the USA evaluated on Monday the Belgrade based daily "Vecernje Novosti". "One of the best and quickest solutions for Kosovo Gordian knot with its poisons branches in the south of Serbia should be cut by the one that has cultivated it - Washington. Alone or with the help of UN Security Council," reports the daily.

"Albanian separatists and their leaders listen only to messages that come from that side. Just as Hashim Thaçi could not exists without Washington, likewise his mad separatism could be stopped only by America," emphasizes the paper.

"If they want peace in the Balkans, if they are against changing borders within Europe, if they feel that they need to help democratic transformation of Serbia - UN Security Council and the international community has to take the step which is not either impossible or difficult: we all have to constrain ourselves to what UN Security Council Resolution 1244 says".

The paper emphasizes that the document states, "without doubt that Albanian separatists and terrorists in Kosovo have to be demilitarized and paralyzed, while Yugoslav remains intact and the sovereignty untouched". 

"On the contrary it would be that one Thaçi is more powerful then the UN Security Council or there is a long game that awaits us. Maybe something like that is excessive," evaluates Vecernje Novine.

Yugoslavia and Serbia could not face this rattling of weapons or better said grabbing of territories no matter what, adds the paper.     
  
THE ALBANIAN AND SERB PRIORITIES

Zëri on page one carried a column by the paper's publisher Blerim Shala commenting the talks between Albanian and Serb representatives and their priorities.

The turn of 1999 in Kosovo is such a great one that it seems as if a hundred years separate us from the years when Kosovo was conquered by Serbia. However, the massive graves, the prisoners, the missing, the problems in Mitrovica and Presevo valley and Kostunica as well are enough to remind you that things between Kosovo and Serbia are far from being concluded. 
FRY President Kostunica with all his public presentations that have to do with Kosovo, deserves to be called the twin brother of Milan Milutinovic, Serbia's president. You remember that Milutinovic has always stated that he was ready to meet with the Albanian representatives. Therefore for his readiness to meet the Albanians from The Hague, he was "awarded" with an indictment for war crimes, he even organized the circus of political "dialogue" for Kosovo once a week.

At least Kostunica invites Rugova once a month for initiating the negotiations for solving Kosovo's issue. Meanwhile, Kostunica constantly, almost everyday repeats that the delivering of Milosevic to The Hague due to war crimes is not his and the new Belgrade government's priority.

Even the Albanian and Serb priorities tell how far away are Prishtina and Belgrade from beginning the negotiations. The first priority for Kosovo residents and politicians is the delivering of Milosevic and other criminals to The Hague and the establishing of a democratic government in Kosovo. Only then the chapter of Kosovo's final status can be opened, which just like Ambassador Holbrooke stressed, requests an international conference.

IN THE END WE WILL ORGANIZE TO DEFEND OUR DOORSTEP

Koha Ditore on page six carried a report on the president of Mitrovica's Municipal Council Faruk Spahija meeting residents of "Bosnians' Neighborhood".

After he expressed acknowledgement for their position and contribution, the president of Mitrovica's Municipal Council Faruk Spahija stated to the residents of "Bosnians' Neighborhood" delegation that the newly formed assembly would work for turning the won vote into reality, and promised "we will work in order for the issue of the northern side to be discussed in the meeting we requested with the UN Administrator Kouchner by using our superiority with facts and lack of complexes".

"From the international community is requested a report concerning many phenomenon, which have remained unrecognized since the international mission's arrival here", stated Spahija. The Municipal Council's advisor Shyqyri Kelmendi affirmed that there are plans for holding an unusual session of the Municipal Council where Kouchner, Rugova and Thaçi are invited, the invitations sent to them will stress that their not coming will be publicly condemned as irresponsibility and ignorance of Kosovo's most sensitive problem.

Because of the concern for the tensioned situation in the northern side of the city and the lack of steps the international mechanisms must take for a calmer future of this side's residents, a delegation that consists of eleven members (nine Albanians and two Bosnians) in "Bosnians' Neighborhood" met with the president of Mitrovica's Municipal Council, Faruk Spahija.

The representatives of this neighborhood pointed out the permanent danger threats by Serb extremists, and their surprise that the criminals, whose names are known by UNMIK and KFOR, are yet allowed to act freely. They stressed the belief zone, which instead of extending like it was promised; it is being narrowed from the north side, while outside of it the Serb extremists are laying their nests.

The residents lead by Professor Adem Mripa, see this meeting as one to inform the Municipal Council on the situation in this part of Mitrovica, they have prepared a petition signed by 900 Albanian and Bosnian residents, which they will send to the commander of MNB north General Christopher Falzone and the regional administrator Anthony Welch.

This neighborhood's residents said that they would protest in the uppermost level so that their issue will be solved in an equal way for all the residents. "If we do not meet acknowledgement in a solution for this problem, then we will use the last method, the defending of our doorstep"