CONTENTS:

THE IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR THE STATE OF KOSOVO
GRATITUDE FOR KOUCHNER FULL SUPPORT FOR HAEKKERUP
PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO
UN DOES NOT ALLOW SERB FORCES TO ATTACK UÇPMB
WHICH ARE THE ALBANIANS TO BE AMNESTIED
DO NOT FORGET THAT BUSH SUPPORTED INTERVENTION IN KOSOVO
KFOR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVE IN BUJANOVC
THEY DEMAND PROTECTION

THE IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR THE STATE OF KOSOVO

All the daily papers carried reports that UNMIK has started to distribute identity cards for Kosovars. Koha Ditore reported on page two and eight on the first released identity cards in Ferizaj and Vushtrri.

A hard plastic card with inscriptions in Albanian, Serbian and English a color photo and UNMIK insignia is the new identity card that was given for the first time to the citizens of Ferizaj by the UNMIK administration.

"For me this is the identity card of the state of Kosovo, this is a good sign that UNMIK has started to keep its promises," said Maliq Tahiri 62 while he was waiting in a queue to receive his identity card. "The old was burned down, however this one they cannot ever," recalls the feelings of building of statehood for Kosovo. Meanwhile the youngster Fadil Luzha 28 said that he is happy that he does not need for the old identity card and he hopes that passports would ready very soon. 

In front of UNMIK office there is a queue, some are waiting to register, others have come to see if they are in the lists for identity cards. "We only distributed a limited number today because the citizens were not properly informed," said Fahredin Sylaj and added that Isuf Shaqiri was the first citizen to receive his card.

"In the Vushtrri municipality UNMIK has prepared 1,357 identity cards for the citizens of this municipality," said Sheribane Avdiu responsible for distribution of identity cards in Vushtrri. The first person to receive the identity card was Sabrie Ademi from the village Druare.

GRATITUDE FOR KOUCHNER FULL SUPPORT FOR HAEKKERUP

European Union and USA evaluate the progress in Kosovo and call for dialogue in the Presevo valley reports Zëri on page six.

EU-USA Summit held in Washington have examined their cooperation during last years in different fields especially the Balkans and promotion of peace, stability and democracy in the region. Never before EU and USA were not directly engaged in bringing and saving peace in the Balkans. They jointly stopped the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and reversed ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

This was the last EU-USA Summit under the Clinton Administration who has according to European officials in Brussels for his eight-year mandate shown a great interest and understanding for mutual understanding for joint relations. Changes in US administration have brought some doubt with Europeans as to George W. Bush's policy towards issues in Europe. However, European officials believe that the new Administration will continue the relations between EU and USA.

EU and USA have evaluated that great deal has been achieved in Kosovo even though there are still ethnic and security problems. EU and US officials have thanked and congratulated Bernard Kouchner for his achievements in Kosovo and promised full support for the new administrator Hans Haekkerup.

"We await that the progress achieved in Kosovo in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1244 establishing of a temporary administration, rebuilding, holding of local elections in a peaceful and democratic way," said the joint EU-USA declaration. This declaration supports Kouchner's efforts to create self-governing democratic institutions for Kosovo in agreement with principals in UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Tensions in Presevo valley were also mentioned in the joint declaration at the summit where both sides are called that a peaceful solution is found between Albanians and Serb forces there. "We condemn the escalation of violence in the Presevo valley and we call both sides to show restraint and solve their differences with dialogue".

PREPARATIONS FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO

Regulation for reconstruction of the Central Elections Committee approved by Bernard Kouchner UN Chief Administrator at the IAC regular meeting carried Zëri on page three.

"In agreement with the regulation, which has also based on the results of the local elections Kouchner decided to reconstruct the CEC which starting today will take the responsibility for organizing general elections," informs UNMIK press release.

At the regular IAC meeting Kouchner signed regulation 2000/65 amending the regulation 2000/21 establishing the CEC which prepared an conducted the local elections in Kosovo. He commended the excellent work of the current CEC members for the successful completion of the local elections in October. Their term will end on 31 December and new members will be appointed.

The reconstructed commission will have 12 members: 3 internationals, 3 representatives of political parties (LDK, PDK an AAK), 3 minority members and 3 independent. This UNMIK regulation will exclude all the new CEC members to hold public office, be high party representatives or be a candidate for elections.

OSCE source informed us that the decision to discharge CEC members was brought last night. A ceremony was organized where elections ballots were burned down and marked the end of the old committee.

Kosovar politicians welcomed the signing of the regulations for preparing general elections by UNMIK and OSCE. PDK has already appointed their representative for the CEC.  "We appointed Haxhi Rama as our representative at the CEC. However, the decision will be made by the parties chairmanship," said PDK official Hajredin Kuqi. LDK has not informed of any changes yet. "We have not discussed nor made a decision," said LDK official Kolë Berisha. AAK will change the LBD member with the new CEC. AAK has not officially appointed their representative.

UN DOES NOT "ALLOW" SERB FORCES TO ATTACK UÇPMB

Zëri on page one and two carried a report on the UN Security Council meeting for Kosovo where the topic of discussion was "the escalation of violence" in Presevo valley.

Known sources inform on the Serb Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic requesting from members of the Security Council to take immediate steps in mediating against the Albanian warriors in Presevo valley. According to the sources, the Security Council is expected to give a statement where the violence is denounced, similar to the joint European Union and White House statement given on the first day of the Washington Summit where Clinton met with the European leaders. "We harshly condemn the escalation of violence in Presevo region, southern Serbia and we appeal to all sides to have maximal patience and solve their differences with peaceful and transparent dialogue", it was said in the statement.

The Resolution 1244 and its full implementation are 'completely supported' by the Security Council as well as by the Washington Summit. Meanwhile president Clinton has sent an "additional report" to the congress where he informs on the peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and stresses that KFOR's task remains the security in the region, "the US is engaged with the Kosovar allies and leaders of the region in order to stop the ethnic violence".

Although Serbia asked for allowance from USA and NATO allies to mediate in cleansing the region from Albanian "extremists", the American military commanders refused such a suggestion for two reasons. Firstly because a penetration of the Serb forces with heavy artillery in the five kilometer neutral zone would be in discordance with the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement and because the Serb mediation would cause counteraction by the Albanian side, and that would endanger the lives of American soldiers in a conflict so close to the American sector in the Kosovo -Presevo valley boarder.

Along with the denunciation of violence in Presevo valley, American and European soldiers require Serbia to "entirely respect the international obligations, including the cooperating with The Hague". The USA does not let go of the request for Milosevic to get arrested and delivered to The Hague due to the crimes Serb forces committed in Kosovo with his order.

Although the decisions of the Security Council regarding Presevo valley are not clear, an American expert for northern Europe said that the Presevo issue is a good opportunity for Europe to mediate with its forces in order to solve the Serb -Albanian problem. Janosz Bugajski affirmed also and called this a good opportunity for UNMIK to test its military's effectiveness in a smaller place before taking supervision of greater regions such as Kosovo and Bosnia.

WHICH ARE THE ALBANIANS TO BE AMNESTIED

An amnesty law that will not release all Albanian political prisoners in Serbia carried Koha Ditore on page one.

Albanian prisoners accused for terrorism by the Belgrade regime will not be included in the amnesty law which is expected to be after the 23 December elections in Serbia, inform sources in Belgrade. The draft law was proposed FRY Federal Ministry of Justice however this is not definite yet. There is no information if the draft will change or it will be passed to the Serb Parliament.

More than 700 Albanians are held in Serb jails, they were transformed on 10 June 1999 from prisons in Kosovo to prisons in Serbia. According to Human Rights Associations around 200 of the imprisoned are convicted for classical penal acts, murder or theft, about 500 prisoners have been convicted by the Serb regime for political activities, accused for terrorism.

Some of the Albanian political prisoners are being held without a trial and some have been tried in the so-called Kosovo courts in Serbia and sentenced up to 15 years of imprisonment. Albanian prisoners tried for terrorism by Serb courts among them is student leader Albin Kurti were arrested by military, police or paramilitary forces between April and June during the NATO campaign on FRY. Here are included the 144 Gjakovars who according to family members were arrested by Yugoslav Army in their homes or the streets of Gjakova. The others are Albanian tried for terrorism in Serb installed courts in Kosovo from 1997 until 1998 before and during the armed conflict.

"They were accused for terrorism only because they were Albanian and they did not agree with the Milosevic regime," said Destan Rukiqi lawyer for many Albanian accused for terrorism. "No matter what penal acts were Albanians accused for the last ten years the processes were constructed and set up by the Serb Secret Police, who in every way tried to show the world that Albanians are not fighting for their rights as individuals and a nation but they were committing terrorist acts because they knew there was a world wide campaign against terrorism.

According to Rukiqi these acts of terrorism were blamed on Albanians without single proof and "accusations were based on self accusing statements extracted by different methods of force during investigations". He considers that Albanians tried in Serbia are hostages of the war because they were arrested during the NATO campaign in Kosovo. "First Serbia does not have the right to try Kosovo citizens and second this is a continuation of political processes that Serbia organized in Kosovo before the NATO campaign said Rukiqi.

The accused for terrorism are the same as accused for anti-state activities and that they "have to be included in the amnesty law". European Parliament has approved a resolution where they show their deep concern for the situation of political prisoners in Serbia, and called FRY President Vojislav Kostunica to do everything possible for the release of all political prisoners in Serbia.

"As long as political prisoners of the Milosevic regime are still being held by the new government this will damage the political credibility of the new president," emphasizes the document released by the European Parliament. The document with accuracy says that according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 Kosovar Albanians can be handed over to UNMIK.

According to some analysts, the new Belgrade regime could have joined the Amnesty Law with the problem in Presevo valley respectively with the existence of UÇPMB, which is considered by the Belgrade regime as a "terrorist organization" which is fighting with all possible means.

If the problem with UÇPMB did not exists "what motive would the Belgrade regime give for holding Albanians in prisons who were arrested by the former criminal regime. The holding of Albanian prisoners only reinforces the belief that the Belgrade, which has been evaluated by the international community as democratic, is continuing the same politics towards Albanians as their predecessor Milosevic did.

If the Amnesty Law which is expected to be approved in Serbia does not include the arrested for terrorism but only the accused for anti-state acts then international community can thank Kostunica for releasing between 50 and 100 political prisoners. Hundreds of Albanians would remain in Serb jails accused or convicted for "terrorism".

DO NOT FORGET THAT BUSH SUPPORTED THE KOSOVO INTERVENTION

Koha Ditore on page two carried a report on the newly elected US president George Bush's advisor for National Security Condoleeza Rice stating that the new American administration will respect its obligations in the Balkans, however is also thinking about several changes, reported world news agencies.

In response to the question whether 7000 American soldiers in Kosovo and 4000 in Bosnia will withdraw from the Balkans after Bush's administration has inaugurated in Washington, Rice stated that during the pre-electoral campaign, Bush has expressed his convincement of "making changes in our military", for which considerable funds will be allocated. "Bush has supported the intervention in Kosovo", said Rice and stressed this as an important factor of America's engagement in the Balkans.

"Our allies in the entire world will understand that Bush is a sincere friend who has no intentions of interrupting the mission and escaping… we will re-discuss our obligations and consider the possibilities of distributing the forces", said Rice, adding that Bush is a man who believes the taken obligations must be fulfilled. Just like the Chief of State Department Colin Powell, who has talked about this in an explicit way, Rice stated that none of the administration's steps would be taken "unilaterally and without consulting the European allies".

As far as Kosovo and Bosnia are concerned she did not mention consulting Russia, although in America she is evaluated as one of the best-informed persons of America, since she has been an advisor for USSR issues in Ronald Reagan's administration.

Referring to the question whether the Europeans should take over more obligations in Kosovo and Bosnia, Rice said that they would continue to supervise the changes and developments in the terrains' situation. "The future decisions regarding how many armed forces are needed in the Balkans and which countries they will be from, are based on these reports", stated Rice.

KFOR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVE IN BUJANOVC

Presevo valley possible peaceful solution in sight reports Zëri on page two.

Last night Shon Sullivan political aid to COMKFOR visited Bujanovc and met with Nebojsa Covic Head of the Coordinating Council for Presevo, Medvedje, Bujanovc and Yugoslav police and military representatives.

Sullivan at the press center in Bujanovc did not comment the two-hour meeting behind closed doors, while Nebojsa Covic evaluated the meeting as "very difficult because it came after a time when relations were frozen with peacekeeping forces". According to Covic KFOR representative gave him strong guarantees that birders would not be changed and he informed, "KFOR will not support any kind of extremism and opposes a military solution to the problem". He added, "KFOR's position is that no support is given to Albanian armed groups nor any of the side in the conflict and that peacekeeping troops are working to stop all illegal activities on the Kosovo-Serbia border.

Covic emphasized "Yugoslav police and military have no hostility with peacekeeping forces and the civil mission in Kosovo," which the first such statement by high Serb official.
 
THEY DEMAND PROTECTION

Albanians, Bosnians and Ashkali of the Bosnian quarter protest in Mitrovica report Zëri on page nine.

More than 900 dwellers of the Bosnian quarter in northern Mitrovica-Albanians, Bosnians and Ashkali have dispatched a petition to KFOR and UNMIK in which they demand that peace, quiet and security is established for a normal life for their families in Mitrovica. This petition demands from these two international factors to protect the population of this quarter from constants provocations, maltreatments, beatings and killings from Serb criminals, which with these act they are committing ethnic cleansing. The petition demands that all criminals are arrested and that the so-called "bridge watchers" to be instantly removed from their posts. In the end of this petition dwellers of this quarter demand that security zone is expanded something that has been promised a long time and still has not been done.