CONTENTS

KOUCHNER: VJ SOLDIERS WILL BE KILLED IF THEY COME TO KOSOVO
KOSTUNICA INITIATED RELEASE OF ALBANIAN DOCTOR FLORA BROVINA

KOUCHNER: VJ SOLDIERS WILL BE KILLED IF THEY COME TO KOSOVO

Koha Ditore on page one carried an interview that UN Chief Administrator Bernard Kouchner gave the Belgrade-based daily paper "Danas".

Commenting on the possibility of the return of Serb soldiers in Kosovo, Kouchner was quoted as saying, "if the Yugoslav Army and police return to Kosovo, as foreseen by resolution 1244, they will be killed. We would have to protect them with a large number of international troops, which is unrealizable. I am not the only one to oppose this: KFOR and the others oppose it too. The implementation of resolution 1244 cannot be realized within a day. This is a longer process. The return of the VJ ( Yugoslav Army, our remark) for the time being is not possible. We would drown in blood again. I am responsible for security and peace, and not war".

Describing Kouchner, the Belgrade daily paper noted: "Kouchner is a little bit theatrical. He gives you the impression of a man who tries to convince the person he talks to while gesturing with his hands and raising his voice".

Evaluating the current situation in Kosovo as good, Kouchner said that when he came to Pristina it was a deserted city and people were being killed in the streets, which does not happen anymore. "I was absolutely against the creation of enclaves, but in the end I accepted them as the only way to defend Serbs," he added.

One of Kouchner's most explicit demands was reportedly the immediate release of all Albanians kept in Serbian prisons. "First, around 1,000 persons have been released after they paid certain amount of money. This is not fair, it is not justice. Those families who had the money bought the freedom of their  loved ones. This is not what the law says. The second reason is that most of them were arrested in the streets, in their homes, beds, only because that was the order of police and army. For example, in Nis 123 persons from Gjakova were sentenced to hundreds of years in prison. This is not only unjust but also scandalous," Kouchner noted.
Kouchner said that changes in Belgrade have stimulated positive although cautious reactions in Kosovo. Commenting on the issue, he said that everyone welcomed changes and were happy for the victory of democracy adding that "some of them have not sympathized with Kostunica because he supports nationalism and because he opposed the autonomy for Kosovo according to constitution of 1974". "I am not their representative and I cannot speak in their behalf, and it is true that they welcomed the change but they will make their judgments based on facts".

According to Kouchner, the peaceful process in Kosovo requires communication between Albanians and Serbs, which has never happened throughout history. Also, he was reported to have said, "the reality is that they have not communicated for centuries. They are together in this country for 13 centuries and they have not communicated, they only fought each other. Give them time, because things will change. When, I do not know. Kosovo is moving forwards, but a lot remains to be done".

Kouchner said he does not know how long  the UN mission in Kosovo will last, but said that it remained necessary  to change people's view and achieve success, "not for myself, but for them".

KOSTUNICA INITIATES RELEASE OF FLORA BROVINA

Referring to information from the Belgrade-based "Beta" news agency, Koha Ditore on page two reported that the Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has initiated the release of Albanian doctor and poetess Flora Brovina who was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Nis Court for charges of terrorism.

Based on an information received from Kostunica's cabinet, the agency added that Kostunica had asked the Yugoslav Minister of Justice to start the procedure for the amnesty of Brovina, with the justification that there are several reasons for undertaking such steps.