CONTENTS:

THE WEST REQUESTS A UNIQUE FRONT AGAINST EXTREMISM
OSCE: NO ONE WILL SUPERVISE SERB ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO
EFFORTS FOR DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION BYPASS UÇPMB
TWO ZERO

THE WEST REQUESTS A UNIQUE FRONT AGAINST EXTREMISM

A foreign diplomat speaking for representatives of five western states, who met with the leaders of the three main Kosovar parties in order to begin diplomatic movement regarding the recent violence, especially the situation in the Presevo valley, and to encourage the creation of a "unique front of the greatest leaders against extremism", reported Koha Ditore on page one.

Representatives of the 'Quint States' - Germany, US, Britain, France and Italy- met with LDK chairman Rugova and AAK chairman Haradinaj on Thursday, and on Friday, with PDK Secretary for Public Relations Fatmir Limaj. "Our five states have expressed our concern regarding the violence in Presevo valley by telling the leaders that this impedes the Kosovo issue and if this continues they will lose international support", stated Michael Schmunk, German mission chief in Pristina.

The five representatives have "encouraged the leaders to use their influence where they can in order to stop the violence". "The three leaders have agreed and  said they will make efforts to use their influence where they can", said Schmunk.

The Quint States also expressed the need to begin a Kosovar dialogue. Schmunk said that the five western states support initiatives such as the invitation the PDK sent to LDK. According to him, the three Kosovar leaders should have a dialogue between them and "demonstrate to the extremists that the Albanian population does not agree with violence". "LDK and PDK people will seriously consider the possibility of dialogue", stated Schmunk, adding that Rugova supported the idea.

Kosovo's leaders have expressed themselves on solving the problem of Presevo  peacefully by political means. Limaj said that he is ready for dialogue and he hopes the five states will support the PDK initiative to meet LDK. According to him, as far as a dialogue between the Kosovar main political parties is concerned, this must first happen between LDK and PDK.

"We need a united front of the main party leaders against extremism", said Schmunk, repeating that this diplomatic move was taken because these states "feel with Kosovo". Schmunk said that the states wanted to meet with PDK chairman Thaçi, however since that was impossible, they met with his representative, Limaj.

"The three leaders have said that the violence definitely does not help Kosovo, and that political paths must be taken, not militant and violence", said Schmunk.

The Chief of German Mission in Kosovo said that the western states support all initiatives that have to do with the issue of minorities in Kosovo - just like the issue of Thursday in US Office in Pristina, organized by the NGO "Kaci". The meeting was titled "Serbs in Kosovo- planning the future", where Albanian and Serb representatives discussed the issue of granting special rights to the Serb minority.

Another issue discussed in the meeting of the Quint States with Albanian political leaders was the situation in northern Kosovo, where a group of Serbs had attacked police. Schmunk said that the attack on police officers is an absolutely horrible thing, tolerated nowhere. He hoped that after the Parliamentary elections in Serbia, the situation in the northern municipalities of Kosovo will calm down.

As far as the Serb elections are concerned, held in Serb enclaves in Kosovo, Schmunk said that the representatives of the states have "encouraged Kosovar leaders to do what they can in order that nothing happens on the 23rd of December.

OSCE: NO ONE WILL SUPERVISE SERB ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO

The elections in Serb enclaves of Kosovo are foreseen to be held today. The international civil and military missions in Kosovo will not help or supervise these elections, however they are preparing to increase the security in case of problems which could occur on election day, reported Zëri on page three.

These elections are expected to be held in three of Kosovo's northern municipalities, inhabited by a Serb majority, and in several enclaves in the eastern part of Kosovo. The days before these elections have caused tensions, especially in the northern part of Kosovo, where Serb rival groups who support former president Milosevic and Kostunica, have tried to take advantage of the situation.

Steve Chappel said that KFOR has worked to provide security in Kosovo after the information received from Belgrade that there would be voting in Serb enclaves in Kosovo. "We are not taking special steps in administrating these elections, we are providing the usual security for keeping a secure environment. We are ready. We know where the elections will be held, and we are ready to react in case of a problem. We have enough forces in all Kosovo in order to react to any problem. We will have the same level of readiness we have every day, however we will follow closely the zones where the elections will be held", stated Chappel.

Whereas the Civil Administration admits that in case of violence, civilian and military forces will be ready. UN spokeswoman Susan Manuel said that there will be voting in several Serb enclaves in Kosovo, however it is not known where they will take place. "We are not officially included in this. We will not organize, help or supervise these elections in any way. KFOR and police forces are increasing the security", stated Manuel, adding that there are no specific security plans.

Meanwhile, the OSCE confirmed that no one will supervise the Serb elections in Kosovo. Spokeswoman Laura Mahoney said that the Yugoslav presidential elections were held and witnessed in Kosovo by UNMIK/OSCE due to the possibility of manipulating the number of votes in Kosovo by the former Belgrade government.

All Albanian parties and political groups opposed the Serb elections in Kosovo as a provocation. It is interesting to see whom the Serbs will vote for, since a majority of them in the presidential elections voted for former president Milosevic.

EFFORTS FOR DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION BYPASS UÇPMB

Zëri on page one and three carried a report on 17 state diplomats with soldiers in KFOR, accredited in Belgrade, who visited Bujanovac.

In the group consisting of 17 diplomats were the US Ambassador in Belgrade William Montgomery and Nicholas Hill, the French Press Attaché, David Landsman from the British Embassy, the First Secretary of the German Embassy, Igor Khalevinski, Chief of the UN Office in Belgrade, Slavomir Dabrova, the Polish Ambassador, Finnish Ambassador Hanu Montivara, Czech Ambassador Judita Stauraheva, Miroslav Mojzita-the Slovenian Ambassador, Paulo Lorenzo of the Portuguese Embassy, Antonio Sanchez --Spanish Ambassador, Valerij Jegosin, the  Russian Federation Ambassador, Italian Ambassador Garaciolo Di Vietri and COMKFOR Political Advisor Sean Sullivan.

In the meeting held in Bujanovac the Serb representatives included Nebojsa Covic, Biserka Matic, Bozo Prelovic, co head of Ministry of Local Affairs in the Serb government and Rasim Lajic, Minority Minister in FRY government. From the local Albanian government were PVD and Municipal Council chairman Riza Halimi.

Halimi evaluated the situation as containing "the possibility of escalation of the conflict, which would have consequences for everyone. However the greatest consequences would be for the civilian population". From the beginning he opposed the terminology of Serb officials regarding "Albanian terrorism" by stating that "he who at the right time took his weapon and defended his front step from a possible intervention by police or military cannot be called a terrorist". He evaluated the Albanian position in the region as very difficult and added that "the Serb state repression has directly affected the birth of UÇPMB".

Halimi greeted the stance of the new Belgrade government for solving the problems diplomatically, however he warned that a policy must be found which guarantees rights to the Albanians in the region. "We are in the Balkans and it is very difficult for the rights of minorities to be respected in a united state".

As far as the KFOR Commander's announcement that Halimi will have talks with the Albanian side, he said that no one had informed him. On the contrary, "for such a thing an Albanian consensus must exist, without which no one would accept it".

Nebojsa Covic accused Albanian extremists of "wanting to take control of the  Nis- Skopje highway. However he also mentioned the drastic denial of rights of Albanians under Milosevic. He accused the former regime of a "great contribution to creating extremist groups due to his repressive policy toward the Albanians for years. "We will continue applying peaceful and diplomatic methods for solving the created problem, because we are aware of the violent policy during the last ten years which brought us only bad things", stated Covic.

"I express full solidarity with the requests of the Albanians to realize rights guaranteed by international convenants, because I myself am a member of a minority. However I do not express solidarity with those who grabbed  weapons and think they can solve problems this way", stated the Minister for Federal Minorities Rasim Lajic.

KFOR Political Advisor Sullivan was the only one who turned to the present situation and said that 'KFOR will not allow any kind of extremism". He elaborated on the steps peacekeeping troops are taking in Kosovo to calm the situation and to "prevent armed Albanians from causing escalation of the conflict." In this context he said "UÇPMB cannot endanger FRY integrity": therefore "the intervention of Yugoslav troops will not be allowed due to the crimes they committed in Kosovo". "The fact that the new Yugoslav officials are cooperating with the international community in solving the problem, satisfies us", added Sullivan.

After the meeting, the delegation of foreign diplomats and a great number of reporters visited the checkpoint between Bujanovac and Ternovc. Sullivan entered the village in order to contact UÇPMB representatives. However, by consensus, the  entrance of Serb authorities into the village was not allowed.

The UÇPMB stance was to allow the visit of foreign ambassadors and Serb authorities, however without the escort of the Serb police and under the security of UÇPMB forces. Such a thing for the Serb side, especially during the election campaign, was unacceptable, so the delegation returned to the police checkpoint in Lucan and afterwards Presevo.

Referring to the possibility of this visit turning into talks on solving the Presevo valley issue, Shaqir Shaqiri called it  "an effort without compromise by the Serb authorities to minimize the problem and leave it in the hands of an Albanian party, which operates inside Belgrade's political system", he said by alluding to Halimi's party, PVD which received a majority of the votes for governing Presevo and invited its electorate to participate in Serbia's Parliamentary elections which will be held  today. "Simply put, these Serb games have been known since the war in Kosovo, and for an agreement, consensus is needed", added Shaqiri.

"UÇPMB is a force which must be respected. It has internationalized the issue of eastern Kosovo, and as a consequence of this, any  agreement without the presence of UÇPMB and the Political Council of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, would be unacceptable", said Shaqiri.

Shaqiri called the Serb delegation's effort to enter the zone controlled by UÇPMB with Serb police "dangerous." "It would ruin the ceasefire which has lasted for two days without any provocation", he said, adding that this is all for the Serbs to "improve" their image in the internationals' eyes before parliamentary elections.

When the paper tried to receive information from the UÇPMB General staff as well, a voice on the telephone said, "those who give statements are not here and as far as the visit in Bujanovac is concerned, we do not have any information".

TWO ZERO

Zëri on page one carried a column by the paper's publisher Blerim Shala commenting on the Serb elections being held in Kosovo.

Two zero. These are the ratings we come up with when we compare the participation of Kosovar Serbs in elections by Belgrade with those held by UNMIK.

It is known that when we talk about the participation in Kosovo structures always prepared and led by the international community, Kosovo  Serb leaders find a hundred reasons to avoid them, even though the advice to Serbs from the last meeting of G-8, held three days ago in Berlin, is to participate in Kosovar structures. On the other hand, there are probably a hundred and one reasons why the Serb elections should not be held in Kosovo, and many of them have been mentioned several times by the UN Administrator Bernard Kouchner himself. It was useless.

UNMIK officials' last public announcements re-confirm that the international administration does not want to have anything to do with these elections, which are held in the territory UNMIK is one hundred percent responsible for.

By having  'a clear conscience' UNMIK might not 'keep its honor' in this case. It seems as though the 'clear conscience' is a massive ritual, where even Albanian political leaders participate. It is difficult for the many statements to produce a kind of political quality, which would (fit) with the development of  Kosovo's positions.