DPI

CONTENTS

INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS PRESENT REPORT ON KOSOVO TO SG ANNAN
SHALA: CONDITIONAL INDEPENDENCE FOR KOSOVO
SURROI: A LOT REMAINS TO BE CHANGED IN BELGRADE
RICHARD HOLBROOKE TO VISIT KOSOVO
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS ON THE EXISTENCE OF BRIDGE WATCHERS

INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS PRESENT REPORT ON KOSOVO TO SG ANNAN

Koha Ditore on pages one and two carried an overview on the report of the Independent International Commission on Kosovo handed over to United Nations Secretary General.

The report, which was presented to Annan Monday, requests a conditional independence for Kosovo. "Our goal is to assist governments in framing a policy for a consistent engagement for a peaceful Kosovo," it is said in the report.

In this report the commission, which was the initiative of the Prime Minister of Sweden, Göran Persson, who was concerned by the absence of independent analysis of the conflict in Kosovo and any real attempt to research the lessons to be learnt from the conflict, tries to answer a number of burning questions of the Kosovo crisis.

As a way out from the current crisis, the commission recommends a new status for Kosovo called "conditional independence". "This implies independence and self-governance for Kosovo, but only under the auspices of an international framework, which would among other things would assure security and the protection of human rights," it is said in the report.

The commission also added that the current situation is a critical crossroad and that a dialogue between an independent Kosovo and a democratic Serbia is very essential. "Kosovars must understand that the international community did not intervene to leave Kosovo to the tyranny of another ethnic majority. Serbs must understand that requesting for Kosovo to remain in the Federation is the same as asking for more conflicts. The leadership of both sides must have the courage to talk and recognize each other. The international community: the UN and the EU should act with decisiveness".

Some of the main conclusions of the report were those of the reasons that caused the war in Kosovo and the assessments for the intervention of the international community to give an end to the conflict. "The policy and actions of Milosevic's government are clearly the fundamental reasons to the violence in Kosovo during the 90's. However, the bombing campaign of 1999 could have been avoided had the international community undertaken preventive measures in the beginning of the 90's. The decision not to include Kosovo in Dayton talks and the lack of international support for peaceful resistance, forced Kosovar Albanians to reach the conclusion that violence is the only to attract international attention - a strategy that proved to be successful".

Commenting on NATO's intervention, the commission said it was illegal but legitimate. "It was illegal because it did not have the approval of the United Nations Security Council, but it was legitimate because all diplomatic measures had run dry and there was no other way to stop murders and crimes in Kosovo," added the report.

However, the commission criticized some aspects of the intervention. It was said that there were no plans to offer shelter to refugees and the air force was not able to prevent murders and crimes.

Furthermore, the report also assessed the engagement of the international community in postwar Kosovo. "Even though improvement was achieved under UNMIK administration, serious problems still remain, especially the continuance of ethnic attacks, lack of law and order and the difficult economic situation. Of special concern is the crime within the economy".

SHALA: CONDITIONAL INDEPENDENCE FOR KOSOVO

Zëri carried on page three a comment by its publisher Blerim Shala regarding the proposal of the Independent International Commission on Kosovo Commission for Kosovo's future. Shala wrote:

"The International Commission, which was created last year following an initiative by Swedish Prime Minister Goran Person and led by Richard Goldstone, former chief prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal, and Carl Tam former minister in the Swedish government, in the report it handed to UN SG Kofi Annan it requests a "conditional independence" for Kosovo. The conception "conditional independence" implies that in the coming years, Kosovars will have to create a western democratic society, which fulfills all criteria for its recognition as a state, with an emphasis on human and minority rights. In creating this society, Kosovars should be substantially helped by western countries".

"This truly representative report by the Commission was made well before the changes in Serbia, however they were predicted and foreseen. In today's political circumstances in the region, the conclusions of the commission oppose most of the tendencies, which are wrongfully based in many western centers about the democratic changes in Belgrade. These changes could bring results and real democratic changes in Serbia, but it is politically wrong to assume that there is democracy in Serbia".

"It has been noted before that Kosovars understand what is western political pragmatism, and why the changes in Belgrade regime were met with unreserved reports from the biggest western power centers. However, during the last few days, the political pragmatism has started to slide into a dangerous political opportunism facing international obligations which the west insisted on. Serb Democratic Opposition (DOS) the authors of the "Democratic Revolution" and their decision not to hand over Milosevic to Hague Tribunal did not surprise anyone in Kosovo. Neither were the Kosovars surprised with DOS's decision to continue political co-habitation with Serb President Milan Milutinovic also indicted by Hague for war crimes".

"However, Kosovars can be surprised when western politicians greet this co-habitation between war criminals and "democratic revolutionaries", they can be surprised when they say that sending Milosevic's to Hague is not a priority or when they declare that "democratic Yugoslavia" (where did they find this "Yugoslavia" and this democracy) is welcomed in Europe. Kosovars know as western politicians have told them very often that peace is created with enemies. Nevertheless, Kosovars cannot make peace with criminals. Kosovars rightfully doubt the process of rebuilding Albanian-Serb relations until international justice does not prevail and war criminals are convicted".

"In the contests of recent developments, International Commission's report would surely give political support for self-governance in Kosovo, but also would give moral support. In 1996, a similar commission led by former Belgian Prime Minister Leo Tindemans and former US Ambassador in Belgrade David Anderson released a report called "The Unfinished Peace". In that report, they foretold that a war would break in Kosovo if international community does not take steps towards solving the Kosovo situation in accordance to the political will of the Kosovars. We hope that Goldstone-Tam report will be read more carefully that the previous report was".

"On the other, hand the concept of "conditional independence" should be accepted fully by Kosovars if they really want to achieve independence. As a matter of fact criteria for recognition of states deriving from former communist regimes was set up in 1991 by EU and US, when it was realized that federations as SFRY and USSR are inevitably disintegrating. These criteria should be considered and fulfilled during the process for Kosovo's democratization. Afterwards it would be much easier to find assurances for international acknowledgment of an independent Kosovo".

SURROI: A LOT REMAINS TO BE CHANGED IN BELGRADE

Koha Ditore on page four carried an interview which its publisher Veton Surroi gave to the Montenegrin daily paper "Danas".

In the beginning of the interview, Surroi was reported to have said, "the change of the stance of the international community towards Kosovo and Montenegro, following changes in Serbia, is superficial and will be move in amplitudes. Given the structural relations between Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo it is clear that these are not only problems of leadership. These are structural problems that derive from various paths. In a very near future, we are going to have to confront with very serious questions towards the international community, first of all, whether we can move towards our direction. Should Montenegro answer for ten years of war led Serbia? Serbia should pay for this economically, politically, and in the aspect of rule of law, since this is a criminalized society".

According to Surroi, Serbia and it alone should answer for the abovementioned consequences. Adding to the issue, the publisher said, "we should ask the international community why the road of Kosovo's development must be linked with Montenegro. And we can ask this question also in this way, why should the statehood path of Montenegro be linked with resolution 1244".

According to Surroi, Kosovo currently faces three open issues. "The first is the issue of prisoners who are still in Serbian prisons and who should by now have been released by Kostunica as a sign of good will and distancing from the past regime. Second is the relation towards the war and war criminals. And third is the status issue, the solution to which will last for a long time. Resolution 1244 says that we have to talk to Belgrade eventually, therefore this is not directly linked to the status issue," he added.

Commenting on the future of the so-called Yugoslavia, Surroi said that believing in the existence of Yugoslavia is the same as when a man scratches his amputated hand. "In medicine, there is a syndrome of amputation, when people still feel the amputated part of their body. Ten years were needed for the Serb society to reach the vision of reality. Change of stances will be possible the moment there is a powerful force in Serbia which would say that Serbia is a country in the full meaning of patriotism and democracy," concluded Surroi.

RICHARD HOLBROOKE TO VISIT KOSOVO

All today's papers carried reports on the visit to Kosovo of U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations Richard Holbrooke.

U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations Richard Holbrooke arrives for a two-day visit to Kosovo, reported Zëri on page two. According to a press release of the U.S. Office in Prishtina, Holbrooke will meet with SRSG Bernard Kouchner, Albanian and Serb leaders and other international officials. The press release noted that Holbrooke's visit would give a chance to evaluate the situation in Kosovo and preparations for first free and democratic local elections in Kosovo.

Citing its sources, the paper said that Holbrooke would visit Mitrovica on Wednesday where he will meet with Bajram Rexhepi, Oliver Ivanovic and international representatives.

CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS ON THE EXISTENCE OF BRIDGE WATCHERS

Citing Steve Schapell, spokesman for KFOR, Zëri on page five reported that the so-called "bridge watchers", a Serb security organization in Iber bridge which de facto divides the town of Mitrovica no longer exist.

According to the report, Schappell was given the information by the Multinational Brigade North commanded by French troops. The press of office of the brigade reportedly said that "bridge watchers" were gone since changes in Belgrade took place and the victory of Vojislav Kostunica. Referring to its source within MNB, the paper added that can move freely from the northern to southern part of Mitrovica and vice versa, but nevertheless, there is not very much movement.

Multinational Brigade North reportedly denied any kind of agreement between the bridge watchers and KFOR. Asked whether Albanians could now return to their homes in the northern part of the town, KFOR officials told the paper: "go ask UNMIK".

On the other hand, during a report on the security situation in Kosovo, OSCE officials claimed that the "bridge watchers" are still limiting the freedom of movement in the main part of the bridge that divides the town. Other international organizations say that Albanians living in the northern part of town do not dare go out of their apartments.