CONTENTS:

GOLDSTONE: INDEPENDENCE FOR KOSOVO MOST REASONABLE OPTION
HOLBROOKE ENSURED ANOTHER STATEMENT IN MITROVICA
WEST SHOULD STOP EMBRACING KOSTUNICA AND THE SERB PEOPLE
SURROI: TO ACCELERATE TALKS ON KOSOVO'S STATUS
ONLY THE LEADER HAS CHANGED IN SERBIA NOT HE POLITICS

GOLDSTONE: INDEPENDENCE FOR KOSOVO MOST REASONABLE OPTION

Koha Ditore carried on page two an interview that Richard Goldstone President of the Independent International Commission on Kosovo (IICK) gave to "Voice of America" regarding the report on Kosovo's independence.

Head of Independent International Commission on Kosovo Richard Goldstone said on Wednesday that a proposal of this commission was handed to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for Kosovo to gain a conditional independence is the most reasonable option for solving the Kosovo status. Goldstone said for "Voice of America" that judicial experts gathered on the initiative of the former Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson thoroughly examined "all options and concluded that the best option is independence for Kosovo, but with certain conditions among which one is the starting of negotiations with neighboring states and other Balkan states. It is clear that Kosovo cannot survive without open borders, may they be political or of economic nature," said Goldsmith former chief Hague prosecutor and added that he hopes, "that with arrival of Vojislav Kostunica these negotiations are more realistic and they would last much shorter then until now".

For realization of his plan, Goldstone emphasized that, "international community has to insists in forming a constitution and concrete guaranties that would ensure the rights of minorities in Kosovo". "Voice of America" asked Goldstone to comment criticism towards the IICK report Goldstone said, "current situation cannot be ignored," and any delay "would be dangerous and it would open doors to a new conflict in Kosovo". In disagreement with UN Security Council Resolution UN Security Council Resolution 1244, "which confirms that Kosovo is part of Yugoslavia" and that any attempt to alter the resolution would probably face Russia and China's veto, Goldstone added that the resolution "contains fundamental contradictions".

"In one part it recognizes Serb sovereignty and in the other part it ignores that same sovereignty. If we look at the realistic state, in the field there is international protectorate respectively an UN protectorate over Kosovo something that fully disagrees with the term sovereignty," explains Goldstone.

On the other hand, Fred Eckhardt spokesperson for the UN Secretary General said that IICK proposal is not in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and it does not have Kofi Annan's support. In a statement for the Belgrade, radio "B-92", Eckhardt said that Annan supports UN Security Council decision and added that UN Security Council positions are precise and very well known. When asked to comment recommendations made by the IICK, Eckhardt said that the report was handed to Annan's office on 23 October.

"As you know one of the conclusions of this report is that Kosovo should gain a "conditional independence" which is in disagreement with UN Security Council position that Kosovo should have a substantial autonomy within Yugoslavia," said Eckhardt.

HOLBROOKE ENSURED ANOTHER STATEMENT IN MITROVICA

Koha Ditore reported on page two on Ambassador Holbrooke's visit to Mitrovica and his separate meetings with Albanian and Serb leaders.

On his second day visit to Kosovo Ambassador Richard Holbrooke highly evaluated his meeting with Kosovar leaders. "We had very good meetings with Bajram Rexhepi and candidates for local elections and later we met with Serb representatives and I would like to thank them all," said Holbrooke for the members of the press. His visit to Mitrovica brought about the signing of a statement with the Serb representative regarding the missing and release of the imprisoned. "On Tuesday we released a statement signed by five main Albanian leaders, mow we have a signed statement by the Serb delegation". "I thank all for this important statement which I believe presents first case that Serb leaders request for the return or taking of responsibility for all the missing and imprisoned in Serb jails by the Serbian authority". Ambassador Holbrooke was very distressing seeing the divided town of Mitrovica and added that his meetings took place on the southern part of Mitrovica because UNMIK headquarters are there. "This visit to Mitrovica is very saddening. This is a broken town. Last year as called Mostar "the most broken town in Europe". Mitrovica is broken town and NATO and UN are here to rebuild it. That is important, it is not important where the meting is going to be held. Even more important is that the meeting was held," said Holbrooke.

US Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke said that changes in Belgrade would create new possibilities for cooperation in solving the problems in the region. "A new democratically elected regime is installed in Belgrade. This should have effects on the situation here in a positive manner. But this still remains on the Serb political movement," said Holbrooke. "All I can say is that changes in Belgrade open new possibilities here. I understand that Albanians are worried and this understandable but things are better than 6 weeks ago," said Holbrooke adding that Kosovo Serbs made a mistake by refusing to participate in local elections. "I told Serbs which I met that they made a mistake when they decided not to take part in elections. This happened when Milosevic was in power in Belgrade. I called them to change their decision for the general elections that will be held next year," aid Holbrooke.

Both Albanian and Serb leaders in Mitrovica were satisfied with the meetings that they had with Ambassador Holbrooke. Albanian leader Bajram Rexhepi said, "The overall situation is calmer but there are no significant changes". Another point made by Rexhepi were the 23 December elections in Serbia," We expressed our opinion that these elections are illegitimate in Kosovo because they are organized by Serbia and not UNMIK," said Rexhepi. After the meeting with ambassador Holbrooke, Serb leader Oliver Ivanovic said, "We have our suspicions that a certain number of Serbs are in Albanian jails, however it is evident that many Albanians are in Serb prisons. When I say in Albanian jails, I mean that they were arrested by Albanians and do not imply that they are in Albanian prisons. We are trying to tie the fate of the missing and imprisoned Serbs with the fate of the missing and imprisoned Albanians, and think that all political prisoners should be released, " said Ivanovic. I think that Kostunica will make a radical turn concerning the imprisoned Albanians concluded Ivanovic saying, "I do not want to mention the name of a know personality that is going to be released".

THE WEST SHOULD STOP EMBRACING KOSTUNICA AND ITS PEOPLE

Zëri on page three carried a report on the efforts of delivering Milosevic to Hague, and since Kostunica is not going to contribute to that, Milosevic wont come to Hague, so Hague is coming to him.

ICG member, Ana Husarka wants the West to interrupt embracing Kostunica and the Serb people, and instead to demand from the Serbs and the currently installed regime in Serbia, to give account for the tragedies and the war crimes that happened during the years in the Balkans. “The west must treat Serbs in a dear way for two or three more weeks, and then Serbia must be passed a shock treatment“ she was quoted. According to her, the West must begin to put pressure on Kostunica to judge Slobodan Milosevic accused for war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Husarka stated yesterday in a press briefing in Brussels, where she made a statement regarding the events during September and October, in Serbia and Montenegro, when Slobodan Milosevic regime was change by Vojislav Kostunica. “If Milosevic and his companions are not judged soon, then UN will send bad signals for all the crimes that happened in the name of Serb people, outside Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina will also receive bad signals whose governments are cooperating with Hague Tribunal,” said ICG political analyst, Ana Husarka. 

SURROI REQUESTS THE ACCELERATION OF KOSOVO’S STATUS

Koha Ditore carried a report on page three on Koha Ditore’s publisher, Veton Surroi meeting US Ambassador to UN, Richard Holbrook, regarding three issues that have to do with the current situation in Kosovo and in the regions.

These three issues consist of the need to speed the parliamentary election process, the close examination of the consequences for repairing the relations between Serbia and Montenegro, and the urgency to begin talks on Kosovo’s status.

Surroi noted that he was against Serbian elections held in Kosovo; otherwise, this would be a strong anti-Kosovar signal. UNMIK allowed Yugoslav elections in Serb enclave in Kosovo, most of the Serbs voted for former President Slobodan Milosevic.  Regarding the status, he noted that only representatives of the legitimate government should have a say about it. "Talks for Kosovo’s status should be held in a situation where we have a legitimate Kosovar government, that will take judicial responsibility concerning the status," said Surroi.

ONLY THE LEADER HAS CHANGED IN SERBIA, NOT THE POLITICS   

Zëri on page three carried a report on a round table, organized by LPK, where the themes were Eastern Kosovo and the implementation consequences of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, 19 political parties attended.

Emrush Xhemajli, head of Kosovo National Movement said, "With the arrival of Kostunica into power, nothing has changed, only the leader, he is a chauvinist the government did not change". Muhamet Kelmendi, UNIKOMB representative said, "the imprisoned have not been freed yet, Mitrovica is still divided, and the Serbian government in Eastern Kosovo is mistreating the Albanians, therefore UN Security Council Resolution 1244, according to which Kosovo should remain under Yugoslavia, cannot be fulfilled". PDK general secretary, Jakup Krasniqi said, "what Milosevic wanted to accomplish with war, Kostunica is trying to accomplishing in other ways".

There were discussions regarding the issue of the national flag, and everyone present agreed that the flag should be posted in every polling station, just like in the Serbian elections, where not only the flag but there were also photos of criminals in the polling stations.