CONTENTS:
KFOR AND UNMIK HAVE GIVEN UP ON NORTHERN KOSOVO
PAYING OF
DEBTS
ENDORSEMENT OF THE AMNESTY LAW POSTPONED FOR JANUARY
FRY
DEMAND FROM UN TO GIVE A FIXED DATE WHEN UÇPMB LEAVES THE SECURITY
ZONE
KFOR AND UNMIK HAVE GIVEN UP ON NORTHERN KOSOVO
Nothing yet from COMKFOR Gen. Carlo Cabigiosu's promise that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 will be implemented after Serb elections, reported Zëri on page three.
A peaceful ending of Serb elections in northern part of Mitrovica even though there was protests by Albanians has brought conditions for KFOR and UNMIK to undertake the promised steps to install the administration in the divided town of Mitrovica and most part of northern Kosovo which is under control of different Serb formations and organizations.
"The quiet Saturday" requested by COMKFOR Gen. Carlo Cabigiosu and the pre-announcement that after these elections the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 will begin in northern Kosovo.
Kosovar political subjects demand from KFOR and UNMIK to undertake as soon as possible needed steps that would not allow Serb extremists to take over northern part of Kosovo process that deals a blow to the international forces and endangers Kosovo's territorial integrity.
Nekibe Kelmendi LDK Secretary General said, "Terrorist groups are acting there which have before the eyes of the international forces systematically cleansed northern Kosovo, they have to be apprehended and brought to justice". She adds that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 covers the whole territory of Kosovo. "KFOR and UNMIK police have a moral obligation towards the Albanian population at least after two years they can have the peace and quiet they deserve," said Kelmendi.
Hajredin Kuçi PDK Vice-President last week has openly criticized that nothing has been done for Mitrovica even though there was a strategy at IAC for this biggest worry among the Kosovar Albanians. "Latest acts in this part of Kosovo are in opposition with IAC decisions made at the last IAC meeting," said Kuçi. "We are glad that COMKFOR Gen. Carlo Cabigiosu has risen this issue we take it very seriously," it is in accordance with the will of people and UN Security Council Resolution 1244. "It would be good if Mitrovica and northern part of Kosovo is not let into the hands of the criminals it should be under KFOR and police control.
"We have raised this issue and we think that the solution lies in political and administrative unification of Kosovo," said Kuçi. He added that PDK left the IAC and KTC in August because the situation in Northern Kosovo.
Ahmet Isufi AAK Secretary General said that the solution of the problem would start if greater number of troops was sent there and the bridges should be de-blocked and Kosovo Serb start to realize the reality. "Thee is no division of Mitrovica or creation of enclaves that could destabilize Kosovo," said Isufi.
PAYING OF DEBTS
Zëri carried a column by Blerim Shala commenting the aftermath of 23 December Serb elections.
All the different political and diplomatic games of the new Serb regime expired with the holding of the 23 December elections, which as expected they won. Until now, there were hundreds of reasons by the new regime not to fulfill their international duties. The most important was that they did not have control over Serbian Parliament.
After elections, results were announced this Saturday things are clear now time comes to pay all the pilled debts for months and years.
First promises by the Belgrade regime to western officials have to be urgently endorsed. Amnesty Law has to release all Albanian political prisoners that are in Serb jails. Every postponement of this decision or any new conditions and classification of Albanian prisoners, which would prevent the release of them all, should not be tolerated by the west. In addition, Kostunica's game regarding the extradition to the Hague Tribunal of former President Milosevic has to end. Carla Del Ponte Chief Hague Prosecutor with right has emphasized with the new regime that they should remember the suffering of Bosnians, Croats and Kosovars and they should arrest Milosevic and hand him over to The Hague. Here the Bosnian, Croat and Kosovar victims and Carla Del Ponte wait that western governments show much more determination.
Kosovars are waiting from KFOR and UNMIK after the new circumstances in Belgrade to reinstate control over the northern part of Kosovo. This demand refers directly to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.
ENDORSEMENT OF THE AMNESTY LAW POSTPONED FOR JANUARY
The federal law for general amnesty of persons accused for political acts according to the articles of the Yugoslav penal law was initiated in October by the leaders of the Yugoslav Lawyers Committee and was supported by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. He said that this would be the first law of the new government which would be approved by the federal parliament, however its endorsement was postponed for January next year, reported Zëri on page one.
Proposal of this law prepared by legal experts foresees to amnesties all accused Albanians for political acts since 1992. However, according to well-informed sources this proposal had some modifications by the Yugoslav Justice Ministry where the term "terrorism" was excluded which most of the Albanians held in Serb prisons are accused for. This came after there were many negative reactions by the Serb opinion; the old regime accused the new one that they were releasing Albanian terrorists from Serb jails as the case with Flora Brovina.
However, Zëri's source said that these changes do not exclude in any way Albanians currently imprisoned in Serb jails and for their release an "adequate modality" would be found. According to this, the previous information released that certain prisoner as Albin Kurti and Naim Hasani would not be released has been denied.
Momcilo Grubac Yugoslav Justice Minister confirmed for the daily Belgrade paper Politika that the Amnesty Law is ready and has to be endorsed by the Yugoslav government, which would most likely be in the beginning of January. Grubac confirmed that this law includes all those that committed and accused by the Yugoslav Penal Law since 1992. The endorsement of this law was demanded by EU, the OSCE and different humanitarian organizations, adding that with this the new government would confirm the "democratization and the new political course of the country".
FRY DEMAND FROM UN TO GIVE A FIXED DATE WHEN UÇPMB LEAVES THE SECURITY ZONE
Yugoslavia has demanded yesterday from the UN Security Council to give a fixed date when Albanians will leave the security zone that divides Kosovo and Serbia. On the contrary Serbia will deal "with the militants" that aspire secession of southern Serbia and joining to Kosovo reported Zëri on page three.
This appeal has been made after the session of Supreme Defense Council the highest judicial level where Yugoslav federal and military heads meet. The council also demands that the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement is modified, however they did not say which are these modifications.
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica also demanded that the security zone is narrowed from the five kilometers that is now into one or two kilometer zone. "These changes are necessary because "Albanians terrorist" are using this zone for their activates to threaten security in the region and further," said the council.
In a special communiqué the federal government, demands from the UN to give an ultimatum to the "Albanian separatists" if not Yugoslavia will solve the problem using all internationally authorized methods to fight terrorism.
The security zone was formed in 1999 to prevent the Yugoslav Army from threatening NATO soldiers based in Kosovo.