CONTENTS

KOUCHNER MET KOSTUNICA IN VIENNA
UNMIK AND PERSONAL SECURITY FOR LDK MEMBERS
ALBRIGHT: WE WILL STAND BESIDE THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE
PALOKAJ: NO INFORMATION ON MISSING EVEN AFTER TEN YEARS
SHALA: INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION IN PRESEVO VALLEY

KOUCHNER MET KOSTUNICA IN VIENNA

Citing information broadcast by Belgrade-based Beta news agency, Kosova Sot on page three said that the Yugoslav president Vojislav Kostunica met Monday in Vienna with the head of the UN mission in Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner.

Sources close to the Belgrade authorities also told the agency that the two men talked about the possibility of holding early elections for the Serb parliament in the territory of Kosovo. "We expect that elections will be held in Kosovo as well," said a source close to federal bodies.

UNMIK AND PERSONAL SECURITY FOR LDK MEMBERS

The recent murder of LDK councilor Xhemajl Mustafa forced UNMIK into offering personal security to some of the senior officials of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Yesterday noon, at a time when the statue of Zahir Pajaziti was being uncovered in the center of Pristina, LDK Secretary Nekibe Kelmendi showed up escorted by UNMIK police officers, reported Zëri on page three.

Kelmendi said she feels bad about the security offered to her by the police and added: "Tthe day when Xhemajl Mustafa was murdered, a murder which shook me, at around 1530 hours security guards apparently organized by UNMIK came to the building of the department where I work". From that day, UNMIK police escorts Kelmendi around the clock.

Commenting on the issue, Kelmendi said she did not expect such a situation. "I do not want to insult the work of those involved in security but I must say that a lot of violence has already been exerted upon these people and maybe I who has experienced it (her husband and two sons were taken away by Serb police and killed, our remark) can serve as an example that there is no need for escort and security. We must not be endangered by anyone, but you have here some groups which I do not know who have not had enough violence," she added.

ALBRIGHT: WE WILL STAND BESIDE THE PEOPLE OF KOSOVO

Vojislav Kostunica ignored U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright at the OSCE meeting in Vienna on Monday, however he has not ignored her "advice", said Zëri on page three. 

According to Western media sources, which were confirmed by Serb sources,  Secretary of State Albright prevented Belgrade officials from talking about "terms and ultimatums," saying they should "focus themselves on diplomacy and agreements," regarding the situation at the Presevo valley. During signing of the agreement for reconstruction of FRY at the OSCE, Kostunica accused NATO of "total failure in the five kilometer peace zone along the Serb-Kosovo border and threatened that he will "use all necessary means to stop Albanian terrorists".

Even though OSCE and NATO officials agree with Kostunica's worries about the situation in the Presevo valley, the language used by Kostunica is contrary to the  principals of the recently-joined organization, local media said. Kostunica was reminded that "language of threats and war" excluded Serbia from all international institutions, so Belgrade should stop making such threats and statements. An American analyst told the paper that the movement of Serb forces at the border with Kosovo and threats by Serb officials these past few days, "are just a bluff, because US forces would not allow them to enter the five kilometer security zone".

Even though publicly Kostunica "did not have time" to sit down and talk with Albright and only shook hands and exchanged a few words, the US Secretary of State greeted the Serb leader and the Serb people "who brought the situation to the stage that they can call him (Kostunica) president".

On the other hand, Albright ignored Kostunica's worries and treated as irrelevant the problem at the Presevo valley, even though the Serb leader illustrated the situation as highly alarming. During her speech, Albright did not mention at all the Albanian-Serb conflict at the Kosovo-Serbia boundary.

However, a letter sent last week to the National American Albanian Council, Secretary Albright confirmed Washington's commitment towards Kosovo.

"The US stood by the people of Kosovo and we will continue our commitments," wrote Secretary Albright on 12 November regarding worries by this organization over the FRY's admission to the UN. However, "democracy in Belgrade will help Southeastern Europe, including here in Kosovo. We will continue to work and ensure that democratic authorities there (Serbia) will accept politics that contributes to stability in the whole region," wrote Secretary of State Albright.
 
PALOKAJ: NO INFORMATION ON MISSING EVEN AFTER TEN YEARS

Koha Ditore on page five carried an article by Augustin Palokaj in which he wrote:

"The problem of the missing continues to harden reconciliation and normalization of relations of the former Yugoslavian states.

Where are our loved ones are calls heard in Kosovo's capital Pristina for more than a year now and almost for ten years in Zagreb. There are not any encouraging statements, only political statements, 'We are working on that', 

Mothers, wives, sisters and brothers of more that 1,700 Croats missing from 1991 in Vukovar and other parts of Croatia have not found any news bad or good until now the year 2000.

A bitter fact is that Croatia has to establish diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia a state which is seen by Croats as an aggressor. (This) was greeted with half a voice because of the hope that direct contacts could shed light upon all of the missing. State committees were formed between Zagreb and Belgrade regarding the missing which met hundreds of times: however, there were no results at all. The Republic of Croatia has decided that a condition for normalizing relations with Yugoslavia is the missing.

The Zagreb Summit Statement mentioned many problems: from police cooperation, reconciliation between the people, condemning of crimes and controlling of the borders although there is no mentioning of the missing. Not that anyone disagreed with mentioning the unfortunate name "The missing" but no one thought of it.

As how disappointed were families of the missing in the whole territory of former Yugoslavia, and how their hopes rose, was shown after  a woman from Tuzla in Bosnia and Herzegovina recognized her husband after seven years in a picture by the protesting prisoners in Serbian jails. She still has not made contact with her husband: surprisingly when she visited him, the person in question according to prison officials had a day off.

For Kosovars the Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovina experience is not something they want. The reality can be very bitter and with most of the missing, the worst could have happened. However, efforts have to be made and this humane problem should not become political. The irony is that some of the families would agree to be told that their loved ones are dead and they can mourn them and exit this agony. 

Unfortunately, people feel relief if they find only remains of their loved ones.   

Annex: Transcript of a column by Blerim Shala, Zëri, p.1

INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION IN PRESEVO VALLEY

The signs coming from Presevo valley during the past few days promise an escalation of the conflict. Thousands of refugees, tens of tanks and thousands of armed challenge the chances to save the ceasefire or to turn it into a time that ties the armed conflicts in the triangle Kosovo -Serbia -Macedonia, a territory with great strategic and security importance for Albanians, Serbs and the West.

The political and security equation in the Presevo valley has many indefinites. The enigmas are especially evident when the options are laid out for possible negotiations on solving the problem in Presevo valley. The partners and terms of negotiations are yet unknown. In such cases, the diplomatic experience says that at least a common starting point acceptable for both sides should be found, then to continue with more difficult and problematic issues.

It looks as though this starting point should be the incapability of solving this issue without international intercession. It was earlier said that the security of  Presevo valley is an international interest that comes from KFOR's presence in Kosovo, from the agreement in Kumanova, and from the intentions of the west, accepted long ago by the Albanian leaders and by the Serbs during the past time to solve all problems on this part of the Balkans.  If both sides accept the West intercession, then the chances of turning ceasefire into long-lasting peace and political solution are great. On the contrary, the conflict will revive and will seriously violate the security in this part of the Balkans.