CONTENTS
GERMAN MINISTER FISCHER VISITS
KOSOVO
KOUCHNER: YUGOSLAV ELECTIONS - IT WOULD BE FOOLISH
HENRIK
AMNEUS APPOINTED SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DETAINED PERSONS
DELL: WITH BELGRADE
REMOVED FROM EQUATION, THINGS IMPROVE
CLARK: VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO IS
DECREASING
KUKES POLICE STOPS COOPERATION WITH UNMIK POLICE
ALBANIAN
WORKERS IN SOUTH, SERB WORKERS IN NORTH
BOTA SOT: SERBS DID NOT DESERVE
KFOR PROTECTION
BEQAJ ON DITA APPEAL TO THE MEDIA BOARD FOR
APPEALS
GERMAN MINISTER FISCHER VISITS KOSOVO
All today's papers lead with stories related to yesterday's visit of Joshka Fischer, German Foreign Minister to Kosovo. In Koha Ditore the report was headlined "Fischer: Latest attacks are political issue", in Zëri "Two stories in Kosovo: reconstruction and violence", in Kosova Sot "Violence turns pale the international support and distances Kosovo from independence", in Rilindja "Violence in Kosovo decreases the international support", in Dita "Fischer: To stop the violence and further the processes" and in Bota Sot "Gangsters to be brought before justice".
The coverage of Fischer's visit focused on the press briefing held by him and SRSG Bernard Kouchner at the end of visit. The papers featured photos of Fischer and Kouchner on their front-pages, whereas Koha Ditore had a photo of Fischer only (one fourth of the page). There were no commentaries on the visit.
KOUCHNER: YUGOSLAV ELECTIONS - IT WOULD BE FOOLISH
In its report from the joint Fischer-Kouchner press briefing, Dita separately highlighted the commentary of Kosovo Chief Administrator Bernard Kouchner on the issue of holding Yugoslav elections in Kosovo.
Kouchner said that 24 October seems to be the election date in the FRY, pointing out that they did not receive any official requests and know nothing about Belgrade's intentions in this regard. "There are some rumors that they want to hold some kind of elections in Kosovo. It would be foolish. We have worked for a whole year for the sole purpose of preparing for registration and elections, whereas they even did not carry out the registration. It is impossible to think that there could be another round of registration. Maybe they want to hold elections only in the Serb enclaves, but this is not allowed by international rules for fair and democratic elections. In the event such elections would be held, I repeat if, then they would be held in all of Kosovo," said Kouchner.
HENRIK AMNEUS APPOINTED SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DETAINED PERSONS
A senior UNMIK official confirmed yesterday to Zëri the appointment of the Swede Henrik Amneus as the special envoy for detained persons, an act that according to the paper has left aside and unresolved the issue of missing persons.
According to the paper, the Swede Amneus will be the special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinsion, having thus a much lower status than the initial request of appointing a UN Special Envoy for the detained and the missing in Kosovo.
While official appointment of Amneus was expected today in Geneva, the paper however noted that postponement was possible because of the status that does not include the issue of missing persons. The UNMIK official told the paper that Kosovo Chief Administrator Kouchner, who requested the appointment of an envoy dealing with these issues, is outraged by the envoy's status, so it is possible to have a "re-determination of the envoy's position". "The title and the mandate could change. The terms of reference are also being discussed, meaning under whose authority he would be, of Mary Robinson or Kouchner," said the official.
The envoy Henrik Amneus from Sweden is a carrier diplomat born in 1935. He has served as Ambassador with the Swedish Foreign Ministry, whereas in 1997 was appointed as Head of the OSCE Mission in Croatia. For three years, he represented Sweden to the Council of Europe, whereas earlier he also served as Ambassador to Iraq.
According to the paper, his job in Kosovo is expected to be one of the most difficult in Kosovo, having in mind that in the issues he would deal with, cooperation of all sides is needed, including the Serb government, which has so far refused every cooperation, continuing at the same time with punishment of the detained Albanians. It was added that the issue of missing persons was especially delicate having in mind that there is very little or no information on this issue.
As for the rumors that an international committee for the missing persons would be founded in Kosovo, UNMIK reportedly could not confirm any of this. Citing sources from Sarajevo, the paper said that former U.S. Senator Robert Dole, who founded such a committee in Sarajevo, did not intend to establish one in Prishtina. Moreover, it was noted that UNMIK officials even did not officially announce the visit of Dole.
DELL: WITH BELGRADE REMOVED FROM EQUATION, THINGS IMPROVE
Zëri on page five carried the second part of interview with Ambassador Christopher Dell, Head of the U.S. Office in Prishtina.
Asked whether he expected results from the Day Against Violence, 9 September, Dell said they hoped for great results, adding that it was a perfect chance for ordinary Kosovars to come out to the streets and show they are also against violence. "I hope that the Day Against Violence is not simply to put some of our participants of the Airlie House project to march through streets of Prishtina. My hope is that thousands of Kosovars would turn on to the streets," said Dell.
Responding to the question what he thought about Kosovo leaders and whether they could lead Kosovo where it should be going, or maybe some other leaders have to surface after the elections, Dell said that it was important to have Kosovo leaders with a genuine democratic legitimacy, something he said to be achieved through elections. Pointing out the need to hold these elections as soon as possible, Dell added that the political leadership in Kosovo was very slow in its response to violence, but noted that, "better ever than never".
Asked whether they would back anyone to be elected by the people of Kosovo, Dell said they were prepared to work with whomever the people choose. "We do not have any favorites, we will work with whomever wants to work with us in the process, regardless if it is a process led by the United National based on resolution 1244, or after the elections, with elected leaders. Our intention is not to secure that one party or the other is elected, this is the issue of Kosovo people. They decide on who is elected, " said Dell, adding that their job was to see that there are conditions for free and fair elections.
Commenting on the possibilities for Albanians and Serbs to live together in Kosovo, Dell said that he believed that they would find a way for co-existence. "We are not naïve, we understand that it will be a slow, painful process. There is still much pain, much anger among those who suffered real things and still suffer. Unfortunately, in this society reconciliation seems to be a difficult concept to be accepted. As Churchill said, there is more history produced here than it can be consumed," said Dell.
Dell said that he based his hopes for co-existence on the fact that Kosovars, the same with people in other parts of the world, want to have a good life for them and their children. Dell added that when the people of Kosovo would be trusted the responsibility to address directly these questions, they would focus their political energies in this direction and not in clearing the old debts and retaliation. The common economic interest was another big hope for Dell.
As for the issue of Mitrovica and Trepça, Dell pointed out the fact that during UNMIK's takeover of the Zveçan smelter there was not violent opposition by the Serb community. Dell said that workers in the plant want to work with the international community, because they understand that it is in their long-term interest to repair that plant in a productive and healthy way.
Dell also said that Belgrade's people and other extremists have done all they could to disrupt the process and keep the Serbs and Albanians separated, angered at each other. "When you remove Belgrade from equation, things begin to improve. I think this is the starting point. We are seeing this in Mitrovica and in north," said Dell.
Responding to the question whether he thought Belgrade was involved in the often strange violence happening in Kosovo, Dell said that he did not accept the theory that problems inside Kosovo come from outside, adding that they do not know who is responsible for these cases. However, Dell noted that having in mind what is Belgrade doing inside Serbia, it is certain that it would aim the destabilization of situation in Kosovo. Dell also said that he would make a mistake if he would say that no Albanians were involved in violence against Serbs. Mentioning the attack against the Serb priests in Gjilan, Dell said that you could not blame Belgrade for this. "Responsibility is to look to yourself in the mirror and say that there is a problem here and it starts with us," said Dell.
Responding to the question related to the recent problems regarding the use of flag and then the incident happened recently between Albanians and KFOR Arab soldiers as well as on the issue on how could Albanians keep the good relations with internationals in Kosovo, Dell said that he does not have all answers. "First of all, I think that the basis for cooperation here is still very strong. The people of Kosovo recall what happened here, who helped them and why," said Dell.
According to Dell, with the passing of time, there will be incidents and misunderstandings, given the different cultures of people, therefore there will be incidents. "No one would want to see the international community to try and administrate Kosovo forever. This would lead to a large frustration of the people who want to know why they cannot decide on their lives… a long-term solution is to create structures and give self-governance to the people and then people here will be ready to prove that they are ready to take over that responsibility," he added.
Asked on the recent meeting with the representatives of Presevo Valley, Dell said he does not have much to say on the issue. "We continue from time to time to work with those who were involved in the conflict of Presevo Valley and who gave up on their objectives through armed fight," said Dell.
Dell also said he was disappointed in some individuals who seem to have forgotten the element they agreed on. "I do not consider the UÇPMB as the political face of an armed movement. I do not consider it as IRA's Sinn Fein. If it happens to be like that, then the U.S. would not want to have contacts with them… those who have abandoned the use of armed fighting, we will work for them, in order to follow their interests in a political way, and if not then we really do not have nothing to do with them," said Dell.
CLARK: VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO IS DECREASING
Koha Ditore on page two carried a report on the interview of General Wesley Clark, former NATO SACEUR, with Voice of America, in which he commented on the current situation in the FRY and Kosovo.
Commenting on the situation in Kosovo, Clark said that in the upcoming period the violence in Kosovo would decrease. "I think that day by day violence in Kosovo is decreasing. We have noticed such a flow of events in other countries as well. Of course, it is a thing that concerns us, but not only because it happened in the period before October elections in Kosovo, but also due to the connection between tensions in the threshold of elections in Serbia. There is a concern, but I am convinced that the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo has started good and that it is heading in the right direction," said Clark.
Asked if critics are right when they claim that the Zveçan smelter was taken over due to political motives that lead to Kosovo's independence, General Clark said that was not true. "Steps were made to resolve the ecological problems. Kosovo needs investments, in fact large investments. In order to assure this, first a functional leadership must be established and therefore it is important that all Kosovo citizens - Serbs, Albanians and other minorities, participate in October elections," said Clark.
According to General Clark, the status of Kosovo will be decided in the future. "This will depend on the decision of Kosovo citizens, the international community and Yugoslav citizens. The United Nations have decided that Kosovo's goal is autonomy, but the decision for Kosovo's final status has not been made yet. I think this issue will be resolved in due time," concluded Clark.
KUKES POLICE STOPS COOPERATION WITH UNMIK POLICE
The Kukës police authorities have refused an invitation by the OSCE office in Kukës for a meeting with the UNMIK police in Vermica, reported Koha Ditore on page three, adding that this refusal has brought the cooperation between the two polices to a breaking point.
The Kukës police officials reportedly justified this refusal with the state of emergency of the police force introduced because of the grave situation created since mid August, but the paper noted that apparently this is not the real reason for refusing this meeting. According to the paper, the meeting was not held as a sign of protest on the lack of willingness for cooperation by UNMIK police, the formalities it follows in such meetings and the failure to keep the promises made during bilateral meetings.
"I have said it and I am saying it again that it is a waste of time to cooperate with UNMIK police," said Ilirian Dida, police chief of the Municipality of Kukës, adding that he told the same to UNMIK police representatives themselves, telling them that, "it is a waste of time to deal with you".
Besides these accusations, Dida qualified UNMIK police as incapable and unmotivated to establish law and order in Kosovo. "As conclusion, I have reached a personal decision not to participate any more in bilateral meetings," said Dida, adding that the meeting held so far did not yield any results.
Rexhep Mula, chief of the Kukës police commissariat, reportedly made the same accusations at the address of UNMIK police. "UNMIK police, the border police and Kosovo customs are not prepared to cooperate with us. I went to Prizren to look for some custom documents only for the month of July, so I can back the charges on some persons accused of smuggling, but they were not made available to us by UNMIK authorities," said Mula.
According to the paper, other police officials go even further in their accusations against UNMIK police, saying that segments of this police and customs service are involved in smuggling with smugglers from Albania. "When we strengthen the order in Morina, UNMIK police does the opposite in Vermica," said the unidentified officials.
The paper noted that the real reasons behind the conflict between the two polices are persons wanted by the Kukës police, who have found shelter in Kosovo, adding that it has become fashionable for persons wanted by the Albanian police to escape to Kosovo. "The exact locations of all people who have committed murders in the Has region have been identified. Most of them have found shelter in the Gjakova area. We have many possibilities to capture them, but UNMIK and KFOR police do not allow us. We must inform them and then they to arrest themselves the criminals from Albania," said the police chief of the Has region.
According to the paper, the Kukes police are facing the same problems. Allegedly, many of the wanted persons for blocking the road Kukës-Morina and for attacking the Kukes police commissariat as well as for other crimes, have found shelter in the Prizren area. The local police officers told the paper that UNMIK police and KFOR are not cooperative in capturing these persons who are qualified as destabilizing factors in the places they are sheltered.
ALBANIAN WORKERS IN SOUTH, SERB WORKERS IN NORTH
The Albanian workers will work in the southern part of Trepça, while the Serb workers in north, reported Zëri on page three, citing an unidentified UNMIK official dealing with the issue of Trepça. He told the paper that there will not be short-terim changes in this regard, and in the event there would be changes in future, this would be reached through negotiation with the parties. "At the moment, the Serb workers in north and the Albanian workers in south," he said.
Commenting on the statements by a Serb official called Bozovic, presenting himself as representative of the Belgrade government in the Trepça talks, the UNMIK official said that he did not know about his position and his statements made to the Belgrade-based Danas paper. "What he is speaking about is the northern Kosovo, the part of Trepça in north of Kosovo," said the UNMIK official.
The paper also noted that despite the announcements that an advisory political board would be established, consisted of representatives of Albanians, Serbs and trade unions, there was still no information that such a board was established.
The UNMIK official told the paper that the process of board members selection would take some time. In the meantime, Trepça will continue to be managed by the American-French-Swedish consortium ITT, headed by John Begsram.
* * * * *
ANNEX 1 - transcript of an unsigned editorial by Bota Sot, p.2
SERBS DID NOT DESERVE KFOR PROTECTION
In
a word, Milosevic's (mini)minority in Kosovo has not deserved the so
committed protection of KFOR and of other institutions installed in here
in the framework of the peacekeeping mission. Even though, better than
everybody else in Kosovo, Serbs know about Belgrade's authorship of crime
(of all kinds) through its structures, therefore also of almost all recent
events, once again the Serbs used the opportunity to express their
anti-Albanian and antihuman savagery. The Milosevics from Gracanica, whose
names are not accidentally similar to those of the Chief Butcher from
Belgrade, referring to Albanians told western media that "these animals
have murdered our parents, have murdered us, and now they are murdering
our children". And the western media, in the same blind manner as the
respective daily policies, in the blindest way, in the most parroting way,
in the most shameless way noted down - word by word - the saying of these
both "angered" and "moderated" Milosevics. And precisely those monstrous
beasts who atrociously and barbarically have burned us to the ground, have
buried us in tens and thousands graves throughout Kosovo, murdered us
while sleeping, murdered us even when unborn, murdered us in our mother's
bosom, murdered us in cradles - us Albanians. Even though the latest
events are all unexplained, even though it is known that when crimes in
Kosovo are not explained they have the Serb genuine authorship, even
though it is known that Albanians in Kosovo still have no authority,
Milosevics once again use the opportunity to express their barbaric
instincts against Albanians. This once again has to awaken the conscience
of the Albanian nation in Kosovo not only to distance itself categorically
from any kind of crime, but also to confront firmly and practically all
kinds of crime. In fact, even by demanding through its political
representatives for KFOR, UNMIK, OSCE, and other bodies, main chiefs, Mr.
Kouchner, Mr. Ortuno, Mr. Everts, bodies and respective states to answer
for negligence, non-engagement against crime, a phenomenon that openly
tends to compromise the aspiration of Albanians, to compromise western
civilized democratic aspirations of Albanians, the national future of
Albanians, first of all of Kosovo.
While the entire
defending and protecting capacity of those international institutions is
directly focused in covering the Serb (mini)minority, then why must
responsibilities, moreover collective ones, be passed on to Albanians? At
a time when the Serb murdering machinery, which surfaced almost untouched
from the war, according to the latest reports from the west is willing to
set up all kinds of most macabre and monstrous self-sacrifices at the
Serbs, for the sole purpose of Serbs making the headlines. And they are
achieving this with success, regardless of the fact that everyone is
familiar with the Serb primitive and barbaric mechanism.
ANNEX 2 - transcript of a commentary by Behlul Beqaj, Dita publisher, on the complaint of his paper that is considered today by the Media Board for Appeals, Dita, p.1
THE BOARD
The Media Board for Appeals
considers today the request of Dita, with which it appealed to the latest
decision by the Interim Media Commissioner to fine our paper and to an
earlier decision of Mr. Kouchner for its arbitrary punishment. The board
formed by the Department for Media and the new Commissioner could verify
the earlier arbitrary decisions, but also take into consideration the
correct and legal appeal of Dita to repeal the regulation on media
violation - 2000&37.
Internationals can do whatever they please in Kosovo today. They, as we
have seen, can release thieves of aids, carry out raids, continue
arresting people, and punish papers in opposition with every legal
procedure. Even when they have no excuses, as was the case with fining of
Dita, they refer to the diplomatic immunity given to them by the UN! Since
we are aware of the fact that Kosova is not a lost island, the
protectorate is intensively slipping into arbitrary situations. The
arbitrary decisions are not justifying resolution 1244, but neither the
resolution is justifying the cause. Today's decisions on Dita are made in
this respect. We would rather accept the police come in and shut down our
paper rather then submit to a completely arbitrary decision to pay the
fine. If this will eventually happen, we will find ways to inform the
Kosovar public opinion that among westerners there are people with
influence, who are trying to turn Kosovo into a laboratory in which there
would experiments on the co-existence of Kosovo citizens with people who
during the war wore uniforms against Albanians and who afterwards
participate as relevant factors even in meetings such as the one in Airlie
House, from which the building of bridges of co-existence is
expected!
This is not about the editorial policy of Dita, but
about the disconcerted concept of those who in the name of the
international community demand the impossible: co-existence of the victim
with the butcher!