UNMIK-KFOR-OSCE Press Briefing: 20 September 2000
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott
Slaten
OSCE Spokesman Roland Bless
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
Good morning. Immediately after this press briefing there will be a briefing by the Temporary Media Commission and the OSCE’s director of the Media Affairs Department on the broadcast and press codes of conduct.
KTC
The KTC is not meeting today -- it was cancelled because the Croatian President was due to visit. It will instead be meeting tomorrow at its usual time, 10 o’clock.
SRSG
The SRSG is continuing his outreach project today. He’s off to Gjakova/Djakovica where he’ll be holding another town hall meeting with people of the area at 4 o’clock. Before that he’ll be meeting political and community leaders in the town. Media who want to attend should contact Francois. The media bus will leave about 12.30 from the auditorium entrance of this building.
Raid
The department of judicial affairs has appointed the British prosecutor Gary Garland to the case of the three people detained following the raid in Gracanica. The international judge is still to be appointed. As you know they are being questioned by UNMIK police.
Mitrovica
The hunger strike at the detention centre in Mitrovica has come to an end. The 3 detainees met with their lawyers and decided to end their action.
Acid leak
On the acid leak, at the Trepca Battery Factory Complex in southern Mitrovica, the situation is now under control. Work transferring the acid to other tanks was finished yesterday.
The PH levels in the Sitnica and Ibar Rivers are almost at average level; between 7.1 and 7.72.
The Kosovo Protection Corp, KFOR, UNMIK Police, Vucitrn Fire Brigade, Foam Trucks from Pristina, the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), a German specialist team from BASF and several departments within UNMIK participated in what turned out to be a very successful emergency operation.
Business registration
Business registration in Kosovo is now complete. Almost 26,000 businesses have registered. The businesses must display their certificate to show they have registered, in their premises – and the registration department is urging those who haven’t collected their certificates from the municipalities to do so. Also those who have not applied should do so now. A programme of random checks will be starting, and those who are found not to have a certificate will be penalised – their business could end up being closed.
There will be a press release on this later today.
Visit
Hadi Annabi, the assistant secretary general, peacekeeping operations, is heading a team visiting UNMIK. They will be here for 4 days, looking at the work being done here.
Diary Dates
A few notes on upcoming events:
There’s a press briefing by the
Department of Trade and Industry at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. They will
be talking about the invitation to tender for the concession on the
Ferronikeli Complex. That’s a major industrial complex with ferro-nickel
ore reserves and a metallurgical plant. Once restored it will likely
play a major role in the international nickel market. So that’s a press
briefing tomorrow at 10 in the New Economics Faculty.
Also, tomorrow at 1 o’clock there’s a swearing in ceremony for the graduating class of tax inspectors and other professional staff of the UNMIK Tax Administration. That’s in the auditorium of the Banking and Payments Authority Building.
And at 5.30 Chris Patten, the EU commissioner for External Relations will be holding a press conference in the European Agency for Reconstruction offices in the Museum building. He’s here to discuss EU support in Kosovo; he’ll also be visiting Kosovo B power station.
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott Slaten
Mine-Seeking Airship To Operate Over Kosovo
The Commander of KFOR, Lt. Gen. Juan Ortuño, has granted approval for
the operation of a mine-seeking airship in KFOR airspace from September 21
to December 11, 2000. Under the terms of the Military-Technical
Agreement, the KFOR commander has control of and coordinates use of the
airspace over
Kosovo.
The mine-seeking airship, operating on behalf of the UNMIK Mine Action
Coordination Center (UNMAC), will conduct airborne surveys of unexploded
ordnance and mined areas with the purpose of expediting MACC mine and UXO
clearance operations. The Mineseeker airship itself is a joint
venture of the UK Ministry of Defense's, Defense Evaluation and Research
Agency (DERA) and The Lightship Group (TLG), a part of the Virgin Group of
enterprises, which includes Virgin Airlines and Virgin Records owned by
Sir Richard
Branson.
Бesides permission to operate in KFOR airspace, KFOR will provide
certain logistical support to airship operations including a forward
operating base in Dakovica. KFOR's support to this mine-seeking
initiative
demonstrates that KFOR and UNMIK are working together for
the good of the
people of Kosovo.
The hazard from mines and unexploded ordnance is very serious. While the lead for demining activities lies with the UN, KFOR has made significant contributions in the areas of humanitarian demining where UNMACC has the lead. KFOR welcomes any initiative that helps it fulfill its mandate of providing a safe and secure environment.
Hand Grenade Explodes
In MNB North, a hand grenade exploded early this morning in a garden near the apartment complex, known as the Three Towers in northern Mitrovice / Mitrovica. No one was reported injured in the attack. Two vehicles, described as a black VW Jetta and a red Zastava were seen speeding away from the scene shortly after the explosion. KFOR French troopers then launched a search operation throughout the neighborhood. KFOR is continuing to investigate.
Hand Grenade Thrown
An unknown assailant threw a hand grenade into a Kosovo Serb home in Fushe Kosove / Kosovo Polje late last night. The grenade exploded inside the house causing injuries to the owner, who was then transported to the hospital. KFOR and UNMIK Police are investigating.
Attempted Kidnapping
Yesterday morning, a 16 year-old Kosovo Serb girl reported an attempted kidnapping in the village of Fushe Kosove / Kosovo Polje. She reported the assault to KFOR Norwegian battalion soldiers and was able to provide a description of the suspect and his car. KFOR is investigating.
Man Detained; House Searched
KFOR Military Police in MNB South detained a Kosovar Albanian man in the town of Rrahovec / Orahovac last night after the man was discovered carrying a pistol and ammunition in the city center. Both the weapon and ammunition were confiscated and the man handed over to UNMIK Police for arrest. A follow-on search of the man's home by KFOR Military Police discovered UCK buttons, a UCK beret and various parts for weapons.
OSCE Spokesman Roland Bless
There is a summary of all the party platforms outside. Please take that document. The Institute of Civil Administration, based in Urosevac/Ferizaj has its first diploma ceremony. Ambassador Everts will be handing out the first 30 diplomas.
Questions:
Q: Have any of the men arrested in Gracanica charged, with what and under what law? Is there a prevention of terrorism law here and where are they detained at the moment?
CT: They are detained in Pristina. I am not sure if whether such a thing as a prevention of terrorism law here. I can check for you. Police can detain suspects for 72 hours. They are still investigating at the moment.
Q: Have you discussed the incident with the Yugoslav army about this incident? Has the Joint Implementation Commission met to discuss the Gracanica case?
SS: I don’t know if they have met for this. I know as part of their operation is coordination between Yugoslav army and KFOR. I am sure talks are ongoing. I am sure the Gracanica case is a matter of discussion.
Q: Can you give some details on the firefight between the UCPMB and the Serbian forces just inside the border near the village of Dobrosin in Serbia and apparently some bodies were brought across the border, injured people?
SS: I don’t have any information. I read that report yesterday, although I don’t comment on activities occurring outside of Kosovo. The best thing is to go to Dobrosin and ask someone.
Q: We did. Apparently some injured people were brought into Kosovo and these people were either arrested. There was some KFOR military, American military. Do you have any information from the Bondsteel on that incident?
SS: No, I don’t have any information.
Q: Is the policy not to say anything ever about what happens in that kilometre?
SS: No. If you go up to the checkpoint and talk to a soldier, he can tell you everything about what he has seen. It varies with who or what commander you are talking with at the time. From my own point of view the information that you gather from the other side, we are watching and we know pretty much everything that goes on in ground safety zone. It’s a matter of intelligence and I don’t comment on our intelligence gathering assets or what we are able to see in the ground safety zone.
Q: Yesterday you said the people detained in Gracanica have been operating in Kosovo for two months. Do you if they have been operating only in Gracanica or others areas of Kosovo?
SS: I don’t have any follow up information. Investigation is still being conducted into the situation. As we stated last night, it’s part of the ongoing intelligence gathering operation, which culminated in the search of the house and the detention of the three individuals.
CT: The KFOR investigation, now has UNMIK Police also involved in it.
Q: Is it fair to assume that there are other such groups operating in Kosovo?
SS: I wouldn’t say if there is. We are constantly searching for, we have a visible presence here in Kosvo, as part of our ongoing operations to ensure the safety and security of the people living here, both to target and hunt down extremists of all ethnicities that want to undermine the democratic system that is sought to be developed in the region. If they were I wouldn’t comment on it because it will be part of the ongoing operations.
Q: Has a decision been made on the paedophile masturbater?
CT: The UNMIK Security is continuing its investigation.
Q: There have been any reports of political violence since the campaign for the municipal elections began a week ago.
SS: It’s been very quiet. We had lots of political rallies which have been conducted throughout Kosovo. There have been a few where we had celebratory fire by the members in the crowd. KFOR has monitored that and gathered evidence and will decide what to do with these individuals, if they are apprehended. That however, has been exception of the rule. We encourage people in Kosovo, who are participating in the political rallies to do so in a peaceful manner, listen to the political debate and disperse peacefully.
Q: About the airship. Will it really help or is it an advertising stunt by Branson?
SS: No it’s not. UNMACC is going to provide a press briefing here for you in the future that will outline all the capabilities of the airship itself. The airship has a large amount of very sensitive, very expensive equipment in it, basically cutting edge anti-mine detection equipment available and that’s the reason it’s being brought into Kosovo to assist in the identification of mines and UXOs that are still here in Kosovo.
Q: Has the agreement with Serbia on the electricity been signed yet? Nobody seems to know.
CT: It hasn’t yet been signed. It’s still being discussed.
Q: Is there any deadline to this signing. Is Mr. Kouchner empowered to sign this deal unilaterally as the SRSG overriding objections from the local political leadership.
CT: It’s going to be signed between Kosovo Electric and the Serbian power company as two trading partners. It hasn’t yet been finalized what the agreement is going to be, but it’s between those two.
Q: Have members of the IAC made serious objections to this agreement on political grounds that we don’t make deals with Serbs.
CT: There was concern raised in IAC that we announced a couple of weeks ago. But SRSG would be signing it on behalf of the IAC, but the agreement is between Kosovo electric and the Serbian power company.
Q: After a week of campaigning, have there been any complaints by political party leaders or members against each other for intimidation, never mind violence.
RB: Yes we have several of those. The Election Complaints and Appeals Commission is looking into it. We expect a couple of decision to be presented to the CEC, which meets tomorrow. If a decision is taken, it will be widely publicized. It’s the umpire blowing the whistle in the game and everybody has to know. This is of a different magnitude from what Doug Hamilton was asking that is UNMIK Police and KFOR investigation. We are just looking into it from an election related perspective.
Q: Yesterday in the town of Strpce ballot boxes were observed being delivered to and stored in UN municipal buildings. This appears to be a flagrant contradiction of the polling terms and the modus operandum which polling is going to be carried out as laid down by the SRSG. Is this going to set an example that is going to be followed in the next five days, or is UNMIK actually going to do anything about it?
CT: If the report is true, UNMIK will do something about it, because you’re right, it is a flagrant breach. There is going to be no use of municipal or UNMIK buildings for the Yugoslav elections.
Q: Even though these buildings are currently today being guarded by the Kosovo Police Service?
CT: As I said, it is a flagrant breach. If they are there they will be removed. The reports that the Kosovo Police Service are guarding again would be in contravention of what has been laid down as UNMIK policy. We are checking this out to see whether Kosovo Police are actually at the building or not.
Q: This is, I imagine being done as we sit here and speak?
CT: Yes, it is being checked right now.
Q: Yesterday Dr. Kouchner told us that while UNMIK would not be monitoring the Yugoslav elections or in any way legitimizing them, they would keep an eye on the elections to try and work out broadly how many people had voted in order they could tell anyone in Belgrade who had inflated the voting figures. Will the OSCE be involved in that, and what kind of involvement would this be?
RB: Yes, OSCE will be involved. I think it is quite evident that UNMIK wants to make use of elections related expertise that is within UNMIK. The lead is clearly within UNMIK, the set-up is done by UNMIK as is being finalized as we speak. There is no field presence yet finally established, and as you say this all leads to witnessing what is going on on the ground for things related to Kosovo within the FRY election. Just add one sentence: you can not judge the FRY elections n Kosovo alone, but if Kosovo really makes the balance tip, then we should know what is going on on the ground.
Q: Inaudible.
RB: As I said it is not monitoring, it is witnessing. Basically
standing there seeing what is happening and also standing in areas where
nothing is happening – being able to tell nothing has happened there,
especially if someone claims votes have come from there. This is an
auxiliary function we do for UNMIK. The political element that goes beyond
the
OSCE assessment clearly resides with Dr. Kouchner, itt is up to him
to judge. What the OSCE wide assessment of FRY election is, that you have
in a comprehensive document which was prepared by ODIHR, and you are
right, the OSCE as an organisation comes to the conclusion that these
elections can not be expected to be fair and to meet
international
standards. But that is referring to the FRY elections at
large, whereas the piece we do here is only the Kosovo element of it.
Q: Which side is delaying the agreement on the power (..), is it from
Kosovo side or Serbia side, and second: how much is this going to solve
the power problem of Kosova?
KFOR: Is the operation in Gracanica still
ongoing, and what are new developments?
CT: I’m not quite sure which side is delaying it, I know that there were talks over the weekend trying to get it signed, and it was signed at that stage. I can get more details for you. We are basically talking about importing power. We need the agreement to import power during winter, so it is a vital agreement.
SS: The operation that was conducted yesterday in Gracanica was concluded yesterday. After the buildings were searched thoroughly the evidence was gathered and the suspects detained. It has been concluded, now they are in the process of investigating the evidence that was confiscated.
Q: On Saturday in the run-up to polling and on Sunday during expected polling; do you have any idea where the SRSG is physically going to be?
CT: Physically on Saturday he has got a town hall meeting in Dragash. Sunday I don’t know what his plans are but I think he’s going to be here in Pristina.
Q: And as far as you know he has no plans to visit any of the Serb areas on Sunday?
CT: I don’t know. I can check out and let you know.
Q: Inaudible (about SRSG not visiting Serb areas).
CT: I know that his plans for town hall meetings are carrying on. I haven’t got the full schedule for them, but he’s getting together his full agenda. He is not ignoring the Serbs.
Q: He’s been to a number of town halls now and not one of them has yet been in a Serbian area. I know that the majority of the town halls are in Albanian areas. Is this a coincidence?
CT: Every area he’s going to he’s going to the Serb communities. At the moment the town halls have been planned in the municipalities they have occurred. It is as much as anything to deal with logistics and municipal administrators and local leaders, availability of buildings – we are talking about quite a massive logistical operation every time that a town hall is organised.
Q: So it has to organised quite well in advance?
CT: They are being organised quite well in advance.
Q: So if you don’t have the dates of any visits to Zubin Potok, Leposavic, northern Mitrovica or Strpce, we can guess that they are not going to be in the near future?
CT: They are not going to be in the next few days, no. There’s one
today in Djakovica, and then Saturday in Dragash. I haven’t got the full
agenda.