UNMIK-KFOR Press Briefing: 22 November 2000

SRSG Bernard Kouchner
General Cabigiosu, COMKFOR
Brigadier Robert Fry, Commander Multinational Brigade Center

SRSG Bernard Kouchner: "Another time we are together for a bad news. Dark days are coming back. I don’t want to comment before I give you the facts of this unacceptable, disgusting, outrageous act targeting the highest Representative of President Kostunica here in Kosovo. I would like to give the floor to Brigadier Fry who is the Commander of the Multinational Brigade Center.

Brigadier Robert Fry:  I will concentrate at the facts and then and give a little bit of military interpretation of what happened in the morning.  A bomb attack took place this morning between 5:40-5:45. We assessed that between five and tern kilograms of explosives that were used in the attack. There were policemen immediately in the area, specifically in order to guard what we know to be a sensitive area. One of them saw three people at the rear of Mr. Vukicevic’s house. He immediately moved towards where he saw them. As he approached the area, they ran off and almost simultaneously there was an explosion.

 This was a highly determined and ruthlessly executed operation. These people were willing to take the risk in getting to the target they have chosen. They managed to penetrate the close security provided by the police in that area. Judging from the time in which the detonation itself took place, they were willing to put the thing on a very short fuse. Also if I have to assess the blast effect against the house itself, this was something that was technically shaped to achieve the maximum effect against the target they had chosen. Therefore, this was not a casual opportunistic attack. It’s something that was determined to achieve the effect that it did. And I emphasize that it was a ruthless and determined act of terrorism.

General Cabigiosu, COMKFOR: I can  reinforce Dr. Kouchner’s point. This is something that has not to be attributed to beginners. It was an action that was carefully planned with some specific determination by those who committed the act. We condemn the act and we will do all we can to bring to justice those who committed the attack. With the police, I am sure we will be able to achieve some positive results. This is the point that I want to make. It’s not an isolated action, and we need to consider if the security and safety situation is now deteriorating because of some overall plan. We are now going to take some specific measures.

SRSG Kouchner: I unfortunately have to add that one of the wounded people died this morning. I don’t want to give you the name because the family is not advised at the moment. He was badly injured by the bombing and he died around 5:00am.I addressed a personal letter to President Kostunica and I conveyed my condolences to Ambassador Vukicevic, to the family. I have been working with Ambassador Vukicevic for many long months, and we have always had a good personal relationship. Ambassador Vukicevic is not an extremist. On the contrary, he very often helped us in solving problems. I’ll read you my condemnation of this outrageous attack before we take few questions. (See statement issued earlier). I am completely outraged by the contemptible attack which took place this morning against the residence of the representative of the FRY government, Ambassador Stanimir Vukicevic. I condemn this attack in the strongest terms. I have just learned that one man who lived in the house died from injuries sustained in the attack. There are others who were also injured. One was  rescued from the rubble of the destroyed house by UNMIK police, shortly after the bomb exploded at 4:50 this morning. I immediately visited the site to express my sympathy and disgust. This was not a random act of violence: it was well-prepared and very carefully executed. This was a professional job, and the perpetrators were willing to take enormous risks to achieve their ends. This trend of premeditated violence, which appears to be the work of extremists, began with the brutal murders less than two weeks ago of four Ashkalis who had returned to rebuild their lives in Ske nderaj/Srbica.We also had reports of attacks on Serb police in Dobrosin late yesterday. The wave of violence is a warning to UNMIK and through UNMIK to the international community: the extremists are now ready to step up their targeting of the Serb community.  As I have repeatedly said, Kosovo remains in crisis. The conflict between the communities is not over. But we will not be dissuaded or deterred from our efforts to bring peace and security to Kosovo. And a peaceful Kosovo is a key to a peaceful Balkans.I wish to express my deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased man.We in UNMIK and KFOR are determined to find the perpetrators of this barbaric act.

Questions

Q : At 5 :00am this morning, I was at the scene. I saw two people being carried away in ambulances. Did one die immediately or in the Hospital?

RF : No he died some time after the blast in British Hospital which is Kosovo Polje.

Q :  For Dr. Kouchner. Do you think there is ant political direction to the attack ?

BK : Certainly yes. This is not by chance or misfortune. What we call extremists are against peace, against Kosovars. This the worse thing that could happen just before the Zagreb Summit.  Of course, it looks like part of a strategy.

Q: For General Cabigiosu. Following the significant violence that took place yesterday afternoon and early evening in Preshevo valley, can you tell us any more about the violence that took place and the approach made by the authorities in Belgrade to Pristina through UNMIK, probably trying to get in touch with KFOR, from the Serbs who were trying to pass a message about this violence?

CC: We have regular contact with the authorities of FRY through the Joint Implementation Commission and we had contact also yesterday in maintaining a close relationship during the events that took place in Presevo valley. Of course Presevo is part of the FRY territory,  under FRY sovereignty as far as police matters are  concerned. For the moment we’re monitoring the situation and we’re trying our best to seal the border and to avoid any connection between what’s going on in FRY and here in Kosovo.

Q: Did the Serb authorities tell you anything about what was taking place?

CC: We have exchanged information.

Q: Is it more important to protect churches than to protect people?

CC: We are trying to do both. We protect churches because they are part of the patrimonial sites. We are protecting people too. I can ensure that we are present and we were present in the area. But we are sharing our responsibility with the police in some areas. We have our responsibility in some other areas, and the police are exercising surveillance and protection.

Q: Question for Brigadier FRY. If I understand the area where Mr.Vukicevic’s house is controlled by Police and KFOR troops. Do you consider that this bomb was put there before or during the day yesterday?

RF: I think it was taken there immediately before the detonation took place. I draw that conclusion from the evidence that I got from the police who were at the scene, who saw some movement at the rear of the house. They immediately went to investigate and almost immediately after that, the detonation took place. I do not think that this was placed during the day. I think these were people who aimed this attack during the darkness immediately before the detonation occurred.

Q: Dr Kouchner, in your statement you said that you had reports of attacks on Serbs police in Dobrosin late yesterday, what kind of links between these two incidents?

BK:  What kind of links! What kind of links between extremists, what kind of links between people against peace, between people against our success in having fair, free and democratic elections here in Kosovo? I don’t know for sure the personal linkages, but I know that some people have common interests in undermining the good progess which we were making toward implementation of  resolution 1244--toward substantial autonomy, and general elections.

Q: General Cabigiosu, can you confirm  rumours that during the conflict in Dobrosin, some fire came over the border. There was fire whether it was aimed or crossfire. What happened?

CC: No this is not what happened. Everything that has been reported by our own troops happened inside the FRY territory.

Q: General Cabigiosu, you were talking about specific measures to be taken after this attack. Can you tell us more about these security measures? Do they have to do with the FRY person over there, or the house or the area they are staying or any special escort?         

CC: First of all, we will increase the number of the troops the streets here in Pristina. I am sure that Brigadier Fry some possible measures we are going to take.

Q: Dr. Kouchner, we have seen you several times coming on this podium expressing your outrage and condemnation of certain acts. But I haven’t heard yet of possible perpetrators who were found and sent to the court. If they are not sent to courts, how can we clarify the fact that not all Kosovars are part of this condemnation?

BK:  You are right. I came often, too often. As you know, even with good soldiers, UNMIK police, the Kosovo Police Services, we are not able to protect every body one by one. Protection must come from the civil society, from the people themselves. I am not accusing you at all, but this is very ease to condemn the international presence here, UNMIK and KFOR, for crimes. They didn’t perpetrate the crimes. On the contrary, who is killing? Who has a stupid interest in undermining this process? Who?

Getting independence? This is the contrary! I am not in charge of independence. I never talked about independence. I am in charge of the implementation of 1244. This particular bloody attack is a major obstacle going to Zagreb Summit. By who?  I don’t know.

Q: For Brigadier Fry: Mr. Vukecevic has been the special representative of Belgrade here even under Milosevic regime. The attack occurred when the same person is representative of Mr. Kostunica. Do you have any explanation?

RF: I don’t have any explanation about the motives of the terrorists who perpetrated the attack. The only think I can do is to take the word of what the SRSG just said. We can make a couple of observations on the nature and on the security. This is tragic and contemptible. We will do everything that we possibly can to make sure that the terrorists responsible for this would be brought to justice. I would like you to take into account of the whole trend of terrorism in Kosovo in recent time. There have been very few and none has been as tragic as this attack that occurred this morning. I think we must see that as index of some success.
 With the degree of determination that went into the conduct of this attack, I cannot give anyone a guarantee, an absolute guarantee of security, if people are this determined to disrupt the democratic process that we’re trying to institute here. There would always be a chance that they would succeed.  But I think that like SRSG said a moment ago, and it is to them that this question be addressed.

BK: Just to add. Who is complaining? Where are the claims ? Where are the witnesses before the lawyers, the courts? Don’t believe we don’t arrest anybody. This is not true. There are a lot of people in the detention centres who were arrested, hundreds of them. What about the way the judicial system works? Better and better, but not good enough. Why? Because of all the historical involvement, oppression, memories, the proximity of sufferings. I know that. But you know that peacemaking takes years and years.

CC: I want to bring to your attention the increasing cooperation between UNMIK Police and KFOR. Yesterday, Dr. Kouchner and myself signed a memorandum of understanding on the increasing of co-operation between the two bodies. This is an important step especially now at this moment when the safe and secure environment of security according to the language used by KFOR in Kosovo is in danger. This memorandum of understanding is a concrete sign of what we’re trying to do to increase the efficiency of our actions against all criminal activities, and of course against extremist attacks and actions.

Q:  What message, do you think Dr. Kouchner that is being given to the international community regarding Albanian aim for independence? A question for Brigadier Fry or General Cabigiosu. How do you consider to sealing off the area where the Yugoslav Representative was before…?

BK:  I don’t know what message they want to send us. But I know the results. A very bad image and very bad message, depressing and pessimistic. But it will not stop us. Is it to say that the growing up of democracy in Belgrade is not enough to heal the wounds? Is it to say that democratic process will not end the suffering? But it takes time to make peace, certainly it’s true. Nevertheless, the only answer is to follow the process of peace, to follow the implementation of 1244. We were just meeting in the Kosovo Transitional Council, and once more all the leaders strongly condemn the attack. We’re issuing a statement

RF: I can answer the second part of the question. There are two reasons why I have never thought of sealing off the area where Mr. Vukecevic or any other individuals live. If I would try to do that, I would very soon run out of troops and it would always be a XX choice between those who did need that close protection and those who didn’t. But much more important, neither Mr. Vukicevic nor any other K-Serbs living in Kosovo today want to live in prison. What they want is to live in a society that allows them to go to their business in a free and safe manner. People who are preventing that are the terrorists who perpetrated this outrageous act this morning.

Q: Mr. Kouchner, you just said that this attack will not take you to independence. And every one knows who Kosovo to be independent. Are accusing Albanians for this attack?

BK: What do you want me to say? You want to provoke me? You know the answer. All the Albanians, this is a fact, are in favour of independence and I am not in favour or disfavour of independence. I am in charge, in the name of Kofi Annan, the international community and the Security Council, of 1244 and my dear friends here are the same way.  12 44  is a way to peace. We started so successfully 16 months after our coming here with the implementation, which they told us was impossible, of the local elections. We are just out of a success. A success for who? For the Kosovars, not for us. So I am targeting the extremists, I am targeting the killers , the people unable to live in peace. Who are they? I don’t know. I am certainly not targeting the Kosovars because they expressed themselves very clearly in free and democratic elections with no losers. They were all winners including the parties and the three main parties. But there is another answer to your question: why are Kosovars never complaining, never presenting claims to the judiciary system.  Are they all under threat? I am asking you.