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UNMIK-KFOR Press Briefing: 28 June 2000 UNMIK Spokeswoman Nadia
Younes
Strpce
case The discovery of his body was followed by a demonstration in the evening in the Strpce municipality, where 600/700 people gathered. The demonstration ended peacefully around 9.15 p.m. KTC The KTC is also discussing the draft regulation on Self-Government of Municipalities, DSRSG Tom Koenigs will brief the KTC members on this issue. Dr. Kouchner informed the KTC members today about the visit of the Austrian president, Mr. Thomas Klestil, to Kosovo next week, when he will also address the KTC in its next session on 5 July. As we announced last week, from July KTC members will start getting honorarium for participation in the KTC sessions and in any meetings connected with the KTC. Return of UNHCR and
humanitarian agencies to Northern Mitrovica Joint UNMIK-SNC
Understanding Also today SRSG Kouchner will have lunch in Gracanica at 1 p.m. with Patriarch Pavle, of the Serb Orthodox Church. Water
Problems The other thing that we want to
remind you again of the emergency measures for water conservation that will
come into effect from tomorrow. You may recall that the Municipal Council of
Pristina had issued a municipal instruction on the supply of drinking water and
the restrictions on its use, essentially to alleviate the water problem during
the summer months. This instruction will be in force from 29 June to 31 August
2000. Violators of this instruction will be fined. We would request you once
again to publicize these two important
items. Media
Events Another media opportunity, which I would like to flag on behalf of the European Agency for Reconstruction, as we have announced, Mr. Christopher Patten, Commissioner for External Relations will be visiting Kosovo tomorrow. A programme for Thursday is available on the racks.
Shepherd's body found
The man had been missing since late Friday, June 23, 2000. KFOR provided the community with extensive assistance in the search over the past few days. Brigadier General Randal Tieszen, the Commander of MNB-East, extends his sympathy to the Markovcevic family. Evidence at the scene indicates that he died under suspicious circumstances. UNMIK Police and KFOR are investigating. Further information will be provided by MNB East as it becomes available. Man
murdered Shots were heard by UNMIK Police personnel in the southern portion of the town around 5:30 p.m. yesterday. A police patrol discovered a wounded Kosovo Albanian man who was then transported to the civilian hospital. The man later died as result of the attack. MNB West KFOR Italian Military Police were informed of a possible suspect in the crime and searched a house in the city for evidence. One AK-47 Assault Rifle, ammunition and a bullet-proof vest were discovered. UNMIK and KFOR are continuing the investigation. KFOR
rebuttal Medical
Assistance
Questions Q. Major, a few days ago you stated that this person from Susice is alive and that he was found somewhere. How come he's dead now? The first information was that he was alive and he was found. SS. OK, as you know communications sometimes in Kosovo are very difficult. The initial report that we received was that the man was found alive. This was as of 4 a.m. the next morning when we were searching. What transpired, what we believe now, is that it was confused with another incident, another search that was ongoing, and the information was garbled. As soon as we got the correct information, we put out that the man was, in fact, missing. It's unfortunate that this communications in Kosovo oftentimes make it difficult to find out the exact details as quickly as possible. That's why most of the time we put the information is "as reported". Because later, sometimes, we find out that the information is different from what was initially reported. Q. You say in the decision taken by HCR to unsuspend its activities in northern Mitrovica, Oliver Ivanovic has offered protection to humanitarian agencies working in Mitrovica. Does this suggest or imply that UNMIK is in any way dependent on Oliver Ivanovic and the SNC for physical protection? And does it not legitimize his position, the position of his bridge keepers by accepting this offer? NY. Well, it doesn't mean that because I said that Oliver Ivanovic has agreed to work together with UNMIK and KFOR to improve security and part of it is to ensure that his people act according to those rules of protection. Q. Last time you were saying that in the northern part of Mitrovica you expected further escalation. How does it happen that the UNHCR and the other humanitarian organizations decided to go back when some days ago they said they would not trust them, that the tensions would rise and that you are not going to go to the northern part. NY. Well, I don't want to talk on behalf of the UNHCR and I think you would want to speak to Paula Ghedini after the briefing. But I think that they felt very strongly that they were providing services in the north, not only to Serbs but to Albanians as well, and that they had made the point, they had gotten some assurances that they needed, and therefore they were going to resume the humanitarian services which are important, if not indispensable, to some people who live in northern Mitrovica. Q. In your report a few minutes ago you said "we agreed with Mr. Oliver Ivanovic's organization to protect us". I want to know, which organization? NY. Well, he is well known and one of the political leaders in northern Mitrovica who is our interlocutor on matters relating to Mitrovica as is Mr. Bajram Rexhepi. And we discuss with Mr. Ivanovic and we discuss with Mr. Bajram Rexhepi issues of mutual concern for Mitrovica as a whole. Q. Do you hold Mr. Ivanovic, either by omission or commission, responsible for the recent troubles there? NY. Well, I think it is no secret that there was a lot of trouble in Mitrovica. I think that certainly in the north we are not unaware of some of the things that are being done. I don't know if we hold him directly responsible, but we certainly want him to calm down his people in the north. Q. I want to know who is responsible for the security in northern part of Mitrovica now, if we have to ask Oliver for security now? NY. I think you are pushing that point a little too far. As you probably well know, and as we have been saying all along, there was a joint structure that has been set up for Mitrovica. KFOR and UNMIK Police are responsible for securing the area. They are responsible for protecting the area. We need the cooperation of all the people who live on either side of the bridge and that is what we want Oliver Ivanovic to provide. I don't know if KFOR would like to add anything. SS: KFOR is continuing to provide the same security that we provided in the past in the northern portion. Our troops are still there. We are still conducting our patrols, nothing has changed in that regard. However, we have discussed the security issue with UNHCR. Often times the work is very difficult because of the nature of their business. They oftentimes operate in small groups. So we are constantly working with them to try and improve the security for the workers in northern Mitrovica. Any assistance by the local Serb community leaders will only assist us in providing security for the aid workers who are operating there. Q. I just want to clarify something. I want to know what conditions has Mr. Ivanovic put for the better behaviour of the Serb population and his people in the area. Are there any conditions? NY. As I said, and I repeat, I would be greatful if you would address those questions to HCR. I was not in the meeting yesterday, HCR was at the meeting as were the humanitarian agencies together with Mr. Ivanovic. So, it's a question I can't answer, I wasn't there, I don't know what happened at that meeting. Q. Just one follow up. Mr. Ivanovic is blaming UNMIK, the SRSG and the Administration for supporting the Albanians against the return of the Serbs. He is saying that they are carrying out ethnic cleansing of the Serbs from Kosovo. At the same time he is not blaming KFOR. He says that KFOR cannot do anything because this is is a political matter. I'd like to have a comment on that. NY: But what is the question? Q. The Serb leader in Mitrovica is dividing UNMIK from KFOR. He is blaming UNMIK, the Administration and everybody who has anything to do with UNMIK, including the Albanians, for not bringing back the Serbs and in general for the whole situation. At the same time he is saying KFOR has nothing to do with this because it's a political issue.You said there is a joint mechanism to ensure security in northern Mitrovica. How is this security mechanism functioning when the Serb leader is happy with one side but unhappy with the other? NY. Good question. I can assure you that nothing will divide KFOR and UNMIK in its efforts in Mitrovica as in all of Kosovo. So, if this is the aim, which you tell me it is, it will fail. SS. I fully support that. I mean, regardless of who is saying that, whether it's from the Serb community or the Albanian community, it's immaterial. Both UNMIK and KFOR are improving the coordination and cooperation each day. So, regardless of what is stated it will not, in the end, result in dividing us. SS. Since the press conferences started here in Kosova, usually or always the names of the towns and villages are pronounced in Serbian. Why, since 92% of the people of Kosova are Albanian, are they not pronounced in the Albanian language and then you could use the Serbian names. NY. Well, I am glad you asked that question because our policy has been, unless we sometimes slip because it gets very long, to give names in both languages when we talk about villages, towns, etc. That is the policy of UNMIK. Q. Inaudible. NY. I didn't get that. I mean, we use both to satisfy everybody and finally we get everybody against us. Q. Well, but you said it slips sometimes… NY. Well, we are human and sometimes slippage happens even with human beings. Q. Do you know the reasons why the Serbs did not attend the IAC yesterday and do you know if they are attending the KTC today. NY. Well, yesterday, as I understood it, Mr. Rada Trajkovic couldn't come for scheduling reasons. Today there were two members of the SNC who attended the KTC, Mr. Randjel Nojkic and Mr. Dragan Velic. |