21 January
United Nations Under-Secretary-General
for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, told the Security
Council in New York that while the deadlock in forming a coalition government
and electing a president of Kosovo persisted, UNMIK and interested countries
continued to encourage a quick solution to the current stalemate. UNMIK
also worked hard to create an environment in which Kosovo's minorities
would feel secure to participate in public life, he said.
Three proposed protocols-on
the exchange of forensic expertise in work on the missing persons, on
joint allegations on hidden prisons, and on the cross-boundary returns
of remains-were introduced by UNMIK at the second session of the High-Level
Working Group in Belgrade. Acting SRSG Charles Brayshaw, who chaired
the meeting, described it as positive and constructive in terms of laying
out the priorities for the work ahead on issues of concern to UNMIK
and the FRY authorities, which were identified by the Common Document.
Most of those priorities centred on the improvement of co-operation
on establishing the fate of the missing from all communities, resolving
issues of detainees, promoting returns of displaced persons to Kosovo,
and improving freedom of movement by road and railway. The group also
agreed to establish sub-groups on returns, the judiciary and police
co-operation.
22 January
The Interim Administrative Council (IAC) met in a regular session
to discuss pending regulations and other issues until the transfer of
authority to the provisional institutions of self-government. The four
pending draft regulations included those on primary and secondary education,
on higher education, on personal income taxes (on wages), and business
profit taxes. Acting SRSG Charles Brayshaw informed the IAC of the imminent
appointment of the new SRSG, noting that Michael Steiner was looking
forward to addressing the pressing issues facing Kosovo and the mission.
In describing his recent trip to New York and Washington, D.C., Mr Brayshaw
said the officials there stressed their interest in seeing the institutions
of self-government established as quickly as possible.
23 January
Secretary-General
Kofi Annan appointed Michael Steiner, a senior diplomat from Germany
to be his new Special Representative for Kosovo and the Head of UNMIK.
Mr Steiner, a former Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to the Chancellor
of the Federal Republic of Germany, replaces Hans Haekkerup, who left
Kosovo at the end of 2001. He is the third Special Representative for
Kosovo since UNMIK was established in 1999, following Mr Haekkerup of
Denmark and Bernard Kouchner of France. He will take up his duties in
Pristina early next month.
25 January
Javier Solana, EU
High Representative for the Common and Security Policy, visited Kosovo
as part of his two-day tour of the Balkans, which also included Skopje
and Belgrade. In meeting Kosovo's elected leaders, he stressed that
they must move soon to chose a president and construct the institutions
of provisional self-government. It was important to maintain the momentum
generated by the elections and work to fulfil the expectations of the
electorate, he said. Mr Solana also met separately with Kosovo Albanian
party leaders Ibrahim Rugova, Hashim Thaci and Ramush Haradinaj, as
well as Kosovo Assembly President Rexhat Daci and Kosovo Serb leader
Rada Trajkovic. In addition, he met Acting SRSG Charles Brayshaw, OSCE
Mission chief Pascal Frieschi, KFOR Commander Lt General Marcel Valentin
and representatives of diplomatic offices.
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