15 April
On Monday, SRSG
Michael Steiner visited Sarajevo, where he met senior officials from
the international and local administrations. The trip was part of his
programme to visit Kosovo's neighbours, and specifically to learn more
about the Bosnian experience on returns. It was also a sentimental journey
as Mr. Steiner had been the Deputy High Representative in Sarajevo before.
16 April
Six Ashkali families returned to their homes in Vushtrri/Vucitrn.
Their return to Kosovo was planned over the last year and supported
by the municipal authorities as well as the local population.
SRSG Michael Steiner visited the monstery in Decan/Decani, where
he met Bishop Artemije and Father Sava. They discussed issues such as
the situation in Mitrovica, the participation of Serbs in self-govering
institutions and the return of IDPs.
17 April
In the morning, SRSG Michael Steiner met with Nebojsa Covic,
chairman of the FRY/Serbia Co-ordination Centre for Kosovo. After the
mneeting Covic confirmed that the Kosovo Serbs had agreed to the SRSG's
proposals on participation in the government. As to the situation in
Mitrovica, Mr. Steiner said that multi-ethinicity and integration were
the two pillars on which the work of UNMIK is based. By multi-ethnicity,
Mr. Stenier explained he meant that the majority community has to accept
and work towards getting smaller communities to stay in Kosovo. The
issue of integration, he said, was directed at the minority communities,
which must participate in all the institutions and that there could
be no parallel institutions.
The same day SRSG Michael Steiner presented the draft privatisation
law to Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi. The draft law envisages the creation
of a so called Kosovo Trust Agency, which would administer the socially
owned enterprises and their spin-off to private investors.The government
has a month to comment on it.
The EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security
Policy, Javier Solana, visited Kosovo and met SRSG Michael Steiner,
COMKFOR Lt. Gen. Marcel Valentin and Kosovar leaders. Speaking after
his meeting with Mr. Steiner, he said that he valued the progress that
has been made in Kosovo since his last visit.
18 April
SRSG Michael Steiner spoke to the University of Pristina students.
Under the title "A New Generation, A New Economy", he presented
UNMIK's plan for privatization and revitalizing the Kosovo economy.
He described most socially owned enterprises as "dinosaurs"and
emphasised the need to privatise the viable ones and to establish clear
ownership.
19 April
The Special Prosecutor
of the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia, Carla
del Ponte vistited Kosovo and met SRSG Michael Steiner, President Ibrahim
Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and COMKFOR Lt. Gen. Marcel Valentin.
In answer to a question, she said that her office had opened three investigations
against former KLA members and that the first indictment will be issued
this year. Mr. Steiner said that there is no nationality when it comes
to war crimes.
COMKFOR Lt. Gen.
Marcel Valentin and SRSG Michael Steiner released the figures of the
number of weapons collected during the amnesty programme that ended
on Monday. The numbers were: 516 guns, including 24 machine guns, 55
heavy weapons, including mortars, anti-tank weapons, rockets and missiles,
725 grenades, 94 mines and 60,095 rounds of ammunition and miscellaneous
items.
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