12 November
The international
community's engagement in Kosovo since 1999 has been a success story
that must ultimately be brought to a European conclusion, SRSG Michael
Steiner said. Speaking at Humboldt University in Berlin, Michael Steiner
said that the international engagement can be divided into three stages.
"In the first stage, the intervention of NATO became necessary
in spring 1999 in order to halt the nationalist excesses of a head of
state who is now standing trial. In summer 1999, NATO handed over the
baton to the UN. With UN Security Council Resolution 1244 the first
stage ended and the second stage began. The UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK,
took up the work of reconstructing a devastated Kosovo and transforming
it into a functioning society. This second stage will conclude and the
third begin with another Security Council Resolution. At that stage
the European Union should take over the baton from the UN and complete
the task as a European responsibility."
14 November
The European Agency for Reconstruction opened a Business Service
Centre in the north of Mitrovica to provide loans and business training
for micro-enterprise development in minority areas. As well as the centre
in Mitrovica, Business Service Centres have opened in Gracanica, Strpce/Shtërpcë
and Zvecan. The EAR is directing €1.2 million of EU funds to this
programme, which is being implemented by the International Organization
for Migration (IOM).
17 November
SRSG Michael Steiner, accompanied by Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi,
flew to the sites where two Serbian Orthodox churches were damaged overnight
in Istog/Istok municipality. KFOR Commander General Fabio Mini and Istog
Municipal Assembly President Fadil Ferati joined the delegation, which
included UNMIK Police Commissioner Stefan Feller and UNMIK Director
of Administration Philip Cooper, who remained in the area to launch
reconstruction work on one of the churches. The SRSG said that repairs
to the church in Djurakovac will be financed from the Kosovo Consolidated
Budget. "We will start from tomorrow morning to rebuild and to
express to the public that we will not tolerate this behaviour,"
he told media outside the church.
18 November
UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan arrived in Pristina for a two-day visit in order to demonstrate
the support of the international community for UNMIK's efforts in Kosovo.
The Secretary-General was briefed on the situation by the SRSG. In a
general meeting with several hundred UNMIK staff, the Secretary-General
thanked them for the progress achieved so far, some of which he was
able to observe driving through Pristina. But he noted that the biggest
task lay ahead: ensuring Kosovo's communities lived together in peace.
The Secretary-General then met with Kosovo leaders: President Ibrahim
Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, Assembly President Nexhat Daci,
and Povratak Coalition leader Rada Trajkovic. Mrs. Nane Annan visited
the Kosovo Women's Initiative, headed by Dr. Flora Brovina. The Secretary-General
also addressed a gathering at the Kosovo Art Gallery where he viewed
an exhibit by eight Kosovo Serb and Albanian artists.
The first Publicly
Owned Enterprise (POE) merger as part of the water sector restructuring
strategy was signed in Obiliq/Obilic municipality. The Obiliq water
company has merged with Battlava water company. The signatories to the
agreement were Battlava water company, Obiliq Municipality and the Kosovo
Trust Agency. Richard Lacey, KTA Division Manager for the Water and
Waste sector said: "this agreement is a great step forward to improving
the efficiency of the water utility sector."
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