An hour before the story  of  Slobodan Milosevic's extradition to the Hague broke, President George Bush signed an executive order that 'black-listed' 23 ethnic Albanians for "threatening international stabilization efforts in the Western Balkans."
The "designated targets," included Kosovo Albanian political figures, leaders of the UCMPB in Southern Serbia and supporters of the NLA in Macedonia. Of greater consequence for UNMIK and KFOR, are the five high-ranking members of the Kosovo Protection Corps  (KPC) named on the list.

Their inclusion is a setback also for UNMIK and KFOR, which have worked for nearly two years to transform ex-fighters from the ex-Kosovo Liberation Army into civilians with a purpose and a job. Setting up the KPC was the first time a revolutionary force had been transformed by the UN into a civilian agency. Its tasks, by law, include  civilian emergency response, building roads, fighting floods, and rescuing earthquake victims.

While the KPC as a whole has been training and building itself to undertake such work, several of its members continue to attract trouble. A disciplinary code introduced last year allows the Corps  to pursue strict measures for misconduct. The KPC leadership was cautioned several months ago to use it for serious violations. 

Reacting to the U.S. move, SRSG Hans Haekkerup stressed the gravity of KPC members appearing on such a blacklist. A strong response was demanded, even while  UNMIK and KFOR lacked all the information which inspired the U.S. to act.
KPC Commander Agim Çeku responded immediately- docking the listees' pay by 25 per cent and curtailing their paths toward career advancement. Too leniently, said international officials overseeing the KPC.

After further consultations inside and out of Kosovo, the SRSG and KFOR Commander Lt. General Thorstein Skiaker took action themselves-suspending the five and calling on UNMIK Police and KFOR to investigate the allegations further. Should President Bush drop any names from the list, the men will be re-instated, UNMIK officials say. But for now they are out of uniform, out of a job and weaponless. "Not to have suspended the individuals in question would have endangered international support for Kosovo Protection Corps," Haekkerup and Skiaker explained.

Meanwhile, the stability of the KPC's future is in doubt: the five listed generals threatened to depart the KPC altogether, taking others with them in sympathy.   The UNMIK and KFOR statement describing the suspensions, re-affirmed the commitment of the international presence in Kosovo to work closely with the KPC, under General Çeku's command.

General Çeku sent a letter of resignation to UNMIK on Friday which was promptly rejected the following day. UNMIK officials confirmed their wish that the former KLA leader would stay in command, arguing that the Kosovo Protection Corps needed strong leadership and a sense of responsibility.

Covic: The FRY interlocuter UNMIK needs

Signalling a positive outcome from last month's North Atlantic Council (NAC) meeting in Brussels, on the problems in Mitrovica and the associated parallel structures in northern Kosovo, Belgrade this week nominated FRY deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic as its representative for Kosovo. UNMIK and KFOR thus got both what they wanted and the person the international community wanted.

In his discussions with the NAC, SRSG Hans Haekkerup highlighted the need for a credible interlocutor so that UNMIK could engage Belgrade in sustained and substantive dialogue. He stressed, however, that, while the solution to the Mitrovica question had to come from UNMIK and KFOR, not from Belgrade. It was nevertheless necessary for Belgrade to be involved. 
During the meeting, Haekkerup emphasized both the need for the principal interlocutor to be authoritative and representative with whom UNMIK could engage on the full range of issues at hand. It was important that whoever was nominated carried the full support and backing of the Federal and Serb Republic authorities in Belgrade and had authoritative standing among the Kosovo Serb community. Several NAC delegations responded by mentioning Nebojsa Covic by name.

Reacting to the news of Covic' appointment, the SRSG recalled that the deputy PM had already shown his willingness to negotiate and to reach solutions in southern Serbia. Haekkerup looked forward to dealing with Mr. Covic on resolving problems facing Kosovo Serbs and on other issues important to all people in Kosovo. Difficult issues such as Mitrovica should benefit from having one Belgrade interlocutor working with UNMIK, KFOR and Kosovar leaders to find solutions, his spokeswoman added.

Head of the Serb National Council, Oliver Ivanovic, reportedly welcomed Covic' appointment. But othes who were critical that they had not been consulted over this appointment, warned that they would resist the idea of being assimilated in the Kosovo Albanian community.
The position of Momcilo Trajkovic, who heads the FRY Federal Committee for Kosovo in the context of Covic' appointment is not clear. Covic is authorized to represent the government's position, to coordinate the strategy of the republic organs and other organizations in Kosovo, and to propose measure for finding a solution to "the crisis in Kosovo" a Serbian Government news release announced.

JIAS "Refugee Board" to coordinate over refugee crisis

Briefs . . .

The 'Freedom of Movement' minority bus project, is now under the Admnistration of UNMIK. The Swiss Government will donate DM 1.4 million to run the bus service, used mainly by Serbs, which has been officially handed over by the UNHCR to the Department of Transport and Infrastructure. The UNHCR has been managing the minority bus service since 1999, with the Danish Refugee Council as the implementing partner. It has 25 buses running on 11 routes, carrying nearly 30,000 passengers every month. The bus routes cover areas in Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pristina and Mitrovica. Speaking at a ceremony at Gracanica on 5 July, where the Department formally took over the project, Principal Deputy SRSG Gary Matthews appealed to international donors to give financial assistance to the service. He noted that German Government had donated seven buses in April 2001.

Batlava Water Supply Company was singled out to donors as an example of public company that delivered services to the public at large while at the same time covering expenses and building up a surplus for reinvestment. Co-Head Skender Agolli says the situation with chemicals, especially chlorine, is now good and drinking water quality is up to international standards.

The OSCE's Institute for Civil Administration has launched a series of one-day training programmes for opposition members of Kosovo's municipal governments. The aim is to raise awareness of the capabilities and possibilities for opposition members and to provide tools to address issues professionally and competently. The seminars cover the role of opposition political parties in Western democracies. Participants are presented with ways of working within and outside the Municipal Assembly.These include such matters as how to get the public support to understand the opposition's goals, developing policy alternatives, and networking.

Lack of financial aid and an inadequate budget are slowing down reforms that would make medical staff more professional and upgrade hospital, according to Dr. Pleurat Sedjdiu, Co-Head of the Department of Health and social Welfare. Pristina's hospital and the Central University Clinic are particularly affected, because regional hospitals-those in Pejë/Pec, Gjakovë/Dakovica and Gjilan/Gnjilane-have been renovated first. Donations for Pristina and Prizren are still being sought.

The Department of Sports has launched its Summer Coaching Camps programme. Arranged for talented children under the age of 15, some 170 camps will be held in 28 municipalities. Of these, 33 are in minority areas. Coaching will be held in football, basketball, volleyball, handball, karate, judo, cycling, boxing, swimming, athletics and other sports.

Community Mental Health Centres currently being established by the Department of Health and Social Welfare (DHSW) will be staffed, in part, by IOM-trained psychological counselors who will work in the centres as case managers . With training recognized by the Tavistock Clinic in London and by the Department of Education, these counselors are singularly well suited to act as case managers, says DHSW. IOM will pay their salaries for one year, after which DHSW will assume, budget permitting, the responsibility for their employment.

The Department of Health and Social Welfare, the ICRC and the French Red Cross have agreed to open an internal medicine facility in Lapplje Selo. This facility will provide secondary care services for the minority communities throughout south-eastern Kosovo. While the Department will recruit the staff, the French Red Cross will co-manage the facility with a local manager until the end of 2001. An agreement was also reached to integrate the facility with other secondary care facilities serving the minorities.

All fuel importers must register with the newly established Fuel Supervisory Board by 15 August, the Department of Trade and Industry has announced. The Board requires in full: names, addresses, telephone and fax contact details, e-mails, as well as full company descriptions. Those failing to register risk being unaware of forthcoming regulation on petroleum-based products, which will set strict control over the importation of fuels into the province. The Board was established to regulate Kosovo's fuel market and help prevent smuggling.