Security Council members support SRSG Hans Haekkerup's position that early elections in Kosovo are a precondition for increasing stability in the Balkans region. The SRSG himself feels his informal consultations with the Council in New York last week give him broad support for moving ahead with those elections.

The basis of the elections will be the final version of a legal framework, now to be called the Constitutional Framework for Interim Self-Government, will be the subject of his Kosovo-wide radio and TV transmissions (see box) this evening (Monday 14 May).

Called to consider the final draft of the legal framework and the SRSG's plans to hold Kosovo-wide elections later this year, last week's consultations included, it is understood, a report by Secretary General Kofi Annan on his recent discussions with FRY President Vojislav Kostunica.  Reportedly, Kostunica's main concerns were that the framework should in no way dilute the ultimate authority of the SRSG, and that minority rights be protected. Kostunica is also said to have confirmed his willingness to cooperate with UNMIK. 

While in New York, the SRSG also met with Kostunica. As a result, he expects FRY's "understanding and acceptance" of the legal framework when it is finally put forward, even though Yugoslavia has still not fully agreed with its contents.

President Kostunica meanwhile said that  his govern-ment's intentions for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Kosovo within Security Council Resolution 1244 accorded with the intentions of the United Nations. There should be institutions for provisional self-rule until a final solution was reached, he said. Kostunica also called on UNMIK to produce an institutional agreement that would enable minorities to actually understand that their will and their interests were respected.

Balanced solution
Presenting the framework to the Security Council as a text reflecting a large measure of consensus, the SRSG acknowledged four issues that UNMIK had not agreed to. These had been: the title of the document, the Kosovo Albanian requests for a directly elected President, a Constitutional Court and the way the draft used the phrase "the will of the people".  
  
On the other hand, Kosovo Albanian representatives had, at the SRSG's urging, agreed to negotiated proposals reflecting Kosovo Serb  submissions. These guaranteed the rights of communities and set up mechanisms to solve problems when a commu-nity's vital interests were at stake.
 
Broad support
Security Council response ranged from strong support for swift moves towards elections this year to a demand for the Council itself to review the legal framework before deciding how and when the elections should be.
 
The majority of Council members understood, however, the difficulty of reconciling the views of all Kosovo's communities.The Council's subsequent press statement supported the SRSG's efforts to implement SCR 1244 and announced its decision to send a mission to Kosovo between 15 and 18 June. 

Legal framework complete, Kosovo-wide election in November, SRSG to announce

Calling it "Your Self-Government, your Future", SRSG Hans Haekkerup will take the wraps off Kosovo's long-awaited Constitutional Framework on radio and TV this evening. He will also call a general election on 17 November.

His decision, following extensive consultations within Kosovo and with the international community, to create Provisional Self-Government for the whole population of Kosovo will, for the first time in history, enable the people to decide on the day-to-day affairs of Kosovo. This will be "your Self-Government in Pristina", he will emphasize: "significant power and responsibilities will be handed over to leaders elected by you."

Describing the Constitutional Framework as the most important legislative act since UNMIK was established, Haekkerup will also unveil the final details of new institutions of self-government voters will be calling into being:

• An Assembly with 120 members-tasked with adopting laws on the wide range of matters that will fall within the responsibility of self-government.
• A President of Kosovo-responsible for representing Kosovo and guaranteeing the democratic functioning of its self-government.
• A Prime Minister-responsible for implementing the laws of the Assembly and presenting government ministers to it.
• A seven-member Assembly Presidency-responsible for managing the day-to-day business of the Assembly.

Representation in these institutions will be subject to the rights of Kosovo' communities, the SRSG will underline:

• Only 100 of the 120 seats in the Assembly will be distributed to parties according to their share of the vote.
• 10 seats will be reserved for Kosovo's Serb community, the remaining 10 for other communities.
• Two members of the Assembly Presidency will be from non-Kosovo Albanian communities, one of them being a Kosovo Serb.
• At least two ministers will be from non-Kosovo Albanian communities, one of them being a Kosovo Serb

Under self-government, UNMIK will still be here, but in most fields taking a back seat, Haekkerup will explain. As SRSG he will ensure that provisional self-government remains in accordance with SCR 1244, especially with respect to the rights and vital interests of all communities. UNMIK will remain responsible for justice, law enforcement and the Kosovo Protection Corps. KFOR will continue to ensure a secure environment.

The Constitutional Framework is good for Kosovo, the SRSG will urge, and, because it provides equal rights for all individuals and communities, has the full support of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It prescribes the safe return of refugees and displaced persons, who will also be able to vote in the elections.

Briefs . . . .

The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) is initiating the reform of urban planning in Kosovo . As part of a project to assist capacity building and provide technical support to municipal staff, a group of urban planners, architects and civil engineers are in Tirana this week to participate in a "lessons learned" seminar with Albanian and Dutch experts of the NGO Co-PLAN. The NGO, which specializes in community-based urban development programmes and providing technical and professional services, will share experience with its Kosovar counterparts. The workshop focuses on urban planning, development and management issues. Habitat will organize further urban planning meetings for Kosovo in the future.

The Department of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with UNICEF and Balkan Sunflowers, has initiated an eight-month Care for Our Kosovo environmental media campaign . It was launched because few, if any, sustained efforts had been made in the past to educate Kosovars about their connection to the local environment. The campaign will focus on 16 different environmental issues, highlighting water and energy conservation, deforestation, and solid waste reduction and management. New messages will be introduced on radio and television every two weeks. Kosovo celebrities have donated their time to record radio spots. Pristina University art students contributed artwork for the posters. Many radio and television stations have offered to help in developing environmental talk shows, roundtables and interviews for broadcast.

Only three of 38 car washing facilities inspected in Pristina have been found to be using treated (drinking) water. This figure compares favourably with that of last year when 22 car washing businesses were found using treated water. A team of municipal inspectors visited the facilities in preparation for the water conservation project that will be implemented in Pristina during the summer months. Under a municipal regulation taking effect this week, water treated by Batllava Water Company may not be used for cleaning purposes. Operating car washing facilities must therefore use water from other sources, e.g. wells. Businesses failing to do so will incur  fines.

The Department of Environmental Protection is advising how to deal with a major diesel fuel spillage , said to have been caused by the owner of a gas station in Vushtrri/Vucitrn deliberately emptying a fuel tank into the field following police investigations against him for fraud. If the diesel, estimated at between 14,000 and 35,000 litres, reached the water table, it would threaten the town's water supplies which rely heavily on ground water from the mostly shallow wells.

KPC members from five Regional Task Groups and the Central Engineer Group have been selected for mine clearance training scheduled for this summer. The 15 officers involved will constitute the core of the future KPC mine clearance teams that will take over from the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre next year. The KPC has also identified 75 members for the first pilot phase of activation of reservists, to begin in June. They will receive three months vocational training from the IOM while being paid their salaries as KPC members. If successful, this vocational training will be given to all 2,000 KPC reservists.

The IOM will donate the equipment from its Internet Centre (12 computers, a server, an alarm system and air conditioning) to the "Nena Tereza" Special Education School. A project for "training of trainers" to make this school self-sustaining will be financed by the NGO German Caritas. In addition, Caritas will support the school with food supplies worth approximately DM 20,000 per year.

Nine members of the new Kosovo Judicial and Prosecutorial Council named by the SRSG to advise him on appointment of, and complaints against, judges, prosecutors and lay judges were sworn in last week. Five are internationals, three are Kosovo Albanians and one is a Kosovo Serb. Four of the nine are women. Meanwhile, of the 368 judges and prosecutors reappointed on 24 March 2001, 354 have been sworn in so far. Their breakdown is as follows: 69 women and 285 men, including 4 Kosovo Serbs, 9 Kosovo Bosniacs, 2 Roma and 8 Kosovo Turks.

The appeal of the defence counsel against the extension of detention of the 42 suspects was approved by Kosovo's Supreme Court, thus overruling an earlier decision of the Court of Prizren. The suspects were released on 9 May. They had been detained by KFOR on suspicion of illegal border crossing and transport of weapons, with the intent to re-supply armed ethnic Albanian groups in FYROM. The Supreme Court panel was composed of two international judges and Kosovar judge.

About DM 1 million will be spent on reconstructing kullas (11th century fortresses) in Pejë/Pec, Decan/Decani, Isniq and Junik under a project to protect heritage sites of Kosovo, financed by the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR). EAR, the Swedish NGO Cultural Heritage Without Borders (CHWB), the Kosovo Institute for Protection of Monuments (KIPM) and the UNMIK Office in Pejë/Pec have agreed that CHWB will be responsible for the project implementation in co-ordination with the Department of Culture and KIPM.

Following an official request from the Department of Transport and Infrastructure, a delegation of the International Civil Aviation Organization will visit Pristina from 28 May to 1 June in order to meet with different actors involved in civil aviation in Kosovo. The aim is to officially define the role of each agency in terms of legal responsibilities, control and authority, and also to establish a framework for future cooperation and handover of the airport from KFOR to civilian authorities.

Illegal drugs of all types are available in Kosovo , according to an assessment of their use among young people carried out by WHO and UNICEF. Use levels are very typical for Europe, with slightly higher use of heroin, significantly higher levels of pharmaceutical drugs and comparatively low levels of injected drugs. However, syringe sharing is alarmingly common, which presents a significant risk of HIV or hepatitis infection, says the agencies' report.

A Fuel Supervisory Board has been established by the Department of Trade and Industry to regulate Kosovo's petroleum-based fuel market. The Board will develop more effective controls over imports, including the prevention of smuggling, and create a truly open market for petroleum-based fuels.