WEEK IN REVIEW
APRIL 7TH, 2005
By Zoran CULAFIC
and Andrea Saula
Hello
and Welcome to the Week in Review for April 7th, 2005 from the studio of UN
Radio in Kosovo….
1 Intensive diplomatic activities
continues in Kosovo
2 Pope John Paul II died, President
Rugova is attending the funeral
3.On Pristina political scene, sharp
accusations between PDK and the Government
Overall
intensive diplomatic activities continue in Kosovo in preparing the final phase
of assessment of implementation of standards, which was set out as a
precondition for Pristina to start talks regarding the status of the province
this year.
This
week German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer visited Kosovo and met with top
local senior officials. Pristina dailies highlight his statement that the
division of Kosovo will not be an option when it comes to talks on the final
status, however a significant improvement in implementation of standards and
decentralization by the local authorities is necessary prior to the opening of
status talks.
Serb
political leader Oliver Ivanovic told reporters that the German Foreign
Minister has told a delegation of Kosovo Serbs in Pristina that standards will
be assessed according to the level of freedom and safety for Serbs and other
communities in Kosovo.
More on Kosovo political scene …
Koha Ditore reports that the EU still assesses that the status of Kosovo will
be a process, not a decision taken in a single conference. According to EU
officials, the launch of negotiations and their course until autumn this year
can be known, however, some EU officials believe it might take several years
until the final status of Kosovo is determined.
‘We
are very serious about the issue of standards – rule of law and minority rights
should also be respected before we move forward,’ European Union Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn was quoted this week by Voice of America
Last week Pope Johan Paul II
died …
All
Pristina dailies covered extensively the news of the death of Pope John Paul
II..
‘A
state delegation of Kosovo that will include representatives of institutions,
political parties and key public figures will attend the burial of the Holy
Father, Pope John Paul II,’ President Rugova is quoted as saying in Koha
Ditore.
Kosovo
President Ibrahim Rugova earlier in the week declared two days of public
mourning.
And On Pristina political scene sharp
accusations between PDK and the Government
Earlier
this week PDK handed over a 30-page document to UNMIK that contains alleged
evidence for the inclusion of some of current government officials in criminal
acts and corruption. PDK accused publicly Deputy Prime Minister to be at the
head of this criminal network.
Deputy
Prime Minister Afrim Salihaj refuted the accusations as mere slander, adding
that he would file a court suit against Taci’s political party.
PDK
officials and PM Salihaj both want a trial to solve this dispute, while US and
British Office in Prishtina asked for an investigation of the accusations
against the Government Cabinet. ORA party too is for investigations, says
Pristina press.
UNMIK
spokesman Neeraj Singh confirmed that UNMIK received the document but refused
to comment on its content. He suggested that if PDK has evidence of criminal
activities, it should provide the facts to the police and the police will
investigate.
Two news from the ICTY
Serbian
ex-police general Sreten Lukic, indicted in 2003 in connection with killings of
Kosovo Albanian civilians in 1999, was supposed to appear for the first time on
Wednesday before the judges and plead to the charges filed against him, but has
decided to postpone his pleading until May 4.
The
indictment sets out that the forces of the former Yugoslavian Army and Serbian
paramilitary police – “acting at the direction, with the encouragement, or
with the support of" Sreten Lukic, murdered hundreds of Kosovo
Albanian civilians as part of a widespread and systematic campaign of brutality
and violence, that resulted in the forced deportation of approximately 800,000
Kosovo Albanian civilians.
---------
Michael
O’Riley, coordinator of Ramus Haradinaj’s attorneys, was quoted in Pristina
press as saying that at the end of this week, or during next week, he would
file the request for the former PM’s temporary release.
O’Riley
however said that Haradinaj’s possible release shouldn’t be expected very soon.
‘After the request of the defense, it could take two or three weeks for the
panel to meet and discuss the request,’ he added.
And at the end some more news
from Kosovo …
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Mitrovica
French
KFOR units at the beginning of the week started removing barricades from the
main bridge in Mitrovica. This process will be completed in four phases, while
the first one was to move all military vehicles and obstacles out of the way.
KFOR
soldiers will remain on both sides of the bridge, and a patrol of international
and Kosovo police will supervise the bridge.
--------
On
Wednesday an estimated 1,000 Serbs attended a protest rally in north Mitrovica,
demanding of UNMIK and KFOR that all the displaced persons be able to return to
their homes. Following the rally, the Serbs walked towards the main bridge on
the Ibar river, which divides the town and gave KFOR representatives a letter
in which they demanded the right to return and lead normal lives in Kosovo.
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PRISTINA
Pristina
press reported on the UNICEF report presented on Friday on the trafficking of
children in Kosovo. Since 1999,
101 cases of child trafficking have been identified in Kosovo. UNICEF is
concerned that there are more cases that have not been identified
And finally
Pascale
Meige, head of the International Red Cross in Kosovo, reported that the next
meeting on missing persons will be held on June 9th in Prishtina.
Thanks for listening. Etc