WEEK IN REVIEW – December 3, 2004

Hello and Welcome to Week in Review for December 3, 2004 from the studios of UN Radio in Kosovo….

ü UN Head, SRSG Sorren Jessen-Petersen addressed the UN Security Council on Monday

ü NATO prepares to face any violence in Kosovo

ü And…Serbian President Tadic involved in a fender-bender or an assassination attempt?

1 Topping this week’s news…

Head of the UN Mission, SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen addressed the United Nations Security Council on Monday. Focusing his remarks on the creation of a multi-ethnic Kosovo, he reiterated the need to see “real progress in the implementation of Standards” if review of Kosovo’s status is to begin in mid-2005.

He threatened to levy punitive measures against political bodies that obstruct the Standards process.

Serbia-Montenegro, a United Nations member-state, voiced concern over Jessen-Petersen’s address – primarily in relation to areas of minority safety and reform of local government.

Belgrade insists that the UN Mission consider its plan on decentralization, something SRSG Jessen-Petersen took up on Monday.

ACTUALITY

“One key way of reaching out to the communities is through decentralization, or reform of local government to form the basis for successful integration of Kosovo’s minority communities into the fabric of society.”

But, this goal is made problematic as it is still unclear what role Kosovo Serbs will play in Kosovo’s new legislature. Kosovo Serb representatives have refused to accept the 10 minority parliamentary seats promised after recent Assembly elections; voter turnout of the Kosovo Serb electorate was less than 1%.

And, with the opening session of Kosovo’s Parliament set for today, Serb representatives have pledged not to attend.

Jessen-Petersen has said all week, it is incumbent on Kosovo Serbs to participate in Kosovo’s Institutions, to assure their needs are addressed. As well, he demanded that Kosovo’s Albanian leadership assure the protection of Kosovo’s minority communities.

Jessen-Petersen also said, the March violence illustrated “how fragile the security environment in Kosovo can be.” It was the worst violence since the United Nations and NATO forces assumed administrative control of the ethnically divided province 5 years ago.

2 Answering security concerns…

NATO officials announced on Wednesday – they intend to maintain the strength of the near 18,000 strong Kosovo Protection Force in the coming months.

Guenther Altenburg, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General, said KFOR was more prepared for violence. He said – member countries gave specific troop contingents more freedom of movement to respond to threats. The restriction of movement was something NATO commanders say crippled the ability of KFOR forces to respond during the March riots.

NATO officials suggested tensions are likely to increase as status talks move closer. NATO’s Assistant Secretary General Altenburg said Kosovo is a “politically volatile situation,” but he denied a need to send any additional troops to Kosovo ahead of final status talks.

Indictments set to come down by the Hague War Crimes Tribunal before years end are adding to the security concerns. With the vote for Prime Minister due to take place in the Kosovo Assembly today, it is likely that former Kosovo liberation Army commander, Ramush Haradinaj, will assume the post. Haradinaj was questioned twice by Hague investigators, and fears he will be one of those indicted are also adding to security concerns.

3 In regional news…

A suspected assassination attempt on Tuesday night against Serbian President, Boris Tadic, appears to be no more than a traffic misdemeanor.

Serbian Interior Minister, Dragan Jocic confirmed the news at his office on Thursday.

President Tadic’s motorcade was rammed by an Audi driven by a local employee of the US Embassy in Belgrade. The driver, Miroslav Cimpl, says he had no idea the motorcade was the Presidents. He will make his official statement today.

And….

Shqipe Hebibi, a UN worker from Kosovo kidnapped nearly one month ago in Afghanistan is due to arrive in Kosovo in the coming days. She was one of three UN workers abducted by what is believed to be a splinter group of the former Taliban regime.

UN spokesperson in Kabul, Manoel de Almeida e Silva said the two were taking a quiet vacation for a few days before returning directly home.

Finally…in Bosnia

NATO’s SFOR contingent handed over peacekeeping duties to the European Union at a ceremony in Sarajevo on Thursday. The handover comes a decade after the Bosnian war ended – a conflict which left 250,000 people dead.

This concludes this edition of Week in Review. Stay tuned to this channel every week at this time for UN Radio’s weekly wrap-up of news in and around Kosovo.