UNMIK ON AIR

BELGRADE AND THE DIALOGUE

By Zoran CULAFIC

SLUG: It is nearly two months since there were elections in Serbia and today there is still no new government– and people in the region wonder if the delay could be a contributing factor in the postponing of direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

After two months of uncertainty the so-called pro-democratic block still has not formed its coalition government. Kosovo political leaders have understood this as the main obstacle to upcoming beginning of direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Hello and welcome to UNMIK on Air.

Recently it was mentioned in the press that February 18^th would be the day to start the dialogue, but later it was postponed. The tentative new date was announced after the recent meeting between the SRSG Hari Holkeri and head of Coordination center Nebojsa Covic in Pristina – At that meeting it was agreed that the dialogue should start in last week of February, or first week of March.

But Nebojsa Covic, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia-Montenegro and the head of the Coordination Center for Kosovo, or CCK, says that Belgrade has been ready to engage in the first round of talks for some time:

CUT 1 – Covic – Postponing the start of the dialogue has nothing to do at all with political stability in Belgrade. No matter how unstable Serbia is it is never as unstable as Pristina. I told the same to some people from Holkeri’s team in Pristina. So it has nothing to do with political stability in Belgrade, simply – the technical conditions are not ready in Pristina.

Today even as Belgrade, Pristina and the international community have publicly called for the start of direct dialogue... judging by recent headlines in the Belgrade and Pristina press, there are stark differences in the respective positions on the purpose of the dialogue. The Serbian press reports that the delegation from Belgrade suggests the dialogue aims to preserve sovereignty over Kosovo, while Kosovo-Albanians see the talks as a crucial step towards independence.

With or without a new government, Covic says it does not affect the make-up of the members of the Working Groups sent from Belgrade:

CUT 2 – Covic – We are ready and we can open whatever issue you want – the issue of missing persons, or return or energy or telecommunications … we prepared people for that task and they are deputy ministers or assistants for certain issue, they are experts … and as for us – the dialogue could start tomorrow.

Yet, not everyone agrees with Covic. Bishop Artemije is the President of the Serbian National Council in Kosovo and he believes that the unstable political situation in Serbia does hinder the start of the dialogue. Bishop Artemije explained his perspective during a recent visit to Washington DC:

CUT 3 - Artemije – Simply, there are no responsible institutions that could negotiate, or to form those working groups that could talk to the counterparts from Pristina. So I consider that the lack of political stability in Belgrade is a huge defect. We would like that problem to be solved as soon as possible and to have a new stable government formed, the responsible government that would be able to get involved in solving the Kosovo issue.

Professor of political science at Belgrade University, Miroljub Jeftic agrees with Bishop Artemije. Even as the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina aims to tackle practical issues of mutual concern, Jeftic says the political crisis Serbia is likely to delay talks further:

CUT 4 – Jeftic – That’s more than clear. The Albanians unfortunately have the right in that, when saying – with whom they would talk. If we don’t have the president of the state, if we don’t have the government, I have to admit that it is a great alibi for Albanians to say that Serbia is not a stable state, and I’m afraid it could have a negative impact.

Whether or not the formation of a Serbian government is delaying the direct dialogue, may no longer be an issue…

Dusan Janjic, head of the Belgrade based NGO, Forum for Inter-ethnic Relations tells UNMIK on Air that it is likely the new Serbia Government will be formed by the last week of February, and the new Serbian Prime Minister will be Vojislav Kostunica from DSS, the Democratic Party of Serbia.

Even so, Dusan Janjic says further delays are to be expected before direct dialogue will take place…the entry of the new Serbian government also means that Belgrade’s policy towards Kosovo would change:

CUT 5 - Janjic - I think that all these promises made by Mr. Holkeri and Mr. Covic are unrealistic and they would have to consider the fact that the new Serbian Government should be in a position to decide the members of the teams for the working groups , which is common practice in the West. So, I think that some arrangements made by Hari Holkeri should have to wait until April or May-- by then the new Serbian Government will be able to enter the negotiation process seriously.

As the anticipated deadline for dialogue nears, Covic’s involvement in the talks has come into question. Major political leaders in Pristina are resisting Covic’s participation and recently top UNMIK officials criticized that stance… saying it is up to Belgrade to decide who will represent the government.

Janjic believes that the new Serbian government will likely replace Nebojsa Covic … in his work Covic has cut off communication with members of the Serb community in Kosovo. Janjic also says Covic is regarded suspiciously by many in Belgrade because of his close ties to the BIA- Serbia’s Secret Police and Gendarmerie. Covic’s funding has also raised eyebrows:

CUT 6- Janjic - As far as I know, Belgrade is planning to transfer the Coordination Center at the level of Kosovo and Metohija which means that the Serb community will then be supported by expert assistance and be able to participate in the negotiating process. In short, we can say that 2004 will be the year of negotiations, but not as Mr. Holkeri and provisional institutions of self-government were planning - with just one address in Belgrade. Instead, they would have to negotiate with the Serbs from Kosovo and with the as yet to be created Coordination Center.

Whether or not the formation of a new government in Belgrade has delayed talks between representatives from Belgrade and Pristina…further delays are expected while the new Serbian government takes shape.

And that is all for this edition of UNMIK on AIR. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more.