UNMIK ON AIR
By Zoran CULAFIC
Hello and welcome ... You’re listening to UNMIK ON AIR’s week in review.
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Last week the SRSG launched an initiative to establish a mutual political forum, in order to calm down the tensions that have arisen in recent weeks between opposition parties and government ruling coalition.
However, establishing such a forum turns out to be more difficult then was expected, Pristina media claim.
According to the press all
four main parties confirmed that they sent their comments and suggestions to
the SRSG about the establishment of the Kosovo Forum. PDK leader Hashim Thaçi
insists the forum should have decision-making power. However, the head of the
British Office in Prishtina Mark Dickinson said last week in an interview with Koha
Ditore that it would require changing of the Constitutional Framework in
order for the Kosovo Forum to be a decision-making body.
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Fernando Gentilini, Javier Solana’s envoy to Kosovo, met last week with Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi and PDK leader Hashim Thaçi. He expressed the EU’s support for the creation of the Forum. However, Gentilini stressed that the EU is against the idea of the forum replacing Kosovo institutions.
Pristina daily Zëri carried an exclusive interview with the head of the US Office in Pristina Philip Goldberg who appealed to Kosovo Albanian leaders to work together in the interest of Kosovo.
‘When we in the
international community look at Kosovo and its leadership, we hope that this
leadership represents the interests of the people here and be united ….as it is
of supreme interest for the people of Kosovo to have a joint position and a
united leadership before entering a very important stage in your history’,
Goldberg was quoted as saying.
According to the Express daily, the firm stance of Hasim Taci and the PDK party made the SRSG lose his patience. The paper reports that the SRSG, like his predecessors, is realizing how difficult it is to work with Kosovo Albanian leaders.
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In a
statement to Pristina-based News Agency KosovaLive, UNMIK chief
Jessen-Petersen said President Ibrahim Rugova has voiced his readiness to meet
Serbian President Boris Tadic in an international conference.
The UNMIK
chief also said that preparations were underway to organize such a meeting
between the two officials.
‘I cannot give away any details on this matter. I am not preparing it, but I am making sure that the meeting will be organized, because it is important to establish trust. I am certain that the meeting will be held in the near future. But when and where I cannot say,’ added Jessen-Petersen.
Pristina
press reports that Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi said last week he is ready to
officially invite his Serbian counterpart Vojislav Kostunica for a meeting.
‘I can
invite Mr. Kostunica to a meeting and I am very interested in meeting him. I
don’t know if he has invited me, but I would gladly meet him and talk about
many issues, technical issues,’ Kosumi was quoted as saying.
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Koha
Ditore carries a
half-page interview with Mark Dickinson, head of the British liaison office in
Pristina, pointing out that British representatives have recently stated in
Belgrade that independence is one of the options for Kosovo’s final status.
‘We
think that Kosovo’s independence is an option. At the same time, there are
people that say that this option should not be taken into consideration. We
have also said that we won’t support a solution that doesn’t have the mutual
agreement of Belgrade and Pristina, therefore, all these are left to be
discussed,’ Dickinson was quoted as saying.
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Pristina press reported
last week on the plea of the Prosecutors Office in the International Criminal
Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia against temporary release of former Kosovo Prime
Minister Ramush Haradinaj to defend himself in freedom.
According to media, the
prosecutors have assessed that despite Haradinaj’s voluntary surrender and
guarantees offered by UNMIK, there is insufficient proof that the international
administration ‘is practically capable of detaining and sending Haradinaj
back to the Hague if that was necessary’.
According to Zëri Haradinaj’s defense says the prosecutor’s action does not come as a surprise and adds that the final decision will be taken by the court in two weeks.
Michael O’Reilly, defense coordinator for Ramush Haradinaj stated last week in a public address reported by Pristina media, that ‘Ramush Haradinaj stresses that whoever is asked to come to the Hague to testify, should be allowed to do it free of any interference or/and intimidation’.
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The Assembly of Kosovo has decided to discuss decentralization in its coming session on 19 May. Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi has asked for unlimited debate that can last more than one day if necessary.
Pristina press reports that the Serb political leader Oliver
Ivanovic confirmed that he would take part in the session of 19 May after more
than a year of boycott. However, Serb leadership in Belgrade has called on Kosovo Serbs not to take part
in Kosovar institutions since necessary conditions have not yet been created.
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The SRSG
Søren Jessen-Petersen and Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi paid a visit last week
to the village of Bablak in Ferizaj municipality. Jessen-Petersen and Kosumi
met Kosovo Serb returnees and municipal representatives.
‘We came
here to show that returns are possible, returns are happening and will continue
in the next weeks and months. Bablak is a very good example of this and I am
also seeing other good examples’, Jessen-Petersen was quoted in Pristina
press.
According
to the press, Prime Minister Kosumi received a warm welcome in Bablak and he
promised institutional support to Serb returnees in the village.
That’s all
for today’s edition of UNMIK on air. Thank you for listening.
Good day.