Hello and
Welcome to the first edition of Week in Review. I’m Jackson Allers. In this
edition, we bring you some of the main news items in and around Kosovo.
1 Toping the
early part of this week’s news….
UNMIK chief
Danish Diplomat Soren Jessen-Petersen paid his first official visit to Belgrade
on Monday. Among the major topics discussed were - the Serb Decentralization
Plan for Kosovo’s local governmental, and Serb Participation in Kosovo’s
October Parliamentary Elections.
UN Radio in
Kosovo accompanied Jessen-Petersen on the trip. Speaking to high-ranking
Belgrade officials, he echoed local concerns about the need for Kosovo Serbs to
participate or risk exclusion from Kosovar Institutions.
Petersen - “It
is absolutely crucial if we want a multi-ethnic Kosovo, and that's what we do
that the Kosovo Serbs be given a chance to participate in the elections. That's
what the PISG (Local Governement) wants, that's what the international
community wants, that's what I want, I believe that is what a vast majority of
Kosovo Serbs want."
Belgrade has
asked that Kosovo’s leaders not use the election campaign to score cheap
political points, but to “focus on improving living conditions in Kosovo.”
Immediately
after his Belgrade tour, Jessen-Petersen met in Brussels with the Contact Group
to discuss Kosovo’s most pressing issues. Delegates from member countries - the
US, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia were all in attendance.
The meeting was
a precursor to the Contact Group Plus meeting held in Pristina yesterday.
Topping the agenda in Pristina was the implementation of Standards, a continued
dialogue with Belgrade, and the Serb Decentralization Plan.
Prime Minister
Bajram Rexhepi said the meeting was successful, and was optimistic about future
dialogue with Belgrade. But he echoed the statements of local leaders, saying
that Kosovo already had a decentralization plan drafted with UNMIK and USAID,
the United States Agency for International Development.
Kosovo
Government spokeswoman Mimoza Kusari spoke to UNMIK On-Air. She said the Serb
plan will be discussed, but...
Kusari - “The
stance of the Prime Minister and the Government is that in no way can the
Kosovo Decentralization Plan be based on the Serb Decentralization Plan.”
Kosovo officials
are still planning high-level discussions with Belgrade on the issue of
decentralization.
MUSIC
BREAK
In other local news…
Monday morning,
UNMIK Special Police Units arrested 31 demonstrators on Mother Teresa Street
during peaceful protests on what was the International Day to Commemorate the
Missing.
There was
general public outrage at what local observers say were insensitive police
tactics. UNMIK Police and Justice spokesperson, Neeraj Singh spoke about the
event in his weekly press conference.
Singh - “It
is regrettable that the police efforts to avoid disruption of traffic led to an
action which, by arresting people even temporarily, may have conveyed an
impression contrary to UNMIK’s constant position on the issue of missing
persons”
Kosovo
Ombudsperson, Marek Antoni Nowicki says the application of such rules should be
more flexible.
Nowicki -
"I’m not convinced that such a show of force was completely necessary
given the nature of the protest and the persons participating in it.”
An
administrative review of the police operation on is on going.
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In other news…
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Three judges at
the UN war crimes tribunal in the Haag ordered former Serbian President,
Slobodan Milosevic to accept two English defense lawyers, despite his repeated
claims that he is fit to defend himself.
Milosevic is
being charged with genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the
Balkan wars of the 1990’s. His trial is seen as the biggest war crimes
tribunals since the Second World War.
The trial has
already taken over two years to reach the defense stage, which started this
week, and a ruling is not expected until 2005-2006.
Milosevic has
berated the court proceedings as being illegitimate and his health problems have
hampered the pace of the proceedings.
Mirko Klarin
has been covering the Milosevic trial through its duration. Klarin, a
journalist with SENSE news agency says The Hague has thus far refused to
acknowledge Milosevic’s ineptitude in conducting his own defense.
Klarin - “The
whole Tribunal was in away the hostage of his health and moods. Finally, now we
are going to see real trial.”
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And finally in Local Cultural News…
Stacy Sullivan,
Senior Editor for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, had a local book
launch for her recently published book, “Be Not Afraid, For You have Sons
Forgotten in America - How a Brooklyn Roofer Helped Lure the U.S. into the
Kosovo War.”
Stay tuned next
week as UNMIK ON-Air airs an exclusive Interview with Sullivan
And this
concludes today's edition of Week in Review a production of UNMIK ON-Air.
Listen during this time every Friday for UNMIK’s Week in Review. I’m Jackson
Allers…goodbye.