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Peter Schieder (right), the President of the COE
Parliamentary Assembly explained that admission of
Serbia-Montenegro to the Council of Europe applies to her citizens in
Kosovo too. (Left:) Serb-Montenegrin Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic
and (center) Svetozar Marovic, president of the Union of
Serbia-Montenegro
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KOSOVO
PM PROTESTS OVER ACCESSION OF SERBIA-MONTENEGRO TO COE
Bajram Rexhepi:
Our institutions will pledge their
loyalty once Kosovo is admitted to the Council of Europe
SCHIEDER: ADMISSION TO COE APPLIES TO KOSOVO
CITIZENS TOO
I hope that the
Serb-Montenegrin parliamentary delegation will represent Kosovo citizens
in the COE Parliament too, says Peter Schieder, President of the COE
Parliament.
APPEAL FOR RALLY AGAINST TRANSFER OF AUTHORITIES
On Wednesday, April 9, a rally will be held in
Gracanica against Steiner's decision to transfer authorities from UNMIK to
temporary Kosovo institutions
BELOS AND RADOSAVLJEVIC VISITED SERB RETURNEES IN NOVAKE
VILLAGE
Coordination
Center and the Government of Serbia will send humanitarian aid and
assistance in agricultural and other machines to the Serb returnees
in Novake
MILAN IVANOVIC: SERBS WILL HAVE TO CREATE THEIR OWN ARMY
Transfer of authorities, according
to Ivanovic's assessment, is not part of the mandate given to UNMIK by the UN
Security Council because before settlement of the final status UN Mission
in Kosovo is obliged to establish substantial autonomy and provide
peaceful living for all residents of Kosovo. If Steiner does not refrain
from this idea Ivanovic expects destabilization of the situation in
Kosovo. He said that "Serbs will have to organize themselves and establish
their own army to defend their endangered security and freedom".
AP: SERB LEADER THREATENS TO FORM A NEW ARMY
Under the
U.N. plan, power over military and security matters, the judiciary,
foreign policy and international trade would remain with international
authorities. The plan has angered Serb leaders, who argue any transfer of
power would take Kosovo one step closer to full independence. The
province's ethnic Albanian majority wants independence, but it is bitterly
opposed by the Serbs. They want the province to remain part of Serbia and
Montenegro, the successor to Yugoslavia.
MINISTER TODOROVIC ACCUSED STEINER OF SIDING WITH
ALBANIANS
Todorovic
said that by doing so Steiner was leveling debts toward Albanian
politicians and was trying to save face before the Albanian community for
the failure of his mission prior to leaving.
COVIC BLAMES STEINER FOR CRISIS AND RADICALISM IN
KOSOVO-METOHIJA
Unless we do our
best this year, we shall be faced with a huge crisis and radicalism in
Kosovo-Metohija, Covic says
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KOSOVO PM
PROTESTS OVER ACCESSION OF SERBIA-MONTENEGRO TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Bajram Rexhepi:
Our institutions will
pledge their loyalty once Kosovo is admitted to the Council of Europe
TOP
BETA
April 5,
2003
(photo: Kosovo's Premier
Bajram Rexhepi)
PRISTINA
-- Saturday – The prime minister of Kosovo has written to the Council
Europe expressing concern over the admission of Serbia-Montenegro to the
Council.
"This will encourage Belgrade’s destructive policy on Kosovo," Bajram
Rexhepi said in his letter to Peter Schieder, chairman of the Council’s
Parliamentary Assembly.
Rexhepi also warned that the federal state’s admission in no way impinged
on Kosovo.
"Our institutions will pledge their loyalty once Kosovo is admitted to the
Council of Europe," he said.
TOP
SCHIEDER:
ADMISSION TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE APPLIES TO CITIZENS OF KOSOVO TOO
I hope that the
Serb-Montenegrin parliamentary delegation will represent Kosovo citizens
in the COE Parliament too, says Peter Schieder, President of the COE
Parliament.
TOP
FONET, Belgrade
April 7, 2003
(photo: from left to
right - Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic, President of Serbia-Montenegro
Svetozar Marovic and Peter Schieder President of the COE Parliamentary
Assembly)
Belgrade
- President of the COE Parliamentary Assembly Peter Schieder said that
admission of Serbia-Montenegro to the Council of Europe applies to all
citizens of the country, including the citizens of Kosovo.
"We hope that they will enjoy all rights which are contained in the
European Convention on human rights and that they will have access to the
European Court for Human Rights. I also hope that the Serb-Montenegrin
parliamentary delegation will represent citizens of Kosovo
in the COE Parliament too. As we understand this issue, beside the presence
of the international community in Kosovo, I hope that the international
representatives will be wise enough to allow them to use benefits which
are granted by the membership in the Council of Europe, said Schieder.
TOP
APPEAL FOR RALLY AGAINST TRANSFER OF AUTHORITIES
On Wednesday, April 9, a rally will be held in Gracanica against Steiner's
decision to transfer authorities from UNMIK to temporary Kosovo
institutions
TOP
SRNA
April 5, 2003
(photo: one of the meetings of Serb
National Council in Gracanica)
GRACANICA - Serbian National Council of Central Kosovo, representatives of
the several Serb political parties employed in the local communities and
the POVRATAK Coalition deputies decided in Gracanica today to organize a
rally against decision of the UN administrator of Kosovo Michael Steiner
to transfer authorities from UNMIK to temporary Kosovo institutions. The
rally will be held on Wednesday, April 9, in the center of Gracanica (near
Pristina).
After the
meeting a public appeal was made to all Serbs, regardless of their
political affiliation to gather in Gracanica on Wednesday and thus give
their contribution in preventing Steiner to transfer authorities.
TOP
BELOS AND
RADOSAVLJEVIC VISITED SERB RETURNEES IN NOVAKE VILLAGE
Coordination Center and the
Government of Serbia will send humanitarian aid and assistance in
agricultural and other machines to the Serb returnees
in Novake
TOP
SRNA
April 5, 2003
(photo: a photo of the destroyed village
of Novake in June 1999, Reuters)
PRIZREN
- 56 Serbs, representatives of their households, have already returned to
Novake village near Prizren. With the assistance of the German KFOR and
the German NGO "ARC" reconstruction of 10 and building of 61 houses has
already begun. By the end of summer approximately 600 Serbs are expected
to return to Novake.
Serb returnees
in this village were visited today by the representative of the
Coordination center Committee for returns Mrs. Ljiljana Belos and the
Coordinator for the returns in the Kosovo Government Mr. Nenad
Radosavljevic. Ljiljana Belos announced that the Coordination Center and
the Government of Serbia will send humanitarian aid and assistance in
agricultural and other machines to the Serb returnees
in the following days. In the name of Kosovo Government and the
Coordination Center Nenad Radosavljevic emphasised importance of the
Serbian return to Novake because from their return and survival depends
return of other 20.000 Serbs expelled from the Prizren area.
That is why
UNMIK's priority is to provide full security. On the other hand,
priorities of the Serbian Government and the Coordination center are
granting full assistance and creation of conditions for the return of all
interested Serbs to this village - said Belos and Radosavljevic.
TOP
MILAN
IVANOAVIC: SERBS WILL HAVE TO CREATE THEIR OWN ARMY
Transfer of authorities, according to
Ivanovic's assessment is not part of the mandate given
to UNMIK by the UN Security Council because before settlement of the final
status UN Mission in Kosovo is obliged to establish substantial autonomy
and provide peaceful living for all residents of Kosovo. If Steiner does
not refrain from this idea Ivanovic expects destabilization of the
situation in Kosovo. He said that "Serbs will have to organize themselves
and establish their own army to defend their endangered security and
freedom"
TOP
BETA
April 5,
2003
(photo: Dr. Milan Ivanovic, the leader
of the Serb National Council - North Kosovo)
KOSOVSKA
MITROVICA - The leader of the Serbian National Council for North Kosovo
Milan Ivanovic expressed his expectation that Serb deputies will leave
Kosovo temporary institutions and appealed to the Belgrade authorities to
request change of UNMIK's chief Michael Steiner. The result of the
yesterday's meeting in Belgrade, in which Steiner refused request of the
Serbian Government to slow down the process of transfer of authorities to
Kosovo institutions, was expected, said Milan Ivanovic to BETA Agency.
Transfer of
authorities, according to his assessment, is not part of the mandate given
to UNMIK by the UN Security Council because before settlement of the final
status UN Mission in Kosovo is obliged to establish substantial autonomy
and provide peaceful living for all residents of Kosovo. If Steiner does
not refrain from this idea Ivanovic expects destabilization of the
situation in Kosovo. He said that "Serbs will have to organize themselves
and establish their own army to defend their endangered security and
freedom".
"Transfer of
authorities will bring about destabilization of the situation in Kosovo
which has been demonstrated at the rally of several thousands of
residents of Kosovska Mitrovica who refused Steiner's proposal", said
Ivanovic. The leader of the SNC thinks that "Steiner is manipulating and
gives incorrect interpretation of the transfer of authorities". "He
announces an increased role of 'Kosovars' in operative rule, but when he
says 'Kosovars' he means Albanians". Ivanovic explained that although
Steiner says that authorities regarding defense will not be transferred,
it is planned that Kosovo police will be granted an increased role on the
borders. There are also plans to establish Kosovo Police Force units for
"close protection and security", said Ivanovic.
TOP
SERB
LEADER THREATENS TO FORM NEW ARMY
TOP
Associated
Press
Sun Apr 6, 3:48 AM ET
By ALEKSANDAR VASOVIC, Associated Press Writer
(photo: Dr. Ivanovic speaking at the
rally in Mitrovica last week)
BELGRADE,
Serbia-Montenegro - A hardline Serb leader in Kosovo threatened to form a
guerrilla army if the United Nations goes forward with a plan to grant
more power to institutions run predominantly by ethnic Albanians.
The top U.N. official in Kosovo, Michael Steiner, said recently his
administration would transfer some authority to local institutions as part
of an effort to build democracy in the U.N.-run province.
Hardline Serb leader Milan Ivanovic told Belgrade's Beta news agency on
Saturday that "implementation of such a plan would destabilize Kosovo and
it would lead to conflicts."
"I am afraid that Kosovo Serbs would have to form their own army and
defend themselves and their freedom," he was quoted as saying.
Under the U.N. plan, power over military and security matters, the
judiciary, foreign policy and international trade would remain with
international authorities.
The plan has angered Serb leaders, who argue any transfer of power would
take Kosovo one step closer to full independence.
The province's ethnic Albanian majority wants independence, but it is
bitterly opposed by the Serbs. They want the province to remain part of
Serbia and Montenegro, the successor to Yugoslavia.
Simon Haselock, the chief U.N. spokesman in Kosovo, condemned Ivanovic's
statements.
"Any language from whatever quarter it comes about violence and conflict
is unacceptable," he said, adding the transfer was a central part of the
U.N. mission's mandate to establish "substantial autonomy and
self-governance."
"You can't have autonomy without transferring power," he said.
Another Kosovo Serb leader, Oliver Ivanovic, a moderate politician not
related to Milan Ivanovic, dismissed the hardline leader's claims as
"ridiculous and dangerous."
"We will try to protect our interests within Kosovo institutions," he
said. "However, that is getting increasingly difficult mainly because of
Steiner's plans."
On Friday, top officials in Serbia, including Prime Minister Zoran
Zivkovic and his deputy in charge of Kosovo, Nebojsa Covic, urged Steiner
not to implement the plan.
Steiner acknowledged there was a disagreement but insisted he only acted
as directed by the U.N. Security Council.
The U.N. resolution that removed Belgrade's authority over Kosovo tasks
the international community with setting up local institutions and
transferring power to these when appropriate. The resolution leaves the
final status of Kosovo open.
Kosovo has been run by the United Nations and NATO since 1999 after allied
bombing ended a Serb crackdown against independence-minded ethnic
Albanians.
More than 200,000 Serbs fled Kosovo for other parts of Serbia following
the 1999 war, fearing revenge attacks by ethnic Albanians. The 100,000
Serbs who remain mostly live in isolated enclaves guarded by NATO
peacekeepers.
TOP
MINISTER TODOROVIC ACCUSED STEINER OF SIDING WITH ALBANIANS
Todorovic said that by
doing so Steiner was leveling debts toward Albanian politicians and was
trying to save face before the Albanian community for the failure of his
mission prior to leaving.
TOP
Radio
Yugoslavia
April 6,
2003
Milorad Todorovic, coordinating minister in the Kosovo Assembly assessed,
following the latest statements by the head of UNMIK, Michael Steiner,
that it was obvious that Steiner was siding with the Albanians.
Explaining
why Steiner has been making decisions which are in breach of UN Resolution
1244, Todorovic said that by doing so Steiner was levelling debts toward
Albanian politicians and was trying to save face before the Albanian
community for the failure of his mission prior to leaving. Steiner is a
diplomat and is using the war in Iraq, aware that Germany will not turn
their back on him as he comes from that country, and that the US will not
work against transitory provincial institutions since they took part in
their creation, Todorovic said.
TOP
COVIC
BLAMES STEINER FOR CRISIS AND RADICALISM IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
Unless we do our best
this year, we shall be faced with a huge crisis and radicalism in
Kosovo-Metohija
TOP
Radio
Yugoslavia
April 6,
2003
Unless we do our best this year, we shall be faced with a huge crisis and
radicalism in Kosovo-Metohija, and the person most blamed for this will be
UN’s special envoy Michael Steiner, said Nebojsa Covic, the head of the
Coordination Centre for Kosovo-Metohija. 
