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May 17,
2003
ERP KIM Newsletter
17-05-03
CONTENTS:
KOSOVO LOCAL OFFICIALS BANNED
FROM INT'L MEETINGS AFTER PRO-KLA VOTE
SNC
STRONGLY SUPPORTS STEINER'S DECISION NOT TO ALLOW K/ALBANIAN
REPRESENTATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
HEADS OF THE US AND WEST-EUROPEAN OFFICES IN PRISTINA SUPPORT
STEINER'S DECISION
NO RESPECT
FOR RIGHTS OF KOSOVO SERBS, COVIC SAYS
SERBIAN
DEPUTY PREMIER EXPECTS MORE TERRORIST ACTS IN KOSOVO
SERBIAN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WARN OF DIFFICULT SECURITY SITUATION
IN KOSOVO
SERBIAN PREMIER DEMANDS KOSOVO RESOLUTION
KOSOVO ALBANIAN ACCUSED OF DOUBLE MURDER
POLITIKA DAILY - COMMENT ON STATEMENT OF MARTIN DIXON
More News
Available on our:
KOSOVO DAILY
NEWS LIST (KDN)
KDN Archive
This newsletter is available on our
ERP KIM Web-site:
/erpkiminfo.html
KOSOVO LOCAL OFFICIALS BANNED FROM INT'L MEETINGS AFTER PRO-KLA VOTE
"I have to
announce that the hosts of the international meetings... under these
circumstances no longer consider it appropriate that the (Kosovan)
Provisional Institutions are represented in the UNMIK delegations,"
Steiner said in a statement sent to AFP.
TOP
Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Date: 15 May 2003
PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro, May 15 (AFP) - The top UN official in
Kosovo said Thursday that the province's government, presidency and its
lawmakers would be banned from a slate of upcoming international meetings
following a ethnically divisive vote.
The move came after Kosovo's assembly passed a resolution recognizing the
"war values" of the now disbanded ethnic Albanian rebel Kosovo Liberation
Army (KLA) that fought a separatist war against Yugoslavia in 1998-1999.
Michael Steiner, the head of the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), announced
that in response the province's "president, assembly and the government
respectively" would not be represented in three upcoming meetings of NATO
and the European Union, after conferring with the two Western bodies.
"I have to announce that the hosts of the international meetings... under
these circumstances no longer consider it appropriate that the (Kosovan)
Provisional Institutions are represented in the UNMIK delegations,"
Steiner said in a statement sent to AFP.
The assembly resolution defines the KLA struggle as a "righteous war
against Serb military, police and paramilitary forces for the liberation
of Kosovo."
The body's 22 ethnic Serb lawmakers walked out of Thursday's session to
protest the resolution being put on the agenda and passed by their
majority ethnic Albanian colleagues.
"The resolution is divisive and is against reconciliatory spirit. Already,
it has a divisive effect within the Assembly," Steiner said.
UNMIK has struggled to build a multi-ethnic society in the southern
Serbian province, following the 1999 war. Although some progress has been
made, suspicion and hostility still reign between the Serb minority and
Albanian majority, largely separate communities.
Albanians who seek full independence from Belgrade view the KLA as
liberators, while most ethnic Serbs who want the province to remain part
of Serbia consider them terrorists.
Some 200,000 Serb fled the province after it came under UN and NATO
control in 1999 fearing revenge attacks by ethnic Albanians. Those who
have remained live in enclaves guarded by NATO-led peacekeepers.
Kosovo has an assembly and a government that deal with daily issues while
decision-making on contentious issues such as security and the province's
final status remain with the UN.
TOP
SERBIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL SUPPORTS DECISION TO BAN PARTICIPATION OF
K/ALBANIAN OFFICIALS AT INT'L MEETINGS
While political
leaders in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia make strong efforts to distance
themselves from the violent past and war crimes, in Kosovo and Metohija we
see the complete reverse, SNC officials say. Ethnic Albanian leaders are
not behaving like responsible politicians, but like chieftains sitting
somewhere in the dark forests of Drenica. "This is inexcusable and
deserves utmost condemnation by all democratic governments in the world,"
it was concluded at the SNC meeting.
TOP
ERP
KIM Info-Service
May 16,
2003
The Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija strongly supported today
the decision of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for
Kosovo Mr. Michael Steiner not to allow participation of Kosovo Albanian
officials at important international meetings this month.
According to the SNC officials it would be incomprehensible to allow those
who openly supported terrorism of the KLA and its criminal agenda to
represent Kosovo-Metohija citizens at the upcoming meetings. After all,
international representation of Kosovo Province is reserved for UNMIK and,
according to UNSC Res. 1244, representatives of Kosovo institutions are
not entitled to deal with international relations because the Province
officially belongs to Serbia-Montenegro, despite its temporarily suspended
sovereignty over the part of its territory. The latest resolution of the
Kosovo Parliament is one reason more why such precedents should not be
allowed.
While the entire democratic world is openly opposing terrorism and
violence, leading Kosovo officials have supported an organization known
for its terrorist and criminal agenda. As such, they have neither the
political nor the moral credibility to represent Kosovo citizens who
strongly disagree with their political positions. It would be scandalous
for such leaders to use international forums to disseminate their
retrograde and obsolete ideas.
While policial leaders in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia make strong efforts
to distance themselves from the violent past and war crimes, in Kosovo and
Metohija we see the complete reverse, SNC officials say. Ethnic Albanian
leaders are not behaving like responsible politicians, but like chieftains
sitting somewhere in the dark forests of Drenica. "This is inecusable and
deserves utmost condemnation by all democratic governments in the world,"
it was concluded at the SNC meeting.
TOP
HEADS OF
US AND WEST-EUROPEAN OFFICES IN PRISTINA SUPPORT DECISION OF MICHAEL
STEINER
Heads of
offices of the US, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy in Pristina
supported the decision of Head of UNMIK Michael Steiner not to allow the
Kosovo institutions officials to participate at the upcoming international
gatherings on the region on grounds of the yesterday’s Kosovo Parliament’s
Declaration on recognition of struggle of the Albanian people for freedom
and independence.
TOP
RADI0 YUGOSLAVIA
May 16, 2003
Pristina -
Heads of offices of the US, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy in
Pristina supported the decision of Head of UNMIK Michael Steiner not to
allow the Kosovo institutions officials to participate at the upcoming
international gatherings on the region on grounds of the yesterday’s
Kosovo Parliament’s Declaration on recognition of struggle of the Albanian
people for freedom and independence.
The Assembly of Kosovo belongs to both Albanians and Serbs, and that
institution is obliged to observe the UN Security Council Resolution 1244
and the Kosovo Constitutional Framework - foreign diplomats emphasize.
They assess that the Parliament is not authorized to develop a declaration
as adopted yesterday.
TOP
NO
RESPECT FOR RIGHTS OF KOSOVO SERBS, COVIC SAYS
Attending a session of the
OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, Coordinating Centre for
Kosovo-Metohija head Nebojsa Covic expressed concern over UNMIK's transfer
of powers to non-democratic, mono-ethnic institutions in Kosovo, adding
that there is no safety or respect for the rights of Serbs and other
non-Albanians in the province.
TOP
SERBIAN
GOVERNMENT
May 15, 2003
Vienna, May 15, 2003 - Attending a session of the OSCE Permanent Council
on Thursday, Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija head Nebojsa Covic
expressed concern over UNMIK's transfer of powers to non-democratic,
mono-ethnic institutions in Kosovo, adding that there is no safety or
respect for the rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province.
"Young Serbian democracy needs to establish partnership with the
international community, which it enjoys on all issues but one - Kosovo,"
said Covic.
He called for a constructive dialogue on the moral issues that burden the
relations of the two main ethnic communities in Kosovo, rather than talks
on the final status of the province.
Covic also called on OSCE member states to support and aid Serbia, saying
that every step to be taken in Kosovo must be careful and agreed by all
parties.
According to him, the key issues for building confidence and creating a
multiethnic society include the return of refugees, the freedom of
movement, and resolving the problem of missing persons.
TOP
SERBIAN
DEPUTY PREMIER EXPECTS MORE TERRORIST ACTS IN KOSOVO
Covic
emphasised that the terrorist Albanian National Army was given all the
logistics by the Kosovo Protection Corps and proposed that a joint letter
be addressed to international institutions and officials in which it is to
be demanded that further transformation of the Kosovo Protection Corps
into the so-called Kosovo defence forces not be allowed and that the unit
be reduced to an organization which is to be engaged in problems caused by
natural disasters.
TOP
TANJUG, Radio YU
May 16,
2003
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Coordination Centre for
Kosmet Nebojsa Covic said that even more violent terrorist actions by the
Albanian National Army were to be expected in Kosovo-Metohija.
The terrorist
act of blowing up the bridge in Zvecan was committed by Hamza Behrami,
member of an engineering unit of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), who
was killed in that action, Covic told a joint session of the Serbian
parliament committees for Kosovo-Metohija and security.
He
emphasized that the terrorist Albanian National Army was given all the
logistics by the Kosovo Protection Corps and proposed that a joint letter
be addressed to international institutions and officials in which it is to
be demanded that further transformation of the Kosovo Protection Corps
into the so-called Kosovo defence forces not be allowed and that the unit
be reduced to an organization which is to be engaged in problems caused by
natural disasters.
TOP
SERBIAN
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS IN KOSOVO WARN THAT SECURITY SITUATION IN KOSOVO AND
METOHIJA IS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL POSSIBLE
At a joint
session, the committees decided to demand of all the relevant
international officials that the number of KFOR and UNMIK members should
not be reduced until full security for all the citizens of the Province
has been established.
TOP
Radio
YU
May 16, 2003
The Serbian Assembly respective committees for defence and security and
for Kosovo-Metohija assessed that the security situation in Kosmet is at
the lowest level possible and accused UNMIK and KFOR of being responsible
for the situation.
At a
joint session, the committees decided to demand of all the relevant
international officials that the number of KFOR and UNMIK members should
not be reduced until full security for all the citizens of the Province
has been established.
On the
occasion of UNMIK Head Michael Steiner’s regulation on privatization in
Kosovo and the Resolution on the Recognition of the Liberation War of the
Kosovo people adopted by the Kosovo parliament on Thursday, the president
of the Coordination Centre for Kosovo-Metohija, Nebojsa Covic, stressed
that all the international factors should be addressed in order that that
perilous procedure be condemned and prevented.
TOP
SERBIAN PREMIER DEMANDS KOSOVO RESOLUTION
It's difficult to carry
out reforms if you don't have control over a part of your territory where
organised crime has been legalised, where human rights are constantly
violated and where the international community has done little to improve
the situation," Zivkovic said in an interview.
TOP
Reuters,
May 16, 2003
BELGRADE -- Friday - Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic has accused the
international community of doing little to tackle organised crime and
human rights abuses in Kosovo.
Zivkovic, who succeeded close ally Zoran Djindjic after his assassination
in March, also told Reuters late on Thursday that Serbia would continue
cooperating with the UN war crimes tribunal and hand over all fugitives
found on its territory.
But, he said, the unresolved issue of Kosovo's final status meant his
government could not fully implement democratic changes begun after the
ousting of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
"It's difficult to carry out reforms if you don't have control over a part
of your territory where organised crime has been legalised, where human
rights are constantly violated and where the international community has
done little to improve the situation," Zivkovic said in an interview.
Djindjic had wanted a start to talks on Kosovo's status this June, four
years after the UN took control. He argued Kosovo was drifting towards the
independence demanded by its majority Albanian population.
But Western officials say it is too early to address such a sensitive
issue.
"We are in an absurd situation here, where the international community
expects us to help in solving the Kosovo problem by not mentioning it,"
Zivkovic said.
After NATO and the United Nations moved into Kosovo, some 180,000 Serbs
fled from a wave of attacks by ethnic Albanians and few have returned.
Although the attacks have declined, UN officials acknowledge that Serbs
have little freedom of movement.
Organised crime such as cigarette smuggling and trafficking of women for
prostitution has also flourished in post-war Kosovo. UN officials say they
are cracking down and the problem is prevalent across the Balkans, not
just in Kosovo
TOP
KOSOVO ALBANIAN ACCUSED OF DOUBLE MURDER
TOP
Beta News
Agency
May 16, 2003
PRISTINA -- Friday – Kosovo national judo team selector Driton Kukaj, was
arrested yesterday on suspicion of a double murder, not war crimes as
reported earlier, a UNMIK spokesman said today.
Kukaj is suspected of being involved in the murder of two members of the
Zeqiraj family and the attempted murder of a third family member.
UNMIK spokesman Andrea Angeli told media that the murders were committed
in December 2001, after the end of the war.
TOP
POLITIKA
DAILY COMMENTS STATEMENT OF MARTIN DIXON WHO SUPPORTED SERBIAN STANCE ON
PRIVATIZATION IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
TOP
Radio Yugoslavia
May 16, 2003
Under the
title SERBIA IS RIGHT, the Belgrade daily POLITIKA, quotes the statement
of Martin Dixon, a British Cambridge University professor of international
law, on the occasion of the dispute between Belgrade and the Head of the
UN Administration in Kosovo, Michael Steiner, regarding the administration
of state property. British professor Dixon considers that Serbia has valid
arguments to initiate this question at the Security Council.
The disputed is the Decree according to which Steiner considers to be able
to rent real estate and movable goods belonging to the state, to private
persons on a 99-years term lease, which, in fact, represents a transfer.
Steiner also considers that this will create conditions for privatization
and the official Belgrade - that in this way, Serbia’s state property is,
in fact, being extorted. According to professor Dixon, a key word here is
in the Item 6 of the 1999 Decree, reading that the UN Special
representative has the right to administer the property of Yugoslavia and
Serbia in Kosovo.
The essential question is, therefore, whether giving of that property as a
99-year lease is considered as administration of that property or it’s
transferring. If I were to decide on that issue as a legal one, I would
probably try to prove that a transfer of property is at issue, and not
administration, emphasized British professor of international law at
Cambridge University. Professor Dixon also emphasizes that if he were in
the place of the Serbian Government, he would claim that the UN special
representative had no authorisation to issue a Decree transferring the
state property in Kosovo.
I would open this question at the UN Security Council and I would be
proving there that the leasing of property for such a long term is not
administration but transferring of property. I would be requesting the
Security Council to order the special representative to withdraw the
Decree. I think that this is the only legal remedy because the Security
Council is the one to define competences of the UN special representative
in Kosovo and has the right to control him, assesses Martin Dixon, the
international law professor at Cambridge University.
TOP
ERP KIM
Info-Service is the official Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox
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Bishop Artemije.
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