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February 02, 2004
ERP KiM Newsletter
02-02-04
Bishop Artemije: No participation to the
detriment of Serbia's sovereignty
 "The Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija wants a free and
dignified love but it cannot accept the offer of some sort of abstract
"minority rights" in exchange for Serbian sovereignty in a society being
tailored by Kosovo Albanians exclusively for their own needs and
interests. The Standards for Kosovo document, which practically negates
the essential elements of sovereignty of Serbia-Montenegro and
Resolution 1244, fundamentally prejudices the secession of the southern
Serbian province; consequently, this plan must be revised before it can
be accepted by the Serb side," said Bishop Artemije for the ERP KIM Info
Service from Washington D.C.
In the following days the Bishop will have several meetings with U.S.
Congressmen and will visit the UN HQ in New York.
CONTENTS:
 Bishop Artemije meets US State Department
Officials
"Our further participation in institutions now depends
exclusively on the attitude of the international community which needs
to offer something concrete, visible and measurable for our people.
Otherwise, our participation in the institutions will only serve to push
more Serbs out of Kosovo and Metohija. We are willing to participate
only if this ensures the survival of the Serb people, not to legitimize
the provisional institutions. We truly cannot continue in that
direction," said Bishop Artemije during a meeting with State Department
officials
Annan criticizes Kosovo Parliament on Minorities
The
Assembly "is once again refusing to take into account legitimate
minority concerns in the legislative process, [and is] overstepping its
competencies," Annan said in a report to the UN Security Council.
UN News: UN report paints mixed picture on
Kosovo's provisional institutions
The record of
achievements by Kosovo's Provisional Institutions is mixed, with
progress apparently stalled in some areas, United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new document made public today.
In a report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Annan calls for Kosovo's
leaders and institutions to uphold the values of multi-ethnicity,
tolerance and equal rights for all communities.
Al Qaida Active in Kosovo - Claim Serbs
"We have information that al
Qaida has strongholds in Kosovo, northern Albania ... and that they are
active in western Macedonia," Stojanovic, the head of the Military
Security Agency of Serbia-Montenegro's army, said. All areas are heavily
populated by ethnic Albanians, who are mostly Muslims.
Massive
heroin haul on Albanian border
Florian Seriani said
30 kilograms was confiscated on Friday morning in Morina, five
kilometres from the border. The stash was hidden in a car boot with a
false bottom. The car had Albanian licence plates and was coming from
the direction of Kosovo, said Seriani.
News from Kosovo and Metohija, January 31
More News Available on our:
Kosovo Daily News
list (KDN)
KDN
Archive
This newsletter is available on our ERP
KIM Web-site:
http://www.kosovo.net/erpkiminfo.html
Bishop
Artemije meets with U.S. State Department officials
TOP
"Our further
participation in institutions now depends exclusively on the attitude of
the international community which needs to offer something concrete,
visible and measurable for our people. Otherwise, our participation in
the institutions will only serve to push more Serbs out of Kosovo and
Metohija. We are willing to participate only if this ensures the
survival of the Serb people, not to legitimize the provisional
institutions. We truly cannot continue in that direction," said Bishop
Artemije during a meeting with State Department officials
ERP KIM Info
Service
Gracanica, February 1, 2004
 Bishop Artemije, who is presently on an extended visit
to the U.S., took part in a 45 minute meeting with the deputy assistant
state secretary Kathleen Stephens, deputy director for
Kosovo Michael Bosshart, and Serbia and Montenegro country officer
Theresa Grencik at the State Department in Washington D.C. on January
30.
In his opening
statement, Bishop Artemije indicated that he was visiting the U.S. to
renew his earlier contacts with U.S. officials and remind of the
difficult situation in which Kosovo Serbs are living.
"Many changes
have occurred in Kosovo and Metohija, but not for all citizens. UN
Security Council Resolution 1244 guarantees a safe life for all, but in
the past five years it has been implemented only for the benefit of the
Kosovo Albanians. For the Serbs, however, there have been no meaningful
changes. Two-thirds of the Serb population is still banished from
Kosovo, while almost 2,000 people have been killed and kidnapped. The
one-third of Serbs who still remain survive in enclaves that resemble
ghettoes. Outside these enclaves, they are deprived of the right to life
and freedom of movement, lacking access to health care and educational
institutions. Many have been fired from institutions and other jobs,
while those who own land often cannot work in their fields or even their
gardens for lack of safety," explained Bishop Artemije.
He noted that as Bishop, he
is particularly hurt by "the destruction or damage of 112 churches and
monasteries that previously survived 500 years of Ottoman rule but could
not service even one year under international administration".
"We expect
nothing," Bishop Artemije told the State Department officials, "except
objectivity and impartiality on the part of the international community,
and the same standards for all inhabitants. This applies above all to
the return of 250,000 persons banished form Kosovo, only a few hundred
of whom have returned. In the meanwhile, many others are leaving out of
fear of attacks and intimidation, for the killings and robberies
continue. Under these conditions it is extremely difficult to remain in
our homes."
Deputy
assistant state secretary Kathleen Stephens thanked the Bishop for his
tolerance and commitment to multiethnicity, and said that the U.S. and
its allies remain involved in Kosovo because there is still work that
needs to be done. Acknowledging that the destruction of holy sites is a
crime against civilization, Mrs. Stephens emphasized that it is
necessary to focus on standards and the building of a multiethnic Kosovo
with the participation of all communities. She confirmed that the return
of displaced persons is especially important and that special funding
will be available this year for substantial returns. Mrs. Stephens said
that she would welcome Bishop's advise on how to ensure participation of
Serbs in the implementation of Standards despite the fact that the
living conditions of the Serb community remain difficult.
Addressing the issue of participation by Serb representatives in the
implementation of Standards for Kosovo and Metohija, Bishop Artemije
emphasized that even prior to this most recent document many promises
were made to the Serbs, and that they showed their willingness to
participate in institutions. "We listened to your promises and relayed
them to our people; unfortunately, the promises remained unfulfilled and
concrete results were not achieved," stated Bishop Artemije, adding: "On
the contrary, instead of a better life, the situation has worsened, and
our people have lost confidence."
 "Our further participation in
institutions now depends exclusively on the attitude of the
international community which needs to offer something concrete, visible
and measurable for our people. Otherwise, our participation in the
institutions will only serve to push more Serbs out of Kosovo and
Metohija," Bishop Artemije explained to his collocutors. "We are willing
to participate only if this ensures the survival of the Serb people, not
to legitimize the provisional institutions. We truly cannot continue in
that direction."
At the end of
the meeting, Bishop Artemije insisted that the U.S. administration
persuade Kosovo Albanians to enable Serbs to live a normal and dignified
life. "We cannot participate in the building of joint institutions to
our own detriment. Not one Serb proposal in the Parliament has been
adopted, while at the same time we are giving that Parliament legitimacy
to our detriment." The Bishop also complained of the lack of sincerity
on the part of Albanian political leaders: "They promised us government
funding for the restoration of at least one destroyed monastery two
years ago but nothing has come of it. Not one of our churches has been
restored."
The meeting concluded with
mutual willingness for further contacts in order to find the most
optimal solutions.
After the meeting with the deputy assistant state
secretary, Bishop Artemije and his associates took part in a roundtable
including deputy director for Kosovo Michael Bosshart and other State
Department officials for Kosovo. They discussed security issues,
participation in institutions, implementation of standards, as well as
cooperation among religious communities in Kosovo and Metohija in
finding common solutions.
Following the two meetings in
the State Department, Bishop Artemije made the following exclusive
statement for ERP KIM Info Service regarding the issue of the so-called
standards for Kosovo, which dominated talks with the U.S. officials.
"Imposing UNMIK standards for Kosovo without acknowledging Serb
objections opens the door to the complete Albanization and secession of
the southern Serbian province, which will unavoidably lead to long-term
instability and conflicts throughout the Balkans and Europe.
"Instead of some abstract plan, the Serb community in Kosovo and
Metohija expects clearly measurably and concretely verifiable standards,
as well as a fixed timetable for their implementation. This relates,
first of all, to the effective realization of returns for expelled Serbs
and other non-Albanians, respect for individual and collective rights,
protection of Serb private property and the state property of the
Republic of Serbia, more effective protection of Serbian religious and
cultural heritage, as well as the end of the illegal process of
privatization. Unfortunately, UNMIK not only refused to address these
requests by the Serb side, but is even accusing the Serbs of obstructive
behavior."
| We do not
want "minority rights" in exchange for Serbian sovereignty
"The Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija wants a free and
dignified love but it cannot accept the offer of some sort of
abstract "minority rights" in exchange for Serbian sovereignty in a
society being tailored by Kosovo Albanians exclusively for their own
needs and interests. The Standards for Kosovo document, which
practically negates the essential elements of sovereignty of
Serbia-Montenegro and Resolution 1244, fundamentally prejudices the
secession of the southern Serbian province; consequently, this plan
must be revised before it can be accepted by the Serb side," said
Bishop Artemije for the ERP KIM Info Service. |
TOP
Annan criticizes Kosovo Parliament on minorities
The
Assembly "is once again refusing to take into account legitimate
minority concerns in the legislative process, [and is] overstepping its
competencies," Annan said in a report to the UN Security Council.
TOP
B92, Belgrade
January 31, 2004
 NEW
YORK -- Saturday - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has warned that the
parliament in Kosovo is failing to address the concerns of the
province's minorities.
The Assembly "is once again refusing to take into account legitimate
minority concerns in the legislative process, [and is] overstepping its
competencies," Annan said in a report to the UN Security Council.
The report described the record of achievement by Kosovo's Provisional
Institutions as mixed, with progress apparently stalled in some areas.
Annan noted that not all ethnic communities meaningfully participate in
the institutions.
The secretary-general welcomed some progress, including the preparation
and adoption of laws at the central and local levels of self-government.
The UN's governor in Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, is due to submit a report on
the situation in the province to the Security Council on Friday.
TOP
UN: News UN report paints mixed picture on Kosovo's provisional
institutions
The
record of achievements by Kosovo's Provisional Institutions is mixed,
with progress apparently stalled in some areas, United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new document made public today.
In a report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Annan calls for Kosovo's
leaders and institutions to uphold the values of multi-ethnicity,
tolerance and equal rights for all communities.
TOP
United Nations News Center
January 30, 2004
30 January 2004 - The record of achievements by Kosovo's Provisional
Institutions is mixed, with progress apparently stalled in some areas,
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new document made
public today.
In a report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Annan calls for Kosovo's
leaders and institutions to uphold the values of multi-ethnicity,
tolerance and equal rights for all communities.
The Secretary-General notes that not all ethnic communities meaningfully
participate in the Provisional Institutions - the presidency, the
government and the Kosovo Assembly. He voices concern that the Assembly
"is once again refusing to take into account legitimate minority
concerns in the legislative process, [and is] over-stepping its
competencies."
But Mr. Annan says he was encouraged by some progress, including the
preparation and adoption of laws at the central and local levels of
self-government.
Established in June 1999 following war in the province, UNMIK is an
interim civilian administration led by the UN under which Kosovans can
progressively enjoy greater autonomy.
UNMIK retains certain reserved powers in Kosovo, including control over
security, foreign relations, minority rights protection and energy,
until the province's final status is determined.
Mr. Annan observed that in November a mechanism was set up to review and
measure the progress made by the Provisional Institutions towards the
benchmarks required before any final decision on Kosovo's status can be
made.
In another development, UNMIK customs officers today detected a large
quantity of what is suspected to be heroin in the boot of a car leaving
Kosovo for Albania.
The seized goods - the latest in a series of discoveries by UNMIK
customs officers - have been transferred to the border police, with
laboratory analysts set to determine the precise nature of the
substance.
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A Highlight
from Annan's report
There has been little significant change in the access of
minority community members either to information in their
own language or the ability to freely use their language
before courts, agencies and public bodies. The personnel and
resources allocated for translation of official documents
and interpretation by the Provisional Institutions during
meetings remained unsatisfactory, particularly in the
municipalities. Official documents, if available at all, are
still often available only in one language. The
institutional arrangements in terms of personnel and
resources allocated for translation of official documents
and interpretation during meetings are also unsatisfactory,
particularly within the municipalities. It has also been
noted that Kosovo Ministries are sending documents to the
municipalities in Albanian only. Very few municipalities
respect legal provisions for bilingual public signs. Clear
divisions remain between the public and social services used
by Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanian communities, even in
ethnically mixed areas. Such problems are likely to worsen
in the future owing to a lack of progress in the key area of
education among all communities. Only one new
mixed-ethnicity school opened during the reporting period.
Neither Kosovo Serb nor Kosovo Roma schools provide
Albanian-language classes and Kosovo Albanian schools fail
to offer courses in minority languages. If that trend
continues, the next generation will be further divided by
their inability to understand each other's languages. The
University of Pristina began offering classes in the Turkish
and Bosniak languages in the faculty in Prizren. In order to
address concerns regarding the content of textbooks, a
Council on Curriculum and Textbooks was established in order
to ensure that textbooks prescribed in Kosovo schools are
non-discriminatory, free from prejudices and do not offend
any ethnic community. |
TOP
Scotsman: Al Qaida "Active in Kosovo" Claim Serbs
"We
have information that al Qaida has strongholds in Kosovo, northern
Albania ... and that they are active in western Macedonia," Stojanovic,
the head of the Military Security Agency of Serbia-Montenegro's army,
said. All areas are heavily populated by ethnic Albanians, who are
mostly Muslims," said Col. Momir Stojanovic the head of the
Serbia-Montenegro's military intelligence
TOP
The Scotsman
Sun 1 Feb 2004 3:48pm (UK)
The head of Serbia-Montenegro's military intelligence claimed today that
Osama bin Laden's al Qaida and other terrorist groups are present in the
Balkans and planning to increase their activity there.
In an interview with the official Tanjug news agency, Colonel Momir
Stojanovic also claimed that the ultimate aim of al Qaida and other
extremist Islamic groups is to carve out an independent Muslim state in
the Balkans.
"We have information that al Qaida has strongholds in Kosovo, northern
Albania ... and that they are active in western Macedonia," Stojanovic,
the head of the Military Security Agency of Serbia-Montenegro's army,
said. All areas are heavily populated by ethnic Albanians, who are
mostly Muslims.
"The strategic aim of the Muslim extremists in the area is to create an
Islamic state in the Balkans," which would include Muslim-dominated
areas in the region, Stojanovic added.
There was no immediate comment to Stojanovic's claims from UN-run Kosovo
or Albania, but the Macedonian Defence Ministry said it had no evidence
of any al Qaida on its territory.
Claims that Islamic terrorists are present in the Balkans have surfaced
before.
Serbian officials have repeatedly said that ethnic Albanian nationalists
have established close ties with radical Islamic groups and that
extremist fighters fought Serb troops during the Kosovo war in 1998-99.
In neighbouring Bosnia, rumours have also surfaced of al Qaida activity,
but the international peacekeepers stationed there since the end of the
country's 1992-1995 war have never found any such evidence.
During the Bosnian war, Serb leaders claimed they were fighting to keep
Muslims from establishing an Islamic regime in the former Yugoslavia.
Bosnian Muslim leaders dismissed those claims as absurd, arguing that
their people are secular and European.
Stojanovic also predicted that terrorist activity in the Balkans,
including Serbia-Montenegro, would increase in the "upcoming period."
The United States and its allies have warned in the past that
international soldiers deployed in the Balkans could be attacked by al
Qaida or other terrorist organisations targeting Western targets
throughout the world.
However, there have been no major attacks or any other indication of
terrorist activity so far in the Balkans, which is still recovering from
wars in the 1990s.
Thousands of international troops, including US soldiers, have been
deployed in Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia as part of international
peacekeeping efforts.
TOP
Massive heroin haul on
Albanian border
Florian Seriani
said 30 kilograms was confiscated on Friday morning in Morina, five
kilometres from the border. The stash was hidden in a car boot with a
false bottom. The car had Albanian licence plates and was coming from
the direction of Kosovo, said Seriani.
TOP
Beta News
Agency, Belgrade
January 31, 2004
PRISTINA -- Saturday - Albanian police and members of the UN police
force in Kosovo have confiscated more than 55 kilograms of heroin in two
operations on the border between Albania and Kosovo,
Serbia-Montenegro, an Albanian police spokesperson said today.
Florian Seriani said 30 kilograms was confiscated on Friday morning in
Morina, five kilometres from the border. The stash was hidden in a car
boot with a false bottom. The car had Albanian licence plates and was
coming from the direction of Kosovo, said Seriani.
Another 25 kilos, divided into small packets, was found during a raid on
a tourist agency on Kukes, 15 kilometres from the border.
Albanian police have arrested at least six individuals during the
investigation into drug smuggling between Albania and Kosovo.
TOP
News from Kosovo and Metohija, Jan 31
TOP
INET News
Saturday 31 January 2004
20:40 Albanian Police and UN police in Kosovo have seized more than 55
kilos of heroin in two separate actions on the border between Albania
and Serbia-Montenegro in Kosovo, stated Albanian police spokesman
Florian Seriani.
20:20 Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren stated that the emphasis
during meetings with representatives of the U.S. State Department has
been on including Serb representatives in the process of implementing
standards in Kosovo and Metohija.
20:00 UN secretary general Kofi Annan has assessed that provisional
institutions in Kosovo have had mixed success, that progress in some
areas is at a standstill and that the Kosovo parliament is refusing to
take into account legitimate requests by minorities.
19:40 During a meeting with representatives of the Serb Return Coalition
(Povratak) in the Kosovo parliament, UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri stated
that dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade is to resume in the
mid-February, reported Bulgarian national radio.
19:20 Montenegrin foreign minister Dragisa Burzan stated that he does
not expect Washington to support demands that the status of Albanians in
Montenegro be resolved according to the principle of ethnic
regionalization.
19:00 The Serbian Radical Party will initiate a discussion on Kosovo in
the Serbian parliament and work on overthrowing a possible government by
the democratic block. At the same time, it will initiate the question of
leadership in the state union in the Serbia-Montenegro parliament,
announced Serbian Radical Party vice president Tomislav Nikolic.
TOP
ERP KIM Info-Service is
the official Information Service of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska
and Prizren and works with the blessing of His Grace Bishop
Artemije.
Our Information Service is
distributing news on Kosovo related issues. The main focus of the
Info-Service is the life of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian
community in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. ERP KIM Info Service
works in cooperation with www.serbian-translation.com
as well as the Kosovo Daily
News (KDN) News List
Disclaimer:
The views
expressed by the authors of newspaper articles or other texts which are
not official communiqués or news reports by the Diocese are their own and
do not necessarily represent the views of the Serbian Orthodox
Church
Additional information on
our Diocese and the life of the Kosovo Serb Community may be found at:
http://www.kosovo.net
Copyright 2004, ERP KIM Info-Service
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