Urolighederne i Kosovo marts 2004


Sidste Nyt fra Albanien og Kosóva

# 206 - senest opdateret 10.07.2004

Udgiver: Bjørn Andersen

Denne udgave findes også i pdf-udgave der kan bruges til udprintning. Ønsker du at få sendt pdf'en, så send en mail.


   

Billederne er fra Prizren og stammer fra ERP KIM Info Service, en Serbisk Informationstjeneste med tilknytning til den Ortodokse Kirke


»Sidste Nyt om Albanien og Kosóva« indgår på en web-side om Albanien og Kosóva. Makedonien, Serbien og Montenegro: http://bjoerna.dk/albanerne.htm; her kan du også finde »gamle nyheder«, anmeldelser, links og en Balkan Brevkasse.

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Bemærkninger om EDB-sikkerhed.



Indholdsfortegnelse


Klik på markørerne nedenfor


Samlet opgørelse

[X] Dræbte, sårede, flygtede, ødelagte kirker og klostre


Tekst- og billedreportager: [X] BBC

[X] Den Serbiske Koordineringskomité



[X] Videofilm af hærværk på St Elijah i Podujevo 19.03.2004


Informationer under urolighederne og umiddelbart derefter

[X] Informationer fra NATO og KFOR

[X] Informationer fra UNMIK

[X] Informationer fra Hærens Operative Kommando

[X] UNMIK-Politiets døgnrapport for 17.03.2004

[X] UNMIK-Politiets døgnrapport for 21.03.2004

[X] UNMIK-Politiets døgnrapport for 23.03.2004

[X] UNMIK-Politiets døgnrapport for 25.03.2004

[X] Arrestation af Sukri Buja

[X] Arrestation af Avdyl Mushkolaj

[X] Arrestation af Samit Lushtaku [Sami Lushtaku]. Dansk KFOR deltog indirekte. Demonstrationer. Løsladelse mod kaution

[X] Informationer fra UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency

[X] Informationer fra Serbien

[X] Skuddrama. Jordansk UNMIK Officer skyder og dræber Amerikanske UNMIK Officerer og sårer talrige andre.


Spekulationer

[X] Serbiske spekulationer om hemmelig middag i Washington mellem Holbrooke, Thaçi m.fl.


Senere informationer

[X] Fredelig demonstration i Mitrovica 14.4.2004

[X] Nogle af de flygtede er vendt tilbage til deres hjem, skriver »Beta« 26.4.2004

[X] Intet bevis for at Serbere drev Albanske børn ud i Ibar, skriver »Beta« 27.4.2004

[X] Kosovo Serberne må have en selvstændig status, siger PM Kostunica og Serbiske Return


Udtalelser, kommentarer, planer

[X] Kosovo Fællesudtalelse

[X] Drøftelser i FN's Sikkerhedsråd

[X] Peter Schieder, Europarådet, til PM Bajram Rexhepi

[X] Udtalelser fra den Amerikanske Regering

[X] Udtalelse fra den Albanske Regering

[X] Udtalelse og artikel af Forfatteren Ismail Kadare

[X] Serbien-Montenegro: UM Svilanovic i FN's Sikkerhedsråd 19.03.2004

[X] Serbien: Tidl. VicePM Nebojsa Covic kritiserer SRSG Holkeri

[X] UNMIK og Kosovo's selvstyre-institutioner er ansvarlige for volden, siger PM Kostunica og den Russiske Minister Sergei Shoigu

[X] Ambassadør Batakovic mener en kantonisering er nødvendig

[X] Serbien: Bred politisk støtte til Kostunica's forslag om kantoner

[X] PM Kostunica mener der straks bør ske en 'decentralisering'

[X] PM Kostunica i Bruxelles. Serbisk referat

[X] FM Tadic advarer mod at hede stemningen op ved at forlange at Serbisk-Montenegrinsk militær skal intervenere

[X] SRSG Holkeri fordømmer drabet på to politifolk tirsdag 24.03.2004

[X] Charles Brayshaw, UNMIK, mener urolighederne var planlagt fra Albansk side, skriver Tanjug

[X] OSCE's Formand Solomon Passy har udtalt sig skarpt om overgrebene på den serbiske minoritet

[X] Udtalelse fra det Albanske Udenrigsministerium 24.03.2004: Tilfredshed med at regeringen i Kosova påtager sig ansvaret for genopbygningen af de ødelagte kirker og klostre

[X] 5-årsdagen for NATO-bombningerne er blevet højtideligholdt i Serbien

[X] Branislav Krstic om beskyttelsen af mindesmærker m.v.

[X] Solana er iflg Serbiske forlydender stærkt irriteret på de Kosova Albanske Politikere

[X] Kostunica: Det er ikke en opdeling der skal til, men autonomi for Serberne. Advarer mod et Stor-Albanien

[X] Opsummering: Hvad er det egentlig Kostunica mener?

[X] Veton Surroi i "Koha Ditore". Urolighederne var ikke organiseret på forhånd

[X] Udtalelser fra UNMIK 28.3.2004, 30.3.2004 og 31.3.2004

[X] Chris Patten, EU, mener volden var organiseret

[X] KFOR holder pressekonference 31.3.2004

[X] KOSOVO STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 31.3.2004

[X] Drøftelse i Sikkerhedsrådet 13.4.2004

[X] Interview med PM Kostunica i »Vecernje Novosti«. Vedrører en række aktuelle emner som Kostunica er involveret i.

[X] International Crisis Group: Collapse in Kosovo

[X] Møde i Kontaktgruppen April 2004. NATO kritik af de Kosóva Albanske Ledere [22.04.2004]

[X] Den Albanske Præsident Moisiu på besøg i Kosóva (22.-23.4.2004) 1

[X] Den Albanske Præsident Moisiu på besøg i Kosóva (22.-23.4.2004) 2

[X] OSCE Rapport om pressens rolle under marts-urolighederne (Offentliggjort 22. April 2004)

[X] SG Annan fremlægger rapport for Sikkerhedsrådet (SC) (30.04.2004)

[X] KFOR mener at efterretningsvirksomheden ikke havde været tilstrækkelig

[X] Drøftelse i Sikkerhedsrådet (SC) (11.05.2004)

[X] Rapport fra Amnesty International (08.07.2004)


Danske kommentarer - og en svensk

[X] Kommentar af Hans Hækkerup i »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« 20.03.2004

[X] Kommentar af Hjalte Tin i »Information« 20.03.2004

[X] Kommentar af Tue Magnussen i »Information« 22.03.2004

[X] Kronik af SM Anders Fogh Rasmussen I »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« 24.03.2004 - og en kommentar

[X] Kommentar af Carl Bildt, London 25.03.2004

[X] Slesvigsk løsning. Kommentar af Per Nyholm i »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« 30.03.2004

[X] Et forslag: Hvorfor ikke bruge Kosovo Protection Corps ... ?

[X] Serbere og albanere kan leve i fred. Kommentar af Frede Hansen i »Information« 02.04.2004

[X] Kosovo er i en kritisk fase. Kommentar af Eske Vinther Jensen i »Ræson« 25.06.2004


Hvad ligger bag? Hvad kan man gøre?

[X] Kommentar af Bjørn Andersen


Bilag:

[X] Mistrøstig OSCE-Rapport om lokalstyret i Kosovo

[X] KFORs bidrag til Kosovo's / Kosóva's økonomi

[X] EU-rapport om forholdene i Kosovo (Marts/April 2004)



»Albansk Almanak 2002« bd. 1-3

Almanak'en for 2002 er udkommet. Her finder du årets nyhedsbreve. Årets litteraturkommentarer vil udkomme hen over sommeren 2004 i »Albanske Studier« ## 3-4.

Du kan se indholdsfortegnelsen på: http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/almanak-2002.htm

Bogen findes i trykt form og på CD (som pdf-fil). Papirudgave på næsten 600 sider i 3 bind. Bogen sælges som papirudgave m/ CD og som CD alene. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste.

Udgaven for 2003 ventes at udkomme hen over sommeren 2004.



»Albanske Studier« bd. 1-2

Kommentarer til Bjøl, Huntington, Machiavelli, Sørlander, DUPI (Humanitær Intervention), Clausewitz, Mao Zedong, Lars R. Møller, Malcolm og flere andre (kommentarerne er suppleret ift udgaver i Almanak'erne m.v.). Englændere på rejse i Albanien: Edward Lear, Edith Durham og Robert Carver. Bøger om slægtsfejder og blodhævn. Diskussion af Anne Knudsen's disputats om blodhævn på Korsika og af Ismail Kadare's roman »Ufuldendt april«. Baggrundsmateriale om den Sønderjyske general Christian von Holstein, der deltog i Habsburgernes felttog ind i Kosóva i 1689-90. Sidst i bogen et forsøg på en sammenfatning i form af nogle 'grundlæggende synspunkter'. Desuden en kommentar til Hans Hækkerup's »På skansen«. På CD'en supplerende materiale om traditionelle Albanske klædedragter og om Holstein.

Du kan downloade indholdsfortegnelsen og kommentaren til Hækkerup fra: http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/studier-2002.htm

Bogen findes i trykt form og på CD (som pdf-fil). Papirudgave 368 A4-sider i 2 bind. Bogen sælges som papirudgave m/ CD og som CD alene. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste.


Til dig der kigger på et ældre nummer af »Sidste Nyt«.

Seneste udgave af denne »annonce« kan ses på:

»Sidste Nyt« (klik)



Seneste 4 udgaver af »Sidste Nyt fra Albanien og Kosóva«:

Sidste Nyt #205 - frem til 12.03.2004 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #204 - frem til 05.03.2004 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #203 - frem til 27.02.2004 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #202 - frem til 20.02.2004 (klik tv.)

Alle årets udgaver kan findes på:

http://bjoerna.dk/nyt-oversigt.htm




KOSÓVA

Bynavne: Angives der to navne på samme lokalitet, er den Albanske nævnt først. Se oversigten på: http://bjoerna.dk/kosova/byer.htm ... Rapporter fra FNs Generalsekretær ... 0308 Harri Holkeri er tiltrådt som 4' SRSG ... 020214 SRSG Michael Steiner tiltrådte i Kosova som 3' SRSG og fratrådte i begyndelsen af 0307. ... En biografi over tidligere 2' SRSG Hans Hækkerup kan læses på Danske Politikere. ... En anmeldelse af Hans Hækkerup's bog »Kosovos mange ansigter« kan downloades fra: http://neva.hjem.wanadoo.dk/Haekkerup2.pdf (0,4 MB) ... Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government. ... Kosova's Regering. ... UNMIK Politiets oversigt over 2001 (artikler, billeder og statistik i pdf-format (fil'en er forholdsvis stor: 2,6 MB)) ... Kriminaliteten i 2002 - Oversigt kan downloades [klik på titlen]





Samlet opgørelse

22.03.2004-23.03.2004 UNMIK anslår at 51.000 har deltaget i demonstrationer og uroligheder i Kosovo / Kosóva. 28 er blevet dræbt. 870 er blevet såret. Flere end 160 er blevet anholdt.

23.03.2004: BBC skriver at omkring 3.600 Serbere er flygtet og at der næppe er Serbere tilbage i Prishtina.

REVIDEREDE TAL: 31 March 2004 The UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today [...] released updated information on the recent violence. In total, 19 people were killed - 11 Kosovo Albanians and eight Kosovo Serbs - and more than 900 people were injured, including dozens of international police officers. Some 29 churches and monasteries, 800 houses and more than 150 vehicles were destroyed or badly damaged. [I dødstallene mangler tilsyneladende en UNMIK Politimand, muligvis også en lokal Politimand, BA]


23.03.2004 Serbien-Montenegro: 20 Serbere siges at være trådt ud af Kosovos Politi:

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, March 23 (Tanjug) - The International Press Centre in Kosovska Mitrovica said on Monday that 20 Serb Kosovo police force members had not been at work since March 18, because in two days of ethnic cleansing the southeastern Kosovo-Metohija town of Vitina, had been completely cleared of Serbs, who received no assistance from Kosovo police, UNMIK police or KFOR.

A letter written by the 20 Serb policemen, whom the Press Centre received, had been sent to UNMIK's Vitina police station commander Robert Birden first, as a response to his insistence that Serb policemen return to Vitina and continue working. They informed Birden that some members of the Kosovo police took direct or indirect part in the attacks at the Serb population in Vitina.

"During these events, it felt as if we, police members, were in prison together with UNMIK police members and were provoked and even physically attacked by our ethnic Albanian colleagues. We want to work, but in Serb environments or Serb-populated places. We also request the clarification of lack of cooperation between UNMIK police and ethnic Albanian Kosovo police force members during these developments, and especially the holding of secret meetings of ethnic Albanian members of the Kosovo police force," the letter said.

23.03.2004 Den Ortodokse Kirke oplyser at 30 kirker og klostre er blevet ødelagt i større eller mindre grad:

Belgrade, March 23, 2004 - The Eparchy of Raska and Prizren has released a list of 30 Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries that were destroyed or severely damaged in the latest outbreak of violence in Kosovo-Metohija.

The list is not final and will be updated as the Eparchy continues to assess the damage to other churches and monasteries, particularly in the municipality of Urosevac, the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija said in a statement.

Prizren
Crkva Bogorodice Ljeviske (Church of Holy Virgin of Lyevish), 14th century
Crkva Svetog Spasa (Church of Christ the Savior), 14th century
Saborni hram Svetog Velikomucenika Georgija (Cathedral of St. George), 1856
Crkva Svetog Nikole Tutuceva (Church of St. Nicholas Tutuc), 14th century
Crkva Svetog Georgija Runovica (Church of St. George Runovic), 16th century
Crkva Svete Nedelje (Church of St. Kyriake), 14th century, later reconstructed
Crkva Svetog Pantelejmona (Church of St. Panteleimon), 14th century, later reconstructed
Crkva Svetog Kozme i Damjana (Church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian), 14th century, later reconstructed
Crkva Svete Nedelje (Church of St. Kyriake), Zivinjane, near Prizren
Manastir Sveti Arhangeli (Holy Archangels Monastery), 14th century
Bogoslovija Sveti Kirilo i Metodije (Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Sts. Cyrillus and Methodius)
Episkopski Dvor (Bishop's residence in Prizren)

Orahovac
Crkva Svete Nedelje (Church of St. Kyriake) 1852, Brnjaca near Orahovac

Djakovica
Hram Uspenja Presvete Bogorodice (Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) 16th century, with the parish home
Katedralna crkva Svete Trojice (Cathedral church of the Holy Trinity)
Crkva Svetog kneza Lazara (Church of St. Lazarus), Piskote, near Djakovica

Srbica
Manastir Devic (Devic Monastery), 15th century, burned to the ground, with the tomb of St. Ioanichius of Devic opened and desecrated. Fire was burned in the tomb of the saint.

Pec
Crkva Svetog Pretece i Krstitelja Jovana (Church of St. John the Baptist), Metropolia, with the parish home
Crkva Vavedenja Presvete Bogorodice (Church of Virgin Mary), Belo Polje near Pec, burned again and desecrated
Crkva Svetog Jovana Pretece i Krstitelja (Church of St. John the Baptist), Pecka Banja

Urosevac
Crkva Svetog cara Urosa (Cathedral of St. Uros the Emperor), Urosevac.
Another two churches in Urosevac are believed to have been destroyed.

Kamenica
Church in Donja Slapasnica, Kosovska Kamenica
Church in Talinovci, near Gnjilane

Stimlje
Crkva Svetog arhangela Mihaila (Church of St. Archangel Michael)

Pristina
Crkva Svetog Nikole (Church of St. Nicholas), 19th century

Kosovo Polje
Crkva Svetog Nikole (Church of St Nicholas), burned and desecrated
Crkva Svete Katarine (Church of St. Katherine), Bresje near Kosovo Polje,

Vucitrn
Crkva Svetog Ilije (Church of St. Elias)

Obilic
Crkva Svetog Mihaila (Church of St. Michael)

Kosovska Mitrovica
Crkva Svetog Save (Church of St. Sava)

Podujevo
Crkva Svetog Ilije (Church of St. Elias), 1930

Fra Serbisk side oplyses at flg er blevet dræbt:

Borivoje Spasojevic, 63, and Jana Tucev, 36, killed in the municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Nenad Vesic, 53, killed in the municipality of Lipljan.

Dobrivoje Stolic, 49, and Borko Stolic, 20, killed in the municipality of Strpce.

Boban Peric, 52, killed in Gnjilane.

Zlatibor Trajkovic, 62, killed in the municipality of Kosovo Polje.

Dragan Nedeljkovic, 61, killed in the municipality of Prizren


Reportager

Der har i de seneste dage været omfattende uroligheder i Mitrovica i Kosóva - og »afledte« demonstrationer i Beograd. [Medio marts 2004]

Der kan henvises til tekst- og billedreportager på BBC:

Mitrovica clashes på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3520632.stm
In Pictures: Kosovo burns på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3522860.stm
Kosovo rioters burn Serb churches på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3525168.stm
Nato sends more troops to Kosovo på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3522230.stm
UN pulls out of Kosovo flashpoint på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3525396.stm
Kosovo clashes 'ethnic cleansing' på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3551571.stm
'Sinister purpose' to Kosovo clashes? på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3551783.stm
Fearful Serbs hope for peace på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3552245.stm
Nato troops tackle Kosovo discord med kort over Mitrovica-området: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3552251.stm
To af de drenge der druknede i Ibar-floden er blevet begravet omkring middagstid søndag 21.03. 6.-8.000, måske 10.000 Albanere deltog; begravelsen forløb fredeligt ifølge BBC og Dansk KFOR. Security tight for Kosovo burials på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3554215.stm
Kosovo riots renew old debates på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3550789.stm
Kosovo mourns violence victims på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3556279.stm
Nato condemns Kosovo extremists på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3559099.stm
Policemen killed in Kosovo attack på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3562917.stm
Kosovo residents still on edge på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3561121.stm
Serb PM defends Kosovo carve-up på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3561715.stm
Kosovo Serbs jeer EU chief Solana på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3564737.stm
UN Kosovo mission walks a tightrope på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3565799.stm
UN launches Kosovo 'peace plan' på: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3588217.stm


TERROR IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA - tekst- og billedreportager på CI - Den Serbiske Koordineringskomité: http://www.smip.sv.gov.yu/Policy/CI/kosovo-slike/index.html




Videofilm af hærværk på St Elijah i Podujevo 19.03.2004 Den Ortodokse Kirke har udsendt en videofilm i AVI-format. Størrelse 34 MB. Varighed: 10 minutter. Kan downloades fra: http://www.spc.org.yu/Multimedija/Podujevo/podujevo.avi.




Informationer

Informationer fra NATO og KFOR - Kosovo Force





19.03.2004: The NATO Council has met again today to assess the security situation in Kosovo.

NATO is resolved to help bring this violence under control as quickly as possible. The Alliance is deploying additional troops from the previously designated operational and strategic reserve to ensure that KFOR has all the resources necessary. These deployments include, to date:

Four companies from SFOR that will be in theatre today lead elements of a UK battalion that will be in theatre today lead elements of French battalion from the Strategic Reserve will be in theatre today Italian battalion deploying in the coming days German battalion on four days notice to move – lead elements already on their way Romanian company on four days notice to move.

KFOR is taking robust action to restore stability, and to protect all citizens of Kosovo regardless of their ethnic identity. KFOR troops are protecting Kosovar Serbs and other minorities from attack, as well as ethnic Albanians where necessary. As additional resources are made available to him, ComKFOR is also now deploying troops to help protect designated sites in Kosovo. KFOR is also working in close co-operation with the UN Mission in Kosovo.

KFOR is carrying out its mission in a determined and effective manner. At the same time, political leaders in Kosovo must take effective, concrete action to stop the violence and restore calm. Kosovar Albanian leaders bear a heavy responsibility in this regard and the Secretary General has conveyed that message to the Prime Minister of Kosovo. He has also spoken to the Prime Minister of Serbia, and the Foreign and Defence Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro urging them to refrain from statements and actions that would further heighten tensions.

The Secretary General is also consulting closely with UN Secretary General Annan, as well the High Representative in Kosovo, Mr. Holkeri.

There should be no doubt: this kind of ethnic conflict does nothing for Kosovo. It is squandering the progress Kosovo has made in meeting the standards set by the international community. It is undermining any rapprochement by Kosovo to Euro-Atlantic institutions. It is a tragic and misguided return to the kind of violence which has no place in Europe. Allies are firmly resolved to help bring this violence to an end.

   

To billeder fra Prizren 17.03.2004. Hentet på: http://besimi.com [siden ser ud til at være lukket ned; konstateret 23.03.1004]


UNMIK

Following last week's violence, funeral held in Kosovo without incident – UN

21 March 2004 – Police from the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today reported that the situation in the province is calm compared to the turmoil of the past week.

A funeral with the attendance of up to 7,000 people proceeded uninterrupted, according to UNMIK police spokesman Derek Chappell. “I am pleased to report to you that no incidents have been recorded and the situation is calm and quiet everywhere,” he told reporters in Pristina, the capital.

Despite the relative tranquility, the repercussions from last week's violence continue to be felt. Peggy Hicks, Director of the Office of Returns and Communities, estimated that over 3,200 people were newly displaced as a result of the deadly ethnic clashes.

Over the past day and a half, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has provided essential supplies to those in need, including some 650 mattresses, 1,000 blankets, eight tons of food and 200 hygienic kits that each serve 1,000 people.

Asked about a probe into the alleged drowning of two teenagers which sparked the violence, UNMIK spokesperson Izabella Karlowicz said autopsies on both bodies have been conducted, an international prosecutor has been appointed to look into the case and the preliminary investigation will be held.

She added that in order to improve stability, it would be essential to bring back the rule of law, start the process of reconciliation, and ensure its continuation. “This cannot be done by UINMIK alone,” she stressed. “The big part of the responsibility and making reconciliation possible is with everybody here and with the Kosovo leaders.”

Kosovo situation calming down after extra troops deployed, says UN mission

19 March 2004 – The deployment of extra international troops has helped to calm the situation in Kosovo after the recent deadly violence, but there are still reports of looting and unrest, the United Nations mission to the province reported today.

Additional troops from the United Kingdom, the United States and France have joined KFOR (the Kosovo international security force) after clashes between ethnic Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo this week have killed more than two dozen people and injured hundreds of others.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters today that "their presence is being felt," and their arrival has also been welcomed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as it tries to help civilians in the area.

Mr. Eckhard said UNMIK considers the situation in Kosovo to be "extremely volatile," but he added that while there have been reports of more clashes and continued looting, most have been on a smaller scale compared to the violence of earlier this week.

Six more churches were destroyed yesterday, taking the total in the past two days to at least 16, while at least 110 houses of Serbs have been burned.

UN Police report that at least 28 people died in the clashes, the worst violence since the UN assumed administration of the province almost five years ago. Hundreds of others, including 55 KFOR soldiers, have been injured.

UNHCR is attempting to deliver aid to more than 1,000 members of ethnic minorities - mostly Serbs - who were evacuated from the Pristina, Gnjilane and Pec/Peja areas by KFOR soldiers. But access is now severely restricted because of security concerns.

The Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, Kamel Morjane, who was in Belgrade yesterday on a previously planned mission, had to cancel a planned trip to Kosovo today because of security concerns.

In Serbia, the agency has made contingency plans to receive possible arrivals from Kosovo, while the High Commissioner for Refugees has appealed to the region's ethnic communities to refrain from further violence

Meanwhile, Harri Holkeri, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Kosovo, is talking to politicians in Pristina and in Belgrade to urge them to play their part in calming tensions.

Late yesterday the Security Council issued a presidential statement denouncing the violence and calling on authorities to ensure that the rule of law is maintained and the perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.





Hærens Operative Kommando

18.03.2004: Den danske bataljons fremskudte kommandostation i Mitrovica, hvor den danske chef for bataljonen oberst Klaus H. Lawes befinder sig, blev her i aften beskudt af lette håndvåben og angrebet med håndgranater. Soldaterne på kommandostationen besvarede ilden, og beskydningen ophørte.

”Situationen i Mitrovica er spændt”, fortæller major Ole R. Laursen,” Soldaterne er ved godt mod og har det efter omstændighederne godt”.

19.03.2004: Den danske bataljon i Kosovo er fortsat indsat i Mitrovica. Natten har været præget af en meget spændt stemning og enkelte skudvekslinger. Det har i nattens løb været nødvendigt for de danske soldater at besvare beskydning, der var rettet mod de danske soldater. Ingen danske soldater er kommet til skade.

19.03.2004: Forstærkning til Kosovo i løbet af lørdag

Danmark sender lørdag 96 soldater til Kosovo med to fly. De udsendte soldater skal forstærke den danske bataljon, der har været indsat med det meste af sin styrke siden torsdag aften.

Jydske Dragonregiment i Holstebro bidrager med 77 infanterisoldater, Jægerkorpset med 15 og Elektronisk Opklaringskompagni fra Telegrafregimentet i Fredericia med 4 personer.

Den danske styrke skal forudse at være udsendt til Kosovo i en kortere periode. Situationen og forudsætningerne for styrkens fortsatte tilstedeværelse vil blive vurderet efter en uge.

Den første halvdel af styrken flyver fra Flyvestation Karup til Pristina lørdag morgen med et af flyvevåbnets Hercules fly. Fra Pristina transporteres styrken til det danske område i Mitrovica.

Sidst på eftermiddagen lørdag afgår anden halvdel af styrken fra Flyvestation Karup. De seneste dages uro og civile optøjer i Kosovo har medført, at der allerede er tilført forstærkninger fra blandt andet amerikanske, engelske, franske og italienske enheder i Bosnien.

Den danske bataljon har anmodet om forstærkning snarest muligt, så dele af den indsatte styrke kan blive aflastet. Det drejer sig altså først og fremmest om at give bataljonen mulighed for aflastning af de indsatte enheder, så opgaverne for det nu udsendte personel er de samme, som bataljonen hidtil har haft.

19.03.2004 kl. 22.00: Situationen i Mitrovica Roligt - men fortsat spændt

Den Danske Bataljon er sammen med franske enheder fortsat indsat i Mitrovica omkring broerne over floden Ibar mellem den sydlige og nordlige bydel, som adskiller serbere i nord og albanere i syd.

Situationen i Mitrovica er rolig, men spændt. Albanernes og serbernes bevægelser følges tæt, således at der er mulighed for at reagere i forhold hertil.

Personel i bataljonen, som ikke er indsat i Mitrovica eller i andre opgaver i ansvarsområdet, bevogter Camp Olaf Rye med fo at kunne afvise eventuelle trusler mod lejren. Der er dog ingen indikationer på at lokale vil gå mod den danske lejr.

Bataljonen har meddelt, at alle planlagte leave rejser indtil videre er indstillet og først vil blive genoptaget, når situationen i området er normaliseret.

Alle danskere i bataljonen har det efter omstændighederne godt.

20.03.2004 kl. 11:31 Kl. 1040 lettede et af Flyvevåbnets Hercules fly med 51 soldater, der skal indgå i forstærkningsstyrken til Den Danske Bataljon.

Lørdag morgen samledes soldater fra Jydske Dragonregiment og Jægerkorpset på Flyvestation Karup for at flyve til Kosovo.

Soldaterne fik et meget kort varsel forud for deres udsendelse. Mange blev først spurgt fredag kl. 1000 om de kunne rejse til Kosovo. Hos Jydske Dragonregiment var der 108 soldater der meldte sig, men regimentet skulle kun bruge 77 soldater.

Mange af soldaterne er lige hjemkommet efter en udsendelse fra Irak, men havde ikke noget imod en ekstra tur.

Overkonstablerne D. Hansen og "CC" er klar til at rejse til Kosovo. "CC" skulle være startet på civil efteruddannelse på mandag, men denne udskydes. Begge er lige vendt hjem fra Irak for kort tid siden.

Chefen for Jydske Dragonregiment, oberst Kurt Mosgaard var til stede for at tage afsked med soldaterne. Resten af holdet flyver til Kosovo, søndag den 21. marts.

20.03.2004 kl. 17.14: Afgang tidligt søndag morgen til Kosovo

De sidste 45 mand af forstærkningsstyrken til Kosovo letter fra Flyvestation Karup, søndag den 21. marts kl. ca. 0415 i et charteret fly.

Flyet flyver til Skopje, hvor de ankommer kl. 0700 og herfra transporteres soldaterne videre i et dansk Hercules fly til Pristina Lufthavn, hvor de forventer at lande kl. 0930.

20.03.2004 kl. 19.54: De danske forstærkninger ankommer til den danske lejr Camp Olaf Rye i Mitrovitca.

De første forstærkninger blev klokken 16:05 i dag fløjet ind til Camp Olaf Rye.

Det danske flyvevåben bragte soldaterne til Pristina lufthavn, ca. 30 km. syd for Mitrovitca, og det sidste stykke frem til den danske bataljon, som soldaterne nu er en del af, foregik med helikopter, stillet til rådighed af den franske brigade.

Indflyvningen af fandt sted under 24 timer efter endelig godkendelse i Danmark. En reaktionshastighed som den danske bataljon i Kosovo er meget tilfreds med.

21.03.2004 »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« skriver søndag om at Flyvevåbnet kun kunne stille et Hercules-fly til rådighed [jf. oplysningen ovenfor om at transporten søndag sker med chartret fly]. Forsvaret siger at det skyldes et sammenfald af uheldige omstændigheder. Man har 5 fly, 2 er helt nye fly der dog endnu ikke er operationsklare, 1 fly er splittet ad på Værløse, 1 er i USA for at deltage i en øvelse. Det fly der blev benyttet blev hentet hjem fra Grønland.

21.03.2004 kl. 11.14: Søndagens opgave for soldaterne i Kosovo De danske soldater i Mitrovica har det godt, og har haft en rolig nat. Her til morgen er de danske styrker i Mitrovica centrum blevet aflastet af et fransk faldskærmskompagni.

Danskernes nye opgave i dag, vil være at opretholde ro og orden i forbindelse med begravelsesceremonien af de to druknede børn. Begravelsen foregår i den lille Kosovo-albanske landsby Cabra otte kilometer vest for Mitrovica.

Den sidste del af det danske forstærkningsbidrag ankom planmæssigt med flyvevåbnets Hercules til Pristina klokken 0935. Soldaterne transporteres fra Pristina til Camp Olaf Rye ad landevejen og forventes at ankomme mellem 11 og 12 i dag.

Ud over det danske forstærkningsbidrag støttes de danske styrker i dag af polske og italienske specialenheder til indsættelse ved større uroligheder. Derudover støtter over 100 lokale politifolk danskerne.

Situationen i området er rolig, men spændt og man forventer at mange mennesker vil deltage i begravelsesceremonien.

21.03.2004 kl. 19.05: De danske soldaters opgave med at opretholde ro og orden i forbindelse med begravelsesceremonien i dag er overstået. Begravelsen, hvor mellem 6000 og 8000 deltog, forløb på en god og værdig måde.

Den danske styrke deltog i sikkerheden med ca. 225 soldater. Et meget stort internationalt pressekorps deltog, hvor også den danske presse var stærkt repræsenteret.

Der er stadig danske soldater i området omkring den Kosovo-albanske landsby Cabra, hvor begravelsen fandt sted.

Endvidere er der igen danske styrker i Mitrovica by, hvor situationen stadig er rolig.

Alle danske soldater har det godt og er ved godt mod, lyder meldingen fra Kosovo. Endvidere udtrykker de tilfredshed med den forstærkning styrken har modtaget.

23.03.2004 kl. 12.56: Bataljonene melder, at alle danske soldater har det godt og er ved godt mod.

Situationen i det danske område er rolig men spændt. Hvordan situationen vil udvikler sig fremover er svært at vurdere. Bataljonen er stadig indsat med hovedparten af styrken i Mitrovica og omegn.

Forstærkningen, der ankom lørdag og søndag, er indsat til at løse opgaver på lige fod med de øvrige soldater.

Orlov er stadig inddraget, indtil situationen i området er mere afklaret. Bataljonen kan ikke på nuværende tidspunkt oplyse, hvornår der foreligger et mere afklaret billede af situationen.


24.03.2004 kl. 13.15: Kosovo i flammer

Foråret er nu ved at være kommet til Kosovo, og temperaturen er stærkt stigende. Dette er jo normalt noget, som vi alle er glade for, men hernede gælder det jo, som vist alle er bekendt med, også i overført betydning.

Af: DANBN/KFOR

Det har været meget hedt siden onsdag. Her i skrivende stund er der heldigvis faldet ro på situationen, selvom vi alle selvfølgelig stadig er helt oppe på mærkerne.

Ugen startede roligt med, hvad der allerede efter 5-6 uger i missionsområdet er blevet til rutineopgaver. Tirsdag aften skete der imidlertid noget, som har været med til at forandre hele vores 6-måneders ophold hernede, og som de fleste af os formentlig vil huske resten af livet. Ved godt halv syv tiden fik vores operationscenter, i daglig tale ”TOC’en”, et opkald fra UNMIK Police, det vil sige FN’s internationale politi i Kosovo.

De anmodede om, at bataljonen stillede en deling til rådighed for eftersøgningen af nogle børn, der var faldet i floden Ibar, som løber forbi lige bag ved lejren. Fire børn var faldet i floden, og en af dem var reddet op. De tre sidste var stadigvæk savnede.

Vores beredskabsdeling blev straks afsendt til landsbyen Cabra, hvor ulykken var sket. Meget hurtigt herefter blev stort alt det personel, der var til rådighed i lejren, sendt ud for at deltage i eftersøgningen, så det meste af bataljonen var indsat. Der blev spændt tov ud flere steder på tværs for at opfange drengene, hvis de skulle flyde forbi, og der blev opstiller lys, ligesom adskillige køretøjer med tændte lygter blev placeret tæt på floden.

Desuden blev der indsat to amerikanske helikoptere. Alt sammen var desværre forgæves. Det lykkedes ikke at finde nogle af børnene i live, men kort før midnat, da det var lykkedes os at få sænket vandstanden i floden ved en dæmning længere oppe ad floden, fandt det lokal beredskabskorps en af drengene druknet tæt på bredden.

Kort efter midnat blev de indsatte dele af bataljonen trukket tilbage, idet den franske opklaringseskadron, der indgår i bataljonen, blev beordret til at genoptage eftersøgningen ved daggry.

Næste morgen blev eftersøgningen genoptaget, som nævnt med deltagelse af den franske opklaringseskadron. Yderligere en af drengene blev fundet druknet af beredskabskorpset. Lidt senere på formiddagen kom med der oplysninger om fredelige demonstrationer i Mitrovica Syd. Det var skolebørn, der deltog i disse. Pludselig skete der dog en ændring, og nu var det voksne, der var med i demonstrationerne.

Disse nærmede sig snart Austerlitzbroen, der forbinder de to dele af Mitrovica. Her blev der indsat urobetjente, der bl.a. brugte tåregas, med de var ikke i stand til at holde demonstranterne tilbage. Derfor blev vores franske nabobataljon, i hvis område broen ligger, indsat på broen.

Demonstrationerne bredte sig til den nordlige side af Ibar ved tre høje boligblokke kaldet ”Tre Tårne”, hvorfor bataljonen blev beordret til at indsætte enheder til støtte for franskmændene. Først kun en deling, men i løbet af forbløffende kort til var stort set hele bataljonen indsat i udstyr til bekæmpelse af uroligheder. Selv dele af stabskompagniet blev indsat. Det var i øvrigt ikke kun i vores del af Kosovo, der var ballade. Det var det samme i stort set hele provinsen.

I løbet af aftenen udviklede situationen sig dramatisk. Som man kunne læse på tekst TV, blev bl.a. bataljonens fremskudte kommandostation angrebet med håndgranater og håndvåbenild. I løbet af aftenen var de dele af bataljonen, der var indsat i Mitrovica, flere gange nødt til at besvare ilden, når de blev beskudt. Heldigvis kom ingen danskere alvorligt til skade, der var generelt kun tale om småskrammer.

Urolighederne fortsatte om torsdagen. Midt på formiddagen kom der meldinger om, at den ortodokse kirke i Mitrovica Syd, Sankt Sava, var blevet sat i brand. Hele bataljonen var fortsat indsat, og stabskompagniet havde fået yderligere en kampopgave, nemlig at beskytte Sokolista klosteret, der ligger lidt uden for Mitrovica. Bataljonen var ved at være presset til det yderste.

Også mange af vores civile ansatte, bl.a. flere af vores tolke var meget trykkede af begivenhederne. Nogle af den har familier der bor tæt på Aysterlitzbroen, og de var naturligvis meget bekymrede for, hvordan det gik med dem.

Fredag morgen blev bataljonen indsat til gennemsøge et af de såkaldte ”tre tårne”, tre mindre højhuse, tæt på Austerlitzbroen. Årsagen var, at flere snigskytter om natten havde skudt fra positioner i husene. I forbindelse med denne opgave udbrød der brand i et af husene, som det kunne ses på flere af de internationale TV-kanaler. Branden blev forholdsvis hurtigt slukket, og der var ingen, der kom alvorligt til skade. Operationen blev indstillet på ordre fra brigaden.

Denne havde fået melding om, at omkring 1000 bevæbnede mænd var under fremrykning mod Mitrovica for at erobre Austerlitzbroen. Alle brigadens enheder i Mitrovica, det vil sige også bataljonen, blev befalet til at besætte forsvarsstillinger med henblik på at afvise ethvert angreb. I lejren besatte alt tilbageværende mandskab nærforsvarsstillinger, medens alle civile i lejren blev beordret i beskyttelsesrum.

At bataljonen var spændt til det yderste fremgik bl.a. af, at medlemmer af bataljonen stab, både officerer og befalingsmænd, også hjalp til med at fylde sandsække og udbedre skyttehuller. Heldigvis kom der aldrig noget angreb, hverken inde i Mitrovica eller ved lejren. Generelt har situationen siden fredag eftermiddag været forholdsvis rolig, men fortsat meget spændt, hvorfor hele bataljonen fortsat var indsat.

Lørdag kom den første del af forstærkningen fra Danmark, og de var naturligvis meget velkomne. Situationen var fortsat generelt rolig, men meget spændt. Vi var alle bekymrede for, hvordan det ville gå med begravelsen af de to drenge, der skulle finde sted i Cabra om søndagen.

Søndag blev store dele af bataljonen så indsat til at sikre, at begravelsen foregik fredeligt. Sammen med bataljonen blev indsat adskillig hundrede urobetjente fra UNMIK Police sammen med godt hundrede betjente fra det lokale politi. Som de fleste vel har set på TV var der flere tusinde deltagere i begravelsen.

Det er svært helt at vurdere hvor mange, men det drejer sig formentlig om minimum 5000. Heldigvis forløb begravelsen uden uroligheder, selvom det selvfølgelig tager et par timer at få knap tusinde køretøjer til og fra en landsby.

Mens begravelsen foregik ankom den sidste del af forstærkningen. Straks efter, de var blevet indkvarteret og havde fået en kort briefing, blev de indsat. Nogle fik opgaver i forbindelse med begravelsen, andre afløste stabskompagniet i nogle af kompagniets kampopgaver.

Det betød, at stabskompagniet fik frigjort personel, hvilket gjorde det nemmere fortsat at løse kompagniets normale opgaver med at støtte resten af bataljonen med forsyninger af enhver art samt de administrative funktioner, der nu en gang er nødvendige for at bataljonen kan fungere optimalt.

Det skal dog understreges, at alle nødvendige støtteopgaver er blevet løst i hele perioden, selvom det har holdt hårdt. Forstærkningerne, og det forhold at situationen efter begravelsen forblev rolig, betød at store dele af bataljonen fik mulighed for at få en god nats søvn. For mange var det ikke i sengen hjemme i lejren, men ude i stillingerne, men det gjorde alligevel godt.

Søndag lykkedes det også at få transporten af mad fra Danmark, der var strandet i Pristina, bragt til lejren. Det var derfor en på alle måder vellykket dag.

I den skrivende stund mandag er situationen stort set uændret. Det meste af bataljonen er fortsat indsat uden for lejren, men vi har fået genopbygget vores kampkraft. Vi er ikke lullet i søvn af den tilsyneladende ro, der nu hersker, men forbliver fokuseret på løsningen af opgaven, at sikre et ” safe and secure environment” for civilbefolkningen.

Vi kan se tilbage på fem dage hvor bataljonen blev presset til det yderste, men vi kan også være stolte af, at vi løste vores opgave. Alle i bataljonen har ydet en stor, professionel indsats.


24.03.2004 kl. 13.40: Ugen startede ganske fredeligt, som det plejer, med daglige rutiner osv. Hvad ingen af os vidste, var at ugen ville blive mere heftig end som så.

Af: NSE/KFOR [Skopje]

I onsdags fik vi at vide, at der var udbrudt uroligheder i Kosovo mellem albanere og serbere. Så alle var parate til at yde deres og på en eller anden måde for at være med til at dæmpe gemytterne. I Danmark blev det bestemt, at der skulle sendes ca. 96 soldater ekstra til Kosovo, hvilket jo blev en opgave for os.

Der blev sendt et hold på 6 mand med fuld udrustning igennem Kosovo til Pristina lufthavn, for at tage imod det første 50 mand, som så skulle videre til Kosovo. Der blev sørget for dem, og at deres udrustning kom rigtigt af sted. Resten af NSE, som befandt sig i Petrovec i Makedonien skulle sørge for at tage imod de sidste 50 mand.

Det gjorde vi så i søndags, hvor det hele forløb som planlagt. Vi fik fat i to franske busser, som skulle køre dem fra den civile til den militær lufthavn. Vi fik læsset deres udrustning over i det ventende militære fly. Til sidst gik soldaterne ombord, hvorefter de fløj videre til Pristina lufthavn.

Her modtog 6-mandsholdet dem. Fra Pristina blev soldaterne fløjet til den danske lejr Camp Olaf Rye, fordi vejtransport ikke var mulig.

Alt i alt en heftig weekend, hvor vi har løst vores opgaver. De der var i Pristina har fået et nødvendigt pusterum. De havde ikke sovet meget natten mellem lørdag og søndag.


29.03.2004 Kontaktpsykologer

Kontaktpsykologerne har afsluttet deres arbejde i Kosovo

Der er til hver udsendelse knyttet en kontaktpsykolog. En af opgaverne er bl.a. at bistå hvis der er brug for psykologhjælp i missionsområdet.

Af: DANBN/KFOR

Ann Karen (kontaktpsykolog for IRAK 3) og Hans-Henrik (kontaktpsykolog for KFOR 10) fik fredag, den 19 MAR om formiddagen at vide, at vi skulle være klar til at tage af sted sammen med forstærkningerne til KFOR. De forklarer "Vi ankom til COR sent lørdag, hvor vi fik en orientering og var herefter klar fra søndag morgen.

I den forløbne periode har vi indtil nu gennemført 15 psykologiske debriefinger samt en del individuelle samtaler, primært med de soldater, der har deltaget i urolighederne ved "Tre Tårne".

Det er vores indtryk at det har været nogle kritiske dage for alle, med stort fysisk og psykisk pres uden mulighed for at restituere sig og uden vished om, hvornår det ville holde op. De reaktioner vi har set, har primært været kamptræthed, hvor soldaten har et generelt højt stressniveau, og er fysisk og psykisk udmattede. Ofte er oplevelserne fragmentariske og begivenhederne flyder sammen.

Gennem gruppesamtalen får personellet en fælles forståelse af begivenhederne og rækkefølgen af dem. De følelsesmæssige reaktioner har alle været normale reaktioner på en unormal situation.

Det er vores oplevelse at der har været et godt sammenhold og at alle har udført et godt arbejde. Situationen er nu ved at normalisere sig, men der er altid en restitutionsperiode efter sådanne oplevelser. Der kan være efterreaktioner – dette er normalt og vil klinge af efter en periode siger psykologerne Ann Karen Christensen og Hans-Henrik Olsen.


30.03.2004 kl. 10.24: Uge 13 ved NSE KFOR Sidste uge var jo ugen, hvor man pustede ud efter, vi havde fået forstærkningsstyrkerne ned til Kosovo. Alle var inddraget i den opgave.

Af: Kaptajn Morten Petersen

Ugen gik med rutineopgaver, med blandt andet en tur til Grækenland, hvor næstkommanderende og forsyningsbefalingsmanden fik deres sag for, da vi for første gang skulle ind til et leverandørkontor i hjertet af Thessaloniki. Men som et plaster på såret, foregik frokosten på et udmærket spisested på havica i Kosovo, der skulle hjælpe os med at adskille og flytte 6 containere fra en lejr i Skopje og ud til os i lufthavnen. Det gik let og smertefrit, selv om pladsen i lejren i Skopje ikke er overdrevet stor til 6 lastbiler og en stor kran. Ingeniørerne blev i lejren til om lørdagen, hvor de skulle hjælpe os med at sætte sider i containerne, så de kan tåle at stå ude i regnvejr.

I weekenden var det Nationale Støtteelement samlet her i lufthavnen, hvor vi fik sagt farvel til vores regnskabsfører, der skulle hjem til Bornholm efter 6 måneder hernede. Han fik et stykke granit med holder med som hilsen til klippeøen, og der var flere, der var rørt til tårer.

Slutteligt er vejret her i Makedonien blevet betydeligt bedre, solen skinner og det lufter en smule. Der er en behagelig temperatur på omkring 20 grader, så det er rigtigt godt.


30.03.2004 kl. 14.39: Forstærkningsbidrag til KFOR

Situationen i Kosovo blev pludselig og uventet dramatisk forværret fra den 16.-17. marts. En væsentlig årsag hertil var rygter om at Kosovo-serbere var den direkte årsag til at to drenge druknede i Ibar-floden (en dreng er fortsat ikke fundet).

Motivet til dette skulle angiveligt være hævn for at Kosovo-albanere tidligere på ugen havde beskudt Kosovo-serbere.

Hele den danske bataljon blev indsat den 17. marts i forbindelse med den opståede uro i området. Den stærkt forværrede situation fortsatte, og den 19. marts morgen anmodede chefen for den danske bataljon, oberst Klaus H. Lawes, HOK om at blive forstærket med henblik på at få afløsning og hjælp til at løse det stærkt øgede antal opgaver.

HOK overvejede situationen og lagde vægt på, at det fredag stod klart at urolighedernes omfang gjorde det særdeles vanskeligt at få forstærkning fra øvrige dele af KFOR-styrken, idet alle dele af Kosovo var omfattet af urolighederne.

HOK spurgte fredag den 19. marts en række regimenter om, hvor mange soldater de i givet fald kunne bidrage med og hvornår og indstillede fredag formiddag om udsendelse af en forstærkning på ca. 100 mand i indtil to uger.

FKO fremsendte anmodningen til Forsvarsministeriet, og regeringen støttede anmodningen og indkaldte til ekstraordinært møde i Udenrigspolitiske Nævn, der godkendte udsendelsen af forstærkningsbidraget sent fredag eftermiddag.

HOK traf beslutning om styrkens størrelse, sammensætning og hvilket regiment soldaterne skulle komme fra og udsendte en foreløbig befaling tidligt fredag eftermiddag.

Første halvdel af forstærkningsbidraget afgik fra Danmark lørdag den 20. marts klokken 10.15. Anden halvdel afgik fra Danmark søndag den 21. marts klokken 04.30.

Forstærkningsbidragene blev straks efter ankomsten til det danske område i Kosovo indsat til afløsning af de danske enheder og til bevogtning af den danske lejr, og styrken har siden været indsat og afløst den faste danske styrke, der således har fået mulighed for hvile og genordning.

Ved udsendelsen af forstærkningsbidraget blev det understreget, at udsendelsen var for en begrænset periode, og at længden ville blive taget op efter en uge.

Situationen i Kosovo har nu stabiliseret sig, selv om der fortsat er betragtelige spændinger mellem kosovo-albanerne og kosovo-serberne i området.


30.03.2004 kl. 14.40: Forstærkning hjem fra Kosovo

Soldaterne fra Jydske Dragonregiment og soldater fra Jægerkorpset, der blev udsendt til forstærkning af den danske bataljon i Kosovo, kommer hjem den 1. april.

Situationen i Kosovo blev pludselig og uventet dramatisk forværret den 16. marts, og den 21. og 22. marts modtog den danske bataljon forstærkningen fra Danmark, der blev indsat til løsning af opgaver og som afløsning for de indsatte styrker.

Der er nu sket en stabilisering af situationen i Kosovo, selv om der fortsat er spændinger mellem Kosovo-albanerne og Kosovo-serberne i området. Situationen har dog udviklet sig i en sådan retning, at forstærkningen hjemtages med civilt fly den 1. april 2004 med ankomst til Flyvestation Karup klokken 12.15.

Den sidste del af den udsendte forstærkning – seks jægersoldater og fire fra Telegrafregimentet – vender først hjem, når de har fuldført de opgaver, de løser for øjeblikket. Det er planlagt, at de vender hjem om to til tre uger.

- Det var en rigtig beslutning at sende et forstærkningsbidrag til den danske bataljon i Kosovo, siger oberst Kristian Sørensen, Chef for Operationsafdelingen i Hærens Operative Kommando.

- Situationen i Kosovo var meget dramatisk, og der er ingen tvivl om, at forstærkningerne fra en række lande har været med til at lægge en dæmper på urolighederne. Forstærkningerne til den danske bataljon har også haft stor betydning for den danske styrkes muligheder for at løse deres opgaver og ikke mindst for deres sikkerhed.

Det har således været en vellykket operation, som også har vist, at vi i dansk forsvar er i stand til med endog meget kort varsel at samle den nødvendige styrke og få den sendt hurtigt ud til missionsområdet.


UNMIK-Politets døgnrapport for 17.03.2004

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Pristina Region : Officer shot during a protest.

Gnjilane Region : Violent demonstration.

Prizren Region : A dead male was found with injuries to his face.

Pec Region : Two males died of injuries during a demonstration.

Mitrovica Region : Violent demonstration.

Note: The information contained in this report is believed to be accurate. However, further investigations may result in changes to what previously have been reported.


REGION PRISTINA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

SHOOTING/RIOT

Lipljan 17/03 - 1630 hrs. A local Police officer is in serious condition after being shot by a protester. Between three hundred and four hundred people threw rocks at Police and KFOR personnel. A house was reported set on fire.

DEATH/PROTEST

Fushe Kosove 17/03 - 1300 to 2000 hrs. During the protest a male was beaten to death. Several houses were set on fire and several citizens injured. . No arrest reported.

SHOOTING

Lipljan 17/03 - 1730 hrs. A local Police officer that was surrounded by a large crowd shot several times at a male suspect after hearing the suspect threatening to shot him. The suspect received unspecified injury and was taken to the hospital. The suspect was arrested.

ASSAULT

Pristina South 16/03 - 2355 hrs. Police were informed that two unknown suspects hit a male victim with aported.

PROTEST

Podujevo 17/03 - 1830 hrs. Approximately two thousand (2,000) protesters gathered. Rocks were thrown toward the Police station. One Police vehicle sustained damage. No injuries reported.

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Bradash Village, Podujevo 17/03 - 0650 hrs. A male driver sustained unspecified injuries when his civilian vehicle was involved in one-vehicle traffic accident.


REGION GNJILANE

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

DEATH/PROTEST

Gnjilane 17/03 - 1615 hrs. Police report that one male was found dead. Thirty civilians sustained minor injuries, three vehicles were totally damaged and eight houses were set on fire. Eight persons were arrested.

MURDER

Drajkovce Village, Strpce 17/03 - 2220 hrs. A shooting incident happened that resulted in the death of one male victim. Police are on the scene. The identity of the victim has not been established. No arrest reported.

GRIEVOUS ASSAULT

Ferizaj 17/03 - 1245 hrs. A fight took place between two groups of local students. Three males sustained serious injuries. No arrests were reported.

ASSAULT

Munovic Village, Ferizaj 16/03 - 1700 hrs. Police arrested two males after they attempted to assault a male victim who was planting in the field. No injuries were reported. Two double barrel-hunting rifles were seized from the suspects.

ARSON/BURGLARY

Ferizaj 17/03 - 0220 hrs. A male reported to the Police that unknown suspect(s) entered his residence, stole several items valued at two hundred twenty euros. The suspect then set fire to his furniture and escaped from the scene. The victim managed to put out the fire. No injuries reported. Minor damage reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

DEMONSTRATIONS

Kamenica 17/03 - 1730 hrs. Approximately fifteen hundred people participated in the demonstration. Four Police officers and one male civilian sustained unspecified injuries. Six vehicles reported damaged by demonstrators. KFOR assisted Police. Vitina 17/03 - 1630 hrs. A crowd went on a rampage that resulted in the damage of five vehicles and four houses that were set on fire. A church was also badly damaged. One person was injured during the riot. Police evacuated several families.

FERIZAJ 17/03 - 1300 to 2300 hrs. Several local officers received unspecified injuries during the demonstration. . KFOR assisted Police. No arrest reported. Investigation continuing.

NON-INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Gnjilane 17/03 - 0920 hrs. A traffic accident occurred between two UN Vehicles . Minor damages were reported.

FOUND WEAPON

Strezovc Village, Kamenica 17/03 - 1255 hrs. A male reported to the Police that he found a rifle. CB-85 went to the scene and recovered a Papovka Gun (Yugoslavian made). Case closed.


REGION PRIZREN

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

MURDER

Krusha E Madhe Village, Orahovac (GR: DM 700 870) - 16/03 - 2310 hrs. Upon receiving information about a dead body, Police responded to the scene with a forensic unit. . The victim was sent to the mortuary for further investigation.

VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION

Orahovac Town 17/02 - 1800 hrs. A UN vehicle was turned over by protesters. A house was ransacked then set on fire. Other houses were damaged by thrown rocks. One person was reported injured.

Suhareka 17/03 - 1700 hrs. A group of people of about 500 chanting "UNMIK out". A group removed the UNMIK flag. Police intercepted them and the flag was retrieved. Later the Police dispersed them.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO

Zgatar Village, Prizren 17/03 - 1145 hrs. Police were informed that two hand grenades were found in the centre of above-mentioned village. Police secured the scene, KFOR EOD were informed.

Malishevo 17/03 - 1015 hrs. A male brought to the Police Station a UXO, which he had located. KFOR EOD responded and safely exploded one rifle grenade (M 60 type). No injuries were reported.

Malishevo 17/03 - 1000 hrs. A male reported to the Police that he found a UXO in his garden. Police and KFOR EOD responded to the scene and one hand grenade was safely exploded. No injuries were reported.

Suhareka 17/03 - unknown hrs. By virtue of court order, Police arrested one male suspect. No information about the identity and offence of the suspect.


REGION PEC

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

MURDER

Pec 17/03 - 0745 hrs. Police were informed that an unknown male suspect fired one shot at a male victim with an unknown type of pistol, then escaped from the scene. The victim died at the scene due to a head wound. No further information was reported.

Belo Pole Village, Pec/Peje 17/03 - 1500 to 1700 hrs. During a demonstration one person sustained a fatal injury. Eight others received unspecified injuries and were taken to the hospital. One UNMIK vehicle was reported damaged.

Gjilan 17/03 - 1500 hrs. One male was killed and thirty citizens were injured during the protest. Three UN vehicles were destroyed by fire and four others damaged. Police also report that eight houses were set on fire. No arrest reported.

RAPE

Gjakova 15/03 - 1830. A female victim reported to the Police that two known male suspects raped her. No injuries or arrests reported. The victim received medical attention.

KIDNAPPING

Pec/Peje 17/03 - 1115 hrs. The father of a twelve-year-old reported that unknown suspects kidnapped his daughter. The victim was on her way home from school when a suspect pulled her into his vehicle. The victim was taken to an abandoned house and threatened with a weapon. The victim reports she was not injured. No arrest reported.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

Gjakova 17/03 - 0155 hrs. A male reported to the Police that two unknown masked suspects entered his residence, assaulted him with a wooden stick and escaped from the scene. Nothing was stolen. No injuries or arrests reported.

ILLEGAL WEAPON POSSESSIONS

Gjakova/Djakovica 17/03 - 0700 hrs. Police searched the home of a male suspect and recovered one AK-47, one Vzor Pistol, three hundred seventy eight (378) rounds of ammunition, one hand grenade and three magazines. Police are awaiting KFOR to remove the hand grenade. No arrest reported.

Bac Village 17/03 - 0800 hrs. Police searched the home of a male suspect and recovered one pistol and one empty magazine.

Bac Village 17/03 - 1200 hrs. Police searched the house of a male suspect and recovered one AK-47, one magazine and one live round of ammunition. No arrest reported.

Zylfaj Village, Gjakova 17/03 - 1050 hrs. Police and KFOR conducted a house search operation and seized one hundred and ninety-eight rounds of ammunition. No arrests were reported.

Bec Village, Gjakova 17/03 - 1200 hrs. Police conducted a house search operation and seized one pistol. No arrests were reported.

VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS

Gjakova, Pec/Peje 17/03 - 1600 hrs. During a violent demonstration some of the five thousand demonstrators damaged two UN vehicles. An IPO received unspecified injury.

Decani 17/03 - 2145 hrs. About 100 people pushed an UNMIK vehicle from a private residence towards the park. The vehicle was damaged and was set on fire. Two additional vehicles were also damaged when rioters threw stones. Gunshot fires were also heard in the surrounding areas.

Gjakova 17/03 - 2215 hrs. Police and KFOR evacuated a group of people who gathered inside an Orthodox Church. Rioters burned down the church.

Istok 17/03 - 1400 hrs. A crowd of people blocked four roads inside the town with garbage bins, large vehicles and wooden electric poles. One UN vehicle was burned and another UN vehicle was damaged.

Gnjilane 17/03 - 1615 hrs. Protesters destroyed a UN vehicle and a civilian vehicle. No arrest reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO

Trubuhovci, Istog - 16/03 - 1930 hrs. Upon receiving information about a UXO, Police responded to the scene and with the help of the EOD team, one rifle grenade was taken away to be destroyed.

Klina 17/03 - 0950 hrs. A male reported to the Police that he had located a hand grenade. Police secured the scene and KFOR EOD safely removed the device. No injuries, no damages were reported.


REGION MITROVICA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

ARSON

Slatina Village, Banjska Village, Vushtri - 17/03 - 1645 hrs. Police were informed that six houses were on fire. Two persons sustained unspecified injuries. The Fire brigade were informed.

ASSAULT

Mitrovica South 17/03 - 2000 hrs. Protesters assaulted a Police officer. . The officer sustained an unspecified injury.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

SUICIDE

Vushtri 17/03 - 0805 hrs. A male reported to the Police that his brother committed suicide by hanging.

DEMONSTRATION

Mitrovica South 17/03 - 0820 hrs. A demonstration was held with approximately five thousand (5,000) protestors, including four hundred (400) pupils. No incidents or any violence reported.

Mitrovica South 17/03 - 0955 hrs. The local main bridge was closed due to the demonstration. No incidents were reported.

Mitrovica South 17/03 - 1110 hrs. Approximately 800 people crossed the main bridge by force throwing missiles. SPU responded to the scene and used tear gas. Several KPS Officers received unspecified injuries. One male spectator died and around sixty people were injured.

Mitrovica North 17/03 - 1145 hrs. Approximately one hundred fifty people gathered near the main bridge. Hand grenades were thrown and soldiers were injured. One UN vehicle was damaged by fire.

Vushtrri 17/03 - 1130 -1500 hrs. Between five hundred and six hundred people gathered near the culture center. Two UNMIK vehicles and one KFOR vehicle were damaged.

South Mitrovica 17/03 - 1430 hrs. Protesters set an UNMIK vehicle on fire. No further details provided. No injuries reported

Mitrovica South 17/03 - 1830 hrs. Rocks that were thrown by demonstrators damaged a UN vehicle. No injuries reported.


BORDER POLICE

VRBNICA

Border Checkpoint

17/03 - 0430 hrs. A bar waiter running a premises near the border reported that she observed three people crossing illegally. A patrol was sent immediately and all three suspects were arrested.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

KULLINA

Boundary Checkpoint

The crossing point was closed to traffic at 1600 hrs. due to the disturbances within Pristina region, but reopened at 1900 hrs when the situation improved.

GENERAL JANKOVIC

Border Checkpoint

The crossing point was closed at 1620 hrs. for all incoming human and vehicular traffic due to on going disturbances in Kosovo.


UNMIK-Politets døgnrapport for 21.03.2004

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Pristina Region : Five males were arrested for assault and shooting.

Gnjilane Region : Three males were arrested for theft..

Prizren Region : Two males were arrested for assaulting police officers on duty.

Pec Region : A male was arrested for fatal traffic accident.

Mitrovica Region : A male was arrested for assault.

Statistics for the recent Civil unrest will be released seperately.


REGION PRISTINA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

ASSAULT/SHOOTING

Pristina South 21/03 - 2225 hrs. Four male suspects assaulted a male victim that made several shots in the ground in self-defense. The police arrived at the scene and arrested all of them. The pistol was seized.

THREAT

Pristina North 20/03 - 1500 to 2000 hrs. A male victim reported that a male suspect threatened him. No arrest reported.

ARSON

Obilic - 20/03 - 2345 hrs. The Police were informed about an arson incident and responded the scene. They found two houses got burned whilst the third one was still on fire. No arrest reported.

THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

Pristina Central 21/03 - 1330 hrs. Police arrested a male suspect after he had stolen two cell phones from a victim's vehicle by breaking its window.

ILLEGAL WEAPON POSSESSION

Gadime Village, Lipljan - 20/03 - 1800 hrs. While conducting a house search KFOR recovered one hand grenade, five detonators for grenades, fifty-six rounds of ammunition and one rifle. No arrest reported.

ILLEGAL ABORTION

Pristina North - 21/03 -0600 hrs. Upon receiving information Police responded to the scene of a criminal abortion committed by a suspected mentally sick female. The suspect was sent to the hospital.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

UXO FOUND

Lipljan 21/03 - 1150 hrs. A male reported that he found a hand grenade in the yard of his house. Police and KFOR arrived at the scene and defused the grenade safely. Case closed.

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE

Pristina South 21/03 - 0858 hrs. Police were informed about a suspicious vehicle that was parked near KFOR compound. Police and EOD team responded the scene. They searched the vehicle with negative result. The vehicle was impounded.


REGION GNJILANE

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

CURFEW VIOLATIONS

Gnjilane - 21/03 - 2130 hrs. KFOR arrested a male for curfew violation and after identification he was found to have participated in the riot.

Gnjilane 21/03 - 2130 hrs. KFOR arrested a male for curfew violation and after identification he was found to have participated in the riot.

Ferizaj 21/03 - 1900 hrs. KFOR arrested a male for curfew violation and after identification it was determined that he was reported in Lipjan as a missing person.

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Vitina 21/-3 - 1400 hrs. KFOR arrested a male for obstruction of justice. No injuries were reported.

BURGLARY

Gnjilane 20/03 - 0830 hrs. An International Police Officer reported to the Police that his flat was burgled. Stolen items were : one VCR worth 100 €, one receiver worth 50 € and one CD player worth 110 €. No arrests were reported.

THEFTS

Gnjilane 21/03 - 1000 hrs. Police arrested a male for theft during the riot.

Vitina 21/03 - 1250 hrs. Police arrested a male for theft.

Vitina - 21/03 - 1445 hrs. Police arrested a male for theft.


OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Gnjilane 17/03 - 1830 hrs. Four males sustained unspecified injuries when an unknown vehicle struck them. No arrests were reported.

FIRE

Kacanik 21/03 - 1400 hrs. Two fire incidents took place in the forest. The fire was extinguished.

UXO FOUND

Rakaj Village, Kacanik 21/03 - 1740 hrs. It was reported to the Police that two hand grenades were found. Police responded to the scene and secured the spot. EOD team took the grenades to their base for disposal. Case closed.


REGION PRIZREN

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

ASSAULT

Zrze Village, Orahovac 21/03 - 0220 hrs. Two on duty KPS officers were assaulted by two male suspects. The two suspects were arrested. No injuries reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO'S

Celina Village, Orahovac 21/03 - 1500 hrs. A male reported to Police that he found UXO. EOD team arrived at the spot and took a grenade safely for disposal. Case closed. Prizren 21/03 - 1200 hrs. The Police were informed that a UXO was found in the field. EOD team responded and detonated the mine on the spot. No injuries reported. Case closed.

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Prizren RTU 21/03 - 1700 hrs. A male driver whilst intoxicated struck a male pedestrian. The victim sustained major injuries and was transported to the hospital. The suspect was arrested.


REGION PEC

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Zahaq Village, Pec RTU 21/03 - 1510 hrs. A male driver did not adjust the speed to road conditions and hit two juvenile female victims. One victim died and the second one was taken to Pristina Hospital in life-threatening condition. The suspect escaped from the scene but was eventually stopped later and arrested.

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Pec 20/03 - 1700 hrs. A male driver did not stop at a vehicle check point. The Police chased and stopped him. The suspect insulted Police officers. He was arrested and the vehicle was impounded.

BURGLARY

Binqa Village, Klina 20/03 - 1400 hrs. The Police responded to the scene of two burgled houses. No arrest reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO'S

Zatra Village, Pec 21/03 - 1532 hrs. An off-duty Police officer reported that he found a hand grenade while he was cleaning his garden. Police and KFOR were notified.

Zhub Village, Gjakova 21/03 - 1420 hrs. A male reported that he found an UXO. Police responded to the scene and secured it. The EOD team took the device for disposal. Case closed.


REGION MITROVICA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

GRIEVOUS ASSAULT/EXPLOSION

Mitrovica North 20/03 - 2210 hrs. A male reported to the Police that unknown suspect/s threw a hand grenade at his house. Unspecified damages to the roof, no injuries, and no arrests were reported.

ASSAULTS

Mitrovica South 20/03 - 1900 hrs. Two persons were assaulted and expelled from their flat. 4-5 people assaulted the victims who sustained minor injuries (male victim); respectively major injuries (female victim). No arrests were reported. Investigation continuing.

Srbica - 20/03 - 1750 hrs. A male reported to the Police that a known male assaulted him. The suspect was arrested.

INTIMIDATION

Mitrovica North - 21/03 - 1130 hrs. A male reported to the Police that two unknown suspects armed with a pistol entered his residence and threatened to kill him. No injuries, no arrests were reported.

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Vucitrn 20/03 - 2130 hrs. Police arrested a male for obstruction of justice during a traffic check. No injuries were reported.

Vucitrn 21/03 - 1145 hrs. Police arrested a male for obstruction of justice during a traffic check. No injuries were reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FUNERAL

Qabra Village, Zubin Potok - 21/03 - 1615 hrs. The funeral ceremony of the two drowned children ended without any incident. Around 10.000 people were present on the spot. KFOR and Police monitored the situation.

FIRE INCIDENT

Vucitrn 21/03 - 1615 hrs. A fire incident was reported in an abandoned house. Police responded to the scene and extinguished the fire.


BORDER POLICE

PRISTINA AIRPORT

FORGED DOCUMENT

21/03 - 1100 hrs. A male was denied to exit to Zurich for presenting a stolen German travel document and a faked German permit of stay and a faked border stamp. Documents were seized. Initial report and statement were taken. He was released into Kosovo.

DJENERAL JANKOVIC

FORGED DOCUMENT

21/03 - 1625 HRS. A male driver was found to be in possession of UNMIK Travel Document with suspicious chassis Number. After taking data, statement, fingerprints and photo the suspect was released into Kosovo.

VRBNICA

FORGED DOCUMENT

21/03 - 1815 hrs. A male on the way from Albania to Kosovo presented a faked Yugoslavian passport and faked Italian residence permission. Documents were seized. Fingerprints, photos and statement were taken. He was released into Kosovo.


CAFA PRUSHIT

BORDER CLOSED

Gjakova 21/03 - 1410 hrs. Due to the finding of anti-tank mine the border was closed and after mine clearing reopened. Case closed.


UNMIK-Politets døgnrapport for 23.03.2004

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Pristina Region : Two police officers were killed

Gnjilane Region : One male was arrested for riot/murder.

Prizren Region : One male was arrested for riot.

Pec Region : One hand grenade was placed near IPO's accommodation.

Mitrovica Region : Three males were arrested for murder.


REGION PRISTINA

CRIMINAL INCIDENT

MURDER

Podujevo 23/03 - 2145 hrs. Four unknown armed suspects shot at a Police Patrol Vehicle, then escaped from the scene. One IPO male died at the scene, one KPS Officer died at the hospital and the LA was wounded.

ASSAULT

Podujevo 23/03 -1055 hrs. Police arrested a male after he assaulted another male causing unspecified injuries. The search of suspect's residence was conducted and one shotgun and 16 rounds of ammunition were seized.

ARSON

Lipjan 23/03 - 0140 hrs. A male reported to the Police that his brother's house was burnt. No injuries, no arrests were reported.

BURGLARY Pristina South 22/03 - 1900 hrs. A male reported to the police that unknown suspect(s) broke into his residence and stole several items estimated at 9.000 Euros. No arrests were reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO

Lipjan -23/03 -1530 hrs. A male reported to the Police that he has seen one hand grenade in a burnt house. Police responded and secured the scene. EOD team defused the grenade safely.

FIRE

Podujevo 23/03 -1420 hrs. Fire took place in a forest area. The Fire brigade responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. No injuries reported. The cause of fire is unknown. .


REGION GNJILANE

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

RIOT/MURDER (FOLLUW UP)

Gnjilane 17/03 - 1700 hrs. Police arrested a 22-year-old male for above-mentioned murder of two victims during the riot.

GRIEVOUS ASSAULT (Follow up)

RIU Homicide 17/03 - 1700 hrs. A male suspect was arrested for grievous assault to two male victims. The victims sustained injuries.

RIOT ARRESTS

Gnjilane - 17/03 - 1500 hrs. A male suspect was arrested for taking part in a riot. Investigation continuing. Gnjilane 18/03 - 1800 hrs. A male suspect was arrested for taking part in a riot. Investigation continuing.

Gnjilane 17/03 - 1800 hrs. A male suspect was arrested for taking part in a riot. Investigation continuing.

Kamenica 17/03 - 1630 hrs. A male suspect was arrested for taking part in a riot. Investigation continuing.

RIOT/THEFT

Kamenica 17/03 - 1800 hrs. Police arrested a male after he committed a theft of Police equipment during a riot. Investigation continuing.

ARSON

Novo Brdo, Gnjilane 23/03 - 2110 hrs. Police was informed that unknown suspects burned down an abandoned house. No injuries, no arrests were reported. Investigation continuing.

ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF WEAPON

Bresalc Village, Gnjilane 23/03 - 0400 hrs. KFOR conducted a search of a house and seized one pistol, one hunting rifle and 30 rounds of ammunition. The male owner of the house was arrested.

Ferizaj - 22/03 - 0400 hrs. KFOR conducted a search of a civilian vehicle and seized one shotgun and four rounds of ammunition. The male owner of the vehicle was arrested.

BURGLARY (FOLLOW UP)

Gnjilane 21/03 - 0830 hrs. A male reported to the Police that unknown suspect(s) broke into his residence and stole several items estimated at 300 Euros. No arrests were reported.

CURFEW VIOLATION

Vitina - 22/03 - 1540 hrs. KFOR arrested two males for curfew violation.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FUNERAL GATHERING

Ferizaj 23/03 -1530 hrs. A crowd of about 1000 people gathered of the funeral of a male victim who died on 17/03 during the demonstrations. The ceremony ended peacefully.

MANIFESTATION (Information)

Kacanik 23/03 -1500 hrs. About 70 people attended a peaceful manifestation.No incidents were reported.

FOUND WEAPON

Sllubica Village, Gnjilane 23/03 - 1820 hrs. A male informed KFOR that he found one AK-47 and 47 rounds of ammunitions on the top of the hill. The weapon and ammunition was seized.

ABANDONED CHILD

Gnjilane 23/03 - 1736 hrs. An abandoned child was found in a sports bag. He was sent to the hospital.


REGION PRIZREN

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

RIOT

Prizren 18/03 - unknown time. A male was arrested for participating in the riot and shooting.

ASSAULT

Dragash 22/03 - 2335 hrs. Police arrested a male driver after he assaulted a Police Officer during a traffic check. No injuries were reported.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Carvela Village, Prizren 22/03 - 1900 hrs. Police arrested a male after he assaulted his mother and sister with a knife. No injuries were reported.

Prizren 21/03 - 1900 hrs. Police arrested a male after he assaulted his mother. No injuries were reported.

DISTURBING PUBLIC ORDER

Suva Reka 23/03 - 0950 hrs. Two males were arrested for disturbing public order.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Suva Reka 23/03 - 1830 hrs. Five persons were injured when two civilian vehicles were involved in a traffic accident. No arrests were reported.

FOUND UXO

Malishevo -23/03 -1330 hrs. A male informed Police that he found one UXO while he was working in his field. The EOD team responded to the scene and safely exploded a tank shell. Prizren -23/03 -1130 hrs. Upon receiving information Police responded to the scene of UXO found and secured the area. The EOD team arrived at the scene and safely removed a hand grenade. Malishevo 23/03 - 0800 hrs. A male reported to the Police that an UXO was found in the mosque yard. KFOR EOD responded to the scene and rocket launcher was safely removed.

FOUND AMMUNITION

Brezna Village, Dragash 23/03 -1822 hrs. A Police officer reported that he found a large amount of ammunition whilst patrolling. KFOR attended the scene and removed the ammunition.


REGION PEC

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

INTIMIDATION/FOUND UXO

Gjakova 23/03 - 0750 hrs. A hand grenade with removed safety pin was found lying near the accommodation of an international Police Officer. KFOR EOD arrived at the scene and safely removed the device. No injuries, no arrests were reported reported.

EXPLOSION

Pec - 22/03 - 2335 hrs. An unknown suspect threw a hand grenade towards the residence of male victim. No injuries, unspecified damages, no arrests were reported.

RAPE

Gjakova -20/03 -1830 hrs. A female reported to the Police that one known and two unknown suspects had raped her. The victim was sent to Pristina hospital for medical examination. No arrests were reported.

ASSAULTS

Istok - 22/03 - 0820 hrs. Police arrested three males after they assaulted a male victim causing unspecified injuries.

Dobrusha Village, Istok 22/03 - 1930 hrs. Police arrested two males after they assaulted a male owner of a fuel station. No injuries were reported.

ARMED ROBBERY

Radavac Village, Pec -23/03 -1700 hrs. Three unknown suspects stopped a male victim while he was driving his truck, struck the victim on his forehead using the butt end of the pistol and robbed him of approximately 280 Euros. No arrest reported.

BURGLARY

Gjakova 22/03 - 1845 hrs. A female reported to the Police that unknown suspect(s) broke into her residence and stole one digital camera estimated at 1000 Euros. No arrests were reported.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Pec - 20/03 - 1900 hrs. A male reported to the Police that his wife assaulted him. No injuries, no arrests were reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Pec -23/03 -1430 hrs. An injury traffic accident occurred when the driver of a civilian vehicle lost control and struck a tree. Four males sustained serious injuries and were transported to the hospital.

FIRES

Gjakova -23/03 -1235 hrs. A fire took place in an abandoned building. The fire brigade extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported. The cause of fire is unknown. Vitomirica 23/03 -1615 hrs. A fire took place in the forest area. Fire brigade responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. No injuries reported. The cause of fire is unknown.

DEMONSTRATION (Information)

Pec 22/03 - 2015 hrs. Approximately 80 people attended a peaceful demonstration regarding three drowned children. No incidents were reported.


REGION MITROVICA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

MURDER

Murga Village, Mitrovica-22/03 -1055 hrs. Police arrested three male suspects for the involvement in a murder case.

EXPLOSION

Mitrovica North - 23/03 - 0110 hrs. Unknown suspect(s) threw a hand grenade towards residence of female victim. No injuries, unspecified damages, no arrests were reported.

ARMED ROBBERY

Mitrovica South 23/03 - 2230 hrs. Two unknown suspect armed with a pistol robbed a fuel station of 262 Euros and fled from the scene. No injuries, no arrests were reported.

ARSON

Maxhuini Village, Vucitrn 19/03 - 2120 hrs. One house was burnt. No arrests were reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

UXO FOUND

Vucitrn 22/03 - 1930 hrs. The Police found a land mine that was placed in a street. KFOR/ EOD will visit the scene at the morning to clear mine.

Vojnik village, Srbica 23/03 - 1025 hrs. A male reported the Police that he found one anti tank projectile on the mountain and he took it to his house. The Police responded to the scene and informed the KFOR EOD team.

North Mitrovica 23/03 - 0830 hrs. A male reported the Police that he found a hand grenade without the clip on the balcony of house. KFOR EOD team was informed. No injuries reported. North Mitrovica 23/03 - 1059 hrs. Police found a UXO and informed KFOR. The UXO was detonated by KFOR. No injuries reported.

NON - INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Mitrovica -23/03 -1520 hrs. A non-injury traffic accident occurred between a KFOR vehicle and a civilian vehicle. Minor damages were reported.

DEMONSTRATION (Information)

Mitrovica South 23/03 - time unknown. Approximately 3500 people attended a peaceful demonstration regarding three drowned children. No incidents were reported.


BORDER POLICE

PRISTINA AIRPORT

FORGED DOCUMENT

23/03 - 1200hrs. A male was refused entry to Switzerland from Swiss Authorities in Zurich. After charging for falsification of a Croatian passport he was sent back to Pristine Airport. No arrests were reported.


UNMIK-Politets døgnrapport for 25.03.2004

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

Pristina Region : Two male suspects were arrested for Human Trafficking.

Gnjilane Region : Nothing significant

Prizren Region : .Peaceful memorial gatherings took place.

Pec Region : Seven male suspects were arrested for Assault.

Mitrovica Region : Two male suspects were arrested for Illegal possession of weapon.


REGION PRISTINA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

BURGLARIES

Pristina Central 24/03 - 0830-1830 hrs. A male IPO reported that unknown suspect(s) had broken his apartment door and stolen some personal items valued 610 Euros.

Central 25/03 - 2030 hrs. An International male reported that his vehicle was broken into and a handbag with some valuable goods was stolen. No arrest reported.

LOSS OF WALLET

Central 25/03 - 1145 hrs. An International staff member reported that his wallet was missing, which contained bank cards and 100E.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING/PIMPING

Pristina - 24/03 - 2215 hrs. Police arrested two males after they forced into prostitution a foreign female, who illegally crossed the Kosovo border.

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Pristina Central 24/03 - 1603 hrs. A local female UNMIK employee reported to the Police that an unknown 14-year-old male grabbed her from behind and escaped from the scene. No injuries, no arrests were reported.

ILLEGAL WEAPON POSSESSION

Hade Village, Obiliq 25/03 - 1425 hrs. Police conducted a house search and recovered one AK-47 rifle and one TT pistol. The weapons were seized and a male suspect was arrested.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

Pristina North 25/03 - 1600 hrs. As a result of a single traffic accident a male driver and his female passenger sustained unspecified injuries. The victims were transported to the hospital.

Lipljan 25/03 - 1640 hrs. As a result of a collision of two civilian vehicles six persons sustained major injuries and were transported to the hospital.


REGION GNJILANE

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

THEFT

Kamnik. Gnjilane 17/03 - 1930 hrs. Unknown suspect forcibly snatched a handbag from the victim's shoulder and ran away while she was in front of her residence. The victim stated that her handbag contains her passport, UNMIK ID, health card, 1800E and 65000 Serbian dinnar. No arrest reported.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND UXO

Muhovc Village, Bujanovc 25/03 - 0830 hrs. A male found a hand grenade in the yard of his house and brought it to the Police station. UXO was taken safely for disposal. Case closed.


REGION PRIZREN

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

Nothing significant reported

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

MEMORIAL GATHERINGS

Orahovac 25/03 - 1030 hrs. Memorial gatherings were organized in the villages Bellacrka, Brestovac and Celina. Around 2800 people participated. The events passed without incident..

MISSING PERSON

Prizren 17/03 - 1000 hrs. The parents of a juvenile female reported to Police that their daughter left home and they did not know her location.

ACCIDENTAL FIRE

Bella Cerka, Orahovac 25/03 - 1435 hrs. A male informed Police that there was a fire in an agricultural equipment, vulcanizer shop and cow hay. The Police responded to the scene and it was known that the fire was accidentally caused by his brother's daughter age 5. The total damage of the property is 1000E. No arrest reported.


REGION PEC

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

ASSAULTS

Pec 24/03 - 1730 hrs. A male reported to the Police that two known males assaulted him during an argument regarding a parked vehicle. No arrests, no injuries were reported.

Klina 24/03 - 1600 hrs. Police responded to the scene and noticed that an assault case occurred between five male suspects. Three of them received medical treatment. Three suspects were arrested.

Decani 24/03 - 1800 hrs. A male victim reported to the Police that a male suspect beat him. Medical treatment was given to the victim. The suspect was arrested.

THREAT/INTIMIDATION

Pec - 24/03 - 1000 hrs. A male victim reported that he was harassed and threatened by a male suspect with knife. The disagreement was regarding a taxi fare . The suspect was arrested.

DOMESTIC DISPUTE

Gjakova 24/03 - 0800 hrs. A female victim reported that her husband under influence of alcohol assaulted her by grabbing her neck. No injuries reported. The suspect was arrested.

ILLEGAL WEAPON POSSESSION

Istok 25/03 - 1500 hrs. The Police conducted a search of a male suspect's house and recovered one shotgun. The suspect was arrested.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

Rogova Village, Gjakova 25/03 - 1400 hrs. Three suspects were arrested for aggravated assault.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

MEETING

Dakovica 24/03 - 1700 hrs. Approximately 700 people attended a peaceful manifestation in commemoration of NATO air strikes. No incidents were reported.

FOUND UXO'S

Klina 25/03 - 1650 hrs. A UXO was found by two children . Police responded and secured the scene until the arrival of KFOR. No arrest reported.

Decani 25/03 - 1745 hrs. The police were informed about a UXO and responded to the scene. Police secured the scene until the arrival of EOD team. No arrest reported.

Vitomirica - 25/03 - 1600 hrs. A male informed Police that he found a UXO. The police responded to the scene and secured the scene until the arrival of EOD team. No arrest reported.


REGION MITROVICA

CRIMINAL INCIDENTS

ILLEGAL NARCOTICS

South, Mitrovica 23/03 - 1815 hrs. A male informed Police about suspicious happenings in zhabare village. The police responded to the scene and found 1062 gms of heroine in a packet.

ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF WEAPON

Vushtrri 25/03 - 1900 hrs. Police searched a vehicle and found two pistols. Two suspects were arrested.

OTHER INCIDENTS/EVENTS

FOUND WEAPONS

Mitrovica North -25/03 -0245 hrs. KFOR conducted a search operation of a building's basement and seized one rocket launcher, five rifles, ten fully loaded magazines, about 700 loose rounds of ammunition. No arrests

FOUND DRUGS

Zhabar Village, Mitrovica 23/03 - 1815 hrs. A male reported to the Police that he had located a suspicious object under the bridge. Police responded to the scene and packet containing 1062 gr. of heroine was seized. No arrests were reported.

INJURY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT

Broboniq Village, Mitrovica 25/03 - 1900 hrs. A civilian vehicle collided with a horse cart. A male victim sustained minor injuries.


BORDER POLICE

PRISTINA AIRPORT

THREAT/INTIMIDATION

24/03 - 1120 hrs. Police arrested a male after he threatened to kill a KPS Officer. No injuries were reported.

FORGED DOCUMENT

24/03 - 1030 hrs. A male has been refused leaving Kosovo to Zurich by flight for presenting an Albanian passport with a faked South African Visa. The suspect was arrested.

25/03 - 1600 hrs. A male presented a blank stolen Yugoslavian passport. The document was seized and initial report and statements were taken. He was released.

25/03 - 1120 hrs. A male was denied exit for presenting an Albanian passport with a fake Schengen visa. The document was seized and initial report and statements were taken. He was sent to the holding center.

DJENERAL JANKOVIC

25/03 - 2040 hrs. A male presented a suspicious VRD officers at the BCP. The VRD and the vehicle plate were seized. Initial report and statements were taken. He was released.

25/03 - 1350 hrs. A male tried to cross the border with a fake Yugoslavian passport. The document was seized. Initial report and statement were taken. He was released.

GLOBOCICA

Nothing to report.

VRBNICA

Nothing to report.

CAFA PRUSHIT

Nothing to report.

CAFA MORINA

Nothing to report.

ARRESTATION AF SUKRI BUJA

»Beta« skriver:

BELGRADE -- Wednesday – A former regional commander of the Kosovo Protection Corps, Sukri Buja, arrested in connection with last weeks violence in Kosovo, was the first senior Kosovo Liberation Army officer to give evidence against Slobodan Milosevic at the Hague Tribunal.

Buja was arrested on Tuesday evening by Finnish KFOR troops on suspicion of inciting violence in Lipljan in which one Serb was killed and several injured. Hundreds of Serbs were expelled from the town, ten kilometres south of Pristina and scores of Serb-owned houses set on fire.

Buja is a senior official of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the party established by former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, after official announcements that the guerrilla organisation had been disbanded.

The Liberation Army’s former political leader, Hasim Thaqi, is the president of the party.

Serbian judicial authorities have charged Buja with crimes against Serbs in 1998 and 1999 in the Urosevac.

According to Pristina media he was sentenced to thirteen years’ imprisonment in 1989 for political activity and released after five years in custody in 1994.

In 1995 he sought political asylum in Switzerland, devoting himself to “helping Kosovo”. He returned to the province after the massacre of the Jasari family in the village of Prekaz in March, 1998, entering illegally from Albania with another thirty people carrying light arms and weaponry.

Buja began his two days of testimony at the Hague Tribunal on June 5, 2002. Identified only as protected witness K7, he presented himself as the former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army for the Racak district.

Under cross-examination, he admitted he did not know how many people he had killed during hostilities in Kosovo.

ARRESTATION AF AVDYL MUSHKOLAJ

UNMIK skriver:

12 April 2004 – United Nations police officers in Kosovo have arrested a Kosovo Albanian man for his alleged role in last month's wave of deadly rioting that swept across the province.

A UN spokesperson told reporters today that Avdyl Mushkolaj was detained on Saturday, following the issuing of a warrant for his arrest by an international judge. Mr. Mushkolaj is alleged to have led and incited riots in the town of Decani on 17 March.

Several days of rioting and violent attacks in Kosovo last month, the worst since the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) assumed control of the province in June 1999, left 19 people dead and hundreds injured and drove thousands of people, mostly Kosovo Serbs, from their homes. Hundreds of homes and religious buildings, including churches and monasteries, were destroyed or damaged as well.

In another development, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for the province, Harri Holkeri, has replaced the managing director of the Kosovo Trust Agency.

In a statement Mr. Holkeri said he had decided to replace Marie Fucci in the post "to continue the privatization process more decisively." He thanked Ms. Fucci for her dedication and commitment "in very difficult circumstances."


ARRESTATION AF SAMIT LUSHTAKU [SAMI LUSHTAKU]. DANSK KFOR DELTOG INDIREKTE. DEMONSTRATIONER. LØSLADELSE MOD KAUTION

»SET« skriver (på basis af Serbiske »Beta«):



KFOR personnel on Wednesday (28 April) arrested a former senior guerrilla commander on suspicion of involvement in the wave of violence that swept the province last month. Sami Lushtaku, an ethnic Albanian, was arrested in northern Kosovo, KFOR spokesman Jim Moran told the Beta news agency. Moran said that Lushtaku, a founder of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army, was arrested in connection with rioting in mid-March in which 19 people died and thousands of Serbs were driven from their homes. He stressed that the decision to detain Lushtaku was unrelated to his actions as a commander of the guerrilla army in clashes with Serb security forces in 1998 and 1999. (Beta - 28/04/04)

HOK skriver 29.4.:

Tilfangetagelse af Samit Lushtaku

KFOR har i en storstilet aktion i Den Danske Bataljons område omkring Skenderaj i går morges gennemført anholdelse af Samit Lushtaku, en af Kosovos mest kriminelle.

Af: HOK presse

Han er bl.a. mistænkt for at være involveret i urolighederne 17. – 19. marts. Lushtaku og hans støtters kriminelle aktiviteter er en betydelig trussel mod et sikkert miljø i Kosovo og mod en positiv fremtid i Kosovo.

Under krigen var Lushtaku chef i kosovoalbanernes hær/frihedsbevægelse, hvorfor han blandt nogle albanere fortsat har en høj status. Den Danske Bataljon er i forhøjet beredskab og støtter KFOR operation. Bataljonen har herunder intensiveret den forebyggende tilstedeværelse og patruljering i bataljonens væsentligste afsnit.

Siden anholdelsen har der været demonstrationer med op til 500 deltagere. Demonstrationerne er forløbet fredeligt. Den Danske Bataljon vurderer, at der i de nærmeste dage også vil kunne forekomme demonstrationer i området.

Alle i bataljonen har det godt, og går til de stillede opgaver med frisk mod.

UNMIK Politiet skriver 30.04.2004:

DEMONSTRATION

Vucitrn - 29/04 - 1200 hrs. About 20 people gathered in front of Culture Center to protest against recent arrest of former KLA commander. Protest ended peacefully. (Information) *

Skenderaj - 29/04 - 1200 hrs. About 2000 people marched in the main town roads as protest against the recent arrest of a former KLA commander. Protest ended peacefully. (Information) *


HOK skriver 04.05:

Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!

Ugens altoverskyggende operation, var tilfangetagelsen af Samit Lushtaku i Skenderaj i Den Danske Bataljons område.

Samit Lushtaku er den højest rangerende og mest indflydelsesrige person, som er blevet anholdt siden krigen i 1999. Samit Lushtaku’s position og indflydelse skyldes i høj grad krigen og hans rolle i UCK (kosovoalbanernes hær/modstandsbevægelse).

Han ledte UCK i Drenica regionen, og bliver fortsat tituleret som general i de lokale medier. Han blev efter krigen regionsleder i TMK/KPC (Kosovo Protection Corps), der skal fungere som Kosovos civilforsvar/beredskabskorps, men blev senere afskediget som følge af indblanding i organiseret kriminalitet. Han betegnes som autonom og ekstremist. Han står fortsat stærkt navnlig i Skenderaj/Drenica området, og han nyder respekt som en krigshelt.

Årsagen til tilfangetagelsen var, dels at han mistænkes for at have været involveret i urolighederne 17. – 19. marts, dels at hans kriminelle aktiviteter og undertrykkelse af lokalbefolkningen udgør en trussel mod et sikkert og fredeligt miljø i Kosovo, hvilket KFOR har til opgave at sikre.

Operationen blev ledet af KFOR taktiske reserve og støttet af Den Danske Bataljon. Operationen blev en stor succes og forløb fuldstændig efter planen.

Reaktionerne på tilfangetagelsen var det meget vanskeligt at forudsige, men bataljonen måtte nødvendigvis tage udgangspunkt i værste fald situationen af hensyn til egen styrkebeskyttelse og beskyttelsen af de serbiske mindretal i området.

Hovedtesen for bataljonens indsats umiddelbart efter og i dagene der fulgte/følger var og er først og fremmest at afskrække parterne fra at iværksætte aggressioner mod KFOR generelt og Den Danske Bataljon i særdeleshed ved størst mulig ”show of force” og ”show of presence” i området samtidig med, at vi på den anden side også ønskede at reducere spændingen ved en som udgangspunkt venlig men bestemt optræden og tæt kontakt med befolkningen, lokale talsmænd og borgmestre m.fl..

Også denne del af operationen lykkedes tilsyneladende. I de første par dage efter tilfangetagelsen var der flere demonstrationer med op mod 500 - 1000 deltagere. Alle demonstrationer forløb dog fredeligt og uden problemer. Bataljonens forhøjede beredskab og øgede tilstedeværelse i området, har slidt hårdt på soldaterne, som dog endnu en gang blot er gået til den med frisk mod.

Ugens anden hovedbegivenhed var en udløber af drukneulykken den 16. marts i Ibar floden mellem byerne Cabre (albansk) og Zubce (serbisk), hvor tre kosovoalbanske drenge druknede. Det blev dengang og efterfølgende påstået, at det var serbere og en hund fra byen Zubce, som havde jaget drengene i druknedøden. Denne ulykke er siden blevet brugt af albanerne, som forklaring på og undskyldning for urolighederne 17. – 19. marts.

Omtalte byer ligger begge i Zubin Potok kommune. Borgmesteren (serber) bor i Zubce og viceborgmesteren (albaner) i Cabre. Siden ulykken har alle byrådsmøder hidtil været suspenderet, idet kommunens ledelse bestemt ikke ønskede at møde eller tale med hinanden før der var kommet en officiel afklaring af ulykkens årsager og sammenhæng. Der er nu i mellemtiden udkommet en rapport fra FN Missionens politi, som har forestået undersøgelserne i forbindelse med drukneulykken.

Af denne rapport fremgår, at det ikke kan sandsynliggøres, at det skulle være serbere og deres hund, der havde forårsaget ulykken. Mere sandsynligt er der tale om, at børnene, i alt 4 drenge, blot selv havde valgt at forsøge at krydse gennem floden med det tragiske resultat, at kun den ældste var i stand til at gennemføre forehavendet.

Da denne rapport nu forelå, besluttede Zubin Potok’s serbiske borgmester at genoptage byrådsmøderne i fredags, idet han klart forventede at få en uforbeholden undskyldning fra sin albanske viceborgmester fra Cabre.

Dette var viceborgmesteren, imidlertid overhovedet ikke rede til, hvorfor mødet endte i kaos og blev afbrudt meget hurtigt. Forud for mødet havde FN Missionens politi i Zubin Potok, anmodet Den Danske Bataljon om at etablere sikkerhed omkring mødet, idet man frygtede uro mv..

Dette medførte, at vi sendte vores beredskabsdeling – Eagle2 - fra det pansrede motoriserede infanterikompagni mhp. at sikre FN- og byrådsbygningen i byen under mødet. Uden for mødelokalet forløb alt dog heldigvis fuldstændig roligt.

Endelig havde bataljonen i ugen glæden af, at have den kommende bataljonschef, Tom Stoltenberg, og den kommende stabschef, Flemming Fuusager, på besøg. De var på fact finding mhp. forberedelse af uddannelsen af hold 11, som skal afløse os til august. Et opmuntrende besøg, ikke mindst fordi, det er det første synlige tegn i området på, at vi vil blive afløst.

040508 Tidligere UÇK-General Sami Lushtaku er blevet løsladt på kaution. Serbiske »Beta« skriver:

PRISTINA - The former regional commander of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army Sami Lushtaku has been freed from detention, Pristina Albanian language electronic media reported.

Lushtaku was released on bail but court proceedings will be initiated against him and he will have to appear when summoned by the court.

Lushtaku was arrested on April 28 in Srbica in north Kosovo by KFOR soldiers and members of international police on suspicion of involvement in the violence that broke out in the province in March, as well as other criminal activities.

Advisor to the chief prosecutor of the Hague tribunal Jean-Daniell Ruch stated at that time that Sami Lushtaku was not arrested on the basis of a Hague tribunal indictment.

Lushtaku was born in 1961 in the village of Donje Prikaze near Srbica.

The District Court in Pristina sentenced him in absentia to 20 years in prison for the crime of terrorism.

According to information available to authorities, Lushtaku completed his military training in the Republic of Albania and in 1997 took part in the abuse and massacre of Serb civilians imprisoned in a camp in the village of Likovac, also near Srbica.

During the war in Kosovo Hashim Thaci [Thaçi] appointed him commander of the KLA's Second Operational Zone in the Prizren region. He was also the deputy chief of the Kosovo secret service, responsible, among other things, for the engagement of volunteer units from Drenica, who were sent to the Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja area (in central Serbia) to participate in clashes against state security forces.

In 2001 Lushtaku was dismissed from the position of Kosovo Protection Corps commander for the Drenica region at the insistence of the U.S. administration and prohibited from bearing weapons.

KFOR soldiers detained him for informational talks on several occasions due to his failure to honor the weapons ban.

After this Lushtaku left Srbica out of fear of being arrested and lived for a time in Albania in the city of Kukes.


INFORMATIONER FRA UNHCR - THE UN REFUGEE AGENCY





Billedet er IKKE fra UNHCR. Det stammer fra en serbisk kilde og viser flygtninge i Gracanica 23.03.2004.


GENEVA, March 23 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency has provided aid to thousands of people displaced by last week's violence in Kosovo, and reaffirmed its support for confidence-building projects for those who want to go home.

More than 3,200 minority people – mostly ethnic Serbs and Romas – have been evacuated by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) since clashes erupted in this restive province of Serbia and Montenegro last Wednesday. Some have returned home as the overall situation calmed down, but most of them are still living in KFOR bases and with host families.

UNHCR has distributed food, mattresses, blankets, jerry cans and hygiene items to the displaced people, who represent nearly 10 percent of the minority population in the Albanian-dominated southern portion of Kosovo.

Angry crowds in Kosovo last week burnt down 286 houses and 30 churches, and damaged another 80 houses and 11 churches. The violence and destruction marked a major setback to years of international efforts to promote inter-ethnic reconciliation in Serbia and Montenegro.

An estimated 220,000 ethnic Serbs and Romas fled Kosovo for Serbia and Montenegro when Serbian forces pulled out of Kosovo in 1999. Only a small portion of them has since gone back.

Nonetheless, UNHCR remains committed to continuing confidence-building projects like its twice-weekly bus line running between Prizren and Štrpce in southern Kosovo, and go-and-see visits for people wishing to return to Kosovo from Serbia. The refugee agency is also involved in reconstruction and income-generating programmes for returnees in Kosovo.


The recent violence in Kosovo led to the displacement of more than 3,200 minority people – mainly Serbs and some Roma – who are now accommodated in safer areas within the province after being evacuated from their villages by the NATO-led Kosovo Force. This represents almost 10 percent of the minority population of the predominantly ethnic Albanian southern portion of Kosovo. Some of the newly displaced have since gone back to their villages as the overall situation calmed down. However, many remain displaced and unable to go back. During the rampage, 286 houses were burned down and another 80 were damaged. Angry crowds also burned down 30 churches while 11 churches and monasteries were damaged.

UNHCR has distributed 746 mattresses, 1,098 blankets, and 200 jerry cans, as well as food and hygienic items to those now living with host families and those evacuated to KFOR bases.

We will make every effort to help those newly displaced to go back to their homes. Despite the recent violence, which represented a huge setback for UNHCR’s work in Kosovo, we will continue to support confidence-building projects to enable at least some of the displaced Kosovo minorities to go back.


Informationer fra Serbien

Den Serbiske Regerings Informationskontor har udsendt flg. om nedbrænding af Klostret i Devic

Gracanica, March 19, 2004 - The Eparchy of Raska and Prizren said citing a UNMIK report today that the Devic monastery near Srbica was burned Thursday after KFOR soldiers who had been guarding it withdrew from the area.

According to a statement, Danish KFOR troops and the monkery withdrew from Devic to a nearby KFOR base, after which the monastery was demolished and set on fire. No injured persons were reported.

The Eparchy of Raska and Prizren called on international forces to protect the valuable Christian cultural heritage as well, apart from protecting people as their priority. The eparchy described the recent developments in Kosovo, including the planned razing of churches and monasteries, as barbarity.

Also on Thursday, four other Orthodox churches were burned down in Kosovo-Metohija (the church in Donja Slapasnica near Kosovska Kamenica, the church in Brnjak near Orahovac, the Church of Sveti Nikola in Pristina, and the Church of Sveti Ilija in Vucitrn), according to the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren.

According to the latest reports, more than 15 churches and other Orthodox buildings have been set on fire in the past two days. Most of them are among the most significant monuments of Serbia's medieval art and architecture.


SERBISKE SPEKULATIONER OM HEMMELIG MIDDAG I WASHINGTON Mellem HOLBROOKE, THAÇI M.FL.

Thaçi har netop været i USA - han skulle bl.a. holde foredrag på USIP. Der har givetvis været en sammenkomst som nævnt nedenfor. Noget af hvad der står er helt korrekt (der nævnes forskellige tidligere sammenkomster). Det er meget sandsynligt at Holbrooke mener hvad han refereres for - at man bør give Kosovo / Kosóva selvstændighed og at man bør stræbe efter optagelse i EU. Holbrooke har andetsteds understreget at den Serbiske minoritet skulle sikres. Når han går ind for en EU-løsning er det fordi han formoder at 'grænserne' - i så tilfælde - vil komme til at spille en mindre rolle, og at det kan lykkes at etablere en økonomisk udvikling og et økonomisk samarbejde på tværs af grænserne.

Det er derimod aldeles usandsynligt at overskriften 'Holbrooke and Thaqui planned terror' har noget på sig, selv om man må formode at de to herrer begge har kunnet se forskellige politiske konsekvenser af handlingerne.

»Blic« skriver 25.03.2004:

Secret diner in Washington: Holbrooke and Thaqui planned terror

Less than a week before the clashes in Kosovo and Metohija occurred, a group of Albanian lobbyists from USA held a meeting at which they decided to help Kosovo Albanians to force international community to give independence to Kosovo. 'Blic' got this information from well-informed sources in the US.

As 'Blic' further finds out this informal meeting was held at the initiative of David Philips, deputy director of the Center for preventive action within Council for international relations in New York. The meeting was held at his home with light diner.

Apart from Philips, known to our public opinion for his offer to Serbian authorities to sell Kosovo for three billion Euros, Richard Holbrooke, former USA envoy to the Balkans was also present. Then there were Randy Bears, senior political advisor to Senator John Kerry, actual candidate for the President of USA and several people from former Clinton's administration close to Albanian lobby. The guest of honor at the diner was Hashim Thaqui, former leader of Kosovo Liberation Army, visiting USA at that time.

According to our unofficial information. Richard Holbrooke pointed out at that meeting that independence of Kosovo and its membership in European Union was the best way for establishment of peace in the Balkan region. The guests discussed possibilities for media campaign and accepted certain guidelines for the future actions.

'Blic' source says that the guests agreed that the first good opportunity should be waited for beginning of attack.

Such opportunity occurred several days later when Albanians used the tragic drowning of their three children as an excuse to begin the campaign of terror against Serbs. Thaqui then informs the public opinion that he 'interrupts his visit to USA to return and calm down the situation'.

While Holbrooke and Thaqui are well-known to our public opinion, Philips and Bears can be treated as people from shadow. One fact about Bears is that he is of Albanian origin. It is believed that in case that John Kerry wins presidential election, Bear might take the position of the US Secretary of State.

As regards Philips, the official Internet site of influential American non-government organization Council for international relations he is described as director of Center for preventive action within the Council. The center is studying conflicts and ways for their prevention. His articles on the Balkans in which he mainly presented anti-Serbian stances were published in the leading newspapers including 'New York Times', 'Christian Science Monitor' and 'International Herald Tribune'.

'Blic' sources, close to American administration, said on condition of anonymity that Philips had been dealing with the Balkans for a longer period of time and that he was regularly present at all meetings dealing with this topic.

Over the years of crisis, Philips had very close relations with the regime of former president Slobodan Milosevic as well with the leaders of then opposition. He chaired the team of experts and American officials who in the middle of the 90s worked on so-called Albanian issue.

In December 1995, David Philips and another six Americans arrived in Belgrade and met with then Serbian president Milosevic. He managed on that occasion to get from Milosevic permission for opening American information office in Pristina. From Belgrade Philips went to Pristina and met there with Albanian politicians. He then went to Skopje and finally to Washington where he met with Richard Holbrooke and informed him about impressions from journey to Serbia. Somewhat later those impressions were published in a report called 'Towards permanent peace in Southeast Europe'. In that report there was requested for sanctions against Belgrade should remain in force and that work on strengthening of American office in Pristina should continue.

Only eight months later, in August 1996, Philips came to Belgrade again together with his associate and met with Milosevic. This time he managed to get approval for opening of schools in Kosovo and began negotiations about Milosevic-Ibrahim Rugova meeting.

After that Philips was more focused on Serbian opposition actively participating in meetings in which leading Serbian politicians participated.

One of the most important meetings, no doubt, happened in April 1997 in New York when a round table on Serbian-Albanian relations was held at the organization on ethnic relations, PER. Albanians were led by Fehmi Agani, Mahmut Bakali, Adem Demaci, Hidajet Hiseni and Veton Suroi. Americans were led by David Philips. Cyrus Vance, Rudolph Perina and some other experts for the Balkans were also present. Serbs were represented by Vuk Draskovic, Miroljub Labus, Dragoljub Micunovic, Vesna Pesic and Dusan Janjic.

Then it was agreed that agreement on Kosovo between Albanians and Serbs was to be reached in negotiations. It was also agreed that Helsinki principles about unchangeable borders were to be respected. The sale of Kosovo, as far as known, was not discussed then.


FREDELIG DEMONSTRATION I MITROVICA 14.4.2004

Serbiske »FoNet« skriver:

A protest of Kosovo Albanians in Mitrovica has ended without incident.

Around 100 protestors gathered in the southern half of the town, demanding they be allowed to return to their homes across the river in the north.

A UN source told FoNet news agency that Serbs working for international missions in the south of the town had been evacuated ahead of the protest.


NOGLE AF DE FLYGTEDE ER VENDT TILBAGE TIL DERES HJEM, SKRIVER »BETA« 26.4.2004

KOVOVSKA MITROVICA -- Monday – Around 1,800 Kosovo Serbs and other non-Albanians displaced during last month’s riots in the UN-governed province have returned to their homes, Belgrade’s Coordination Centre said today.

Up to 4,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians fled their homes during two days of attacks by mobs of ethnic Albanians.


INTET BEVIS FOR AT SERBERE DREV ALBANSKE BØRN UD I IBAR, SKRIVER »BETA« 27.4.2004

BELGRADE -- Tuesday – Kosovo’s international prosecutor has failed to find any evidence to support reports that Serbs were involved in the drowning of three Albanian boys in March in Kosovo, Belgrade daily Danas writes today.

The incident sparked the riots which tore across the province for three days, but prosecutor Peter Tinsley, in a report apparently suppressed by UNMIK, says that no suspects had been identified as being involved in the deaths.

Albanian media reported widely that the boys had drowned when they jumped into the Ibar River to escape Serbs who were chasing them with a dog.

But, according to Danas, Tinsley says that there is no evidence to link any Serb with the events.

“The cause of death of the boys was drowning, but regardless of a major, intense effort, no suspects have been identified,” Danas quotes Tinsley’s report as saying.

The daily also quotes unnamed officials of the Kosovo Coordination Centre as saying that UNMIK has kept the report secret and under an embargo.


KOSOVO SERBERNE MÅ HAVE EN SELVSTÆNDIG STATUS, SIGER PM KOSTUNICA OG SERBISKE RETURN

Belgrade, April 23, 2004 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica talked today with representatives of the Coalition Povratak (Return) about the government's draft plan of political solution of the situation in Kosovo-Metohija.

At the meeting it was agreed that it is necessary to widely support the draft plan, which envisages autonomy for the Serb community in the province, as part of substantial autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija envisaged by the UN SC Resolution 1244.

Participants in the meeting agreed that it is important that the draft plan be unanimously adopted by the Serbian parliament, following the agreement with all political parties.

Representatives of the Coalition Povratak gave full support to the draft plan, pointing out that Kosovo Serbs hope that the expulsion of the remaining Serb and non-Albanian population will be stopped after the autonomy for Kosovo Serbs has been established, and that the conditions for the return of the displaced will be created.

Participants in the meeting stressed that the principle of autonomy is a widely accepted model and that it cannot become debatable only when Kosovo-Metohija is concerned.


Udtalelser

Kosovo fællesudtalelse

PRISTINA, March 18 (Beta) - On March 18, the UNMIK chief, the commander of NATO's South wing, the KFOR commander, the representatives of Contact Group member countries and the highest Albanian political officials called for the urgent cessation of violence in the province.

Harri Holkeri, Adm. Gregory Johnson, Gen. Holger Kammerhoff, diplomatic representatives from the U.S., France, Great Britain and Germany, along with Ibrahim Rugova, Bajram Rexhepi, Nexhat Daci and Ramush Haradinaj, issued a joint statement declaring that there can be no justification for violence. [Når Hashim Thaçi ikke er medunderskriver, skyldes det muligvis at han var i USA?]

"There is no justification for violence and it must stop now. Those who take part in violence are traitors to all the people in Kosovo," "Kosovo leaders" were reported to say in the announcement conveyed by UNMIK.

The commander of the NATO South Wing, Gregory Johnson, said that the violence which was not abating in Kosovo for two days now seemed "orchestrated" and "organized."

The developments in Kosovo in the past days indicated the existence of an "organized pattern" of this violence, he said.

Marek Novicki, the ombudsman in Kosovo, also urged Kosovo Albanians to forbear from violence against the Serbian community and the representatives of the international community, and stated that a message had been sent from Kosovo that there was intent to ethnically cleanse the province of Serbs.


Drøftelse i Sikkerhedsrådet




18 March 2004 – Denouncing "the large-scale inter-ethnic violence" that has led to the deaths of at least 31 people in Kosovo since yesterday, the United Nations Security Council today called for the province's authorities to ensure that the rule of law is maintained, all ethnic communities feel properly secure and the perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.

In a statement read out by Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sablière of France, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for this month, the 15-member body also condemned the attacks on staff from the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the troops of the Kosovo international security force (KFOR).

"The perpetrators must understand that an attack on the international presence is an attack on the international community as a whole and that extremism has no role in Kosovo's future," the statement said.

The Presidential statement was read out after a Council debate about the situation in Kosovo, which has faced the worst public unrest since the UN took over its administration nearly five years ago.

Speaking at the outset of the session, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Council, "We cannot close our eyes to the fact that this violence is ethnically motivated, with communities attacking each other." He said they highlighted how fragile Kosovo remains despite the progress made since the war of 1998-99.

Mr. Annan described the deliberate targeting of residential houses and religious sites as "shameful and inexcusable."

The Secretary-General also said he especially wanted to remind the leaders of the Kosovo Albanian community, the province's biggest ethnic group, of their responsibility to protect and promote the rights of all Kosovars, particularly its minorities.

In the Presidential statement, the Council offered its full support to UNMIK, KFOR and the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Kosovo, Harri Holkeri. It also welcomed moves to strengthen the international security presence there.

Mr. de La Sablière said in the statement that all parties in Kosovo should remain calm, avoid inflammatory behaviour and use peaceful and democratic channels - such as the UN and Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) - to resolve their grievances.

He said the Council wanted to emphasize that legal investigations were underway into the shooting of a Kosovo Serb teenager in Pristina and the deaths of three Kosovo Albanian children in Mitrovica.

Serbia and Montenegro's Foreign Minister, Goran Svilanovic, said the violence towards Kosovo's Serbs was designed to send a signal that they should leave and that UNMIK and KFOR have no real authority over the province.

Mr. Svilanovic called for the strengthening of international forces and extra measures to protect Serbs, who he said were preparing to escape to central Serbia. He said "Albanian extremism and terrorism" was responsible and had to be stopped.

The Foreign Minister also said that Serbia and Montenegro's international borders with Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) must be secured to prevent "groups of armed terrorists" from coming in to Kosovo "with large quantities of arms and other military equipment."


Peter Schieder, Europarådet, til PM Bajram Rexhepi:

Strasbourg, 19/3/2004

An open letter to Bajram Rexhepi, Prime Minister of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo

“Just a few days ago, the Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights organised a hearing on the human rights situation in Kosovo. The meeting focused on ways to protect human rights of all citizens of Kosovo. Today, Serbian villages across Kosovo are in flames, and a raging mob is set to destroy orthodox churches as symbols of the Serbian presence in Kosovo. Their acts are disgraceful, but so is the absence of clear and unequivocal condemnation of the anti-Serb violence by the Kosovo Albanian leadership. Shifting the blame to the other side, and attempts to exploit the escalation of ethnic violence to further the political cause of the majority population, are unacceptable. Kosovo cannot build its future on the blood of innocent people and the ashes of their burned homes and churches.

All the circumstances that triggered this outbreak of violence have not yet been fully clarified, but whatever the outcome of the investigation will be, it is already evident that the Albanian majority in Kosovo - and its political leadership - are failing to demonstrate that they can create a future of Kosovo in which all its people will have a chance to live in peace and stability. This is not a comment on the future status of Kosovo, but you should bear in mind that the international community will never allow Kosovo’s future to end up resembling its past.

The events in Kosovo triggered appalling scenes of ethnic hate and vandalism in several Serbian cities, and I have condemned these incidents publicly. But the violent protests in Belgrade, Nis and elsewhere in Serbia in no way diminish your responsibility to end the violence in Kosovo. You are the Prime Minister of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government – representing all, and not only the Albanian population in Kosovo. You and your colleagues bear a major responsibility to end this escalation of violence and show greater commitment to a multi-ethnic and tolerant society in Kosovo.”

Peter Schieder, President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly


Den Amerikanske Regering

[17.03.2004] STATEMENT BY ADAM ERELI, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

The U.S. strongly deplores the recent incidents of serious violence in Kosovo, involving clashes between the Albanian and Serb communities, which have caused death and injuries. We urge all of Kosovo's citizens to restore calm and in particular to cease blockading of transportation routes and other disruptive or violent actions. We call on Kosovo's political leaders to use their influence to urge their constituents to refrain from violence and express their views through peaceful means.

We ask that the people of Kosovo respect KFOR, international police, the Kosovo Police Service, and cooperate with international efforts to investigate the drowning of ethnic Albanian youths in Mitrovica and yesterday's shooting of a Serb youth in Caglavica. We call on regional leaders and media outlets to react responsibly, report accurately, and support restoration of order and reconciliation in Kosovo.

The U.S. expresses its condolences to the families of the three ethnic Albanian youths who drowned last night; we deplore the shooting of the Serb youth Monday night and hope for his full recovery. The escalating violence must end. It threatens the process of democratization and reconciliation in Kosovo, and threatens the very future of Kosovo.


[19.03.2004] STATEMENT BY ADAM ERELI, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

MEETING OF DEPUTY SECRETARY RICHARD L. ARMITAGE AND SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO FOREIGN MINISTER GORAN SVILANOVIC

Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage met today with Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic to discuss the current situation in Kosovo. Both stated that the immediate priority is to end the violence that has occurred across Kosovo in recent days. The Deputy Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed their joint concern over the present situation in Kosovo and agreed that UNMIK and KFOR must act decisively to protect persons and property from further violence, particularly the Serbian communities and patrimonial sites which have been the targets of attacks over the past two days. Deputy Secretary Armitage reviewed the actions underway to ensure that KFOR has the troops and resources it needs to restore public order. The Deputy Secretary and Foreign Minister concurred that no party can be allowed to profit or advance a political agenda through violent measures.

Deputy Secretary Armitage also praised the quick action of Belgrade authorities in quelling violence against Muslim religious sites and properties in Serbia, and thanked the Serbian Government for effectively strengthening measures to protect diplomatic missions and minority cultural sites.


PRESIDENTIAL LETTER. TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE MARCH 20, 2004 [Uddrag: Indledning og særlige afsnit om Kosovo]

In the interests of improving the efficiency of the reporting process and to increase the utility of reports to the Congress, consistent with the War Powers Resolution, I have decided to consolidate supplemental reports I provide to the Congress regarding the deployment of U.S. combat-equipped armed forces in a number of locations around the world. This consolidated report is part of my efforts to keep the Congress informed about such deployments and covers operations in support of the global war on terrorism (including in Afghanistan), Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Haiti. Operations in Iraq are a critical part of the war on terror, and it is my intention to continue to provide, consistent with the War Powers Resolution, information regarding the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq in the reports to the Congress under Public Law 107-243 and Public Law 102-1, as amended.

NATO-LED KOSOVO FORCE (KFOR)

As noted in previous reports regarding U.S. contributions in support of peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, most recently on November 14, 2003, the U.N. Security Council authorized member states to establish KFOR in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999. The mission of KFOR is to provide an inter-national security presence in order to deter renewed hostilities; verify, and, if necessary, enforce the terms of the Military Technical Agreement between NATO and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which is now Serbia and Montenegro); enforce the terms of the Undertaking on Demilitarization and Transformation of the former Kosovo Liberation Army; provide day-to-day operational direction to the Kosovo Protection Corps; and maintain a safe and secure environment to facilitate the work of the U.N. Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

Currently, there are 18 NATO nations contributing to KFOR in addition to the 18 non-NATO nations that provide forces. The U.S. contribution to KFOR in Kosovo is about 1,900 U.S. military personnel, or approximately 11 percent of KFOR's total strength of approximately 17,500 personnel. Additionally, U.S. military personnel occasionally operate from Macedonia,

Albania, and Greece in support of KFOR operations. Eighteen non-NATO contributing countries also participate with NATO forces in providing military personnel and other support personnel to KFOR.

The U.S. forces have been assigned to a sector principally centered around Gnjilane in the eastern region of Kosovo. For U.S. KFOR forces, as for KFOR generally, maintaining a safe and secure environment remains the primary military task. The KFOR operates under NATO command and control and rules of engagement. The KFOR coordinates with and supports UNMIK at most levels, provides a security presence in towns, villages, and the countryside, and organizes checkpoints and patrols in key areas to provide security, protect minorities, resolve disputes, and help instill in the community a feeling of confidence. By the end of 2003, UNMIK had transferred all non-reserved competencies under the Constitutional Framework document to the Kosovar Provisional Institutions of Self- Government (PISG). The PISG includes the President, Prime Minister, and Kosovo Assembly, and has been in place since March 2002.

NATO continues formally to review KFOR's mission at 6-month intervals. These reviews provide a basis for assessing current force levels, future requirements, force structure, force reductions, and the eventual withdrawal of KFOR. NATO has adopted the Joint Operations Area plan to regionalize and rationalize its force structure in the Balkans. The KFOR has transferred full responsibility for public safety and policing to the UNMIK international and local police forces throughout Kosovo except in the area of Mitrovica, where the responsibility is shared due to security concerns. The UNMIK international police and local police forces have also begun to assume responsibility for guarding patrimonial sites and established border-crossing checkpoints.


Den Albanske Regering, Udenrigsministeriet i Tirana

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following with concern the latest developments in Mitrovica and expresses its regret for the situation, taking into consideration the fact that there have been losses of lives, as well.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stirred by this serious event, avails itself of the opportunity, to emphasize once more its determined stance against violence and violent acts, in spite of their motives.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assesses that such situations are absolutely against the latest, general developments in Kosova, the democratic reforms and processes, the consolidation of the local institutions and the continuation of the dialogue and efforts for the establishment of the necessary climate for multiethnic coexistence in a European Kosova and they raise strongly once again the necessity of the respect of law and institutions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses once again that this situation asks for the right assessment and mature, determined actions, free from the prejudices of the institutional, political, ethnic, national and international factors, for the right solution of this situation so as to put in front of justice the responsible persons and to avoid the provocations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its conviction that all the citizens of Kosova will know how to show maturity in their judgment and actions, to be calm and to cooperate determinately with the local legitimate authorities, the international ones and UNMIK, demonstrating their ability to face with maturity such situations.


FORFATTEREN ISMAIL KADARE



Billedet stammer fra en konference i Tirana i November 2003.

TIRANA - The violent events that have involved Kosovo since two days ago, have seriously damaged Albanians' biggest dream and were a wicked and deluding strike on the international allies of Kosovo, the Albanian outstanding writer, Ismali Kadare said Friday. "Those have been the most tragic events occurring in Kosovo since the day it was liberated and have caused a huge damage to Kosovo's issue as well as to the Albanian issue in general," he said in an interview with local media. [ifølge ADN]


[Jeg ved ikke hvor flg. artikel oprindelig har stået; jeg har fået den fra en Albansk-Amerikansk nyhedsgruppe 01.04.2004, BA] "We saw how the dream of Milosevic for a Kosova without Albanians ended up. A Kosova without Serbs is also impossible. Therefore we all need to look for a possible Kosova".

1. There are two kinds of difficult events. Those which are forgotten more easily due to more important events taking place and the others, which get remembered for a very long time. What happened in Kosova recently unfortunately falls in the latter category.

Let us not have illusions. The Albanian cause suffered a reversal in March 2004. A heavy blow. A step back. We need to be aware of it. We need to get rid of the blind anger, of the shortsighted vision, of the fiery temperaments, of this bad surrogate for patriotism, and see what happened and see the consequences. An ethnic minority was attacked, with or without provocation (it does not change the essence of the attack). Serb houses got burned with torches. And Serb churches. Within a night more churches got burned than during a century in Europe. It was a suicidal temperament, completely anti-Albanian but dressed in an anti-Serb robe. If it would be proved that a Serb chauvinist center was directing that anger, we would not be surprised at all.

During one night, the noble characteristics that Albanians took pride in for centuries: religious tolerance, acceptance of others, hospitality, got burned together with churches. The perverse idea that the war in Kosova was a war for religion and not for freedom got more believable. Other anti-Albanian and racist ideas that have been propagated for years all around that Albanians are prone to destructions, disruptions and wars also got more believable.

One of the biggest damages is the anger against the international community and KFOR. Despite problems that could exist, a sacred line was crossed: the liberators got attacked. And together with them the fate of Kosova, too, the fate of all Albanians.

And it happened on the eve of the fifth anniversary of liberation. Just a few days before, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia were to receive an invitation by US President Bush as candidates for NATO. If it is confirmed, as expected, that the violence was organized, then its main goal was to create animosities between Albanians and the West, namely to cut off their path that leads to Europe. Based on this, the suspicions of incited mobs firmly stand. Incited by nostalgic and communist extremists, by those who have the war against the West and NATO in their blood, by radicals of various types who cannot stand Europe and the West, by hysterics and wet chickens that get brave when they should not. Lastly by Albanians sold to foreign intelligences, mainly Serb ones.

In the analysis to follow, the Albanian opinion will be of special importance. It will be part of the evil or on the contrary it will have an impact on repairing it. Condemnation of the violence by public opinion and the political class in Kosova, and especially in Albania, has been a very positive factor, and it played its role. It showed that Albanians, unlike how they are seen, are capable of becoming aware of mistakes. And it had an effect on holding back the worlds anger.

2. Temporary breakdowns and losses are an integral part of the fate of the nations. Only those who stand up and manage to overcome and repair the evil can win. One of the noblest and most insightful opinions expressed these days is that of an American senator who said that Albanians have taken a step back, but they can take two steps forward to repair what they broke.

So can the evil that happened be repaired? Yes, of course. It can be significantly repaired; it just takes goodwill by the Albanian side. The statement of the Kosova Government to reconstruct the Serb houses and churches is a serious step against the evil. But it is an insufficient step. The repairs should go deeper, to the roots of the evil. In the Balkans like anywhere else, evil is reparable. The Balkans is not a fatally condemned part of Europe.

Repairs would be possible if the Albanian side realized, as it realized that it should reconstruct Serb houses and churches, what really happened in Kosova in March this year. It is crystal clear that Albanians are the biggest losers. But as it has already been said, everybody lost in Kosova. The elation of Serbian nationalists for Albanian losses is illusory. If we take a closer look at it, they have lost, too. Drowning deeper and deeper in chauvinist darkness is unfortunate for any nation. The idea of understanding, of coexistence, suffered in Kosova. So did European democratic and humanistic ideals. The scornful cynicism of a racist Europe won, against a peninsula it abandoned.

It has been said before that the process of Europeanizing the Balkans fully coincides with the interests of the Albanians. Is it a wishful dream? Not at all. What other nation in the Balkans condemned the violence of its people against members of another nation on the very first day? Six years passed since the horrors in Kosova, and no condemnation is seen by the guilty side. This non-condemnation has been, among other things, a cause of the anger accumulated in Kosova.

3. One of the most frequent questions regards adolescents. Why were they manipulated so easily? One more reason for disappointment and pessimism. Thousands of adolescents today between the ages of 12 and 16 were between 6 and 10 during the war and massacres in Kosova. They witnessed never before seen horrors. They saw their parents being killed, their sisters being raped, houses being burnt. Therefore their manipulation in the current circumstances in Kosova was easy.

Finding manipulators and bringing them to justice is an imperative for Kosova. No matter the driving force behind them: mafia, religion, neo-communism, or adventures, they are anti-Albanian. No nation with dignity accepts to let its children go to the front line of danger. The people of Kosova should condemn with contempt this moral perversion.

It is not accidental that the events of March started with children to end up with churches. Pushing children to commit crimes against the religion of others, the provocateurs wanted to distort the identity of children, to tell them that before being Albanians they are religious first, and to plant the idea that the evil in Kosova came from Serb churches first, before dictatorial, chauvinistic, and neo-communist Serbia, hoping that this way any hope for reconciliation would vanish. At the end of the day, endless confrontations in the Balkans have only one name: suicide.

4. Out of the peoples in the Western Balkans, it is Serbs and Albanians that weigh the most, be it for good or for bad. Peace or war in the peninsula depends on their relations. The Western Balkans is the tip of Europe that still remains outside the mother continent. Therefore it is breaking the European democratic, economic and military ideas. Furthermore, it has tendencies to resume conflict. And like it or not, this Balkans tends to bring with it the extended horrors of the Middle East. It is beyond doubt that this will not be allowed. The punishment will be heavy for those who will be to blame for it. And chances are that they will be looked for among these two nations: Serbs that experienced the punishment once, and Albanians that have not as yet. Or both of them together.

What are these two nations doing to face this situation? Waiting for the condemnation to fall on the other, and themselves to bear the consequences as well? In other words, for Serbia to be elated because Albania lost both eyes, so its no big deal if Serbia loses only one, as an old tale goes.

This is not the way forward; this is the way toward an abyss. Reconciliation or beginning to ease tensions between Albanians and Serbs is not impossible. Only one day after the terrible events of March, the willingness of the Kosova Government to reconstruct burnt houses and churches was equal to asking for an apology. A gesture that in our Balkans is very rare. Apologizing here is considered a weakness and not courage, though thats what it truly is.

The lack of apologies from Serbs for massacres against Albanians remains as stated earlier one of the key factors of unrest in Kosova. And not only that, instead of apologies, you have calls for revenge, and for renewal of crimes, and what is worst taking pride in them.

The history of Albanian-Serb relations is primarily a long chronicle of revenge. Neither side can explain clearly what happened. They are baffled by incomprehension, by not knowing themselves and the others, by the sick Balkan sensibility, by tragic misunderstandings. It took them ages to understand that they cannot eradicate each other. And having understood this, they try to replace eradication with mutilation instead of looking for ways to get closer.

Harsh and stubborn people, they were by turns in the position of force and weakness. After the Kosova battle of 1389, which was the last act of Albanian-Serbian friendship, Serbs felt degraded by the half-rule of Albanians, and they turned their hatred toward Ottomans into hatred against Albanians over the four centuries to follow. After Kosova was given to a Slavic state, this idea of hatred triggered revenge.

After the liberation of Kosova in 1999, the reflex of revenge woke again, this time among Albanians, and it was as fatal as the one of Serbs. The history repeated itself dramatically. This time it was a handful of Kosova Serbs that had to pay for crimes a state committed for several decades. These revenges, the one of Serbs at the beginning of the century, and of Albanians at the end of it, as any other revenge, have cowardice at the core. Prishtina and Tirana seem to have realized it. Belgrade is still lagging behind.

5. What will become of Kosova?

This question, in between all the chaos, contradictory statements, Resolution 1244, the emotions, can seem quite disturbing.

The same question, asked in a clearer thinking area, is much simpler. A population of 2 million in the Balkans aspires to enjoy what all the other people of the continent do: its freedom, respectively its independence. There is also a resolution with the number 1244, which seems to sometimes acknowledge and sometimes deny this freedom. The people are face to face with the resolution and either the people have to change or the resolution has to be clarified.

Never until now in the history of the Balkans has a population been put under the rule of some other population. The freedom of one people is unquestionable. But the reluctance to proclaim it seems to have been the greatest insult for Albanians and perhaps the biggest force that led them to their suicidal rebellion.

Apart from this, the reluctance has also encouraged mad dreams of Serb chauvinists for Kosovas new enslavement. We are all aware that Kosovas freedom is not without problems and obligations. Albanians have accepted the international administration and military. For five years they have been friendly to them. Such a thing does not happen often and it should have been appreciated more. Unfortunately, the opposite happened. The continuing dissatisfaction towards Albanians, provocations, threats, insults, the denial of their suffering.

The majority of Albanians have accepted the mistake of 17 March. The acceptance of guilt is not a weakness, quite the opposite. It is a sign of rare bravery and civilization in the Balkans.

Provocations from Belgrade have become daily occurrences in Kosova. It is dangerous to question childrens deaths chased by dogs. It is insulting to see the KPC commander handcuffed for the third time in an international airport because of a Serb warrant. It is bitter, if true, that French soldiers refused to accept flowers from Albanian children. All these should not be turned into a pool full of hatred.

The vision of the majority of Albanians for Kosova is very close to the international one. An undivided Kosova, belonging to two entities that lived in it for centuries. An independent Kosova, homeland to both parties. Such a Kosova is not an artificial creation. We saw how Milosevics dream of a Kosova without Albanians ended. A Kosova without Serbs is also impossible. That is why there should be insistence on the possible Kosova.

If a joint mission between Serbs and Albanians could exist, the reason of its existence could only be reconciliation in the peninsula. As was stated before, these are the most important people in the western Balkans. This is why there needs to be an awareness. To be important is to act accordingly. And to act importantly means to think that way.


SERBIEN-MONTENEGRO: UM SVILANOVIC I FN'S SIKKERHEDSRÅD 19.03.2004

Security Council 18 March 2004

STATEMENT BY H. E. MR. GORAN SVILANOVIC
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Mr. President,

I wish to express my appreciation to you, and through you to all members of the Security Council, for responding so quickly to my Government's request to convene urgently this meeting. Indeed, extremely grave developments of yesterday in Kosovo and Metohija warrant an immediate and resolute action by the Security Council.

Violence against the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija on 17 March is jeopardizing the United Nations mission there. All efforts of the international community aimed at peaceful resolution of the problem of this southern Serbia Province are endangered. Serbian population suffered a purge, the objective of which was its ethnic cleansing from Kosovo and Metohija. KFOR and UNMIK failed so far to stop this action.

It is particularly distressing that such an outburst of violent attacks on such a wide scale by the Kosovo Albanian extremists against the Serbian community in the Province is happening almost five years after the establishment of international presences there. Many people were killed. Much more were wounded and injured. In the process, a number of Serb patrimonial sites were set ablaze.

On behalf of the Government of Serbia and Montenegro, I would like to express deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of all those victims.

The attacks on Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija are sending more than one signal, Mr. President:

- to the Serbs, the signal is that there is no life for them in the Province and that they should leave;

- to KFOR and UNMIK, the signal is that they have no real authority and power in their area of operation;

- to the Security Council, the signal, rather a challenge, is that its resolution 1244 will not be implemented - especially as far se the return of all refugees and IDPs and the creation of secure and safe environment for all communities in Kosovo and Metohija;

- another signal, from PISGs and Kosovo Albanian political leaders to the international community, is that they cannot or do not want to go out on the streets and prevent this kind of mass violence from happening; they want authority, and a lot of authority was transferred to them - however, they ignore responsibilities that come with authority.

The timing of the attacks is also indicative. In the near future the Security Council was supposed to finally receive the standards implementation plan. Instead, we all received the signal that I have just mentioned: Serbs should leave - after that it would be much easier to fulfill standards. Secondly, just after the Special representative of the Secretary-General has announced the date for the upcoming Province-wide elections, the Serbian community is given a notice that they should not think about their participation in the election, but pack and go instead. Thirdly, is the situation really conducive now for the continuation of the long-awaited dialog that has just recently started?

Mr. President,

Current crisis is an extremely serious one. It may have far reaching negative consequences. Nobody should take it as yet another in a long sequence of incidents in the past five years. On the contrary, everybody involved should approach the problem responsibly.

The situation requires urgent action of the Security Council. First and foremost, a resolution should be adopted condemning Kosovo Albanian extremism and terrorism. A political and security framework for further action of the civilian and military missions in these new and grave circumstances should be defined. International forces should be strengthened and they should adopt much more resolute stand. Extraordinary measures are needed to physically protect Serbian population, which is already preparing to flee to central Serbia.

Authorities and security forces of Serbia and Montenegro are ready to provide any assistance and cooperation to the UN mission in applying those measures. Situation in Kosovo and Metohija calls for urgent and complete security stabilization. International presences have to regain full control on the ground.

In that regard, it is of utmost importance that urgent measures are taken to secure international borders of Serbia and Montenegro in the area of Kosovo and Metohija towards Albania and Macedonia. According to our information, the border is completely unguarded now and groups of armed terrorists are coming in Kosovo and Metohija with large quantities of arms and other military equipment. This can lead to a further deterioration of the security situation in the Province.

Most recent events clearly highlighted the fact that political extremism - in terms of both demands and methods - cannot lead to the resolution of the problem. Additional efforts are required, as well as additional institutional guarantees. In this regard decentralization is essential and could be a potential step towards stabilizing the situation of the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia and Montenegro is ready to participate in the preparation and implementation of a dialog on the most important matter of institutional guarantees and decentralization.

Albanian extremism and terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija has to be condemned, Mr. President. However, that is not enough. The Security Council should define the appropriate political and security instructions and guidelines for the civilian and military missions in the Province in these new and difficult circumstances since without a doubt organized violence as the one of yesterday is the single most serious threat to peace and security in the whole region.

As a matter of urgency and as a minimum, all planned reductions of the composition and resources of KFOR and UNMIK should be cancelled. Also, KFOR should reestablish protection for communities that were gradually deprived of that. Religious and cultural sites must be also protected full time.

Mr. President,

It is obvious that statements and declarations of good intentions are not sufficient if the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is to be dealt with seriously. Such statements are understood and taken by the extremists, who really control Kosovo and Metohija, as expressions of weakness, not as a sign of resolve on the part of international community, specifically UNMIK and KFOR. Therefore, concrete and urgent action is required to immediately put an end to the present wave of violence. Otherwise, very soon the objective of creating a multiethnic and democratic Kosovo and Metohija will be irreversibly damaged.



SERBIEN: TIDL. VICEPM NEBOJSA COVIC KRITISERER SRSG HOLKERI



WASHINGTON, March 21 (B92) - Kosovo governor Harri Holkeri said today that the situation in Kosovo has considerably improved.

He told media in the US that “a couple of Serbian Orthodox churches” had been burnt down, but said that ethnic cleansing would be too strong a description.

Holkeri was responding to the use of the term “ethnic cleansing”, by NATO’s commander for south-east Europe, Gregory Johnson, Holkeri.

“Those words are too strong,” he said, adding that “There are plenty of Kosovo Serbs who have not accepted to move away from their home areas.”

“Unfortunately there has been a great deal of damage and a many Serbian houses have been destroyed, together with a couple of Serbian Orthodox churches,” said the governor.


COVIC CALLS ON HOLKERI TO APOLOGISE OR RESIGN

BELGRADE, March 22 (Beta) - The head of Belgrade’s Kosovo Coordination Centre, Nebojsa Covic, has called on UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri to apologise to Kosovo Serbs or resign.

Covic was responding to a statement given by Holkeri to US public radio in which he played down the wave of violence which swept Kosovo last week.

The Kosovo governor played down the violence which has erupted under his stewardship, dismissing NATO Southern Europe Commander Gregory Johnson’s assessment of it as ethnic cleansing and writing off the damage to dozens of Serbian church buildings as “a couple of Serbian Orthodox Churches have been set on fire”.

Covic called on all Serbian state bodies to demand that Holkeri be replaced in Kosovo, saying that thirty torched churches and monasteries and thousands of expelled Serbs and destroyed homes could not be described as anything but ethnic cleansing.

“I believe Holkeri is an experienced politician but I do not believe he has made his assessment of what has happened in Kosovo from experience. I believe there is malice behind this statement,” said Covic.


UNMIK OG KOSOVO'S SELVSTYRE-INSTITUTIONER ER ANSVARLIGE FOR VOLDEN, SIGER PM KOSTUNICA OG DEN RUSSISKE MINISTER SERGEI SHOIGU



Belgrade, March 22, 2004 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Russian Minister for Emergency Situations Sergei Shoigu agreed today that UNMIK and Kosovo interim institutions of self-government bear the responsibility for ethnic violence against Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and destruction of cultural and historical monuments in the province.

After the meeting with Shoigu, who is the special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kostunica said that ethnic cleansing in Kosovo-Metohija did not begin on March 17 but much earlier. That can be confirmed by the fact that only a third of Serbs and other non-Albanians returned to the province after they had been expelled in the wake of the 1999 conflict.

The Prime Minister said that many crimes have been committed in Kosovo-Metohija, including those that fall within the jurisdiction of the Hague tribunal.

Kostunica stressed that at the beginning of the 21st century, Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija are fighting for bear life and the right to have a home.

Shoigu said that individuals in the international community now try to diminish the fact that ethnic cleansing took place in the province last week. He said that representatives of the international community in Kosovo have not been fulfilling their obligations stipulated by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, which led to tragic events in the province.

On March 23, Russian experts and representatives of the Serbian government will select locations for two shelters which will take up to 1,000 people expelled from Kosovo, Shoigu said. The shelters will have all necessary equipment and a field hospital with a capacity for providing medical assistance to 600 persons per day.

Shoigu added that he arrived with businessmen from Russia, who will visit the expelled and decide on the form of assistance that will be provided.


Ambassadør Batakovic mener en kantonisering er nødvendig

»B92« skriver 22.03.2004:



Ældre billede af Dusan Batakovic


BELGRADE -- Monday - Last week's violence in Kosovo has confirmed the failure of the international community's concept of a multi-ethnic province, Dusan Batakovic, a historian and the man behind the proposal for the cantonisation of Kosovo, told B92 today.

Batakovic, Serbia-Montenegro's ambassador to Greece, said it was clear the mandate of the UN mission and the NATO-led peacekeeping force would be "redefined", and the province "territorially reorganised."

Batakovic's proposal envisages five Serbian cantons covering some 30 percent of the territory of Kosovo. He claimed the European Union was now ready to rethink how to resolve the Kosovo crisis.

"I believe that the EU, regardless of the fact the Contact Group has the defining word on proposing new solutions, will be increasingly prepared to consider a kind of fundamental decentralisation of Kosovo," he told B92.


»Beta« skriver 23.03.2004:

Beta News Agency, Belgrade, March 23, 2004


Batakovic: Autonomy for Serbs an urgent solution

ATHENS - Serbia-Montenegro's ambassador in Athens Dr. Dusan T. Batakovic held a press conference in Athens on Tuesday where he advocated the establishment of autonomy for Serbs in Kosovo.

Batakovic informed numerous representatives of major Greek media regarding attacks on Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo, the destruction of their property, cultural heritage and religious monuments, as well as of the urgend need for the territorial reorganization of the province.

Batakovic, a historian and expert on Kosovo, prepared ethnological and other documentation for reporters showing that ethnic cleansing of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo has been ongoing since the arrival of KFOR forces in 1999 and the establishment of the UN civil mission.

The aftermath of this is also increasing bitterness among the public in Serbia and Montenegro due to the situation in the province and inadequate engagement by the international community to change the situation.

The most recent attacks on Serbs have shown that the attempt to create a multiethnic, democratic and tolerant society in the province has failed, said Batakovic, pointing out that the goal of the ethnic cleansing was the proclamation of an independent Kosovo.

On the other hand, said the ambassador, "the goal of the Albanian extremists is also to discredit the international forces, portray them as incompetent and, additionally, to obstruct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina... in which one of the basic themes is the return of refugees and protection of the Serb community and all others now in Kosovo who... lack even the most basic human rights".

"Kosovo is ruled by complete chaos and disorder," stated Batakovic and pointed out that recent events "have confirmed the validity of all repeated criticism by the Serbia-Montenegro government which is now slowly but surely coming into into the focus of attention of the international community".

Batakovic said that because of the situation in the province it is urgent and for the sake of regional stability it is necessary "to establish the only remaining solution... autonomy for the local Serb population" in the form of cantons or other type of entities.

"The highest goal is that neither Serbs nor Albanians suffer a defeat in Kosovo but that a compromise is achieved with international mediation on the redefination of UNMIK's and KFOR's mandates, and that new Serbian-Albanian then begin to which my government (Serbia-Montenegro) is always open," said Batakovic.

The ambassador explained when questioned by a reporter that the autonomy would be in all part of Kosovo where Serbs live now or where they were in the majority prior to 1999 and that this would be "the same level of autonomy with respect to Pristina as Pristina has with respect to Belgrade".

In this process, said Batakovic, solutions should be considered similar to those applied in Bosnia-Herzegovina or Cyprus.


SERBIEN: BRED POLITISK STØTTE TIL KOSTUNICA'S FORSLAG OM KANTONER

»B92« skriver:

23.03.2004 Most parties in the Serbian parliament expressed support today for Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica’s proposal for the cantonisation of Kosovo.

Vuko Antonijevic, a member of Kostunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia, said the proposal was the best way to solve the problems in the province. As possible cantons he mentioned Central Kosovo, Strpce, the Morava region, North Kosovo, Velika Hoca and Orahovac.

Kostunica presented the plan during talks today in Brussels. Antonijevic dismissed claims it should first have come before the Serbian parliament. “I trust that Prime Minister Kostunica has the best intentions when it comes to Kosovo. This is not a division of Kosovo, nor does cantonisation lead to the loss of Kosovo,” he said.

G17 Plus senior official Ksenija Milivojevic said the plan was acceptable, particularly after the events of last week.

Zoran Andjelkovic of the Socialist Party of Serbia said he supported the cantonisation of Kosovo, but did not understand why Kostunica had not secured a consensus in Serbia before presenting the plan in Brussels.

Democratic Party deputy leader Dusan Petrovic said autonomy for Serbs in Kosovo was the right solution.

Only the Serbian Radical Party opposed the plan. Tomislav Nikolic said Kostunica had no right to present the plan to the international community before Serbia had had its own say.


PM KOSTUNICA MENER DER STRAKS BØR SKE EN 'DECENTRALISERING'

PM Kostunica mødtes tirsdag 23.03.2004 med Javier Solana. Kostunica sagde efter mødet at han mente der straks burde ske en 'decentralisering', dvs. en fysisk adskillelse af Serbere og Albanere.

Dette havde ikke at gøre med en 'endelig løsning' og en evt. opdeling af Kosovo i kantoner.

Javier Solana skal have sagt til Kostunica at man i EU ikke vil acceptere begrebet 'kantoner' og han opfordrede Kostunica til ikke at bruge det.

»B92« citerer Kostunica: »"I explained the idea of decentralisation, that is the word that I am using, which is some sort of additional protection of the Serbian and non-Albanian population in Kosovo," Kostunica said at a joint news conference with Solana.«



PM KOSTUNICA I BRUXELLES. DEMOLISHED HOUSES IN KOSOVO MUST BE REBUILT, SAY EU, NATO HEADS




March 24 - Top officials of the European Union and NATO have agreed that the situation in Kosovo-Metohija is serious and that KFOR must step up efforts to protect Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province, said Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica upon his return from Brussels and Paris last night. Brussels officials reiterated that the March 17 attacks in Kosovo were orchestrated and that all Serb homes must be rebuild, said Kostunica and added that they also showed interest in a plan to decentralise the province.

Kostunica visited Brussels and Paris on Tuesday for talks with European Commission President Romano Prodi, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who all pointed out that the consequences of the recent events in Kosovo must be eliminated.

Kostunica attached particular importance to de Hoop Scheffer's statement that all demolished houses in Kosovo must be rebuilt.

This statement by NATO Secretary General not only shows a resolve to restore safety for those who were victimised by terrorists and left homeless but also sends a clear political message to extremists and terrorists that NATO will not let such acts happen again, according to Kostunica.

Asked by reporters who will rebuild the destroyed houses, Kostunica said it is "very important that those who bore the most responsibility for preventing the recent events in Kosovo-Metohija - NATO and KFOR - were the ones to use that word."

Kostunica said the talks also touched on hidden, though much more widespread, ethnic cleansing than the one that took place on March 17, given that many Serbs had left Kosovo-Metohija before that day.

At the meeting in Brussels, Kostunica also mentioned a decentralisation of power in Kosovo-Metohija as a possible political solution for the province. Prodi, as well as other EU officials, showed interest in the idea and expressed the need for its clarification. Kostunica reiterated that a new institutional solution is needed in order to ensure safety for Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo, both in places where they are a majority and in those where they are a minority.

The talks in Brussels also focused on relations between Serbia and Montenegro, and the state union's accession to the EU, Kostunica went on to say, adding that both sides agreed that the strengthening of Serbia-Montenegro's institutions has both political and economic importance.

The Prime Minister said that the state union is expected to appoint judges and members of all parliamentary boards, approve the parliament's standing orders and pass much needed legislation.

Serbia and Montenegro are ready to resume talks on the action plan to harmonise their economic relations and establish quotas for the remaining 56 agricultural products, said Kostunica, adding that he expects the EU to assist and back the negotiations.

The EU can also help Serbia and Montenegro seize an opportunity to negotiate a customs arrangement to further strengthen the state union's political framework, the Prime Minister noted.

All participants in yesterday's talks agreed that the stability of Serbia-Montenegro is of utmost importance for the stability in the region, said Kostunica.

The talks also touched on the problems straining the relations between the two state union members, including corruption and the suspension of a preferential status for Serbian sugar exports, which the Prime Minister said may create additional problems ahead of signing a textile export arrangement.

Stressing that the government is determined to pin down the real culprits in the "sugar scam," Kostunica said that the ministries of finance and interior have set up a joint working group to probe sugar exports.

The talks with the NATO Secretary-General focused on Serbia-Montenegro's membership in the Partnership for Peace, which Kostunica said is of high importance for regional stability.

There would be no conflicts or violence such as those in Kosovo-Metohija if all countries in the region were members of a single defence and security association such as the Partnership for Peace, the Prime Minister stressed.

The meeting also touched on Serbia-Montenegro's cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, seen as the main obstacle to the state union's membership in the Partnership for Peace and its integration into European institutions. Kostunica said that the Serbian government and Serbia-Montenegro are aware of their international obligations but added that certain trials should be held before domestic courts.

Wrapping up his visit to Brussels and Paris, Kostunica met with representatives of the Diaspora who expressed interest in voting in the forthcoming elections and wanted to learn more about Serbia's investment opportunities and the activities of the Ministry of Diaspora.


FM TADIC ADVARER MOD AT HEDE STEMNINGEN OP VED AT FORLANGE AT SERBISK-MONTENEGRINSK MILITÆR SKAL INTERVENERE

BELGRADE, March 23 (Tanjug) - Serbia-Montenegro Defense Minister Boris Tadic has said that the heating up of a wish that the Serbia-Montenegro Army intervene in Kosovo-Metohija "which is done by some politicians, media and representatives of the intellectual public, is dangerous and irresponsible for many reasons".

"Everybody in this country should know that the engagement of our Army in the province without the permission of the (UN) Security Council and KFOR commander means that NATO aircraft would be over Belgrade immediately. This decision would also mean that KFOR would immediately give up any protection of our compatriots and that their troops would start to fight the Serbia-Montenegro Army," Tadic told the Tuesday issue of the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti.


SRSG HOLKERI FORDØMMER DRABET PÅ TO POLITIFOLK TIRSDAG 24.03.2004

24 March 2004 – The two were shot dead while carrying out routine police work near Podujevo in the UN-administered province. One language assistant was also injured.

“This attack will not be allowed to disrupt the functioning of the legitimate local and international institutions,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative Harri Holkeri said in a statement in Pristina, the Kosovo capital, adding that local and international police were using all their resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The incident came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) intervention that forced the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops following fighting between Albanians and Serbs, and less than a week after the worse inter-ethnic violence since then claimed at least 28 lives and injured hundreds.

The NATO action led to the establishment of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), which has administered the province since June 1999.


CHARLES BRAYSHAW, UNMIK, MENER UROLIGHEDERNE VAR PLANLAGT FRA ALBANSK SIDE, SKRIVER TANJUG

PRIZREN, March 23 (Tanjug) - UNMIK deputy chief Charles Brayshaw said in Prizren on Tuesday that the latest developments in Kosovo and Metohija had been planned and that the perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice. Many perpetrators have been identified and they will definitely answer for these acts, Brayshaw told reporters. Brayshaw today toured all torched churches and monasteries in the territory of the municipality of Prizren.


OSCE'S FORMAND SOLOMON PASSY HAR UDTALT SIG SKARPT OM OVERGREBENE PÅ DEN SERBISKE MINORITET.

Passy har været i Beograd og mødtes med UM Svilanovic og PM Kostunica. OSCE skriver:

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, visiting Belgrade, condemns killings of police in Kosovo BELGRADE, 24 March 2004 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, met senior government officials of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, as well as of Serbia, today and reiterated his strong condemnation of the violence in Kosovo.

"Violence and intolerance do not help to resolve the situation in Kosovo. On the contrary, they complicate it," Minister Passy said.

He also condemned yesterday's killing of an UNMIK police officer and a Kosovo Police Service officer.

The Chairman-in-Office briefed the authorities of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, as well as of Serbia, about his visit to Kosovo yesterday on behalf of the OSCE. He told them that victims of the recent acts of violence in Kosovo should be compensated and the perpetrators should be brought to justice.

"The international community is united in its efforts to prevent such violence happening again," Minister Passy added.

The Chairman-in-Office expressed his support for Serbia and Montenegro's ambition to become integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions.

"This would come about as a result of democratic reforms, which would secure political stability in the country and in the region," he said.

Minister Passy said the challenges of extremism, organized crime and terrorism required a regional and global response. Initiatives to this end will be discussed at a meeting of OSCE Heads of Mission from south-eastern Europe in Sofia on 13 and 14 April 2004.

Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade, March 24, 2004 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met today with Chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Solomon Passy who said that international forces will seek out and punish those responsible for violence and terror against Serbs in Kosovo, and will help Serbs to return to the province.

Passy told Kostunica that KFOR and UNMIK agreed that the last week's attack by ethnic Albanian terrorists against Serbs had been prepared in detail and well organised, and that the international forces were caught off-guard by the intensity of violence.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that the international community must respond resolutely to ethnic Albanian terrorism and prevent new attacks. Kostunica said that the presence of the international peacekeeping forces neither secured the return of internally displaced Serbs and freedom of their movement, nor it reduced the number of ethnically motivated crimes. Therefore it is necessary to find institutional solutions and establish some kind of decentralisation in Kosovo-Metohija, which will guarantee minority rights by European standards to Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province.

Passy delivered to the Serbian Prime Minister letters of support from Bulgarian President Georgi Prvanov and Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha. The two officials congratulated Kostunica on his appointment as Serbian Prime Minister, pointed out to the importance of peace and stability in the region and voiced readiness to improve bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Serbia.


UDTALELSE FRA DET ALBANSKE UDENRIGSMINISTERIUM 24.03.2004: TILFREDSHED MED AT REGERINGEN I KOSOVA PÅTAGER SIG ANSVARET FOR GENOPBYGNINGEN AF DE ØDELAGTE KIRKER OG KLOSTRE

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hails the statement of the EU General and Foreign Affairs Council, which strongly condemns once more the latest violence in Kosova and supports the work of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, UNMIK and KFOR and asks for urgent measurements on the normalization, as soon as possible, of the situation and the protection of the communities rights.

Availing itself of this opportunity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its conviction that the political leaders in Kosova, as they have done so far, will still continue to act wisely and responsibly to not allow the repetition of such events and provocative acts of both sides and to contribute in the establishment and strengthening of law and order taking in front of justice everybody that has committed crimes and encouraged violence, thus, harming not only the public order, but also the continuation of the reforms and the democratic, legitimate aspirations of the people of Kosova.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to hail the decision of the Government of Kosova on the reconstruction of the damages of the buildings belonging to the Serbians, as a concrete example of taken measures after the latest events in the framework of the establishment and consolidation of the suitable climate for the return of the displaced persons and the multiethnic coexistence in a European Kosova.


5 ÅRS-DAGEN FOR NATO-BOMBNINGERNE ER BLEVET HØJTIDELIGHOLDT I SERBIEN

Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade, March 24, 2004 - Five years have elapsed since NATO launched a 78-day bombing of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At the Church of Saint Marko today, Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle held a memorial service for those killed in the air strikes of 1999.

The members of the Serbian government, lead by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, deputies of the Serbian parliament, led by Speaker Predrag Markovic, as well as a large number of citizens attended the service.

Also attending the service were members of the families of the slain citizens and soldiers as well as the families of the 16 Serbian national TV station (RTS) employees who died in NATO's bombing of the RTS building in central Belgrade.

Earlier today, delegations from the Serbia-Montenegrin Army and Foreign Ministry, the Belgrade City Hall, Serbian political parties and other organisations laid flowers on several locations in the city to mark the fifth anniversary of the bombing.

The anniversary was also marked throughout Serbia.


BRANISLAV KRSTIC OM BESKYTTELSEN AF MINDESMÆRKER M.V.

Belgrade, March 26, 2004 – Deputy-Head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija Branislav Krstic has set out the course of action to preserve cultural monuments and Orthodox churches in Kosovo in the wake of last week’s violence by ethnic-Albanian extremists.

Krstic told a press conference yesterday that UNMIK is responsible for the “crime against culture” that took place in Kosovo, adding that this crime was more dramatic and had more serious consequences than the one that happened in 1999.

Krstic pointed out that the crime was a result of UNMIK’s inadequate policy and the transfer of responsibility for the cultural heritage to Kosovo’s provisional institutions, which he said are neither willing nor qualified for such a task. This has left Kosovo’s cultural heritage unprotected, he said.

According to Krstic, the UN administration has neglected the Coordinating Centre’s warnings and has failed to act in line with the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Following last week’s razing of churches and monasteries in Kosovo, the Coordinating Centre has adjusted its strategy for the protection of cultural monuments adopted in May 2003.

The strategy calls for repeated demands to implement the 1954 Hague Convention and setting up a body to protect the cultural heritage in cooperation with local authorities.

The Serbia-Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs should urge the UN to help implement the Hague Convention, while Serbia-Montenegrin authorities must help domestic experts to get better access to the sites.

UNESCO should analyse the situation in Kosovo and propose measures to rebuild the monuments of culture in the province. The current policy regarding the protection of cultural heritage in Kosovo should be overhauled and presented to ambassadors of EU countries, Russia, and the US. It is also necessary to call for the participation of their experts in the reconstruction of the demolished churches and cultural monuments.

UNMIK should take measures to rebuild the monuments and protects their remains. The reconstruction of the Holy Archangels Monastery and Devic Monastery as well as the Church of Holy Virgin of Lyevish should begin in April this year.

At the recommendation by UNESCO, the Serbian government, UNMIK, and Kosovo’s provisional institutions should define a policy for the protection of cultural heritage.

Krstic also said that Kosovo Parliament, which has lost its authority after last week’s clashes, should not be the one to pass legislation on monuments.


SOLANA ER IFLG SERBISKE FORLYDENDER STÆRKT IRRITERET PÅ DE KOSOVA ALBANSKE POLITIKERE

»Beta« skriver:

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is reported to have strongly criticised senior Kosovo Albanian MPs during a visit to the province.

Kosovo Serb MP Gojko Savic said Solana had “reacted emotionally” to comments made by the ethnic Albanian MPs during a meeting of the presidency of the Kosovo Parliament.

He claimed the foreign policy chief had left before Parliament speaker Nexhat Daci gave his closing speech. “I’m leaving with a lot less optimism than when I came. I regret that tomorrow I’ll tell the EU Council of Ministers what I saw and heard here, and that a huge amount of time was wasted here,” Savic quoted Solana as saying.


KOSTUNICA: DET ER IKKE EN OPDELING DER SKAL TIL, MEN AUTONOMI FOR SERBERNE. ADVARER MOD ET STOR-ALBANIEN

PARIS, March 26 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Vojislav Kostunica, in an interview to the Parisian Le Figaro, condemned the international community for turning a blind eye to the killings and expulsions of Serbs and of other nonAlbanian populations in Kosovo and emphasized that a solution was not in the division of Kosovo, but in its autonomy.

"This is a case of a new wave of ethnic cleansing of Serbs and members of other non Albanian minorities in the province," Kostunica said and added that "this outbreak of violence, unfortunately, did not at all come as a surprise," as "in the past years there hasn't been a single week in that province under UN and NATO administration without a crime incited by ethnic hatred against the nonAlbanian population."

"The international community turned a blind eye. The crimes were described as isolated attacks. It was even forgotten that minorities in Kosovo were being denied freedom of movement. Serbs held out in their enclaves that increasing looked like ghettoes. They could not move around in the province without Kfor escort," Kostunica said and added that "Serbs are feeling really safe only in four municipalities in the north of the province where they make up the majority." "The international community kept talking about a multiethnic society in Kosovo, but that was far from reality," the Serbian premier said.

Representatives of the international community who succeeded each other in the field, he added, did not make a good assessment of the realities in Kosovo. Some of them because they were only thinking about reality, others because they only thought about their careers and safety. "And what happened is exactly what we were afraid of: a well prepared plan of ethnic cleansing of the last Serbian enclaves in Kosovo was carried out.

Military commander of the southern wing of NATO Adm. Johnson spoke about "ethnic cleansing" and I share that analysis. In the building of institutions, the international community did not sufficiently concern itself with legal solutions that would efficiently protect the rights of nonAlbanians. The division of Kosovo, Kostunica said, is a dangerous idea as at the same moment it would trigger other divisions in the region, first and foremost in Macedonia. This country, which today looks stabilized, was confronted in the recent past with a large-scale revolt of the Albanian minority.

Kostunica said that the day when monoethnic Kosovo were to gain independence, the international borders of Albania and Macedonia would be called into question, and added that a division of Kosovo would foment Albanian irredentism in the Balkans - besides Macedonia - also in southern Montenegro and in the Presevo valley in southern Serbia.


»B92«: 26.03.2004 – Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told parliament today that only “autonomy” for Serbs in Kosovo could ensure their survival, as MPs adopted a declaration describing the province as an inalienable part of Serbia.

“I can see no other way for Albanians and Serbs to live together in Kosovo,” Kostunica said, and branded the idea of a multi-ethnic province “a utopia”.

The parliament overwhelmingly adopted a declaration condemning “Albanian terrorism” and demanding the United Nations re-evaluate its policies in the province after a wave of violence last week that left 28 people dead, more than 800 injured and hundreds of Serbs homeless.

"The recent organized and massive Albanian violence against Serbs, which was ethnic cleansing and jeopardized the stability of the entire region, clearly leads to the conclusion that the entire UN policy in the province should be reconsidered and changed," the declaration said.

It reiterated that Kosovo remains an “inalienable” part of Serbia and called for new institutional guarantees for the rights and protection of Serbs.

“Serbia has to ensure the survival, security and return of Kosovo Serbs," it concluded.

Albanian political leaders and EU officials have resisted Kostunica’s proposal for autonomy, saying it would lead to partition of the province.


Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade, March 26, 2004 - The Serbian parliament has adopted a Resolution on Kosovo-Metohija, a document obliging the Serbian government to prepare a programme to resolve problems in the province.

It is necessary to provide autonomy for Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija so that Serbs and ethnic Albanians can live together in the province, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told the parliament, adding that the "multiethnic paradise" the international community believed in has proved to be a utopia.

The autonomy entails providing institutional protection which would also imply territorial security, the Prime Minister said. He noted that measures for political and institutional protection of Serbs can be put in place in a peaceful way, without confronting the world.

Two thirds of Serbs and other non-Albanians have been expelled from the province since the deployment of international forces in June 1999, Kostunica said. According to him, 48,874 Serbs lived in Pristina alone in 1999. Following the deployment of international troops, their number fell to 900. In 2000, only 255 Serbs stayed in Pristina, Kostunica went on to say, stressing that not a single Serb national has remained in the capital after March 17.

The situation is pretty much the same in Obilic, which used to host a Serbian population of some 3,000. In 2000, the number of Serbs in Obilic decreased to 1,500, the Prime Minister said, noting that none of the Serbs remained in the municipality after March 17.

None of the 9,500 Serb nationals that lived in Prizren in 1999 remained in the town, Kostunica said.


BELGRADE, March 28 (Beta)-Serbian Premier Vojislav Kostunica said on March 28 that the security of the Serbian and Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija could be attained by establishing territorial autonomy in the province.

"This would not be regular autonomy, but autonomy for the purpose of defending these people, for their protection and basic human rights," Kostunica told BK TV.

He said that granting autonomy to Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija was not a prelude to the province's division.

He said that the idea of cantonization in Kosovo, which, he said, a part of the western public disapproved of, did not have to resemble the Swiss model or the one in the Muslim Croat Federation in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Autonomy for Serbs, he said, would include the fields of health, education, culture and police, while some solution could be found for the judiciary too.

He added that territorial autonomy in the province would encourage the return of expelled and displaced Serbs and other nonAlbanians.

Asked how he would solve the status of Kosovo, Kostunica said that a possible solution was "applying a recipe of broad autonomy within the union of Serbia Montenegro."


OPSUMMERING: HVAD ER DET EGENTLIG KOSTUNICA MENER?

1) Kosovo Serberne skal have vidtgående autonomi; i virkeligheden deres egen kanton eller selvstyrende provins, selv om Kostunica bestrider at der er tale om en 'schweizisk' model. Kostunica - og mange andre Serbiske Politikere har indset at der ikke er nogen vej tilbage; Kosóva vil måske ikke blive en selvstændig Albansk domineret stat, men som "minimum" et særskilt "område" med Albansk dominans; Kosovo vil ikke igen kunne blive en "integreret" del af Serbien - eller blive underlagt en Regering i Beograd.

2) Kosovo skal dog - som helhed - fortsat høre til Serbien i formel forstand. Kostunica begrunder det bl.a. med at der er stor risiko for at Albanerne i Kosovo, Øst Kosova (Syd-Serbien, Presheva) og Makedonien vil have flyttet grænser - måske have etableret en "stor" Albansk stat - og dermed udløse stor uro på Balkan.

Det er imidlertid kun ganske få ledende Albanere i Makedonien, Kosova, Øst Kosova (Syd-Serbien, Presheva), og Albanien der mener at der skal flyttes grænser - eller at der skal dannes et Stor-Albanien; de fleste af dem mener at man skal arbejde for at hele område bliver integreret i EU. Om nogle af dem har langsigtede idéer om et Stor-Albanien er svært at sige.

Når Kostunica bruger argumentet om et Stor-Albanien er det dels fordi han selv tror på det og fordi han betvivler den Albanske oprigtighed, dels fordi han véd at et Stor-Albanien er en torn i øjet på mange EU-ledere.

Når Kosovo formelt fortsat skal høre til Serbien, vil Serbien være en central part i forhandlinger om Kosovo's fremtidige status og skæbne - og skal derfor "høres" i anliggender der har med Kosovo Serberne at gøre, foruden i spørgsmål om ejendomsretten til naturressourcer, virksomheder og institutioner.

Der er - som bekendt - mange Serbiske mindesmærker og institutioner forskellige steder i Kosovo, og - sidst, men ikke mindst - spiller Kosovo en overordentlig stor rolle for den Serbiske selvforståelse, særligt en Serbisk selvforståelse af traditionel art. Dette er en meget væsentlig grund til at Kostunica og andre Serbere har svært ved at "slippe" Kosovo, selv om de ved at langt de fleste indbyggere er Albanere og absolut ikke ønsker at have med Serbien at gøre, endsige at høre under det.


VETON SURROI I "KOHA DITORE". UROLIGHEDERNE VAR IKKE ORGANISERET PÅ FORHÅND


http://bjoerna.dk/tolerance/0311-04.jpg

Veton Surroi under en konference i Tirana, november 2003

Louise With fra »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« refererer 30.3.2004 den fremstående Kosóva Albanske Pressemand Veton Surroi (Surroi deltog i Rambouillet-forhandlingerne og er meget accepteret af Internationale kredse). Han har skrevet at de nylige uroligheder ikke var organiseret på forhånd: »Hvad der begyndte som en spontan protest i Mitrovica, forvandledes til en masseprotest og senere igen til en styret organiseret revolte«.


UDTALELSER FRA UNMIK 28.3.2004, 30.3.2004 OG 31.3.2004

Kosovo: UN officials on hand as reconstruction starts on building destroyed by riots

28 March 2004 – Senior officials from the United Nations and Kosovo today witnessed the start of reconstruction on a building damaged by recent deadly ethnic clashes in the province.

Francesco Bastagli of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and Kosovo's Prime Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, were on hand as work commenced on cleaning up the YU-building in Ulpiana. Prime Minister Rexhepi said that he hoped the renovation would be completed in 10 days.

“This is a good beginning, but much more needs to be done,” Mr. Bastagli said, stressing that the affected communities should be involved in the building's reconstruction.

Besides repairing material damages, confidence and trust between the Serb and Albanian communities have to be rebuilt, he added.

In another development, UNMIK today reported that the dead body of a male child had been found washed on the side of a riverbank in the Lipjan area of Pristina.

The Mission said no foul play is suspected, but the Pristina Regional Serious Crimes Squad is investigating the case.

Police linked the body with that of a Kosovo Albanian child reported missing since 27 February, according to UNMIK.

30 March 2004 – The top United Nations envoy for Kosovo announced today he is setting up a review body to study the UN mission's response to the deadly violence in the province earlier this month and to make recommendations on how it can react better in future crises.

Harri Holkeri, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Kosovo, said an international judge or jurist will chair the Crisis Management Review Body, which will include qualified crisis management experts. The Body will report back to him on its findings within 30 days of beginning work.

More than two dozen people were killed, hundreds of others were injured, homes and religious sites were burnt and at least 3,000 people driven from their homes during two days of rioting across Kosovo starting 17 March. At the time the Security Council issued a statement by its President denouncing the "large-scale inter-ethnic violence."

In a statement issued in Pristina, Kosovo's capital, Mr. Holkeri said the review body will examine whether security and protection measures and procedures can be improved for future crises. It will also assess the performance of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

The statement said some of the measures to be examined by the body include better mobilizing the police to control the situation, greater coordination between security agencies and more action to protect minority communities and cultural or religious sites.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holkeri delivered a message on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a memorial ceremony for two police officers killed in the days following the rioting in Kosovo.

Offering his condolences to the families of the two officers, Mr. Holkeri said the people who committed the crime should not underestimate the determination of the UN and the international community to continue their work in Kosovo.

The two officers, one from Ghana and one serving in the Kosovo Police Service, were shot dead on 21 March while carrying out routine work in a clearly marked car near the town of Podujevo in the Pristina region. A UN language assistant travelling with them remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.


31 March 2004 – Launching Kosovo's Standards Implementation Plan today, two weeks after deadly violence rocked the province, the top United Nations envoy for Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, said the plan "is not a panacea, but it is a start."

Mr. Holkeri said that while not every ethnic community was involved in producing the plan, it still contained provisions that ought to protect all residents of Kosovo, regardless of their background.

The plan is a detailed guide that sets specific goals in such areas as the building of democratic institutions, the enforcement of rights for minorities and the creation of a functioning economy. Its provisions include the holding of free and fair elections and the establishment of an impartial legal system.

Mr. Holkeri - who was joined by Kosovo's Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi for the launch - said the province "is still a long way from recovering from the violence of two weeks ago," but the importance of the standards is clearer than ever.

The UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today also released updated information on the recent violence. In total, 19 people were killed - 11 Kosovo Albanians and eight Kosovo Serbs - and more than 900 people were injured, including dozens of international police officers. Some 29 churches and monasteries, 800 houses and more than 150 vehicles were destroyed or badly damaged.


CHRIS PATTEN, EU, MENER VOLDEN VAR ORGANISERET - skriver Tanjug

STRASBOURG, March 31 (Tanjug) - There is no doubt that the recent violence in Kosovo had been organized, just as there is no doubt that certain elements of the major Kosovo Albanian parties had played a role in it, European Union (EU) foreign affairs commissioner Chris Patten told European Parliament on Tuesday. Addressing the European MPs, Patten conveyed his impressions following a recent visit to Kosovo and Metohija, with EU foreign policy and security chief Javier Solana. Underscoring that the international community spent two billion euros since 1999, without defense costs, to rebuild Kosovo, Patten said they had not done that only to witness ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Serbs at this point. He said he and Solana had been very disappointed in what they had seen in Kosovo.


KFOR HOLDER PRESSEKONFERENCE 31.3.2004

It has been two weeks since the beginning of the riots in Kosovo and everything appears to be calm. We are far from the conditions we were at prior to 17 March and continue to be at a high state of alert within KFOR.

For the past two weeks we have aggressively pursued the extremists who committed the atrocities on the people of Kosovo, KFOR and UNMIK. We have detained, with approval from UNMIK-P several people suspected of the violence of 17-18 March.

We continue to work in coordination with UNMIK-P to pursue the extremists and have turned many suspects to UNMIK-P for questioning and or arrest. We will not stop until we once again we are providing Kosovo with a safe and secure environment.


KOSOVO STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 31.3.2004

Planen foreligger som DOC-fil på: http://www.kosovo.com/ksip_english31mar.doc (118 s., ca. 1 MB. Har du problemer med at downloade den, kan du sende en mail til mig - så sender jeg den som attachment. Skriv til: post@bjoerna.dk

Dokumentet indledes med dette resume:

The Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan

The Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan (KSIP) sets out the actions and policies to reach the standards set out in the document "Standards for Kosovo" published in Pristina on 10 December 2003 and subsequently endorsed by the UN Security Council in its statement of 12 December. The "Standards for Kosovo", and in particular its introduction, establish the legal foundation and guiding principles for this implementation plan.

The "Standards for Kosovo" describe a Kosovo where public institutions are representative and democratic, where the rule of law is effective, respected and accessible to all, where those IDP's who wish to are free and able to return to Kosovo without hindrance, threat or intimidation, where all individuals, regardless of ethnic background, can travel and work safely, and use their languages (and where that use is respected) anywhere and in any institution of Kosovo, where the framework for a functioning market economy is in place and where the Kosovo Protection Corps operates strictly within its mandate; furthermore, the standards describe a Kosovo where Pristina is participating in successful dialogue with Belgrade and where Kosovo is in stable and peaceful relationships with its regional neighbours. In short, a truly multi-ethnic, stable and democratic Kosovo which is approaching European standards. In this regard, the standards process is in harmony with Kosovo's parallel European Union Stabilisation and Association Process Tracking Mechanism (STM). These processes are mutually reinforcing.

The "Standards for Kosovo" document describes this objective in detail. The "Standards for Kosovo" remains the target for Kosovo. Progress against this target will be the basis for any review in mid-2005 to begin consideration of Kosovo's final status.

Achievement of the standards also requires co-operation from the government of Serbia and Montenegro in Belgrade. We urge their constructive engagement in a process designed to protect and promote the interests of all communities in Kosovo. Structure of the KSIP The Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan (KSIP) describes actions to be undertaken by the PISG and other institutions to achieve the standards. UNMIK's actions, in most elements of the Plan, are in support of the PISG. In some cases, in particular for areas of reserved competence (such as the Rule of Law), UNMIK bears the primary responsibility for action since it bears legal and functional responsibility for these standards. In some cases, actions are to be jointly undertaken by the PISG and UNMIK, but, in all respects, achievement of the standards requires cooperation and collaboration of the PISG and UNMIK.

The KSIP sets out in detail what actions are designed to meet the standards ("Action"), who is responsible for undertaking that action ("Responsible Actor"), who will support the principal actor ("Supported by") and when the action is planned to take place ("Timeline").

In each section of the KSIP, the introductions set out in detail the strategy and priorities to reach the standards in that area.

Immediate Priorities

In the light of the violence of 17-20 March 2004, the immediate priority is the establishment of the rule of law, prosecution of perpetrators and public respect for law and order. This is the responsibility of all the people of Kosovo. In addition, there must be rapid steps, primarily undertaken by the PISG, to rebuild damaged and destroyed property and actively to facilitate the return of those displaced from their homes. There need to be steps taken, led by political leaders, to begin to effect reconciliation between the communities.

In the longer run, it remains vital that there be progress in all areas of the standards. But within them, there are some key priorities.

It is essential that Kosovo's institutions, including the institutions of government, the Assembly and municipal-level bodies make more progress in allowing the full participation of all communities and in producing and implementing policies that fully protect the rights and reflect the needs of all communities. Political parties, particularly in an election year, bear the same responsibility. The participation of all communities, and policies and actions to facilitate such participation, is central to the standards process.

Meanwhile, there will be a greater effort to examine new institutional arrangements to allow more effective local government, accountable to local communities, and to integrate parallel structures into Kosovo's institutions. Both goals will be taken forward in discussion with leaders of all communities in Kosovo, with the overall aim to produce institutional arrangements that are acceptable and effective for all and which thus help lay sound foundations for Kosovo's future. The dismantling of parallel structures will also require the cooperation of the government of Serbia and Montenegro.

An effective rule of law requires above all that every member of every community in Kosovo is able to live, work and travel in a peaceful and secure environment. Recent events have demonstrated how far there is to go in attaining this goal. Such an environment requires not only an effective and professional police service and judiciary but above all the active cooperation of every inhabitant of Kosovo. There must be coordinated action to enforce and protect property rights and end illegal occupation of property.

The standard of freedom of movement is also some way from being met. It is the responsibility of the PISG to institute policies that enable members of every community to travel, live and work freely anywhere in Kosovo. These policies are now being examined, and may be revised, to ensure that they can effectively meet this target. Likewise, it remains a standard that all those IDP's who wish to do so should be helped to return to their homes. This requires action from the PISG at central and municipal level, supported by UNMIK, and the support of all communities in Kosovo and their leaders.

There must be more dynamic action to energise Kosovo's economy. This requires that there is a clear legal framework, responsible management of the budget and transparent economic policy-making. There needs to be more rapid progress in privatisation. All these actions will facilitate investment - both internal and external - and job-creation.

Review of the KSIP

The KSIP will be reviewed in future months and revised as actions are fulfilled and new ones are identified. In particular, the section on returns and freedom of movement will be thoroughly reviewed in the light of recent events, in order to ensure that planned actions can effectively fulfill these essential standards. The purpose of future revisions will be to ensure that actions contained in the plan effect maximum progress towards the standards as set out in "Standards for Kosovo".

Assessment

Assessment of the progress of the PISG and Kosovo as a whole against the standards will be performed on a quarterly basis by the United Nations, in consultation with other key international partners (such as the Contact Group and European Union), and will be reported to the Security Council by the UN Secretary-General.

31 March 2004


DRØFTELSE I SIKKERHEDSRÅDET 13.4.2004

13 April 2004 – Kosovo's leaders and its people must take concrete steps to tackle the root causes of the ethnic violence that continues to plague the province, the top United Nations peacekeeping official told the Security Council today.

A month after two days of violence engulfed the province, leaving 19 people dead, hundreds more injured and numerous homes and religious buildings damaged or destroyed, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno said international efforts to help Kosovo stabilize and advance could only do so much.

In an open briefing to the 15-member Council, he called on the leaders of Kosovo to "exercise true leadership and responsible government, and to marginalize and hold politically accountable those among them who may have condoned or supported the violence."

Mr. Guéhenno said senior officials must identify and discipline politicians and civil servants who fomented or participated in last month's events, which followed several incidents that had raised tensions between the province's ethnic Albanian and Serb communities.

He described the series of riots, demonstrations and violent attacks as initially spontaneous but "quickly taken over by organized elements with an interest in driving the Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo and threatening the international presence there." He said the attacks were widespread and targeted, focusing on the province's Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities.

The head of peacekeeping said the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) had launched a probe into the violence and noted that 183 arrests have already been made. But he said UNMIK has requested Member States provide another 100 police investigators to fully investigate the violence and the people behind it.

Serbia and Montenegro's representative, Roksanda Nincic, told the Council that there has been ample opportunity since UNMIK assumed control of the province in June 1999 to show that ethnically-motivated violence will not be tolerated in Kosovo. She said authorities must now prove there will be no impunity for those who committed the attacks.

Other delegates addressing the Council stressed the importance of bringing all the perpetrators to justice, and said it was vital that the religious and cultural sites damaged or destroyed last month be rebuilt.

They also said that the events indicate the importance of implementing the standards for Kosovo plan before the province's final status is determined. The standards plan is a detailed guide that sets specific goals in such areas as the building of democratic institutions, the enforcement of rights for minorities and the creation of a functioning economy. Its provisions include the holding of free and fair elections and the establishment of an impartial legal system.


SECURITY COUNCIL, 4942ND MEETING (AM)

March violence in Kosovo ‘huge setback’ to stabilization, reconciliation,

under-secretary-general for peacekeeping tells security council

The onslaught in mid-march led by Kosovo Albanian extremists against minority Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities had been an organized, widespread and targeted campaign and represented a huge setback to stabilization and reconciliation in the province Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the Security Council today.

Briefing the Council, he said from 17 to 19 March communities had been surrounded and threatened and residents forced to leave their homes. The inhabitants of entire villages had been evacuated and had their homes burned to the ground. Most disturbing and reprehensible, the extremists had looted, burned and damaged or destroyed Serbian Orthodox churches, monasteries and religious, as well as cultural sites.

He said the demonstrations that had followed the original incidents –- the shooting of a Kosovo Serb youth and the drowning of two Albanian children -- although apparently spontaneous at the outset, had quickly been taken over by organized elements with an interest in driving the Kosovo Serbs from the province and threatening the international presence there. Two days of violence followed, resulting in 19 deaths, 954 civilians injured, and 730 houses, near or belonging to Kosovo minorities, burned or damaged.

While commending the constructive role played by the Government of Serbia and Montenegro in collective efforts to stem the violence, he noted that the initial response by the leadership of the Kosovo Provisional Institutions of Self-Government had been ambivalent. Concrete action by Kosovo’s leaders and its people was needed to address the causes of the ethnically-motivated violence that continued to plague the province and to ensure that it would not be repeated.

Council President Gunter Pleuger (Germany), speaking in his national capacity, also emphasized the need for Kosovo’s political leaders to leave no doubt about their commitment to protecting minorities and building a multi-ethnic society. They must be unequivocal about their determination to isolate and punish violent extremists, explain the rationale of reconciliation to their constituents, and be prepared to pay the political costs. Sending extremists to prison and firing police officers who had failed to protect minorities may be politically unpopular, but those steps were essential for the creation of a stable society.

The representative of the Russian Federation said the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) should have been more decisive in identifying nationalistic behaviour and eliminating extremist groups. The desire to indulge in wishful thinking and attempts to inculcate high democratic standards without looking at the real situation had contributed to the current instability. The Standards Implementation Plan required thoroughgoing revisions, particularly towards reinforcing security measures, ensuring freedom of movement and the rights and freedoms of all minorities.

Serbia and Montenegro’s representative stressed that the March violence had not been an isolated incident, recalling that since 1999, Serb and other ethnic communities in Kosovo had been exposed to almost daily attacks and intimidation by Kosovo Albanian extremists. In such circumstances the Standards Implementation Plan quite simply failed to provide sufficient guarantees for the survival of Serbs in the province, let alone the safe return of displaced Serb populations. The failure to fully establish such guarantees would signify an end to the possibility of a multi-ethnic Kosovo, in the very presence of the international actors that would share responsibility for such an outcome.

Albania’s representative, while noting that nationalistic ideals and parties that might try to exploit instability should not be allowed to flourish, reiterated that the March violence should not be used as an excuse to continue to create or maintain parallel structures that impeded the establishment of a multi-ethnic society. Neither should it be used as an excuse to support nationalistic policies or as an excuse not to address internal political issues.

Pakistan’s representative, joining in the condemnation of the March violence, said his country had been one of the few voices -– and perhaps the lone voice on the Council -- that had consistently called for a speedy final political settlement for Kosovo. While violence must not be rewarded and those responsible for extremist behaviour must be rooted out and punished, the longer a decision on the thorny issue of final status was delayed, the more that cycle of violence would be perpetuated.

Also addressing the Council were the representatives of the United Kingdom, Algeria, Romania, Brazil, Philippines, Angola, Benin, France, Spain, Chile, China, United States, Ireland (on behalf of the European Union) and Japan.

The meeting began at 10:10 a.m. and adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

Background

The Security Council met this morning to consider the recent violence in Kosovo and to hear a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.

Statements

JEAN-MARIE GUEHENNO, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said the violence appeared to have been directly sparked by events in the days preceding the clashes, which had raised tension between the Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb communities. In particular, the shooting of a Kosovo Serb youth on 15 March and the drowning of two Albanian children on 16 March -– the circumstances of which had not yet been established -– had provided a catalyst for the ensuing violent acts. Inflammatory and biased media reporting on both incidents had contributed to raising tensions further.

He said that the demonstrations following the incidents, although apparently spontaneous at the outset, had quickly been taken over by organized elements with an interest in driving the Kosovo Serbs from Kosovo and threatening the international presence there. The results of two days of violence throughout the province spoke for themselves: 19 persons had died and 954 civilians had been injured in the course of the clashes and rioting. In addition, 65 international police officers, 58 Kosovo Police Service officers and 61 KFOR personnel had also suffered injuries. Approximately 730 houses, nearly all belonging to Kosovo minorities, had been burned or damaged. More than 150 vehicles, including over 100 United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) vehicles, had been destroyed or severely damaged.

While the overall situation was currently quiet, it remained tense, he said. There continued to be a potential for further violence and sporadic attacks continued to occur, including against the international and local police presence. In the worst of those, a Ghanaian UNMIK police officer and a Kosovo Albanian Kosovo Police Service officer had been killed when a group of Kosovo Albanian uniformed men had fired on their UNMIK patrol vehicle. Seven individuals had subsequently been detained in connection with that incident.

The onslaught led by Kosovo Albanian extremists against Kosovo’s Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities had been an organized, widespread and targeted campaign, he said. Properties had been demolished; schools, communities surrounded and threatened; and residents forced to leave their homes. The inhabitants of entire villages had been evacuated and, following their departure, their homes had been burned to the ground. Most disturbing and reprehensible, the extremists had looted, burned and damaged or destroyed 16 Serbian Orthodox churches, monasteries and religious and cultural sites. The attacks had not been simply against places of worship, but against Kosovo’s cultural heritage.

He said the violence had completely reversed the returns process, which had, prior to the attacks, shown limited but encouraging progress. The total number of persons displaced as a result of the recent wave of violence was 4,100 people, more than the total number of returns for 2003. The UNMIK had responded to the crisis and, together with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), had moved to ensure the urgent distribution of humanitarian assistance and to gradually stabilize the conditions of the displaced. The priority now was to assist those who were prepared to return.

The initial response to the violence by the leadership of the Kosovo Provisional Institutions had been ambivalent, he noted. While Prime Minister Rexhepi should be commended personally for his public pronouncements and actions and his calls for an end to the violence, the Kosovo Government had issued a statement focusing on the drowning of the Kosovo Albanian children and assuming it had been caused by Serbs as a result of inter-ethnic hatred. That claim had been unsubstantiated at that time, and remained so. The statement issued by municipal assembly presidents had initially condoned or justified the violence.

He said that during and immediately after the violence, the authorities in Belgrade had played a constructive role in collective efforts to stem the violence and stamp out any extremist reaction. The steps taken by the leaders of Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions were commendable and necessary, although they had come late and only under outside pressure. However, they were not enough. What was clearly needed was for Kosovo’s leaders to identify those officials who may have provided active backing or passive support for the extremists and who may have used the events to further promote intolerance. Kosovo’s leaders must leave no doubt of their commitment to tackle and confront extremism and extremist positions.

The brutality and breadth of the events indicated that Kosovo still had a long way to go on the path to multi-ethnicity. The violence represented a huge setback to the stabilization and normalization of Kosovo’s security and political environment and to the efforts by UNMIK and the international community to promote reconciliation. The March events had shown that the international community’s determination to ensure Kosovo’s progress on the path of coexistence and reconciliation was, on its own, not sufficient. What was required now was the concrete action by Kosovo’s leaders and its people to address the causes of the ethnically motivated violence that continued to plague Kosovo and to implement measures to ensure that the violence would not be repeated.

ADAM THOMSON (United Kingdom) said the tragic events that took place in Kosovo in mid-March had been the most serious outbreak of inter-ethnic violence since 1999. It had severely damaged Kosovo’s reputation and showed that the province had a long way to go. It was clear that the international community needed to learn lessons from those incidents -- it should ask hard questions and own up to mistakes made. It must also take up a robust lessons learned exercise. The UNMIK, for its part, should take up a speedy examination of the events. While the violence was a huge setback, the United Kingdom believed that the international community’s goal of a multi-ethnic, democratic Kosovo and implementation of the agreed standards plan were still possible. He congratulated UNMIK, as well as KFOR, in restoring calm. He also praised the Kosovo Albanian leaders in promoting tolerance.

He said that the recent events had been a setback, but had not killed the prospects for democracy. Beyond renewed international engagement, there were several key challenges for UNMIK, KFOR and the wider international community. Chiefly, suppressing and deterring violence was a priority. Authorities must ensure the safety of displaced persons so they could return home. Extremist groups must also be tackled. The United Nations and the international community must ensure better information and communications in and about Kosovo and the region. To that end, it must better publicize the standards mechanism and work assiduously to stop rumours before they began. Everyone must also bring about a more responsible media.

He went on to say that the international community must reassure the Kosovo Serbs that the progress made since 1999 would not be reversed. A humanitarian assessment of the current situation of the Kosovo Serbs must also be undertaken, in order to ensure the region that Kosovo and the international community were committed to a multi-ethnic Kosovo. All must consider effective local government, and devolving power to local institutions to give communities more control over their own future. To that end, the United Nations and international community must show a commitment to that devolution. If Kosovo was to become a real democracy, its leaders needed to learn how to govern, he added.

It was also important to ensure that no party was allowed to profit or advance a political agenda through violence. The wider international community must also address the young people’s feelings that they had “no future” in the region. International financial institutions needed to be fully engaged. For the Council, he said there should be an early presidential statement supporting the standards plan as a step forward. That statement should also call on all parties to implement those standards. Anything less would be failure, he said.

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) said that the recent violence had made it clear that Kosovo had not yet fully recovered from the brutal wars of the 1990s. The Kosovar leadership must learn lessons from the excessive violence that took place last month and ensure that such incidents never happened again. The standards plan was a step in the right direction even though, sadly, all communities in the province had not participated in its drafting. The implementation plan established guidelines that Kosovo must take, within a strict timeline, to meet the agreed standards. The international community must help Kosovo meet the goals. Joint efforts and solidarity were indispensable -- building a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo was the responsibility of all, he said.

In order to implement the standards fully, Kosovo would require the support of its children, which required the establishment of security and the promotion of multi-ethnic tolerance. Such tolerance and cooperation could not be decreed, and a gradual reconciliation process must be undertaken to ensure a stable society for all. The events in March were a stark reminder of the urgent need to create a tolerant society to which the world should remain committed.

Without such tolerance and eradication of parallel governing structures, it would be difficult to guarantee the participation of all groups in the government and social life. He added that economic revival required stability and calm in order to promote domestic and foreign investments and to create jobs. It would also depend on opening up regional markets to the province’s products. The standards process should be politically and financially supported by the entire international community, he said.

MIHNEA MOTOC (Romania) said that images of people forced from their homes, murdered and assaulted, their holy sites burned and destroyed on account of belonging to a different ethnicity, did not serve the aspirations of prosperity and the higher value of democracy and freedom for the entire Balkans region. Neither did they belong to a twenty-first century Europe. Based on the valuable, though sad, lessons learned, Romania called on the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to commit fully and unconditionally to a multi-ethnic Kosovo, in particular, with respect to the promotion of rights and freedoms of minority communities.

Romania appreciated the launch on 31 March of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan, he said. The Plan was a working and guiding document, which, if genuinely implemented and adequately reviewed in light of the recent events, could maximize Kosovo’s progress in reaching the standards. Romania continued to strongly support the “standards before status” policy devised for Kosovo in applying Council resolution 1244 (1999). At the present stage, the standards were the only sound way towards a stable Kosovo.

RONALDO MOTA SARENBERG (Brazil) said that a peaceful and democratic Kosovo was a key element for stability in the Balkans. But after the events of last March, it was clear that extremism and separatism were “very much alive” in the province. Those responsible for the murderous riots must be brought to justice. He stressed that peacekeepers and international police forces could not stop the violence that had led to so many casualties. Even worse, KFOR soldiers and UNMIK staff had been targeted. Brazil believed that the way forward required an independent evaluation, which could lead to valuable suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the work of the United Nations mission in the province.

Brazil remained aware of the fragile situation on the ground, he continued. The brutal incidents had revealed intentions on the part of some parties to force a solution on the status of Kosovo through violence and intimidation. The international community must respond in a clear and unequivocal manner. It must condemn the violence, particularly ethnically motivated violence. Armed groups carrying out their own agendas cannot be allowed to jeopardize the United Nations long commitment, or to derail the reconciliation process. He added that it was the mission of the United Nations and the wider international community to ensure shameful events such as ethnic cleansing never occurred again.

He said the goal of a stable, democratic, peaceful and multi-ethnic Kosovo could only be reached through joint action. Full protection of human rights was essential to reach peace based on international law. Rebuilding confidence and trust between the different ethnic communities went in tandem with rebuilding the churches and homes that had been destroyed in March. In that regard, Brazil welcomed the launch of the Standards Implementation Plan, which, it believed, must be carried out in strict compliance with Council resolution 1244.

The Plan, which took into account recent widespread violence, set valuable guidelines and goals in key areas such as building of democratic institutions, holding locally-managed elections, enforcement of minority rights and strengthening the economy. Success of the Plan required dialogue and the participation of all individuals and groups, including all minorities. He said strong commitment of the Provisional Institutions, engagement in the political process, and adoption of economic reforms remained the only hope against the resurgence of conflict.

LAURO BAJA (Philippines) said Kosovo was an area where violence could be expected to be at a minimum, since it was under the control of the international community’s state-of-the-art conflict-resolution mechanisms in UNMIK and KFOR, as well as being technically under the protection of the United Nations. However, that had not been enough to prevent the recent violence. However, he commended the efforts to restore security and stability.

He said that the political transformation must keep pace with the fight to restore security. The situation was essentially an ethnic dilemma, with the Kosovo Albanian clearly wanting nothing less than independence, while the Kosovo Serbs wished to remain part of Serbia and Montenegro. UNMIK’s task was to bridge that divide. To what extent had the people of Kosovo accepted the strategy of standards before status? The people themselves must be able to own the strategy and the Standards Implementation Plan so that nobody felt ostracized.

Expressing concern about the growing problem of organized crime, he also raised the possibility of Kosovo becoming a haven for Al-Qaida.

ISMAEL ABRÃAO GASPAR (Angola) said that peace in the Balkans was intrinsically dependent on the success of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan. Despite recent successes, serious challenges remained, as the recent violence had made clear. He said that lack of security remained a serious concern. Working to ensure stability was the only way to improve the economy, promote democracy and ensure the return of displaced persons. He also said that properly functioning governing institutions and a multi-ethnic police force was critical.

The sustainability of returns and fulfilment of rights by the different ethnic communities required the involvement of authorities or representatives from all those communities and at all levels, he continued. Political leaders and all political institutions of self –governance must actively promote tolerance and ensure freedom of movement for all the people of the province. He called upon the parties to develop and intensify a constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. That would ensure that all people of the province lived in peace and in dignity. He urged all parties to cooperate in a constructive manner with Ambassador Holkeri to ensure a multi-ethnic, democratic society in Kosovo.

JOEL ADECHI (Benin) condemned the ethnic cleansing and the deliberate destruction of cultural property that had taken place last month. It was imperative that the perpetrators be identified and that the most rigorous measures be taken against them. Benin welcomed the investigations that were under way, which should be implemented impartially.

Welcoming the Standards Implementation Plan, he said it correctly reaffirmed the goal of standards before status and the establishment of a multi-ethnic Kosovo. There was a need for an unequivocal commitment to those goals on the part of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government. The major challenges facing UNMIK, KFOR and the provisional authorities remained ethnicity and the Serb parallel structures. It was extremely important that the elections scheduled for next fall take place on time, under conditions of impartiality and transparency.

GENNADY M. GATILOV (Russian Federation) said the recent events in Kosovo had laid bare the ongoing tensions and policy of ethnic cleansing of non-Albanian populations. Russia had long warned of the possible recurrence of such events, but those warnings had gone unheeded by the Council and the wider international community. He said that all along UNMIK should have been more decisive in identifying nationalistic behaviour and putting an end to extremist groups. The failure to take a critical look at the reality on the ground, failure to fully implement resolution 1244 (1999), the desire to indulge in wishful thinking, the attempt to inculcate high democratic standards without taking a hard look at the real situation had all contributed to current instability in the province.

In the wake of last March’s brutal violence, taking a hard look at the realities would be unavoidable, he said, adding, “We cannot pretend that nothing has happened.” Promoting the Standards Implementation Plan without a close examination of the incidents that took place in March was unacceptable. Those events should be investigated and the perpetrators should be brought to justice. The UNMIK and international authorities should also consider ways to ensure tighter control over provisional structures of self-rule, as well as better and tighter controls on illegal weapons, which continued to fall into the hands of extremists.

Moreover, he said, in light of the recent events and the re-evaluation of the situation that must be undertaken, talks of moving ahead on the final status of the province seemed premature. He was convinced that such an approach would lead to further complication and might even spark further pogroms and ethnic cleansing.

He said the logic of a Kosovo settlement in no way included the hasty implementation of a Standards Plan. Russia was convinced that the Plan required thoroughgoing revisions, particularly towards reinforcing security measures, ensuring freedom of movement and the rights and freedoms of all minorities. Efforts would have to be made to restore dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Also, there should be a thorough consideration of the idea of decentralizing the province’s administration, in order to take into account all the communities. Russia was prepared to work with all those in the international community committed to putting a speedy end to the tragedy in the Balkans and ensuring the implementation of Council obligations. He added that resolution 1244 (1999) remained the only legal basis for a Kosovo settlement. He hoped serious conclusions could be reached which avoided double standards and focused on a just settlement, which was so crucial for Europe.

MICHEL DUCLOS (France), associating himself with the European Union, said the events of March had been a clear blow to the peace process. It would be useful to have some collective soul-searching about what had happened, the main lesson of which was that extremist forces continued to play a very major role. An effort must be made to isolate the extremists from those who wanted a democratic Kosovo. The UNMIK had given the impression of having been taken by surprise. It must show it had the close relationship with the people of Kosovo that was necessary for it to carry out its proper role.

Noting that the economic environment in Kosovo was deplorable, he said the Serb minority must be reassured that their destroyed property would be restored. The Kosovo Serbs must also be assured that those wishing to return to their homes could do so, and that those responsible for the violence would be punished. In addition, the provisional authorities must adopt a responsible attitude, as they must be the first to take responsibility for a positive climate. There should be no change to the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan, which was a useful document that could highlight the rights of minorities, human rights and the rule of law.

ANA MARIA MENENDEZ (Spain) joined other Council members in condemning the recent spasm of violence in Kosovo and said the perpetrators must be brought to justice in order to prevent a recurrence. What had happened had been a serious setback to normalization in Kosovo. Everyone must take a hard look at the real need to ensure the rights of all minorities in the province.

Publication of the Standards Implementation Plan at the end of March had been a step forward, she said, but added that no one should think that everything was moving along as it had before the recent uptick in violence and increased ethnic tensions. Therefore, an assessment of the standards required that particular attention be paid to ensuring the safe return of refugees, as well as the freedom of movement of all minorities. Spain would reaffirm its support for the Provisional Institutions of Self Government and would stress the need for provisional authorities to be reminded of their responsibility to ensure the implementation of the agreed Standards Plan.

CRISTIAN MAQUIEIRA (Chile) reiterated that those responsible for last month’s violent acts that had caused so much tragedy must be brought to justice. Impunity must not be allowed to take hold in Kosovo. While it was too soon to reach a firm conclusion about what had happened, lessons must be learned and adjustments made to prevent a recurrence of the violence.

He said it was clear that, if the international community hesitated in establishing a multi-ethnic community through implementation of Council resolution 1244 (1999), the extremists would have won. The Standards Implementation Plan, whose legal foundation was the standards before status policy, remained the basis for the establishment of a democratic, peaceful and multi-ethnic Kosovo. Belgrade’s role in the realization of those aims was crucial.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan) joined others in condemning the March violence in Kosovo and said his delegation had been pleased to hear that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was on the scene monitoring the damage and spearheading efforts to rebuild cultural institutions, homes and churches that had been destroyed. While others had said the violence had been “a wake up call”, Pakistan had been one of the few voices –- and perhaps the lone voice on the Council -- that had consistently called for the speedy final political settlement for Kosovo.

And while violence must not be rewarded and those responsible for extremist behaviour must be rooted out and punished, the longer a decision on the province’s final status was delayed, the more that cycle of violence would be perpetuated. Indeed, such violence would keep repeating itself unless and until some resolution was reached on the thorny issue of status. He reiterated that the only way to peace and prosperity was to address final status for Kosovo.

He said, however, that the full implementation of the Standards was not an obstacle to Kosovo’s progress, and agreed that the establishment of a multi-ethnic, democratic Kosovo was critical to the implementation of Council resolution 1244 (1999). And while he welcomed the publication of the Standards Implementation Plan last month, he was concerned that not every community had participated in its drafting. He hoped that would not later be an obstacle to its implementation. He stressed that reviving the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was crucial.

While Pakistan was still studying the Plan, it was prepared to give its initial, though cautious, support. He reiterated that lack of participation in drafting must not be used to hamper implementation down the road. He also said that the bar for the Standards, or the methods of achieving them, must not be set so high that even countries such as the States members of the European Union would have trouble implementing them. The Plan must be realistic. He encouraged the Contact Group on Kosovo to more actively cooperate and consult with Council members when making its decisions.

ZHANG YISHAN (China), noting that the situation in Kosovo was still precarious, deplored the acts of violence perpetrated against the Kosovo Serbs and cultural and religious sites. The truth must be established and the perpetrators brought to justice. It was hoped that the rule of law and public order would be restored.

Calling on all the parties concerned to continue to commit themselves to ethnic reconciliation, he said the solution to the problems of Kosovo must be based on Council resolution 1244 (1999) and on the standards before status policy. China emphasized that the only way out was political dialogue. Violence would not solve anything.

JAMES CUNNINGHAM (United States) joined others in condemning the recent violence in Kosovo. He said the continuation of such actions was a “dead end” for the province, as well as the people of the region. He had been pleased to see that nearly 180 persons had been arrested, and they should be brought to speedy trial. Particular attention should be paid to identifying and charging those authorities that had been involved in the violence. He applauded those in the Government that stood up to the violence, as well as the leadership in Belgrade that had been vocal in its condemnation of the events and calling for calm. He urged all to follow through on promises and pledges to aid in the reconstruction efforts to rebuild damaged churches, homes and cultural sites.

He said the United States remained committed to a peaceful and democratic Kosovo. He urged all to work with his Government to ensure that the recent violence did not stand in the way of Kosovo’s achievement of the Standards that would eventually lead to a final status for the province. Those that believed that violence could be used to further a political agenda must not prevail, he said, urging the wider international community, as well as the United Nations, to work to ensure a peaceful way of life for all Kosovo’s communities.

He reiterated that commitment to the Standards was the surest way forward, but stressed that the Council could not continue as if nothing had happened. It was clear that an assessment should be taken of priorities that had come to light in the aftermath of the recent violence. Kosovo must, therefore, work to ensure participation of all communities in the democratic process, as well as the devolution of authority to local governments. The United States would remain committed to working with all those who wished to see Kosovo build a better future.

GUNTER PLEUGER (Germany), subscribing to the statement made on behalf of the European Union, said the violence had forced all parties, local political leaders and the international community to make a sober appraisal of the policies they had been pursuing up to the present. Clearly, the lesson to be learned was not that they should give up on the aim of building a democratic and tolerant Kosovo, but the contrary. The violence had highlighted the stark choice between a civilized society and one where extremists influenced the people.

He said that, for the political leaders in Kosovo, the most important lesson was that they must leave no doubt about their commitment to protecting minorities and building a multi-ethnic society. The recent letter by Kosovo Albanian leaders to the people of Kosovo had been an important gesture. Words must now be followed by deeds. Political leaders must also be unequivocal about their determination to isolate and punish violent extremists. They must explain the rationale of reconciliation to their constituents and be prepared to pay the political costs.

Funding the reconstruction of all the destroyed houses and churches out of the Kosovo Consolidated Budget may not make the provisional leaders more popular with their constituents, because other high priorities must be deferred as a consequence. Nevertheless, all the houses and churches must be rebuilt. Sending extremists to prison and purging their parties and governing structures of extremist influence may also cost political leaders some support. Firing officers of the Kosovo Police Service who had failed to protect minorities may also be politically unpopular. But, all those steps were essential in order to create a stable society.

One especially important area for improvement was bringing government closer to local communities through devolution of political authority, he said. Local communities needed to have a greater say over institutions, such as schools, so that government could be responsive to local needs. As a by-product of such devolution, illegal parallel structures could be eliminated. Devolution would continue to be promoted as a way to create more stable and effective local governments in Kosovo, which was also in the interest of minorities.

He said the international community must also make its commitments clear. First, it must reaffirm that its commitment to the minority communities was ironclad. International troops and police, as well as elements of the civilian administration, would stay in Kosovo in adequate numbers until all its people could live in freedom and security. Second, the international community must make clear that it was acutely sensitive to the difference between lip service to ideals and actual fulfilment of standards, and that it would only accept concrete actions and tangible progress. Finally, it must analyse why hatred was still so strong and what could be done to help reconciliation among all communities.

ROKSANDA NINCIC (Serbia and Montenegro) said efforts to transform the western Balkans into a stable and secure region had suffered a “serious setback” when the recent spate of ethnic violence and intimidation orchestrated by Albanian extremists and terrorists had broken out in Kosovo. According to Council resolution 1244, the international security presence was mandated to establish a secure environment in which refugees and displaced persons could return home in safety. By the same text, the international civil presence had been mandated to maintain civil law and order, to protect human rights and likewise assure the safer return of all persons that fled their homes during violence or conflict. “Both had failed to fulfil those obligations”, she said.

Serbia and Montenegro had taken note of Mission Chief Harri Holkeri’s announcement that UNMIK was determined to bring justice to all those persons found to have been involved in the March 17 to 19 violence in any way. Her Government would also welcome the speedy trail of the perpetrators. There had been ample opportunity during the five years of Kosovo’s and Metohija’s international administration to demonstrate that a culture which bred ethnically motivated violence would not be tolerated, she said, adding that this may be one of the last opportunities to prevent impunity.

Stressing that the March violence had not been an isolated incident, she said that since 1999, Serb and other ethnic communities in Kosovo had been exposed to almost daily attacks and intimidation by extremists in the majority population of Kosovo Albanians. In such circumstances -- where ensuring the physical security, as well as safeguarding the rights of the Serb communities in Kosovo and Metohija was increasingly at stake –- it was difficult to envisage the smooth and rapid implementation of the concepts of democracy and multi-ethnic prosperity laid out in the standards and the Implementation Plan.

Those documents, quite simply failed to provide sufficient guarantees for the survival of Serbs in the province, let alone the safe return of displaced Serb populations, she said. The failure to fully establish such guarantees would signify an end to the possibility of a multi-ethnic Kosovo in the very presence of the international actors, which would share responsibility for such an outcome.

“Therefore, we need to have real security and reliable institutional guarantees for the Serb and other ethnic communities in Kosovo and Metohija”, she said, adding that it was essential that particularly vulnerable ethnic communities enjoyed meaningful autonomy in order for them to be able to protect their personal well being and property and ensure their freedom of movement. With all that in mind, her Government expected the Council to support proposals aimed at providing the non-majority ethnic communities of Kosovo and Metohija with institutional guarantees to ensure their survival, their return, their rights and their cultural and religious heritage.

RICHARD RYAN (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, said his delegation had strongly condemned the recent ethnically motivated violence, loss of life, property damage and the destruction of religious and cultural buildings and artifacts in Kosovo. The Union had also condemned the attacks on KFOR and on the personnel and sites of the United Nations mission there. He called on all the leaders, especially the Kosovo Albanian leadership, to take responsibility for the situation and ensure that such acts and threats of violence were not repeated. Those that were responsible for the violence must be brought to justice, he added.

The European Union also called on the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to demonstrate their commitment to a multi-ethnic Kosovo. As an immediate step, he said the Union welcomed their decision to allocate funds for reconstruction and would urge the Institutions to take further responsibility for the speedy reconstruction of damaged property, including places of worship, to ensure the earliest possible return of internally displaced persons. He stressed the need for political leaders to work closely with UNMIK and KFOR to ensure the physical security and the full protection of the rights of members of all Kosovo’s communities.

He said that the recent events had been a serious setback for Kosovo and had endangered the progress made in recent years. The Union reaffirmed its strong support for UNMIK Chief Holkeri, as well as KFOR, in their efforts to stabilize the situation and to ensure implementation of Council resolution 1244 and the policy of standards before status. Those remained the foundation of the international community’s commitment to Kosovo and the path ahead lay in their implementation. The Union took note in that regard of the presentation on 31 March of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan as a step forward in that process.

KOICHI HARAGUCHI (Japan) said the most important lesson learned from the violence was the need for redoubled efforts to establish a multi-ethnic society. There was no alternative except the implementation of Kosovo standards in reaching that goal. Japan supported UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in the implementation of its standards and appealed to the international community to express its support for the recently publicized Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan.

He said the violence had demonstrated the increased need for security in Kosovo. Japan supported the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNMIK and KFOR in their strengthened efforts to stabilize the situation immediately after the violence. At the same time, on the basis of the assessment of measures taken by UNMIK before the violence, it was necessary to think seriously about how to increase security in a sustainable manner. One of the immediate tasks should be to upgrade Kosovo’s security organizations, including the training of police officers. Japan had been cooperating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Illicit Small Arms Control Programme and the Trust Fund for Human Security, and called on all Member States to join in similar efforts.

AGIM NESHO (Albania) said last month’s violent events in Kosovo -– already soundly condemned by the wider international community, as well as the people of Kosovo –- indicated that both the democratic process and the future of democracy in the province and region should not, and could not, be taken hostage by extremists from any side. Neither old nationalistic ideals nor those parties that might try to exploit instability should be allowed to flourish. He added that it was clear, nevertheless, that the international community, as well as Albania, were committed to building a free, multi-ethnic and democratic society in Kosovo, as it strived to find its place in the wider European family.

The Albanian Government also reiterated its support for the efforts of UNMIK and its leader Ambassador Holkeri, he said. The Government also commended North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s quick response in sending more peacekeepers to the province. Albania also praised the actions of the Provisional Institutions during the violence, as well as the commitment of the Government and Prime Minister for rebuilding the houses and orthodox churches that had been damaged.

He said that the implementation of Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the overall road to stability and democracy demanded serious efforts by all relevant actors. Also, the people of Kosovo and their Provisional Institutions should cautiously, but courageously, draw appropriate lessons from the recent events. They should all redouble their efforts for the implementation of the standards, revitalize dialogue, and adjust their approaches to the various strategies to address everyday realities. All that would help ensure a clearer perspective and speed up implementation of the standards.

He added that Albania was concerned by the ongoing existence of parallel structures in Kosovo, which impeded the establishment of a multi-ethnic society and challenged the work of UNMIK on the ground. With that in mind, he reiterated that the violence that erupted in March should not be used as an excuse to continue to create or maintain such structures. Neither should it be used as an excuse for nationalistic policies, nor as an excuse not to address internal political issues.

Responding to the statements, Mr. GUEHENNO said nobody would wish to characterize Kosovo merely on the basis of the March violence. Before last month, violence had been declining steadily and people of different communities had begun living side by side, although coexistence had still been fragile.

Regarding the questions raised by the representative of the Philippines, he said that while he was not privy to information about Al-Qaida, organized crime did represent a serious problem in Kosovo and UNMIK police were taking active measures to fight it.

On the sorry state of the economy, he said crime was both a cause and a consequence. It was easier to make a living through crime than by legitimate means. There would certainly be fewer refugee returns if there were no jobs and no investment, and if there was no sense that there was a vibrant economy. It was a vicious cycle.

He said when he had been in Kosovo just before the eruption of violence, he had been struck by the misunderstanding that the standards were an artificial exercise. The implementation of standards was the means by which various communities could live in peace, without the heavy presence of UNMIK and KFOR.


INTERVIEW MED PM KOSTUNICA I »VECERNJE NOVOSTI«.

Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade, April 13, 2004 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica gave an interview to Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, in which he spoke about situation in Kosovo-Metohija, political developments in Serbia, relations with Montenegro, cooperation with the Hague Tribunal and other current topics. The official web site of the Serbian government brings excerpts from the interview.

On ways to resolve situation in Kosovo-Metohija and mechanisms of protection of Kosovo Serbs:

The only solution for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija is to establish institutional guarantees for their autonomy. The Serbian government adopted a draft plan on the province's territorial autonomy, which stipulates new institutional guarantees for autonomy of Serbs and non-Albanians within the Kosovo autonomy. The government is resolved not to depart from such a position because every other solution is senseless.

On the type of autonomy:

It is a two-tier type of autonomy, envisaging territorial autonomy for those areas in which Serbs live in compact wholes and represent a majority. That is the case only in a small part of Kosovo-Metohija. Personal and cultural autonomy is envisaged for all those who live scattered around the province in small enclaves. This plan is based on the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 1244 and the Constitutional framework and therefore no one can complain that we did not respect the existing legal frameworks. I told my collocutors from the international community that the standards for Kosovo-Metohija and plan for their implementation is a pure utopia, because the reality is completely different.

On whether the draft plan specifies areas in which autonomy will be applied:

The government's draft plan does not contain maps, but clearly defined principles. The idea is to have autonomy within the autonomy. The rights of Serbs and non-Albanians are supported by the idea of territorial autonomy, because it is a precondition for personal and cultural autonomy of Serbs who live outside compact Serbian municipalities.

On whether the government has alternative plans or some stricter stance on the issue if the draft plan is not supported:

The resolution of Kosovo issue is a great risk, and all heads of the UNMIK administration have had a predominantly optimistic and bureaucratic approach to it. As a rule, they were unfamiliar with Kosovo reality, unprepared to take any risks. Therefore, things must be resolved in another way - with a firm stance of the Serbian government and the State Union of Serbia-Montenegro not to desist from the solution proposed. We do not say that this solution cannot be altered in some aspects, but its essence must not be changed because it offers necessary additional institutional guarantees for safety of Serbs. We have seen that there has been no safety for Serbs with 17,500 KFOR soldiers around. It did not exist with 48,000 soldiers and therefore we can logically conclude that it will not exits with 100,000 soldiers as well. Such a security system, without a political solution, is not good. I see that political solution in territorial autonomy and desisting from senseless statements that it is possible to achieve a multiethnic paradise in Kosovo as soon as tomorrow. It is necessary that Serbs, other non-Albanians and ethnic Albanians live next to each other and enjoy certain rights - concerning local government, security, education, culture, health... That is the only solution. So when we are calling for institutional guarantees, we are not doing it just for the sake of human rights or private property, but rather for the sake of mere survival of those people. For the sake of the right to life. And that's why we'll never give up. To put it simply, the Serbian government sees no other solution to this problem. If I had to give it up now, I would not be able to do my job any more.

On current political circumstances in Serbia and to what extent they facilitate or hamper efforts to resolve the Kosovo-Metohija problem:

The circumstances are more favourable now than they used to be, as we now have institutions in both Serbia and the state union to deal with (Kosovo) issue. They are operational and their legitimacy is not in question. I think that March 17 brought down to earth all those who had thought that the Kosovo issue could be resolved by piles of papers and promises that a multiethnic paradise was almost created. The international community must look in the mirror and admit that next to nothing has been done in the field of security in the five years of (international) presence in the province. Until March 17, this had been hidden behind piles of documents, which made no significant improvement. But March 17 put an end to it and underlined the fact that there was no security in Kosovo-Metohija and that ethnic cleansing was under way.

On why he is not running in the Serbian presidential election:

The reasons for that are twofold. First, because I have started doing this job, and not enough time has passed for what I have done to yield visible results. Some results are visible though, but it would be too irresponsible to give up the job now. On the other hand, I had an experience of being Yugoslavia's president a couple of years ago. That was a position which had a significance as regards its authority, but I had little real power to carry out certain plans. I had ideas how to build and strengthen institutions but I was curbed by limited competencies of the president. Therefore, this is now an opportunity to work on the strengthening of the institutions, the rule of law, and fight against corruption.

On the government's achievements so far, relations with the international community and international financial institutions:

To me, it was essential to create institutions and to complete them. To make all political parties take part in the work of the parliament. No doubt that this is a normal thing, but we had to create conditions for it. I consider it my own achievement that we managed to revive the institutions, despite the barrage I was exposed to. I am satisfied with the first steps. But these achievements are regarded as something normal and are therefore not noticeable. Only some political analysts see them, and they say: "you have managed to make all political parties legal." Well, if nobody has banned them, they are legal. You must go one step beyond that - to make some changes there. The difference between domestic and international perceptions of certain political parties will gradually be removed, and everyone in the parliament will be able to cooperate and make arrangements concerning the makeup of the government without provoking reactions from abroad. Once we have dealt with that issue, we will step into something that can be called democracy without any reservations.

On relations with Montenegro:

Recent statements by the Montenegrin leadership have suggested readiness to respect the Constitutional Charter, and to restrain from bringing up the issue of independence before the three years (during which Serbia and Montenegro agreed not to vote on independence) have elapsed. Even then, a referendum is a possibility rather than something inevitable. The appreciation of the advantages of living together, instead in two separate states, has been prevailing in both Serbia and Montenegro.

On reasons for passing a law on the rights of those detained by The Hague:

The real motive is to introduce some order in the defence of the interests of the state before the Hague tribunal and to ensure that those indicted do not jeopardise the state interests while defending themselves. So far, only Serbs have pleaded guilty and made settlements with the Hague tribunal at the expense of the truth. When it comes to indictees of other nationalities, where there have been coordination between the state and the indictees, there no such examples have been recorded. Besides, this might cost us in the case (against Yugoslavia) before the International Court of Justice - where it is facing claims by Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina for war reparations. This law was passed, among other things, to prevent that. It could also encourage some indictees to surrender to the court voluntarily.

On the Hague tribunal's demand for the arrest of four generals:

The indictments against four generals were revealed during the previous government's term of office. This turned out to be a big problem because the issue here is "command responsibility" and the question is how far the chain of command goes. This criterion has already sent the federal president, the president of Serbia, the federal deputy prime minister and the army chief of staff to the Hague. The second issue is the stability of domestic institutions and the need for Serbia to take over the cases.

On whether the four trials could be Serbia's first war crime trials:

We have to come up with a solution because the list of demands is rather long. It is not only the number of indicted Serbs but also the types of offices they held. This harms the stability of institutions, not only in the country but also in the region. It would be unrealistic to believe that the government can avoid cooperating with the Hague tribunal. The government will not be unconstructive, but will try to find a solution through a dialogue with the Hague. Everything has to end, even the Hague trials.


INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: COLLAPSE IN KOSOVO


Pristina/Belgrade/Brussels, 22 April 2004: The international community has a very brief window in which to learn from its mistakes and regain control of the agenda in Kosovo. If it fails, Kosovo's culture of political violence may push the province into a vicious cycle of hatred and bloodshed that infects the entire region.

Collapse in Kosovo,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, details the mid-March rampage - and the events leading up to it - that left nineteen dead, nearly 900 injured, homes, churches and monasteries destroyed, and roughly 4,500 people displaced. The report argues, as ICG has long maintained, that the 'standards before status' policy is in urgent need of modification, and recommends crucial steps that must be taken by the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the broader international community if Kosovo is to be a peaceful, viable home for all its communities.

"Without new policies on final status and socio-economic development, Kosovo may become ungovernable" says Nicholas Whyte, Director of ICG's Europe Program. "Kosovo risks becoming Europe's West Bank."

On 17 March 2004, the unstable foundations of four and a half years of gradual progress in Kosovo buckled and gave way, revealing Kosovo Albanian society to be deeply troubled and vulnerable to extremism. Within hours the province was immersed in anti-Serb and anti-UN rioting and had regressed to levels of violence not seen since 1999. Kosovo's provisional institutions of self-government (PISG), media and civil society afforded the rioters licence for mayhem.

The tension that was released with explosive force by the inciting incidents of 16 March had been growing for months, fuelled by frustration and fear over the international community's intentions for Kosovo, by UNMIK's inability to kick-start the economy and its suspension of privatisation, and by Belgrade's success over recent months in shredding Kosovo Albanian nerves.

The regional security implications are serious. KFOR and NATO have lost their aura of invincibility, and the perception of international weakness will not be lost on extremists in Kosovo and elsewhere in the Balkans.

It is essential that all concerned face up quickly to the implications of 17-18 March. The international community's institutions in Kosovo need new ways of operating and, in the case of UNMIK, a new structure and mandate. A real political, social, economic and institutional development process must be put in place rapidly to absorb the energies of Kosovo's population.

"The present policy of `standards before status' is only half a policy," says Alex Anderson, ICG's Kosovo Project Director. "But continuing the present drift carries huge risks: the regional consequences of a destabilised Kosovo are incalculable."


COLLAPSE IN KOSOVO

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

On 17 March 2004, the unstable foundations of four and a half years of gradual progress in Kosovo buckled and gave way. Within hours the province was immersed in anti-Serb and anti-UN rioting and had regressed to levels of violence not seen since 1999. By 18 March the violence mutated into the ethnic cleansing of entire minority villages and neighbourhoods. The mobs of Albanian youths, extremists and criminals exposed the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the NATO-led peacekeeping force (KFOR) as very weak. Kosovo's provisional institutions of self-government (PISG), media and civil society afforded the rioters licence for mayhem. The international community urgently needs new policies -- on final status and socio-economic development alike -- or Kosovo instability may infect the entire region.

The rampage left nineteen dead, nearly 900 injured, over 700 Serb, Ashkali and Roma homes, up to ten public buildings and 30 Serbian churches and two monasteries damaged or destroyed, and roughly 4,500 people displaced. The riots were more spontaneous than organised, with extremist and criminal gangs taking advantage, particularly on day two. Frustration and fear over the international community's intentions for Kosovo, UNMIK's inability to kick-start the economy and its suspension of privatisation, and Belgrade's success over recent months in shredding Kosovo Albanian nerves all built the tension that was released with explosive force by the inciting incidents of 16 March.

Regional security implications are serious and widespread. KFOR and NATO have lost their aura of invulnerability and invincibility. The perception of international weakness and lack of resolve will not be lost on extremists in Kosovo and elsewhere in the Balkans, including newly resurgent nationalists in Belgrade. If the underlying causes of the violence are not dealt with immediately and directly -- through political, developmental and security measures alike -- Kosovo risks becoming Europe's West Bank.

The violent explosion revealed Kosovo Albanian society to be deeply troubled, lacking institutions, leadership and the culture to absorb shocks and contain its violent, criminal minority. In its current state, this society will continue to push out minorities and ultimately consume its own wafer-thin layer of liberal intelligentsia. Its large number of young people threaten to sweep aside the fragile institutions of the older generation. Since 1999 a migration from the undeveloped countryside has swamped the capital and the modernised elements of society. UNMIK has not come near to making good Kosovo's development deficits, particularly the decay in education and literacy.

UNMIK's structure and mandate are now exposed as inappropriate to prepare Kosovo for the transition from war to peace, from socialism to the market economy, and from international political limbo to final status. The international community had beguiled itself into believing that the patchy half-promises of its November 2003 undertaking to begin reviewing Kosovo's final status by mid-2005 represented a complete policy. Unable to agree on what that final status should be, it relied on the naïve assumption that delaying the decision would allow passions to cool. It also failed to take security concerns seriously and deal with parallel structures and criminal groups. This lack of resolve left the majority Albanian and minority Serb communities locked in a confrontation that was suppressed, never resolved.

With status uncertainty deterring investors, and without the myriad club memberships open only to nation states, Kosovo's development is stunted under the current UN rule. Its GDP -- dependent on the waning contributions of prematurely disengaging donors and with only 4 per cent of imports covered by exports -- is unsustainable at even the current low level. With many families dependent on remittances from their migrant children, Kosovo is engaged in a humiliating demographic war of attrition with Western Europe. As Kosovo Albanians furtively cross their borders and enter their labour markets, these nations seek to throw them back. For the more than 50 per cent of Kosovo's labour force that is unemployed, including the 30,000 to 40,000 who join it every year, the present interim dispensation for Kosovo is not enough.

It is crucial that all concerned face up quickly to the implications of 17-18 March. The international community's institutions in Kosovo need new ways of operating and, in the case of UNMIK, a new structure and mandate. If the notion of partition is to be rejected -- as ICG believes it still should be except in the unlikely event that both interested sides freely choose it (in which case it would be consistent with the Helsinki principles) -- this can no longer be out of hand or on faith but only because new international policies and new honesty among Kosovo Albanians about their society produce changes on the ground that make Kosovo a much more viable place for all its communities.

If this is to happen, a real political, social, economic and institutional development process must be put in place rapidly to absorb the energies of Kosovo's population. The present policy of "standards before status" is only half a policy. The regional consequences of continued drift leading to a destabilised Kosovo are incalculable. The international community has a very brief window in which to learn from its mistakes and regain control of the agenda. Otherwise Kosovo may become ungovernable and dissolve into a vicious cycle of violence that infects all of the Western Balkans.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To Kosovo Albanian Institutions, including PISG, Media and Civil Society:

1. Combat the extremist and intolerant pathologies in Kosovo Albanian society rather than placing the whole blame for Kosovo's problems on the international community and UNMIK.

2. Accept that media coverage of the violence was indefensibly one-sided and inflammatory, and cooperate with the Temporary Media Commissioner and the OSCE in finding a way forward, including by reforming the management and board of the public broadcaster, RTK, and seeking sustained technical assistance from experienced European broadcasting professionals.

3. Go beyond the PISG commitment to help rebuild homes, monasteries and churches destroyed in the rioting with government funds by launching a broad initiative to raise money from all corners of society for this purpose, and otherwise taking the initiative to develop Kosovo Serb infrastructure including education and healthcare.

4. Continue the process of dialogue with Serbia initiated in October 2003.

To the Contact Group Countries (U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy and Russia) and Other Members of the International Community:

5. Re-engage seriously with the Kosovo issue, by:

(a) taking action to enhance the security of Kosovo's minority communities, especially the Serbs;

(b) beginning preparatory work for final status talks, including confirming their legal basis in Resolution 1244; and

(c) making a substantial and sustained social, economic, and institutional development effort for the express purpose of preparing Kosovo rapidly for final status.

6. Work through the UN Security Council to change the structure of UNMIK to suit better the mandate of a transition to final status and eventual EU membership , giving social and economic development the priority they currently lack, including by:

(a) dismantling the current pillar structure;

(b) transferring UNMIK's social and economic responsibilities to the PISG; and

(c) splitting the role of SRSG into two, with functions respectively of chief administrator of Kosovo and chief negotiator on final status.

7. Respond promptly to UNMIK's request for more investigators, prosecutors and judges so that UNMIK can vigorously investigate and prosecute those reasonably suspected of violent rioting within the framework of the new Kosovo criminal procedure code.

To UNMIK:

8. Institutionalise dialogue between Kosovo Albanian leaders and civil society and their Kosovo Serb counterparts on the means of co-existence in Kosovo, taking the Council of Europe decentralisation plan as a starting point.

9. Revitalise privatisation by making any procedural changes necessary to ensure rapid progress with this; build upon the dismissal of the former Kosovo Trust Agency chief by continuing to signal fresh thinking on, and accommodation with, Kosovo's economic and social development needs; and seek from the UN and the Contact Group the policy and resource tools necessary to meet them.

10. Improve command and control within UNMIK and the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), enhance their coordination with KFOR (especially on gathering intelligence on extremists and parallel structures), provide the police with more training and equipment, and further increase their ability to face challenges like 17-18 March by boosting their dangerously low morale.

To NATO:

11. Increase the capacity of KFOR troops to deal with future violent disorders by equipping, instructing and training them better in graduated use-of-force responses to riot situations, and by reinforcing border security.

To the Serbian Government:

12. Work with UNMIK to get parallel structures recognised, regularised, and, if possible, supported by the PISG in order to provide security and social services for Serb communities within Kosovo.

13. Continue the process of dialogue with Pristina on technical issues.

To the U.S. Government:

14. Designate a special envoy to initiate discussions with other members of the Contact Group, the EU, the PISG, Belgrade and neighbouring states on the legal basis and format of the eventual final status negotiations.

Pristina/Belgrade/Brussels, 22 April 2004


BESØG I BEOGRAD. MØDE I KONTAKTGRUPPEN APRIL 2004. NATO KRITIK AF DE KOSÓVA ALBANSKE LEDERE [22.04.2004]

Som det fremgår nedenfor roses PM Bajram Rexhepi af Kontaktgruppen, hvorimod de andre Ledere stort set ikke nævnes (bortset fra som underskrivere af et brev til befolkningen) - det tolker jeg som en stærk indirekte kritik ... NATO's Generalsekretær udtrykker den fælles opfattelse mere direkte: Man er langt fra tilfredse med hvordan de Kosóva Albanske Politikere - som helhed - har håndteret urolighederne før og under dem.

BA

U.S/EU/NATO JOINT STATEMENT

Representatives from the EU, U.S. and NATO met today with Serbian Prime Minister Kostunica and Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Draskovic to discuss the situation in Kosovo. The representatives reported on the most recent Contact Group meeting in Pristina April 19, which identified as priorities the need to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the reprehensible violence in March, to reconstruct destroyed properties and to ensure the return, safety and security of all displaced persons in Kosovo.

The international representatives of the U.S., EU and NATO further discussed with Belgrade leaders their readiness to foster an intense dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina as a way to build confidence and identify immediate steps to improve the security and freedom of movement of all people in Kosovo.

The representatives of the EU, U.S. and NATO proposed that this intensive dialogue also explore ideas and arrangements for ensuring effective local institutions in Kosovo.

The international representatives of NATO, EU and U.S. call upon Belgrade and Pristina to resume the Direct Dialogue on technical issues. We express the strong hope that concrete progress will be made quickly in that forum.

The U.S., EU and NATO representatives proposed to return to Belgrade again in May, and also in June to continue the intensive dialogue.

-

Joint Statement of the Contact Group on Kosovo

[Pristina, Contact Group] -- Meeting in Pristina for the first time, the Contact Group declares its intention to step up its engagement in Kosovo. The Contact Group will meet periodically in Pristina and actively support the work of UNMIK, KFOR and the PISG and intends to foster enhanced cooperation among them. During this first such Pristina visit, the Contact Group held discussions with UNMIK, the PISG, and leaders of Kosovo’s Albanian and Serbian communities.

We are meeting in the shadow of violent attacks on people and property in Kosovo that cost 19 lives and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, churches, monasteries, hospitals and schools. We firmly condemn the violence that occurred against the people of Kosovo, as well as against KFOR and UNMIK.

This violence of last month was a severe setback to the vision we have for the future of Kosovo. That vision remains a multi-ethnic Kosovo where all its citizens live in peace and security. The Contact Group affirms its commitment to the “Standards Before Status” policy and the Standards Review process, including a comprehensive review date in mid 2005 as set out in the UNSC Presidential Statement of 12 December 2003. The recent violence has set Kosovo and the Standards process back. Several critical Standards were trampled upon. It is now up to Kosovo leaders and institutions to work in genuine partnership with UNMIK to create the conditions for a multi-ethnic, democratic Kosovo. We therefore welcome the release of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan, and note the document’s reference that portions will require revision -- and strengthening in key areas -- in light of the March violence. The Contract Group accords particular priority to elements relating to multi-ethnicity in all standards, especially in the rule of law, freedom of movement, returns and reintegration and in development of initiatives for effective central and local government.

The Contact Group commends the “Letter from Institutional and Political Leaders to the People of Kosova of April 2.” We commend the leadership shown by Prime Minister Rexhepi in responding to the violence and in reaching out to affected communities. In the short-term, reconstruction of the damage caused in the rioting to the same quality as before the violence is an imperative. Appropriate compensation should be paid. A comprehensive returns’ plan should be established. The Contact Group welcomes the PISG’s allocation of several million euros from the Kosovo Consolidated Budget for reconstruction. Arrangements should be made with the Serbian Orthodox church to begin the repair of churches and monasteries destroyed or damaged.

The Contact Group urges Kosovo political institutions to work with UNMIK and KFOR to ensure the security of all communities. We note with approval that nearly 200 persons, including some accused of organizing the violence, have been arrested. The people and institutions of Kosovo should cooperate to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the many unsolved murders in Kosovo. The Kosovo Police Service needs more extensive training, particularly in riot control, and greater responsibility. The Kosovo Albanian side undertook to produce a report on actions taken for UNMIK and the contact Group.

The Contact Group heard in detail from the Kosovo Serb leaders. It urged Kosovo Serbs to re-join fully the political process and re-enter the central and municipal political institutions from which they have withdrawn. Their future lies in Kosovo. Whatever the final status of Kosovo will be, it is in everyone’s interest to participate in the institutions officially established by the international community in Kosovo. This will greatly facilitate progress on all the standards, which will enhance the lives of members of every community. The Contact Group also asked these Kosovo Serb leaders to produce a report for UNMIK and the Contact Group.

The Kosovo economy remains an area of great concern. Kosovo urgently needs job creation. Market economic reform is proceeding too slowly. The Contact Group urges UNMIK and the PISG to improve their cooperation in order to get privatization moving.

The Contact Group observes that Kosovo has taken important fundamental steps in establishing functioning democratic institutions -- a functioning Presidency, Government, and Assembly, all chosen in several elections judged free and fair. One area under this standard where the recent violence highlighted inadequate performance was the media, where sensationalist reporting by some newspapers and TV stations may have contributed to the violence. The Contact Group calls on UNMIK to clamp down on irresponsible print and broadcast journalism.

The Contact Group hopes that the institutions and people of Kosovo, with the participation of all communities who live here, will rise to this challenge, repair the damage caused by the violence of last month, and re-embark on the project of creating “A Kosovo where all -- regardless of ethnic background, race or religion -- are free to live, work and travel without fear, hostility or danger and where there is tolerance, justice and peace for everyone.”

-

Serbiske »B92« skriver:

PRISTINA -- Thursday – NATO’s secretary-general has expressed his “total disappointment” with the response of Kosovo Albanian leaders one month after the UN-governed erupted in a wave of violence against its Serb minority.

Emerging from talks in Pristina, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he had not seen any improvement in the situation since his visit immediately after the March riots, B92’s correspondent reports.

“I have to say I’m totally disappointed,” he told a news conference. The NATO chief said it was not enough just to condemn the violence after the event. “We can’t wait any longer for the leaders to understand that,” he added.

Scheffer, who was accompanied by the ambassadors of the alliance’s 26-member North Atlantic Council, said he had not seen any readiness on the part of Kosovo’s politicians to take responsibility.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t see that responsibility among politicians. I didn’t see that readiness and ambition to take full responsibility, and taking responsibility is the only way Kosovo will move forward. Politicians must do something concrete,” he said.

Scheffer said ethnic Albanian leaders should understand that the international community will not give up on its policy of “standards before status” – the catchphrase in Brussels and Washington for meeting benchmarks of democracy and human rights before resolving the final status of the province. He also urged representatives of Kosovo’s Serb community to take part in the process, warning there could be “no waiting”.

Scheffer denied media reports that the alliance had appointed its own special representative to Kosovo, but said the possibility was being considered.


OSCE RAPPORT OM PRESSENS ROLLE UNDER MARTS-UROLIGHEDERNE

OSCE har 22.4.2004 udsendt en rapport om pressens rolle under marts-urolighederne. Det er ét af de vigtigste dokumenter der er produceret om urolighederne. Det viser - direkte og indirekte:

- Der er meget langt til at Albanerne og Serberne kommer til at forstå og acceptere hinanden. Betydelige kredse af Kosóva Albanere vil ikke acceptere Kosovo Serberne.

- Mange Albanske pressefolk har optrådt uprofessionelt og uansvarligt; nogle derimod fuldt ansvarligt (især i dele af den trykte presse).

- Der er ikke umiddelbart bevis for at urolighederne - til at begynde med - har været organiseret, se fx flg. bemærkning:

What the organisers of extremist anti-UNMIK demonstrations had failed to achieve in the past, the news concerning the drowning of the three children succeeded in doing. It offered a perfect emotional motive for popular outrage and a good tool for sentimental manipulation by extremist individuals and groups longing for escalation.

Udsagn fra fremtrædende Militærfolk og andre om at urolighederne (til at begynde med) var organiseret må - efter min mening - betragtes som stærkt problematiske. Det ville være ønskeligt hvis man i NATO-, UNMIK-, KFOR-ledelserne fik set denne del af forløbet grundigt efter ... og draget de nødvendige konklusioner. De pgl. udsagn har - formentlig - været med til at fremmane et spøgelse af »mastering«.

Rapporten konkluderer at der kan tages en række initiativer for at forbedre mediedækningen i Kosovo / Kosova. Sådanne initiativer bør man tage, men det ændrer ikke ved at det er temmelig usandsynligt at Kosovo Serbere og Kosova Albanere kan og vil realisere idéen om et 'multi-etnisk' samfund.

Det ville være overordentligt ønskeligt hvis et sådant samfund kunne etableres, men det er ikke realistisk - og udviklingen har siden sommeren 1999 på afgørende punkter bevæget sig væk fra en realisering og ikke tættere på, dels fordi de flygtede Kosovo Serbere ikke har kunnet vende tilbage, dels fordi Kosovas økonomi er elendig og ikke giver de nødvendige materielle forudsætninger for at et 'fornuftigt' samfund kan opbygges.

Rapporten kan downloades fra: http://www.osce.org/documents/rfm/2004/04/2695_en.pdf - her aftrykkes resumé, første afsnit der vedrører drukneulykken og de afsluttende konklusioner:

The aim of this report is to evaluate the role of the Kosovar media in the tragic events of mid-March 2004 in Kosovo. Even in a society with no ethnic conflict, linking the media to loss of life entails walking the thin dividing line between defending freedom of expression and condemning hate speech. But in a post-ethnic conflict society such as Kosovo, biased reporting alone could lead to violence. This report offers ideas and recommendations as to how to repair the evident deficiencies of the media in order to prevent similar situations in the future and provide for a free, fair and balanced media landscape in Kosovo.

While displaying the weaknesses it did, the media was not, of course, intentionally instigating violence. But the media has a responsibility to react properly and professionally to serve the best interests of the population of Kosovo.

Without the reckless and sensationalist reporting on 16 and 17 March, events could have taken a different turn. They might not have reached the intensity and level of brutality that was witnessed or even might not have taken place at all.

In particular, the clear spin given by the media in accounts of the fatal drowning of a group of children on 16 March seems to be unsupported by any journalistically valid accounts. Neither can one say these accounts were informed by a desire to help avoid violence. In fact, media coverage seems to have led to massive demonstrations of a violent nature involving 50-60,000 people on 17 March, as compared to the 18,000 who demonstrated prior to the coverage of this incident in the media.

It should also be noted that the media, specifically the broadcasting sector, displayed unacceptable levels of emotion, bias, carelessness, and falsely applied “patriotic” zeal. In particular, the reporting on the evening of 16 March by the three main Kosovar TV channels deserves the strongest possible criticism. The performance of RTK (Radio and Television of Kosovo) during the riots, as well as on the evening before, should be viewed with special concern, since this is the only public broadcaster.

In contrast, the mainstream print media, with some unfortunate exceptions, displayed rather more constructive behaviour. Editorials and most of the reporting in the dailies Koha Ditore and Zeri helped to decrease tensions.

The events also made it evident that there is a severe lack of mutual trust between UNMIK Public Information offices and local journalists.

However, it would be premature and unfair to say the media development efforts of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMIK) and others have failed. One has to acknowledge free media is still a novelty in Kosovo. OMIK, the Temporary Media Commissioner (TMC), the donors and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media will have to strengthen their efforts to improve the quality and accountability of broadcasters in Kosovo. Finally it should be noted that the events of mid-March were the first serious crisis that the Kosovo media has ever faced. While this report shows there is credible concern that the electronic broadcast media might have been one of the reasons for the outbreak of violence, long-term sanctions could prove counter-productive.

Background story

This is the event related by the Kosovar Albanian media that is believed to have sparked the riots: on 16 March, six Kosovar Albanian children from the village of Caber, located in the majority Serb-populated municipality of Zubin Potok, were playing on the Serb side of the river Iber. This divides the village of Caber from a Serb neighbourhood. At some point, an unidentified group of local Serbs was said to have charged the children with a dog. While escaping them, four of the children jumped into the river. After a terrible experience, only one of the four survived. The surviving child is also the only eye-witness source the media continued to refer to. It was never explained how the two other children – those did not jump into the river – also survived. Nor was it made clear whether they were also attacked by the Serbs allegedly chasing the group or by the dog, and if not, then why not. Finally, neither of the two other surviving children, nor their views, were ever presented in the media during the critical days.

The present report does not set out to speculate about the reasons, possible organisers or motivation behind the violent events in Kosovo in mid-March. Nor does it aim to speculate about the circumstances of the tragic death of the three children from Caber. Its sole purpose is to analyse the role that the media (in particular the TV broadcasters) played or might have played to fuel or provoke the intensity and the nature of the events which led to the massive ethnically-motivated violence and the loss of life and property, including religious and cultural sites.

Circumstantial evidence and opinions gathered by a number of institutions, as well as by the author of this report, suggest that the way the news about the drowning of the children was qualified and presented by the mainstream media constituted the casus belli, so to speak. What the organisers of extremist anti-UNMIK demonstrations had failed to achieve in the past, the news concerning the drowning of the three children succeeded in doing. It offered a perfect emotional motive for popular outrage and a good tool for sentimental manipulation by extremist individuals and groups longing for escalation.

There is hardly anything that provokes stronger feelings and greater outrage than crimes against innocent children, the more so if they are committed on ethnic grounds in a volatile environment, as is the case in Kosovo.

However, the relevant question is not whether we know today what caused the tragic deaths of these children or whether an investigation might even prove the initial media allegations to be right. Rather the fundamental question is, could the media have known for a fact, beyond any doubt, that the children were victims of an ethnic crime at the time it disseminated this news?

Unfortunately, there is no supporting evidence that the media presented the news after having checked all facts to the best of their knowledge, nor that the media were even in a position to know beyond any doubt that the children had been victims of an ethnicallymotivated crime. In fact, it seems they did not even listen carefully to their own interviews with one of the children who survived the incident.

Different statements by the surviving child, aired on 16 March, referred to a distant Serb house, to Serbs who had sworn at them from the house, to a dog, and to the fact that they were afraid. At no point in the interviews aired did the child use the words, “We were chased by a group of Serbs with a dog.”

The TV stations chose, however, to spin the story as if the Serbs had actually chased Albanian children to their deaths with a dog. Even the respected daily Koha Ditore on 17 March had as its front-page headline: “Three Albanian children drown in Iber, while escaping Serbs.” The public was left to believe, that beyond any reasonable doubt, a despicable, ethnically-motivated crime had been committed.

To date, the main TV broadcasters and other media have failed to explain to the public:

• that they had based their story on statements by only one of the three surviving children;

• that they had misrepresented and/or exaggerated the statements of the child in their headlines;

• that they had ignored or/and censored statements by appropriate authorities cautioning them not to jump to premature conclusions as the case was still being investigated; and that

• they chose to interview partners who seemed to confirm their story, no matter that those interviewed had no credible means of knowing what had really happened (this is in particular the case with RTK, the public broadcaster).

To date, several senior representatives of the Kosovar media refuse to acknowledge any link between their reporting on 16 and 17 March and the events that followed over the next few days. This is the equivalent of saying that the events of 17 March and of those the following days would have happened anyway, no matter what the media had broadcast the previous night. This is both unconvincing and misleading.

A reconstruction of some of the events on 16 March (before the media began airing headlines about the alleged killing of the children by Serbs), when placed in contrast to next day, will probably prove wrong the alleged total lack of connection between the reporting and the riots.


Conclusions

One cannot judge the media without taking into account the overall situation in Kosovo, and the social and political problems that still exist.

It is generally accepted that media cannot generate sentiments or hostilities overnight. Instead, what they do is to strengthen existing or previously generated stereotypes and animosities. What the broadcasting media in Kosovo did, especially on 16 March, was to inject into a situation already dominated by fear, prejudice and uncertainty,

• emotional, unsubstantiated reporting about a tragic event involving innocent children,

• one-sided reporting about the unjust arrests of “liberators” by UNMIK and the blockade of the main roads of Kosovo by rebellious Serbs.

This is not to say that some of the prejudices and fears had not originally been generated by the same media in the past.

The situation created on 17 March and during the following days, cannot be separated from the TV reporting on 16/17 March.

In particular, TV journalists and their editors failed to behave according to the ethics of their profession, acted emotionally and put their “patriotic” duty, as they saw it, first. The Kosovar Albanian TV media decided to qualify the incident of the drowning of the three children as cases of death caused directly and beyond any doubt by hostile, local Serbs. No evidence was offered to support this and the child interviewed never claimed this, as was clearly and vigorously presented by the media. The coverage of the riots created a new dimension of biased reporting when references to the violence were preceded by “justifications.” The strong visuals used were there not to appal but to incite. At this stage it should be noted that all three channels mentioned have been founded since the war in 1999 and have been generously financed by international donors. In particular, RTK – the only public broadcaster of Kosovo – has enjoyed substantial financial and technical support, including training, provided by the OSCE and other international donors and organizations.

While this report does not deal with the general quality of the media in Kosovo, one should ask whether the unsatisfactory performance during these crucial days represented just a accidental mistake or a pattern that became evident only during the tragic events. The fact that the media decided to ignore statements by UNMIK and the UN Police on 16 March, and to some extent also during the following day, is another matter of concern. While strong criticism should be voiced of the media in this regard, this also clearly indicates a seriously flawed relationship and lack of mutual respect between the UNMIK press operation and the local media.

This present report did not set out to examine the role of the Serb-language media during the crisis. There is no Kosovo-wide Serb-language broadcaster operating in Kosovo. The respective local TV and radio stations usually air news programming generated in Serbia, in addition to their own programming. During the crucial period, most of these media provided extensive air-time to news from Serbia. While no credible analysis is available, circumstantial evidence collected by media monitors from the OSCE in the region suggest that there is also reason for concern regarding their programming.

In order to examine the role of the Serb-language media in Kosovo during these days and also in order to analyse the performance of the electronic media in Kosovo in general – including radio – the Temporary Media Commissioner in Kosovo (TMC) asked a number of broadcasters to provide his Office with the tapes of the programmes aired during those turbulent days.

Recommendations

• A full investigation into the performance of the electronic broadcast media, Kosovo Albanian and Serbian, during the events of 16/17 March should be conducted. This should not only investigate the content of the footage aired, but also look at footage, statements and evidence that was not aired.

• The findings of this investigation should be presented to the public in Kosovo and to the donors, as well as to the journalists in question.

• OMIK and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media should hold a special meeting with donors in order to evaluate the performance of the media and discuss further plans for action.

• In particular, the performance of RTK, as the only public broadcaster, needs to be evaluated. The fact that only four out of eight members of the RTK Board of Directors appeared for the first board meeting after the events is worrying and needs to be properly addressed.

• The senior management and the editorial component of RTK needs to be strengthened. Ways, scope and nature of appropriate measures should be considered with the aim of enhancing the quality and the accountability of the public broadcaster.

• While there is a legitimate need to further regulate and strengthen the accountability and transparency of the public broadcaster, this should also be dealt with by introducing a necessary legal framework – for instance, through a Law on Broadcasting and a Law on Public Service Broadcasting.

• The Law on the Establishing of the Independent Media Commission, which was drafted last summer and is awaiting approval by the Office of the Prime Minister, should be urgently presented to Parliament for consideration.

• Self-regulating, non-governmental institutions, such as journalists’ associations and Media Councils, need to be established and/or strengthened.

• Serb-language media in Kosovo relies mostly on information provided by broadcasters in Serbia. Media broadcasting news programming generated out of Kosovo should be held accountable for content, regardless of origin, according to the regulations valid in Kosovo.

• A local Kosovo-wide Serb-language broadcaster should be established.

• OMIK should be advised to re-establish the Media Development Section. Particular attention should be placed on training, education of young journalists and monitoring of the local media. Funding for training would be required.

• In addition to monitoring the print media, regular, random checks of programmes aired by the electronic broadcast media should be conducted. This should be done outside the Office of the TMC, whose role is to enforce the TMC Code of Conduct, and should focus on evaluating the quality of the broadcasters for the purpose of identifying genuine problems that are not related to legislation.

• The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media should appoint a special representative for a limited duration to assist OMIK, the TMC and the donors to identify problems and action needed to be taken in order to rectify the situation. This representative could also serve as a new and neutral asset in re-establishing a constructive dialogue between the Kosovar media and the institutions involved.

• The TMC should be supported in his efforts to enforce existing regulations, and in particular article 2.2. of the TMC Code of Conduct for Broadcast Media, which states: “Broadcasters will not broadcast any material that encourages crime or criminal activities or which carries imminent risk of causing harm, such harm being defined as death, injury, or damage to property or other violence.”

• Necessary sanctions notwithstanding, OMIK, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and donors should increase their activities to financially and otherwise support the Kosovo media.

• UNMIK Public Information components need to take action in order to ensure that UNMIK's message is represented in a fair and consistent manner in the future.


SG ANNAN FREMLÆGGER RAPPORT FOR SIKKERHEDSRÅDET (SC) (30.04.2004)

SG Annan har fremlagt rapport om urolighederne i Kosóva der er meget kritisk over for den Albanske side (Kan hentes som pdf fra: http://bjoerna.net/SG-Annan-Kosovo-040430.pdf). UM i Serbien-Montenegro citerer:

BELGRADE, May 5 (Beta) - The ethnically motivated violence that broke out in Kosovo in March meant a serious blow to the efforts to build a democratic, multiethnic and stable Kosovo, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan declared in a new report on the work of U.N.'s Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

The report, published on the evening of May 4, in New York, states that the events in Kosovo represented a planned action to expel Kosovo Serbs, as well as members of the Roma and Ashkali communities, and to destroy the social structure of their existence in the province.

The comprehensive report, which will serve as the basis for a discussion in the Security Council, planned for May 11, analyzes certain areas in particular, concluding that the violence signifies a threat to the resumption of the BelgradePristina dialog, the return of displaced persons, the position of minorities and their security, but also to the economic conditions in the province.

In the part devoted to the return of displaced persons and the rights of Kosovo communities, it stated that before the March violence outburst, there were several signs of limited, yet encouraging prospects for return in the course of this year.

The March events, however, completely reversed the process, as minority populated areas were targeted for attacks. This sent the message that minorities and returnees are not welcome, it underlined in the report, along with the information that 4,100 people were driven out in less than 48 hours, which exceeds the number of people that have returned to Kosovo during the whole of last year (3,664).

The regular three monthly reports analyzes in detail the operation of democratic institutions, assessing that interim institutions dominated by Albanians still show no consistent support for the concept and practice of multiethnicity in Kosovo.


KFOR MENER AT EFTERRETNINGSVIRKSOMHEDEN IKKE HAVDE VÆRET TILSTRÆKKELIG

UM i Serbien-Montenegro citerer:

PRISTINA, May 5 (Beta) - KFOR spokesman Jim Moran said on May 5 that intelligence services in Kosovo had failed and that poor intelligence was the reason why the international authorities in Kosovo were caught off guard by the violence that erupted in the province in March.

A wave of violence swept Kosovo, resulting in the death of 19 people, the expulsion of over 4,000 Serbs from their homes. 700 homes and 36 monasteries and churches were burned down by Albanian extremists.

Moran told a news conference in Pristina that, after the March lesson, KFOR was now monitoring every event, protest rally and demonstration, to prevent any surprises. KFOR is arresting the individuals responsible for the violence in March and placing them in custody under Resolution 1244, and not under Kosovo's provisional law on criminal procedure, he said.

UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri has created a special committee to investigate UNMIK's behavior throughout the March events. UNMIK officials told BETA that the committee would include three international experts who would submit a report to Holkeri within 30 days on UNMIK's conduct during the rioting that took place from March 17-18.


DRØFTELSE I SIKKERHEDSRÅDET (SC) (11.05.2004)



Drøftelse i SC / FN's Sikkerhedsråd. UN / UNMIK skriver:

[Sammendrag]

11 May 2004 – Although the recent wave of violence shook the United Nations mission in Kosovo "to its foundations," it aimed to root out and punish the perpetrators while remaining resolute in its task to help prepare the province for self-governance, the UN's senior envoy in the province told the Security Council today.

In his first briefing to the Council since a spate of ethnically-motivated violence rocked the province in mid-March, Harri Holkeri, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), said that in the wake of this "serious setback," the Mission was questioning whether its response had been adequate, and whether it had done enough to prevent it.

"The violence has forced us at UNMIK to take a long hard look at ourselves," he said, recalling the incident in which 19 people were killed and nearly 1,000 injured over days of rioting. Hundreds of homes and centuries-old Serbian cultural sites were razed or burned, and some 4,000 people were displaced in just two days.

The speed with which the unrest spread had overwhelmed the ability of the Kosovo international force (KFOR) and UNMIK security forces to respond, Mr. Holkeri said. The mission had no means to augment its security forces, and KFOR was not reinforced until after the violence ended. The Mission had since been reviewing operational procedures and coordination in responding to crisis, for which he had appointed a review board.

In the aftermath, UNMIK would do all it could to bring to justice all those who provoked or engaged in the violence, he said, noting that some 270 arrests already had been made. The priority now was to target investigations on the principal organizers, as well as on homicides and arson. Local prosecutors were handling over 130 cases directly related to the riots. Some 50 cases of a more serious nature had been entrusted to international prosecutors.

Meanwhile, violence had obviously had a very adverse effect on the overall returns process, and the current security environment in Kosovo was not conducive to the forcible return of members of minority communities to their homes, he said. Achieving any progress on returns, including the newly displaced, would require a substantial increase in the quality and quantity of protection provided by KFOR and the police.

Describing Kosovo as an "open wound for Serbs, Albanians and the entire international community," Vuk Draskovic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro, said that in the wake of the "mass violence against Serbs and the barbaric destruction of their cultural sites," the Council had adopted a Presidential statement that had not adequately responded to the tragedy suffered by the Serbian people in the province. He called on the body to ensure a greater and more resolute respect for the UN Charter and strict compliance with Security Council resolution 1244, which gave UNMIK its original mandate.

Mr. Draskovic told the Council the international community should not think today in terms of final status since the rights of Serbs were being tragically violated in Kosovo, and such human suffering could not constitute the basis for any final status. Serbia and Montenegro called for the start of a sincere dialogue at all levels between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, directly or through the good offices of the international community.


[Hele telegrammet]

Security Council

4967th Meeting (AM)

in briefing to Security Council, special representative describes march violence in kosovo as ‘most serious setback’ in last five years

Pledging to Do Everything Possible to Bring Perpetrators to Justice, He Says 270 Arrests Made So Far


Harri Holkeri, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), today described the wave of violence that had swept the province in mid-March as the most serious setback to the Mission’s efforts in the last five years and had shaken UNMIK “to its foundations”.

Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the province for the first time since October, he said the violence had challenged the sustainability of the international community’s efforts to build a multi-ethnic Kosovo where all citizens could live in peace and security. “The violence has forced us at UNMIK to take a long hard look at ourselves”, he said, adding that the Mission was questioning whether its response had been adequate, and whether it had done enough to prevent the violence. The UNMIK had since been reviewing its operational procedures in responding to crises, for which a review board had been appointed.

Pledging to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators of the violence to justice, he said some 270 arrests had been made so far. The priority now was to target investigations on the principal organizers, as well as on homicides and arson. Local prosecutors were handling more than 130 cases directly related to the riots, and some 50 cases of a more serious nature had been entrusted to international prosecutors. To facilitate that activity, UNMIK had requested 100 additional police investigators, six international prosecutors and three international judges.

In another shocking event, he said that on 17 April, three United States correctional officers had been killed and 11 others -- 10 Americans and an Austrian -– wounded after a Jordanian Special Police Unit officer had opened fire without provocation. The Jordanian police officer had been killed when the American officers had returned fire, and his four companions, also Jordanian Special Police Unit officers, were under investigation for their role in the crime.

Turning to another issue, he said that the rights of all Kosovo’s communities could be ensured above all by the vigorous implementation of the Standards for Kosovo, which remained a top priority for UNMIK. The Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan set out in detail the actions designed to meet the Standards, who was responsible for undertaking them, and when they were planned to take place. The commitment to the Plan’s implementation by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and the people of Kosovo was crucial to its success. The coming elections would be a test of that commitment.

Vuk Draskovic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro, said a cornerstone of the “standards before status” policy must be to address the consequences of ethnic cleansing aimed at Serbs and to provide for their full security, right to life and other human, civil and ethnic rights. The international community should not think today in terms of final status since the rights of Kosovar Serbs were being tragically violated, and such human suffering could not constitute the basis for any final status.

Serbia and Montenegro favoured the decentralization of power in Kosovo by the establishment of local self-rule in Serb-populated municipalities, towns, villages and so-called Serbian enclaves, he said. That kind of autonomy paved the way for a multi-ethnic and multicultural Kosovo, leading to reconciliation between Serbs and Albanians and to their common European future.

However, Albania’s representative noted that the international community had pushed for a long time towards the creation of a multi-ethnic society as the only solid basis for a democratic culture in Kosovo. That process could not be held back by the proposal of old ideas of division and cantonization under the legal cover of a democratic process for the decentralization of power. The international community should offer Kosovo freedom, not isolation; coexistence, not division along ethnic lines; and the opportunity to become, as fast as possible, part of the European family.

As for standards, he said that goal would lay the groundwork for the full discussion of Kosovo’s final status. There was a need to transfer more social and economic powers from UNMIK to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in the province. Furthermore, it was high time a solution was found to the problem of parallel structures so that they could no longer challenge UNMIK’s vision for the province’s future.

Council President Munir Akram (Pakistan), speaking in his national capacity, said that instead of transforming standards before status into dogma, the Council should promote a “status with standards” approach, which would hold the Kosovars accountable for implementing the standards programme, working out the extremism and intolerance, and creating cooperative relations with their neighbours. That approach would simultaneously see progress in clarifying the status issue, while seeking to uphold the rights and interests of all Kosovars, including the minorities.

The representative of the Russian Federation emphasized that no one should be allowed to achieve political goals through violence. The attempt to force non-Albanian communities out and to undermine the social basis for their lives, including by destroying Serbian orthodox monuments, had been a “conscious policy of ethnic cleansing”. Paramilitary bands left over from the organizational structure of the Kosovo Liberation Army should be dissolved; the size of international forces in Kosovo should be increased; and their anti-terrorist component should be strengthened.

Romania’s representative called for the establishment of a stricter regime for small arms and light weapons, as well as intensified operations to collect illegal weapons. It was crucial to eradicate the mentality of violence as a means to achieve political goals. That should proceed on every level and in every field, not least starting with a change of attitude on the part of political and local leaders who had failed to act responsibly during the recent crisis. To the same end, the local media should be supported to acquire more professional and democratic reporting standards.

Chile’s representative, also stressing that no political gain must result from the March violence, said the Kosovar leaders must bring the perpetrators to justice, and seize illegal weapons. They must begin to rebuild damaged sites or provide some form of compensation, and facilitate the return of those who had been displaced again. Further, they must comply fully with commitments made to restore multi-ethnicity and ensure Kosovo’s reconstruction.

Also speaking today were the representatives of the following Council members: United Kingdom, Brazil, Philippines, Algeria, France, Angola, United States, Benin, China, Spain and Germany.

The representatives of Ireland (on behalf of the European Union), Japan, Iceland and Ukraine also spoke.

Today’s meeting began at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at 1:21 p.m.

Background

When the Security Council met this morning to consider the situation in Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro), it had before it the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document S/2004/348), covering that Mission’s activities from 1 January to 31 March.

According to the report, the defining event during the reporting period was the widespread violence that occurred in March, which represents a serious setback to the stabilization and normalization of Kosovo. As a consequence of the onslaught led by Kosovo Albanian extremists against Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities, 19 persons died and 954 persons were injured. In addition, 65 international police officers, 58 Kosovo Police Service (KPS) officers and 61 personnel of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) suffered injuries. Approximately 730 houses belonging to minorities were damaged or destroyed, as were 36 Orthodox churches, monasteries and other religious and cultural sites.

The initial response by the leadership of the Provisional Institutions was ambivalent, the report states. However, after international condemnation of the violence, condemnations by Kosovo Albanian politicians became harsher. On 2 April, Kosovo Albanian officials and leaders, as well as representatives of the Turkish, Bosniac, Egyptian, Ashkali and Roma communities, signed an open letter condemning the violence and stating that politicians and the people of all ethnicities would work together to build a better Kosovo. The Government also committed itself to establishing a fund to repair all damage done to buildings and religious sites. The authorities in Belgrade had played a constructive role in collective efforts to stem the violence and prevent extremist reaction.

Following the launch on 10 December 2003 of the “Standards for Kosovo” document (see Press Release SC/7951 of 12 December 2003), five UNMIK/Provisional Institutions working groups began work on the Standards Implementation Plan, which was launched on 31 March. Following the violent events in March, the Implementation Plan was revised by, among other things, including six priority actions on returns. Until the violent events of mid-March, there had been limited but encouraging prospects for returns in 2004. However, the violence in March has completely reversed the returns process. In less than 48 hours, 4,100 minority community members were newly displaced, more than the total of 3,664 that had returned throughout 2003.

The violence also has had an extremely negative impact on the freedom of movement of members of the minority communities. Many are now unwilling to travel without KFOR escorts. Minority communities are now more isolated than at any time in the past three years. Restrictions on movement also adversely affect their economic situations. The KFOR is temporarily providing fixed checkpoints for minority communities. UNMIK humanitarian bus service has resumed only three of its regular routes.

Inter-ethnic relations at the local level have been severely damaged as a result of the violence. Kosovo Serbs who have cooperated with UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions are increasingly seen as traitors to their community. Kosovo Serbs are demanding a review of the future role of the municipal community offices. Within some mixed municipalities, there is an emerging trend for Kosovo Serb municipal employees to look for relocation, while in others minorities have not resumed their duties for security reasons.

Following the violence, UNMIK police put in place temporary measures to ensure capacity to counter any further outbreaks of disorder. It has shifted resources to establish the full facts of what occurred and arrest and prosecute those responsible for organizing or instigating the March violence. In order to investigate the events impartially, vigorously and effectively, UNMIK has made a request for 100 additional international specialist police investigators and six additional international prosecutors.

It appears that during the violence the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) performed professionally, although the possibility remains that some members may have active links with extremist organizations. During the reporting period, the KPC moved forward in meeting standards in areas such as downsizing, logistics and humanitarian construction projects. In line with the KPC mandate, personnel strength stands at 3,052, including only 132 minority members. The possible involvement of some KPC members in criminal activity continued to affect the organization’s image.

The recent violence has damaged the economy in terms of weakened investor interest and confidence. Combined with the high level of unemployment and in spite of continuing growth projected at around 4 per cent in 2004, the short- and medium-term economic outlook remains a major concern. The privatization process continues. The Regulation on Public Procurement, promulgated in February, will play a role in strengthening the competitiveness of domestic enterprises. Owing to a lack of preparation by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, several critical budgetary discussions and processes were delayed. On 1 April, the PristinaAirport was handed over from the military (KFOR) to civilian (UNMIK) control.

Regarding the direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the report states that two of the four working groups on direct dialogue met in early March. Neither of the working groups has held their planned second meetings, and significant delays in the dialogue are expected in the wake of the March events. While the Government of Serbia has stated that the dialogue should resume, it also pointed to the need to restore confidence and to implement a political process to provide guarantees to the Kosovo Serb community. The Prime Minister of Kosovo has stated that recent events do not mean the end of direct dialogue with Belgrade, but that an “internal inter-ethnic dialogue” needs to be conducted first.

The report observes that the ethnically motivated violence of March was a serious setback for the efforts to build a democratic, multi-ethnic and stable Kosovo, calling into question the timetable for a successful implementation of the standards and threatening to destabilize the region. The security situation in Kosovo remains a cause for serious concern. The humanitarian consequences of the crisis also need to be addressed in the shortest possible time.

There can be no peaceful and prosperous future for Kosovo without respect for the diversity of its people, the Secretary-General writes in his report, and violence will not be rewarded. He called on Kosovo political leaders to take effective steps to ensure that those who perpetrated the violence are brought to justice, and to sanction civil servants and politicians who failed to act responsibly during the crisis.

The violence has clearly demonstrated that Kosovo has a long way to go in fulfilling the standards endorsed by the Council on 12 December 2003. In the wake of the violence, there is more than ever a need for the leadership and society of Kosovo to achieve the standards as a basis for a stable and well-governed entity. The Council should ensure that UNMIK has the necessary resources to vigorously pursue investigations and the prosecution of those responsible for the violence.

Statements

HARRI HOLKERI, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), said that the brutal wave of violence in mid-March had been the most serious setback to UNMIK’s efforts of the last five years and “shook the Mission to its foundations”. The violence challenged the sustainability of the international community’s efforts to build a multi-ethnic Kosovo where all citizens could live in peace and security.

He said that UNMIK would do all it could to bring to justice all those who provoked or engaged in the violence. Some 270 arrests had been made so far. The priority now was to target investigations on the principal organizers, as well as on homicides and arson. Local prosecutors were handling more than 130 cases directly related to the riots. Some 50 cases of a more serious nature had been entrusted to international prosecutors. Those cases would be resolved and the perpetrators would be punished.

To facilitate that activity, UNMIK had requested 100 additional police investigators, six international prosecutors and three international judges, he said. So far, 14 police investigators had arrived in Kosovo and 20 more were expected soon. He requested a more definite commitment, however, from Member States to enable the investigations to move forward. Arrests of key suspects in the March violence triggered some protest demonstrations, but those had been isolated and local politicians had been quick to urge veteran and student associations not to participate.

He said that investigations were progressing well into the murder of two police officers on 23 March. The Mission suffered yet another shock when, on 17 April, three United States correctional officers were killed and 11 others –- 10 American and one Austrian officer –- were injured, when a Jordanian Special Police Unit officer opened fire without provocation. The Jordanian police officer was killed when the American officers returned fire. His four companions, also Jordanian Special Police Unit officers, were being investigated for their role in the crime.

“The violence has forced us at UNMIK to take a long hard look at ourselves”, he said. The Mission was questioning whether its response had been adequate, and whether it had done enough to prevent it. The speed with which violence spread over Kosovo had overwhelmed the capacity of KFOR and UNMIK security forces to respond. The UNMIK had no means to augment its security forces; KFOR was not reinforced until after the violence ended. The Mission had since been reviewing operational procedures and coordination in responding to crisis, for which he had appointed a review board. He would act on its recommendations.

In reaction to the March unrest, the Prime Minister and other key political leaders called for a halt to the violence, but those were tardy in specifically condemning the attacks on minorities and minority sites, he said. Some politicians had used the violence to renew calls for independence. Some senior governmental officials and the local news media had jumped to conclusions about the cause of the 16 March drowning of the young Albanian boys, thereby contributing to the trouble. Some had gone so far as to justify the violence as a legitimate reaction against Serb parallel structures and United Nations “misgovernment”. The unprofessional and provocative reporting of the events by much of the local media had inflamed the situation.

He said that the impact of the violent attacks on members of the Kosovo Serb, Roma and Ashkali communities had been dramatic. Some 4,100 persons had been displaced in just two days. The violence had obviously had a very adverse effect on the overall returns process. The viability of returns in 2004 depended on a variety of factors, including the building of trust and enhancement of security. Much depended on the effectiveness and visibility of the initiative led by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to rebuild what had been destroyed, as well as on its ability to outreach to the minority communities, build confidence and reconcile the parties.

Achieving progress on returns, including the newly displaced, would require a substantial increase in the quality and quantity of protection provided by KFOR and the police. In the immediate future, KFOR should play a much more substantial role in providing a secure environment regarding returns and minority communities than had been envisioned at the start of the year. The Government’s initiative to reconstruct damaged houses was to be commended, but reconstruction must not be allowed to become a half-hearted, superficial effort.

Meanwhile, he added, the current security environment in Kosovo was not conducive to the forcible return of members of minority communities to their homes in Kosovo. He was urging countries, where persons from minority communities in Kosovo had been granted temporary protection, to extend such protection until such time as their return in conditions of safety and dignity could be guaranteed, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244.

The rights of all communities in Kosovo could be ensured above all by the vigorous implementation of the Standards for Kosovo, which remained a top priority for UNMIK, he said. The Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan set out in detail the actions designed to meet the Standards; who was responsible for undertaking them; and when they were planned to take place. The commitment to the Plan’s implementation by the Provisional Institutions and the people of Kosovo was crucial to its success. The coming elections would be a test of that commitment. It was imperative that all the political parties maintain their full support for the standards process and that the next government, whatever its composition, work hard to ensure maximum progress.

The Implementation Plan was comprehensive, detailing many policies, he said. Progress would require hard work from all of Kosovo’s institutions, at both the central and municipal levels, as well as partnership between UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions. However, though the introduction of new and tough actions was essential to reflect the new reality in Kosovo, the Provisional Institutions had displayed an insufficient level of commitment so far. The deadline for the production of the Plan’s revised policies in the areas of Returns and Communities, as well as Freedom of Movement following the violence, had already been missed. The Provisional Institutions needed to do more.

He said the Serb community had chosen not to participate in the Standards process. Other non-Albanian communities were participating because they understood that the process was all about improving conditions for their own, as well as all communities in Kosovo. The door remained open for the Serb community to participate.

Regarding dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, he recalled that just days before the eruption of violence in March, UNMIK had successfully launched two Direct Dialogue Working Groups –- on energy and missing persons. Unfortunately, the outbreak of unrest had forced the postponement of the process. In the weeks since the violence, leaders in Belgrade and Pristina had said that in the current political climate, dialogue was on hold.

Strengthening local government was an important component of the Standards and key to ensuring peaceful coexistence among all communities, he said. Work on that had begun, and its success required the full and constructive engagement of all communities, as well as the Provisional Institutions. But the key to effective and enduring reform of local government was that any concept should be developed, discussed and agreed by the parties within Kosovo itself. The guiding principle was that devolution of powers to communities and local government reform must be acceptable to all communities.

VUK DRASKOVIC, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro, said he had come to Headquarters to call on the Council to ensure a greater and more resolute respect for the United Nations Charter and strict compliance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). Kosovo was an open wound for Serbs, Albanians and the entire international community. In the wake of the mass violence against Serbs and the barbaric destruction of their centuries-old churches and cultural sites, on 17 and 18 March, the Council had adopted a presidential statement that had not adequately responded to the tragedy suffered by the Serbian people in the province.

He said that from 10 June 1999, when the United Nations and international civilian and military forces had taken over the control and administration of Kosovo, until 17 March this year more than 200,000 Serbs had been expelled; and 40,000 Serbian houses had been burned down or destroyed along with 115 churches and monasteries and hundreds of Christian cemeteries. During that period, about 2,500 Serbs, including dozens of children, had been murdered or kidnapped. International administrators and the Provisional Institutions had not reacted resolutely enough, and so, on 17 March, tens of thousands of ethnic Albanians, driven by local media and radicals, had started killing Serbs and destroying monuments of the centuries-old Serbian and Christian tradition in Kosovo.

While it was undeniable that the regime of Slobodan Milosevic had been responsible for many crimes against Kosovar Albanians, he said, it had been equally brutal to Serbs, he said. Many Serbs had resisted and opposed that regime. The cornerstone of Standards before Status must be to address the consequences of ethnic cleansing aimed at Serbs and to provide for their full security, right to life and other human, civil and ethnic rights. At the same time, the perpetrators of murders, kidnappings and vandalism against religious and cultural sites should be tracked down, apprehended and brought to justice. The international community must help the Serbs and other non-Albanians in the same way it had helped the ethnic Albanian population in 1999.

He said the Government of Serbia and Montenegro favoured the decentralization of power in Kosovo by establishing the highest level of local self-rule in Serb-populated municipalities, towns, villages and so-called Serbian enclaves. That kind of autonomy paved the way for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Kosovo, leading to reconciliation between Serbs and Albanians and to their common European future. The international community should not think today in terms of final status since the rights of Serbs were being tragically violated in Kosovo, and such human suffering could not constitute the basis for any final status. Serbia and Montenegro called for the start of a sincere dialogue at all levels between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, directly or through the good offices of the international community.

EMYR JONES PARRY (United Kingdom), associating himself with the statement to be made on behalf of the European Union, said that while there was no doubt that the inter-ethnic violence of March had damaged the standing of Kosovo, it should make the international community more determined to implement the standards review policy endorsed by the Council in December. While Standards before Status was the accepted policy, the Kosovars needed greater clarity or reassurance about their possible final destination. On the other hand, not achieving the standards would jeopardize the future.

Underscoring the need to build tolerance and reassure the Serbs, he said the Provisional Institutions must show greater commitment to protecting the rights of minorities. Belgrade and Kosovar Serbs also had a role to play in that process and must get engaged. Unilateral statements on final status by any side were not only unacceptable, but could also be destabilizing.

Welcoming the intention to devolve power to local authorities, he said they must be more efficient. The aim of devolution should be more effective government, not the partition or canonization of Kosovo. The lessons of 17 to 20 March must be learned. The UNMIK must carefully assess whether it had the right structures and whether the resources it had deployed were appropriate. In order to reduce Kosovo’s dependency, the international community must act in a more coherent, effective, responsible and responsive manner.

RONALDO MOTA SARDENBERG (Brazil) said that intents to force a premature solution to the status question through violence and intimidation must be promptly thwarted. Brazil continued to lend its full support to the process of peace and reconciliation and the “standards before status” policy. Immediate and steady progress was needed to speed up a long-term political solution that would reflect the needs of all populations living in the province.

He said he agreed with the Secretary-General that the Implementation Plan needed to be recalibrated and prioritized by giving additional emphasis to security and matters relating to the following areas: the rule of law; minority rights and protection; returns; the devolution of functions from the central level to local bodies; and economic development. Undoubtedly, episodes of ethnic violence should raise an alert. While international attention had been devoted to new conflicts, some of the old ones had recurred, he stressed.

Establishment of a “crisis management review body” by the Special Representative to assess the Mission’s response to the crisis had been welcome, he said. Its conclusions should be brought to the Council’s attention. An unwavering commitment by all parties was key to advancing the process of standards and moving on to the next steps of the peace process. That commitment was particularly important to efforts by the Provisional Institutions and the political leaders, as well as by other governments in the region.

LAURO L. BAJA (Philippines) said Kosovo had for some years been a “de facto United Nations protectorate”. Inter-ethnic tensions had appeared to have subsided and the parties on the ground had appeared to have accepted United Nations authority. Hopes about Kosovo’s future, however, had been dashed two months ago into another abyss of death and destruction. The Special Representative today had presented a graphic tale of violence, with the ethnic Serb population that time at the receiving end.

He said that the recent violence had made the task ahead more difficult for the international community, but that should not prevent the advance of the process. He welcomed action taken by UNMIK and KFOR to reassert control immediately after the violent outbreak. He further welcomed immediate redress for those involved in the riots and the start of prosecutory activities. Also welcome had been the review under way by UNMIK of its response readiness. He continued to advocate the resumption of constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and he called on UNMIK to explore all avenues of possible resolution.

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) said that clashes and acts of violence last March undoubtedly had revealed the precarious nature of the situation and the persistent climate of mistrust and suspicion present in Kosovo society. That violence had derailed the peace process and had seriously hampered efforts by the international community to build a democratic, tolerant and multi-ethnic Kosovo. Those events had struck a heavy blow to returns, as well as to freedom of movement, which were two key elements of the standards before status policy. It was comforting to note, however, that the security situation was gradually improving, but more must be done to prevent a recurrence of the violence.

He said that recent, strong signals of reconciliation had been evident, but UNMIK still had much responsibility to shoulder. In that regard, he welcomed the Mission’s determination to ensure that those responsible for the violence were brought to justice, but additional efforts were required. Understanding among all Kosovars must be a priority objective to enable them to rise above past resentments. The international community must remain committed to the principle of establishing a multi-ethnic Kosovo and underscore the need to fully implement resolution 1244 and the “standards before status” policy. Successful application of the latter would make it possible to consider the fundamental question of the final status.

JEAN-MARC DE LA SABLIERE (France), endorsing the statement to be made on behalf of the European Union, said that Kosovar Albanian officials, as representatives of the largest community, had a clear obligation to protect the rights of all communities. Their belated condemnation of the March violence had given rise to questions about their commitment. The burden of proof rested with them.

He said special attention must be paid to the progress achieved in several areas, including those of multi-ethnicity, refugee returns and ethics in media reporting. The media had played a very negative role in the March violence, and their lack of professionalism and biased reporting had been highlighted. Conditions must be created so that they could observe basic ethical media rules.

Regarding decentralization, he said it could facilitate peaceful coexistence among Kosovo’s various communities. Belgrade had just made some relevant proposals in that regard, and France welcomed its contributions. All were aware that progress must be made in the protection of all communities. There was a need for full transparency and cooperation so that Council members could take decisions on the Kosovo question with full knowledge of all the facts.

JULIO HELDER DE MOURA LUCAS (Angola) said it would take time and painstaking effort to repair the damage caused by the March violence. The deterioration in the security environment and the overall political situation had prompted the Council to take a very clear stand, stressing the need to revise key sections of the Standards documents. In the end, the Standards for Kosovo policy would only make sense when the rights of all communities were protected. To meet that end, it would be essential to establish the rule of law.

He expressed hope that those measures would promote the participation of the Serb minority at all levels of the Provisional Institutions. Angola underlined the primary role of the Kosovo leadership and the Provisional Institutions to ensure that acts of violence and threats were not repeated and that each citizen of Kosovo could live in peace, security and dignity

JAMES B. CUNNINGHAM (United States) said that the violence in March had been a setback to Kosovo’s own aspirations to develop into a society that could become part of Europe. That must not be repeated. The history of the Balkans over the years had demonstrated the effects of ethnic hatred and violence. The international community had laid out a brighter path for Kosovo, which faced a key decision point about whether to seize that path and make it its own. Dialogue required the participation of all of the parties. Implementation of the United Nations’ standards plan would benefit all Kosovars.

He said that the leaders could best respond to the tragic events in March by forging a new commitment to implementing the standards, which required a growing partnership between UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and the Kosovo Serbs, as well as all other minorities. Security for all residents of Kosovo must be assured. The United States would do its part, through KFOR and its commitment to keep more police on duty, but Kosovo must be held accountable for its own insecurity.

Other problems must also be addressed, such as the high unemployment rate. The privatization process must be revitalized, and efforts must be renewed to combat the corruption that had sapped international and local confidence and driven off needed investment. The meetings in Pristina had been helpful towards assessing progress made and identifying further necessary steps. Establishing a security advisory group in Pristina, where the parties could discuss critical security concerns, and the one established in Belgrade, had also been useful.

HERALDO MUÑOZ (Chile) said that the recent unfortunate events had negatively affected the pace and direction of reconstruction and normalization. As an example of the devastation, in less than 48 hours, hundreds of thousands of minorities had been displaced, once again. Thousands of them had already returned in 2003. Also as a result of the March events, effort should be redoubled in such areas as ensuring minority rights and human rights, equal rights to security, freedom of movement, and a return to sustainable conditions for all of the inhabitants of Kosovo. The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and the local leaders faced major challenges. First and foremost among them was to end the violence and adopt measures to ensure the rule of law and ensure that there was no violent recurrence.

They must also bring to justice the perpetrators and seize illegal weapons, he said. The leaders must also begin to rebuild damaged sites or provide some form of compensation, and facilitate the return of those who had been displaced, again. Further, they must ensure that there was no political gain for any sector as a result of the violence, and they must also fully comply with the commitments made to restore multi-ethnicity and ensure Kosovo’s reconstruction. In light of those challenges, he reaffirmed the “standards before status” policy.

JOEL ADECHI (Benin) said the Secretary-General’s report showed once again the exceptional seriousness of the March violence, which had been an organized, targeted and widespread campaign. Benin believed in the need to help the Kosovars to resume dialogue, internally as well as between Pristina and Belgrade. However irreconcilable the positions of the Kosovar Albanians and Serbs might seem, they must be encouraged to make all efforts.

He said UNMIK should rely on initiatives such as the memorandum of agreement to eliminate all extremists. Benin also welcomed the urgent steps taken so far, including the creation of an emergency fund to repair damaged cultural sites, compensation of victims for the destruction of their property, the return of refugees and displaced persons, and the fight against impunity.

ZHANG YISHAN (China), noting that the Council had repeatedly considered the Kosovo question in recent months, said that the March violence had had a disturbingly negative impact on local political, social and economic development. The present task was to implement the measures and recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report.

He said that, first, the investigations into the March violence must be accelerated and those responsible brought to justice; the facilities and properties destroyed must be rebuilt and their owners compensated; and the security needs of minorities must be met. The relevant parties, especially the Provisional Institutions, must make greater efforts to enhance the rule of law and promote minority rights.

INOCENCIO F. ARIAS (Spain) said that the detailed report before the Council had only confirmed the presence of unbridled inter-ethnic violence, which had been a serious setback in the normalization process and compliance with standards for the province. He appealed that those responsible for those events be brought to justice. It was time now to determine precisely what had happened, to make a serious political assessment of the events, and to calculate the consequences. That would enable the international community to take appropriate measures to restore the situation and ensure compliance with “1244”.

Reviewing the facts, he had drawn some conclusions. First, the inter-ethnic violence of March had not been isolated, but rather an organized campaign with specific objectives against the ethnic minorities, with particular focus on the Serbian minority. The violence had not been directed solely against individuals and their heritage, but also against UNMIK and KFOR, which had been entrusted with maintaining order. The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government had an initial ambivalent response and had been reluctant to clearly condemn the violence. In some cases, they attempted to use the violence for their own political objectives. Only when pressured did those individuals change their attitudes.

As a result, he said, not only had UNMIK had to modify its Implementation Plan, but the violence had reversed the situation for minorities and hampered returns. The crisis had also seriously affected freedom of movement, frozen the direct dialogue between the parties, and seriously undermined the functioning of democratic institutions. In addition, the attitude of the municipalities and the media had shown how far away they were from complying with the standards. Only the KPC had showed, with some exceptions, some level of professionalism.

He said the objective of establishing a state of law had been seriously damaged by the violence, which had even affected economic development. Measures must be considered that would keep such unfortunate events from recurring and derailing the situation. The message to the Kosovo authorities must be loud and clear –- there would be no discussion on status until there was full compliance with the standards.

ALEXANDER V. KONUZIN (Russian Federation) said that the alarming situation provoked by extremists in March had seriously harmed efforts to establish a democratic, multi-ethnic and stable society. The planned and targeted attempt to force out representatives of the non-Albanian communities, and to undermine the social basis for their lives, including by destroying Serbian orthodox monuments, had been a “conscious policy of ethnic cleansing”. His country had repeatedly warned against the danger of such developments, but the alarming trends had not received a sufficient response.

He said that the Council, in its presidential statement of 30 April, had condemned the March events and clearly set forth the fact that no one should be allowed to reap any benefits or achieve political goals that way. In connection with that complex and tense situation, a series of steps should be carried out to ensure normalization of the situation and return it to the track of restoring a multi-ethnic society. The conditions surrounding the events should be studied and the guilty parties should be punished, as should those who directly or indirectly promoted the events or did nothing to stop them.

Also, he said, the paramilitary bands left over from the organizational structure of the Kosovo Liberation Army should be dissolved, and stringent measures should be taken against those who demonstrated in March their outright extremist motivations. Urgent steps must also be taken to restore law and order, seize illegal weapons, and fight organized crime. The Provisional Institutions should immediately issue a verbal promise to restore the multi-ethnic society. Decentralization was another immediate concern. He awaited recommendations from the Secretary-General with regard to a balanced transfer of executive powers to the local bodies and communities.

Meanwhile, he said the size of the forces in Kosovo should be increased and their anti-terrorist component should be strengthened, by giving KFOR additional possible means to combat massive violent outbreaks. The attacks on personnel of the Mission and KFOR should be condemned most sternly. He would welcome the return to dialogue by Belgrade and Pristina, aimed at taking corrective measures to thwart the violence of extremists and punish the perpetrators.

GUNTER PLEUGER (Germany), associating himself with the statement to be made on behalf of the European Union, noted that some 270 Kosovars had been arrested for possible involvement in the March violence, and some of those cases would soon be going to trial. Tenders were being prepared for reconstruction contracts to begin repairing the damage to houses, and ministers from the Provisional Institutions had visited Serb communities to personally assess the damage and show their sympathy for the affected members of those communities. While all those were worthy developments, they fell short of what had been hoped for. The international community wanted clearer statements and actions by leaders of the Provisional Institutions that would demonstrate to extremists that they had no place in Kosovo.

He said political leaders should encourage their constituents to actively help police investigate the violence and testify against the extremists who had led it. Political parties and structures should dismiss those who had actively or passively supported the violence. Political leaders must break new ground. Beyond the obligation to marginalize extremists, follow through on commitments to rebuild communities destroyed by the March violence, and renew the dialogue of working groups with Belgrade, political leaders in Kosovo must find new ways to reconcile the ethnic communities. They must also demonstrate a greater willingness to compromise.

Ethnic Serbs and other minorities must demonstrate that they too were approaching Kosovo’s problems in good faith, he emphasized. One important step would be their full participation in the working groups that would be implementing the Standards for Kosovo. Clearly much of Kosovo’s future progress would also depend on the economy. Germany looked forward to progress soon to be made in the field of privatization and, through its bilateral assistance and the European Union, would promote economic development in Kosovo. But economic development required above all political stability. To secure their economic future, all communities in Kosovo must demonstrate to potential investors that the March uprisings would not recur and that the ethnic communities could live together in peace.

MIHNEA MOTOC (Romania), associating himself with the statement to be made on behalf of the European Union, said the progress made in Kosovo prior to March had been seriously overshadowed by the organized, widespread ad targeted attacks against the Serbs and other communities. Simply identifying the problem was not enough. Concrete measures must be put in place to ensure a real and effective implementation of measures set out in the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan and –- as an ultimate goal –- for the development in Kosovo of a secure, democratic, tolerant and multi-ethnic society.

While reaffirming Romania’s attachment to the Standards before Status policy, he said the plan must be further recalibrated and prioritized with more emphasis on security, returns, minority rights, rule of law and justice and devolution of functions from the central level to local bodies, so that every inhabitant of Kosovo, or every person wishing to return there could have an equal opportunity for a normal, free and secure life. The Provisional Institutions and all communities, with the assistance of the international presence, should work together in a responsible and coherent manner to achieve that goal and to prevent the recurrence of similar violence.

An important step forward would be the establishment of a stricter regime for small arms and light weapons, as well as intensified operations to collect illegal weapons, he said. It was crucial to eradicate the mentality of violence as a means to achieve political goals. That should proceed on every level and in every field, not least starting with a change of attitude on the part of political and local leaders who had failed to act responsibly during the recent crisis. To the same end, the local media should be supported to acquire more professional and democratic reporting standards.

As a country from the region, he said, Romania was particularly concerned with the long-term implications of any action related to Kosovo’s future, he said. That was why it insisted that Standards before Status should be taken very seriously and reiterated that the implementation of that policy should be reflected throughout Kosovo as a token of the Kosovars’ will to live in peace and to promote stability. All States had a stake in the implementation of standards, no matter what status would be arrived at. In the same vein, the longer it took to work on those standards the more difficult it would be to catch up again, irrespective of the eventual determination of Kosovo’s final status.

Romania attached great importance to the further development of the review mechanism relating to the current state of the Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan, he said. Its functioning would be essential in clarifying the political approach. There could be no better illustration of why full implementation of the standards should dominate the political agenda in Kosovo than the fact that the recent violence had further damaged the already fragile and weak economy. While Romania welcomed the public commitments by Kosovar leaders to implement the standards, in the short term, confidence-building would not be possible without some timely and effective measures in terms of the rule of law and justice, reconstruction and full protection of minority communities.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan), Council President, speaking in his national capacity, strongly condemned the March violence and deplored the loss of life and the destruction of religious and cultural sites. The report had been a sobering assessment of the situation in the aftermath of the March violence. The situation remained tense, and further violence was possible. Despite the painstaking efforts of UNMIK, the situation was no nearer to healing the wounds inflicted on Kosovo for so long. Problems persisted in the key areas of the Mission’s mandate, namely, sustainable returns, community rights, freedom of movement, and the functioning of democratic institutions. Extremists from both sides remained active.

He said that parallel structures persisted, and the economic situation had continued to deteriorate, with marginal support from the international community. Direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade had not yet resumed, despite commitments by both parties to do so. Above all, security remained fragile, despite the presence of thousands of KFOR troops.

He noted that the Implementation Plan was being revised in some key areas to take account the implications of recent events. The plan was flawed, and plans were inappropriate to, among other objectives, prepare Kosovo to move from international limbo to political and legal clarity. It should be determined whether the failure to address the status of Kosovo had fed the frustration and grievances of both sides, hardened the positions, and perpetuated the proclivity towards violence. Continued delay in addressing the question of political status would increase the complexity of the situation and increase the dangers of widening the violence.

Instead of transforming the “standards before status” issue into dogma, the Council should act with more deliberate realism to promote peace and prosperity in Kosovo, he urged. As Mr. Holier had said, the time was coming when the handling of difficult choices would have to be considered. He agreed. The Council should promote a “status with standards” approach, or a two-pronged approach, which would hold the Kosovars accountable to implementing the standards programme, work out the extremism and intolerance, and create cooperative relations with their neighbours.

On other hand, he explained, that approach would simultaneously see progress on clarifying the status issue, while seeking to uphold the rights and interests of all Kosovars, including the minorities. As a first step, the international community must act to stem efforts to entrench the parallel structures and pre-empt discussion and political status. While the plan presented by Belgrade had been advanced unilaterally, the need to begin consideration of the status issue should be acknowledged. The Council and UNMIK, while securing implementation of the standards, should begin to give consideration to proposals on status. A change was essential to create hope for peace and to end the tragic legacy of war and suffering in that region.

RICHARD RYAN (Ireland), on behalf of the European Union, said that the report before the Council clearly set out the background to the recent violence and noted the need for concrete actions by the leaders and people of Kosovo to ensure that the violence was not repeated. The Union fully supported the policy of “standards before status”, and it urged the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to demonstrate their responsibility for and commitment to achieving more concrete progress on implementing the standards.

He also stressed the importance of reconciliation between the communities and he urged the parties to resume the direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, in order to address critical issues of common interest. The Union stood ready to support that dialogue. It had also reaffirmed its strong commitment to a secure, democratic, multi-ethnic and prosperous Kosovo. The recent violence had been a setback and had endangered the recent progress. In its aftermath, the immediate priorities must be to ensure security, facilitate the return of displaced persons, reconstruct destroyed property and religious sites, and bring those responsible to justice.

KOICHI HARAGUCHI (Japan) reiterated that there was no alternative to implementing the Kosovo standards in order to establish a democratic and multi-ethnic society in the province. As had become clear through the violence, there was still a strong necessity to improve the protection of minorities, including Serbs. Guarantees of various minority rights, including freedom of movement, must be one of the most important elements of a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo. Therefore, the devolution of responsibilities to local authorities should not lead to the division of the provision along ethnic lines.

The violence had demonstrated all too clearly the need for increased security, he said. Japan supported the prompt response by the Special Representative, UNMIK and KFOR to stabilize the situation in the immediate aftermath of the violence. At the same time, on the basis of the assessment of measures taken by UNMIK prior to the outbreak, there was a need to study seriously how to achieve a sustained improvement in the security situation. Japan was alarmed by the fatal 17 April incident involving UNMIK officers and by the question of discipline in relation to some of the international staff in Kosovo. The need for peacekeepers to win the respect of the people in their region of operation should be self-evident. Also, Japan hoped UNMIK would provide further information regarding the trafficking of girls and women and take appropriate measures to address that problem without delay.

HJALMAR W. HANNESSON (Iceland) said his country recognized the need for long-term practical commitment to rebuilding the western Balkan region. In that spirit, Iceland had taken over the management of Pristina airport in March 2003, providing both air traffic controllers and fire fighting personnel. In looking to future sustainability, Iceland had emphasized the preparation of local operatives. Some 50 fire fighters and 20 air traffic controllers had received training. The UNMIK had now taken over control of the airport, but the Icelandic Civil Aviation Administration would assist it on a contractual basis.

He emphasized the need to continue the economic and social reconstruction of the province, including through a constructive dialogue between the communities. He urged the parties concerned to cooperate fully with UNMIK and KFOR, in order to facilitate the political process designed to determine Kosovo’s future based on resolution 1244.

VALERY KUCHINSKY (Ukraine) strongly condemned the outburst of inter-ethnic violence in Kosovo in March. Also inadmissible had been the attacks on international representatives, including those from UNMIK and KFOR. He strongly hoped for the continuation of the democratic process aimed at establishing a multi-ethnic, tolerant and democratic society in a stable Kosovo. The latest report of the Secretary-General had indicated that the root causes of the widespread violence had yet to be analysed or addressed by the international community.

In fact, he said, instead of speaking today about real multi-ethnicity in the province, it was necessary to return to implementation of the “agenda for coexistence” put forth by then Special Representative Bernard Kushner some five years ago. In addressing the crisis, the international community, with the United Nations at the helm, had to ensure that the process of political recovery was fully in line with the framework established by resolution 1244 (1999) and the “standards before status” policy.

For its part, Ukraine would spare no effort in assisting the settlement of the situation, he said. In response to the United Nations’ request, his country had contributed 10 investigators to the newly created task forces to help bring to justice those responsible for the recent crimes. The region must continue to carry out significant work to meet the standards set by the international community. Acts of intimidation and violence must stop. Also, key requirements related to the status of ethnic minorities and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons should be fulfilled.

AGIM NESHO (Albania) said UNMIK should face the problems created by the March violence with realism, not only by condemning the perpetrators, but also by determining the responsibility of all parties involved. The UNMIK should continue to implement Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the decisions of the international community regardless of nationalistic pressures and interference or destabilizing actions by extremist groups. The determination to achieve the goal of standards would lay the groundwork for the full discussion of the final status of Kosovo.

He said that a realistic evaluation of the situation in Kosovo illustrated the need to transfer more social and economic powers from UNMIK to the Provisional Institutions. It also demonstrated the necessity for a faster privatization process and for the strengthening of the rule of law through the sharing of responsibilities with local authorities. It was high time a solution was found to the problem of parallel structures so that they could no longer challenge the vision of UNMIK for the province’s future.

The perpetrators of the violence had jeopardized the democratic process and future of Kosovo, and they should be brought to justice, he said. The citizens of Kosovo should realize that their free and democratic future would be achieved only when there was a functioning multi-ethnic society; when the rights and freedoms of minorities were protected by law; and when civil society and democratic institutions made the existing reality more effective. Further, the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade should restart as soon as possible. It was important for the institutions in Kosovo to help in the return of displaced people, strengthen the rule of law, create an impartial justice system, and work to establish the conditions for all Kosovars to work together for their common future.

He noted that the Council and the international community had pushed for a long time towards the creation of a multi-ethnic society as the only solid basis for a democratic culture in Kosovo. That process could not be held back by the proposals of old ideas of division and cantonization, under the legal cover of a democratic process for the decentralization of power. What the international community should offer Kosovo was freedom, not isolation; coexistence, not division along ethnic lines; and the opportunity to become, as fast as possible, part of the European family, a place where aspirations and opportunities were shared equally by all.

Responding to the debate, Mr. HOLKERI, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo, thanked members for their constructive discussion. The proposals and assessments had been most welcome. To the Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro, he said he fully shared his call for dialogue and reconciliation. On a point raised by France’s representative, he said he agreed that Kosovo’s political future should be considered in a transparent manner. That was the start of a “tricky and sensitive” phase, and the United Nations and concerned MemberStates should coordinate efforts closely.

Regarding the quality of the media in Kosovo, he said he fully concurred that that was not up to international standards. The UNMIK was carefully studying the recent report of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and was prepared to consider appropriate measures to sanction those media that had inflamed the situation in March. He noted the list of steps outlined by the Russian Federation representative aimed at normalizing the situation. Enhancing security, particularly the security of non-majority communities; working towards multi-ethnicity; returns; and freedom of movement were at the heart of UNMIK’s current efforts. Implementation of standards was the centrepiece of its activities.

Reference had been made by Japan’s speaker to the recent report of Amnesty International regarding trafficking of women and girls, he noted. The UNMIK had taken that report very seriously. Human trafficking was a very serious problem, which was common throughout the Balkans. The UNMIK had an important responsibility to combat that tragic and criminal phenomenon in Kosovo, and its policies allowed for proper assistance to, and rehabilitation of, the victims of trafficking. In addition, the Mission took immediate and strict disciplinary action against any staff member found in an establishment of prostitution. He had directed UNMIK staff to review Amnesty International’s recommendations, as well as its own response to combating human trafficking.

He thanked those countries, particularly Iceland and Ukraine, for providing important support in their areas of expertise, namely, air control and airport management. Ukraine had been one of the few countries that had responded to the request for new investigators.

In closing, he said that the Council’s support had been absolutely essential for the joint efforts for the successful implementation of “1244”. He noted the priority issues raised in the interventions, namely, security, rule of law, the rebuilding of houses and property, protection of communities’ rights, multi-ethnicity, returns, reform of local government, implementation of standards, and revival of Kosovo’s economy. And, he assured members that those were UNMIK’s common priorities, as well.

He had been encouraged by the discussion and what he sensed was a growing recognition that there needed to be “hard thought” by the United Nations and all concerned Member States about how to handle Kosovo’s political future and to move it towards a more stable political settlement. He looked forward to further discussion.

Mr. DRASKOVIC, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro, said that, to his Government, the final status of Kosovo meant very high and specific models of local autonomy and self-rule for ethnic Albanians, as well as Serbs and other non-Albanians, reconciliation, forgiveness and repentance in the framework of Serbia and the European Union. The European Balkans was what his Government saw as the region where State borders would exist only on maps, but not in practice. The Balkans must become Europe from within and start thinking in a European way as a condition for acceptance by Europe. The interdependence of States, cultures and religions was the future, while independence based on past projects of ethnic and religious domination must remain in the past.

Regarding privatization, he said that while it was very important, the United Nations and UNMIK must be very careful because there was a need for a restitution law. Following the Second World War, the communists had taken the land, houses and other property of individuals and institutions who opposed them, the main victim being the SerbianChurch. The Church, as well as those individuals, must get their land regardless of whether they were Serbs or Albanians. There must also be a rejection of the legalization of any crime. If something was criminal to start with, passing time could never decriminalize it.


RAPPORT FRA AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (08.07.2004)

Amnesty International har udsendt en rapport - http://web.amnesty.org/library/print/ENGEUR700162004 - der indledes således:

Amnesty International is deeply concerned at the failure of the domestic and international security forces to adequately protect minority communities in the violent clashes which occurred on 17 - 18 March 2004. The organization is also seriously concerned at allegations of complicity by some members of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS - the domestic police force)(1) in the violence which, the authorities estimated, involved some 51,000 people in 33 violent incidents throughout Kosovo - predominantly involving ethnic Albanians attacking Kosovo Serb enclaves and communities. Nineteen people died and over 950 were injured in the violence and there was large-scale destruction of property. Over 4,000 people were forced to flee their homes.


Den afsluttes således:

Amnesty International urges all countries to desist from forcibly returning all Serbs, Roma, and Ashkali as well as Albanians if they originate from minority communities such as N. Mitrovica/ë, Leposavic or Zubin Potok.

10. Summary of Amnesty International's concerns

Amnesty International is calling on NATO and KFOR to make public their investigation into KFOR actions during the March violence. The organization is also calling on the French government, NATO and KFOR to specifically undertake a thorough investigation into the role and actions of French KFOR in the violence in Svinjare/Frashër and to make the method and findings of such an investigation public. The organization is also calling for similar investigations to be undertaken by the German government, NATO and KFOR into the violence in Prizren.

Amnesty International is seriously concerned at the allegations of KPS involvement or acquiescence in the violence, and is calling on UNMIK to carry out thorough investigations into these allegations and to make the method and findings of such investigations public. The organization calls for any police officer found to have failed to discharge their duty to be subject to disciplinary procedures, and any found to have actively participated to be subject to criminal prosecution.

The organization is calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into the actions of the KPS in Vucitrn/Vushtrri in the events of 18 March and that any law enforcement officials reasonably suspected of complicity in the violence be brought to justice, and any found responsible for ill-treatment face disciplinary action, and where appropriate, criminal charges.

Amnesty International calls on UNMIK to comply with OMiK's recommendations and release details as to where the cases under investigation originated from, and whether any involve alleged KPS complicity.

Amnesty International further urges the authorities to ensure that all victims of attacks are regularly and fully informed about the progress of investigations, and about any action taken - including disciplinary or criminal action - as a result of the investigation.

The organization calls for COMKFOR Directive 42 to be immediately revoked, and urges that any person, not connected to the NATO-led military mission detained by KFOR should, as a matter of course, be transferred immediately over to the domestic authorities.

Amnesty International welcomes the shift in UNMIK policy to assist secondary displacement of IDPs, and calls on UNMIK and the municipal authorities to ensure that basic assistance, including adequate medical treatment for those in need, is provided to all IDPs including those such as the Serbs from Svinjare/Frashër, Obilic/q and other places who have decided to re-locate to N. Mitrovica/ë or other areas for reasons of perceived security.

Amnesty International is calling on EU member states to accept the Vucitrn/Vushtrri Ashkali as refugees.

Amnesty International calls for full compensation for all moveable goods destroyed, damaged or stolen during the March violence. The organization also believes that all victims of violent crime such as those who suffered during the March violence are also entitled to compensation as a right, and calls on the authorities in Kosovo to pay adequate compensation as required by international standards.

Amnesty International calls on the Kosovo municipal authorities to desist from policies which exacerbate inter-ethnic tensions, and - as set out in the Revised Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan to ensure that appropriate investigations are conducted, and sanctions imposed, on members of any municipal authority who contributed to the violence or failed to exercise their authority during that period.

The organization calls on the municipal authorities to take all necessary measures, including the development of a municipal return strategy, to ensure the successful return and integration of minority IDPs and refugees, including through the provision of non-discriminatory access to public services such as education, healthcare and social assistance.

The organization also urges that sanctions against individuals - such as job dismissal for failure to turn up for work - levied on any member of a minority community who was unable to turn up for work because of the March violence be lifted.

Amnesty International urges all countries to desist from forcibly returning all Kosovo Serbs, Roma, and Ashkali as well as Albanian if they originate from minority communities such as N. Mitrovica/ë, Leposavic/q or Zubin Potok.





DANSKE KOMMENTARER - og en svensk


KOMMENTAR AF HANS HÆKKERUP I »MORGENAVISEN JYLLANDS-POSTEN« LØRDAG 20.03.2004

Hans Hækkerup var for nogle år siden FN's 'Guvernør' i Kosovo / Kosóva, men forlod jobbet af ukendte årsager. Han skriver fra tid til anden politiske kommentarer i »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten«. Den 20.03.2004 om udviklingen i Kosovo.

De seneste dages begivenheder er et meget alvorligt tilbageslag, siger han, men der er kun ét at gøre - fortsat at få Albanerne og Serberne til at samarbejde.

Den hidtidige politik er ganske vist ikke lykkedes, og fremskridtene har i det sidste par år været meget små, for Albanerne er mest optaget af at arbejde for fuldstændig uafhængighed af Serbien, og hverken Albanerne eller Serberne er - for alvor - interesseret i at få almindelig forvaltning til at fungere.


En bemærkning til kommentaren: Hækkerup konstaterer at den hidtidige politik ikke er lykkedes og han indrømmer at man fra amerikansk og international side har gjort mange fejl, men han tror stadig på en multietnisk løsning som indebærer at Serbere og Albanere skal leve side om side med hinanden og samarbejde.

Ville han selv lægge familie til, hvis han havde været Kosovo Serber?

At han evt. opgav sin stilling i Kosovo af familiemæssige grunde er noget ganske andet og har ikke med denne sag at gøre.

Forhåbentlig kan man lægge låg på krudttønden i løbet af kort tid, men risikoen for at der sker nye sammenstød er overordentlig stor. Efter min mening er det direkte uansvarligt at gå videre ad den hidtidige vej. Man må udvikle en ny strategi.

En ny strategi kunne bygge på at man etablerer en selvstændig stat under FN's (eller evt. EU's) kontrol, og at denne stat opdeles i autonome områder, dvs. i et serbisk område og i et eller flere albanske områder.

Bliver Kosovo en selvstændig start har man givet Albanerne en meget vigtig og nødvendig indrømmelse, for det er en fuldstændig håbløs tanke at Kosovo stadig skal være en del af Serbien - lad så være at det pt. kun er på papiret.

Opdeler man Kosovo i autonome områder har Serberne fået en tilsvarende. Først på dette grundlag kan man opbygge et økonomisk, kulturelt og politisk samarbejde hvor parterne er ligeberettigede. Og som i mange andre forhold har et samarbejde de bedste udsigter, hvis der er tale om ligeberettigede parter.

Hækkerup skriver til sidst at man skal demonstrere over for parterne, at politisk og etnisk vold ikke fører nogen steder hen - men det er slet ikke i overenstemmelse med Albanernes og Serbernes erfaringer, for det var vold fra Albansk og Serbisk side der førte til NATO's intervention i 1999 og til at Kosovo skulle administreres af FN og ikke af Beograd.


KOMMENTAR AF HJALTE TIN I »INFORMATION« LØRDAG 20.03.2004

Samme dag havde u-landsforskeren Hjalte Tin en kommentar i »Information«. Hjalte Tin har for nogen tid siden undersøgt virkningen af den økonomiske bistand til forskellige lande, bl.a. til Kosovo. Hans konklusion var - meget kort sagt - at bistanden virkede modsat af dens formål. Se en omtale af hans undersøgelse på: http://www.information.dk/Indgang/VisArkiv.dna?pArtNo=20030510144668.txt

Han mener at den hidtidige vestlige strategi ikke er lykkedes. I stedet for at den materielle og immaterielle hjælp til Albanerne og Serberne har fået dem til at leve fornuftigt med hinanden og til at samarbejde med hinanden, er fronterne blevet fastlåst. Han mener der kun er én fornuftigt løsning - at opdele Kosovo. Hele artiklen kan findes på: http://www.information.dk/Indgang/VisArkiv.dna?pArtNo=20040320157343.txt

Derfor vil den mindst blodige løsning være at dele Kosovo. De fire nordlige, serbiske befolkede kommuner må gå til Serbien, og resten blive anerkendt som en selvstændig stat, hvis sikkerhed garanteres internationalt. Når Kostunica taler om ‘kantoner‘ er det i realiteten et skridt på vejen mod en deling af Kosovo.

Det har albanerne hidtil afvist, da de vil have hele Kosovo, men jeg mener man skal tage Kostunica på ordet. Serbien vil rase hvis Kosovo bliver selvstændigt. Men de vil formodentlig ikke turde invadere Kosovo, så længe det står under international beskyttelse.

De serbere, som måtte ønske at blive boende, skal selvfølgelig have lige rettigheder, men ikke beskyttes som et etnisk mindretal af internationale tropper. Det vil formodentlig betyde, at de sidste serbere flygter. Det er et spektakulært nederlag for vores forsøg på at skabe en multietnisk provins. Men jo længere vi udsætter beslutningen om Kosovos endelige status, jo blodigere vil den endelige opvågning blive.


KOMMENTAR AF TUE MAGNUSSEN I »INFORMATION« MANDAG 22.03.2004

Overskriften er: 'Man skylder Kosovo uafhængighed'. Artiklen kan findes ved at søge på 'Magnussen' i »Information«'s arkiv. Kommentaren afsluttes således:

Kun et udelt, selvstændigt Kosovo synes at kunne accepteres af de dominerende tre Kosovo-albanske partier og Folkebevægelsen, Lëvizjes Popullore, som dannede rygrad i stiftelsen af UCK. Den har igen gennem omfattende demonstrationer bl.a. i hovedbyen Pristina i de seneste måneder markeret sin modstand mod enhver forhandling med serberne i Kosovo eller regeringen i Beograd om andet end selvstændighed.

Det internationale samfund skylder Kosovo selvstændighed, men Kosovo-albanerne burde til gengæld garantere det serbiske mindretal lokal autonomi i den nordlige del af Mitrovica og de øvrige nordligste kommuner i Kosovo samt give mindretalsrettigheder til serberne og andre etniske minoriteter i Kosovo.

De seneste dages etniske sammenstød synes at vise, at både fred og forsoning har lange udsigter i og fordrer et selvstændigt Kosovo.


KRONIK AF SM ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN I »MORGENAVISEN JYLLANDS-POSTEN« 24.03.2004 - OG EN KOMMENTAR

I forbindelse med Folketingets Irak-høring havde SM Anders Fogh Rasmussen en kronik i »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« 040324 under overskriften: Beslutningen om Irak - et år efter. Heri skriver han om interventionen i Kosovo i 1999:

Jeg vil i denne forbindelse gerne minde om, at et bredt flertal i Folketinget i 1998 og 1999 godkendte dansk deltagelse i den militære aktion i Kosovo. Det skete som bekendt uden et egentligt mandat fra FN's Sikkerhedsråd.

Det blev også dengang diskuteret, om der var et folkeretligt grundlag for interventionen. Fra visse sider beskrives det nu som om alle dengang var enige om, at aktionen var i fuld overensstemmelse med folkeretten. Men det var som sagt kontroversielt. Den brede anerkendelse i dag af Kosovo-aktionens berettigelse er en god illustration af, at folkeretten er under konstant udvikling og udfordres af nye situationer.

[...] I Kosovo valgte NATO at skride til handling, da FN's Sikkerhedsråd var blokeret og ikke levede op til sit ansvar for at standse massive krænkelser af menneskerettigheder og deportationer, der udgjorde en trussel mod fred og stabilitet i regionen.

Kommentar: Fogh Rasmussen siger tingene noget tydeligere end de blev sagt i 1999. Men der var næppe ledende Politikere - hverken i den daværende Regering eller i de nuværende Regeringspartier der dengang var i tvivl om at man opererede »ex orbis«, dvs. uden for gældende Folkeret.

Det er rigtigt at Milosevic-styret havde ophævet selvstyret i 1989, etableret styring direkte fra Beograd - og begået adskillige overgreb på Kosóva Albanerne. Men når konflikten blev løftet til et niveau hvor en intervention overhovedet kunne komme på tale - og hvor reelle forhandlinger blev udelukket, skyldtes det også UÇK's indsats fra 1997 og frem, ikke mindst i 1998 - og dén måde man i Washington så på Balkan.

Det er sikkert fuldkommen rigtigt at der i dag er en bred anerkendelse af Kosovo-aktionens berettigelse, selv om der - så vidt jeg kan vurdere - nu har rejst sig en betydelig skepsis over dén måde Kosóva Albanerne har opført sig på over for Kosovo Serberne.

Det er derimod ikke sikkert at aktionen var klog, at den var det bedste man kunne gøre på dét tidspunkt. Måske skulle man have arbejdet noget mere ad forhandlingens vej for at skabe en løsning der kunne tage rimelige og nødvendige hensyn til både den Albanske majoritet og den Serbiske minoritet.

Man skal ikke være naive. Det er overvejende sandsynligt at man hverken fra Serbisk eller Albansk side ville have deltaget konstruktivt i sådanne forhandlinger, hvis ikke de var overbevist om der om nødvendigt ville blive brugt magt.

Var det muligt at overbevise nogen om dét, når »Sikkerhedsrådet var blokeret«? Det er umuligt at vide.

Russerne kunne muligvis have spillet en mere konstruktiv rolle end de gjorde under Rambouillet-forhandlingernes 1' og 2' fase og i perioden ind imellem, hvis man havde talt tingene grundigere igennem med dem, selv om de ville slå sig i tøjret. Under alle omstændigheder var det formentlig først et stykke henne i maj 1999 at det gik op for Milosevic at Russerne hverken ville eller kunne bakke ham op i dén grad han ønskede.

Der er sket forskellige fremskridt på Balkan. Landene kan tale med hinanden - og på nogle punkter samarbejde. Milosevic-styret er erstattet af et mere demokratisk styre, selv om der er betydelige problemer. Der er også sket fremskridt i Kosóva, men på helt afgørende punkter er situationen i dag væsentligt dårligere end i sommeren 1999: Det politiske system virker ikke tilfredsstillende. Økonomien er skævvredet og ikke kommet rigtigt i gang, for det er umuligt at tiltrække den type af investeringer der er brug for, og sidst - men ikke mindst - så er den Serbiske minoritet endnu engang blevet reduceret.

Mange Internationale siger at der kun er ét at gøre: At fortsætte den hidtidige politik - men det forekommer ikke at være det mest indlysende. Det er på tide at tænke mål og strategi grundigt og rationelt igennem og om nødvendigt at skifte både skib, ladning og kurs.


KOMMENTAR AF CARL BILDT, 25.03.2004 Uddrag fra seneste Nyhedsbrev.

Regeringsskifte har det redan blivit i Grekland efter Nea Demokratias överraskande stora valseger helgen innan valet i Spanien. Det förefaller som om väljarna var mer trötta på ett gammaldags och som korrupt uppfattat socialistparti PASOK än vad opinionsmätningarna hade fångat in. Costa Karamanlis tog omedelbart över styret.

Hans agenda är påtagligt tuff. Förberedelserna för Olympiaden ligger tydligt efter. Statsbudgetens verkliga läge är tydligt sämre än vad som hävdades för bara någon månad sedan. Och alldeles omedelbart har han nu att handlägga frågan om Cypern. Att det åter brinner på Balkan känns dessutom mer nära i Athen än i någon annan huvudstad i EU - också grekiska trupper är nu insatta i försöken att upprätthålla ordningen i Mitrovica.

Att den delade staden Mitrovica i Kosovo skulle detonera var kanske inte så förvånande. Även om det skett framsteg i försöken att komma över delningen, och läget var betydligt mindre spänt än för några år sedan, fanns alltid möjligheten av en detonation.

De olika sidorna strider om vad som var den tändande gnistan. I måndags förra veckan besköts en serbisk ungdom av en förbipasserande bil i en by söder om Pristina. Och i tisdags drunknade så tre barn i den strida Ibar-floden när de tydligen drevs undan av några serber i området kring Mitrovica. [Det sidste er i mellemtiden blevet afkræftet, BA]

Det var medias bild av vad som hände med dessa barn som ledde till upploppen och de kraftiga striderna i Mitrovica. Och när dessa inom timmar spreds över i stort sett hela provinsen, med aggressiva attacker mot alla möjliga och omöjliga serbiska mål, FN-administrationen, andra minoriteter och Nato-trupperna handlade det om ett i grunden ändrat läge. Plötsligt fanns det organisation, samordning och syfte i de aggressiva attacker som så gott som samtidigt blossade upp.

Under dessa timmar lades resultaten av år av arbete i ruiner. Serbiska byar, hus och våningar attackerades och förstördes. FN-fordon i mängder sattes i brand. Nato-trupper fick skjuta skarpt för att försvara sig. Kyrkor och kloster anfölls och sattes i brand. Under dygnen sedan dess har det t o m förekommit fall där de lokala myndigheterna satt in bulldozers för att utrota varje rest av det som en gång varit en kyrka.

Efter en lite stapplande inledning reagerade Nato dock. Nu har betydande förstärkningar flugits in från en rad olika länder. Erfarna brittiska soldater patrullerar åter på Pristinas gator - så var det under de spända månaderna omedelbart efter Kosovo-kriget 1999. Varje tanke på att reducera truppstyrkorna under de närmaste åren torde ha övergetts. Arbetet med att bygga upp en egen Kosovopolis för att klara säkerheten har dessvärre drabbats av ett allvarligt bakslag - ofta stod den passiv inför vad som hände, i några fall finns t o m rapporter om hur den hjälpte till i den etniska rensningen.

Omedelbart handlar det nu om att återställa ordningen. I en artikel i Financial Times i måndags - återgiven på www.bildt.net - ger jag min bild av saken.

Men den stora frågan är vad som kommer därefter. Är det möjligt att hålla val som planerat i oktober med förhoppningen att också serber och andra minoriteter deltar? Finns det några förutsättningar för att den praktiska dialog som stapplande inletts mellan Belgrad och Pristina kan fortsätta i detta klimat? Har vi helt och hållet kastat in handduken när det gäller att bygga ett Kosovo där alla som så vill har en framtid?

Frågorna har betydelse långt utanför Kosovo. I grunden handlar det om de principer som har legat till grund för allt det som omvärlden - med starkt varierande framgång - försökt att säkerställa i regionen ända sedan den jugoslaviska upplösningsprocessen började för mer än ett decennium sedan. I Washington Post ser jag hur det i debattartiklar sägs att det är en illusion att tro att det går att bygga ett multietniskt Kosovo, och att vi ty följande borde erkänna fakta och omedelbart erkänna ett självständigt och de facto monoetniskt Kosovo.

Men om dessa ansträngningar är en illusion i Kosovo, vad är det då som säger att det inte kommer att uppträda bestämda män som med bomber i händerna kommer att säga att det är en illusion också i Makedonien och i Bosnien? Och finns inte den alldeles överhängande risken för att vi då är tillbaka till precis det som vi hela tiden försökt att förhindra - en region där blod drar nya gränser, där samlevnaden blir omöjlig och nya flyktingar ger gammal bitterhet ny kraft?

Att snart fem års ansträngningar i Kosovo genom extremisters dåd till betydande delar gick upp i rök i förra veckan är allvarligt nog. Än värre blev om mer än ett årtiondes mödosamt arbete i regionens alla delar skulle läggas i ruiner av dem som tror att detta är de enkla och snabba lösningarnas del av Europa.

Jag tillhörde aldrig dem som ansåg att det var klokt att ständigt skjuta frågan om Kosovos status på framtiden. Med strutsen som strateg var riskerna uppenbara. I min bok ”Uppdrag Europa” från förra året skrev jag också om FN:s misslyckande med att få de ledande länderna att inse att uppskov efter uppskov med den frågan inte ledde till att såren läktes, utan i stället skapade risken för att infektionen skulle komma att sprides. Gång på gång missades tillfällen då diplomati möjligen skulle ha kunnat manövrera fram mot en kompromiss.

Jag varnade för att det skulle kunna komma att gå med den politiska processen här som det gick med Oslo-processen i Mellersta Östern, där man ju tog viktiga steg men utan att kunna ge en lösning på de grundläggande och avgörande frågorna, och att vi då skulle hamna i en betydligt mycket mera besvärlig situation. Ingen var märkbart intresserad av att lyssna - man var fullt upptagen med att säga att allt gick så strålande och bra.

I det läge som nu uppstått finns inget acceptabelt alternativ till en betydligt mer robust internationell insats för att säkra att i alla fall något av multi-etniska möjligheter finns kvar i Kosovo. Men även om detta är vad man i ord säger återstår frågan om man verkligen kommer att ha kraften att göra det.

Mycket hänger, paradoxalt nog, på Nato. Även om det som hände den 17 mars kan beskrivas som ett misslyckande för Nato - det är hos dem som FN:s säkerhetsråd lagt det grundläggande ansvaret för säkerheten i Kosovo - är det Nato som hitintills varit mest robust i sitt svar. Men för att fortsätta den linje man nu slagit in kommer det att krävas en betydligt högre närvaro i Kosovo än vad man hade räknat med, och därmed hamnar man i det eviga dilemma som består i att de trupper som finns tillgängliga för olika fredsinsatser är alldeles för få. Sverige kunde t ex inte ens skicka förstärkningar när det var uppenbart att vår reducerade bataljon var för svag för att klara grundläggande uppgifter i sitt område.

Om det blir förr eller senare som man kommer att kunna ta i den minst sagt svåra frågan om provinsens framtida status kommer att avgöras av hur en mer robust internationell insats lyckas. När jag i fredags i förra veckan på toppmöte i Bratislava ledde en diskussion med regionens statsministrar med undantag av Serbiens Kostunica, som krisen tvingade stanna kvar i Belgrad - var det mycket stor enighet om att den processen måste ske med hela regionens stabilitet som den avgörande utgångspunkten.


SLESVIGSK LØSNING. KOMMENTAR AF PER NYHOLM I »MORGENAVISEN JYLLANDS-POSTEN« 30.03.2004

De Vestlige landes politik i Kosovo er slået fejl, mener Per Nyholm, for man har ikke indset at serberne ikke vil leve med Albanerne, og Albanerne ikke med Serberne. Vestmagterne har fortsat en politik der er blind for realiteterne; den kostede menneskeliv i 90'ernes krige - den har kostet menneskeliv under de seneste uroligheder.

Nyholm citerer Balkankenderen Wolfgang Petritsch der siger at Vestmagterne blot har skubbet problemerne foran sig, og at urolighederne derfor ikke var nogen overraskelse. Vestmagterne må beslutte sig for fremtidens status.

Hvis man - gennem sine handlinger - stiller Albanerne i udsigt at de kan få hele Kosovo bare de bliver ved, vil det gå galt; Serberne i Kosovo kommer til at betale prisen.

Nyholm mener at en forstandig politik må være af samme type som da man delte Slesvig i 1920. Kosovo nord for Mitrovica kan sluttes til Serbien. Resten kan være en selvstændig stat eller forene sig med andre Albanske områder. De Serbere der bor i den Albanske del af Kosovo må flyttes, og de Serbiske mindesmærker, kirker og klostre i den Albanske del må sættes under permanent militær bevogtning.

Slesvigs deling i 1920 gjorde Danmark til et bedre, lykkeligere og rigere land.

Wolfgang Petritsch i »Der Standard«: "Die Grundpositionen im Kosovo sind unverändert und unversöhnlich, deshalb hat mich der katastrophale Ausbruch der Gewalt nicht überrascht", erklärte Botschafter Wolfgang Petritsch am Donnerstag dem STANDARD. Wegen der neuen Belgrader Regierung, die nur durch Duldung der Milosevic-Partei handeln könne, sei "die Sache im Kosovo noch virulenter" geworden, meint der österreichische Diplomat.

Der ehemalige Hohe Repräsentant der Internationalen Gemeinschaft im benachbarten Bosnien-Herzegowina glaubt, dass die Statusfrage des Kosovo "nun rasch angegangen" werden müsse. Entscheidende Schritte müssten jetzt gesetzt werden, fordert Petritsch: "Es muss nun Klarheit geschaffen werden, was der Status des Kosovo ist. Das ist Aufgabe der UNO, das ist Aufgabe der internationalen Gemeinschaft".

Außerdem müsse man der lokalen provisorischen Zivilverwaltung im Kosovo, die multiethnisch zusammengesetzt ist, mehr Macht verleihen, erklärt Petritsch. Die militärische Präsenz der Nato sei im Kosovo nicht mehr so wichtig, betont der Botschafter. Vielmehr sei der Einsatz stärkerer polizeilicher Kräfte erforderlich.


ET FORSLAG: Hvorfor ikke sætte KPC - Kosovo Protection Corps - til at deltage i genopbygningen og bevogtningen af de Serbiske mindesmærker, kirker og klostre?

Straks efter NATO's intervention i 1999 og etableringen af UNMIK og KFOR blev der indgået en aftale om at oprette KPC - Kosovo's Beskyttelsesstyrke (Kosovo Protection Corps).

UÇK's militære chef, Agim Çeku, blev chef, og man indrullerede en række UÇK'ere, siden også enkelte andre.

KPC skulle løse en række beredskabsopgaver, deltage i katastrofeopgaver og også tage sig af miljøproblemer.

Albanerne har et ønske om at KPC skal blive en nationalgarde efter Amerikansk model, men det vil de Internationale ikke acceptere. Ikke desto mindre ligner KPC en militær enhed, man bruger militære uniformer og gradsbetegnelser, og man har et vist antal skydevåben.

Kosovo Serberne er meget negative over for KPC; de mener at deres værste anelser bliver bekræftet, når der fra tid til anden rejses sager mod ledende KPC'ere - enten for krænkelser under krigen eller for kriminelle aktiviteter siden 1999.

Hvorfor ikke pålægge KPC at deltage i oprydningen og genopbygningen af de ødelagte huse, mindesmærker, kirker og klostre - og bagefter varetage bevogtningen?

For det første giver det Kosóva Albanerne mulighed for i praksis at vise at de tager afstand fra de skændselshandlinger der er blevet begået.

For det andet er der næppe andre end Kosóva Albanerne - og deres KPC - der i det lange løb kan sikre at mindesmærker, kirker og klostre beskyttes mod Albansk vandalisme.

Serberne vil næppe acceptere løsningen, men Serberne bærer en meget stor del af ansvaret for at det er kommet til de senere års misere - og de må derfor affinde sig med den. Det ville være en umulig løsning at indsætte særlige Serbiske bevogtningsenheder, og det er ikke rimeligt at NATO skal blive stående i uendelig lang tid.

BA, 30.3.2004


I SG Kofi Annan's rapport til SC 040430 står der flg. om KPC:

43. Although it is too early to obtain an accurate and complete overview of the performance of KPC members during the recent violence, it appears that the Kosovo Protection Corps as an organization performed professionally, although the possibility remains that some members may have active links with extremist organizations whose history has its roots in the Kosovo Liberation Army. During the violence, KPC provided medical assistance and search and rescue teams for victims of the violence. At the request of KFOR as an emergency measure, KPC took part in guarding minority infrastructure in some places, such as Serbian churches.

44. During the reporting period, the Kosovo Protection Corps moved forward in meeting standards in areas such as downsizing, logistics and humanitarian construction projects. In line with the KPC mandate, personnel strength stands at 3,052. Recruiting and retaining ethnic minority members, especially Kosovo Serbs, remains a major challenge. At present the Corps comprises 132 minority members including only 32 Kosovo Serbs, well short of the 500 places identified for minority members. As part of the Humanitarian Trust Fund Project, administered by the International Organization for Migration, KPC has been involved in a number of projects including building fire stations, refurbishing water supply lines, and repairing bridges in minority areas.

45. The possible involvement of some KPC members in criminal activity continued to affect the organization’s image. Twelve KPC members were suspended late in 2003 by my Special Representative and four members were detained by KFOR in February because of suspected criminal links or engagement in criminal activity. There have been instances where political statements were made and objectivity was not observed, including the participation of KPC members at a KLA memorial parade in which, contrary to the image they are required to uphold as a civilian organization, they adopted a military style.


SERBERE OG ALBANERE KAN LEVE I FRED

Debat 02. april 2004 [»Information«]

Af FREDE HANSEN formand for Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke i Nordjylland

Serbere og albanere skal nok komme til at leve i fred og fordragelighed med hinanden i Kosovo, men først når fortiden er glemt. Det vil tage et halvt århundrede

Det synes at være en umulig opgave at skabe et harmonisk, multikulturelt Kosovo med en serbisk minoritet. Mange års serbisk undertrykkelse af albanerne har skabt så meget had, at det vil tage årtier, før fortiden er glemt.

Men det må ikke forlede nogen til at miste troen på, at man kan leve fredeligt sammen, selv om man tilhører to forskellige folkeslag. Man behøver blot at tage godt hundrede kilometer fra Kosovo for at finde et levende bevis på en serbisk minoritet blandt albanere, en minoritet som trives og har det godt.

I den nordalbanske by Shkoder lever fagforeningsmanden Fatmir Kico. Han gemte tidligere sin koran bort, men i dag hænger koranen i en snor ved sengegærdet, og selv om Fatmir Kico ikke går i moske, så erklærer han sig dog som troende.

Det forhindrer ham ikke i at være på god talefod med sin nabo, den kristne serber, Jakov Papovic. Og Papovic og hans kone kunne ikke tænke sig at flytte. Hans far, der var ortodoks præst, blev under det kommunistiske styre idømt syv års fængsel for at dyrke religion, men han døde efter seks år, og dødsårsagen er aldrig blevet kendt. Pga. faderens kriminelle religiøsitet kunne den unge Jacov ingen uddannelse få, men måtte ernære sig som arbejder.

Under det unge demokrati blev han som næsten alle i Shkoder arbejdsløs, men han startede da med at importere varer fra Montenegro og byggede en god forretning op, inden han for tre år siden gik på pension.

Han troede på fremtiden og havde ingen lyst til at rejse til Montenegro, da Milosovic i begyndelsen af 90‘erne lokkede serberne i Albanien med guld og grønne skove, hvis de ville flytte til Kosovo eller Montenegro.

Flere fra hans familie lod sig imidlertid friste af tilbud om gode boliger og arbejde. Hans familie boede i Vraka, en by med 2.000 serbere nord for Shkoder. Mange serbere fra Vraka valgte at flytte, men de vendte hjem igen.

Milosovics løfter holdt nemlig ikke. Formålet var at øge den serbiske befolkningsandel i Kosovo og Montenegro – ikke at gavne de albanske serbere.

Jacov Papovis afspejler meget godt den almindelige borgers forhold i Albanien. Han er gift med en romersk-katolsk albaner, og de religiøse forskelle i Albanien har sjældent givet anledning til konflikter. Under det osmanniske rige skulle kristne betale mere i skat end muslimerne, så ofte konverterede manden til islam, og konen forblev kristen. Det gjorde, at man i familier lærte at vise hinanden religiøs tolerance.

Efter kommunismens kollaps søger folk efter en ny identitet, og den religiøse søgen er steget, men den giver ikke anledning til konflikter. Man kan i dag se muslimske kvinder med tørklæde – et utænkeligt syn for få år siden. Nogle påstår, at det islamiske samfund betaler mænd penge, hvis deres koner bærer tørklæde. Men det giver ikke anledning til problemer.

Formanden for den serbiske forening i Shkoder, Milan Brajovic, er dog ikke tilfreds med forholdene. Han synes ikke, at regeringen behandler den serbiske minoritet korrekt – der er ingen penge til modersmålsundervisning eller til serbiske medier.

Efter at han i 1995 havde stiftet sin forening, blev der kastet en bombe mod hans hus. Det kunne tyde på konflikt mellem serbere og albanere, men det hører med til historien, at Brajovic er gået så vidt som at besøge Milosovic, da han endnu var magthaver i Serbien. Og bomben skal nok ses i lyset af, at Shkoder i midten af 90‘erne var den mest anarkistiske by i Albanien med stribevis af mord.

Krigen i Kosovo har belastet formanden, Brajovic. En partiformand siger: »Jeg har for så vidt ikke noget mod manden, men jeg kan ikke glemme, at han trykkede Milosovic i hånden.«

Trods disse småproblemer, så er hovedindtrykket i Albanien, at serbere og albanere lever i fred og fordragelighed med hinanden. Det kan de nok også komme til i Kosovo, men først når fortiden er glemt. Det vil nok tage et halvt århundrede.


KOSOVO ER I EN KRITISK FASE

Eske Vinther-Jensen skriver i »Ræson« 25.06.2004 at 'Kosovo er i en kritisk fase'. Artiklen kan findes på: http://www.raeson.dk/evj250604.htm. Artiklen introduceres således:


25. juni | Ved den kosovoalbanske by Cabra, i nærheden af Mitrovica, forsvandt der 17. marts tre kosovoalbanske børn. Rygtet sagde, at en fuld kosovoserber havde drevet dem i floden. De rasende reaktioner udviklede sig til de uroligheder, som i de følgende dage hensatte Kosovo i en undtagelseslignende tilstand, hvor 19 blev dræbt og flere end 900 såret. I en stor analyse beskriver Eske Vinther-Jensen situationen i provinsen, hvis politiske udvikling er sat flere år tilbage – og han tegner en skitse til løsning af de massive problemer.

Vinther-Jensen opfordrer til, at det internationale samfund åbent lover provinsen fremtidig uafhængighed – hvad der vil gøre det muligt at stille krav til kosovoalbanerne om at beskytte provinsens minoriteter. Blandt de andre tiltag: Politisk decentralisering, økonomisk nytænkning og et opgør med den politiske monokultur. Men kravet er også en optimering af den fredsbevarende NATO-mission, KFOR, der efter begivenhederne i marts ”står tilbage som en organisation, der de facto ikke kunne garantere for sikkerheden i enklaverne, og som får svært ved at genvinde sin tidligere autoritet.”




Kommentar: Hvad ligger bag? Hvad kan man gøre?





af Bjørn Andersen


På en vis måde er der tale om en spiralsk udvikling. Nogle fra den ene side har gjort noget, nogle fra den anden side har reageret. Nogle fra den ene side har gjort noget nyt på »højere« niveau ... og så fremdeles.

For nylig blev en serber beskudt og såret. Der er blevet skudt mod Præsidentens bolig. Senere omkom nogle Albanske børn i Ibar-floden; formodningen blandt Albanerne var at Serbere havde drevet børnene i floden med hunde, men der er (så vidt vides) ingen vidner der kan bekræfte det, og det forholder sig formentlig sådan at der ikke var Serbere involveret i ulykken, se artikel på DR: http://www.dr.dk/nyheder/udland/article.jhtml?articleID=155587.


   

Brændt Serbisk hus i nærheden af Prishtina - Stanka Kaliskic efter et Albansk overfald


Efter drukneulykken samledes mange Albanere og kastede med sten eller skød mod Serbere. Tilsvarende har Serbere skudt tilbage. Der har i et par dage været omfattende demonstrationer i gaderne, der er blevet sat ild på nogle Serbiske kirker og klostre. Der er på nuværende tidspunkt dræbt over 30 personer.

KFOR har forsøgt at lægge sig imellem og for en sikkerheds skyld er det blevet besluttet at overføre 1.000 tropper fra Bosnien til Kosóva og KFOR-chefen har bemyndiget sine tropper til at anvende nødvendig magt for at sikre roens opretholdelse.




Jørgen Grunnet. Europarådets Missionschef i Beograd.
Har i 1998-99 været OSCE-pressetalsmand i Kosovo -
og siden Europarådets Missionschef i Tirana.


Der verserer mange teorier. Jørgen Grunnet fortalte 040318 i TV2's 19.00-nyheder at man i Beograd spekulerede på om Kostunica's nyligt fremsatte forslag om en opdeling af Kosóva (under Serbisk kontrol) kunne være anledningen til uroen.

Major Laursen, der er Dansk Presseofficer i Kosóva, mener at der er en mulighed for at konflikten har været »planlagt« i lang tid, og at »man« kun har savnet en konkret anledning.

Ingen af disse teorier kan helt udelukkes, men personligt mener jeg - som jeg udtalte i Christine Antorini's og Henriette Winther's indslag i DR2's »Deadline« 040318 - at aktionerne næppe er direkte planlagt, men at Albanerne har reageret spontant og massivt på rygter om at Serbere stod bag drukneulykken.

Hvis Albanere tror at Serbere har stået bag Albanske børns død, så vil reaktionen under alle omstændigheder blive overordentlig voldsom. I en sådan situation er der ikke mange ledende Albanere der vil stå frem og mane til besindighed.


I Serbien er harmen lige så stor som i Albanien. Nu er det klart bevist, mener man, at Albanerne ikke vil give plads til den Serbiske minoritet. Der har været demonstrationer (som i nogen grad er endt i voldshandlinger) - og et par moskeer er blevet antændt, men her er der dog nogle der har manet til besindighed.


PM Kostunica har således opfordret til at man ikke besvarer vold med vold - og han ville torsdag aften (18.03.2004) stå i spidsen for en stor fredelig demonstration ved en af de største kirker i Beograd.

19.03. har Kostunica antydet eller hævdet at voldshandlingerne var 'orkestrerede', altså organiserede:

LONDON, March 19 (Tanjug) - Serbian Premier Vojislav Kostunica said on Friday that an orchestrated violence of ethnic Albanians against Serbs and non-Albanians was underway in Kosovo, which represented a proof of the military and political failure of the international community, which had been running the province ever since 1999. In a late Friday phone conversation with the British SKY TV editor, announced in a prime time news broadcast, Kostunica said that the aim of the latest wave of intellectually organised and orchestrated violence was further ethnic cleansing aimed against Serbs and other non-Albanians. Kostunica pointed out that now it was most important that Serbs and other non-Albanian communities in Kosovo survived physically, and that they remained in the province.

Kostunica's position

Den nye Serbiske Regering står i en meget vanskelig position. Kostunica ville ikke indgå regeringssamarbejde med Djindjic' Demokratiske Parti, men foretrak at lade sin Regering være afhængig af Socialispartiet. Kostunica som selv er borgerligt orienteret nationalist brød sig ikke om Djidjic-Regimets reformprogram, aller mindst dén måde Djindjic m.fl. havde samarbejdet med Krigsforbrydertribunalet i Haag.

Kostunica er helt klar over at det er nødvendigt at samarbejde med Vesten - bl.a. af økonomiske grunde - men han betinger sig at Serbisk mentalitet, kultur og selvbestemmelse bliver respekteret.

Hvis situationen ikke forbedres for Kosovo Serberne er det sandsynligt at Kostunica vil blive presset meget hårdt fra nationalistisk side for at tage kraftige politiske initiativer, og det vil vanskeliggøre en positiv udvikling i Serbien, men også i Kosovo.

Men eftersom det er blevet klart for Vestmagterne at det Serbiske mindretal i Kosovo er meget alvorligt truet, eftersom permanent fred har meget lange udsigter, og eftersom en tilbagevenden af de mange flygtninge der lever i Serbien må skydes langt ud i fremtiden, nærmest i det uendelige - er det tænkeligt at man nu vil arbejde for at der findes andre, mere sikre og mere mere effektive veje til at sikre Kosovo Serberne.

På den anden side husker Vestmagterne alt for godt at den tidligere Serbiske undertrykkelse af det Albanske flertal er en af de mest grundlæggende årsager til at der har været konflikt og uro i Kosovo i så mange år og til at alle Albanere insisterer på uafhængighed af Serbien.

Man kan på ingen måde undskylde de overgreb som Albanere har udsat Serbere for i den seneste tid, men mange Albanere opfatter overgrebene som en form for gengældelse for tidligere tiders massive undertrykkelse og overgreb.

Kan man ikke finde en fornuftig måde at komme videre på i Kosovo, må man formode at det vil virke stærkt hæmmende for en positiv politisk og økonomisk udvikling i Serbien - og for Serbernes samarbejde med omverdenen.


Hvad er årsagen til uroen?

Der har så langt man kan huske været ufred mellem Albanerne og Serberne i Kosóva.

Befolkningsflertallet, omkring 85-90%, er Albansk, men der er et »synligt« Serbisk mindretal (og forskellige andre mindretal); en del af mindretallet har dog siden 1999 boet i Serbien.

Kosóva hørte i lange tider, ligesom Albanien, til det Osmanniske Rige, men blev i 1912 indlemmet i Serbien, der i tiden mellem 1' og 2' Verdenskrig begyndte en brutal 'overtagelsespolitik': Man prøvede bl.a. at flytte Serbere til Kosóva, men trods mange subsidier og gyldne løfter havde man ikke særligt held med det.

Efter 2' Verdenskrig forblev Kosóva under Serbien og blev dermed en del af det nye Jugoslavien der blev ledet af Marskal Tito.

De socialistisk - eller kommunistisk - orienterede Kosóva Albanere var stort set indforstået med denne løsning, for de ønskede - som Tito - at omdanne Kosóva til et socialistisk samfund.

Formentlig hang denne politik sammen med at det - i tiden frem til 1948 - blev drøftet om ikke også Albanien skulle indgå i Jugoslavien.

Det første af disse projekter brændte sammen i løbet af få år fordi den almindelige befolkning - der levede i traditionelle patriarkalsk styrede landsbyer - strittede imod; de levede videre som hidtil. Herpå fulgte endnu en periode med brutal undertrykkelse, der blev styret af den Serbiske leder, Alexandar Rankovic.

Det andet projekt (optagelsen af Albanien i Jugoslavien) blev opgivet efter en storstilet partikamp i Albanien. Enver Hoxha skar båndene af til Tito, allierede sig i stedet med Stalin - og fik henrettet sin Jugoslavisk-orienterede konkurrent, Koçi Xoxe [udtales: Dodsje].

Rankovic og andre gik alt for vidt; Rankovic blev afsat i midten af 1960'erne - og engang i 1970'erne besluttede Tito m.fl. at skifte kurs og at give Kosóva en form for selvstyre. Historierne om at Tito slet ikke vidste hvad Rankovic og andre havde foretaget sig i Kosovo virker komplet usandsynlige.

Heller ikke det nye selvstyre gik godt. Hvor Serberne havde undertrykt Albanerne, svarede Albanerne igen og undertrykte Serberne. Det er karakteristisk at der kun er få eksempler på at Albanere og Serbere har giftet sig med hinanden.

Når tingene gik så galt, hang det formentlig sammen med at den økonomiske situation var overordentlig vanskelig, specielt i Kosóva - der var det mest tilbagestående område i Jugoslavien og som ikke kunne »fungere« uden betydelig økonomisk støtte fra bl.a. Kroatien og Slovenien.

I 1989 besluttede Milosevic at afskaffe selvstyret - og i stedet at styre Kosóva fra Beograd. Kort efter forlangte Serberne at offentligt ansatte skulle underskrive en loyalitetserklæring, men det ville Albanerne ikke og blev derfor afskediget.

Det Albanske svar var at opbygge et uofficielt samfundssystem ved siden af det officielle. Man etablerede »privat« undervisning og sundhedspleje - mens det private økonomiske liv i landbrug, håndværk og serviceerhverv kørte videre på traditionel vis. Det Albanske Kosóva kunne imidlertid ikke fungere uden betydelig støtte fra de Albanere der arbejdede forskellige steder i Vesteuropa.

Mange Albanere - herunder Ibrahim Rugóva der var uofficiel Præsident over Kosóva - håbede på at man kunne få selvstændighed, eller i det mindste vidtgående autonomi, i forbindelse med Dayton-forhandlingerne om Bosnien. Men de Internationale »glemte« Albanerne (hvad der ikke var så mærkeligt da forholdene i Bosnien var komplicerede nok i forvejen).

Nogle af Kosóva Albanerne mistede tålmodigheden; nogle af dem begik terrorhandlinger, mens andre begyndte at organisere en egentlig befrielseshær, UÇK. Blandt de sidste var Adem Jashari.

UÇK'erne var - til at begynde med - anonyme og det var en vigtig grund til at Rugóva på dette tidspunkt mente at der i virkeligheden var tale om Serbiske provokatører. Det viste sig senere at være forkert, men teorien var egentlig ikke så usandsynlig. (Her er et af mange eksempler på at »ting« kan udvikle sig i det skjulte blandt Albanerne over meget lang tid).

I 1997-98 gik UÇK ud i mere omfattende aktioner. Så længe man holdt sig til nålestiksaktioner og til hit-and-run-princippet gik det, militært set, meget godt, men da man i foråret og sommeren 1998 gik ud i aktioner i større skala, rendte man ind i mange nederlag og led mange tab.

At man gjorde som anført kan have to grunde. Man var blevet alvorligt provokeret - og man troede det var den bedste måde man kunnne interessere stormagterne, særligt USA, for at gå ind og sikre en holdbar løsning.

Provokationen bestod i at Serbiske tropper i marts 1998 angreb Jashari-familien og dræbte mange af de mandlige familiemedlemmer, bl.a. familieoverhovedet Adem Jashari.

Formentlig troede Serberne at de kunne give UÇK'erne en så stor forskrækkelse at de ville holde inde, men Serberne tog fejl; UÇK'erne reagerede lige modsat. (Her er formentlig et af mange eksempler på at Serbiske ledere har meget svært ved at forstå Albansk mentalitet).

Når UÇK'erne kastede sig ud i militære aktiviteter som - militært set - virkede tåbelige og hasarderede, var det som antydet fordi man havde politiske bagtanker. Man kalkulerede med at Serberne ville overreagere, og at dette ville tvinge Stormagterne og det Internationale Samfund til at skride ind.

På en måde fik man ret.

I løbet af sommeren, efteråret og vinteren 1998 skete der mange ting. Amerikanerne pressede Milosevic til en ensidig våbenhvile og til at acceptere at OSCE etablerede overvågning af området. Samtidig blev der etableret kontakt mellem Amerikanerne - bl.a. Richard Holbrooke - og UÇK'erne. Formentlig var Madeleine Albright, Holbrooke og andre blevet påvirket til at støtte den Albanske sag af en Albansk-Amerikansk lobby og gennem drøftelser med »fornuftige« Kosóva-Albanere, men det er meget sandsynligt at man også havde et parallelt mål, at få fjernet Milosevic.

Milosevic havde været én man - modvilligt - accepterede og byggede på i Dayton-forhandlingerne, men som man senere betragtede som en afgørende forhindring for at man kunne få Serbien ind på et acceptabelt spor. Så længe Milosevic var ved roret, så længe ville man have store problemer med at få en positiv økonomisk og politisk udvikling i gang på Balkan.

I januar 1999 blussede uroen i Kosóva op igen. Anledningen var at man i Racak fandt over 40 dræbte Albanere. Måske var der tale om en massakre, et Serbisk overgreb, men den dag i dag er det ikke lykkedes at få opklaret hvad der egentlig skete og hvor og af hvem Albanerne var blevet skudt. Måske var de blevet fanget i krydsild? Måske var de blevet dræbt af Serbisk Militær eller Politi, måske af paramilitære enheder? Måske havde »nogen« arrangeret ligene?

William Walker, leder af OSCE-missionen, kom hurtigt til stede, udtalte at der var tale om en frygtelig massakre og bragte sig i kontakt med det Amerikanske Udenrigsministerium.

Den Amerikanske Regering - Præsident Clinton og UM Madeleine Albright - var ikke i tvivl. Man mente Serberne var de ansvarlige, og man benyttede lejligheden til at afslutte forberedelserne til en militær intervention. Man anså det - med stor ret - for usandsynligt at FNs Sikkerhedsråd ville beslutte sig for en sådan og besluttede sig for at gå andre veje - som var i strid med International Ret; man udviklede forestillingen om en 'Humanitær Intervention' som man kunne iværksætte uden om FN's Sikkerhedsråd hvis dette var blokeret.

Det stod dog klart for Amerikanerne at man ikke umiddelbart kunne iværksætte en militær intervention. Det ville man ikke kunne holde til i dé Europæiske lande der skulle deltage, og det var formentlig hovedårsagen til at man arrangerede forhandlingerne i Rambouillet. Men det ser ud til at forhandlingerne fik sit meget specielle forløb, fordi Amerikanerne i virkeligheden stræbte efter et sammenbrud der kunne begrunde interventionen.

Amerikanerne lagde et betydeligt pres på Albanerne for at få dem til at acceptere forhandlingsgrundlaget og lade Serberne fremstå som de »umulige«. Når Albanerne - efter en vis tøven - accepterede grundlaget var det fordi man regnede med at det var en helt nødvendigt pris der måtte betales for at Amerikanerne ville intervenere militært.

Amerikanerne på deres side troede sikkert at man havde indgået en slags handel med Albanerne, og at Albanerne var indstillet på at »levere varen«, nemlig at sikre et multietnisk samfund når Milosevic først var blevet slået. Amerikanerne har formentlig undervurderet problemerne og overvurderet de positive muligheder - og overset at der er en nærmest rodfæstet tradition for i Albansk udenrigspolitik at trække hårdt på sine »velyndere«.

Som bekendt mislykkedes forhandlingerne - væsentligst fordi Serberne misforstod situationen og heller ikke troede at den Amerikanske koalition ville kunne holde sammen - og det førte til at NATO intervenerede i slutningen af marts '99.

I juni indså Milosevic at NATO havde vundet og at han ikke kunne påregne udenlandsk støtte af betydning, således ikke fra Russisk side. Resultatet blev en 'aftale', der blev konfirmeret af det Serbiske Parlament, samtidig med at man i Det Hvide Hus drøftede indsættelse af landtropper. Tilsyneladende var man i Washington helt uvidende om hvad der skete på det politiske niveau i Beograd.

Aftalen blev senere konfirmeret af FN i form af Sikkerhedsrådsresolution # 1244. 1244 er i dag det forfatningsmæssige grundlag for Kosóva, herunder for FN's og KFOR's arbejde på stedet og for arbejdet i de beslutnings- og forvaltningsorganer der er etableret siden 1999.

I 1244 siges at Kosovo er en del af Serbien, men at det indtil videre skal styres af en særlig FN-Administration, at der skal etableres vidtgående autonomi - og at man på et senere tidspunkt skal etablere en 'endelig løsning'.

Alle Albanere kræver at den endelige løsning skal sikre at Kosóva bliver en selvstændig stat. Det er til gengæld også det eneste alle er enige om. Der er meget store politiske forskelle mellem flertallet, Rugóva-fløjen, og mindretallene, fx Hashim Thaçi's fløj.

Der er givetvis nogle, bl.a. enkelte fremtrædende Amerikanere, der er parat til at hjælpe Kosóva Albanerne til selvstændighed, men Vestmagterne mener generelt at Albanerne skal levere »varen« før man går videre i retning af yderligere autonomi: Albanerne skal vise at de vil acceptere det Serbiske mindretal - incl. de mange Kosovo Serbere der er flygtet og som ikke har kunnet vende tilbage. De seneste uroligheder skubber en tilbagevenden langt ud i det uvisse, hvad der - set meget nøgternt - er i klar Albansk interesse.

Serberne vil til gengæld ikke acceptere at Kosóva bliver selvstændigt og fuldstændigt underlagt Albanske interesser.

De seneste dages hændelser viser at det er en illusion at tro på at man - inden for overskuelig tid - kan etablere et multietnisk samfund hvor Albanere og Serbere blandes og bor fredeligt dør om dør.

Der kan være relativt roligt, som der har været i det sidste par år, men der skal ikke meget til, før låget igen ryger af krudttønden - og at et større eller mindre antal Albanere, men især Serbere, må lade livet.

Hvad nu? Der bør i den næste tid arbejdes på at gennemgå de hidtidige erfaringer og udvikle en anden form for strategi. Måske må omdrejningspunktet være en accept af at Albanerne og Serberne holdes adskilt - se nærmere ovenfor om Hækkerup's kommentar i »Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten« - og en »ny« form for økonomisk tænkning. Ganske vist har de Internationale hele tiden ønsket at der skulle opbygges en sund og »naturlig« markedsøkonomi, men der er langt igen, for der er ikke mange der har villet eller som vil investere i Kosovo / Kosóva.

Det er karakteristisk for Kosóva's økonomi at den er begrænset, skrøbelig og forvredet, for den er afhængig af gaver og tilskud udefra, fra de mange køb som KFOR, UNMIK m.fl. gør og ikke mindst af de betydelige beløb som bliver sendt hjem af Kosóva Albanere der arbejder i udlandet.

Den Vestlige Verden ville hjælpe Kosóva's indbyggere - både de der er af Serbisk og de der er af Albansk oprindelse - langt mere ved at handle med dem end ved at gå videre ad den aktuelle vej.

En selvstændiggørelse af Kosovo / Kosóva og en samtidig opdeling i autonome områder er en forudsætning for at der kan blive ro; først når der er ro - og når der er tillid til at den er varig - vil det kunne lykkes at tiltrække investeringer i større omfang, men disse vil givetvis stagnere eller falde bort igen hvis det ikke lykkes at opbygge samhandel med omverdenen.



MISTRØSTIG OSCE-RAPPORT OM LOKALSTYRET I KOSOVO

OSCE offentliggjorde 17.03.2004 en rapport om lokalstyret. I et opsummerende afsnit står der:

A recent assessment jointly conducted by OMiK DD and UNMIK-OCA reveals that as of March 2004, CCs have been appointed in 27 of 30 municipalities. However, one quarter of them either do not have all their members selected, have not met except for the inaugural session, or do not meet on a regular basis. In 11 of the 27 municipalities where CCs have been appointed, meetings are held on a regular basis, however with little substantive progress. Rarely have matters been referred to the MC, which is in charge of investigating cases referred by the CC.

The survey conducted reveals that identified shortcomings derive from issues related to (1) the process of selection of CC members, (2) CC members’ misunderstanding of UNMiK Regulation 2000/45 on their role and competencies and (3) CC members’ lack of commitment, manifest in infrequent CC meetings and in the absence of substantive discussion during these meetings. In the next section, these three patterns have been reviewed and analyzed. The findings form the basis for the conclusion and the joint OMiK DD and UNMIK-OCA recommendations on UNMiK and PISG future course of action.

Rapporten optrykkes i sin helhed nedenfor på Engelsk, dog uden noter. Den originale rapport kan downloades fra OSCE:

På Engelsk: http://www.osce.org/documents/mik/2004/03/2335_en.pdf
På Albansk: http://www.osce.org/documents/mik/2004/03/2335_sq.pdf
På Serbisk: http://www.osce.org/documents/mik/2004/03/2335_sr.pdf
På Tyrkisk: http://www.osce.org/documents/mik/2004/03/2335_tr.pdf


Eighteen months after the October 2002 Municipal Elections, the Communities Committees have not yet reached an acceptable level of performance in the majority of Kosovo municipalities. The present report prepared by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMiK) Democratization Department (DD) in co-operation with the UNMiK Office of Community Affairs (UNMIK-OCA) and PISG Prime Minister. s Advisory Office on Communities (PISG AOC) reveals three inherent causes that prevent the Committees from functioning effectively. Upon analysis of these reasons, a number of recommendations on how the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) and UNMiK should address the identified shortcomings are hereby proposed.

I. Background

The Communities Committee (CC) is one of the three mandatory Committees that each municipality must appoint under UNMiK Regulation 2000/45 on Self-Government of Municipalities in Kosovo1. Along with the Mediation Committee (MC) and the Community Office, the CC has been crafted as an anti-discrimination and community protection mechanism to ensure that every local community regardless of its size, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other characteristic of its members shall receive equal treatment by the municipal authority.

The CC.s role and procedural guidelines have been outlined in UNMiK Administrative Instruction (AI) 2003/2 on Procedural Guidance for the Work of Municipal Communities Committees, promulgated by the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (D/SRSG) on 15 September 2003.

II. Current state

A recent assessment jointly conducted by OMiK DD and UNMIK-OCA reveals that as of March 2004, CCs have been appointed in 27 of 30 municipalities. However, one quarter of them either do not have all their members selected, have not met except for the inaugural session, or do not meet on a regular basis. In 11 of the 27 municipalities where CCs have been appointed, meetings are held on a regular basis, however with little substantive progress. Rarely have matters been referred to the MC, which is in charge of investigating cases referred by the CC.

The survey conducted reveals that identified shortcomings derive from issues related to (1) the process of selection of CC members, (2) CC members’ misunderstanding of UNMiK Regulation 2000/45 on their role and competencies and (3) CC members’ lack of commitment, manifest in infrequent CC meetings and in the absence of substantive discussion during these meetings. In the next section, these three patterns have been reviewed and analyzed. The findings form the basis for the conclusion and the joint OMiK DD and UNMIK-OCA recommendations on UNMiK and PISG future course of action.

III. Problem Analysis

1. Challenges regarding the process of CC member selection

• Political entities either disagree over CC composition or accept a composition that is in violation of UNMiK Regulation 2000/45.

The CC has to be composed to ensure fair representation of communities. As such, it is not meant to automatically reflect the proportion of seats held by political entities within Municipal Assemblies. However, the process of nominating CC members often becomes politicized, especially when it concerns the selection of Municipal Assembly Members.

As a result, CCs are often turned into political fora and, as a means to protest, appointed members often do not participate in CC sessions. This partly explains why some Kosovo Serb representatives and Kosovo Albanian affiliated political entities are reluctant to take part in CC work.

Power struggles within the Committees occur across several dividing lines and take the following forms: political competition among political factions from the same ethnic community (i.e. majority versus minority, or among various minority groups), internal competition within the same political entity, and among political factions representing different ethnic communities (the most widespread ones).

Another politically sensitive issue related to CC composition is whether the CC chairperson should be a member of the community that is in a minority position in the Municipal Assembly, or a member of the community that is a minority within the territory of the municipality (according to UNMiK Regulation 2000/45, S.23.3 c). This question needs to be analyzed from a legal standpoint for Municipal Assemblies where members of the minority community currently living in the municipality hold the majority of seats, such as Novobërdë/Novo Brdo.

• The selection process for communities’ representatives is inadequate, in some cases undermining popular support for Committee members.

Many CC members are either self or politically appointed and hence lack a fully-fledged democratic mandate deriving from their constituencies. For instance, in Prizren/Prizren, Gjilan/Gnjilane and Lipjan/Lipljan communities have contested the appointments of their selected representatives. The reason can be traced to UNMiK Regulation 2000/45. While stipulating the Municipal Assembly shall appoint all Committee members11, the Regulation does not provide explicit guidance on the way candidates shall be selected, so as to ensure consultations with grassroots constituencies. Due to this lack of guidance, many municipalities have faced popular discontent. Zvecan/Zveçan municipality, however, has successfully managed to seek a solution and following a wide information campaign, an informal election was held on 20 December 2002 to choose non-Assembly minority CC members.

With respect to the selection of community representatives, Municipal Assemblies have found it difficult to identify appropriate CC candidates who are capable of dealing in a professional manner with their counterparts and their communities. When Municipal Assemblies initially appointed mandatory Committees, the CC.s role and responsibilities were unclear due to the lack of model rules of procedure. Therefore, it appears that CC candidates. commitment and qualification have been inadequately considered in the selection process.

Finally, ethnic community members often lack understanding of the municipal structure and underlying principles of .good governance.. This has posed a significant challenge where the same representatives were members of the CC and the MC. This is clearly a violation of the provisions of UNMiK Reg. 2000/45, S.23.3 (d) (i). With such endemic shortcomings, CC members have appeared reluctant to increase their knowledge through targeted training activities such as the OMiK DD Municipal Assembly Support Programme (MASP).

2. Lack of understanding of the CC role and competencies

CC members do not appear to fully understand the CC purpose and scope of activity and this has negatively impacted their work. As a result, Municipal Assemblies show indifference or resist active engagement to help ensure the CC is effectively fulfilling its role.

• Internal power struggles among community representatives in established Committees represent an additional challenge.

Majority and non-majority Committee members see the CC as a forum for competition13, thus impeding the Committees. effective work. Best practices however, show all communities should work for the best interest of the municipality and all its inhabitants. Therefore, conveying this idea to CC members has been and will continue to be included in OMiK activities.

• Some municipalities continue to ignore the necessity to comply with UNMiK Regulation 2000/45 and therefore do not establish the CC.

In the mono-ethnic municipalities of Gllogovc/Glogovac and Kaçanik/Kacanik, the CCs have not been established on the grounds that appointing them would be artificial and would only incur additional financial burden for the municipality. Recent developments however indicate a change of mind. Similarly, in Malishevë/Mali.evo, the Municipal President and most Municipal Assembly Members do not consider it relevant to appoint CC members, although the Municipal Assembly has formally confirmed the existence of the CC. There are only 29 ethnic Kosovo Roma inhabitants, constituting another community, in the municipality who, according to the Municipal President, have not shown interest in participating in local governance. However, according to UNMiK Regulation 2000/4514, the CC should be appointed, regardless of the size or nature of communities, as discrimination could occur on many grounds, including ethnic affiliation.

It must be re-iterated that the rights of the communities are guaranteed by the Constitutional Framework, UNMiK Regulation 2001/9, Chapter 4, and that communities are defined as ethnic, religious and linguistic.

3. Lack of commitment of CC members, manifest in infrequent meetings and lack of substantive discussion during CC sessions.

CC members, often inexperienced, are many times unsure of their responsibilities which helps to explain why they lack motivation to take part in CC sessions and do not take a proactive approach to identify and address communities. concerns. The low attendance rate and weak involvement often imply that the members come unprepared to CC sessions and consequently, cannot work efficiently. Correcting this should start by proper organization and planning of meetings, as well as prompt member notification16 of the meeting.s time, venue and agenda. An illustrative example is Zvecan/Zveçan municipality where the CC has faced a number of organizational issues, due to a lack of understanding of the role of the municipal administration. Reportedly, although the CC meets on a regular basis, there was no archiving, presentation of minutes, translation, proper information dissemination, which was solved following the OMiK DD MASP IV training. In addition, difficulties occur due to restricted freedom of movement of members of minority communities.

Ethnic communities. freedom of movement, employment, or usage of their native languages are the main issues referred to CCs. However, these issues have been discussed out of context, as substantive case-oriented discussion is still lacking and meetings are rarely concluded with substantive outcome or follow-up of issues discussed. Furthermore, having had few meetings since their establishment, the CCs have not been able to systematically address the issues raised. Therefore, the CCs have so far submitted only six recommendations to the MC Kosovo-wide. On the positive side, some CC members appear to show more interest in investigating matters raised at meetings. Field visits have been organized in Pejë/Peæ (to assess a dispute between two families of different ethnic communities), Strpce/Shtërpcë (to assess the situation within a Kosovo Albanian temporary school) and Prishtinë/Pri.tina (where CC members visited Kosovo Ashkali and Kosovo Turkish communities and held a meeting with Kosovo Bosniaks).

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

Eighteen months after the October 2002 Municipal Elections, CCs are only slowly on their way to becoming fully operational. With the exception of a few municipalities where CCs have been established and have had regular meetings, CCs have not yet been institutionalized and could hardly be regarded as a successful tool for advocating communities. rights within municipal territories. There is an urgent need to assist CC members in comprehending their essential role and responsibility, as well as municipal authorities to recognize the role of Committee members. Further training and familiarization of CC members and municipal authorities with AI 2003/2 should be coupled with constant provision of advice. To understand their role and responsibilities, CC members need to understand the purpose of the CC, and fundamentally, the meaning of "discrimination". To help resolve these issues, OMiK DD, UNMIK-OCA and PISG/AOC would like to propose the following:

1. Organising roundtable discussions or mediation sessions in the municipalities that encounter difficulties in establishing a functional CC.

In municipalities where CCs have not been established, supportive activities should be focused on developing Municipal Assembly members. negotiation skills to enable them to reach an agreement on CC establishment and composition. This was one of the objectives of the Kaçanik/Kacanik Municipal Assembly Retreat, organised by Strpce/Shtërpcë OMiK Office in Struga (fYROM) in December 2003. Through interactive and participatory components such as meetings in small groups and "role-playing" activities, the retreat aimed to facilitate dialogue and acted as a catalyst to improve the functioning of the Municipal Assembly and its Committees. The Kaçanik/Kacanik retreat could be used as a model for future planning of similar mediation activities.

In municipalities where CCs are established, but not functional, OMiK and UNMiK should continue to organise roundtable discussions and mediation sessions with municipal officials, CC members, and community representatives. Such activities have proven successful in Zubin Potok/Zubin Potok20 where the result included agreement to meet on a regular basis.

Moreover, in those municipalities where a Municipal Assembly additional Deputy President has been appointed21, he/she should be involved in the work of the CC, as his/her organisational support and contribution of procedural knowledge may be of great value to the successful functioning of the CC22.

2. Maximising effective participation among communities

Ensuring all communities, including the majority community, are aware of the functioning of the CC and how people should correctly approach it will play a vital role in strengthening the CC.s role. Public meetings, media debates and awareness campaigns should be designed to familiarize the public with ways to use the CCs to protect and promote their rights. Particular efforts should be made to present CCs in concrete and simplistic terms that are pertinent within the local context through exemplifying to the extent possible the ways community concerns should be channelled through CCs.

OMiK Community Centers could serve as a venue to host CC sessions or roundtables and this can be organized in conjunction with village leader meetings. For example, the OMiK Community Center in Veliko Ropotovo/Ropotova e Madhe, Kamenicë/Kamenica municipality organizes monthly meetings of Kosovo Serb village representatives on issues relevant to the local community. In such a forum, the public is informed of the CC.s activities and has the opportunity to address and meet with CC members.

3. Increasing the capacity of CC members to ensure the optimal use of the CC mechanism

Committee members need both guidelines and training. While guidelines exist in AI 2003/002, training and capacity-building activities are an ongoing process. OMiK DD.s work in that respect has been centered on the implementation of MASP IV, coupled with training on procedural matters. Best practices have shown that appropriate and substantive follow-up to each activity through "monitoring, advising and advancing" is critical to the CC.s development.

Ensuring follow-up activities may take different forms, and therefore, a creative approach is essential. For example, Lipjan/Lipljan CC has set up three sub-groups, which deal respectively with citizens. rights and discrimination, monitoring Municipal Assembly.s work, and reviewing citizens. complaints. Although for the time being the work of the Committee remains stalled due to political reasons, creating specialized working groups is an important step forward.

Moreover, one-on-one meetings with CC members organized by the OMiK DD have proved to be effective in Strpce/Shtërpcë and are now being implemented in Ferizaj/Uro.evac. OMiK DD in Pejë/Peæ organized a series of seminars for CC members in the region where participants discussed issues faced by the CC and helpful tools to address them.

Finally, regional exchanges among CC members from neighboring municipalities should be encouraged and facilitated. This approach is likely to foster the exchange of ideas and "best practices" as CC members are afforded a chance to learn from municipalities with more developed CCs.

4. Increasing support of Municipal authorities

Support from Municipal authorities, especially from Municipal Assembly members, President and Deputy President of the Municipality can greatly improve the functioning of the CC. Efforts from Municipal leadership should aim at assisting the work of CC by encouraging participation of both CC members as well as the communities they represent. Recommendations formulated by CC should be carefully considered, discussed with CC members and included - to the extent possible - in municipal decision-making.

Municipal authorities should also encourage local ownership of AI 2003/002, and an efficient way to do this is to support its inclusion, partly or fully in the Municipal Statute. As the AI 2003/002 is currently a non-binding document, including it in the Municipal Statute will greatly increase its enforcement power.

The PISG Prime Minister.s Advisory Office on Communities will continue their capacity building for communities committees implemented through Information Sessions on "Role of Local Government in the Implementation of Selected international conventions", already taken place in three of the five regions in Kosovo. The AOC also performs a liaison function between the Government and the Municipalities on issues related to community rights and interests.

OMiK DD will continue their training and counseling of Community Committees based on a training module already delivered in 15 Municipalities.

5. Strengthening co-operation between pillar II and III on the CC issue Difficulties related to the appointment and functionality of the CC calls for stronger co- operation and improved co-ordination between Pillar II (UNMIK) and Pillar III (OMiK). This should begin by consolidating a common position on the CC issue. Ensuring OMiK/UNMIK co-operation in assisting CC day-to-day activities is essential to avoiding an inconsistent approach and providing adequate support to this crucial tool for the successful integration of all communities.


KFOR og Kosóva's økonomi. Pressemeddelelse fra KFOR 04.02.2004:

Every year, through its requirement for goods and services, KFOR as a whole invests in excess of 75 million Euros into the economy of Kosovo. In addition over 6,000 local people are employed, either directly or indirectly, by KFOR. This provides them with steady employment and an income to support their families.

As far as major engineering projects are concerned, KFOR engineers build bridges and roads and repair tunnels and railways, all of which ploughs money back into the economy, not only in terms of wages and materials, but also in providing lasting improvements to the local transport infrastructure. This fiscal year such projects will cost KFOR approximately 9 million Euros.

However, these figures do not provide the whole picture. It should be remembered that since KFOR came to Kosovo over 200,000 troops have rotated through the theatre. All these, and each and every one of the 18,000+ personnel currently here, have put money into the economy on terms of personal purchases.

KFOR is, of course, a capable military force here, under the mandate of UNSCR 1244, to maintain a safe and secure environment for all the citizens of Kosovo. We are not here to develop the local economy or to operate job creation schemes. It is interesting to note, however, the significant economic contribution made as by-product of our ongoing operations.


EU HAR UDSENDT RAPPORT OM RELATIONERNE MELLEM EU OG EN RÆKKE BALKAN-LANDE

Hele rapporten kan downloades fra: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/see/sap/rep3/strat_pap.pdf. Uddrag om Albanien, Makedonien og Serbien & Montenegro kan ses i: http://home7.inet.tele.dk/bjoerna/208.htm

I rapporten resumeres situationen i Kosovo / Kosóva således:

The UN key decision to operationalise the Standards for Kosovo, and the launch – although amidst difficulties – of the Dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade on issues of common concern were the main developments over the reporting period.

Just at the time when the direct dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade seemed to be finally on track and the Kosovo standards implementation plan was about to be finalised, the ethnically motivated violent incidents that occurred in March 2004 marked a serious setback to the establishment of a secure, democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo.

Over the reporting period, the performance of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) and public administration has started to improve, but deficiencies still need to be addressed with determination. The transfer of non-reserved competences from the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to the PISG was completed by the end of 2003. Now the PISG need to make full use of the transferred competencies to take greater responsibility for the reforms and their implementation under the ultimate responsibility of UNMIK, which in addition holds the reserved powers. The late and inadequate reaction of the PISG to the events of March 2004 raises serious concerns. The rule of law needs to be strengthened, in particular as regards effective implementation and enforcement of the legislation.

While some efforts were made, notably in the second half of 2003, substantial and sustainable return of displaced persons to Kosovo was hampered by the unfavourable socio-economic conditions and precarious security situation. The March 2004 violent incidents have led to the forced displacement of members of minority communities and have exacerbated the climate of insecurity with a very adverse impact on the overall process of returns.

Despite some improvements, the economic situation remains a cause for concern: Kosovo's economy is still heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances and is far from being viable. Unemployment is high and likely to increase, thus creating fertile soil for social and political unrest. Privatisation of socially owned enterprises and restructuring of public utilities have not advanced satisfactorily. The management of public finances need to be more efficient and transparent. Over the reporting period, progress has taken place in setting Kosovo's European perspective through the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association process Tracking Mechanism (STM). The Commission has provided to the Kosovo authorities policy advice on a number of sectors with a view to supporting EU compatible reforms. At the same time, the STM process reinforces and strengthens the work being done on the Standards for Kosovo. The European perspective means that Kosovo people will be able to benefit from the peace and prosperity that the process of European integration has secured in a free and democratic manner throughout most of the continent. To achieve this aim, Kosovo needs to be firmly anchored in the Stabilisation and Association process. However, the March 2004 incidents shows that the people of Kosovo and the PISG need to engage seriously in the process.




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