29 September 2006

Report of the Serbian negotiating team for Kosovo and Metohija

Radio Television Serbia, Belgrade, Monday, September 11, 2006 19:06

 

Experience to date in negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija indicates that we should not ignore the possibility that very influential circles in the international community are also attempting to create an international legal precedent to the detriment of Serbia in the case of Kosovo but the Serbian side will decisively reject every policy of this sort, states the report of the state negotiating team.

 

The Government provided the report to the Serbian Assembly, where Premier Vojislav Kostunica and negotiating team members Slobodan Samardzic and Leon Kojen will be discussing it on Tuesday.

 

Serbian president Boris Tadic will also address the deputies.

 

The report warns that if there is an attempt to impose the independence of Kosovo upon Serbia, we should not completely exclude the possibility of the use of further means of pressure on our country towards that goal.

 

The report explains that issues such as responsibilities toward The Hague, Serbia's ascension to the European Union, the position of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina's court case against Serbia may be linked to the status of Kosovo in the near future in order to force Serbia to relent. Every policy of this sort will be decisively rejected by the Serbian side and will not succeed, the report emphasizes, adding that the only possible result of this approach is further destabilization of conditions in the region and that is why we should hope that no one will try to avail themselves of it instead of a rational policy seeking compromise.

 

The report emphasizes that Serbia has multiple interests in remaining engaged in the negotiating process, both in terms of what it can gain through negotiations as well as in terms of what it can lose by withdrawing from them. Within this context, the report assesses that statements by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari that the Serbs are "guilty as a people" and that they are "rattling their sabers" are incompatible with his role as negotiator and mediator, and that they have made negotiations already difficult and unsuccessful to date even harder.

 

Despite this, the negotiating team at this moment does not think that a formal request for his replacement should be made at the very end of Ahtisaari's one year mandate, the report states. The report says that the course of negotiations to date has yielded no tangible results. It explains that an agreement has not been achieved in Vienna on decentralization of administration in the province, the protection of Serbian religious and cultural heritage or issues of property and privatization, and even less so on future status itself.

 

However, the report underscores that it would be wrong to conclude as a result that the negotiations have been completely useless from the aspect of defending vital national and state interests. It stresses that the Serbian negotiating team from day one has been decisive in not accepting any solutions bringing into questions the fundamental values upon which the survival of the state, the people and the Church in Kosovo and Metohija rests.

 

The report also emphasizes that it is clear to everyone that Serbia will thoughtfully but very decisively defend the basic interests of the state, the people and the Church, and that the most Kosovo and Metohija can get and what is being offered them in negotiations in broad autonomy within a sovereign Serbia and its territorial integrity.

 

It reminds that the basic rights of our citizens, whether they are Serbs but also to a large extent in the case of other non-Albanians, are most brutally endangered since the establishment of international rule in 1999.

 

The negotiating team reminds in the report that ethnic cleansing of enormous extent has still not ended since two thirds of Kosovo and Metohija Serbs remain internally displaced in central Serbia to this day. The report also recalls the eruption of Albanian violence in March 2004. The negotiating team is therefore asking that the basic rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians be restored and that they are institutionally guaranteed through local self-administration.

 

With respect to the Church and the centuries-old existence of Orthodoxy in Kosovo and Metohija, it is essential for them to have full protection, including complete security and freedom of action on the part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as protection from violence and vandalism.

 

The report lists the chronological course of negotiations from February 24 to September 10 this year in Vienna and expresses support for their continuation on the basis of the Resolution on Kosovo adopted by the Assembly and on the basis of the previous platform of the negotiating team.

 

(Translated on September 13, 2006 by sib)  

Sanda Raskovic-Ivic: Address to the UN Security Council, New York, Sep. 13, 2006

COORDINATING CENTER FOR KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

 

Mr. President, distinguished members of the Security Council,

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It is my special privilege to address you and express my respect to this world organisation's high body.

 

First and foremost, taking into account an imperative of introducing peace and stability as well as developing the future of both Kosovo and Metohija and the region of South East Europe, I wish to emphasize the unique significance of the Security Council as a guarantor for upholding the universal principles of international law and the entire world order.

 

The Republic of Serbia resolutely maintains that upholding and upgrading the peace and stability in the West Balkans are only possible through the means of a strict observance of the international principles, such as inviolability of sovereignty and territorial integrity of democratic states.

 

Mr President, we particularly wish to reiterate that Serbia is all set to assume her share of responsibility in the process of a successful resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija issue, pursuant to the international law and in conformity with the democratic values of the contemporary world. We address the Security Council in full confidence, expecting its instrumental contribution in line with its previously endorsed documents, and in particular with Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999, which reconfirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

 

We firmly believe that achieving a durable settlement on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija is only possible through the means of systematic, responsible and orderly negotiations, without artificial deadlines that can only result in additional pressure. Otherwise, there may occur new complications entailing inestimable consequences as always and inevitably invoked by any deviation from the international community's universal principles.

 

Nervousness, irrational haste and arrogance can not contribute to finding a sustainable solution for Kosovo and Metohija, or to the peace and stability in the SEE region, both of which my country's politics is firmly supporting.

 

Regretfully, I have to inform this high body that three months ago, on the very day of my previous address to the Security Council, on the day when UNMIK reported on progress of the standards, security, and the return of displaced persons to Kosovo and Metohija, late Dragan Popovic, a Serbian returnee from Klina, was brutally murdered.

 

Thus, tragically, it took another human life to drastically disprove the ever-repeating wording of UNMIK report about improvements of standards, security, return of displaced person etc. as it was being presented to this high body.

 

Sorry to say, but it is the reality in Kosovo and Metohija that most tragically and brutally drafts its reports about security, thus proving wrong the inflated clerical reports.

 

Since that Security Council session to the day before, there have occurred 51 small and high-scale incidents, involving assaults against lives and property of the Serbs (from 24 October 2005 till 1 September 2006 there were 260 incidents).

 

On 26th of August this year, in the evening, a 16 year old Albanian slowly walked across the bridge between South and North Mitrovica. He threw a bomb on a nearby Serbian café bar packed with guests, and walked away in cold blood. Undoubtedly, this act of violence was in fact a political one, aiming at the Serbs as targets. Therefore, it was not aimed at a person who happened to be a Serb, but at the Serbs marked as tragically legitimate targets.

 

With our deepest regret, we have to state that this terrorist attack against the Serbs occurred subsequent to the statement that "Serbs as a nation were guilty", which was verbatim made in front of the Serbian Negotiation Team in Vienna and several other witnesses by a man least expected to, having in mind his high office. Regretfully, it was Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Future Status Process for Kosovo, who said that.

 

This unfortunate statement, Mr President, together with his refusal to offer to the Serbian people an apology for making such a horrid accusation, unheard of since the end of World War Two, is at the same time the only argument in favour of Kosovo and Metohija independence we had a chance to hear so far.

 

Whilst our negotiation team maintains the universality of the international law and impossibility to rip a state of 15 percent of its territory as their arguments, and actively works on protection of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, the Albanians in fact do not engage in negotiations at all, calmly waiting for being granted a second Albanian state in the Balkans - on the territory of the internationally recognized Serbia. The negotiations are being carried out in a relaxed and peaceful tone, being so realxed that, until the Serbian party explicit request, neither the minutes were kept nor the rules of procedure were set.

 

Last March, there was another incident on the same bridge which the above mentioned Albanian youth crossed before throwing a bomb at a Serbian café bar, where 19 year old Milisav Ilincic was stabbed. International Public Prosecutor for Kosovska Mitrovica County, Paul Flin, terminates investigation against two Albanians suspected to have attempted the murder of this young Serbian, although one of them confessed to stabbing Ilincic with a knife on 28th of March. Pursuant to that event and other numerous cases, as well as pursuant to the incomprehensible fact that ever since UNMIK had assumed responsibility for the peace and security in Kosovo and Metohija, namely, since 1999, very few from among numerous cases of murders of, and assaults against the Serbs have been brought to court. One may conclude that survival and life of Serbs, from Albanians' point of view, are an obstacle for achieving their political and ideological goals, whereas UNMIK's tactics for avoiding conflicts with militant Albanians is a simple shutting of eyes to the reality.

 

Mr President, it is hard to believe it, but all previously said point out to a conclusion that the fear of powerful and violent Albanians and their threats to avenge, currently amount to a "principle" which makes the international law and international justice deviate.

 

Let me remind you that in Kosovo and Metohija people have been killed just for speaking a Slavic language which happens to resemble Serbian. A Bulgarian in Pristina lost his life because of it. Ethnic identity becomes a licence to kill. But the real situation is worse still. In a previously referred terrorist bomb attack on a Serbian café bar of 26 August, few non-Serbs, foreign citizens, were also injured. One of them is an international police officer. They were attacked just because they have been sitting in a "Serbian" café bar. This simply means that in Kosovo, if one speaks Serbian, or sits at a Serbian café bar, he or she becomes a target of a terrorist attack.

 

With regards to the religious monuments, culture heritage and religious freedom, on the one hand there is an emphasis on adoption of laws regulating these matters, while on the other hand, in reality, in real life, the sacred monuments are being desecrated and the sacred items looted. In a church in a Serbian village of Mogila, in the vicinity of Gnjilane, there are still some Christian icons on the church walls but the eyes of portraited saints were dug out by extremists during the thorough Albanian March 2004 ethnic cleansing of remaining Serbs and non-Albanians. Kosovo Provisional Institutions never undertook to protect these sacred sites and ease the fear of beleivers, who pray in this church and look at the icons with hollow eyes, and contemplate perseverance and survival.

 

Further to this, the international community has every right to urge Kosovo institutions to endorse laws against the so-called general discrimination. However, the mere endorsement of laws is not going to resolve this problem. It is the individuals of indisputable authority within their communities, the clannish leaders, who reign in the Kosovo society. They are the real arbiters. It is they who make decisions, not the judiciary. A woman in that society has no right. In Kosovo, the justice is being taken into one's own hands; the tribal laws and "blood revenge" rule there. One cannot fight those by implementing the law against discrimination only, because in that case that would be tantamount to searching for excuses that an effort was made to make the difference, which is not even a good excuse.

 

Securing the public transport has always been a priority, at least declaratory. In practise, we have "death roads". The "death roads" expression is a colloquial term used by KFOR and UNMIK officers to refer to roads that connect Serbian settlement Strpce to other Serbian regions, along which a series of 12 terrorist attacks on Serbs has been executed. Only a few hours before the public transport competences were to be transferred from UNMIK to the Provisional Institutions, some Albanians stoned a bus, carrying the Serbian children home from an excursion. The incident took place in the village of Zabari, outside Kosovska Mitrovica, on 30 August 2006. Bus windows were broken, but fortunately there were no casualties. UNMIK issued a statement saying police officers who escorted the bus had not seen the incident occurred, but stopped denying it had happened. Sadly enough, the children will remember this ordeal, regardless of whether anyone saw anything, whether anyone chose to see anything, or whether the statement on the incident was issued at all.

 

I wish to recall that Ambassador Kai Eide in his 'Comprehensive Review of the Situation in Kosovo' denoted the process of establishing the future status of Kosovo and the continuance of standard implementation as the only way towards any progress. Ambassador Eide also emphasized other very important and essential issues. Regrettably, so far there are no serious signs whatsoever that anyone seeks to recognize at least some among those absolutely adequate and correct recommendations. On the other hand, unfortunately, a flexible attitude of our negotiation team failed to be replicated by the Albanian negotiation team, which stuck to a rigid and exclusive attitude - independency, at any cost. Sadly, even Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari, at least according to his statements, went beyond the mandate he was entrusted with. We hold that his frequent stepping out might create more serious concerns than the current ones existing in the Province. My country, rightly and in good faith, expected Mr. Ahtisaari to provide his share to the compromise solution.

 

With regards to the completion of the reconstruction and compensation program related to the ethnic cleansing of Serbs in March 2004, it is important to underline the fact that the security is the first issue that has to be dealt with. All other issues will be eventually resolved, but when human lives are at stake, then talking about conditions they live in has no point.

 

Particularly worrying is by now already evidenced truth about the lack of progress in the return of the displaced and exiled population. Without getting into details about methods that some organizations employ to record the returnees, we bring your attention to the fact that even the most optimistic of the records show the maximum of five percent of returnees. The real numbers are significantly fewer and do not exceede two percent. I also wish to point out that the return of the displaced persons can be facilitated and made possible through the means of true and devoted work in the field.

 

Kosovo's Provisional Government should publicly support the submitting of property claims to the Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) with regards to agricultural and commercial properties; however, the problem is that there is no good will to resolve the issue. The KPA has started collecting the claims but without any media coverage or information campaign. That agency has still not received the funds to process the claims, which is a clear message about its importance as seen by the Provisional and international institutions.

 

Whoever wants to know, Mr. Chairman, can easily find out that organized crime, including the so-cold ordinary crime, trafficking of people and the corruption in Kosovo and Metohia are a large scale, omnipresent occurrence. Drugs and weapons trade and smuggling channels of this criminal-terrorist business expand in spite of the presence of representatives from the International Community, the Police and the Army. There is no need to stress yet again that Serbia, as a country whose integral parts are Kosovo and Metohia, is more than open for any specialized police and investigatory activity which will assist in eradication of trafficking in people and narcotics in Kosovo and Metohia.

 

The situation and developments in Kosovo and Metohia are to be viewed upon realistically and responsibly. Here, 'realistically' means from the international-legal but also from the historical-political aspects. 'Responsibly' is likely most important of all, and that means that we need to try to anticipate the consequences of our present actions and forsee what will happen in two, five, ten or even more years. Any nervous acceleration of the solution will cost the Region dearly, including the Province itself as well as the international community who, instead of coming to a sustainable solution, will have to deal with an even more difficult and more complex situation in Kosovo and Metohia. A hasty solution will not be a solution only but a precedent that opens Pandora's Box which should not be open at any cost. It is really hard to believe that anyone would want to take that responsibility for it's opening, just because of someone's wish or a request to meet a certain deadline. I emphasize that only patience, patience alone, and eyes wide open to the reality and future can bring about a true compromise solution to Kosovo and Metohia issue. Imposing a solution will not lead to the resolving of the issue of Kosovo and Metohia and it is quite clear that believing in the precedent is misleading. The point is, ladies and gentlemen, about an obvious situation that, if the solution is imposed, it will inevitably have unforeseeable and dangerous consequences.

 

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen members of the Security Council, I would like to share with you that feeling of responsibility and, together with you, with the leaders in my government and with my country, to say out loud and clear that the issue of Kosovo and Metohia can not be granted a sustainable and compromise solution if it is to serve an arteficial deadline dictated by interests other than a wish to solve a problem on permanent and stable grounds so to preserve and uphold the peace and stability in the Region.

 

Therefore, the Serbian side sees the solution of the Kosovo and Metohia problem through implementation of the principles and concrete solutions under the Platform of the Serbian Negotiating Team about the future status of Kosovo and Metohia. In the long run it remains the only way ahead towards a proper resolution of the terrifying situation in the Province. The international community ought to support this and to show, by its deeds, that it wants a stable and safe region. That can only be achieved by making steps towards establishing the rule of law, sanctioning of criminals and terrorists and bringing them to the justice, introducing security and all other preconditions for living a normal life. Further, political steps refer to persuading the Albanian side to give up on extreme, exclusive demands and to embrace a rational and a compromise solution - namely, autonomy with vast, essential competences. At the same time, this would mean that the Albanians are gaining strategic partners for building the future and that these potential strategic partners are the Serbs. Albanians without Serbs cannot do much and therefore they should not lightly reject the reasonable and generous offers coming from our side of the table. In spite of the evident difficulties, there still exists maneuver space for an agreement, based on the democratic principles and European standards.

Belgrade Says 'No': Empire Runs Into a Wall

ANTIWAR (USA), September 14, 2006, Balkan Express by Nebojsa Malic

It has been five years since hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and much has changed since. The supposedly swift campaign of vengeance to root out Osama bin Laden from the caves of Afghanistan failed. The 2003 invasion of Iraq brought a quick victory to U.S. troops, but the ongoing guerrilla campaign has been bleeding them white ever since. At home, Americans are facing inflation, crushing debt, a political climate of fear, and a voracious "security" bureaucracy curtailing liberties left and right. The American Empire, announced by George W. Bush in thundering tones four years ago, is looking less powerful and less sustainable every day.

One place where the events of Sept. 11 should have resonated, but did not, has been the Balkans. After the initial shock, expectations arose that a "war on terror" would cause a reexamination of Clinton's Balkans policies, in particular the support for radical Islamists among the Bosnian Muslims and the terrorist tactics of Kosovo's Albanians. That has not been the case. Muslim nationalists have successfully torpedoed the U.S.-drafted constitutional amendments for Bosnia and are likely to do well in the coming national elections, further exacerbating inter-ethnic relations in that country. Meanwhile, the constant stream of terrorist attacks by Kosovo Albanians - culminating in the March 2004 pogrom of Serbs - drew not condemnation, but appeasement, as the UN abandoned its policy of "standards" and NATO occupiers openly declared support for the Albanian goal of independence. Washington and Brussels received an unpleasant surprise, however, when the authorities in Belgrade balked at accepting the planned carve-up of Serbia.

Boris Goes to Washington

Opposition to separating the occupied Kosovo from Serbia came not just from Prime Minister Kostunica, but also President Boris Tadic, whose willingness to serve the Empire approached laughable sycophancy on many prior occasions. A Washington Post editorial in July dismissed both as "addicted to poisonous nationalism" and expressed hopes that the Serbian people would "choose better leaders."

Apparently missing the memo, Tadic came to Washington last week in what the media have labeled a "Kosovo offensive." According to reports, during his three-day visit, Tadic was supposed to bring the Emperor a message from Belgrade that Serbia could not accept losing 15 percent of its territory. He did stay true to that part of his task, faithfully stating that Serbia would give the Kosovo Albanians unprecedented autonomy, but could not condone Kosovo's separation.

However, Tadic did not take long to revert to form of an overeager puppy. In a speech at the Heritage Foundation on Sept. 9, he pledged loyalty to the "Transatlantic community" and declared that "[t]he eventual home of Serbia and of the whole Balkan region is in the European Union" and that "the only path to a secure and lasting solution to Kosovo passes through Brussels." Tadic also expressed hope that "with America's help" Serbia would "become an irreversible success story in a democracy-building exercise."

After everything that has happened over the past five years with the U.S. - and over the past seven or so with Serbia - one might rightly ask if Tadic had been living in a cave somewhere. There is no "Transatlantic community." The EU is not a functioning continental hyperstate. And the neocons that dominate both the Heritage Foundation and the Bush regime are at the nadir, not the zenith, of their power, as more and more Americans realize that His Most Elevated Majesty's imperial ventures have made their country less safe and less free since That September Day.

"As Long as There Is Serbia"

While Tadic was singing paeans to the American Empire and Serbia's "partnership" with it in Washington, Vojislav Kostunica was laying down the legal framework for Serbia's defense of Kosovo. Presenting the report to the Parliament on the sham negotiations with the Albanians organized by the UN in Vienna over the past several months, the prime minister said that Serbia would never agree to independence for Kosovo. The full transcript of the speech is available online, but it is worth quoting some segments.

Commenting on the course of the negotiations, Kostunica said,

"[O]ur arguments were by far superior since they were based on the principles of justice, international law, democratic values, and European standards . it is the force of our arguments which is most probably the reason why there has been no progress whatsoever in the talks. Ethnic Albanians are simply not interested in serious negotiations, and are arrogantly secure in their belief that they have been given in advance something that does not belong to them.."

He rejected an imposition of independence with the following words:

"[A]ny imposed solution based on the use of force and legal violence would be nothing but clear and brutal seizure of our territory . such a seizure of territory has never occurred anywhere, and no country has ever accepted that, or could possibly do so."

And this was a clear message to the international meddlers:

"[W]e, and not they, live in this region . those whose lives are in question know the true value of a good and viable solution compared to any premature, nervous, and forced decision."

However, the entire speech boils down to this:

"Kosovo has always been and will always remain the constituent part of Serbia . as long as there is Serbia there will be no other answer."

Kostunica's proposal contained in the speech - that Serbia's sovereignty over Kosovo be explicitly recognized in the new Constitution, now in the final drafting stages - was adopted by the lawmakers with 219 voting for, and only five against. (AP)

Albanians reacted to this with "scorn and ridicule," reiterating that they hold the province in their possession, and that its separation is "inevitable." But that only confirmed Kostunica's claim that Pristina is not interested in negotiating.

Without Options

Trouble is, it doesn't seem like Washington or Brussels are interested in negotiating, either. Having built their political and military empires on the premise of Serb guilt for Balkans wars, they are pushing hard for "finishing the job" in the only manner consistent with their own propaganda: carving up Serbia and creating a centralized, Muslim-dominated Bosnia-Herzegovina and an ethnically cleansed Albanian Kosovo.

But with the bulk of Imperial military forces tied up in Middle East, a fractured NATO and deeply troubled regimes in Washington, London, Paris, and Berlin, it does appear that Imperial threats of imposing a solution are just a colossal bluff. NATO was never able to take Kosovo by force in the first place, and has proven entirely unable - not to mention unwilling - to confront Albanian terrorism in the province ever since. How does anyone imagine they would be able to impose anything on either the Serbs or the Albanians?

Similarly, the imperial presence in Bosnia has lost so much of its credibility that it is hard to see them acting forcefully if the Bosnian Serbs decided to call a referendum for secession as a response to rising and blatant Muslim intolerance. Hysterical media may scream that Serbs are "threatening new war," but it is obvious that if the war indeed comes, it will be Muslims firing the first shot. And then what?

The American Empire originally established its dominion in the Balkans and rearranged the region to its liking through a combination of lies, force, and intimidation. The lies no longer hold water. The force has been shown up in the deserts of Mesopotamia and the mountains of Afghanistan. And intimidation does not seem to work anymore, either.

Truth is, there is so much diplomatic and political pressure on Belgrade because the Empire cannot impose its will without the Serbs' acquiescence. If it could, it would have done so long ago.

It is a grim position for the Empire, but one entirely of its own making.

Kosovo principles should be applied to Abkhazia, S. Ossetia - Putin

ITAR-TASS (RUSSIAN FEDERATION), 13.09.2006, 16.07

MOSCOW, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is certain that in the Abkhazian and South Ossetian settlement the same rules that are applied to Kosovo should be used. The president believes the disruption of the Russian initiative in the Dniester region is a mistake of European diplomacy.

"It is inadmissible to apply one rules for Kosovo and other - for Abkhazia and South Ossetia," said Putin answering questions of participants in a meeting of the international discussion club Valdai. A verbatim report of the meeting that was held on September 9 is published on the official Kremlin website. The Valdai discussion club brings together leading political analysts, Russian affairs experts and the heads of leading foreign policy and research think tanks.

The President's meetings with the club's participants have already become a tradition. This was the third such meeting. During the three-hour discussion, Putin expressed his views on a number of key foreign and domestic policy issues and answered numerous questions put to him by the club's participants, it is said on the website.

"(Regarding Kosovo) there is resolution 1244 (of the UN Security Council) and nobody has cancelled it," Putin said. "It is inadmissible to manipulate public opinion and neglect decisions adopted by the UN Security Council."

The president stressed that international actions "in this sphere should be coordinated and should be taken based on considering the interests of all participants in this process."

"We should once again think what will happen next if Kosovo independence is recognized and legally formalized," Putin said. "An what will happen next in this region of the world? We had been told that everything would be all right in Iraq. And now only Kurdish flags are hoisted in Iraq's Kurdistan, there are now no Iraqi flags there. What will happen next in this region, in Europe? Has anybody thought about it, no? But it is necessary to think," the president emphasized.

Putin stressed that international actions "should be universal." "What is the difference between the Kosovo situation and Abkhazian or South Ossetian? There is no difference whatsoever," he noted. "So as soon as we begin to manipulate public opinion or make attempts to do this we will encounter problems. People will feel deceived. Both in South Europe and the Trans-Caucasian region. Such policy cannot be recognized moral. It has no prospects," Putin pointed out.

The president confirmed that Russia is ready to work with the European Union in settling "any complicated, severe or conflict situation wherever they emerge." "This certainly can also be said about the post-Soviet space. It is Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, it is the Dniester region," Putin added.

In the words of the Russian head of state, "it is not always possible to coordinate actions and this causes damage to security issues in Europe." He said, "Thus, for instance, has happened during the Dniester region settlement when we were just one step away from this settlement and fears of our Western, American and European partners disrupted this settlement, disrupted these agreements and brought everything back to zero point." The president stressed, "I believe that it is a major mistake of European diplomacy."

Russia against temporal frames for Kosovo status talks

ITAR-TASS (RUSSIAN FEDERATION), 14.09.2006, 03.26

UNITED NATIONS, September 14 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia believes that only a negotiated, compromise-based solution regarding Kosovo's future status, and not a unilateral, dictated one, may be supported by the UN Security Council and will not create a negative precedent in the context of international crisis settlement, Russia's permanent representative at the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said at the UN Security Council's meeting on Kosovo.

Although the process of determining Kosovo's future status is continuing with the participation of senior representatives from both parties, the UN Secretary-General is disappointed there are too few points of agreement between the Serbian and Kosovar delegations. In the report to the Security Council the UN Secretary-General said the Serbian side is committed to a considerable autonomy, while the Kosovar delegation presses for full independence, which leaves minimal opportunities for talks.

Moscow believes that achieving specific, effective progress in standardization is one of the crucial factors for the pace and productiveness of the negotiating process on Kosovo's future status, Churkin said.

The Russian ambassador opposed the idea of establishing any arbitrary time frames for the negotiating process as a counterproductive measure.

28 September 2006

Kosovo Serbs: We're frightened - we're leaving!

Glas Javnosti, Belgrade, August 17, 2006

What Serbs from Kosovo enclaves think about the division of our southern province

Gordana Djoric from Laplje Selo: I was on the Nis Express bus blown up on February 16, 2002. And I lived through that. And then there was March 17. But this!? If this is how it is to be, we will leave en masse. Dojcin Kukurekovic from Donja Gusterica: We're worried. If there is a division, we can always leave our homes

We're frightened! We're shocked! It would be terrible if Kosovo was divided. We hoped that they wouldn't be allowed to divide us, to sell us out. That they wouldn't renounce us, says Gordana Djoric, a local resident of Laplje Selo, nervously.

She and the other Serbs in the village with its 300 Serb houses dread receiving the news. Just like all the Serbs in the Gnjilane region, where there are more than forty thousand of them. They wait and they fear that dark forebodings of the possible division of Serbia's southern province might come true. They wait and they hope that that's not how it will be, that our countrymen wouldn't allow them to become just a black hole among Albanians.

"The things that we've lived through.  was on the Nis Express bus blown up on February 16, 2002. It was my rebirth. And I lived through that," her voice trails off.

"They treated me in the British hospital in Mitrovica. It's true it wasn't a severe wound but not even that incited me to leave Kosovo and Metohija. Not even March 17, which was talked about in advance, which we expected to happen. All these things couldn't make us leave. But this!? If this is how it is to be, we will leave en masse. We'll have to," cries the mother of two who are studying in Belgrade.

But all her relatives are here, her friends, her neighbors... Her entire life. She would rather not go. Despite the fact that power outages run for five hours a day. Despite the fact that life can be cruel... She does many different odd jobs. She helps women in Kosovo out a little, a little of this, a little of that. Somehow she manages to make ends meet.

"If Kosovo and Metohija were divided, we would be isolated once again. Whether we wanted it or not, we would be surrounded and pressured by Albanians. It is impossible to survive in this way. And all we want is to survive and to stay. That's all. Nothing more," says Gordana.

They had just begun to hope for a better life. Mini agricultural projects are scheduled to start. But it would all be for nothing, she says, if their Kosovo would be torn into pieces.

Dojcin Kukurekovic reduced his life to a radius of a few kilometers long ago. From his native Donja Gusterica he frequently travels to Gracanica, five kilometers there and five back. He rarely ventures into Pristina.

He can't believe that something like that could happen. Surely they belong somewhere, he thinks. Surely someone should be taking care of them, too.

"If they divide us, it will be bad. Then we will know for sure that our Serbia is doing nothing for us. Then they are just working for northern Kosovo," Dojcin raises his voice.

It's true that he couldn't send his beloved two sons and daughter to university in Kosovo. But they're not that far away.

"The children went to Nis to finish their education. But it's only temporary! We would like to live here. For all those who left to come back to their homes. This is our land, everything that is important to us is here," he says.

A technologist by occupation, whose nickeling plant was shut down for lack of demand, makes due somehow. Representatives from Kosovo institutions have announced loans for the opening of small- and medium-sized businesses. Our people are hopeful. That the lot of ordinary Serbs will improve somewhat, that they will be able to repair and furnish their homes and live with dignity.

"My life is difficult. I get about 20,000 dinars per month from the Kosovo and Metohija Chamber of Commerce. It's barely enough to make ends meet. Barely," he says.

Despite the fact that there has been no good news for a long time, even though everything is to the Serbs' disadvantage, they continue hoping. Hope perishes last.

"I hope that here, in my own house, I will remain in Serbia. But it would appear that the international community favors the Albanians. It will be bad if it becomes independent. Or divided. If that happens, we will end up en masse in central Serbia. Where else would we go? We have nowhere else," concludes Dojcin.

If Serbia gets northern Kosovo Dragisa Jovic from the village of Crkvena Vodica doesn't know how the Serbs who are left outside their motherland would manage to live.

"We're frightened! We don't know how we would move around. By air?! What kind of corridor would they make for us among the Albanians," says Dragisa with amazement.

Neither he nor the other Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija enclaves see how they would be able to live if in the future the land they walk on in Kosovo is no longer Serb. Simply, there would be no way. Although that is what he wants with all his heart. He wants to build his family where he himself was born and where his forebears rest. Last year he married. He hopes for children to play in the yard, scream throughout the house...

"It would be impossible for us to live here if Kosovo is independent or divided, like they are saying. God grant that at least we get some kind of corridor," he repeats.

And so their days pass, in fear and in hope... They pray to God and they wait.

In response to my comment, may God help you, Dragisa sighed:

"That's what we've been saying for years but it's not working."

NORTH DOESN'T BELIEVE THE CENTER
"I asked our people in the northern part about the division. And their response was, so what, why not. When I asked, well, what are we supposed to do, those of us who would remain among the Albanians, in the enclaves, they didn't blink an eye before saying, so, you'll move to our side. As if it was so easy!" laments Gordana.

TO GRACANICA IN DISGUISE

"Things are not working normally at all! We have to move around in disguise. If we are traveling from Merdare, we have to have KS license plates. Get it, we practically have to pretend we are Albanians! I can drive only as far as Gracanica with Pristina license plates," complains Dojcin Kukurekovic.

It's of no help that there are almost eleven thousand Serbs in Lipljan municipality, including Dojcin's village. And they expect things to get worse if Kosovo is divided.

"We're worried. We don't have the right information. What we hear on television is all, whether or not it's true. If there is a division, we can always leave our homes. The people in Belgrade should expect a great pogrom in the direction of central Serbia in that case," says Dojcin.

PLANS

If the worst solution for Serbs occurs, Jovic knows what he needs to do.

"I have no intention of going to central Serbia. I have no source of income there. I have no property there. I have no money to buy something to live. If it gets to the point that I can't live in my own house, I'll ask for political asylum in another country," Dragisa fears, calculates and plans.

(Translated on September 12, 2006 by sib)

Kosovo will never be independent for Serbia

Dnevnik, Novi Sad, September 12, 2006

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS EFFORTS OF STATE NEGOTIATING TEAM TO KEEP KOSOVO AND METOHIJA AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REPUBLIC

Yesterday the Serbian Assembly requested that work on the new constitution defining Kosovo and Metohija as a part of Serbia with substantial autonomy within the sovereign and democratic Republic of Serbia be completed as soon possible.

"Following from this constitutional position of Kosovo and Metohija will be the constitutional responsibility of all state officials per the new constitution to represent and defend the state interests of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija in all internal and external political relations," says the parliamentary decision. The Assembly also adopted the report on the work of the state negotiating team in talks to date on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, and condemned the statement of UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari that "the Serbs are guilty as a nation".

At yesterday's session of the Serbian Assembly dedicated to the report of the negotiating team on the course of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian premier Vojislav Kostunica repeated that "Kosovo will never be independent for Serbia" and that this position must be articulated in the new constitution. "Since those who left their lives in Kosovo Polje more than six centuries ago, through all generations that have lived, fought and died in Kosovo, our answer is that Kosovo has always been and will always remain a part of Serbia," said the Premier.

He said that the Assembly decision to write that Kosovo and Metohija are an integral part of Serbia in the new Serbian constitution will send everyone "an unequivocal message that the state of Serbia, with respect to Kosovo, is bound solely and exclusively by what is written in her constitution." "In other words, the whole world will know that as long as the state of Serbia exists, Kosovo will be its inseparable province to us. And that is why we can reject beforehand every thought that the referendum on the new constitution may not succeed because there is no citizen who will not take part in a referendum to confirm that Kosovo forever remains an integral part of Serbia," explained Kostunica.

The Premier stated that international envoy Martti Ahtisaari has offered only "unprecedented argument" so far toward the independence of Kosovo - that it is to be taken away from Serbia because "the Serbs are guilty as a people". "It turned out that it was more difficult for this diplomat to apologize than to insult an entire people. Since that is how it is, then the Serbian National Assembly has the responsibility of clearly and unequivocally condemning Ahtisaari's statement. The extent of the authority of the international envoy after this and the extent to which we can believe in his lack of bias and objectivity, at least as far as Serbia is concerned, goes without saying," said the Premier.

In conclusion he said that all deputies have the responsibility of using law and justice to oppose every attempt to impose the independence of Kosovo. "We all know full well that one person cannot defend Kosovo just as one person cannot lose it. Kosovo can only be defended by the entire people or lost by a whole people if it so decides. Since it has existed Kosovo has been and will remain a national treasure and concern, a matter concerning all Serbia and the entire Serbian people. The firm and focused will of the people, if used to seal a referendum on the new constitution confirming that Kosovo is the heart of Serbia, will be the most reliable guarantee that we have given a worthy answer on this new test of history," concluded Kostunica.

The head of the G17+ caucus Miloljub Albijanic emphasized the importance of the fact that there is "complete unity" among the negotiators, as well as among the members of the Serbian Government, the Premier and the President of the republic, while the head of the Democratic Party caucus Dusan Petrovic warned that the government must take care of the interests of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija who are in greatest peril but also of the interests of citizens in the rest of Serbia, and the high dignitaries and churches of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The head of the Socialist Party of Serbia Ivica Dacic said that Serbia should discontinue diplomatic relations with countries lobbying for the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. "We must be ready to say that we will fight for Kosovo and Metohija with all means. If you don't want to tell anybody you are going to fight, if you only say you are going to sulk for a bit, why shouldn't someone decide in favor of independence," said Dacic.

On behalf of the Serbian Radical Party Tomislav Nikolic asked the Government and President Tadic in addition to their public declarations that Kosovo and Metohija will always be a part of Serbia to answer the question what will happen the day after the eventual proclamation of independence of the province. "Don't say I am the one that wants war later on because I hear you saying that Kosovo and Metohija will always be Serbia. You are aware of the implications of this statement," said Nikolic. E. D.

Negotiations to the last moment

In his address to deputies, Serbian president Boris Tadic said that it is very important that the new constitutional solution treats Kosovo and Metohija in a special way, as well as that all state institutions protect the national, state and economic interests of all citizens of Serbia, including all citizens of Kosovo. "Through democratic negotiations we are defending not only the integrity and sovereignty of our country throughout its territory and the interests of all her citizens but also the stability and interests of all of southeast Europe," said Tadic, adding that negotiations must continue to the last moment because this is the only way of fighting for Serbia's interests.

Precedent to the detriment of Belgrade

The coordinator of the Belgrade team in Vienna negotiations on the status of Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic, who is the advisor of Premier Kostunica, advised deputies that experience to date at the negotiations shows that that the possibility that very influential circles in the international community will attempt to create an international legal precedent to the detriment of Serbia in the case of Kosovo should not be ignored. "Should there be an attempt to impose the independence of Kosovo upon Serbia, we should not completely exclude the possibility that additional means of pressure upon our country will be used toward that goal," warned Samardzic.

(Translated on September 12, 2006 by sib)

Durable solution for Kosovo can be found only through systematic, responsible and gradual negotiations

RELIEF WEB (SWITZERLAND)

Source: Government of Serbia
Date: 13 Sep 2006

Belgrade/New York, Sept 13, 2006 - Head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija Sanda Raskovic-Ivic said today in New York that a lasting solution for Kosovo-Metohija can be found only through systematic, responsible and gradual negotiations.

At the UN Security Council's session dedicated to Kosovo-Metohija, Raskovic-Ivic said that nervousness, irrational hastiness and arrogance will not contribute to finding a sustainable solution for Kosovo-Metohija nor to peace and stability of the Southeast European region.

She repeated that only patience and eyes kept wide open to reality and the future can bring to a true compromise of the Kosovo-Metohija issue and also stressed that an imposed solution would not solve the problem, but would have fatal consequences.

We are strongly assured that only by systematic, responsible and gradual negotiations on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, with no superficial deadlines that only create additional pressure, is it possible to find a durable solution for this issue, she said and stressed that otherwise there may be new complications with fatal consequences that always take place when universal principles of the international community are disobeyed.

Raskovic-Ivic stressed the importance of the Security Council as guarantor for preserving universal principles of international law and the whole international order and stressed that only through consistent respect of international principles, such as inviolability of sovereignty and territorial integrity of democratic countries, is it possible to preserve and improve peace and stability in the Balkan region.

She pointed to the fact that since the previous session of the Security Council held three months ago, there have been 51 incidents of smaller or higher intensity in Kosovo-Metohija in which the lives and property of Serbs were targeted, while from October 24, 2005 to September 1, 2006 there were 260 such incidents.

Raskovic-Ivic concluded that the implementation of principles and concrete solutions from the Platform of the Serbian negotiating team on Kosovo's future status in the longer term remains the only way for a satisfactory resolution of the grim situation in the province.

She said that that can be achieved only by making steps towards the establishment of the rule of law, punishment of criminals and terrorists, their bringing to justice, as well as towards the creation of safety and all other conditions for a normal life Political steps should include convincing the ethnic Albanian side to give up extreme, exclusive requests and accept a rational and compromising solution - autonomy with broad, substantial powers stated Raskovic-Ivic.

US envoy: Kosovo talks to end this year

United Press International

PRISTINA, Serbia, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- A senior U.S. diplomat said the future status of Serbia's predominantly ethnic-Albanian Kosovo province needs to be resolved this year.

"The United States will attempt to achieve a solution to Kosovo's status in the course of this year," said Rosemary DiCarlo, deputy assistant U.S. secretary of state for South Central Europe.

DiCarlo met with Kosovo leaders and representatives of Kosovo Serbs to discuss ongoing U.N.-led talks on the future of Kosovo, Serbia's Beta news agency reported. Stefan Lene, the EU envoy on the Kosovo talks, accompanied DiCarlo on her meetings in Pristina.

DiCarlo asked Albanians and Serbs to show more flexibility in the talks, and said the international community will maintain its civilian and military presence in the province, once Kosovo's status is solved.

Serbia's leaders say Kosovo will never be independent of Belgrade, while ethnic-Albanians, who make up 90 percent of Kosovo's 1.8 million population,
insist on independence from Belgrade.

Since 1999, the U.N. civil administration and NATO troops have been deployed in Kosovo to contain ethnic hostilities.

UNMIK confirms Vasic family house dynamited

Radio Television Serbia, Belgrade, Wednesday, September 13, 2006 17:38

UNMIK has confirmed that the house of the Vasic family in the village of Stupelj near Klina was dynamited two nights ago.

Unknown perpetrators also attempted to set fire to a second Vasic house but were unsuccessful, said UNMIK police spokesman Thomas Lee (sp?) at a press conference in Pristina. Lee said that international police and the Kosovo Police Service have begun an investigation into the incident but that right from the start they have been confronted with "the neighbors' silence" which makes the investigation more difficult, he said. Lee added that this incident must not imperil the good relations between Albanians and Serbs in Klina municipality.

UNMIK spokeswoman Miriam Desable (sp?) said that UNMIK deputy chief Steven Schook is in Klina municipality following the dynamiting of the Vasic family house where he would speak with representatives of the local administration regarding problems that are hindering Serb returns.

26 September 2006

Shots fired at group of Serbs in village of Banje near Srbica

Radio Television Serbia, Belgrade, Wednesday, September 13, 2006 17:38

Unknown persons opened fire on a group of Serbs in the village of Banje near Srbica, the Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija's press center reported, adding that none of the Serbs was hurt.

The Serbs came under intense rounds of fire from the forest where they had set out to cut firewood from the direction of the formerly mixed, now purely ethnic Albanian village of Radesevo in Srbica municipality.

All forested lots in this part of Kosovo and Metohija are owned by Serbs and it is these lots that are constantly targets of theft by Albanians from neighboring villages.

Since 1999 five Serbs have been killed and 17 have been wounded on the territory of the villages of Banje and Suvo Grlo near Srbica.

The most serious crime took place at the end of the year 2000 when three Serbs were killed and approximately 10 wounded in an armed attack on an UNMIK bus.

None of the perpetrators were ever found or brought to justice.

Kosovo: Kostunica under fire for constitution remarks

ADN KRONOS INTERNATIONAL (ITALY), Sep-13-06 15:56

Belgrade, Pristina 13 Sept. (AKI) - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's remarks that Serbia will block ethnic Albanian demands for the independence of Kosovo by including the province in its new constitution as an "inseparable part" of Serbia, have drawn sharp criticism from Kosovo majority ethnic Albanians on Wednesday. Kostunica told parliament on Tuesday that there have been many obstacles in passing the new constitution, but that all political differences must now be put aside so that it can be adopted by the end of the year.

Kostunica said the parliament must find a "lasting and comprehensive answer to all difficulties confronting us over Kosovo" in an effort to prevent its independence and secession from Serbia. "Our best answer is.to unanimously adopt in the shortest possible time, by the end of December, a new constitution and to confirm unanimously our irrevocable stand that Kosovo is a part of Serbia," Kostunica said.

According to the present constitution, adopted by the regime of former president Slobodan Milosevic, deposed in October 2000, Kosovo is officially still a part of Serbia, but it has been under United Nations control since a 1999 NATO bombing campaign drove out Serb forces.

UN-brokered talks are underway to determine whether Kosovo will remain part of Serbia, as sought by the government in Belgrade, or become independent, as the vast majority of Kosovo's residents want.

However, the Serbian parliament on Tuesday unanimously ruled that it should be included in the new constitution as an "inalienable part of Serbia".

Kosovo ethnic Albanians, who form a 1.7 million majority in Kosovo against 100,000 remaining Serbs, reacted with scorn and ridicule on Wednesday to Kostunica's remarks and parliament decisions.

Skender Hiseni, a spokesman for Kosovo ethnic Albanian negotiating team on the Kosovo status, said Kostunica and the parliament were playing a "political game" aimed at soothing domestic public. He said Kosovo was firmly embarked on the road to independence and Kostunica's remarks were "not serious" and "deserved no comments".

Baton Hadziu, director of Pristina Albanian language daily Ekspres, said writing Serbia's constitution "with Kosovo within it, is like writing on the ice". Other ethnic Albanian politicians and political analysts in Kosovo shared Hiseni's and Hadziu's views, emphasizing that the decision on the final Kosovo status would be made by the UN Security Council.

Belgrade analyst Dusan Janjic said that "serious political circles in the world" couldn't ignore the will of the Serbian people, since two thirds of the deputies in parliament and 50 per cent of voters at a referendum must approve the new constitution. "But somewhere it might trigger stormy reactions and perhaps further radicalization of ethnic Albanian population in the quest for independence," said Janjic.

German official blames Belgrade for Kosovo Serbs' fear of future

Deutsche Presse AgenturWednesday September 13, 2006

New York- Serbs living in Kosovo fear for their future while following Belgrade's order to boycott UN-mediated talks on the political future of their region, a UN official said Wednesday. Negotiations held in Vienna under UN mediation this year have failed to work out a "common ground" between Belgrade and Kosovo Albanians, the dominant group in Kosovo that wants independence from Serbia.

Joachim Ruecker of Germany, the special envoy for Kosovo, said the lack of progress in the talks was due in part to the lack of cooperation from Serbs.

"This boycott continues, although the northern municipalities (in Kosovo) continue to cooperate with the UN Mission in Kosovo," said Ruecker, who heads the mission. Ethnic Serbs live mostly in northern Kosovo.

"Serbs and Albanians will have to live together in Kosovo whatever the outcome of the status of discussions," he said.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said this week that the talks had not changed the atmosphere of mistrust between the two sides.

"I am disappointed that little common ground has been identified between the positions of the Serbian and Kosovo delegations, which remain committed to 'substantial autonomy' and 'full independence' respectively, with minimal space for negotiations," Annan said in a progress report to the council.

Annan urged the two sides to show flexibility and compromise in order to end the sovereignty dispute over Kosovo.

Ruecker urged Belgrade to rescind directives it had given to Kosovo Serbs not to take part in the Albanian-led government in Kosovo.

"The Kosovo Serbs are in a difficult situation," Ruecker said. "They fear for their future and do not know whom they can trust. They have been barred for over two and a half years from partcipating actively in the work of the Kosovo Assembly or the government."

"But isolation is not the answer to their problems," he said. "Integration is."

The negotiations held in Vienna this year have been mediated by Martti Ahtisaari, the former president of Finland. Belgrade opposes full independence for Kosovo and would only grant that territory additional autonomy within Serbian borders.

Kosovo, of which the majority of citizens are ethnic Albanians, has been under UN administration since July 1999, after NATO intervened to drive out Serb security forces under former Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic, who were accused of atrocities and genocide against Albanians.

The European Union and scores of countries have provided training to a Kosovo police force of over 7,000 officers to provide security for the territory.

Putin calls for unified approach to Kosovo, Abkhazia, South Ossetia

INTERFAX (RUSSIAN FEDERATION), Sep 13 2006 1:02PM

MOSCOW. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The international community's approaches toward settling the problems of Kosovo, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia should be unified, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a recent meeting with Western political analysts, the transcript of which is available on the official presidential website.

"You cannot apply one set of standards to Kosovo and another to Abkhazia and South Ossetia," Putin said.

"What is the difference between the situation in Kosovo and that in Abkhazia or South Ossetia? There's no difference at all," he said.

"Once we start manipulating public opinion or try to do so, we will face problems," he said.

"People will feel cheated. Both in Southern Europe and in the South Caucasus. This kind of policy cannot be considered moral. It has no prospects," Putin said.

Serbian PM: Kosovo never to be independent

 
BELGRADE, Serbia, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Serbia's prime minister said parliament should adopt a constitution saying Kosovo province will never be
independent.

Addressing a parliamentary session Tuesday in Belgrade, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said the predominantly ethnic-Albanian Kosovo province "has always been and will be forever Serbia's component part," local radio stations reported.

Kostunica said this had to be emphasized and written down in a new constitution currently being worked out.

"For the state of Serbia, Kosovo will never be independent ," he said.

The Serbian government and Kosovo's ethnic-Albanian leaders have been having U.N.-led talks in Vienna since February to decide who will govern the southern province once U.N. civil administrators and NATO troops leave.

Kosovo, whose 1.8 million population is 90 percent ethnic-Albanian, is formally part of Serbia, but since 1999 fighting it has been run by the U.N. administration.

Ethnic-Albanian leaders want Kosovo independent of Belgrade, while the Serbian government is offering semi-autonomy for the province.

25 September 2006

House of Milivoje Vasic destroyed in Stupelj near Klina

Radio KiM, Caglavica, September 12, 2006

The house of returnee Milivoje Vasic was completely destroyed in an explosion that occurred last night at about 11:30 p.m. in the village of Stupelj near Klina. At the time of the explosion no one was in the house. A fire was set in the house next to Milivoje, which belongs to his brother Velimir, but there was no serious damage. These houses were built as part of an individual return campaign for Serbs to Kosovo and Metohija. Members of KFOR, UNMIK police and the Kosovo Police Service conducted the investigation.

Despite the fact that the explosion that completely destroyed the house of Milivoje Vasic, according to local residents from surrounding villages, occurred around midnight, local Ranko Kostic of Vidanje only informed police of it this morning at about 8:00 a.m. "Every morning I go to the village of Grabac because I drive the director of the Office of Communities and so I set out (this) morning. On the road I encountered the owner of the house who asked me to drive him up there to clean up a little. When we arrived there, we saw that the house had been destroyed. I told him he could not stay there, that we should go to the village of Grabac to report it. That is what we did, and then members of the KPS and municipal officials took over the case."

Brothers Milivoje and Velimir presently live in Klina and were scheduled to move into their new houses in the near future. An ethnic Albanian who wished to remain anonymous for reasons of safety says that the Vasices have been warned several times not to return to the village. Velimir's wife, Stanislava, also confirmed this. "They won't let us come back. It's not to their advantage because there are only two Serb houses in Stupelj. Our neighbors in Stupelj won't let us return. They say there are a lot of dead and missing," says Stanislava.

The latest incident in Klina municipality has caused more unrest among Serb returnees in Vidanje and Klinavac. They said they were unwilling to discuss the subject out of fear. Prior to 1999 Stupelj was home to 18 Serb families and approximately 100 ethnic Albanian families.

Report of the Secretary-General on UNMIK (S/2006/707) PART 1/2

UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

 

Distr.: General

1 September 2006

Original: English

 

I. Introduction

 

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) of 10 June 1999, by which the Council decided to establish the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and requested the Secretary-General to report at regular intervals on the implementation of the mandate. It covers the activities of UNMIK and developments in Kosovo (Serbia), from 1 May to 14 August 2006.

 

II. Political assessment

 

2. During the reporting period, my Special Envoy for the future status process for Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, has continued to bring representatives of Belgrade and Pristina together for direct talks. UNMIK has continued to support the work of my Special Envoy, while he has sought to encourage greater results from standards implementation. The first high-level meeting was held at Vienna on 24 July. The President and the Prime Minister of Serbia and the President and the Prime Minister of Kosovo headed their respective delegations. It was a useful meeting which provided the parties with an opportunity to present their proposals on Kosovo’s future status at the political level, although both used this forum to reiterate their divergent positions, substantial autonomy and independence, respectively.

 

3. Three additional rounds of direct talks between the parties on the decentralization of the governmental and administrative functions of Kosovo, including the delineation of municipal boundaries, were held at Vienna on 4 and 5 May, 19 July and 7 August. The parties met to discuss cultural heritage and religious sites on 23 May and 18 July, economic issues on 31 May, and community rights on 8 August. Despite convergence on some matters, the talks revealed that the parties remain far apart on most issues.

 

Political situation

 

4. The political situation in Kosovo during the reporting period was dominated by the future status process, and the underlying political challenges. Foremost among these is the issue of governance of the portion of Kosovo territory which lies north of the Ibar River. The words and actions of the parties continue to demonstrate that this issue is among the most sensitive and that it poses formidable challenges to a viable conclusion of the process to determine the future status of Kosovo. Approaches to northern Kosovo will need to be carefully coordinated among relevant international actors.

 

5. Relations between Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs are still affected by apprehensiveness, particularly in northern Kosovo. In May, there were several highly publicized security incidents, which affected Kosovo Serbs but were not necessarily of an inter-ethnic nature. The incidents were denounced by some Kosovo Serb leaders and Serbian authorities as inter-ethnic attacks and, in their wake, a demonstration was held in protest on 5 June by approximately 800 Kosovo Serbs in Zveçan municipality. The Zveçan Municipal Assembly then declared that the security situation in the municipality and its environs necessitated “extraordinary” measures, including the cessation of contacts with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, and possibly the deployment and investigative involvement of Serbian police. On 12 June, Assembly members of Zubin Potok municipality confirmed they would also cease relations with the Provisional Institutions; undertake preparations for “self-protection”; and suspend cooperation with the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) in the area. On 13 June, the Leposavic Municipal Assembly followed suit. On 17 July, the Municipal Assembly Presidents of the three northern municipalities and the Regional Coordinator of the Coordination Centre for Kosovo and Metohija for northern Kosovo requested the withdrawal of Kosovo Albanian members of the KPS border police in northern Kosovo. While rejecting contacts with the Provisional Institutions, those municipalities maintained cooperation with UNMIK.

 

6. The Mission and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) responded by increasing the security presence through the deployment of additional international and Kosovo police officers. My Special Representative and Special Envoy engaged in contacts with authorities in Belgrade, Pristina and northern Kosovo to address the situation, and UNMIK sought to improve the flow of information to local residents. On 4 August, the Contact Group reaffirmed that there will be no partition of Kosovo and called upon Belgrade, Pristina and the residents of Kosovo to take steps to ensure that northern Kosovo remains a stable region where the rights of all are respected. The Contact Group also suggested that the international community would be increasingly engaged in northern Kosovo, before and after a determination of Kosovo’s future status.

 

7. The governing coalition parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, continued to work together, under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Agim Çeku. On 28 June, after his first 100 days in office, the Prime Minister confirmed that he was satisfied with the performance of his Government.

 

8. The functioning of the Kosovo Assembly continued to improve; there were more regular meetings and greater transparency, as well as increased debates before the adoption of laws. While differences remain between the governing coalition and the opposition Kosovo Albanian parties, which hampered the performance of the Assembly on occasion, they remained unanimous regarding the outcome of the ongoing political process. The Kosovo Albanian parties continued to participate in the Kosovo negotiating team. While their focus on the future status process should have led to an increase in high-level outreach by Kosovo Albanian leaders to minority communities, it decreased from the previous reporting period. Non-Serb community members have participated in the future status talks as part of the Pristina delegation.

 

9. Kosovo Serb participation in the government structures of Kosovo remains marginal, particularly at the central level, and their lack of engagement in political and institutional life remains an obstacle to the fulfilment of certain standards. Kosovo Serbs from northern Kosovo continued to participate in the future status talks as part of the Belgrade delegation. Most municipalities increased their engagement with and responsiveness to minority communities although there was little increase in Kosovo Serb participation in municipal bodies, or in those established to protect the rights and interests of communities. However, the Serbian Democratic Party of Kosovo and Metohija continued to participate in the Government, holding the Ministry of Communities and Returns. Some Kosovo Serb leaders maintained informal contacts with representatives of the Provisional

 

Institutions.

 

10. Unfortunately, there has been no change in Belgrade’s position, which continues to discourage Kosovo Serb participation in Kosovo’s governing bodies, and they have yet to heed calls to return Kosovo cadastral records. In response to the March directive from the Coordination Centre (see S/2006/361, para. 9), Kosovo Serb employees have mostly chosen to be on the payroll of the parallel structures supported by Belgrade, instead of the payroll of the Provisional Institutions. Both my Special Representative and Special Envoy have continued to seek a change in these positions.

 

11. Following consultations with all key political actors in Kosovo, on 16 June, my Special Representative decided to postpone the 2006 Kosovo municipal elections for up to 12 months to maintain focus on the future status process. The municipal elections will be held between three and six months after the date of a decision by the Security Council determining the future status of Kosovo.

 

Standards

 

12. A detailed technical assessment of standards implementation for the period from 1 May to 14 August, prepared by my Special Representative, is contained in annex I to this report. The ongoing political process has had a noteworthy effect on the commitment of the Kosovo authorities to standards implementation, and its results. The Provisional Institutions have also shown a greater willingness to take responsibility for both minority concerns and for improved governance in an effort to enhance Pristina’s credibility in the future status talks.

 

13. Standards implementation focused on the 13 priorities identified by the Contact Group in June, which primarily address community-related issues. The Prime Minister designated lead agencies responsible for each area, and announced that progress in them was the Government’s top priority. To date, 5 of the designated 13 priorities have been reported as completed. Implementation of the remaining priorities is on track for completion within the specified deadlines.

 

14. The Government of Kosovo recently adopted a European Partnership Action Plan, which embeds the values and principles of the standards in the process of the European integration work, and thus replaces the 2004 Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan (see S/2006/45, para. 9, and S/2006/361, para. 6).

 

Security situation

 

15. The security situation remained generally stable, although fragile, and has not been adversely affected by the ongoing future status process. The number of confirmed inter-ethnic incidents remained low, although their impact continued to be high. A number of serious crimes were committed during the reporting period. UNMIK considers that those incidents have not increased overall insecurity, however. The Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Kostunica, visited Kosovo on 28 June; apart from two demonstrations against the visit and the arrest of more than 100 demonstrators, the visit passed without incident.

 

16. In close coordination with KFOR, UNMIK police and the Kosovo Police Service have taken measures to enhance security throughout Kosovo, with particular attention to the north as noted above, including programmes to enhance relations between the police and minority communities. Border and boundary controls, including customs, were strengthened through the deployment of international officers. UNMIK police strength will remain at about 2,060 officers although their role, while retaining overall authority in this area and without prejudice to resolution 1244 (1999), has shifted increasingly to mentoring and monitoring the Kosovo Police Service as it assumes additional operational functions.

 

17. Following the successful conclusion of the interim review of the transfer of competencies and the subsequent promulgation of an UNMIK regulation transferring further competencies to the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry has continued to make generally satisfactory progress towards full establishment. Most directors and section chiefs, as well as the Permanent Secretary have been appointed, albeit after considerable delay, following transparent and merit-based selection procedures in accordance with the applicable law. Donors have also launched technical assistance programmes in support of the new Ministry targeting the development of legislative, strategic and policymaking capacities. The Ministry took an active and positive role in the finalization of terms of reference for the Municipal Community Safety Councils and Local Public Safety Committees, which will play a key role in ensuring that the security of local communities, in particular minority communities, is adequately and transparently addressed by police. In addition, the chief inspector and inspectors for the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo were recruited, again following a transparent merit-based process and began training.

 

18. Additional competencies in the justice sector were transferred to the Kosovo Ministry of Justice, while UNMIK retained overall authority in this area. The Ministry extended its responsibilities to executive oversight of the correctional service, with the exception of Dubrava prison in emergency situations, which remains under UNMIK. It also supported the KPS forensics laboratory and a capacity-building project for local prosecutors working with international counterparts on serious and sensitive criminal cases. No significant progress has been made in investigating and prosecuting cases related to the violence of March 2004. The Kosovo Judicial Council nominated 12 minority candidates for positions, which have been forwarded to my Special Representative and the Kosovo Assembly for approval.

 

Decentralization

 

19. While the decentralization process was previously based in Pristina, those discussions have now shifted to the future status process. UNMIK however continues to provide expert advice and support to the Office of the Special Envoy for the future status process for Kosovo on the reform of local self-government. UNMIK liaised with local stakeholders and evaluated proposals on the delineation of new municipal boundaries and the transfer of competencies from central institutions to the proposed new municipal units prepared by the Provisional Institutions, the Government of Serbia, the Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija and the Office of the Special Envoy.

 

20. Despite earlier progress, the implementation of three pilot municipal units — two in Kosovo Albanian areas and one in a Kosovo Turkish-majority area — has faced challenges, owing to a lack of capacity in the pilot municipal units and the municipalities from which they are derived. Nonetheless, work continued to develop agreements on competencies in key areas such as taxes, civil status documents, education and health. The two foreseen Kosovo Serb-majority pilot municipal units have not been established as planned (see S/2006/45, para. 10).

 

Cultural and religious heritage

 

21. During the reporting period, there was a notable increase in reports of vandalism against Serbian Orthodox Church sites. In response, the Kosovo Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports appointed a focal point to liaise with the Kosovo Police Service to facilitate the reporting of any criminal acts against significant objects of cultural or religious heritage. In mid-July, the Kosovo Police developed operational plans to increase security at such sites, especially at Serbian Orthodox churches undergoing restoration. Despite earlier positive developments, in the end the Kosovo Assembly included two key passages in the Law on Cultural Heritage, one calling for additional legislation to define the status of religious communities and another to ensure that the content of the law would be subsequently harmonized with the outcome of the future status talks, only after my Special Envoy intervened.

 

22. The reconstruction of Serbian Orthodox Churches damaged or destroyed during the violence of March 2004 has moved forward. The Reconstruction Implementation Commission, chaired by the Council of Europe, held its first official meeting this year on 17 and 18 May and agreed on its project programme for 2006. In June tenders were launched for the first extensive interventions on three sites, for which work began in August. Four more reconstruction projects are also to be taken up in August. The support of the international donor community remains vital for the reconstruction. An umbrella memorandum of understanding with UNESCO that will facilitate the implementation of projects financed by $10 million of pledged funds is being finalized.

 

Returns

 

23. A welcome development was the signing of the Protocol on Voluntary and Sustainable Returns in Pristina on 6 June by my Special Representative and the Belgrade and Pristina representatives on the Working Group on Returns. The Protocol signals the operational and technical cooperation of Belgrade and Pristina to improve the conditions for, and facilitate the returns of, internally displaced persons to Kosovo. It had an immediate impact: more than 70 families agreed to return to one Serb-majority village. While remaining steady, the number of minority returns to Kosovo is not satisfactory; the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that only 770 minority community members returned from January to June 2006. Internally displaced persons continue to cite economic and security factors as the primary reasons for their reluctance to return, as well as uncertainty regarding the future status outcome.

 

24. At the end of June, UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions agreed on the allocation of remaining funds to support returns of Roma and Kosovo Serbs. The funding shortfall of €20 million affects 14 approved return projects, however. The recently established Kosovo Property Agency, which has a mandate to resolve claims relating to private property including agricultural land and commercial property, will, it is hoped, contribute to overcoming a major obstacle to returns.

 

25. Cooperation on returns between the Provisional Institutions and the Coordination Centre for Kosovo and Metohija continued at the local level, particularly on matters of humanitarian concern. For example, the Provisional Institutions provided an additional amount of €500,000 to complete a return to Istok funded by the Centre.

 

Dialogue

 

26. The working groups established for the direct dialogue on technical matters between Pristina and Belgrade proceeded slowly during the reporting period. Overall, no significant progress was achieved, and only limited progress is expected given that attention is on the future status process. Nonetheless, UNMIK continues to pursue dialogue in those forums. Some progress was made on returns and missing persons and, on 1 August, the Belgrade and Pristina cultural coordinators signed draft terms of reference for working groups on, inter alia, the return of documentation and artefacts and archaeological issues. At the June conference of the Council of South-Eastern European Ministers of Culture, the Serbian and Kosovo Ministers of Culture held further bilateral meetings on cooperation.

 

Regional cooperation

 

27. Regional cooperation continued to improve during the reporting period. UNMIK, having leaders of the Provisional Institutions in most of its delegations, participated in regional initiatives, including those under the auspices of the Stability Pact and the South-Eastern Europe Cooperation Process. On 30 May, UNMIK led a delegation to the Stability Pact Regional Table meeting in Belgrade, where the countries of South-Eastern Europe agreed to a regionally owned cooperation framework that will gradually assume the responsibilities of the Stability Pact. Negotiations continued with regional neighbours in economic sectors, including on the Athens Agreement on Energy and the Central European Free Trade Agreement. On 9 June, UNMIK signed on behalf of Kosovo the Multilateral Agreement on the Establishment of the European Common Aviation Area.

 

Future international arrangements and transition

 

28. Under the leadership of my Special Representative, preparations continued for the implementation of an eventual political settlement, including planning for an eventual transition and a possible future international civilian presence in Kosovo (see S/2006/361, para. 21). The Steering Group continued to meet in Vienna under the chairmanship of my Special Representative, as did the local Steering Group in Pristina. On 6 June, the European Union deployed a planning team to Pristina to plan for a possible operation in the areas of police and justice. The nucleus of a future international political civilian office has also been established to begin operational planning for an eventual presence.

 

III. Observations

 

29. I am pleased that the political process to determine the future status of Kosovo is proceeding with the active and high-level participation of both sides. I am disappointed, however, that little common ground has been identified between the positions of the Serbian and Kosovo delegations, which remain committed to “substantial autonomy” and “full independence” respectively, with minimal space for negotiation. Both sides would be better served by more flexibility in their positions. I again call on both sides to engage in these talks in a spirit of compromise. It is the responsibility of the parties to find common ground and a sustainable solution, acceptable to both sides, although the support of the international community remains essential to ensure progress.

 

30. Regardless of the outcome, a political settlement will not eliminate the many difficulties Kosovo will face for some time to come. I appreciate the commitment with which the Prime Minister and his Government have addressed standards implementation, and call upon them to ensure that their efforts are maintained and sustainable. The implementation of the priority requirements is crucial to ensuring a multi-ethnic Kosovo, but it is important not to lose sight of the fact that all of the standards are important for the future of Kosovo. I call upon Kosovo’s leaders to make further progress also in other standards.

 

31. It remains equally important that Kosovo Serbs participate in the institutions of Kosovo. Lack of participation is a disservice to the Kosovo Serb population, precluding an opportunity to construct optimal conditions for the future of their community. As in my last report, I call on the Belgrade authorities to remove all impediments to Kosovo Serb participation in Kosovo institutions. I would also note that, at this sensitive time, Kosovo’s leaders must redouble their outreach to all communities, and not step back from doing so in order to focus on their ultimate political objectives. Now is the time to reassure all communities that they have a place in Kosovo in the future regardless of its status.

 

32. Despite the generally stable security situation, I remain concerned with incidents of violence targeting people or religious sites, and I strongly condemn them, particularly those that are inter-ethnic. Those responsible must be brought swiftly to justice.

 

33. I am also concerned by the cessation of relations by the northern municipalities with the Provisional Institutions, and their calls for independent security mechanisms. I urge all concerned to cease inflammatory accusations and to pursue a constructive resolution of these matters.

 

34. I welcome the recent activities of the European Union on the ground, which, together with the equally invaluable efforts of our other partner organizations, will assist in a coherent transition following an eventual determination of the future status of Kosovo.

 

35. I would like to extend my appreciation to my former Special Representative, Søren Jessen-Petersen, and to welcome my new Special Representative, Joachim Rűcker, whose proven commitment and capability will be an asset to the Mission in the next critical phase. I also express my gratitude to the staff of UNMIK for their continued dedication and their steadfastness in carrying out their challenging tasks, often in difficult circumstances. I would like to extend my appreciation to KFOR, our partners within UNMIK — the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe — and the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes as well as other organizations, contributors and donors for their commitment and valuable support.

 

Annex I

 

Technical assessment of progress in implementation of the standards for Kosovo

 

Prepared by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo, 14 August 2006

 

Introduction

 

1. The increased momentum in standards implementation continued, with a clear emphasis on 13 specific priorities identified by the Contact Group, most of which are focused on minorities. Five of these 13 points have already been implemented. The Government has announced that four more action points will be fulfilled by 31 August.

 

Functioning democratic institutions

 

2. The Assembly adopted a comprehensive reform plan in June, resulting in more regular and frequent plenary sessions, improved forward planning and greater transparency and coordination between the Presidency, committee chairpersons and the leaders of parliamentary groups.

 

3. Revision to the rules of procedure has significantly improved interaction between the Assembly and the Government. Each plenary session now has time reserved for members’ questions to the Government. At a three-day plenary session in July, the Assembly held extensive debates on the first 100 days of the Government’s work.

 

4. During the reporting period the Assembly adopted 10 laws and approved 7 others at the first reading.

 

5. On 27 July, the Assembly adopted the Law on Languages (a Contact Group priority) which provides for full equality of Albanian and Serbian as official languages of Kosovo. However, an amendment proposed by the Government to make Turkish an official language in the municipality of Prizren was not approved by the Assembly, prompting a challenge to the law led by the head of the Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo (KDTP). On 3 August, the Prime Minister, the President of the Assembly and the head of KDTP agreed to resubmit the amendment to the Assembly.

 

6. The Government has added 15 new translators to improve staffing of central-level language units (a Contact Group priority). Efforts to recruit additional translators needed in municipalities are limited by budgetary constraints. Twenty-two of 30 municipalities now have simultaneous translation equipment installed. Twenty-five are fully or partially language compliant in respect of road signs. Twenty-four are fully or partially compliant in respect of signs on municipal buildings. The Kosovo Institute for Public Administration began a programme of professional training for translators, providing instruction to 60 municipal staff in June.

 

7. Language compliance monitoring mechanisms (a Contact Group priority) did not strengthen during the reporting period. The last report of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government on translation statistics was presented in February 2006.

 

8. An initial effort has been undertaken by the Ministry of Local Government Administration and the Ministry of Public Services to collect administrative instructions and where necessary translate them into Serbian and distribute them to municipalities (a Contact Group priority). However, the files collected do not include all administrative instructions, and a significant number of those collected in Albanian are still missing in Serbian. No documents have been collected yet from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Communities and Returns and the Ministry of Justice.

 

9. A code of conduct for civil servants was approved by the Government on 17 May.

 

10. The Senior Public Appointments Committee has made decisions on the appointment of four Permanent Secretaries and on the recruitment of an agency chief executive officer. Recently drafted rules of procedure for the Advisory Committee have improved its functioning.

 

11. More than 3,250 Kosovo Serb teachers, health-care workers and administrative staff have withdrawn from the payroll of the Provisional Institution to date, following an ultimatum given to them by Belgrade to do so or forfeit their salaries and pensions paid by Belgrade. Those moves have weakened the link between Kosovo Serbs and local institutions and at the same time have strengthened parallel structures.

 

12. The Government is holding in trust the salaries of the Kosovo Serbs who have left the payroll of the Provisional Institutions, in recognition of the fact that they continue to perform their jobs and as such continue to provide services for their communities. In addition, the Minister of Public Services has undertaken a series of direct outreach meetings in five municipalities to encourage minority communities to work in the Provisional Institutions and to invite employees who have withdrawn from the payroll of the Provisional Institutions to receive their salaries.

 

/CONTINUED/