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Kosova Daily Report #1603, 98-11-04

Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1603
Prishtina, 4 November 1998


CONTENTS

  • [01] President Rugova Receives German Ambassador
  • [02] Kosova Government Says Interim Settlement Should Recognize the Right to Self-Determination
  • [03] Kosova Negotiators Discuss Plan with European Diplomats
  • [04] Serb Forces Shell Albanian Villages with Artillery Fire in Central Kosova
  • [05] Over 900 Albanian Burned Out and Shelled in Peja During Summer Serb Crackdown
  • [06] Mutilated Body of Albanian Remains Uncollected in Suhareka
  • [07] Further Serb Forces Regrouping in Kamenica

  • [01] President Rugova Receives German Ambassador

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova received Germany's ambassador to Belgrade, Mr. Wilfried Gruber, on Tuesday evening.

    The most recent situation in Kosova and the steps towards the creation of an environment conducive to the establishment of a negotiating process between Prishtina and Belgrade were discussed in the meeting.

    The human tragedy and heavy destruction caused by the Serbian aggression against Albanians in Kosova was all the more clear Tuesday, when he himself toured central Kosova, the President underlined.

    The OSCE and NATO verification regimes should be put in place as soon as possible to create a sense of security for Albanian people to return to their settlements in safety, Ibrahim Rugova said.

    The Kosova President stressed that further and irreversible withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosova would calm down the situation and create the conditions for the establishment of a fully-fledged negotiating process on a political resolution to the Kosova issue.

    [02] Kosova Government Says Interim Settlement Should Recognize the Right to Self-Determination

    U.S. envoy Chris Hill's plan cannot serve as a basis for further discussions, Bukoshi's Government says

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - The Government of the Republic of Kosova said in a statement Tuesday the draft plan for an interim settlement in Kosova prepared by U.S. envoy Chris Hill is unacceptable. The plan cannot even serve as a basis for further discussion, the Government said, after having consulted legal experts.

    Before any talks between Kosova and the 'FRY' can start, the 'FRY'/Serb side should have met a number of demands, including the full withdrawal of armed Serbian forces, and the safe return of displaced Albanian people back to their homes, and full cooperation of 'FRY" with the Hague Tribunal, the Kosova Government said.

    The Republic's Government, chaired by Prime Minister Bujar Bukoshi, said it proposed the formation of a neutral Implementation Commission, composed of two representatives designated by the Kosova Government, two designated by the 'FRY', and three individuals from abroad, designated by the UN Secretary of General in cooperation with the EU Presidency.

    The Commission would assess the level of compliance with the mandatory demands of the Security Council over Kosova, the Government said. When compliance has been established, negotiations on an interim settlement in Kosova can start, it added. The negotiations should be conducted in Geneva. Besides the delegations of the Republic of Kosova and the 'FRY", there should be international involvement in the form of three guarantor states as well as implementation organizations that will be determined, the Kosova Government said.

    "There will be no preconditions on the substantial outcome of such negotiations. Instead, the parties will be free to formulate their views about the interim arrangement that is desired, adopted at the level of international law," the statement of the Government said.

    The interim settlement should be sought on the basis of a number of principles, the most important one being that the Republic of Kosova is a self-determination entity, based both on its right to achieve independence after the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia as well as in the light of the repression its people have suffered from an unrepresentative regime.

    The interim agreement does not have to expressly confirm and state that Kosova is an independent state, but the agreement must not prejudice it either, the Kosova Government said, stressing that the interim agreement should recognize the right of Kosova to self- determination.

    Kosova has its territory as well as its adopted constitution, and the interim accord should be based on the legal personality of Kosova as a whole, is the position of the Republic's Government.

    The long statement of the Government elaborates on different aspects of a hand-over of power from the 'FRY' to Kosova, such as arrangements to assure the minority populations here, including joint police patrols with international involvement in certain settlements.

    The organs of the Republic of Kosova will implement all human and minority rights, based on full equality, and all sides will cooperate with international bodies to prosecute war criminals, regardless of their ethnic background, the Government said.

    At the termination of a temporary period, the future status of Kosova will be determined or confirmed in accordance with the right of the people of the Republic of Kosova to self-determination. A referendum with international involvement will be held then, the Government of Kosova concluded.

    [03] Kosova Negotiators Discuss Plan with European Diplomats

    The new version of the American draft agreement on Kosova has been enhanced somewhat, but it is still far from meeting the demands of the Albanians, Kosovar negotiators stressed

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - The Kosova negotiating team, headed by team coordinator Fehmi Agani, had separate meetings Tuesday and Wednesday in Prishtina with EU special envoy for Kosova, Wolfgang Petritsch, German ambassador to Belgrade, Wilfried Gruber, and the First Secretary in the Swedish Embassy in Belgrade, Julius Lilestrom.

    The Kosova negotiators and the European diplomats discussed about the new American draft for an interim agreement in Kosova and the possibilities that it offers.

    The Kosova negotiating team expressed the view that the new version of the draft agreement had been enhanced somewhat, but added that it is still far from meeting the demands of the Albanians. Remarks and suggestions on it will be presented in a written form, and they will be discussed with the American experts, the Kosova negotiators told the European diplomats, the KIC has learned.

    The European diplomats reiterated the continued engagement of their respective countries and the European Union in favour of a rightful interim solution for Kosova.

    [04] Serb Forces Shell Albanian Villages with Artillery Fire in Central Kosova

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - At around 12:50 hrs today (Wednesday), Serb forces started shelling the village of Petrova, about 35 km south of Prishtina, the LDK chapter in Shtime said.

    A couple of other villages in the Gryka e Vitakut (Vitaku Gorge) area came under Serb troops fire, too. Albanian communities were fired on from four Serb vehicles, two of them tanks, that left the town of Shtime, drove along main road of Re^ak village and proceeded for Petrova, after midday today (Wednesday).

    There was no immediate word about possible casualties.

    The head of the LDK Information Commission in Shtime said part of the internally displaced Albanians had trickled to Petrova and Re^ak over the past days.

    [05] Over 900 Albanian Burned Out and Shelled in Peja During Summer Serb Crackdown

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - At least 941 houses of Albanians were burned down and shelled in Peja municipality, western Kosova, during repeated Serb offensives since 25 May, the LDK Information Commission in Peja said in a report circulated today.

    Albanian villages in Peja were not affected as much as other municipalities in central, west and south-west of Kosova, such as Skenderaj, Gllogovc, Klina, Vushtrri, Malisheva, Gjakova, De^an, Suhareka and Rahovec.

    The municipalities of Shtime, Lipjan, Podujeva, Vushtrri, Istog, Obiliq and Sht&rpc& suffered considerable damage.

    The Commission said that 21 villages of the municipality and two suburbs of the town of Peja were affected by Serb attacks during the summer months. 15 farmhouses were shelled and burned in Lybeniq village, 221 in Loxha, 8 in Gorozhdec, 11 in Krstovc, 2 in Babiq, 3 in Dob&rdol, 3 in Zllopek, 186 in Raushiq, 36 in Baran, 16 in Kosuriq, 68 in Vranoc, 1 in Rashiq, 33 in Krushec, 63 in Kotradiq, 67 in Qallapek, 7 in Llugaxhi, 12 in Glloxhan, 36 in Nepole, 41 in Bu^an, 8 in Kamenic&, 25 in Broliq, 1 in Shtypeq and 77 in the "Dardania II" and "Dardania III" suburbs of Peja.

    [06] Mutilated Body of Albanian Remains Uncollected in Suhareka

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - The mutilated body of an Albanian, identified as Abaz Ndrecaj from Mati^eva village of Suhareka, was found on Tuesday near the Qafa e Duhl&s (Duhla mountain pass), near the Prishtina-Prizren roadway.

    The late Abaz Ndrecaj had gone missing on 26 July, the LDK chapter in Suhareka said.

    The Ndrecaj family could not collected the body of their beloved because of the heavy Serb police presence near the area where his body was found, the LDK said.

    [07] Further Serb Forces Regrouping in Kamenica

    PRISHTINA, Nov 4 (KIC) - Serb forces have continued regrouping near Albanian communities in Kamenica, a municipality in eastern Kosova, local sources said today (Wednesday).

    Over the past three days, Serb troops and heavy armament were deployed in several places in the municipality, including at locations called "Bunari i Kopernic&s" (the Kopernica Well) and "Dheu i bardh&". Serb troops manning these bases have been routinely harassing the local population and random passers-by, the LDK Information Commission in Kamenica said.

    There has been a stepped up presence and movement of Serb police forces in the town of Kamenica lately, the report said.

    Kosova Information Center

    Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
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