Prishtina rejects un-eu-belgrade agreement (dailies)

Main Stories 11 November

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  Prishtina rejects UN-EU-Belgrade agreement (dailies)
  
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  Only the U.S. and Feith on Prishtina’s side? (Koha Ditore)
  
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  Opposition: Institutions should not yield regarding EULEX (Koha Ditore)
  
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  EU: EULEX, victim of UN-Belgrade-Prishtina disagreements (Koha Ditore)
  
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  UN Security council postpones debate on Kosovo (Zëri)
  
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  Agron Bajrami: Unsubstantial (Koha Ditore)
  
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  Flaka Surroi: Don’t bother coming (Koha Ditore)
  
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  Rexhepi: Ali Kadriu should build (dailies)
  

Kosovo Media Highlights

Prishtina rejects UN-EU-Belgrade agreement (dailies)

All daily newspapers this morning report that Prishtina has rejected an agreement between the United Nations, the European Union and Belgrade for the deployment of EULEX in Kosovo.

President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi told an extraordinary press conference last night that notwithstanding their rejection of the plan they nonetheless leave the door open for further talks with the international community.
In their joint statement, the President and the Prime Minister said they reject the agreement because it violates the Constitution of Kosovo, adding that the EULEX mission should be in line with the reality after the declaration of Kosovo’s independence and that it should implement the Constitution of Kosovo and the Ahtisaari Package.
“The institutions of the Republic of Kosovo consider that substantial elements of the six-point document are not acceptable for Kosovo in their present form. We express our readiness to continue dialogue with the international community, in order to ensure the quick deployment of EULEX throughout the Republic of Kosovo, guaranteeing full cooperation with it and with other international institutions,” President Sejdiu said.
Prime Minister Thaçi was quoted as saying, “We are in the process of dialogue. Dialogue is inevitable. We want to have agreements with Serbia too, as two countries. Therefore, Prishtina is not setting conditions, but it is acting with new responsibilities in the process of further development.”
Only the U.S. and Feith on Prishtina’s side? (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore quotes unnamed sources as saying that four European countries of the Quint have called on Prishtina to accept the six-point plan, while only the U.S. and the international representative Pieter Feith expressed reservations over the plan. The paper also notes that while the U.S. Embassy does not want to comment on the process, sources claim that the European deadline to change Prishtina’s position is 72 hours.
Opposition: Institutions should not yield regarding EULEX (Koha Ditore)

Opposition political parties said on Monday that the leaders of Kosovo institutions should not to yield on ELEX issue and that they should not accept Belgrade terms.

“EULEX attempt to avoid what was foreseen with Ahtisaari’s package is unacceptable for us” AKR vice-president Ibrahim Makolli is quoted as saying. Deputies of this party claimed that they would seek Sejdiu’s and Thaçi’s resignation if they accept deployment of ELEX under Belgrade terms.
LDD leader Nexhat Daci after a meeting with the Netherlands ambassador also appealed at Kosovo leadership to be careful about the north of the country and to implement Kosovo’s Constitution in its entirety.
EU: EULEX, victim of UN-Belgrade-Prishtina disagreements (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that Kosovo was not in the agenda of European Foreign Ministers meeting held in Brussels on Monday. Despite the fact, a very long debate on Kosovo took place, but no conclusions were made, says this daily. According to French FM Bernard Kouchner, there is nothing for EU to say on this issue since the problems stand on the relations of the United Nations with Belgrade and Pristina. Reiterating that EULEX is for the benefit of all, Kouchner said that the issues have advanced with Belgrade and that the problem now stands between the UN and Kosovars.
UN Security council postpones debate on Kosovo (Zëri)

Zëri reports that it has an exclusive document, which should have approved yesterday in Brussels from the Ministers of foreign affairs about Kosovo, in case that Pristina would accept the agreement for the deployment of EULEX. The opposition from Prishtina could lead to the postponement of the United Nations Security Council meeting.
Zëri reports that the officials of Costa Rica, which holds the Presidency of the Security Council for this month, have told the newspaper that the Security Council session can be postponed for an indefinite period of time.
Citing unnamed sources, Zëri reports that there is a possibility that the meeting could take place on Friday, if an agreement is reached.
In case of lack of consensus between the member states, the possibility that the Ambassador of Costa Rica in UN, to read the presidential letter which would legalise the EULEX Mission in “whole territory” of Kosovo according to the Belgrade terms in exchange for political support.
Bota Sot and Epoka e Re reports that the Security Council meeting which was scheduled for November 11^th, has been postponed for an indefinite period of time. The information announced by United Nations headquarters in New York.
Agron Bajrami: Unsubstantial (Koha Ditore)

In an opinion piece, Koha Ditore editor-in-chief Agron Bajrami writes, “Despite Monday’s rejection, the bitter truth lurking over our heads is that the process of Belgrade’s inclusion the internal regulation of Kosovo has been tolerated by Prishtina for too long, it has reached a late phase and that chances for changing this course are very slim.”

Bajrami claims that a diplomatic cable was sent to Paris saying that the Americans together with Pieter Feith have drafted a letter with the positions of the Kosovar side vis-à-vis the 6 points agreed with Belgrade.
“This unexpected development seems to have ruined the political equilibrium in the complicated EU-UN-Belgrade-Prishtina relations, which was built several weeks ago, and which is now crumbling after Sejdiu and Thaçi’s press conference. The Europeans had expected that the U.S. would as usually be the one to ensure a YES from Prishtina. But this time it did not happen. Moreover, the unsatisfied Europeans have started to believe that even Prishtina’s official response – that substantial parts of the plan are unacceptable but that the door for continuing negotiations remains open – was not drafted by local staff. Moreover, a NO could not be told to the face of the EU if Prishtina did not have strong backing from the outside,” Bajrami adds.
Flaka Surroi: Don’t bother coming (Koha Ditore)

“When the name of European Union High Representative Javier Solana re-emerged two or three weeks ago, we should have considered it a sufficient indication that things were not going in the right direction,” writes Flaka Surroi, managing director of Koha Ditore.

According to Surroi, “Solana is most probably the promoter of the fantastic idea that the deployment of EULEX requires accepting the agreement with Serbia on Ban Ki-moon’s six points. Maybe Solana is defending the foreign policy of his country Spain… Maybe he still feels guilty toward the Serbs because of the [NATO] bombing, and is quickly forgetting that Serbia was committing genocide in Kosovo. If he were not a person that experienced the claws of dictatorship, I guess I would even understand him… This way, I have no other explanation but to conclude that this man is not for this job, as long as he refuses to see the reality on the ground.”
Surroi argues, “whoever is the author of the document for the implementation of the six points of the United Nations (…) the undeniable fact remains: the full deployment of EULEX stinks.”
“This situation, gentlemen from the United Nations who have drafted this fantastic plan, and you gentlemen from the European Union who are forcefully imposing this plan on us, is like if I were to come to your house and invade your living room (plus a bathroom) and tell you that don’t have access here because here is implemented Resolution 1962/63 which has the support of around 100.000 people that belong to this generation. And if you were to ask me why I am doing this to you, I would reply by saying, ‘Well look: This is how it is, because this is how I like it,” Surroi writes. “If so, you members of EULEX shouldn’t even bother coming. We will manage without you, just as we are managing without many other things that we are missing, things that we are really missing.”
Rexhepi: Ali Kadriu should build (dailies)

Dalies report on the meeting of the security and political structures in Mitrovica, held yesterday. Mitrovica mayor, Bajram Rexhepi said that recent developments related to the rebuilding of Ali Kadriu’s house in Suhodoll, have tensioned the situation, which was kept under control thank to the engagement of municipal and security structures and maturity of the population.

“It is illogical to ask permission from Serbs to return and rebuild the houses of Ali Kadriu, whose property is 1.5 kilometers away from Serb residents” Rexhepi is quoted as saying. He added that it is not sufficient to allow Kadriu to enter his house, which is in ruins, he should be allowed to rebuild it as well.

Belgrade Media Highlights

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  Jeremic: UN SC session postponed at the request of two SC permanent members (RTS/Tanjug)
  
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  Sejdiu and Tachi reject the plan on international presence reconfiguration (Tanjug)
  
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  Kouchner: Pristina must accept an agreement with the UN (Tanjug/Beta)
  
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  EU ministers: Efforts for EULEX to be operative as of December (Beta)
  
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  Assembly of Serb Community of Kosovo Municipalities against EULEX (Tanjug)
  
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  Serbs without official representatives in talks on decentralization (Beta)
  
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  Vehicles of Kosovo Serbs stoned, no injured (Tanjug)
  

Jeremic: UN SC session postponed at the request of two SC permanent members (RTS/Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that the UN Secretariat has postponed the Security Council session, at which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was due to present his report. The decision was made at the request of two permanent Security Council members. He said that a new date for the session has not been announced yet, but the session could be held by the end of this week. Speaking about the reconfiguration of the international civilian presence in Kosovo, he said that Serbia has made its final stance on the matter known, all sides are familiar with the conditions set by Serbia, these conditions will not be altered and Serbia is ready for a Security Council session whenever it may be held. Jeremic said that he hopes that the international community will reach a consensus and the entire process will end in the only way that can guarantee the legitimacy and sustainable presences of any international civilian presence in Kosovo, by a Security Council decision.

Sejdiu and Tachi reject the plan on international presence reconfiguration (Tanjug)

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and PM Hashim Tachi rejected the offered six-item agreement on the reconfiguration of international civilian presence in the Province, it was announced in Pristina. The essential elements in that document are not acceptable for Kosovo institutions in the form in which they are presented, Sejdiu said after talks with a delegation of western diplomats, led by US envoy in Pristina Tina Kaidanow. Tanjug reports that the intention of diplomatic representatives was to persuade provincial officials into accepting the UNMIK reconfiguration plan, which enables EULEX deployment in Kosovo.

Kouchner: Pristina must accept an agreement with the UN (Tanjug/Beta)

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who is the chair of the EU Council of Ministers, said that, after the leadership in Belgrade accepted the agreement with the UN on sending the EU civilian mission to Kosovo, the same must be done by provincial institution representatives. After the Council sitting in Brussels, Kouchner said that it has been established that the UN Security Council session will be postponed in order to exert pressure on Kosovo Albanians to accept the UN document based on six principles UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent to Serbian President Boris Tadic. Pointing out that the document is neutral in status, Kouchner said that the EULEX mission is ready and that its deployment in Kosovo is necessary. It is very strange that the side that the mission needs mostly opposes the agreement, Kouchner said and warned that the Pristina authorities must accept the offered document, as that is in their own interest. EU High Representative Javier Solana expressed belief after the session that agreement will be reached during the next days. Quoting diplomatic sources in Brussels, Beta states that EU foreign ministers agreed that EULEX is deployed on the basis of UNSCR 1244 throughout the province and that UNMIK should find its own formula for simultaneous activity.

EU ministers: Efforts for EULEX to be operative as of December (Beta)

EU foreign ministers expressed satisfaction in Brussels about preparations for the mission which they call a mission of the rule of law in Kosovo – EULEX, including staff deployment, with a view to enabling the mission implement its mandate as of early December 2008. At a joint session of EU foreign and defence ministers, positions on all the operations within the EU joint political and security policy have been adopted. Beta learns that the outcome of the UN SC session is expected, at which a presidential statement on further action of UNMIK and EULEX under the auspices of the UN should be adopted. Christina Gallach, the spokesperson of EU High Representative Javier Solana, said after the sitting that the EULEX mission has already commenced deploying staff in Kosmet and should reach the operative level in December.

Assembly of Serb Community of Kosovo Municipalities against EULEX (Tanjug)

Delegates of the Assembly of the Community of Kosovo Municipalities concluded in nothern Kosovska Mitrovica that EULEX is an unacceptable mission for Serbs in the province. The signatures of tens of thousands of Serbs from Kosovo clearly point to the unacceptability of EULEX, it was emphasized at a session and appealed to the Serbian authorities not to accept the EU mission. If Belgrade accepts EULEX that would mean indirect recognition of independence of Kosovo, which is confirmed by Chapter 10 of Ahtisaari’s plan, the president of the Assembly of the Community of Kosovo Municipalities Radovan Nicic said. It is also asked the Serbian government and Assembly to call provinicial elections, which would be a true reply to Pristina, most EU member-states and the US, to their intention to create an independent state of Kosovo, it is assessed.

Serbs without official representatives in talks on decentralization (Beta)

Representatives of the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo called on Serbs not to take part in talks on decentralization of municipalities according to Ahtisaari’s plan, which are initiated by Albanians and international representatives. The head of the Ministry’s office in the Kosovo Morava basin Predrag Stojkovic said no one of Serbs is authorized to take part in those negotiations and pointed to the fact that the borders of new municipalities have already been established on the basis of Ahtisaari’s plan, so at issue are not negotiations, but a farce. Stojkovic reiterated that Serbs find Ahtisaari’s plan unacceptable also because it additionally divides the Serb community, as it envisages some Serb villages should be annexed to municipalities with an Albanian majority.

Vehicles of Kosovo Serbs stoned, no injured (Tanjug)

Unknown persons have stoned two cars with Kosovo Serbs in the Albanian part of the Suvi Do village, near Kosovska Mitrovica. Fortunately, no one was injured, Tanjug learns from the KPS. As stated, some material damage has been inflicted on the vehicles. Vice President of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities Marko Jaksic has assessed that this incident represents the continuation of pressure on Serbs to move out of that area, where some 40 Serb families live in the Albanian surrounding.

Disclaimer

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIK on the understanding that the choice of articles translated is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIK.