Talks in Prishtina bring no changes, process is nearing the end (Koha Ditore)

Main Stories 15 November

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  Talks in Prishtina bring no changes, process is nearing the end (Koha Ditore)
  
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  Thaçi: Kosovo is threatened by the six points, not by the rejection (dailies)
  
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  Sejdiu: We cannot be blamed for delay in EULEX deployment (Zëri)
  
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  Not strong enough (Express)
  
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  Krasniqi: Partition shifts borders (Infopress)
  
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  Haradinaj: UN plan questions Kosovo’s independence (dailies)
  
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  Rohan: Legitimate rejection (Express)
  
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  War Veterans Associations upset over six-point plan (Express)
  
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  Academy of Sciences: Ban Ki-moon’s plan can hurt independence (Zëri)
  
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  Zannier “disappears” (Epoka e Re)
  
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  Kosovo institutions condemn explosion at ICO (dailies)
  
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  Storm forecast for northern part of Kosovo (Lajm)
  
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  Construction at Ali Kadriu’s house stopped (Koha Ditore)
  
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  Xhabir Zharku: I will go to work on Monday (Koha Ditore/Zëri)
  

Kosovo Media Highlights

Talks in Prishtina bring no changes, process is nearing the end (Koha Ditore)

Under the front-page headline Final answers are being drafted, Koha Ditore reports that the process of talks between Prishtina and the international community is expected to conclude with an exchange of official letters between Prishtina and Brussels, in which the Kosovar side will present the unchanged rejection of the six-plan. The letter from Brussels is expected to include the pre-announcement for the deployment of EULEX, which according to paper’s sources, is the last effort to try and convince Prishtina to withdraw from its rejecting position.

The paper further notes that Prime Minister Thaçi and President Sejdiu have agreed in principle on a draft letter they will sent to EU High Representative Javier Solana, and they are aware that they will receive a letter from Solana about the deployment of EULEX in Kosovo in general lines and with guarantees that it will implement its mandate from the Action Plan of the EU Council of Ministers before the declaration of independence.
Koha Ditore claims to have copies of the two letters, and adds that are generalized and do not contain any details. Unnamed sources told the paper that Prishtina was told during the talks that the six-point plan cannot change and that meanwhile even internationals are working with the belief that the Kosovar position will not change either.
Thaçi: Kosovo is threatened by the six points, not by the rejection (dailies)

Koha Ditore quotes Prime Minister Thaçi as saying that the rejection of the conditions for the deployment of EULEX does not imply the territorial partition of Kosovo. Thaçi argued that accepting the plan in its current form would imply a risk for the future of the country’s territorial integrity.
“Kosovo is a state; accepting current points threatens the territorial integrity of our Republic. The six-point document does not belong to Prishtina, it is a document reached between Belgrade and UN authorities,” Thaçi said, adding that there have not and there will be no clashes with the international community on this issue.
Sejdiu: We cannot be blamed for delay in EULEX deployment (Zëri)

Zëri quotes President Sejdiu as saying that the six-point plan contains substantial elements that are unacceptable for Prishtina. “We want EULEX to deploy in Kosovo as soon as possible and throughout the territory of Kosovo, therefore, we are not the ones that can be blamed for delaying the process,” added the President.
Not strong enough (Express)

The paper reports in one of the front-page stories that President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Thaçi once again rejected Ban Ki-moon’s six-point plan. EU High Representative Javier Solana is expected to challenge the resistance of Kosovar leaders when he arrives in Prishtina today. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister is expected to arrive in Prishtina.

Krasniqi: Partition shifts borders (Infopress)

In an interview for InfoPress, Kosovo Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi said the current requests toward the Kosovar side will lead to the partition of the country. “In one way, all current points under these circumstances are unacceptable, because they are outside the agreements that were reached and they are not part of the Constitution of Kosovo,” he added.

The Assembly Speaker also said that Kosovo’s borders are internationally recognized. “If these borders are violated, it doesn’t mean that other borders cannot be violated either,” Krasniqi was quoted as saying. “If it comes to creating new borders, then Albanians have their own demands in this regard. But we think that it is in the interest of the region to keep the current borders.”
Haradinaj: UN plan questions Kosovo’s independence (dailies)

Dailies report that AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj stated on Friday that the decision for the declaration of Kosovo’s independence may be questioned in case the United Nations Security Council will adopt the current six-point plan for the deployment of EULEX in Kosovo.

“In case this [the UNSC adopts the six-point plan without the consent of Kosovars] happens, Kosovo must have its own plan how to deal with the new situation, a plan where experts would speak their opinion and present the best possible solution,” Haradinaj was quoted as saying.
Haradinaj said the current six-point plan constitutes a setback and questions the decision for the independent state of Kosovo. He also said that if Kosovo does not develop an action plan, then it is very likely that the situation in the country will continue to deteriorate.
Rohan: Legitimate rejection (Express)

In a front-page interview for Express, Albert Rohan, former international mediator in talks for Kosovo’s status, said it was important for EULEX to deploy throughout the territory of Kosovo. “But the Government of Kosovo is fully legitimate in rejecting everything that is outside the Constitution and which creates some sort of administrative partition within Kosovo, which goes against the Ahtisaari Plan and against the Constitution of Kosovo,” he added. Rohan also said, “it is unthinkable to impose a solution that goes against the will of the legitimate Government of Kosovo”.

War Veterans Associations upset over six-point plan (Express)

Express reports that for some memers of the KLA War Veterans Associations the last nine years in Kosovo have been only a ceasefire and that the ceasefire could be broken very soon if the UN six points are implemented in Kosovo. “We have told the international community that we will not yield and we will use all methods if these points are adopted by the Security Council,” said Xhavit Jashari, leader of the Association of Families of Martyrs.
Academy of Sciences: Ban Ki-moon’s plan can hurt independence (Zëri)

The paper reports that the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts has issued a communiqué saying that the plan of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon can hurt Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty. The Academy expressed full support for the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo and their rejection of the six-point plan.

Zannier “disappears” (Epoka e Re)

Epoka e Re reports that UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier, who is said to have helped in the drafting of the six points of the United Nations, has not been seen in Kosovo for quite some time now. UNMIK officials told the paper that Zannier is outside the country on some meetings, but provided no information about the meetings. “Zannier is not in Kosovo this week, he is attending some meetings. This is the reason why he hasn’t been seen around. Today Zannier has some meetings in Brussels,” said UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie. He also said that next week Zannier will attend the annual meeting of the Department for Peacekeeping Operations.
Epoka e Re also recalls an interview that Zannier gave in August, expressing support for the creation of ethnic police and the partition of customs; however, he later on denied his own words.
Kosovo institutions condemn explosion at ICO (dailies)

All dailies report on the explosion that occurred last night in front of the ICO building in Prishtina. The explosion caused only material damage. In a joint press conference, President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Thaçi condemened the attack, saying that “it was carried out by Kosovo’s enemies”. The two leaders said that nothing can weaken the respect that the people of Kosovo have for the EU and ICO and our strong commitment to be reliable partners of the ICO.

The ICO issued a communiqué after the explosion, thanking the Government of Kosovo for its swift reaction and promising that “the ICO will continue to work for the good of citizens of Kosovo”.
The explosion happened around 05:30 PM on Friday, and according to police unidentified suspects threw the explosive over the fence of the building and afterwards it exploded. “We suspect the device was thrown over the fence. For the time being, we have no suspects,” said KPS spokesman Veton Elshani.
Storm forecast for northern part of Kosovo (Lajm)

Citing unofficial information, Lajm reports that the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs is making reinforcements in the northern part of Kosovo. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Police says it has no information about this. On the other hand, security experts warn that the situation can escalate and call for an urgent reaction by the Government of Kosovo to protect the country’s sovereignty.

Construction at Ali Kadriu’s house stopped (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports that Ali Kadriu has stopped the refurbishment of his houses on Friday noon, after a group of Serbs approached his house. Kadriu told the paper that police have allowed Serbs to enter the houses of Albanians after the war and to get close to his house.

Kadriu also said that he had a meeting with Mitrovica regional administrator Jaunaus Kazlas, who according to Kadriu offered him to lease his house to international organizations or to Kosovo Police. “I didn’t accept the offer and I asked the administrator to allow me to work in my house and my property. I told the administrator that there are no Serb neighbours nearby and that I am not in anyone’s way. Serbs are 1.5 km away from my house, but the problem is that I haven’t sold my house to them for 1.2 million euros,” Kadriu was quoted as saying.
Xhabir Zharku: I will go to work on Monday (Koha Ditore/Zëri)

Koha Ditore reports that Kacanik Mayor Xhabir Zharku was released from detention on Friday afternoon, quoting him as saying that on Monday he will return to work, “as there are no restrictions from the court in this respect”. Zharku’s attorney said his client is not allowed to approach four people closer than 2 kilometers, he needs to report to the police in Prishtina twice a month and is not allowed to travel outside the country. Zëri reports that no penal procedure has been initiated against Zharku.
Belgrade Media Update
Jeremic calls on the EU not to tolerate the Barbarian Threats coming from Pristina

The Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated in a speech he gave at the Charles University in Prague yesterday, that the United Nations Security Council’s session scheduled to confirm the report of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and an agreement on the legalization of the European Union mission in Kosovo (EULEX) had been cancelled under the pressure of Pristina. He commented that, upon an agreement had been reached after months of hard talks between Serbia and the UN on a number of issues that are of crucial importance for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo, the Pristina authorities “started with threats again…. Everything has been agreed upon. The UN SC session was scheduled to take place on Tuesday. And then, threats coming from Pristina were stepped up.” Deploring that the UNSC session had been cancelled “instead of saying that such barbarian threats must not be tolerated,” Jeremic further elaborated that “it is up to the EU to finally take a stand against extremists in Pristina and tell them: ‘This will not pass. Your rejection of laws shall not be tolerated. And your threats shall not be accepted.” The Serbian Minister concluded by stressing that the decisions to be made in the next several days would be “critical,” the Belgrade electronic media reported.

Ivanovic: Pristina to agree to the EU Conditions in the End

The state secretary in the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic, commenting yesterday for the Belgrade-based FoNet news agency on Pristina’s opposition to the agreement on the reconfiguration of the international presence in Kosovo, assessed that the Albanians had made the wrong calculation that the EU could proceed independently, and considers that “Pristina is in a difficult position through its own fault, because it disregarded the fact that the UN precisely sent UNMIK to Kosovo according to the Resolution 1244 and it is only them who are in charge of its reconfiguration or changes.” Arguing that, when everything is put together, Pristina is the only party that could make concessions and that “it is only possible to deploy EULEX at this moment under the conditions set by Belgrade,” he added: “On the other hand, Pristina cares about good relations with the EU and in the end it will agree to the conditions.”

Women protest in Mitrovica against EULEX’s Deployment

Several hundred women attended a rally organized by the humanitarian organization Kolo Srpskih Sestara (Circle of Serbian Sisters) in Mitrovica yesterday in order to protest against the deployment of EULEX in Kosovo. Addressing the rally, the organization’s chair Milena Cvetkovic wondered that, "if UNMIK and EULEX are the same, then why change them? Why are other countries not participating in the mission - India, Russia, Japan, China?" Reminding of the destroyed Serbian monuments, desecrated Serbian tombs and torched Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo, she asked whether this was “the message and the image of joint life with the Albanians?" the Belgrade-based Beta news agency reported.

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.