By Isuf Hajrizi

NEW YORK
Talks between Albanians and Serbs aimed at reaching an agreement on Kosova schools
stalled on Thursday and Friday when both sides disagreed on how to implement a deal
reached last year. Media reports in Prishtine said the dialogue "may fail because of the
Serbs' unyielding stand."
   But sources in Washington told Illyria that the Albanian leadership is partly to blame for
the failure to implement the agreement between the leaders of Serbia and Kosova. The
pact was supposed to allow Albanian students to return to their schools.
   "It is not in Rugova's interest to implement this deal because the University [of Prishtine]
is not part of it," a State Department official told Illyria on Wednesday. However, on
Thursday the same official qualified his remarks, saying "the deal is confusing, but the
most important thing is to work for a deal in the spirit of compromise."
   "We are urging Milosevic to include the university," he said.
    On Friday, Kosova President Ibrahim Rugova insisted that the university was "definitely"
included in the deal signed last year between him and Serbian strongman Slobodan
Milosevic.
   Serbs, although they make up less than 7 percent of the 2.2 million people in Kosova - 2
million are Albanians - have thrown Albanians out of political and institutional life, leaving
them with no choice but to form their own parallel institutions, including "home schools."
   "The university is definitely part of the agreement," Rugova told reporters at his weekly
press conference in Prishtine on Friday. "That's what's at stake here," Rugova he added.
   A statement released following the Rugova-Milosevic agreement last year said,
"Albanian students on all levels will be allowed to return to their schools."
   "As far as we are concerned, this meant the University of Prishtine as well," said a New
York official of Rugova's party, the Democratic League of Kosova. This same activist
recalled Rugova's statement last year saying the university was part of the agreement. But
Serbs have denied Rugova's claims in their media. The State Department official indicated
on Wednesday that Belgrade was right, claiming the U.S. was pushing Milosevic to include
the agreement in the school deal.
   But meetings on Thursday and Friday between the so-called 3+3 work group (three
Serbs and three Albanians), which were seen as a last attempt by both sides to reach an
agreement, produced no results.
   After meeting in Prishtine, Kosova's capital, on Thursday, the discussions were moved
to Belgrade on Friday, but according to the Kosova Information Center (KIC), a stalemate
persisted. The agency quoted an Albanian source at the talks as saying "the discussions
could end in failure because of the intransigence of the Serbian side, namely its reluctance
to implement the accord."
   The last time the groups met was in February, but the Serbs allegedly did not show up
for follow-up meetings.
   A Vatican-based conflict mediation group, the St. Egidio Community, is overseeing the
dialogue and has "the full backing" of the United States, according to officials in
Washington.
   The confusion over the "agreement" is further complicated by the refusal by the Albanian
rector of Prishtine University to participate in the dialogue.
   The rector, Ejup Statovci, has said he does not think the Albanian dialogue team, made
of Dr. Fehmi Agani, Abdyl Ramaj and Rexhep Osmani, is competent to enter discussions
on schools with the Serbis.
   Asked to comment on Statovci's remarks, Rugova shot back:
   "[Statovci should know] that the Kosovar Group is a state commission and should be
respected as such by the rector."
   "The University of Prishtine is part of the society of Kosova and the state of Kosova,"
Rugova said, adding, "I hope Statovci [changes his mind and] participates in future
discussions."
   Last week thousands of Albanian students in Prishtine and seven other Kosova cities
protested peacefully against the Serbian regime's closing of schools and the university for
Albanians. They were quickly dispersed by riot police, who used tear gas and brutally beat
the students. The organizers of the rally were arrested but  later released, including
Statovci. Some 50 people were reported injured. The students have said they will halt their
protests temporarily to give the dialogue a chance. If the talks fail, many fear, there may be
more protests throughout Kosova that could turn violent and trigger a wider conflict
involving neighboring countries.