PRISHTINA, Jan 30 (KIC) - The President of the
Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova
thanked today the United States of America for
its continued concern over the situation
and the engagement towards Kosova. In this regard,
he appreciated the role of
Ambassador Robert Gelbard, the U.S. President
and Secretary of State's special
representative for this part of the world.
In his introductory remarks during a press conference
in Prishtina, Dr. Rugova hailed the
introduction of a concurrent resolution on Kosova
in the U.S. House of Representative by
Rep. Eliot Engel, a friend of Kosova. (The draft
resolution calls for preventative measures
in Kosova, the recognition of the right to self-
determination, as well as support for the
coming national elections in Kosova, scheduled
for March 22).
President Rugova hailed also Nato's concern over
Kosova, and reported remarks by
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook about Kosova
being top on the British and European
Union agenda.
He welcomed, "as a first step", the adoption
of a resolution on Kosova this week by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
and hailed the position of Lord Russel
Johnston, who maintained that insistence on the
preservation of 'territorial integrity' of FRY
prejudges the dialogue on Kosova.
The President welcomed also the position of Ms
Doris Pack, Head of the South-East
Europe delegation to the European Parliament,
for an early start of dialogue between
Prishtina and Belgrade, as well as the call for
a special European envoy for Kosova.
Touching on the current developments in Kosova,
Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said the crackdown
at Prekaz of Skenderaj earlier this month was
followed by a new wave of Serbian police
violence, which has been extended to other parts
of Kosova. In the past week a large-
scale police repressive operation occurred in
the municipality of Malisheva, whereas
scores of Albanians were ill-treated, as well
as at Isnqiq (Deçan). A seventeen-year-old
Albanian, Avdi Qarri (Neziri) was fatally wounded
by a Serb policeman, the President
recalled.
Dr. Rugova said this past week saw Serb military
and police movements in many
municipalities of Kosova, and the systematic
repression of Albanians on arms searches
pretexts continue; Serb civilians beat up Albanian
high school students in Fushç Kosova
(in Serbian Kosovo Polje).
President Rugova called on local Serbs in Kosova
not to provoke their Albanian
neighbours. He pressed that the Belgrade regime,
which is keeping Kosova by force, bring
an end to its repressive campaigns, "because
they pose dangers not only for Kosova, but
the entire region". In this context, he appealed
that the Albanians do not fall prey to Serb
provocations, "because the Serb regime is keen
on staging bigger confrontations so as to
ethnically cleanse Kosova".
"It would be good for Serbia to recognize an
independent Kosova, and thus (we) become
and remain lifelong friends", President Rugova
said.
The international community should step up pressures
on Belgrade, so that it understands
that it should engage in an internationally mediated
dialogue on Kosova, he added. It is
Belgrade that is blocking the establishment of
a dialogue, it is Belgrade that does not want
to engage in talks about Kosova, the President
emphasized.
Dr. Ibrahim Rugova pressed for preventative steps
by the international community and its
increased presence in Kosova, and reiterated
that the best solution for Kosova is an
independent and neutral country, based on the
national referendum's results, with all
guarantees for the local Serb community.
Asked by reporters to comment on calls for the
Kosova leadership to distance itself from
acts of violence and terrorism, President Rugova
said this leadership has been doing this
all along. "The entire movement in Kosova, our
civic society and the multiparty political
organization that we have established, are proof
of our determination to seek a peaceful
settlement to the Kosova issue". "We first and
foremost condemn the Serbian regime
violence in Kosova, but also all other acts of
violence which may be carried out by
frustrated people", President Rugova said, adding
that this situation is conducive to such
things, for Kosova has been going through a grave
and violent situation for seven years
now.
Apparently alluding to armed groups referred
to as the U_K, Dr. Rugova reiterated that
"we have no information who those groups are,
what kind of a game is being enacted with
them, or who does indeed stand behind them".
In reply to a question regarding a statement
FYROM President Kiro Gligorov made about
the opening of a corridor through Macedonia for
Albanians from Kosova to go to Albania in
case of a conflict breakout in Kosova, President
Rugova said Mr. Gligorov and Macedonia
"should not engage in such speculations". This
republic should also contribute so that a
conflict does not happen in Kosova, he concluded.
'Die Presse', Vienna, in German 28 Jan 98
From the interview with Kosovo Albanian
leader Ibrahim Rugova by Erich Rathenfelder,
entitled "We would like an international protectorate,"
published by the Austrian newspaper
'Die Presse' on 28th January
[Rathenfelder] The mood among the
Kosovo Albanians is ever more militant.
What is your reaction?
[Rugova] The frustration among the
population is great and the actions of the Serbian
security forces have reached a dangerous stage...
We all know that things cannot remain
as they are and other countries are also aware
of that.
[Q] Many of your compatriots are
no longer satisfied with your strategy of peaceful
resistance. How do you assess the UCK, the Kosovo
Liberation Army [Kosovo Albanian
separatist organization]?
[A] It is true that many young people
are losing patience. This is their right. Yet, in their
agitation, they are ignoring the basic political
constellation. We must not plunge into an
adventure. It is quite possible that the UCK
is controlled by the Serbian secret service;
they also have people who speak Albanian. The
goal might be the preparation of a larger
intervention which would lead to terrible bloodshed.
[Q] The Serbian opposition advocates the division of Kosovo.
[A] That is unacceptable. They want
a territory rich in minerals; they want the largest
copper mines in Europe, 15m tonnes of coal, and
the mineral oil that is believed to exist
there. Since there are no regions with a Serbian
majority, this would mean expulsion and
ethnic cleansing.
[Q] Can you expect international support?
[A] The USA and the EU know the situation
very well. We hope that their knowledge will
translate into specific actions. Kosovo used
to be part of the Yugoslav Federation, which
no longer exists. We want an independent state,
a democratic Kosovo, in which the Serbs
also enjoy equal rights. Our situation has been
unbearable for a long time.
[Q] Are you not very optimistic about the attitude of the international community?
[A] We must now avoid a major conflict.
There must be an international Kosovo initiative.
The international community must prevent escalation.
An international presence in Kosovo
might contribute to this. What we would prefer
is the establishment of an international
protectorate during a transitional period.
senden