THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS OF THE KOSOVA ISSUE SOLUTION
It is very important that Contact Group is dealing
seriously with the issue of Kosova. This
seriousness is shown particularly by the trip
to Europe of Mrs. Albright, for a preliminary
harmonization of attitudes. It is known that
the decisions of Contact Group in London are a
consequence of forced compromises, due to pro
serbian attitudes of Russian deputy
foreign minister. As such these decisions have
their positive and negative side.
It is very important that Contact Group is determined
not to allow a war in Kosova. Also,
the menace decision to bring before Hague tribunal
criminals guilty for crimes in Kosova,
especially in Drenica, then, condemnation of
Serb policy which imposes military policy for
the solution of the Kosova issue, as well as
threat with reinstallment of sanctions, are very
important measures against military policy of
Belgrade.
Third important issue is the agreement that the
issue of Kosova should be discussed by
the Security Council of UN.
But it was wrong to prejudice the solution of
the political status of Kosova, within an
autonomy, and what is most important, the equalization
of war initiating terror of the
Belgrade regime with self defence of Albanians'.
This for sure does not lead to a just
solution of the Kosova issue, but Albanian political
factor should insist more in the
distinction between Albanians' self defence and
Serbian terror.
Finally, notwithstanding that Albanians have
expected more from this meeting,
notwithstanding that these decisions of Contact
Group are very "soft" compared with serb
militarism, I think that international decision
making centers made concrete steps towards
the approach to the Kosova issue. Last week,
apart from the danger of the new war,
brought also the beginning of a long process
of the Kosova issue resolution.
The statement of Mr. Demaçi regarding the
invitation of Serb government addressed to
Albanians' of Kosova.
WE DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO A REGIME THAT KILLS PEOPLE
It is well known that Albanians have always been
for a dialogue with Serbia. But, Serbia
responded with terror and violence to our request
for dialogue. After recent, well known
massacres, and after the intervention of US and
Europe, terrorist regime of Belgrade
finding itself on the line of fire, made such
an improper offer for dialogue to Albanians so it
looked like a children's game. But, we cannot
expect more from a terrorist and fascists
regime as it is the Belgrade regime. This dialogue
is cynical since it refers to Albanians as
minority and implies a solution of problems in
the framework of Serbia. We are forced by
third factor, in the first place by US, to enter
the unconditional dialogue, but that leaves us
under the Serbian occupation, because even the
Contact Group and the statement of Mr.
Gelbard commit on a prevalence of the integrity
of Serbia or, as they sometimes say, of
Yugoslavia. It is cynical to demand from Albanians,
under current conditions, to enter a
dialogue as a minority with a regime which did
not allow them to bury the massacred
corps.
We were and we will always be for a dialogue
and negotiations, but we do not want to talk
to a regime which killed innocent Albanians.
If we accept to talk to these criminals today,
in a way proposed by Serbian government, it
would be a fatal political mistake. I think that
despite very grave situation Albanians will not
enter these kind of talks, not at least till
this regime shows whether it is ready to accept
sanctions, very "soft-line" sanctions, of Contact
Group.
Till international factor does not make distinctions
between the Albanian victims and
Serbian armed criminals, we cannot hope for a
(just) genuine solution of the Kosova issue.
The aim is maybe only to patch the Albanian issue
and than to forget it. I am afraid that
international factor is trying to find among
us people that are ready to capitulate and forget
the sacrifices of Albanian people, in order to
insure a pour position for themselves. Time
will tell what is going to happen.
Under these circumstances, under these conditions
offered by terrorist regime of
Belgrade, I will not except to enter talks.
MR. DEMAÇI INVITED TO MEET MR. KINKEL AND MR. VEDRINE
Mr. Bajram Kosumi, vice president of PPK, on March
13, received Mr. Jan Kickert, first
secretary of Austrian Embassy and Mr. Alexander
Thelitz, counselor of the German
Embassy in Belgrade. In the meeting, current
situation in Kosova, especially the crime and
organized governmental terror in Drenica by the
Belgrade regime, and also the
possibilities for International Community to
help in the solution of the Kosova issue were
discussed.
German diplomat handed Mr. Kosumi a common invitation
of German and French
Ambassadors, Mr. Gruber and Mr. Filliol addressed
to Mr. Demaçi, to meet foreign
ministers of Germany and France, Mr. Kinkel and
Mr. Vedrine, on March 19, in Belgrade.
SALTO MORTALE OF SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
Only a dictatorial regime, like Belgrade regime,
is able to make a salto mortale as it is the
invitation for a dialogue, allegedly with Albanian
leaders.
Serbian government did not recognize the existence
of the Kosova issue, all the sudden
they announced the arrival in Prishtina in order
to enter a dialogue. Albanians have never
opposed a dialogue, but the invitation for dialogue
by Serb government does not look like
a serious invitation.
This government has predetermined the conditions
for a dialogue, such as:
the dialogue should be held in the serb government
premisses in Prishtina;
under serb police supervision;
with Albanians that accept the existing Constitution
of Serbia and the current status of
Kosova, which means a colony under Serbia.
In one word the Serbs have invited Albanians
to talk about the sport, cross word, or coffee,
but not about the solution of the political status
of Kosova.
This invitation is a political speculation, in
order to avoid the pressure of International
Community toward Belgrade. A real dialogue does
not include dictate, imposition or
prejudice, as it does the dialogue offered to
Albanians by Belgrade.
The Contact Group, two days ago, has presented
the conditions for a dialogue. Albanians
cannot act in the opposition to these attitudes
of Contact Group. The Belgrade regime
must fulfil its obligations delivered by the
Contact Group through attitudes such as:
to stop the massacres of its military forces
in Kosova;
to withdraw special military, police and paramilitary
units from Kosova;
to condemn the crime and terror of these units
in Drenica and to hand to the Hague
Tribunal the criminals that massacred the population
of Drenica;
to give up the military method of the solution
of the Kosova issue.
Therefore as long as Belgrade regime does not
fulfil these obligations, we consider that it
is not ready for a dialogue.
While, the alleged or improvised dialogue is
as dangerous as the military policy and
Albanians should never allow to fall in this
kind of trap.
Albanians understand that peaceful solution is
the best solution of the Kosova issue either
for Albanians or Serbians. But they also understand
that only a real dialogue, a just and
equal dialogue can be successful. The Kosova
issue is already an international issue and
every temptation to marginalise the important
role of International Community in the
Kosova issue solution is harmful and unacceptable
for Albanians.
DIPLOMATIC MEETINGS
On March 4, at the residence of PPK Mr. Adem Demaçi,
president, Mr. Bajram Kosumi,
Mr. Rifat Blaku, Mr. Abdullah Karjagdiu and Mr.
Jonuz Salihaj received Mr. Stanislas Filliol,
the Ambassador of France in Belgrade, and Mr.
Gerard Fauveau, counselor at French
Embassy.
Mr. Demaçi, informed the guests about
the terror of serb regime perpetrated on innocent
population of Drenica and about the peaceful
protest of March 2nd. in Prishtinë.
" The protest of March 2nd, said Mr. Demaçi
was a sign of respect for innocent victims in
Drenica and also a declaration addressed to world
public opinion, that Albanians are not
terrorists. We ask you not to equalize us, which
are demanding our freedom, with those
that want to derive our freedom."
Mr. Demaçi continued by saying that France,
as well as Europe, should understand the
serousness of the problem and they should act
in preventive way. The issue of Kosova
cannot be solved by old formulas, which leave
it under Serbian regime.
On March 11, Mr.Demaçi, president of PPK,
Mr.Bajram Kosumi, Mr. Jonus Salihaj and Mr.
Abdullah Karjagdiu, vice presidents, received
Mr. Lorenco Amberg, counselor at the
Embassy of Switzerland.
Mr. Amberg informed the leaders of PPK about
the engagements of Swiss government on
the solution of the Kosova issue, either through
OSCE or in its own way.
Mr. Demaçi thanked Swiss diplomat and
stressed that Switzerland is an ideal place for an
International Conference on Kosova. He continued
by saying that Switzerland should not
hurry to repatriate Albanian refugees, which
flue from Kosova due to political and
economical terror perpetrated by Belgrade regime.
I hope, continued Mr. Demaçi, that
International Community as well as Swiss government
will justly evaluate peaceful policy,
patience and determinance of Albanians for freedom.
Parts from a meeting with presidents of PPK branches
On March 7, at the residence of PPK a meeting
with presidents of PPK branches,
conducted by Mr. Jonuz Salihaj, vice president,
was held. The situation created after the
attack of Serbian military forces in Drenica,
was discussed. The branch presidents
condemned the policy of ethnic cleansing perpetrated
by Belgrade regime and appealed
to International Community for concrete and immediate
measures to prevent armed
attacks of Belgrade regime upon defendless population.
It has been said that PPK branches will cooperate
with other political parties, to surpass
the situation and to oppose the disinformation
and anarchy, as a form of special war
imposed by Belgrade regime.
The PPK branches support and engage themselves
for different forms of nonviolent
protests, in order to stop the violence and against
the military method of the Kosova issue
solution. PPK branches also support announced
women protest on March 8, as well as
students' and citizens' protest of March 13.
In this meeting presidents opf PPK branches also
expressed a deep respect for the
support of the citizens of Albania and Albanians
in Macedonia.
A CRIME CONDEMNED AS A GENOCIDE
Following are parts from a comment written by Mr. Ismet Salihu
With a pretext of finding
and arresting the members of UÇK, organized serb police on
February 28 and March 1-7, 1998 has committed
killings and massacres upon Albanian
civil population in Drenica, a population which
is protected by international conventions
even in time of war. But in the case of Drenica,
which was a premonitioned plan, were
killed and massacred by fire guns at least 76
Albanians out of which many children aged
4-12 years, women and elderly and even a pregnant
woman. 27 persons were killed only
in Jasharaj family.
These killings and massacres
of civilian population, according to international right and
according to all penal rights of comprehensive
states, are considered as crimes. Since,
after the Second World War, same crimes were
committed only in Bosnja, especially
Srebrenica, criminals should be sentenced with
death penalties.
In connection with this,
it has to be pointed out that this kind of crime is forbidden by
International Convention on Prevention and Punishment
of genocide crime, which was
approved by the United Nations Assembly in 1948.
According to this convention,
this kind of crime can be committed in war and in peace.
In the case of Kosova this crime has been committed
in the state of occupation by Serbia.
To prove our statement, that crimes in Drenica
are genocide and war crimes we quote art.
2 of the above mentioned convention;
In this convention term
"genocide" refers to the act which has the purpose to
exterminate a national group, ethnic group, racial
group or religious group and that is:
a.) by killing the group member,
b.) hard physical and psychological injuries
perpetrated to the group member;
c.) imposition of difficult living condition
in order to exterminate group members;
d.) applying measures with an intention
to stop births within a group; and
e.) violent children transfer from one
group to another;"
Serb regime has been
perpetratening these kinds of genocide crimes upon Albanians
of Kosova since 1918. All these crimes as well
as last crimes in the villages of Drenica, are
typical penal acts according to the art.
2. a,b and c, of the above mentioned convention.
Therefore we think the
time has come now for international public opinion to realize that
the problem is not only in the violation of human
rights and freedoms of Albanians in
Kosova but it is a matter of discrimination,
apartheid and ordinary genocide crimes towards
2 million Albanians, which is 90 % of whole population
of Kosova.
Our governmental and political subjects should
make an exact list of killed, wounded and
tortured Albanians and distribute it to relevant
International Centers and Hague Tribunal, in
order to initiate a proceeding against people
of Serbian regime responsible for these
genocide crimes in Kosova.
senden