A statement given by Mr. Demaçi to BBC
regarding the dialogue between the Albanians
and Serbs
"I do not intend to take part in a so-called group
of counselors of Mr. Rugova, it is very
difficult for me to give advice to him since
he does not trust me.
I think that these talks should be serious, otherwise
they could be very dangerous. Talks
could begin when Serbia is ready to give up its
conditions imposed to Albanians. That
means Serbia should stop demanding from Albanians
to consider themselves a minority,
to give up their request that Albanians accept
Serbia as its own state, as well as to give up
their request for acceptance of the constitution
of Zhablak. Also the demand of Contact
Group limits the framework of the Kosova issue
resolution, imposing in this way an
autonomy to Albanians within Yugoslavia.
I think that the most important condition must
be fulfilled and that is a participation of a
mediator in these talks, which should prepare
negotiations and will guarantee the results of
negotiations. Europe has shown its incapability
in resolving the problems in Bosnja and it
is showing its incapability in solving the problem
of Kosova, therefore we think that
America is the only successful mediator for this
kind of dialogue. Talks should be held in a
neutral place, for example Switzerland, and not
in the premises offered by Serbian regime.
An assessment of PPK Presidency as regard the education agreement
UNCLEAR ANNEX TO AN UNCLEAR AGREEMENT
Signing of the so called "annex" to the Rugova-Milosheviq
agreement, on March 23, 1998,
presents another fragile act of Albanian policy.
Firstly: even though it is an annex to an undefined
agreement, it contents nothing clear
and precise. Expressions such as " they could
use..." cannot be a part of an agreement.
By this unprecise annex, a space for Serb policy
manipulation has been created;
Secondly: partial return in school and university
premises is also a mistake. There is not a
single reason, either political or technical,
for this kind of parcialisation;
Thirdly: the signing of this unclear annex has
opened way for a signing of many other
annexes. After each and every signing, Serbian
policy benefits on international plan;
Fourthly: looked from the political aspect, Albanian
side should have not signed this kind of
annex before March 25, when the Contact Group
was going to decide about the sanctions
on FRY. The Belgrade regime has given a bit in
order to take a lot;
Finally: it was not necessary to sign any kind
of annex when we already had the
agreement. The previous agreement should have
been realized.
THE DANGER OF SITUATION IMPROVISING
A statement of Mr. Bajram Kosumi, vice president
of PPK, regarding the attitudes of
Contact Group on Kosova, in Bon on March 25.
The decisions of Contact Group showed that once
again instead of a just and preventive
policy won the policy of threat and close interests.
Respectively, Russian, French and
Italian interest won.
Once again, the determined American policy was
defeated by the European disputing
policy, the policy which has only observed the
ethnocide in Bosnia for three years, inable
to undertake anything. Belgrade regime has done
nothing to fulfill the demands delivered
by Contact Group in London, in order to gain
one month term. On the contrary, Serbia has
only brought new military enforcement and it
is preparing the ground for a new war. I am
very concerned by the statements of some Contact
Group members, who are closing their
eyes before the reality by declaring that they
have seen some improvements in Kosova. I
see a big danger from improvisation of situations
because these kind of improvisation can
disappoint people. Improvised dialogue is as
dangerous as military policy.
THE REASONS WHY PPK DEMANDS A POSTPONEMENT OF PRESIDENTIALY AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF MARCH 22
1. Notwithstanding the preparations PPK has made
for new elections, the Presidency of
PPK demands a posteponement of presidential and
parliamentary due to the situation
created in Kosova, after the military siegement
of some parts of Kosova. Today is the
moment for the postponement of the elections.
2. A false democratic situation in Kosova has
been created by holding these elections.
This false situation is in disagreement with
the crises situation, situation of terror and war
imposed by Belgrade regime in Drenica and other
parts of Kosova. For this reason these
elections could be a kind of opposition towards
positive attitudes of international decision
centers, which are examining the ways to prevent
war and terror in Kosova.
3. After the issue of Kosova was put forth on
the agenda of international diplomacy and
after the commitment of international decision
centers to find a solution for the Kosova
issue, the holding of the elections will be a
change of the course of the Albanian political
activity. Instead of being engaged in organizing
the potential for preparing arguments for
the Kosova issue solution, we engage ourselves
in elections.
4. Since a part of our population is under siegement
and under the risk of terror and war,
these elections will only dispute people.
5. The question is put forward "What do we gain
by these elections"? Institutions of the
Republic? These institutions already exist. Precisely,
the ones that were not interested in
functioning of these institutions now are determined
in holding the elections which will
allegedly create the institutions. If these elections
will be held in order to "legitimate" an
individual or a group of individuals, PPK appeals
that only institutions are legitimate, not
individuals or different political groups.
6. Beginning from the fact that since 1992, when
first presidential and parliamentary
elections were held, there have been manipulations
with deputies and parliamentary
commissions, violating in this way all legal
norms and regulations.
7. In regard to all these facts, the presidency
of PPK considers these elections a
manipulation of a certain political clan due
to political benefits, as such they are harmful for
the issue of Kosova.
S T A T E M E N T
The ballots of March 22-big political and national defraud
The voting of March 22,1998, was a big national
and political defraud of Mr. Rugova's clan.
This is our bitter reality as it is the Serb
occupier in Kosova.
The way to escape these two bitter realities
is by a just assessment to these misfortunes.
Regarding the occupier regime of Belgrade, it
is the last regime in Europe that has an
open conflict and which has aspirations for modern
civilization. Belgrade regime does not
give up its policy of domination, discrimination
and devastation of Albanian population.
The clan of Mr. Rugova is an outcome of special
circumstances after the failure of Titian
totalitarism which resulted in the birth of totalnational
regime of Serbia, conducted by
Milosheviq.
The first and biggest defraud was that those
who used to be the servants of Serb occupier
declared themselves leaders of the democracy
and freedom. Our people trusted them,
while this political clan misused people's trust
and by political manipulations enforced its
dominating position upon our enslaved people.
Thus, it was made possible to Serb
occupier to destroy that little autonomy that
was left together with the system of education,
culture, health, information, finance and economy.
While the regime of Belgrade has perpetrated
open terror and apartheid upon Albanian
population, this political clan was cheating
people as though it is establishing the
independent state of Kosova.
While this clan was creating privileges for themselves,
hundreds of thousands of
Albanians fled Kosova, while half million of
Albanians today depend on humanitarian aid.
Due to continuous political and governmental
fraud, a part of disappointed population
chose the way of self-defense , even by violent
means.
After an unsuccessful temptation of Serb terrorist
regime to exterminate Albanian guerrilla
in Kosova, by massacring innocent people in Drenica,
International factor was convinced
that Albanians are determined to pay the highest
price for its freedom. Then, International
factor became seriously interested in finding
a solution to the Kosova issue. After the
Contact Group examined the Kosova issue, the
clan of Rugova hurried to insure positions
by "walking on" the victims of Drenica, they
did not wait for the demands of Contact Group
to be fulfilled. Even though they did not reach
an approval of all members of coordinating
council of political parties of Kosova, knowing
that in this way they will only dispute people,
the clan of Rugova arbitrarily declared and organized
ballots of March 22, making
promises to people that in this way they will
quickly and easily gain their freedom,
independence and sovereign state of Kosova.
The elections of March 22, looked from judicial
political and national attitudes are
contestable. Ballots were organized in an irregular
way, by speculations, manipulations
even menace. Elections held with a sllogan "LDK
who else" is nothing but a definitive
dispute of national movement for the independence
of Kosova and its reduction to a
political party, as a successor of Communist
League of Yugoslavia.
We are very sorry that voters were double-crossed
by giving their votes to the policy which
will not in any way defend our national and democratic
ideals.
For all above mentioned reasons, we do not accept
the results of the elections of March
22, while those who were elected we do not consider
as a legitimate representatives of
Kosovar Albanians.
We are convinced that ballot of March 22 is a
big national fraud but it is also the last fraud
of political clan of Rugova.
March 23, 1998
The following parties signed the statement:
1. Parliamentary Party of Kosova (PPK)
2. Socialdemocratic Party of Kosova (PSDK)
3. The Party of National Unity (UNIKOMB)
4. Albanian Republican Party (PRSH)
5. Albanian Liberal Party (PLSH)
6. Coordinating Council of Political Parties
of Prishtina (KKPPP)
7. The Forum of Albanian Intellectuals (FISH)
8. Independent Students Union (UPS)
9. The Association of Political Prisoners (SHBP)
DIPLOMATIC MEETINGS
THERE IS NO COMPROMISE FOR FREEDOM
On March 23, Mr. Adem Demaçi, president,
Mr. Bajram Kosumi, Mr. Jonuz Salihaj and Mr.
Abdullah Karjagdiu, vice presidents, received
Mr. Nikolas Hill, First Secretary of American
Embassy in Belgrade and Mr. Johan Sipher, Second
Secretary of Political Section of
American Embassy in Belgrade.
Mr. Demaçi explained to Mr. Hill his reasons
for non-participation in the Group of Advisers
and stressed that we cannot make compromise for
our freedom. The only compromise
acceptable for us is the project of "Balkania"
which respects the interests of three parties
involved. By this project there will not be any
minorities and it also implies the preservation
of international borders. If our policy was active
as it did from March 2nd till now, we would
have not come in the position to make concessions,
to ask Serbs to give us what in fact
belongs to us. I will attend the dialogue only
when it is prepared and mediated by
Americans since, based on what happened in Bosnia,
we cannot expect a satisfying
solution from Europe.
On March 16, Mr.Ahmet Prishtina, the deputy of
Democratic left wing in the Parliament of
Turkey, visited the residence of PPK and was
received by Mr. Adem Demaçi, president,
Mr. Bajram Kosumi, vice president and Mr. Hakif
Bajrami, member of executive council of
PPK.
Mr.Prishtina said that Turkish Parliament has
discussed the issue of Kosova and the
approval of a resolution on Kosova is to be expected.
Turkey, said Mr. Demaçi, is the biggest
military force in Balkan. Serbia is keeping Kosova
occupied because it has military superiority.
The engagement of Turkey in this direction
would be in the function of one people's freedom.
On March 17, Mr. Adem Demaçi, president,
Mr. Bajram Kosumi and Mr. Jonuz Salihaj,
vice presidents, received Mr. Brian Donnelly,
Ambassador of Great Britain in Belgrade,
escorted by Mr. Julian Braithwaite, First Secretary
of this Embassy.
Answering guests' questions, Mr. Demaçi
said that Serbia's invitations for a dialogue under
these circumstances are not serious. Taking in
regard the conditions put forward by
Serbia, we understand that we are dealing with
a dictate.
Mr. Donnelly said that bearing in mind the nature
of Belgrade regime, International
Community has put forward concrete demands and
appointed terms. Therefore, any
disregard of these terms will result with new
measures against Belgrade. It may look to you
it is going too slowly, but I would not like
you to create illusions that by a military
intervention the issue can be solved. It is our
common obligation to stop police violence in
order to open the way for communication. As you
may know, the ministers of EC has
assessed that Serb offer for dialogue is not
satisfying and it does not fulfill the demand of
Contact Group for an unconditioned dialogue.
On March 20, representatives of Croatian Embassy
in Belgrade Mr. Zvonimir Markoviq,
Ambassador, Mr. Davor Vidis, Counselor, Mr. Dario
Kovaçiq, Counselor at the Foreign
Ministry of Croatia and Mrs. Ivana Sutlic-Peric,
a journalist with Croatian TV, visited the
residence of PPK and were received by Mr. Adem
Demaçi, president, Mr. Rifat Blaku, vice
president, Mr. Agron Dida and Ismet Salihu members
of the presidency of PPK.
Mr. Demaçi informed the guests about the
current situation in Kosova and about the
problems faced by Albanian people.
Among others, Mr. Markoviq stressed that unfortunately
small nations are objects and not
subjects in International Community.
On March 26, Mr. Adem Demaçi, president,
Mr. Bajram Kosumi, Mr. Jonuz Salihaj and Mr.
Abdullah Karjagdiu, vice presidents, and Mr.
Ismet Salihu, member of the presidency,
received Mr. Jonas Waiss, First Secretary of
Swedish Embassy in Belgrade.
Mr. Demaçi said that there cannot be a
real dialogue while menacing Albanians. There
cannot be a dialogue unless Serb military forces
are withdrawn, and without American
mediation the dialogue will have no success.
An improvised dialogue is as dangerous as
military policy. The policy of dictate of Belgrade
regime has come to an end. It is about
time now for a long term peace, it is the time
for peace between people in Balkans,
concluded Mr. Demaçi.
Mr. Rifat Blaku, president of the Commission for
Emigration and Refugees, and vice
president of Parliamentary Party of Kosova, was
received at the seat of UNHCR by Mr.
Eduardo Arboleda, chief deputy of UNHCR mission
for former Yugoslavia and Mr. Hiro
Mori, high expert on judicial issues of UNHCR
in Geneva.
Mr.Eduardo Arbuleda informed Mr.Blaku about the
reactions and engagements of UNHCR
to help dislocated people of Drenica in order
to stop new wave of refugees. He also spoke
about a contingent of UNHCR aid from Geneva,
which is expected to be distributed in
endangered regions.
Mr. Rifat Blaku passed to Mr. Arbuleda register
and other data concerning dislocated
Albanians from Drenica and requested of UNHCR
officials to make possible a
humanitarian corridor for Drenica in order to
create conditions for people to return to their
homes as soon as possible.
senden