Tagesnachrichten 20. Oktober 1998
     von dpa, from ALBANEWS and others
     News of the day - October 20, 1998
     Kosova Information Center : Daily Report No 1588

         Die Bibel sagt  -  The Bible says
 

If available you find on this page  -  Soweit verfügbar finden Sie auf dieser Seite     1. Meldungen von dpa    2. Remarks - Hints - Special informations    3. Reports about deportation and persons repatriated to Kosova  in deutsch und englisch     4. Daily Report from KIC  (Kosova Information Center)    5. news from ARTA  (Koha ditore)    6. news from RFE/RL NEWSLINE    7. news from Fr. Sava  (Decani Monastery)    8. Reports from Human Rights Organisations        especially CDHRF  (Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms, Prishtina)    9. news from ATA /ENTER  and so on  10. eventual additional press news  Link to Background-information  Link to earlier news - so far as room is given by my provider on the server  The Bible says  -  Die Bibel sagt

 

1. Meldungen von dpa

 

Robin Cook lehnt Unabhaengigkeit des Kosovos ab

Serbien verabschiedet umstrittenes Informationsgesetz

Kosovo-Albaner melden Artilleriebeschuss und Truppenverstaerkungen

EU-Ratspraesident fordert baldige Wahlen im Kosovo

Kosovo-Albaner melden Artilleriebeschuss und Truppenverstaerkungen

Nato-Oberbefehlshaber Clark in Belgrad erwartet

US-Vermittler Hill zu Gespraechen mit Milosevic erwartet

UCK: Serbische Seite honorierte Zurueckhaltung der UCK nicht

Robin Cook soll sich in Skopje mit Albanerfuehrer Rugova treffen

Journalisten solidarisch mit verschwundenen Kollegen im Kosovo

"Moskowskije Nowosti": Aggression der USA im Kosovo verhindert

Robin Cook lehnt Unabhängigkeit des Kosovos ab
Sofia (dpa) - Der britische Außenminister Robin Cook hat am Dienstag in Sofia eine Unabhängigkeit des Kosovos abgelehnt und sich für eine «Selbstverwaltung» der Albaner in der südserbischen Unruheprovinz ausgesprochen. «Wir waren nie für eine Unabhängigkeit des Kosovos», sagte Cook vor der Presse in Sofia zum Abschluß seines Besuchs in Bulgarien.
     Nach Ansicht Cooks sollten die Grenzen abgebaut und keine neuen geschaffen werden. «Wir sollten eine Lösung für die Bedürfnisse der Menschen (im Kosovo) finden». Es sollte ein Gleichgewicht zwischen ihrer Zugehörigkeit zu Jugoslawien und der Möglichkeit geschaffen werden, ihre Angelegenheiten durch eine Selbstverwaltung zu kontrollieren, sagte Cook weiter.
     Die Stabilität im Kosovo würde nach den Worten von Cook die Stabilität in der ganzen Region des Balkans stärken. Für ein stabiles Kosovo sollte eine Selbstverwaltung und Kontrolle über die eigenen Polizeikräfte vorgesehen werden. In neun Monaten sollten Wahlen für eine Versammlung im Kosovo stattfinden, die nicht durch Belgrad, sondern durch die OSZE kontrolliert werden, sagte Cook.
     Cook rief den jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic auf, sich an das Abkommen über das Kosovo zu halten. «Es würde sonst keine Zukunft für ihn geben», warnte Cook.
     Der britische Außenminister erörterte mit der bulgarischen Führung auch die britisch-bulgarischen Beziehungen. Es wurde eine verstärkte Zusammenarbeit in der Wirtschaft und bei der Bekämpfung der organisierten Kriminalität vereinbart.
     Cook bekräftigte die Unterstützung Großbritanniens für die Bemühungen Bulgariens um eine künftige Mitgliedschaft in der Europäischen Union und in der Nato. Als Ausdruck der engeren Beziehungen wird Prinz Charles am 6. und 7. November Bulgarien besuchen.
     Nach Abschluß seiner Visite in Bulgarien wollte Cook in die mazedonische Hauptstadt Skopje weiterreisen.
© dpa

Serbien verabschiedet umstrittenes Informationsgesetz
Belgrad (dpa) - Das serbische Parlament hat am Dienstag das heftig umstrittene Informationsgesetz verabschiedet. Es verbietet unter anderem die Übernahme von ausländischen Rundfunk- und Fernsehprogrammen in serbischer Sprache und schränkt die freie Berichterstattung ein.
     Bei Nichteinhaltung der sehr restriktiven Bestimmungen drohen den unabhängigen und regimekritischen Verlagen und Redakteuren Geldstrafen von bis zu umgerechnet 133 000 Mark.
     Für das Gesetz stimmten die Abgeordneten der regierenden Koalition der Sozialisten, extremistischen Radikalen und Kommunisten. Vertreter der Opposition hatten die Sitzung aus Protest verlassen.
     Schon in der vergangenen Woche hatten die Behörden drei Tageszeitungen in Belgrad und zwei Lokalsender verboten.
© dpa

Kosovo-Albaner melden Artilleriebeschuß und Truppenverstärkungen
Pristina/Belgrad (dpa) - Serbische Sicherheitskräfte haben nach kosovo-albanischen Angaben vom Dienstag zwei Dörfer in der Nähe von Malisevo mit Artillerie beschossen. Die in der Nacht geführten Angriffe seien am Dienstag mit Handfeuerwaffen in dem 50 Kilometer südwestlich der Provinzhauptstadt Pristina gelegenen Gebiet fortgesetzt worden, teilten örtliche Büros des kosovo-albanischen Komitees zur Verteidigung der Menschenrechte mit.
     Beim Anschlag der albanischen Untergrundarmee UCK auf eine Polizeistreife im Kosovo wurde nahe Klina ein Polizist verletzt, meldete die amtliche Belgrader Nachrichtenagentur Tanjug. In den vergangenen Tagen war es im Kosovo zu mehreren Zwischenfällen gekommen, bei denen serbische Polizeiwachen und Kontrollpunkte beschossen oder überfallen wurden.
     Jüngste Angriffe der UCK begründete der politische Sprecher der Untergrundtruppe der Kosovo-Albaner, Adem Demaci, mit dem Verhalten der serbischen Sicherheitskräfte. Die serbische Seite habe die vor zwei Wochen proklamierte militärische Zurückhaltung der UCK «nicht honoriert», sagte Demaci in der Provinzhauptstadt Pristina. «Die serbischen Sicherheitskräfte beschießen und bombardieren weiter albanische Dörfer und brennen albanische Häuser nieder», sagte Demaci.
     Nach Angaben des kosovo-albanischen Informationszentrums (IKZ) wurden auch am Dienstag weitere Verstärkungen serbischer Polizei- und Militärkräfte festgestellt. Insbesondere seien davon die Umgebung von Prizren (Südwestkosovo), von Podujevo (Nordostkosovo) und das Gebiet zwischen Stimlje und Suva Reka (40 Kilometer südwestlich von Pristina) betroffen. Die Sicherheitskräfte seien an einzelnen Stellen neu gruppiert und an strategischen Stellen im Gelände in Stellung gebracht worden.
     Am Dienstag wurden auch die diplomatischen Bemühungen um eine friedliche Lösung der Kosovo-Krise fortgesetzt. In Belgrad sollten der Nato-Oberbefehlshaber Wesley Clark und der US-Vermittler Christopher Hill den jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic treffen, meldete der Belgrader Sender B 92. Wie aus albanischen Quellen in Pristina verlautete, wollte sich an diesem Mittwoch der britische Außenminister Robin Cook in der mazedonischen Hauptstadt Skopje mit dem politischen Führer der Kosovo-Albaner, Ibrahim Rugova treffen.
     Der österreichische Außenminister und EU-Ratspräsident Wolfgang Schüssel sprach sich am Dienstag für baldige Wahlen im Kosovo innerhalb der nächsten sechs Monate aus. Zugleich rief er die Kosovo-Albaner zu «größter Zurückhaltung» auf, wie die österreichische Nachrichtenagentur APA meldet. Die Rückführung der Flüchtlinge dürfe nicht gefährdet werden, sagte Schüssel demnach weiter.
     Am Dienstag debattierte das serbische Parlament über ein äußerst restriktives Informationsgesetz, das nach Auffassung der Unabhängigen Journalistenunion in Jugoslawien die Meinungsfreiheit zunehmend beschränkt. Zur Diskussion standen auch der US-Entwurf einer friedlichen Regelung des Kosovo-Konfliktes und die Verwirklichung des am vergangenen Donnerstag unterzeichneten Abkommens über unbewaffnete Nato-Aufklärungsflüge über der südserbischen Provinz Kosovo.
     Sowohl Belgrad, als auch die Kosovo-Albaner haben Vorbehalte im Hinblick auf diesem offiziell nicht veröffentlichten amerikanischen Plan geäußert. Deswegen ist es auch noch nicht zum angekündigten direkten serbisch-albanischen Dialog gekommen.
© dpa

EU-Ratspräsident fordert baldige Wahlen im Kosovo
Wien (dpa) - Der österreichische Außenminister und EU-Ratspräsident Wolfgang Schüssel hat sich am Dienstag für baldige Wahlen im Kosovo ausgesprochen. Diese sollten innerhalb der nächsten sechs Monate stattfinden, sagte Schüssel nach Angaben der österreichischen Nachrichtenagentur APA. «Mit einer Führung, die durch allgemeine Wahlen gestärkt ist, kann man rascher klare Übereinkünfte erzielen».
     Zugleich rief er die Kosovo-Albaner zu «größter Zurückhaltung» auf. Die Rückführung der Flüchtlinge dürfe nicht gefährdet werden. Nach den Zugeständnissen auf serbischer Seite wäre es «unerträglich», wenn es von kosovo-albanischer Seite zu Provokationen käme, sagte Schüssel.
© dpa
_______________________________________________________________________

Kosovo-Albaner melden Artilleriebeschuß und Truppenverstärkungen
Pristina (dpa) - Serbische Sicherheitskräfte haben nach Angaben von Kosovo-Albanern in der Nacht zum Dienstag zwei Dörfer in der Nähe von Malisevo (50 Kilometer südwestlich von Pristina) mit Artillerie beschossen. Die Angriffe seien am Dienstag mit Handfeuerwaffen fortgesetzt worden, teilten örtliche Büros des kosovo-albanischen Komitees zur Verteidigung der Menschenrechte mit
     In der Ortschaft Trepesa seien eine Mutter und ihr sechs Monate altes Baby erheblich verletzt worden. Diesen Quellen zufolge verwehrte die serbische Polizei den Transport der Verletzten ins nächstgelegene Krankenhaus.
     Nach Angaben des kosovo-albanischen Informationszentrums (IKZ) wurden auch am Dienstag weitere Verstärkungen serbischer Polizei- und Militärkräfte festgestellt. Insbesondere seien davon die Umgebung von Prizren (Südwestkosovo), von Podujevo (Nordostkosovo) und das Gebiet zwischen Stimlje und Suva Reka (40 Kilometer südwestlich der Provinzhauptstadt Pristina) betroffen. Die Sicherheitskräfte seien an einzelnen Stellen neu gruppiert und an strategischen Stellen im Gelände in Stellung gebracht worden.
© dpa

Nato-Oberbefehlshaber Clark in Belgrad erwartet
Belgrad (dpa) - Der Nato-Oberbefehlshaber Wesley Clark wird an diesem späten Dienstag zu Gesprächen mit dem jugoslawischen Präsident Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrad erwartet. Dies meldete der Sender B 92 aus der jugoslawischen Hauptstadt.
     Bei den Gesprächen werde die Umsetzung des Abkommens über unbewaffnete Nato- Überwachungsflüge über der südjugoslawischen Krisenprovinz Kosovo erörtert. Es war am vergangenen Donnerstag unterzeichnet worden.
© dpa

US-Vermittler Hill zu Gesprächen mit Milosevic erwartet
Belgrad (dpa) - Der US-Vermittler im Kosovo, Christopher Hill, wurde am späten Dienstag zu Gesprächen mit dem jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrad erwartet. Dies meldete die Nachrichtenagentur Beta aus der jugoslawischen Haupstadt. Er wolle über einen Plan der USA für eine friedliche Regelung der Kosovo-Krise verhandeln.
     Sowohl Milosevic als auch die Kosovo-Albaner haben sich zu dem bisher nicht veröffentlichten Plan zurückhaltend geäußert. Auch deshalb hat der direkte Dialog zwischen Serben und Kosovo-Albanern bisher nicht begonnen.
© dpa

UCK: Serbische Seite honorierte Zurückhaltung der UCK nicht
Pristina (dpa) - Der politische Sprecher der Kosovo-Untergrund-Armee UCK, Adem Demaci, hat am Dienstag die jüngsten Angriffe der UCK mit dem Verhalten der serbischen Sicherheitskräfte im Kosovo begründet. Die serbische Seite habe die vor zwei Wochen proklamierte militärische Zurückhaltung der UCK «nicht honoriert», sagte Demaci auf einer Pressekonferenz in Pristina.
     «Die serbischen Sicherheitskräfte beschießen und bombardieren weiter albanische Dörfer und brennen albanische Häuser nieder», sagte Demaci. «Die UCK fühlt sich jederzeit frei, ihre Zurückhaltung wieder aufzugeben, da es sich um eine selbst auferlegte Zurückhaltung handelt.»
     In den vergangenen Tagen war es im gesamten Kosovo zu zwei Dutzend Zwischenfällen gekommen, bei denen serbische Polizeiwachen und Kontrollpunkte beschossen oder überfallen wurden. Bei einem dieser Überfälle starben am Wochenende drei serbische Polizisten.
     Albanische Quellen wiederum sprachen von unverminderten serbischen Artillerie-Attacken im Raum Malisevo und in der Zentral-Region Drenica.
© dpa

Robin Cook soll sich in Skopje mit Albanerführer Rugova treffen
Belgrad/Skopje (dpa) - Der britische Außenminister Robin Cook soll sich am (heutigen) Dienstag oder am (morgigen) Mittwoch in der mazedonischen Hauptstadt Skopje mit dem politischen Führer der Kosovo-Albaner, Ibrahim Rugova treffen. Cook werde versuchen, Rugova und seine Delegation zur Annahme des Kosovo-Abkommens zu überreden. Das berichtete die Belgrader Nachrichtenagentur Beta am Dienstag unter Berufung auf diplomatische Quellen in Skopje.
     Das Abkommen war vor einer Woche zwischen dem US-Sonderbeauftragten Richard Holbrooke und dem jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic ausgehandelt worden.
© dpa

Journalisten solidarisch mit verschwundenen Kollegen im Kosovo
Belgrad/Pristina (dpa) - Mehr als 100 Journalisten haben am Dienstag wegen des ungeklärten Verschwindens zweier serbischer Kollegen in Pristina, der Hauptstadt der Unruheprovinz Kosovo, protestiert. Das berichtet die Belgrader Nachrichtenagentur Beta.
     Die jugoslawischen und ausländischen Berichterstatter sind anschließend in einem Autokonvoi ins 20 Kilometer entfernte Dorf Magura gefahren, wo die Reporter der amtlichen jugoslawischen Nachrichtenagentur Tanjug seit Sonntag vermißt werden. Die Versammelten haben an den politischen Vertreter der albanischen Untergrundarmee UCK, Adem Demaci, appelliert, umgehend eine Untersuchung wegen einer möglichen Entführung der Journalisten durch die UCK einzuleiten.
     Die vermißten Journalisten wollten über einen UCK-Angriff auf serbische Polizei in Magura berichten. Ende August hatte die UCK zwei Journalisten des serbischen Rundfunks aus Pristina entführt. Auch sie gelten seitdem als vermißt.
© dpa

«Moskowskije Nowosti»: Aggression der USA im Kosovo verhindert
Moskau (dpa) - Zum unterschiedlichen Vorgehen der Staaten im Kosovo-Konflikt schreibt die russische Tageszeitung «Moskowskije Nowosti» am Dienstag:
     «Es sieht so aus, als ob die versteckte Sabotage Europas in Kombination mit der drohenden Rhetorik Moskaus genauso wie zuletzt im rak-Konflikt dazu beigetragen haben, die Aggression der Amerikaner (im Kosovo) aufzuhalten. Es wurde eine auf ihre Art logische Rollenverteilung erreicht. Die USA und die Nato tun so, als ob sie jeden Augenblick Gewalt einsetzen können. Rußland appelliert an das Völkerrecht und die Vernunft Milosevics.
     Europa aber, dem einen wie dem anderen zustimmend, verpflichtet sich, 2 000 Beobachter der OSZE in das Kosovo zu schicken. Wenn diese Formel der kollektiven Verantwortung beim Entschärfen der Kosovo-Mine hilft, kann sie vielleicht künftig ein neues Kosovo oder sogar ein neues Tschetschenien verhindern.»
© dpa

Wer nichts tut, macht keine Fehler.             - Oder ist gerade das ein Fehler ?  Was wird die NATO am Samstag (nicht) tun ?   Doing nothing means making no mistakes.             - Or ist exactly this a mistake ?  What will NATO do or not do on Saturday ?   Das ist die Antwort - THAT's the answer   Meldung vom 16.10.1998 18:16  http://seite1.web.de/show/3627715F.NL1/  Nato-Rat setzt Einsatzbefehl bis 27. Oktober aus     Meldung vom 18.10.1998 15:34 http://seite1.web.de/show/3629EE87.NL1/  Washington sieht «klare Anzeichen» für serbischen Rückzug  ... Belgrad ziehe offensichtlich mindestens zwei der erforderlichen sieben Bataillone aus dem Kosovo zurück und erleichtere die humanitäre Hilfe. ...

"... Die OSZE-Beobachtertruppe soll insgesamt 2.ooo Mitglieder umfassen ... es ist unklar, ob so eine grosze Zahl an Beobachter in so kurzer Zeit zusammenkommen kann." Zeitungsmeldung vom Fr. 16. Okt. ´98

Zivildiener in Oesterreich fordern schon seit laengerem eine 1-monatige Ausbildung waehrend ihres Dienstes, um anschlieszend genau fuer solche OSZE-/UNO-Einsaetze freiwillig zur Verfuegung stehen zu koennen.
Das Konzept des DiplomZIVIs dazu:   http://www.zivildienst.at/Texte/diplomzivi.htm

Fuer naehere Informationen zum Zivildienst am besten persoenlich am ZiviTAG am Freitag den 23. Oktober vorbeischauen:   http://www.zivildienst.at/zivitag98.htm
Wir bitten die Medien den ZiviTAG ´98 in ihren Veranstaltungskalender aufzunehmen !

Umfassende Informationen über den Kosov@ mit Texten von:
Dr. Irmtraut Karlsson; Dr. Alois Mock; Alexander Lange; Dardan Gashi; Reinhard Laurer; Dr. Vojislav Seselj
und Spendenkonto:
http://www.zivildienst.at/kosova/zivinfo.htm

mit zivilen Grueszen
Christopher Temt
ZivINFO
0663 / 97 090 59

*************************************************************
        Diskussionsforum zum Zivildienst (BlackBox):
        news://news.blackbox.at/at.blackbox.zivildienst
**************************************************************

Offene Fragen:

     Ein ethisches
           Ein juristisches
                 Ein politisches Problem ?

                        Wenn sich jemand nicht an seine Zusagen,
                                an getroffenes Vereinbarungen,
                                an geschlossene Verträge,
                                an Gesetze hält,
                        kann der dann von anderen die Einhaltung genau
                                dieser Absprachen und Regelungen einfordern ?
                        ist der - sind die - Vertragspartner
                                dann noch an ihr Wort gebunden ?

Open questions:

     An ethical
           A juridical
                 A political problem ?

             If someone keeps not his promises,
                    incured agreements,
                    contracts,
                    laws,
             can this one call in from others to keep
                    even these agreements and arrangements ?
             is the - are the - partner of contract
                    in theses circumstances liable to keep his - their - word ?

Kennen Sie Fälle von Abschiebungen nach Kosova ? - Bitte senden Sie mir Ihren Bericht !
Do you know cases of deportations to Kosova ? - Please send me your report !

Kaum zu glauben:     s o  handelt das Land des Oktoberfestes !

dpa- Meldung vom 02.10.1998 11:16  http://seite1.web.de/show/36149A07.NL1/      Bayern wollte Kosovo-Albaner per Flugzeug via Schweiz abschieben  Bern (dpa) - Nach Inkrafttreten des Landeverbots für die jugoslawische Fluggesellschaft JAT in Deutschland versuchen die Behörden des Bundeslandes Bayern nun, abgewiesene Asylbewerber aus dem Kosovo via Schweiz abzuschieben. Das erklärten Vertreter der Schweizer Flüchtlings-Bewegung am Freitag in Bern.       Ein erster Abschiebungs-Versuch scheiterte nach den Angaben der Flüchtlingshilfe am 21. September - allerdings nicht an den Schweizer Behörden. Ein jugoslawischer Staatsangehöriger sei von Frankfurt über Zürich mit der JAT nach Belgrad geflogen worden, wo ihn die jugoslawischen Behörden aber zurückwiesen.       Die Schweiz hatte sich dem vor vier Wochen von der EU beschlossenen Landeverbot für die JAT nicht angeschlossen. Sie fliegt immer noch einmal täglich ab Zürich.       Zur Begründung hieß es, selbst die EU-Länder wollten sich nicht alle an das Verbot halten. Belgrad akzeptiert keine abgeschobenen Asylbewerber, die auf dem Landweg nach Jugoslawien gebracht werden.       Das bayerische Innenministerium soll sich in der Schweiz nach Angaben der Flüchtlings-Bewegung eingehend über Möglichkeiten informiert haben, in Zukunft Kosovo-Albaner mit Maschinen der Fluggesellschaft JAT von Zürich nach Belgrad zu bringen.       Der bayerische Versuch, das JAT-Embargo zu umgehen, zeige, daß der Schweizer Alleingang hochproblematisch sei, erklärte der Zentralsekretär der Schweizerischen Flüchtlingshilfe, Markus Loosli.       Die Nationalrätin Vreni Müller-Hemmi aus Zürich richtete in der Sache eine Dringliche Einfache Anfrage an den Schweizer Bundesrat. Darin fordert sie die Landesregierung unter anderem zu einer Erklärung darüber auf, warum die Schweiz ein einzelnes deutsches Bundesland dabei unterstütze, einen Entscheid der gesamtdeutschen Regierung zu unterwandern.       Das Außenministerium nannte dagegen die Schweizer Haltung zum Milosevic-Regime «sehr kritisch». Ministeriums-Sprecher Livio Zanolari verwies auf die Schweizer Sanktionen gegen Belgrad, die von der Regierung am Montag weiter verschärft worden waren. Er ließ erkennen, daß man in Bern erneut über eine Teilnahme an dem EU-JAT- Embargo nachdenken wolle.  © dpa

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1588
Prishtina, 20 October 1998

Aspects of Holbrooke-Milosevic Kosova Deal Revealed

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - The National Security Council (NSC) of the United States issued a fact-sheet on Kosova on Monday, 19 October 1998, which contains aspects hitherto unknown of the deal U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke struck last week with 'FRY' President Milosevic on Kosova regarding compliance with UNSCR 1199 and progress on a settlement in Kosova.
Milosevic has accepted "an intrusive verification regime including OSCE monitors on the ground and unrestricted NATO surveillance in the airspace over Kosovo", the NSC said, adding that the Belgrade leader had agreed on a specific timetable "for completing talks with the Kosovar Albanians that will Kosovo self-government and its own local police."
Milosevic agreed to reach a "basic agreement with Kosovars on an interim settlement by November 2", the NSC fact sheet stressed.
Early November for the conclusion of an agreement on Kosova was cited as a time frame by the Serbian government last week, too.
The NAC fact sheet spells out that Milosevic has agreed that the Kosovar Albanians will have self-government and to the creation of Kosovar institutions of government, but does not indicate the status of the constitutional framework. 'FRY' President Milosevic and Serbia have spoken of a limited Kosovar self-rule within Serbia, which has been rejected all along by the Kosova leadership as utterly unacceptable, and spurned as an attempt to legalize the Serbian occupation of Kosova.
The NSC fact sheet of October 19 unveiled in addition details of the NATO Air Verification System, which amount in some aspects to a virtual imposition of a 'no-fly' zone over for Serbian jets over the Kosova skies.
NATO will have unrestricted aerial surveillance of Kosova, the NSC noted. It then went on to say: "['FRY'] Air defense systems will be removed from Kosovo or stored in cantonment areas, and no FRY fighter aircraft will fly within Kosovo or in a surrounding "mutual safety zone" during NATO-manned reconnaissance mission."
The NATO Air Verification Mission provides an "immediate and addition means to verify FRY compliance, while also reminding Milosevic of the proximity of NATO air power", the NSC said.
With regard to the obligations of the Kosovars, who have not been directly involved in talks, the NSC fact sheet reads: "We have made it clear that we expect the Kosovar Albanians to do their part by refraining from violence, participating in negotiations, and supporting the verification regime."
The Kosovar armed force, the UÇK (Kosova Liberation Army), has declared officially it will "show self-restraint". President Ibrahim Rugova has repeatedly stated his commitment to a negotiated settlement in Kosova, and supported last week the NATO and OSCE verification system.

Situation in Kosova Unchanged, Despite NATO Threats, LDK Says

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - Despite repeated NATO threats it well use forces against 'FRY" if it does not withdraw troops from Kosova, the situation in the ground has not changed at all, the Presidency of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) said in a press release today. This means Milosevic has not seen his commitment to the UNSCR 1199 as compliance to pull out troops, the biggest Kosovar political party said.
Belgrade has not given signs it will significantly withdraw troops, the LDK said, although a four-day deadline has been extended to a further ten-day grade period.
By moving troops inside Kosova, repositioning them here, Belgrade is keen on misleading the world it is actually implementing the commitments, the LDK said. "Not only is this a mock withdrawal, but we have information indication Serbs are beefing up troops in some areas, such as in Podujeva, Kaçanik, Klina, as well as the border area with Albania."
Under the pretext of still unsolved attacks on Serb police forces, the Serbian regime has embarked on new attacks against the Albanian population, the LDK said, adding that people have had to flee their homes as a result.
The LDK called on international factors to force Serbia implement abide fully by the UN Security Resolution, an LDK press release issued after a party leadership's meeting today concluded.

UÇK Representative Holds Press Conference in Prishtina

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - Adem Demaçi, political representative of the Liberation Army of Kosova (UÇK), said in a press conference today (Tuesday) he had contacted with the General Headquarters of the UÇK who pledged to do whatever possible to find out the whereabouts of two Serb journalist gone missing over the weekend in Kosova.
The Serb regime media has claimed that two journalists of the Serb news agency Tanjug were apprehended somewhere in Kosova by members of the UÇK on Sunday.
If the two Serb journalists were detained by members of the Liberation Army of Kosova and if they are being held in any of the local HQs, nothing bad will happen to them, Adem Demaçi told reports in Prishtina today. But he did not rule out the possibility that the two Serbs could have been apprehended by other people, non-UÇK men, and in such a situation he would be able to do nothing. He regretted the fact that the two journalists and others failed to visit his office and receive accreditation before touring Kosova.
Mr. Demaçi noted that the alleged abduction of the Serb journalists may as well be only a Serb game to blame the UÇK. The killing of three Serb policemen last weekend may be also part of such a game in order to discredit the UÇK, after it had declared self- restraint.
The UÇK representative called on the Serb regime to demonstrate signs of good will, for, as he put it, creating the climate for negotiations and agreements. One such signs could be the release of all (political) prisoners and hundreds of others apprehended by Serbs in the past months. "The UÇK has no intention to bargain with people, and it will not insist in exchanging prisoners or using them for political goals," he said.
Adem Demaçi told reporters that the office of the International Red Cross could more helpful than he himself in finding out where detainees are being held, and helping to secure their release. "I cannot do a lot on the ground", he said.
Referring to some reported comments by Jiri Dinstbir, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, that members of UÇK were  "Maoists", "Stalinists" or "Hoxhaists", Adem Demaçi said one can only build such assertions on Serb propaganda. Such accusations are disgraceful, he said, adding he expected to meet Mr. Dinstbir soon and seek clarifications from him.
Adem Demaçi said over the past days he had intensive meetings with different political forces and their representatives in Kosova, including the Kosova Parliament, and the LDK.
"Every political force which honors the will of the people of Kosova expressed in the 1991 Referendum insists that there cannot be agreement which disregards the right of the Kosovars to self- determination", he said. He revealed the UÇK Headquarters had authorized him to create a national assembly and a government involving a broad political specter in Kosova. "We will have another negotiating Kosovar team, which will be able to conduct direct talks with the Serbs," Demaçi concluded.

Serbs, 'Black Hand' Members, Hack KIC Web Page Overnight

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) -  Hackers self-proclaimed as members of the Serbian terrorist organization "Crna Ruka" (Black Hand), whose existence dates back to World War I, hacked last night the Kosova Information Center (KIC) Web page at www.kosova.com.
In the front page of the KIC, hackers installed the Serbian national symbol, with captions reading in Serbian and poor English: "Welcome to the Web page of the biggest liars and killers"!, as well as in Serbian, "Brothers Albanians, this coat of arms will be in your flag as long as you exist"!
Visitors to the KIC Web page intervened immediately, phoned the KIC HQ in Prishtina, outraged by this hacking. Albanian students contacted the provider in New York, preventing a further intrusion into the KIC Web page. Today morning (local time in Prishtina), the original contents of the KIC pages were restored.
The circumstances surrounding this intrusion will be investigated.
A few days back, a similar fate befell the Web page of the Albanian newspaper "Zëri i Kosovës".
Such intrusion may be the work of individual hackers, but also of Serbian government circles, who have embarked in the recent weeks on campaign of intimidation of Albanian media in Kosova.

Mother and Baby Receive Life-Threatening Wounds When Serb Shell Hits Their Home

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) -  A 30-year-old woman and her six-month son were wounded Monday night in Tërpezë village of Malisheva by a grenade which hit the house they were sleeping in.
A local activist in the village said today morning that both the mother and her baby were in a life-threatening condition, unable to be taken to a clinic because of Serb forces' presence in the area.
Sources in Malisheva said the village of Tërpeza was shelled on two occasions yesterday and overnight, from 17:15 through 19:00 hrs, and from midnight until 1:00am. Over 20 mortars landed in the village during the first round of shelling alone. The local school and medical center were also hit. One grenade hit a house where around 40 people were sheltering in the cellar, but none was injured, a witness said.
Several Serb army mortars landed last night in the neighboring village of Novosellë, causing panic in the population who then headed towards the Berisha and Kishnareka villages, where at least 3,000 people have been camping out.

Serb Police in Lipjan Arrests Four Albanians from Malisheva

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - Three Albanians from Lladroc village of Malisheva have been reported in Serb custody since Monday,  when they were arrested near Lipjan, 20 km south of Prishtina.
The LDK chapter in Malisheva said Xhemshir Berisha (30), Hasan Berisha (23), Sokol Berisha (21) and Demë Berisha (19) were arrested yesterday morning at Kraishta village of Lipjan. One of them was released later in the day yesterday, but the three others are being held in police custody, presumably in Lipjan jail.
The source said that the Albanians were halted by a Serb police patrol, who arrested them on seeing they were from a Malisheva village. The Serb police did not produce any explanation or arrest warrant, but simply handcuffded them and drove them away in the direction of Lipjan.

Serb Forces Open Fire from 13 Locations in Klina on Tuesday

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - Albanian communities in Klina came under heavy Serb fire during the morning hours today, local sources reported.
The LDK information Commission in Klina said Serb forces opened artillery fire from 13 different positions between the villages of Dollc and Sferkë during mid-morning hours today.
At around 9:00 hrs, fresh Serb army forces in 3 armored cars and 5 trucks trailing artillery pieces were deployed at Sferka village.
These troops, alongside with others dug in in that area earlier, continued staying there during afternoon hours today.  Activists in the area reported of sporadic shooting from artillery and machine- guns around other villages in the municipality of Klina, including Kërrnicë, Pogragjë and Jashanicë. Re-deployment of Serb forces was reported today at a location near the leather plant in a Klina suburb.
The LDK Commission said that a 67-year-old Albanian, Veli Krasniqi, died in Përçeva village after having slept rough out in the hills for several weeks.

Only 12 Houses, Out of 220, Remain Intact from Serb Shelling of Lybeqeva Village

PRISHTINA, Oct 20 (KIC) - Only 12 houses were not destroyed in the Lybeqeva village of Prizren which was targeted by a huge Serb offensive last September. The village had 220 farmhouses before the Serb crackdown, a local villager said.
The LDK chapter in Prizren said 48 Albanians were killed in Lybeqeva and neighboring villages in Vërrini region, south of Prizren, during a ten-day offensive last month.
Rami Shala, a local school teacher in Lybeqeva village, said his school had over 500 pupils last year. Now only 45 kids attend classes in the school. They are children of the 12 families whose houses were not destroyed by Serbs.

Kosova Information Center
Last page!

KOSOVA (victims – Drenica)
Serb sniper shoots a 23-year-old

Drenica, 20 October (ARTA) 1800CET--
Serb snipers from the Rezallë checkpoint killed Ali (Muharrem) Ahmeti (23) from this village, on Monday. Ali was buried yesterday in the Tushilë village, claimed Murat Musliu chairman of the SCDHRF.
Large movements of Serb Military forces were noticed yesterday in Drenica. They were getting into new positions. The village of Polluzhë is turned into a strong military base, states Murat Musliu-chairman of the SCDHRF. Tanks are dug-in in this village. According to the witnesses, around 50 tanks are installed there so far. The excavators of the Serb military are digging since three days in the yard of elementary school "Emin Duraku" in Likovc, and tanks and heavy armament is being installed. A carrier of surface to surface missiles was sent into this village yesterday. Most of the Serb soldiers are staying into the abandoned Albanian houses in the villages Likovc, Makërmal, and Polluzhë.

KOSOVA (victims – Drenica)
9-year-old child dies due to lack of food and medicine

Drenica, 20 October (ARTA) 1520CET --
Flamur Zatriqi (9), from the village of Baincë died as a result of the food and medicine lack, in the forest of Gryka e Vuçakut. The infant and his parents have been staying in the forest, out in the open, for two weeks.

KOSOVA (victims – Deçan)
Police brings five corpses to the Gjakovë Hospital

Deçan, 20 October (ARTA) 1500CET --
Albanian sources notify that the Serb police brought two female corpses, in their thirties, said to have been burned, to the hospital morgue of Gjakovë, Sunday.
They are supposed to be from the territory of the Deçan municipality. The same sources state that on Monday, the Serb police brought three other young, male, unidentified corpses, to the same hospital morgue. It is assessed that these persons were from the village of Kralan, municipality of Gjakovë, where since 14 October, large Serb police forces are settled in the local school building.
On the other hand, no Serb police\military forces were witnessed withdrawing from their positions in the territory of the municipality of Deçan. On the contrary, they are even reinforcing.
Serb police forces settled for the first time in the village of Dashinoc on Saturday, same as in the elementary school buildings in the village of Manzik, where classes were expected to start today.

KOSOVA (missing persons – Prizren)
Dozens of Albanians missing

Prizren, 20 October (ARTA) 1830CET --
The Serb District Court of Prizren postponed on Tuesday, the trial of 4 Albanians from Suharekë municipality who are being charged for "terrorism". The Serb police arrested Afrim Beqir Krasniqi from the suburb of Tusus and he is currently under custody. The procedure of investigation against this young Albanian is initiated as well.
Yet, there is no confirmation on the fate of dozens of Albanians who are missing since three months (respectively two months ago) at the time when the offensives in Rahovec, Malishevë, Suharekë and Prizren were undertaken, state the sources of SCDHRF in Prizren.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Sverkë)
Serb force repositioning continues in the Sverkë region

Klinë, 20 October (ARTA) 1630CET --
Occasional shooting was continued last night in the region of Sverkë. Today, Serb force reinforcements, mainly motorized machinery, were constantly arriving at the place called Fusha Lahës. At around 0900CET, 3 APCs and trucks filled with Serb soldiers positioned near Sverkë. An excavator was working throughout the day by the bauxite mine in Volljakë, as in the village the Serb police burned two Albanian houses. They also burned houses in the Buzhala neighborhood, in the village of Çabiq. The Serb police, today from 1400CET shelled the villages of Kramovik, and Rakovinë, municipality of Gjakovë, until 1500CET, from their military\police stationing points in Mrasor.
While sporadic shootouts continue, the death toll among Albanian refugees rises. Veli Krasniqi (75), from Përçevë, died as a result of the bad living conditions, under the open sky, near the village of Turjakë, municipality of Malishevë. While Doctor Zaim Gashi is kept in the Pejë prison, the number of the ill increases constantly.
The Serb police, wearing civilian clothes, went out in the streets of Klinë, today and evidenced Albanians, arresting the ones coming from the war afflicted areas.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Prizren)
Serb forces position in city factories

Prizren, 20 October (ARTA) 1600CET --
Albanian sources from Prizren confirm that since Sunday, Serb military forces got stationed in the factories of town, managed by Serb directors. A military convoy made of 12 trucks and 2 APCs was seen entering the metal factory "Metalac", but it is also confirmed that another convoy entered the shoe factory "Komuna". Heavy military machinery is supposed to have been stationed in the other factories of the industrial zone of the town.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Gllogoc)
Serb military battalion heads to Drenica

Gllogoc, 20 October (ARTA) 1700CET --
A regular "Yugoslav" army unit was concentrated in Komoran, where three Serb policemen were killed on Saturday in an attack, blamed by Belgrade on the KLA. The Western diplomats and witnesses state that large motorized and armored units departed from Prishtina. Sources close to KLA claim that civilians are inside the territory of the fierce shelling, although there is no independent confirmation concerning this fact, the foreign media notified on Monday.
Western diplomats and other witnesses claimed to have seen tanks, APCs, artillery weaponry, and infantry departing from the military barrack in Prishtina and heading to the region of Drenica.
They are referring to the military force of a size of a battalion, said an official and added that this is very serious. The armed column was seen moving in the direction of the checkpoint in Komoran, where the Serb police are fighting the KLA.
The village of Orllat is situated nearby. Saturday night, three policemen were killed in this village, during an attack, which according to the Serb authorities was undertaken by the KLA.
Whether this movement of the "Yugoslav" military units, from the barracks, presents a violation of the UN Resolution, based on which the NATO air attacks are still possible to be launched, waits to be seen. The Western officials in Prishtina claim that this is a military unit centered in Kosova, and not brought from other parts of Serbia and it is still not clear as to whether they have violated the UN resolution. On the other hand, the journalists and diplomats seem to keep themselves away from the schemes of the "Yugoslav" security forces. Nevertheless, all the signs show that while the OSCE observers arrive in Kosova, the conflict here is very far from ending.

KOSOVA (Serb shelling – Malishevë)
Mother and child wounded during the shelling in Tërpezë – four Albanians arrested

Malishevë, 20 October (ARTA) 1945CET --
A thirty-year-old woman and her 6-month-old child were wounded during last evening's shelling in the village of Tërpezë, municipality of Malishevë. They are in critical condition as they were not allowed to be sent to the hospital, Albanian sources claim.
Yesterday's shelling lasted from 1715CET until 1900CET, as they recommenced at 0000CET and continued until 0100CET. It is stated that the target of the shelling in the village of Tërpezë were not only the houses, but also the schools, health stations and the plastic tents, where the population is sheltered.
The police in Kraishtë village, municipality of Lipjan, arrested four young Albanians from the village of Lladrovc, municipality of Malishevë, on Monday. LDK information sources claim that they were sent to the police station in Lipjan where they underwent severe maltreatment. Only one of them was released as the others continue to be kept under arrest.

KOSOVA (Serb reinforcements – Lipjan)
Police reinforcements in "Qafa e Goleshit"

Lipjan, 20 October (ARTA) 1900CET --
Due to the police reinforcement in "Qafa e Goleshit", near Magurë, where three days ago, two journalists of the "Tanjug" news agency were lost without a trace, no buses traveled in the line Shalë e Drenicës-Prishtina, today. Under this iron police siege, and blocked by the checkpoints in "Gryka e Llapushnikut", in the village of Kleçkë and along the asphalt road Orllat-Malishevë-Duhël, the residents feel threatened from possible shelling.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Prishtina)
Large Serb military forces position in Teneshdoll neighborhood

Prishtina, 20 October (ARTA) 1800CET --
A large convoy of Serb forces composed of tanks, trucks and other motorized vehicles, settled in the Teneshdoll neighborhood in Prishtina, at the place called "Kulina", on Monday at around 1300CET, LBD information service informs. It is claimed that the Serb soldiers settled in the nearby forest.

KOSOVA (Demaçi – press conference)
Demaçi: KLA could accept any solution resulting with the fulfillment of the referendum held in September 1991

Prishtina, 20 October (ARTA) 1900CET --
The KLA political representative Adem Demaçi in the very beginning of the press conference refuted the statements of Henry Kissinger that, "A fight between the Islamic and Christian culture is being carried out in Kosova".
"Albanians profess to three confessions and no inter-religious disputes were written in their history. Therefore this is neither a religious conflict as Mr.Kissinger states nor an ethnic conflict, but it is a conflict between the enslaved Albanian nation and Serb regimes which has continued to work since 1878 against all non-Serb nations".
Plenty of questions were posed to Demaçi during his press conference especially concerning the letter, which "Reporteurs sans frontiers" has addressed to the KLA political representative. In that letter, it is demanded that Demaçi "do his best in securing information about the fate of the two reporters of 'Tanjug', who disappeared in the Magurë region".
"Reporteurs..." claim that, "they have reasons to suspect that they were abducted by KLA".
"I feel sorry for the fate of every human, and so for the fate of the reporters", claimed Demaçi initially, adding further that "Since you (the journalists) could come and take a permission, they (those reporters) ought to know that an office also exists, where they can get a permission to go in the territories controlled by KLA".
"If they are in the hands of any of the local headquarters, or the KLA General Headquarter has any information on this issue, then I do not believe that they will be in trouble", he claimed, expressing the doubt that this could be "a trick or a set-up of the Serb regime in order to distort the KLA policy".
Demaçi also expressed doubts concerning the recent killings of the Serb policemen. Those may be "Actions intending to falsely alarm the public opinion that the KLA proclaims it will restraint itself, while in the other hand the police is being shot at".
"It is very good that the world is alarmed for the fate of the two reporters, but I can not understand why the world is not alarmed about the fate of Dr. Hafir Shala who is missing since 10 April as well 1.400 missing and abducted Albanians", continued the KLA representative.
Demaçi confirmed his contacts with Mr.Fehmi Agani, Mr.Veton Surroi, and Mr.Fatmir Sejdiu and explained that he is making efforts to establish a national assembly.
"...A government to be established including the entire political spectrum of Kosova and to establish an improved negotiating team which will be capable to start themselves the direct negotiations with the Serb side, and not entitle someone else on the behalf of the Albanians to negotiate while the Albanians themselves do not know what has been negotiated", claimed Demaçi concerning the National Assembly.
Concerning the attitude of KLA regarding the cease-fire proclaimed on 8 October, Demaçi stated "KLA is restrained from the military actions, without needing to talk or negotiate with someone".
He accused the Serb side for not stopping the fighting at all.
Asked about what is the minimum of what could accept by KLA, Demaçi answered "KLA may accept every solution which results into the fulfillment of the decisions of the referendum held in September 1991".
"The Serb side has indicated several times since 8 October that it does not respect the agreement on cease-fire, because it has continued the shelling and burning of the villages as well as the killing of the Albanians. While KLA can resign itself from the decision it has made itself", claimed the KLA political representative at the end of the press conference.

KOSOVA (OSCE – Kosova)
OSCE "jeeps" in Ferizaj as well

Ferizaj, 20 October (ARTA) 1800CET --
Four OSCE field vehicles came to Ferizaj on Monday. Upon their arrival, these international "verifiers", visited the Municipal Council, where it is assessed that they met with the Serb installed leadership. Then they visited the Mall, where they are supposed to set up their offices.
So far, the OSCE representatives did not meet with any local Albanian representatives.

KOSOVA (Serb shelling – Malishevë)
Shelling from Carallukë and Kleçkë – five-year-old dies due to lack of medical treatment

Malishevë, 19 October (ARTA) 1900CET --
Serb forces from Carallukë, shot for about a half an hour from their APC, in the direction of the village of Tërpezë, on Sunday at around 1100CET. After 1700CET, these forces from the same positions shelled the village of Lladrovc.
     "KOHA Ditore" local sources inform that during the evening hours, the Serb forces from Carallukë and Kleçkë shelled the villages of this area, such as Novosellë and Lladroviq. There is no information concerning the eventual victims. According to witnesses, occasional shooting was heard today also, causing great insecurity among the civilian population.
     The Serb special units continue to remain in their positions and to even reinforce them. In Dragobil, Malishevë municipality alone, the Serb forces are concentrated in 18 points, while all over the municipality they are positioned in 50 spots, where they have deployed all kinds of weaponry.
     In the Mraçer hill, the Serb army erected a large military base, which seriously threatens the local residents. According to the locals, they have been working for over a month to open the camps, where they have stored a whole arsenal of artillery weapons.
     A large number of dislocated continue to live under plastic tents, as others live in school buildings, destroyed houses, cellars, warehouses and different garages.
     Blerina Bajramaj (5), from the village of Panoc, died yesterday, due to the lack of medical treatment. Two days ago a five-week-old baby died from the same reasons.

KOSOVA (reinforcement – Podujevë)
Military forces recently deployed in Obranqë and in Tabet e Llapashticës

Podujevë, 19 October (ARTA) 1700CET --
Fresh Serb military forces and technique were deployed today in the military field base in Obranqë. This recent deployment happened just after the previous Serb military forces withdrew from this base two days ago.
     According to the information sources in Podujevë, inform that, these forces came from the direction of Prishtina at 1000CET and were installed just two kilometers far from the town of Podujevë. These military convoys were comprised of more than 70 military vehicles, units with full military hardware, as well as over 50 armored vehicles and tanks.
     Military trucks, terrain vehicles, and other equipment were part of them.
     The anew deployment of these military troops blocked again the road which connects the villages of Llapashticë e Epërme and Llapashticë e Poshtme, Velikoreka etc. Also, these forces induced a new flux of IDPs from their homes.
     The information sources inform that, police forces have been reinforced in Podujevë, Kërpimeh, Lluzhan and Orllan, while five tanks are stationed in Vranidoll.

KOSOVA (repositioning – Klinë)
Six-month old baby dies due to lack of medicine

Klinë, 19 October (ARTA) 1600CET --
Four buses carrying policemen drove from Klinë towards an unknown direction. It must be emphasized that, they have not withdrawn at all, but have just repositioned. A six months old baby Qëndresa Emin Balaj from Gllarevë, died in the Tërdevc Mountains lacking the medical treatment and medicaments.
     The shooting conducted by Serb forces against the villages of Çabiq, Dobërdol, Leskoc, and others has continued also today. The Serb forces have not withdrawn yet from the Sverkë region. The Albanian population that has returned into the Asllanaj suburb was compelled to flee again in the neighboring forests, because of the continuous shooting during the course of the last night. Dozens of thousands of residents from this region have remained without basic assistance since 13 of August. Police stopped a part of them, while the humanitarian organizations in Kosova did not dare go on the field because of the land mines.
     Xhemajl Raci, in charge for the distribution of the aids in CHA "Mother Theresa" in Klinë claims: "We have expected today a convoy with the assistance, but it did not come at all. We don’t know why".
     Numerous Serb police and military forces are installed in the Seeds' and Leather factory in Klinë, while a large number of the looted vehicles are parked in the yard of these objects.

KOSOVA (shooting – Graboc)
Constant shooting in the village

Graboc, 19 October (ARTA) 1700CET --
"They shoot in our direction every day", says commander Dini, ordering the soldiers not to fire. "If they attempt to enter the village, we will be forced to fire".
     The police was constantly shooting in the direction of village of Graboc, during the entire night we spent there, but also during the following day. The civilian population was once more forced to leave the village, even though the Serb police promised a group of villagers that they could stay in their homes in peace.
     "Yesterday they tried to loot one of the neighborhoods of the village of Graboc, thus we were forced to open fire, in which case we killed two and wounded one policemen of the group that attempted to enter the village", said commander Dini.
     He also says that two days ago they caught a man in this territory, who admitted to have been sent by the police to spy on them.
     He was immediately arrested. "We have had such cases, several times before", claims commander Dini, "but now we have set rules about what we should do in these cases".
     Several hundred meters away from the front line, we met many villagers who were trying to build shelters to go back home.
     So far, none of them were assisted to create conditions to go back. They have already lost the hopes that somebody will help them and they started managing on their own.

KOSOVA (Serb forces – Ferizaj)
Serb military stationed in "Silcapor" factory

Ferizaj, 19 October (ARTA) 1820CET --
Numerous convoys, composed of all kinds of Serb military weaponry, cruise up and down and eventually return to strategic points of the region of Ferizaj, creating confusion as to whether they are withdrawing or just demonstrating their forces. According to CDHRF and LDK sources in Ferizaj, on Sunday at around 1250CET, Serb military forces were witnessed moving from the military barrack in the town in the direction of Shtime.
     On the other hand, the convoy composed of 21 trucks, 11 tanks and 8 APCs, that departed from Ferizaj at around 1750CET, is reported to have stationed in the "Silcapor" factory, at the place called "Fusha e Pajtimit", in the municipality of Kaçanik.
     Today during the morning hours, Serb forces, consisting of trucks, tanks, APCs and many soldiers, were repositioned at the place called "Gungaj" near the village of Smajë. On Monday a tank ran through and completely destroyed a parked car, during the cruise of a military convoy, at around 1130CET. This very convoy continued its way in the direction of Viti, passing through Gërlicë.

KOSOVA (repositioning – Prizren)
Added Serb police and military movements - 18 OSCE observers arrive in Prizren

Prizren, 19 October (ARTA) 1800CET --
Large Serb police and military movements were witnessed in the region of the municipality of Prizren, on Sunday and Monday, witnesses state. Sources from the ground claim to have seen large forces on the border belt with Albania, in Has, Vërmicë and Zhur.
     These forces also move down the streets of the town proper, going in the direction of Gjakovë, Suharekë, and Brezovicë, and returning to their previous positions in the military barrack in Prizren. Recently, in Prizren and the outskirts, there were many cases of arrests and maltreatment of the residents, particularly at the police checkpoints that remain there.
     The humanitarian situation has deteriorated because after the last offensive in Suharekë and Malishevë, 4 thousand people were sheltered in the villages surrounding Prizren.
     In the meantime, it was found out that 18 OSCE observers arrived in Prizren on Monday. 200 observers are soon expected to arrive, hopefully to follow the situation on the ground and in the Serb judicial organs, where 350 Albanians are arrested for 2 months and are expected to go out in front of the Municipal Court under the charge of "terrorism".

FYROM (elections – Albanian parties)
In the first round, Albanian parties ensure 19 deputies

Shkup, 19 October (ARTA) 1830CET --
In the first round of the third Parliamentary elections in Macedonia, Albanian political parties, as a joint political subject, ensured 19 deputies in the new construction of the Macedonian Parliament. The Party for the Democratic Prosperity, in the list of the majority ensured 10, while the Albanian Democratic Party (PDSH) 3 deputies. The four PDSH candidates, in the second round of the elections came out with a large number of votes, which leave no doubts for their victory in the respective elective units, since in the first round of the elections, were left behind for only 200, 300 or 400 votes. In the joint proportional list, the Albanian parties have elected 6 deputies. It is evaluated that the vote of the Albanian electorate in these Parliamentarian elections has finally approved the agreement for cooperation between two main Albanian parties in Macedonia. This thesis is supported by the ignorance of the Albanian electorate, directed to several independent Albanian candidates, in several election units. Based on the results published by the party election headquarters, in these elections, the Macedonian electorate gave its vote to the largest opposition party VMRO - the Democratic Party for the Macedonian National Unity, which in these elections came out in coalition with the party called the Democratic Alternative. These parties together, in the first round ensured 44 deputies from the list of the majority and the proportion. VMRO alone, in the first round of the elections, ensured 27 deputies, then the Social Democratic League of Macedonia, presently with 5, the Democratic Alternative with 3 and the Socialist party of Macedonia with 1 deputy.
     The state election commission evaluated that the elections went successfully and that the small incidents that took place in several voting places did not have any direct effect on the general results of the voting. The international observers of the third parliamentary elections have evaluated them as correct, well organized, and successful. The overall turn out is more than 70%.

KIDNAPPED JOURNALISTS

AFP: TWO SERB JOURNALISTS KIDNAPPED BY KLA

PATRIARCH PAVLE ON KOSOVO

TRANSCRIPT: OCT 19 WORLDNET ON CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA

SUC: PRESS RELEASE ON KOSOVO VIGIL

Nebojsa Radosevic and Vladimir Dobricic are two Serb journalists who were reportedly kidnapped by the KLA in Magure village, near Pristina on Oct. 18,1998.
Since then nothing is known about them. Two months ago two other Serb journalists were kidnapped near Orahovac, Kosovo, and they have never been found.
The international organization "Reporteurs sans frontiers" sent the letter of protest to Mr. Adem Demaci, the political representative of KLA and expressed its deepest concern for this incident.
The Serbian Orthodox Church, Diocese of Raska and Prizren is making an urgent appeal on all people of good will to help that these two journalists are set free as soon as possible. The abductions of unarmed civilians belong to the most tragic events in the Kosovo conflict, especially because many of the abducted persons have been found dead and massacred for no reason whatsoever.

Information Service of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren

*NEWS REPORT*
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The views expressed in the news reports and messages posted to the List by the List members are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policy or position of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Quoting is allowed only if the source of the information  is specified.
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PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, Oct 19 (AFP) - A reporter and photographer working for Yugoslavia's official news agency Tanjug disappeared in the troubled Serbian province of Kosovo Sunday, the agency said.
     Nebojsa Radosevic and Vladimir Dobricic had left the bureau in the Kosovo capital of Pristina for Magura, 30 kilometres (20 miles) to the south, where two Serbian policemen had been reported wounded in an attack Saturday by armed ethnic Albanian separatists.
     Police later told Tanjug that the two journalists had never arrived at their destination.
     At the end of August a Serb reporter for Radio Pristina, Djuro Slavuj, and his driver, Slavko Perenic, disappeared in southwestern Kosovo in the Orahovac.
     Efforts to find them have been unavailing.
     Serb journalists avoid going to areas where hey might fall into the hands of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which still holds some areas in spite of severe setbacks at the hand of Serb forces in the past few weeks.

--
Decani Monastery               tel +381 390 61543
38322 Decani, Serbia           fax +381 390 61567
http://www.decani.yunet.com    e-mail: decani@EUnet.yu

Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-10-19
From: Yugoslavia    http://www.yugoslavia.com
PATRIARCH PAVLE RECEIVED THE RUSSIAN STATE DUMA DELEGATION
Tanjug, 1998-10-17

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Pavle received in Belgrade on Saturday a Russian State Duma delegation, headed by Deputy Speaker Sergei Baburin and thanked them for Duma's support in the difficult situation experienced by our people.
     Patriarch Pavle said that our people was forced to defend itself once again and that his recommendation, in the capacity of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was that one should not respond to violence and crime in the same way.
     Patriarch Pavle, who recently visited Kosovo and Metohija, said that the problems of Serbia's southern problems should be resolved in a dignified manner, because this conflict could be the cause of major misfortunes.
     "God is my witness that I feel equally sorry for all the victims, whether they are Serbs, ethnic Albanians or Muslims... I don't want to shift all the blame to ethnic Albanians and I hope that this conflict can be resolved in a peaceful way, because innocent people are those who have suffered the most in it," Patriarch Pavle said.
     "As a nation, we have never been against ethnic Albanians' right to live, but one should not forget that Serbs and other peoples who live there have the same right," he said.
     Baburin voiced his embitterment with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which was the reason for the delegation's visit, and said that all Russian parties had been united in opposing a military intervention against Yugoslavia and that one should observe the present laws and use all political mechanisms in the resolution of Kosovo and Metohija problems.
     Responding to Baburin's question about the least painful way for resolving the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Patriarch Pavle said that one should not forget that ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija had a higher birth rate than Albanians in Albania, but that despite this fact, the "country is big enough for all."
     "Violence and reprisals can solve nothing," Patriarch Pavle said.
* * *
--
Decani Monastery               tel +381 390 61543
38322 Decani, Serbia           fax +381 390 61567
http://www.decani.yunet.com    e-mail: decani@EUnet.yu
_______________________________________________________________________
Betreff:         [kosovo] TRANSCRIPT: OCT 19 WORLDNET ON SERBIAN CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA
Datum:         Tue, 20 Oct 1998 03:19:19 +0200
    Von:         "Fr. Sava" <decani@EUnet.yu>
  Firma:         Decani Monastery

19 October 1998
TRANSCRIPT: OCT 19 WORLDNET ON SERBIAN CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA
(Views aired on "Washington Window" program) (9080)

Washington -- The crackdown on the independent media in Serbia-Montenegro was the topic of a WorldNet television discussion with three U.S. specialists October 19. While each of the participants expressed concern over the lack of press freedom in the country, they had few concrete suggestions as to how the situation might be overcome.
     Participating guests were Marilyn Greene, executive director of the World Press Freedom Committee; Barbara Cochran, president of the Radio and Television News Directors Association, and Gene Mater of the Freedom Forum.
     Greene said of the most recent media crackdown in Serbia, "Well, it's outrageous and it's appalling. There is no other way to respond to what the government is doing. It's in violation of every international agreement to which the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is committed and bound, specifically Article 19 as we have just heard.
     "What can be done is another story.... But I did meet last week, 10 days ago, with the assistant secretary for human rights, John Shattuck, along with representatives from the Committee to Protect Journalists. We went specifically to tell him of our concern about the situation in Serbia. And we were assured by Mr. Shattuck that the State Department and the Clinton administration are concerned." She added that "the State Department did that day put out a statement condemning the crackdowns on the independent media in Serbia. So we know they are aware."
     Mater commented, "Well, I think what Milosevic has done is the work of a dictator. It is certainly not something what one might expect in anything remotely resembling a democracy. And I think it's going to get worse, because there's very little action against it." He pointed out, however, that the international community has been focusing on other problems in the region, particularly the refugees in Kosovo and whether or not the Serbian troops are going to pull out or start shooting.
     Mater also said that "what Milosevic has done has been noticed by others, and indeed the British prime minister reacted long before we did. But the bottom line is this is not going to allow Yugoslavia to come back into the family of nations -- not in Europe and not in the world."
     All of the participants commented on the bravery of the people in the media in Belgrade. Mater said, "They are extraordinary people, and I think the best thing -- I don't know what advice to give these people except to keep going. I think that on this end we are trying to draw as much attention to the situation as we possibly can. And little by little -- you know, the story is getting out.... I think the best thing we can do is try to get the story out. The best thing you can do is keep fighting."
     Cochran pointed out that Secretary General Kofi Annan recently was asked how he keeps going. Annan said that "in fact if you keep protesting and keep the attention coming, especially from the outside, eventually it wears the leadership down, and they'll do anything to get rid of the constant complaints and the constant barrage of criticism. And so that may be something that may be effective with President Milosevic, if in fact he wants to have Yugoslavia connect part of the community of nations."
     Mater recalled the situation in "Croatia when [President] Tudjman tried to close down radio station 101, and there were public demonstrations all over Zagreb, and eventually they did not close it down; they did not give the license away, as originally planned. Indeed, the public was so incensed about this that the friend of Tudjman who was to get the license finally went public and said, 'I won't accept the license -- leave it where it is.' Whether this will work with Milosevic is another question. But it certainly worked with Tudjman.'"
     Asked if it is possible now to actually censure the press, to close down the press in this day and age of the Internet, Greene responded, "I don't believe ultimately it is. In the short run it's possible to make it very difficult. In some parts of Asia for example the governments are prohibiting Internet providers from accessing certain media outlets and certain foreign newspapers and so on. Saudi Arabia is considering it in the Middle East and elsewhere. But ultimately technology will find an out, and I just don't think there's any way to keep the people who want to know from knowing [what is happening]."

Following is a transcript of the Washington Window discussion:

(Begin transcript)

MR. BERTEL: Hi, I'm Jim Bertel, welcome to "Washington Window," where we discuss today's most important issues one on one with leading newsmakers.
     As Serbian troops began withdrawing from their positions in Kosovo last week, a new crackdown was taking place, this time in Belgrade. The Serbian Information Ministry began invoking its decree of a week earlier against news outlets running stories that the government says spread, quote, "fear, panic and defeatism." So far several independent newspapers and radio stations have been shut down, raising an outcry from journalists and governments all over the world.
     A free press is the cornerstone of a democracy, and is a right guaranteed by the United Nations. Article 19 of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights states everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers.
     Let's take a closer look at the media situation in Serbia.

(Begin videotape.)

ANNOUNCER: As some ethnic Albanian refugees return to their homes in Kosovo, following a pact between NATO allies and the Yugoslav government, respect for human rights is far from guaranteed in Serbia.
     Last week freedom of the press was dealt a blow when government officials in Belgrade shut down three independent newspapers. The censorship effectively blocks public access to printed news from all but government sources. Authorities claimed that the papers had defied orders to end reports they said spread fear and panic. The newspapers had often been critical of the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
     Speaking to a media watch group Friday, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan pointed out that Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees freedom of expression and a free press, and he condemned the use of propaganda:

SEC. GEN. ANNAN: Ignorance and prejudice are the hand maidens of propaganda, and in most modern conflicts the men of war prey on the ignorance of the populace to instill fears and arouse hatred.

ANNOUNCER: Later Mr. Annan commented specifically on the media crackdown in Serbia:

SEC. GEN. ANNAN: Every pressure should be brought on the authorities to give the press and the publishers (their right in using ?) their publication.

ANNOUNCER: The International Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the censorship, and has urged the United Nations and others to press Serbia to honor rights to freedom of expression and the free press.

(End videotape.)

MR. BERTEL: Joining me now to further discuss the media crackdown in Serbia is Marilyn Greene, executive director of the (World) Press Freedom Committee. Ms. Greene, give us an overview of what your committee does around the world.

MS. GREENE: The World Press Freedom Committee is an umbrella for 44 journalistic organizations around the world on six continents. That means that we can mobilize the voices of several hundred thousand people by contacting our affiliates, informing them of threats -- usually pan-national threats, not so specific as some other press freedom organizations, but as they emerge in the United Nations, Council of Europe, OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe], OAS [Organization of American States] and so forth.
     So in this particular case we are very concerned and very glad that the secretary general at our luncheon last week was so specific in his condemnation of the kind of censorship that is happening today in Serbia.

MR. BERTEL: Well, that's my next question: What is your reaction to the crackdown on the media in Serbia, and what can be done to help the independent media there?

MS. GREENE: Well, it's outrageous and it's appalling. There is no other way to respond to what the government is doing. It's in violation of every international agreement to which the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is committed and bound, specifically Article 19 as we have just heard.
     What can be done is another story. I am frankly surprised that there hasn't been more official comment by our government here in the United States and elsewhere.
     I should add also that the World Press Freedom Committee is not an American organization. We represent organizations around the world. We don't speak for the American government. We don't take any money from government, and therefore we are totally separate.
     But I did meet last week, 10 days ago, with the assistant secretary for human rights, John Shattuck, along with representatives from the Committee to Protect Journalists. We went specifically to tell him of our concern about the situation in Serbia. And we were assured by Mr. Shattuck that the State Department and the Clinton administration are concerned. We think that they should be more vociferously concerned, but the State Department did that day put out a statement condemning the crackdowns on the independent media in Serbia. So we know they are aware.
     I am also frankly surprised that President Milosevic would do -- would allow this kind of crackdown at the very time when he is seeking credibility from both NATO in an effort to avert air strikes and in his desire for Yugoslavia to be accepted by the Council of Europe. I am glad to see that the Council has suspended the application for now. And I can tell you that the World Press Freedom Committee and our affiliates will work very, very diligently to ensure that this application is frozen until the grip on the independent media is loosened in Yugoslavia.

MR. BERTEL: I would like to invite our viewers to call in with your questions or comments. Our phone number here in Washington is country code 1, 205-9072. And please call collect. That number again is country code 1, 202-205-9072. And please feel free to call collect.
     Well, you mentioned that you have met with Assistant Secretary Shattuck about this, and yet the governments around the world are not doing enough to fight the oppression. In most situations when we're trying -- when the government is trying to change a situation in government economic sanctions are commonly used -- it's a diplomatic tool. Is that ever brought into play in situations where the media is being censored?

MS. GREENE: I'm sure it is. And I should note here that I am not a diplomat and we try not to become involved in policy decisions except as they relate to the media. I don't personally think that sanctions work, particularly when they are imposed sporadically and by just a few governments.
     In this case I do think that Mr. Milosevic is eager for international recognition, inclusion in economics, development and so on, and I think that he should realize that this is not the way to go about getting it. He's going to end up isolated, bankrupt and out of office -- perhaps worse -- if this kind of thing continues, because it's just too late to repress the citizenry, as was able to do be done in the past. We have the Internet now, and you folks at B-92 know how that works, and we really admire and commend your courage and bravery for pushing on despite the threats that you face every day.

MR. BERTEL: That leads me to my next question. Certainly with the advent of the Internet in recent years borders are no longer a factor in determining whether or not information can get in or out. And as you mentioned, two years ago B-92 used it to great effect when the government cracked down and took them off the air. Is it possible now to actually censure the press to close down the press in this day and age of the Internet?

MS. GREENE: I don't believe ultimately it is. In the short run it's possible to make it very difficult. In some parts of Asia for example the governments are prohibiting Internet providers from accessing certain media outlets and certain foreign newspapers and so on. Saudi Arabia is considering it in the Middle East and elsewhere. But ultimately technology will find an out, and I just don't think there's any way to keep the people who want to know from knowing.

MR. BERTEL: We'll continue to discuss the specific situation in Serbia, but let's look at it from a global perspective: How free is the press around the world?

MS. GREENE: Unfortunately it's not as free as we might expect at the cusp of the 21st century. Freedom House in New York has done a survey annually of press freedom around the world, and finds that only about a third of the people who live on Earth today live in societies with a fully free press. The others are partly free or not free. So the situation is not as good as one might think given the economic situation in the world today.

MR. BERTEL: When a government cracks down on the media, is there a predictable pattern of events that lead up to the oppression of press freedom?

MS. GREENE: Yes. The first step is usually rationalization. As in Serbia where the government is saying that independent media are broadcasting material that is threatening to national security and national sovereignty -- these are buzz words and code phrases that they pick out of certain international documents. The European Covenant on Human Rights has an Article number ten -- part one of Article Ten says everyone shall have freedom of the press. But Part Two says except when national security -- and there's a list of exceptions. And almost to a person the dictators who have used Article Ten as an excuse for cracking down on the media have resorted to using these rationalizations. And that's why we are so keen on the Universal Declaration's Article 19 -- because it's unambiguous, it's clear and it's unqualified. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.

MR. BERTEL: Well, you're watching "Washington Window." And this program is now available on the Internet. Just go to the Web address on the screen for instant access to any of our recent programs -- both live and also archive programs. Be sure to go to this Web address for "Washington Window," because now you can watch "Washington Window" whenever you want.
     Well, we are pleased to have many of Serbia's independent journalists watching today's program, and we would like to continue our discussion with B-92 in Belgrade. Go ahead with your question, B-92. We'll get back to B-92 in just a moment.
     Tell us about the Charter for a Free Press. That is a document that your organization has put out, right?

MS. GREENE: That's right. The Charter was drafted and drawn up in 1987 in a London conference. It was written by 37 journalists representing their respective organizations. And it amounts to 10 principles for implementing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration. And we are very happy that last Friday, when Secretary General Kofi Annan delivered the address you just saw excerpts from, he endorsed the Charter. He is the second secretary general to do so; Boutros Boutros-Ghali did it in an earlier year, as well as UNESCO's Director General Federico Mayor (sp). It's also been endorsed by many other leaders, both governmental people and NGOs. We think it stands as the most forthright and basic document for implementing Article 19.

MR. BERTEL: Who was the document intended for? Is it for journalists or is it for governments to understand how a free press should operate?

MS. GREENE: It's for both. It's for journalists to affirm their right, to affirm the universality of their right to do their job, to gather and impart information. And it's to remind governments that they are bound by the principles of Articled 19. We have it published in almost a dozen languages, and we are very happy to circulate it wherever there is interest. And we hope that the secretary general's recognition of the Charter will help -- especially in this 50th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration.

MR. BERTEL: Well, we are pleased to have B-92 with us again back on the line. Please go ahead with your questions and comments.

Q: (Off mike.) Our question is what will be the reaction of the U.S. journalists on this banning of independent media in Serbia, and this restriction on media -- (off mike)?

MS. GREENE: Well, I can't predict what American journalists will do. I do believe they need to be reminded. One of the things we do whenever we speak to American journalists is to remind them that a repression initiated abroad is a repression on them, even though they're accustomed to functioning in a democratic society where they can write freely and report freely, that as soon as they are assigned to an overseas story, perhaps in Serbia, they too will feel the pinch of repression.
     Unfortunately, I think that the awareness isn't as acute as it might be, and that's why I urge all of you to keep speaking up and keep telling it like it is there.
     As for your new media law, I think we need to be kept abreast of developments with that law, and also you might do well to monitor just how that law and its implementation fit in with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its component republic Constitutions.

MR. BERTEL: In the second half of the program today we'll come back to the issue of reaction of U.S. journalists about the crackdown in Serbia.
     Let's return now to B-92 for another question.  B-92, are you there?

Q: Yes, we are here. Okay, what's going on -- what is the reaction about this decree that the Serbian government has on the broadcasting foreign services in the Serbian language in Serbia?

MS. GREENE: I think the reaction to the particular crackdown on journalists has frankly been immersed in the greater concern -- not greater meaning more important, but the broader concern over the government's behavior in general, in Kosovo and elsewhere. The main news here seems to have to do with Mr. Milosevic's willingness to comply with the agreements, the peace agreements in Kosovo and elsewhere, and one of the things that we try to do constantly is elevate the right of press freedom to the other human rights that are on the agenda of politicians and government officials here.
     As you know, the Office of Human Rights in the United States State Department include everything from Tibetan rights to the rights of religious groups, and press freedom is not always close to the top of the agenda.
     But in the case of Serbia right now I think what is happening to the media there, the crackdown on the media, is being considered as part of the overall misbehavior or lack of compliance of the government.

MR. BERTEL:  Let's return now to B-92.

Q: Yes, we are having some broadcasts in Serbia right now -- they are not big yet -- but do you expect that the Serbian government will ban some other media? We are not sure what is going to happen here. We ask you -- maybe you know something.

MS. GREENE: I have no information beyond what you have. And in fact we rely on the B-92 Web site for much of our information -- you do a terrific job of keeping us informed. But I would not be surprised if there were more crackdowns and closures.

MR. BERTEL: Before we wrap up this first segment, I'd like to pose one more question to you. I was in Serbia recently -- had a chance to visit with many independent broadcasters there. And their heroism in standing up to the government is really commendable. Most do it simply to offer an alternate point of view -- certainly not for the money. And yet one station comes to mind that I visited, which I won't name, that has been constantly harassed by the government -- they've been forced to move several times, they had their transmitter shut down recently because they had grown more popular than one of the government-run stations. What do you say to broadcasters like the ones at this station to encourage them to keep going?

MS. GREENE: Keep going. Tell us about it on the outside. We will do everything we can to support you and to raise your issue before the people ought to know about it. And I just encourage you to speak out and speak up, and don't give up.

MR. BERTEL: Marilyn Greene from the World Press Freedom Committee, thank you so much for joining us today.
     We'll continue our discussion on freedom of the press in just a moment.
     In the days since reaching agreement on ending the crisis in Kosovo, the international community has begun the task of caring for the thousands of refugees and verifying compliance of the accord. Let's take a look at the events of the past week.

(Begin videotape.)

ANNOUNCER: After nine days of intense negotiations, United States Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic hammered out a deal that puts NATO air strikes on hold for now. Ambassador Holbrooke emerged from the talks encouraged that the agreement would be the first step in a lasting peace.

AMB. HOLBROOKE: We hope that it will mark a turning point in the tortured and tragic relationship between the peoples -- Albanian, Serb, others -- in Kosovo. The Albanian people of Kosovo have in our view suffered enormously over the years, and particularly in recent weeks and months. And that's what brought us here.

ANNOUNCER: After signing the agreement, President Milosevic addressed his nation, assuring Yugoslavs that the acceleration of the political process is the best way to avert military intervention against their country. According to the agreement, Serbian military and police forces are required to withdraw from their current positions in Kosovo, while ethnic Albanians driven from their homes would be allowed to return.
     Finally a group of up to 2,000 international verifiers from the OSCE, along with NATO planes, will be permitted to oversee the withdrawal.
     In the United States President Clinton made it clear that NATO will continue to monitor the situation, and ensure that the promises made in the agreement are seen through:

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Commitments are not compliance. Balkan graveyards are filled with President Milosevic's broken promises. In the days ahead we will focus not only on what President Milosevic says, but on what we see that he does through a robust on-the-ground and in-the-air verification system. I hope that the commitments President Milosevic has made can create a peaceful way forward.

ANNOUNCER: NATO aircraft still remain at the ready should President Milosevic not completely satisfy the terms of the agreement.

(End videotape.)

MR. BERTEL: Hi, I'm Jim Bertel, and this is "Washington Window." Today we are discussing freedom of the press. Joining me now are Barbara Cochran, president of the Radio and Television News Directors Association. She's a former vice president of news, and Washington bureau chief with CBS. And also joining us, Gene Mater from the Freedom Forum. Mr. Mater is a former senior vice president at CBS, and a former IMF vice president of broadcasting. Thank you both for being with us today.
     Ms. Cochran, why don't we start with you. Tell us a little bit about the Radio and Television News Directors Association. What is their role?

MS. COCHRAN: We represent the management in radio and television news, principally in the United States, but we also have international membership. In fact, we have members in 30 countries around the world. And we pursue everything from First Amendment rights for broadcasters here in this country to professional excellence, diversity in the news room and other issues that are of importance to our members.

MR. BERTEL: So you're somewhat of an advocacy group for news directors around the country and the world?

MS. COCHRAN: That's right. We try to do what we can to make sure that broadcast journalists, the electronic journalists, have the same kinds of freedoms of the press that are often expected for our print colleagues. And we certainly advocate press freedom overseas as well.

MR. BERTEL: Mr. Mater, why don't you tell us a little bit about your work with the Freedom Forum, and also your work with the IMF.

MR. MATER: Well, the Freedom Forum is the largest media foundation in the United States, and we are concerned primarily with a free press, free speech and free spirit in this country and abroad. And we do operate outside the country. We have centers in London and Johannesburg, in Buenos Aires and Hong Kong. And we are concerned with all of this. Actually we have been following what has happened in Belgrade rather closely -- indeed we may be the only ones following it on a daily basis as the stations were closed and the three newspapers were closed. We covered all of that on our Web page, which is available to everybody on the Internet, at www.freedomforum.org.

MR. BERTEL:  Easy enough.

MR. MATER: And we -- if I might just echo something that Marilyn Greene mentioned before, it's a little unfortunate that we have been slow to react to this. This has been going on actually since the beginning of October. In the first week of October there was to be an international broadcasters meeting in Belgrade, which was canceled because the Serbian officials refused to give visas to the foreigners coming in. And then two weeks ago they started shutting down radio stations.
     And it took this government -- unfortunately the U.S. government did not react until a week later. It was a good statement, but it took a week to show up.

MR. BERTEL: Before we join B-92 for more questions, I'd like to get each of you to tell me what is the role of the press in a democracy. How does it fit into a democratic structure? Ms. Cochran?

MS. COCHRAN: Well, the press is often called the "fourth estate," because in addition to the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judiciary the press plays a very important role in serving as the surrogate for the public, a watchdog on all three parts of government. And one of the things that is very, very important is to have a separation between the government and the press. And in most countries even where the press may be publicly funded, particularly radio and television may be funded through a tax on the public that is passed through the government, it still is important for that media to maintain independence and to be able to report freely on government activities just as they are able to report freely on every other aspect of life.

MR. BERTEL:  Mr. Mater, your thoughts?

MR. MATER: Oh, I would echo what my colleague has to say. And at least in this country we have a good deal to say about what goes on, to report to the public the issues that face them and to some degree in an unofficial way to be a watchdog, to make sure that everything goes right.

MS. COCHRAN: One of the things that is so fascinating about the media situation at the end of the 20th century, as we are getting ready for a new millennium is what's happened with technology. And it means no longer is the media just confined to what you can see in your city newspaper, see on your local television station; it truly has become a global business. And to the extent that people living in one country can hear about things in another country -- we all have a responsibility, we in the press, to watch over situations everywhere. I mean, as Marilyn Greene was saying, you know, it's our responsibility here in the United States to be able to disseminate news about what's going on in other countries, including crackdowns on freedom of the press in other countries.

MR. BERTEL: Well, at this point I'd like to invite our viewers to call in with your question or comments. You can call us collect. The country code is 1 -- 202-205-9072. That's country code is 1 -- 202-205-9072.
     Well, B-92 is still with us, so let's go to you for the next question.

Q: The first question I am going to ask is comments of your guests on the media situation in Serbia.

MS. COCHRAN: Well, I am certainly not an expert on -- in fact, almost everything I know I know from having read Gene Mater's stories on the Freedom Forum Web site. But from what I can tell it's very serious and very frightening, because the pattern often is first these media outlets are shut down, and then the journalists may themselves be incarcerated or harassed in other ways. What often happens then is that the journalists who are really trying to do a good job are forced to flee the country, and effectively a free press is just completely obliterated. We've seen it happen in China and in other countries, and it's very difficult to reestablish a kind of free flow of information once the people who are providing that information are driven out of the country.

MR. BERTEL: Mr. Mater, you've been monitoring the situation daily. What are your thoughts?

MR. MATER: Well, I think what Milosevic has done is the work of a dictator. It is certainly not something what one might expect in anything remotely resembling a democracy. And I think it's going to get worse, because there's very little action against it. Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have been focusing on other problems in the region, particularly Kosovo. So nobody has really paid attention. And actually the press coverage of what has happened to media in Serbia was a one-day wonder. The Washington Post had a story and the New York Times had a story in the middle of last week, the same day, and that was sort of it. So we are not really paying attention. We are concerned, and understandably so, with the plight of the refugees from Kosovo and what's going to happen to them, and are the troops going to pull out, and are we going to start shooting.

MR. BERTEL: Well, in your mind who is at fault in not focusing more on this -- the journalists in country, international journalists who are not filing the stories? Is it the international community? Who is at fault for not focusing more on this?

MR. MATER: I'm not going to try to assign blame for this one. I think it's unfortunate that people just aren't doing enough about it. We are limited in what we can do, except to bring attention to the rest of the world of what has happened in Belgrade.

MS. COCHRAN: Yes, certainly in this country there have been other distractions. There have been big stories that have driven almost everything else off the front page -- and I am talking of course about President Clinton's current troubles. But that story seems to be subsiding, at least in the kind of everyday dramatic revelations. And last week in fact there was a lot more attention paid to the situation in Kosovo. And perhaps as the spotlight focuses on the region perhaps this story, too, will find its way to the front pages and to the major broadcasts.

MR. MATER: I think you have to consider too that what Milosevic has done has been noticed by others, and indeed the British prime minister reacted long before we did. But the bottom line is this is not going to allow Yugoslavia to come back into the family of nations -- not in Europe and not in the world. The rest of the world knows about what he is doing, and I don't think he is helping the people or the country.

MR. BERTEL: We'll return to B-92 in just a moment, but I'd like to follow up on this. Newspapers, television, radio -- all in the business of turning a profit in the United States. So as a result sometimes the most important news stories are not the ones getting the most air time, the most column space. For instance, while the Lewinsky situation had been dragging on for seven months the Congress was not really accomplishing what they were there to do. And yet it was the scandal of Lewinsky that kept making headlines. The average American -- do you think they have an interest in the important stories, the international stories, a situation like what's happening in Serbia? And does an editor reach a point where they have to put profits aside and do what's right journalistically?

MS. COCHRAN: In all honesty, international news is a tough sell in this country. It's -- particularly since the end of the Cold War Americans have turned inward and are much more concerned with not even what's going on in their national government, but with what's going on right around them. I mean, the most popular topics -- in the market research that people do -- the most popular topics for news are personal health, personal finance, personal safety -- fear of crime or how you protect yourself -- a lot of concern about their children. So it's a time of very inward reflection.
     I think this will change. For one thing, we Americans are much more aware now of the global financial situation, and I think many Americans appreciate that their income and the price of the consumer prices that they are going to purchase is far more tied into the global economy than was previously realized. And so I am hopeful that Americans will become more internationalist in their thinking and that stories about what's going on in Eastern Europe will come more to the forefront.
     Certainly when it involves American troops or American forces, as the NATO air strikes would do, then it does move to the top of the news agenda.

MR. BERTEL: Mr. Mater, several weeks ago Kosovo finally started making it to the front page of the New York Times, the Washington Post. Until then very few Americans knew anything about what was happening there. Do news editors have a responsibility to decide what their readers need to know as opposed to what they want to know?

MR. MATER: Well, a couple of points. First and foremost is the fact that historically Americans have been basically isolationist. We have been an isolationist country for a long, long time, without considering what the rest of the world is doing. Until a war comes along, or something like that, as Barbara says.
     The -- secondly, there is a bit of a movement to try to change that. The American Society of Newspaper Editors, for example, with the Freedom Forum as a partner, are trying to get American newspapers to carry more international news -- I wouldn't even use the word "foreign," but international news. I don't know how successful we'll be. We started it this past spring with the new president of the ASNE at Seton, but we have been holding meetings around the country. We held two in Washington, for example, and we will try.
     But as Barbara says, it's a hard sell. And secondly, and the other point that you have to bear in mind, is that there are virtually no more European or foreign bureaus for the networks. I mean, the days of having -- when I was at CBS we had bureaus in London, Paris, Rome, Bonn, Moscow. Now I think only two of them are left. And it's a question of costs; it's a question of interest. So that has unfortunately deteriorated in terms of foreign coverage. There's very little of it on television these days.

MS. COCHRAN: Yes, the three major American networks have just gone through some budget-cutting and belt-tightening, and one of the things that they've done is cut back on the number of people that they maintain overseas. What they are going to do is purchase more video and audio from agencies overseas. And those are actually growing. They have good partnership -- they have to have good partnerships with the people who are covering events for radio or television in the country. So you know maybe the fact that there is that outside appetite for coverage internally will actually help strengthen some of the native national broadcasters, and especially the independent ones who are -- to become a commercial enterprise and who are going to need to be able to sell their video to an international agency in order to be able to help offset some of their costs.

MR. BERTEL: Well, let's return now to B-92 for more of our discussion on freedom of the press.

Q: If you know, in the last three days in Serbia we had the three daily newspapers banned and one radio station. What is it that your organizations did and are planning to do about this situation?

MR. MATER: Well, I'll start with what we have done. The Freedom Forum has covered all of this in our Web page in great detail. I talked to various people in this -- in Washington and also in Belgrade literally everyday. We have brought it to the attention of anybody who tunes into our or turns onto -- how you get a Web page these days -- (laughter) -- it's a new generation of communication for me. But whoever turns to the Freedom Forum Web page can read all about what has happened to the two radio stations and the three newspapers. And we've carried as much detail as we could in terms of what has happened and where it goes from here, and we will continue to do so on a daily basis. But we do watch it, and we try to bring it to the attention of anybody who reads the Web page.

MR. BERTEL:  In situations like this, what does RTNDA do?

MS. COCHRAN: Well, we work in conjunction with other organizations whose full-time interest is in the freedom of the press internationally. We work -- we are members of -- and we work with the Committee to Protect Journalists, and we also work with the World Press Freedom Council. We work with the Freedom Forum. So we do it more in conjunction with them. In fact, I am meeting this afternoon with someone from the Committee to Protect Journalists, and we'll be discussing some specific steps that we might take. We'll certainly add our voices, lend our voices to this kind of protest or attempting to bring the attention of powerful organizations to this situation.

MR. BERTEL:  B-92, go ahead with your next question or comment?

Q: What is your recommendation? What should a free independent media in Serbia do to get freedom of the speech?

MS. COCHRAN: To me it's so important that you have this kind of way to get your message out beyond the borders, and it sounds as though you've been very ingenious in using the Internet and in using broadcasters and publishers outside of Serbia to get the message across. Our hats are off to you. We certainly admire what you are doing, and we know the sacrifice that it takes and the courage that it takes. And I hope it's of comfort to you to know that your colleagues elsewhere are certainly supportive of you and won't forget you.

MR. MATER: I think the people in Belgrade in media are extraordinarily brave people. You come back to the basic question of would you do the same thing when you know that every time you go to work you may meet the policeman at the door who is going to take you into jail, or to go to your newspaper and find that it's been closed, or while you are there you are raided and closed and so on. They are extraordinary people, and I think the best thing -- I don't know what advice to give these people except to keep going. I think that on this end we are trying to draw as much attention to the situation as we possibly can. And little by little -- you know, the story is getting out.
     This past spring for example I helped a media lawyer in Zagreb. I realize the situation in Croatia is nowhere near as bad as it is in Serbia, but it is not too good either. But I helped a media lawyer I know there get an award from the American Bar Association, a human rights award at their annual convention. So again it's bringing the story forth, because there -- things in Croatia -- at least they try to do things legally -- and I know of one newspaper that at last count was 72 lawsuits generally filed by the government against this weekly political tabloid publication. And it's the same thing with the lawyers there. And this particular lawyer, this friend of mine, who is a woman, she does most of her work on a pro bono basis and does a fabulous job.
     I think the best thing we can do is try to get the story out. The best thing you can do is keep fighting.

MS. COCHRAN: We have -- I am a member of another organization as a volunteer -- I was a founding member of something called the International Women's Media Foundation, and just this week we are having an event that we have every year -- it's called the Courage in Journalism Award. And we bring in people -- women particularly who have been -- have shown tremendous courage in keeping going, in fighting as journalists. And we have in the past honored journalists from Sarajevo and from other places. We certainly -- Nasa Borba is a publication that's familiar to us. And by bringing these tremendously courageous women here, having them meet large groups of journalists in Washington, New York and Los Angeles, we help to highlight the situation in each of those countries where journalists are under duress. And one of the common reactions of people who attend these events -- they find them very, very moving, and they all say it's a reminder to us of how lucky we are here in America, and also of how much we can do just to try to keep attention on people who otherwise are forgotten.
     Secretary General Kofi Annan, in the speech that he made here last week, was asked a similar question, how -- you know, how do you keep going. And he said in fact if you keep protesting and keep the attention coming, especially from the outside, eventually it wears the leadership down, and they'll do anything to get rid of the constant complaints and the constant barrage of criticism. And so that may be something that may be effective with President Milosevic, if in fact he wants to have Yugoslavia connect part of the community of nations.

MR. MATER: I would also remind you that what happened again in Croatia when Tudjman tried to close down radio station 101, and there were public demonstrations all over Zagreb, and eventually they did not close it down; they did not give the license away, as originally planned. Indeed, the public was so incensed about this that the friend of Tudjman who was to get the license finally went public and said, "I won't accept the license -- leave it where it is." Whether this will work with Milosevic is another question. But it certainly worked with Tudjman.

MR. BERTEL: In a democracy we are all accustomed to the independent media and their voice. However, in former Communist countries for years they only had one voice, and that is the voice of government. Are many of these independent broadcasters, newspapers, fighting an uphill battle -- not only against the government, but the people as well? They've only heard one voice in the past -- how do they know they need an alternate point of view?

MS. COCHRAN: My impression from talking to people in that region is that the independent networks and publications have more credibility with the public, that they think of them as more serious and more evenhanded sources of news. I don't know if that's universally true, but that certainly is what I've heard.

MR. MATER: That's true, but there are other problems that go along with that, and one of them for example is financial liability, because we're talking about radio stations and newspapers and magazines -- television as well -- that have no idea of how to run a newspaper, radio station, et cetera, for fun and profit. There's a lack of understanding of the business behind it. We're back to what we were talking about before. But our newspapers and our radio and television is successful and strong and independent, because of the good financial base -- something we've learned over the years.

MR. BERTEL: And I suppose that could be a problem for many stations who want to go after advertisers. If the point of view you are presenting differs from the government, advertisers could very well be intimidated against advertising on your station.

MR. MATER: That is true. And indeed I know of occasions when people from the government have spoken to major advertisers, and said, "We won't be happy if you are on such-and-such a station or you advertise in a certain newspaper." That is true. It happens.

MR. BERTEL: Well, at this point let's return now to B-92 for another question or comment.

Q: A general opinion in Serbia is that President Milosevic used the situation in Kosovo, the crisis around Kosovo, to do this to the media, because a lot of people are thinking about what is going on in Kosovo and not what is going on with the media. There is also one general opinion too, and that is that Mr. Milosevic reacts only on pressures from the international community. Can we expect some pressure on Milosevic because of the media situation in Serbia?

MR. MATER: I hope so. I really do. I can't speak for the international community at all, and I have no idea what they're doing. I know that the European Council, or the EC rather, was really unhappy earlier this month, the first weekend of the month when that meeting was canceled. And, if you recall, some people from the EU or the EC were going to be there to make speeches, and the whole meeting was canceled because of Milosevic's refusal to provide visas to the people who were going to participate.
     I think that -- I think it's the EC, the EU that will play the most important role in doing something with Milosevic to get him to back down somewhat. I think you do face a lot of other dangers. I think one of you mentioned to Marilyn Greene before this new information law, and from what I understand the deputy prime minister of Serbia has suggested inclusion in the new draft law some of the portions of the special decree of two weeks ago, which would be horrendous.
     But I think that it's the EC and the European Union itself that will play the key role in putting pressure on Milosevic.

MR. BERTEL: Let's return now to B-92. We're quickly running out of time. Do you have a question or comment for our guest?

Q:  Well, our last question will be --

MR. BERTEL:  Go ahead with your question.

Q: Hello, we had some disconnections. So, finally we had these NATO threats last week -- a lot of people thought that it will -- brought us in a very convenient situation in here, in Serbia. Also, our federal parliament had this kind of -- they concluded that the land is in the state of emergency. So they brought this decree because of the state of emergency. We cannot fight censorship here, especially if it's a state of emergency. So what's your recommendation about this decree and about the law we are going to get, because this law is still going to ban broadcasting -- other informational services in the Serbian language from abroad.

MR. BERTEL:  Can they fight this from within?

MS. COCHRAN: Boy, it's tough. It's very tough. You know, I think again that Voice of America, the BBC, other organizations who are in the business of broadcasting from the outside in the Serbian language will try to find ways around it. You know, again the Internet is such a valuable tool, although some countries are figuring out ways to shut it off. But it's a very tough situation.

MR. BERTEL:  Mr. Mater?

MR. MATER: I would think that it's going to be extraordinarily difficult to fight from within. I mean, Milosevic pretty much controls the parliament. The deputy prime minister of Serbia is an extraordinary character who I think he would like to see active censorship on a daily basis if he could do it. And I wouldn't be surprised to find efforts made to shut down B-92 for a variety of reasons -- not just as a radio station, but because of the people there.
     I think that the action has to come, as I said before, from the EC, from the EU. I would also make an effort through the European Broadcasting Union as well, and try to get them into the act, because of the two stations that were shut down two weeks ago, and the possibility of others as well. I think by doing it that way, within the European Commission, if the EBU itself took a position -- I don't know if they will -- but if they would take a position that basically is trying to help the broadcasters of Serbia it might provide more of a complaint against Milosevic from his brethren in Europe. And I think it is the Europeans that are going to have to resolve this. I don't think that much will come out of the U.N. on it, but I think working on a smaller basis with the EC and the EU, and as I said the European Broadcasting Union as well -- perhaps enough pressure can be brought to bear, to make sure -- because a great danger is the fact that this was an emergency decree which theoretically will be lifted when the NATO threat is lifted -- theoretically. But, as I said before, there's already a movement afoot to include part of that emergency decree in the new information law. And I don't know. We'll -- I'll talk to some other people to see who else is interested in trying to do something.

MR. BERTEL: B-92, we have just a couple of minutes left. Any final thoughts or comments?

Q: Oh, we would just like to thank WorldNet for including us in this conversation. Thank you very much.

MR. BERTEL: Well, it's been our pleasure, and we appreciate you joining us today as well.
     We do have just a couple of minutes left. Mr. Mater, you've worked in Eastern Europe, Central Europe -- how free is the press overall in that region?

MR. MATER: How do you define "free"? I mean, if you are going to compare it with the American press, no. It is moving in the right direction, I think. And I think it will take time. I think that the financial problems that I mentioned much earlier are extremely important. The lack of understanding of how do you price, how do you sell advertising, for example -- how do you make a newspaper financial viable, or a radio station, or television station? These are things that will have to be learned. Even as marketing will have to be learned, research will have to be learned.
     B-92 is a wonderful station, but I'm not sure how accurate the numbers are in terms of how many people listen to it. Things of that sort that are important to an advertiser.
     I think too -- a last big point -- is that -- and this is particularly true in the Balkans -- that people there are going to have to get over the idea of receiving subsidies from foreign organizations, and they are going to have to learn to make do on their own and to be profitable on their own and to pay their own bills without expecting other organizations to provide financial assistance, because it won't last.

MS. COCHRAN: One of the other difficulties is in working out a new relationship with the government: How do you cover elections? Which parties have a voice? Which candidates are treated in what way? And that's a whole new set of problems that countries there or companies there are going to have to deal with.

MR. BERTEL: We have about a minute left. Many of the journalists who are working in the independent media in Serbia and elsewhere are very young, because an independent media is brand-new to them. Quickly, what advice would you give them?

MS. COCHRAN: If you can get on an exchange program -- and there are many, many exchange programs that will give you a chance to come out and come to the United States or come to Britain or Germany or whatever, take it, because I think it would be an invaluable experience to be able to see what you do in the context of what's going on elsewhere.

MR. BERTEL:  Mr. Mater?

MR. MATER: And I agree with that completely. And at the Freedom Forum we have a number of programs of exactly that type, of bringing journalists to the United States for various periods of time. They learn, they work, and they go back far better than when they came here.

MR. BERTEL: And we'll make that the final word in our program today. Gene Mater, Barbara Cochran, thank you both for being with us today. And I'd like to thank all of the journalists and viewers who are watching in Serbia and around the world. In Washington, I'm Jim Bertel for "Washington Window."

(End transcript)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No 33/98 October 19, 1998

KOSOVO: A VIGIL FOR PEACE

 On October 15, 1998, the Serbian Unity Congress was proud to participate in a candlelight vigil for peace in Kosovo organized by the Serbian American community in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Members of the SUC local chapter led by Alexandra Brkic took prominent roles in initiating and organizing the event.
      The vigil took place outside the State Department. Its purpose was to support efforts to stop the violence in Kosovo through peaceful negotiation and to oppose the use of force by NATO in Kosovo as wholly counterproductive. The vigil set out to show that military action would make the two key objectives of Security Council Resolution 1199, humanitarian relief and a resumption of peaceful negotiations, impossible to achieve.

* The threat of NATO attacks has already brought to a halt the relief operations of international humanitarian agencies and has severely hampered those of Kosovo-based institutions such as the Serbian Orthodox Church.

* Military action will further poison the negotiating atmosphere between the Serbian and Kosovo Albanian sides.

His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of the Serbian Orthodox Eastern Diocese led the prayers. In addition to His Grace, the vigil was attended by clergy from the local Serbian, Greek, and Russian Orthodox communities. A further 150 participants attended. T-shirts calling for peace in Kosovo were provided. The vigil was covered on television by the local CBS affiliate Eye Witness News on which SUC Chapter member Nenad Djordjevich was interviewed.

SUC President Milosh D. Milenkovich stated:

“On behalf of the SUC I congratulate the whole Serbian American community in Washington, D.C. for this timely initiative. I am deeply grateful to His Grace Bishop Mitrophan and the other clergy for supporting the vigil. I extend my special thanks to all the members of the local SUC chapter whose hard work, creativity, and dedication made this event such a success.”

Jonathan Clarke, SUC

-END-
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