Tagesnachrichten 6. November 1998
     von dpa, from ALBANEWS and others
     News of the day - November 6, 1998
     Kosova Information Center : Daily Report No 1605

         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

 

Rugova will nicht anerkannte Regierung der Kosovo-Albaner umbilden
   http://seite1.web.de/show/364307AF.NL1/

Fuenf UCK-Kaempfer im Kosovo getoetet
   http://seite1.web.de/show/36431377.NL1/

UN bauen Ueberwachung der Menschenrechte in Jugoslawien aus
   http://seite1.web.de/show/36431962.NL1/

ONE has to begin    to STOP  oecumenic Decade for Peace  from November 8 until 18, 1998  30 minutes prayer for PEACE  30 Minuten Gebet für den Frieden  am  9./ 10./ 11./ 12./ 13./ 14./ 16./ 17. November  jeweils um 19.45 Uhr  in der Bethlehemkirche Wertingen  Jeder, der kommen moechte  - unabhaengig von Konfession oder Religion,  ist herzlich eingeladen !

LINK zu:  Vorschlag für den Ablauf den Friedensgebetes
                  - auch als WinWord97-Datei erhaeltlich !

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 !

* Nichtamtliche Übersetzung
   UNHCR-Positionspapier über die Behandlung von Asylsuchenden aus
   dem Kosovo in Asylländern: Maßgebliche Überlegungen
   25.8.1998 mit Anhang Stand: 13.8.1998
                    http://www.unhcr.de/news/statemen/misc/kosbob.htm

* UNHCR-Eckpunkte zu Problemen des Flüchtlingsschutzes in Deutschland
   Oktober 1998
                    http://www.unhcr.de/news/statemen/misc/eckpkte.htm

Betreff:         [ALBANEWS] News:Kosova Daily Report #1605
Datum:         Fri, 6 Nov 1998 16:45:32 +0100
    Von:         Edmond Hajrullaaga <edihaga@EUnet.yu>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1605
Prishtina, 6 November 1998

President Rugova's Press Conference

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - "I saw huge destruction there", Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, the President of the Republic of Kosova said today speaking about a trip he made last week to central Kosova, Malisheva and Rahovec areas, accompanied by U.S. envoy for Kosova Chris Hill and the American KDOM.
During a press conference in Prishtina, Rugova said that he saw there, however, signs of life, people keen to return to their homes and property. "People should be offered greater security, specially by the OSCE and other international institutions".
The President thanked the people for their kind reception offered during his trip to the countryside this week.
Touching on the current situation in Kosova, Rugova referred to it as highly volatile, citing the huge presence of Serbian military and police forces as the key factor.
President Rugova denounced the Serb show political trial of a number of young Albanians in Peja, as well as the continued detention by the Serb regime of Lutfi Haziri and a number of other leading local LDK people in Gjilan.
Rugova reiterated his position that the best solution for Kosova is its independence, with all guarantees for the local Serb community, and an interim stage international protectorate pending a lasting solution.
The President thanked the world leaders who have been engaged over Kosova, and pressed for a "permanent international protection of the people of Kosova".
"We are working on an interim settlement for Kosova, and the negotiations on it should be well-prepared", Rugova said, in reply to a question whether the Holbrooke-Milosevic or the Hill draft plan would be the starting point for such negotiations. "The best solution for Kosova, for Serbia itself, as well as the entire region, is independence for Kosova", the President reaffirmed. The important thing is that Albanians driven from their homes have started returning, Ibrahim Rugova said, in reply to comments by a journalist that the international community is talking about this return while "80 percent of the houses in south-western Kosova" have been destroyed, as she put it. "The displaced people will receive the support of the Kosovar and international institutions", the President said, without offering details as to what the support would consist of. People should return before winter sets in indeed, and start repairing what can be repaired, he added. "The people are here in Kosova very resilient, hardworking". I saw people sowing wheat, but also harvesting what was left un harvested [because of the summer Serb offensive], the President said.
Rugova said he had a "positive attitude" to the ongoing meetings between the Albanian political forces in Kosoova. "We want to reconstruct the Government of Kosova, including in it all forces", he said, adding that some of them were not in agreement about this so far. "We hope to have this completion of the Government [of the Republic of Kosova] on the basis of the Constitution and the democratic order."
A foreign journalist asked Rugova whether the new police force in Kosova, being discussed by him and Hill, would reflect the actual ethnic make-up, namely be 90 percent Albanian, or something less than that be acceptable. "We have started working on the building of the Kosova police, which, naturally enough, should be constituted on the basis of the ethnic structure, in which Serbs and other are represented".
President Rugova said there was need for a "modern police, which would not only protect the State, but also the people and their property".
Prior to 1989, Kosova had a 4,500-strong police personnel, in which there were Albanians, Serbs and others, the President said. "The new, modern police should be supported by the international community".
Our position, as well as the position of the international community, has been all along that negotiations should be well- prepared if they are to yield results, Rugova said in answer to a question.
"I will meet with Adem Demaçi [the UÇK political representative] in days to come", President Ibrahim Rugova said, asked by reporters whether he would indeed meet with Demaçi, as today's Albanian press in Prishtina announced.

FOCUS: Flawed Agreement Allows Milosevic to Spurn Hague Tribunal's Mandate over Kosova
Impunity. This is what the new diplomatic dogma is all about when it forges the dilemma: Peace or Justice?

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - The first thing analysts noted when aspects of the Holbrooke-Milosevic deal on Kosova were made public last month was that the issue of the Hague Tribunal and its eventual investigation of war crimes in Kosova had been sidelined. There was a tacit agreement of the two men to do this, others, more cynical observers, said.
This was apparently a huge concession to Milosevic, alongside the Western deal to allow Milosevic to keep 25,000 occupying troops - military and police - in Kosova while presenting it as a major breakthrough, a pulling out of Serbian troops. Withdrawal of troops, pulling out of troops from Kosova, in plain English should have meant having them out of Kosova. This is how everybody understood it. Not the West, which knew it had made a flawed agreement and was eager to sell it as a masterpiece of diplomacy. 'FRY' has blocked a planned trip to Kosova by U.N. war crimes chief prosecutor Louise Arbour, a spokesman for the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia said on Thursday.
"Yugoslavia has not given the necessary visas to investigate in Kosovo. They will not allow an investigation in Kosovo," the spokesman told Reuters. Arbour had intended to travel to Kosova later this week.
The spokesman said Yugoslavia continued to reject the Tribunal's jurisdiction in Kosova, despite several resolutions by the U.N. Security Council asserting the court's powers there.
"There have been numerous allegations, specific and credible enough to require further investigations," Arbour told a news conference earlier this week. Alleged atrocities included summary executions, wanton destruction and plunder, she added.
Arbour had planned to travel to Kosova with Deputy Prosecutor Graham Blewitt and a team of around 10 investigators, Reuters said, adding that she had written to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on October 15 seeking assurances that all necessary visas would be issued.
On Wednesday, she asked Yugoslavia's ambassador to The Hague to press her case in Belgrade and rejected Yugoslav government assertions that tribunal investigators should not be allowed to operate independently in Kosova.
"I assert unequivocally the entitlement of my investigators to conduct confidential investigations without having to share it with any government authority," she said.
The International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia was set up by U.N. resolution in 1993 to prosecute war crimes in the territory of former Yugoslavia, part of which is Kosova. Peace or justice?
We will seek solutions, not justice, a key U.S. diplomat involved with Kosova was quoted as saying early autumn.
Peace or justice? is now the question, according to this newly- engineered diplomatic dogma, whose answer should be 'peace'. Peace yes, but without justice, if impunity becomes the acceptable norm, then it is deadly peace.
If Milosevic gets away with his crimes in Kosova, as he has done with atrocities he had masterminded in Bosnia, and is even rewarded with arrangements that allow Belgrade any powers over Prishtina, we will have a deadly peace in Kosova. Hopefully, a short-lived one.

Shooting Incident in Suhareka Friday, Casualties Feared

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - The LDK chapter in Suhareka, a town 50 km south of Prishtina, described the situation in some parts of the municipality as highly volatile today (Friday).
Heavy firearms shooting was heard at around midday today in the area between villages Samadraxha and Opterusha. Eye-witnesses told the LDK office in Suhareka that there were casualties, including fatalities.
By mid-afternoon, the KIC could not confirm reports about wounded or killed people in the reported incident.
A Serb police unit has been deployed in the Lubovc neighborhood at Grejçec village since Thursday morning. At around 17:00, Serbs opened machine-gun fire in the direction of Albanian houses in the village, local residents said.
Serb forces have been still manning many bases and checkpoints in the Suhareka municipality, including at Duhël, Grejçec, Mohlan, Reshtan, Qafa e Duhlës and Biraç mountains, local sources said today.

Serbs Spray With Fire Albanian Communities in Malisheva Thursday Night

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - Just after 19:00 hrs on Thursday evening, Serb forces manning the local police station in Malisheva opened fire from various kinds of armament. For about 30 minutes Albanian communities in the area were sprayed with machine-gun and light artillery pieces, the LDK Information Commission of Malisheva said today.
Shooting from machine-guns and mortars was heard overnight in Carralluka, a village only a couple of kilometers from Malisheva.
There has been no word yet on possible casualties.
Local sources said that there has been a growing presence of Serb forces in Malisheva over the past couple of days. The displaced Albanians returning to their homes have been repeatedly harassed and intimidated by Serb police patrols in the streets, they said.

Armed Serb Civilians Harass Albanians in Prishtina Village

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - Serb residents of Nëntë Jugoviqët (Devet Jugovic), a village about 5 km north of Prishtina, have stepped up an intimidation campaign against their Albanian neighbors.
Armed Serbs have been roaming around-the-clock in the streets of the Nëntë Jugoviq, provoking and threatening Albanian residents in this ethnically mixed village. Albanians claimed that some of the Serbs civilians roaming armed in the streets of the village are not local villagers. They fear that paramilitary units were harbored in the village.
On Thursday afternoon and in the evening, Serbs in Nëntë Jugoviq opened continued fire from automatic rifles, causing panic and fear amongst the Albanians, the children in particular, local villagers told the KIC.

Serb Army Opens Artillery Fire in Western Kosova Thursday

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) -  Serb army forces manning outposts in the Kosova-Albanian border zone opened artillery fire in the direction of the villages of Zhub and Vagovë Thursday evening from 20:00 through 20:30, local sources said.
The LDK chapter in Gjakova said Serb heavy army forces have been dug in around Zhub village. The increased Serb forces in the area have instilled fear amongst the few Albanians who returned to their villages lately.
Sporadic shooting was heard overnight in several villages in the regions of Dushkaja and Reka e Keqe in the municipality of Gjakova.

Serb Army Arrests Albanians Working in Their Estate in Hani i Elezit

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - Serb (Yugoslav) army soldiers arrested Thursday afternoon three Albanians near the Kosova-FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) border, the LDK chapter in Hani i Elezit said.
Hazbi Shkreta, Metush Shkreta and Sefedin Shkreta were arrested while working in their estate near the border zone. They were taken to the Serb police station in the town, where they were held for a couple of hours.
The LDK could not learn the reason why the three Albanians were rounded up by Serb soldiers.

Serb Military Court Indicts 7 Albanians for Gunning Down Army Officer

PRISHTINA, Nov 6 (KIC) - The Serb military court in Nis (Serbia) extended the pre-trial detention for seven Kosovar Albanians to three months each.
Adem Elezkurtaj (30), Fatmir Memaj (23), Kujtim Memaj (20), Nexhmedin Ajazi (27), Ferat Xhezairi (29), Afrim Berisha (26), and Islam Thaçi (26), have been held in detention for over two months now. The men have been accused for alleged involvement in attacks against Serb army troops in Kosova.
Serb media said that on 28 July 1998 the defendants killed Yugoslav army officer Bojan Denic, and wounded the deputy chief of the police station in Dragash.

Kosova Information Center
Last page!

• BISHOP ARTEMIJE - The Speech in Washington D.C., Sep. 15
• B92 NEWS

Bishop Artemije's remarks were made at an Institute Current Issues
Briefing on September 15, 1998 in Washington D.C.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I am especially honored to be invited by the United States Institute of Peace to address the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, the problems which are happening there, and the possibilities of finding a solution.

I will start my presentation with a very wise saying by Eleanor Roosevelt: "For it isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." The Lord Jesus Christ is our peace, which is said in the Gospel. He is the Lord and Prince of Peace. His peaceful mission was announced by the angelic song about Bethlehem, and His mission was finished by His greeting to His disciples, "Peace be unto you." His preaching from His birth to His resurrection was preaching about peace. He came to do the work of God. And I, as Bishop of the church, speak about peace, believe in it, and work at it. The best proof of that intention is my presence here at the United States Institute of Peace.

In order to work at the achievement of lasting peace in Kosovo- Metohija, I and members of my delegation from Kosovo are here for the third time. The first time, we were here in February, with the intention to prevent the escalation of the conflict in Kosovo. The second time, we were here in March at the hearing at the United States Congress, to explain how the conflict had already started at that time, how it appeared, and how we could stop the violence. And now we are here a third time, to help stop the conflict and achieve lasting peace.

Topics of Discussion

The most important subjects we are going to speak on today are:

• possibilities for the peaceful resolution of the Kosovo crisis;
• the prospects for development of democracy in Serbia and the region; and
• the role of religion in building peace and confidence in Kosovo and the Balkans.

We are not going to speak now about historical elements which brought about the problems of Kosovo-Metohija. We talked about that during our first visit, and we believe that you are acquainted with the historical background of the problem. Now we have to face the reality which we have on the ground. There are armed conflicts that have been there for several months between and among the Albanian separatists in Kosovo, which actually appears as a terrorist organization, and the Serbian regime, which is trying in its way to suppress that terrorism. I think the problem in Kosovo is not between the Serbian and Albanian people, but that the Serbs and Albanians are the victims of this conflict -- of these two extremes. Now, it is most important to find a way to stop this conflict and find a lasting and peaceful solution. According to our opinion, which we have been supporting for years, we think that the Kosovo issue must be resolved peacefully. There is no solution by weapons, of course. At the moment it is impossible to reach a lasting solution until the armed conflict has been stopped. The weapons must be silenced in order that people may speak. We supported the idea that there should be negotiations before the war, but unfortunately our words of reason did not find an appropriate response from the leaders who decide about the destiny of the people. It is most important at the moment to stop the violence and terror in Kosovo and Metohija. It is impossible to ask for the unilateral retreat of the Serbian police without the cessation of the separatist and terrorist activities of the KLA. Only after the cessation of all military activities and disarmament is it possible to establish unconditional dialogue on all levels. The most important idea in that dialogue is to find the common future for all the peoples who live in the Kosovo area. I want to say the problem in Kosovo-Metohija is not only the problem of Albanians, but also of Serbs who are living there. Very often the Serbs in Kosovo are referred to only as members of police and army. The Serbian people that have been living there for 1,000 years are absolutely forgotten.

Kosovo Dialogue

In order to reach a lasting and just solution through the dialogue, we think that in that dialogue, the following parties should take part:

• The authorities of Serbia and Yugoslavia;
• The representatives of Kosovo Albanians; and
• The reps of Kosovo and Metohija Serbs.

Because without the participation of Kosovo Metohija Serbs in a dialogue, there cannot be a just and lasting solution. If we overlook that element in search of either a temporary or lasting solution, a real solution cannot be reached, because any kind of solution must be such that it will help all the people who live there to live normally and to stay there. If there is any solution which doesn't take into account the interests of the Serbs who live in Kosovo, that solution will be one-sided and will cause the mass exodus of Serbs from the region. And then we will get an ethnically cleansed Albanian Kosovo, and unfortunately we will not have the multiethnic Kosovo which we would like to see. We would like that all the people who live in Kosovo at the moment should stay there. That's why we do not support any action which is directed towards ethnic cleansing or displacement of the population from any side. We are afraid that the political leaders in the Balkans, especially Kosovo, do not take that into account. That is why we now have many thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons, both Serbs and Albanians.

In solution of the problem of Kosovo and Metohija, we must also incorporate the issue of these refugees and displaced persons. We must find a way that these internally displaced persons are returned to their homes. During the fights, many homes were destroyed. So it is necessary to make great efforts to help all the people return to their homes. We must repair the damaged houses, and organize the temporary accommodation of the people -- especially with winter approaching. We think it is totally unacceptable to use a humanitarian crises for any political purpose from any side. So, seeking the solution for Kosovo and Metohija, we must look to the future. With all due respect to our mutual traditions and history, we must first look to the future and try to find a common interest in the future. It is crucially important to work in confidence building between the populations living there, especially among Serbs and Albanians. Parallel to that, it is necessary to continue the building of democratic institutions in Serbia, which would guarantee the respect of all human rights for all citizens, no matter which religion or nationality.

A Necessary Democracy

These points can be summarized by the following conclusion. The issue of Kosovo and Metohija is not a question of territory, but a question of development of democracy and human rights, and it is necessary that the programs should be resolved without the change in internationally accepted borders within the Republic of Serbia and the federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This brings us to the other thesis: that is democratization of the Republic of Serbia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the whole Balkan region is necessary. The Serbian Orthodox Church and the democratic Serbian Resistance Movement, headed by Mr. Momcilo Trajkovic have been working together for years. Today in Serbia, especially with Mr. Milosevic and his regime, there cannot be a solution for Kosovo or any other problem -- because the undemocratic regime of Mr. Milosevic is not only violating the human rights of Kosovo Albanians, but it is also violating the human rights of the Serbian population, no matter which part of Serbia they live. With democratic Serbia and a democratic regime, it is very easy to find a solution for all the problems. That's why we say that the problem of Kosovo is not a geographical or territorial problem, but a problem of human rights and democracy. And the problem of Albanians in Kosovo is not restricted to the Kosovo area. There is a very serious Albanian question in Macedonia, in Montenegro, and even in Greece. So, it is very important to have a wider approach towards this problem, and not restrict the vision and dialogue to Kosovo. It is necessary to have democratization of the entire Balkans, only as democratic countries may they take part in integrational processes within Europe. We have been working quite a lot on this issue. We formed a group of experts which worked three months on the proposal of democratic solutions of the Kosovo and Metohija problem. It is probably the only paper which has been proposed as a democratic proposal so far. We don't want to say that it would resolve all the problems, but it represents a very good basis for the resolution of all programs. But unfortunately on the other hand, we have not seen the readiness to accept truly democratic approach, which would help. Through the democratization, the whole region would be oriented towards the processes of economic, political and military integration within Europe. That's why we think and we expect that the United States and the international community should support the democratic alternative in Serbia, which exists and which is gaining more and more support. It's true. Because only with that alternative is it possible to make the progress of democracy which will be the only source and guarantee of lasting stability in the region. With Mr. Milosevic, there is not stability, and there cannot be any kind of stability in the region.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I am going to say something about the third topic, and that is the role of religion in building peace and confidence in Kosovo and the Balkans. Very boldly I say that the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija is not a religious war. I think that war cannot be the program of any religion, and especially not of the Christian religion. That's why I think that religious communities can play a very constructive role in resolving this issue -- the Serbian Orthodox Church especially -- and the diocese of Kosovo. We have tried many times to make contact between the representatives of the three religious communities which live there -- Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Muslim. Three months ago, we made a draft version of a declaration, and offered this text to the religious community with the idea that we meet together in this effort, add new elements, subscribe to this document and present it to our believers. The good will on our side, unfortunately, did not find a proper response from the two other groups. About ten days ago, when Mr. John Shattuck was in Kosovo, we tried to gather representatives of these three religious communities so that we could talk together. Only me, as representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church came there, and the Secretary of the Roman Catholic Bishop was there. But the representatives of the Muslim community did not attend the meeting, nor did they give any explanation why they didn't come. It was a bit of an embarrassing situation for all of us, but it didn't discourage us. We are going to continue in our efforts to establish contact with representatives of other religious communities, and we shall continue trying to calm the conflict as much as we can. Together with Decani Monastery and Father Sava, I prepared a text. The topic is what religious communities could do to calm down this conflict. And we have ten proposals, the draft version of the text is translated into English, and you will find these papers available at the end of the presentation.

We think that we all have to do what we can. Neither God nor the people expect from us what we cannot do. But it is expected from us only as much as we are capable of doing.

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

Open Yugoslavia, News by 13.00 CET, November 5, 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY NEW
 
Hill in Belgrade

BELGRADE, Thursday -- US Envoy Christopher Hill is in Belgrade today to discuss the fifth draft of the proposed Serb-Albanian agreement on Kosovo. A senior European diplomat has told Radio B92 correspondent Danijel Bukumirovic in Pristina that the new draft has addressed a number of Albanian objections to earlier versions. For this reason, he said, international mediators feared that Belgrade would be reluctant to accept the draft. The document includes a proposal for Kosovo to be part of Yugoslavia, with ties to Serbia.
The unnamed diplomat described the resurgence of UCK activity in Kosovo as very disturbing, saying that the danger of this had been pointed out to UCK political representative Adem Demaqi. He added that Demaqi had been told that he was considered responsible for the behaviour of the UCK and that the international community expected him to calm the liberation army down.

UN concern over UCK

BELGRADE, Wednesday -- The UN is concerned that the UCK has taken over former Serb police checkpoints in Kosovo, according to the UN's Belgrade spokesman, Jay Carter. Carter told a press conference in Belgrade yesterday that the UN was satisfied that the ceasefire was being respected. However he condemned the sentence of two months' imprisonment imposed by the UCK on two Tanjug journalists. Carter called on UCK spokesman Adem Demaqi and other Albanian representatives to do all they could to allow the detained journalists to be visited by the International Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations.

Attack on village

PRISTINA, Thursday -- The Pristina Media Centre reported this morning that a group of Albanians armed with automatic rifles last night attacked the village of Priluzje, 20 kilometres from Pristina. The attack lasted three and a half hours. There were no casualties among villagers, but several houses were damaged by gunshots.

UCK statement on abducted officials

PRISTINA, Wednesday -- The UCK yesterday confirmed that it had abducted the president and vice-president of the Malisevo branch of the Democratic League of Kosovo. The statement from the UCK said that Jakup Kastrati and Cen Desku were being held for investigation because they had called on Albanians to lay down their arms. The arrest of the two Democratic League officials is the third case of political abductions by the UCK in recent months.

Bombers go home

WASHINGTON, Thursday -- Six B52 bombers earmarked for planned NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia have been returned from Britain to their base in the US, according to a US Defence Department statement. The statement also said that NATO was maintaining about three hundred aircraft in a state of alert for possible operations in Yugoslavia.

Danas back in town

BELGRADE, Wednesday -- Belgrade daily Danas has reappeared on news stands more than three weeks after being banned by the Serbian Government under its emergency decree on media. Today's edition alleges that copies of yesterday's Danas were illegally prevented from entering Serbia by Serbian police. The paper is now printed in Montenegro and a truck carrying it was turned back near the Serbia-Montenegro border yesterday.
Yesterday's edition of the paper finally arrived in Belgrade about 8.00 last night.

Montenegro on press freedom

PODGORICA, Wednesday -- The Montenegrin Secretary for Information, Bozidar Jaredic told Radio B92 yesterday that he was not surprised that Serbian police had blocked the Danas from entering Yugoslavia. Jaredic said that it was well known that Serbia intended to put all media under the control of the ultranationalist leader of the Serbian Radical Party, Vojislav Seselj and Mira Markovic, the wife of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and head of the Yugoslav United Left.
Jaredic said that Montenegro would warn Serbia against any further interference with Montenegrin publications coming into Serbia.

No Dnevni Telegraf today

BELGRADE, Thursday -- The editor-in-chief of Belgrade daily Dnevni Telegraf, Slavko Curuvija, this morning told Radio B92 that the paper had not been published today as planned because financial inspectors, police and tax inspectors had been guarding the printing house used by the paper, intending to confiscate all copies as soon as they were printed. Curuvija said that he would attempt today to explain to officials that the daily being printed now had been registered in Montenegro and was not connected with the Dnevni Telegraf which had earlier been banned.
The latest issue of Curuvija's fortnightly news magazine Evropljanin went on sale in Belgrade and Vojvodina this morning. Curuvija, his company and associates have been fined almost a quarter of a million dollars after having been convicted of breaching Serbia's new Public Information Act with material published in Evropljanin.

Students imprisoned

BELGRADE, Wednesday -- Four students arrested by police on Tuesday night were yesterday sentenced to ten days imprisonment for creating a public disturbance and writing anti-government slogans. The one male and three female students were arrested while painting a clenched fist, the symbol of the Student Resistance Movement, on a wall in central Belgrade.

Protest concert draws crowd

BELGRADE, Wednesday -- More than fifteen thousand, mostly young, Belgraders packed into the city's central Republic Square yesterday afternoon for a concert to support independent media. The two-and-a-half-hour concert featured several of Belgrade's most popular bands. In a short speech from the stage, young Belgrade film director Rasa Andric called on the government to revoke the new Public Information Act and the new Universities Act and to immediately stop bans, threats and repression against the media.
Radio B92 editor-in-chief Veran Matic called on the crowd to attend a new rally for November 16, the Day of Struggle against Fascism.

 Translated by: Oto Oltvanji
 Edited by: Steve Agnew
 Editorial Board: b92eng@opennet.org

Open Yugoslavia, News by 17.00 CET, November 5, 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY NEWS

Milutinovic: Albanian terrorism defeated

PRISTINA, Thursday -- Serbian President Milan Milutinovic today met behind closed doors with Serb leaders in Pristina. The meeting was attended by members of the Kosovo Temporary Executive Council, administrative officers, business leaders and representatives of certain political parties. Milutinovic was accompanied by Deputy Yugoslav Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic and Serbian Minister for the Interior Vlajko Stojiljkovic.
Milutinovic's office later issued a statement saying that Albanian terrorism had been defeated which meant that it was no longer necessary to treat the Kosovo problem as a security issue only. The statement went on to say that a solid basis was in place for addressing the political, economic, social and cultural issues. This, said Milutinovic, was demonstrated by the strengthening of civilian structures through the establishment of the Temporary Executive Council and the normalisation of life in the province. The Serbian president also called on the representatives of Albanian political parties to resume negotiations.

Serb policeman abducted

PRISTINA, Thursday -- Radio B92 learned today that a group of armed Albanians last night abducted a Serb policemen near the village of Velika Reka. A Yugoslav Army soldier told police in Vucitrn that he and the policeman had been travelling on a public bus which was stopped by the Albanians. Both were removed from the bus and interrogated, after which the soldier was released. The policeman was taken by the group of men to an unknown destination.

Arbour refused access to Kosovo

THE HAGUE, Thursday -- The chief prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal, Louise Arbour, was today given a visa for Yugoslavia which permits her to travel only to Belgrade. Arbour announced last month that she intended to personally lead a team which would investigate alleged war crimes in Kosovo. She was informed today by letter from the Yugoslav Government that she was not permitted to carry out any kind of investigation in the province.
Arbour said that the Hague Tribunal would inform the UN Security Council about the restriction of her investigation. She told media that she would not travel to Yugoslavia with a partial visa only.

No new draft today

BELGRADE, Thursday -- US Envoy Christopher Hill failed to produce a new draft of the proposed Serb-Albanian agreement which had been expected today. Hill was in Belgrade to attend the launch of US diplomatic troubleshooter Richard Holbrooke's book The Road to Dayton. Hill's spokesman Philip Ricker told Radio B92 this afternoon that Hill had had to return to Skopje immediately after the launch because of an unexpected new commitment.

Kosovo information secretary resigns

PRISTINA, Thursday -- The Secretary for Information of the Province of Kosovo, Bosko Drobnjak resigned today. Drobnjak told Radio B92 that he had resigned irrevocably and for personal reasons, and declined to give any details. His resignation was accepted by the president of the Temporary Executive Council, who immediately appointed Romany journalist Biram Halyati to replace Drobnjak.

Student meeting barred

BELGRADE, Thursday -- Private security guards this morning broke up a meeting convened by students of the Belgrade Law School. The students had invited two suspended lecturers to speak about the history of persecution of academic staff in the faculty. The Dean of the law school, Oliver Antic, told Radio B92 this afternoon that he had prevented a political gathering. He said that the two lecturers had no right to speak to students because they had been suspended. The security guards who prevented the meeting were employed by the management of the faculty.

 Translated by: Oto Oltvanji
 Edited by: Steve Agnew
 Editorial Board: b92eng@opennet.org
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Decani Monastery               tel +381 390 61543
38322 Decani, Serbia           fax +381 390 61567
http://www.decani.yunet.com    e-mail: decani@EUnet.yu

Yugoslavia Blocks War Crimes Investigation

(New York, Nov. 5, 1998)—Human Rights Watch strongly condemned the Yugoslav government for denying visas to a team of  investigators from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The tribunal submitted its visa requests to the Yugoslav authorities on October 15, days after Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic promised U.S. negotiator Richard Holbrooke  that war crimes investigators would have access to Kosovo. The tribunal's Chief Prosecutor, Louise Arbour, requested visas for herself and a team of ten investigators to visit Kosovo and investigate allegations of war crimes committed by both sides in the conflict between the Yugoslav authorities and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Yesterday Arbour was informed that the team would be allowed to visit only Belgrade, not Kosovo; that only two investigators would be allowed to accompany her and her deputy; and that the visa would permit only a single entry, for seven days.  The Yugoslav authorities further told Arbour that her team would not be permitted to conduct any investigations during its trip to Belgrade.  The Prosecutor has declined to accept the limited visa offered.

"Once again, Slobodan Milosevic has bought himself time with empty promises," stated Holly Cartner, executive director of the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch.  "If he is allowed to get away with this, it will be like giving him a green light to continue his repressive campaign, and the peace process in Kosovo will be doomed before it even starts."

The Yugoslav authorities have obstructed the work of the tribunal since its inception, harboring suspects indicted for crimes committed in Bosnia and, more recently, refusing to accept that the tribunal has jurisdiction over crimes committed in Kosovo.  In recent statements, Yugoslav government authorities have claimed that the International Tribunal's competence to investigate events in Kosovo had ended upon conclusion of the Holbrooke agreements.  In a concession to Milosevic, the U.S. negotiators left out reference to the ICTY in those agreements, referring instead to Security Council resolutions, which in turn acknowledge the right of the tribunal to investigate in Kosovo.  "Unfortunately, the U.S.  negotiators missed a crucial opportunity—when the threat of NATO airstrikes had Milosevic at the bargaining table—to reaffirm Milosevic’s obligation to cooperate with the tribunal," said Cartner.  "Their concession was obviously a grave error.”

Yugoslav government officials have also argued that the tribunal has no rights to investigate in Kosovo because the violence did not constitute an “armed conflict,” a requirement of tribunal jurisdiction.  Human Rights Watch has concluded that an armed conflict commenced in Kosovo on February 28, when Serbian special police forces launched their first large-scale, military attack on villages.  From that date, the Kosovo Liberation Army and the government were engaged in ongoing hostilities involving military offensives, front lines, and the use of attack helicopters and heavy artillery.  At times, as much as 40% of Kosovo territory was controlled by the KLA, which is an organized force led by regional commanders, capable of organizing systematic attacks and imposing discipline on their fighters.

Since March, the Security Council has repeatedly called for a tribunal investigation in Kosovo, implicitly acknowledging that an armed conflict was taking place.  On July 7, the Prosecutor explicitly stated that she had concluded that the nature and scale of the conflict indicated that an armed conflict was taking place.  The U.S. government has also publicly endorsed this conclusion.  “There is no question that an armed conflict has been taking place in Kosovo,” Cartner said.  “Moreover, such legal challenges to the tribunal’s jurisdiction should be raised before the tribunal’s judges, after an indictment has been brought and a suspect arrested, not by a government as a bar to an investigation.”

Human Rights Watch has conducted three investigations to Kosovo this year and documented serious violations, committed disproportionately by the Yugoslav forces.  The organization is particularly eager for international investigators to reach massacre sites its researchers uncovered last month.  "We have documented the summary executions and indiscriminate shelling that have taken the lives of hundreds of civilians and sent thousands into hiding in the woods," stated Cartner.  "But the tribunal needs to collect that evidence so the perpetrators can be tried for their horrible crimes."

For further information, contact:
Elizabeth Andersen in New York, 12122161265
Lotte Leicht in Brussels, 3227322009
Fred Abrahams in Pristina, 3275528890
Peter Bouckaert in Pristina, 3275528890

More information regarding Human Rights Watch's findings in Kosovo can be obtained by calling 12122161845 or on the Human Rights Watch website at http://www.hrw.org/hrw/campaigns/kosovo98/index.htm

Albania protests border incidents by Yugoslav forces

      TIRANE, Nov 6 (ATA)-By I.Luto,
      Albania's Foreign Ministry today handed over a strong note of protest to the Charge d'affaires at the embassy of the Federal  Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in Tirane, Vukicevic, regarding the latest incident on the border with Northern Albania.
      This note of protest cites such incidents as "very grave and harmful acts, which directly violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania, but which also risk to aggravate the already tense situation in the Balkan region."
      At the same time, the note of protest points to the lack of  cooperation by the Yugoslav side with the Albanian authorities at  the Local Joint Sub-commissions in explaining the environments of  the incidents alleged by the parties, in accordance with the agreement for the solution of border incidents.
      The latest incident the note is referred to, took place on November 3, 1998, when the Yugoslav forces opened fire in the direction of the Albanian territory, in the region of the border post C-4, in Tropoje.
      "The Foreign Ministry considers that compliance with the points of the agreement, especially meeting of Local Joint sub-commissions on the spot, is a significant moment to judge with realism any occurring incident and find out the respective responsibility and prevent them in the future," the note of protest says.
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Hill presents project for temporary solution to Kosova issue

      PRISHTINE, Nov 6 /ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reports:
      The U.S. special envoy for Kosova, Christopher Hill, met this afternoon (Friday) with representatives of the General Staff  of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). The meeting is reported to have been held in Dragobi of the Malisheve district.
      The Information Department of the KLA General Staff reported just a few moments ago that: "On November 6, 1998, at the request of the U.S. ambassador in Skopje, Christopher Hill, a working meeting was held with the political representatives of the KLA General Staff, Hashim Thaci, spokesman Jakup Krasniqi  and head of Department for Public and Civic Administration Relations,  Rame Buja.
      The KLA representatives were also informed of the U.S. project for a temporary solution to the Kosova political status.
      The meeting was constructive and was held in an atmosphere of understanding. The talks on this issue will continue," the report from the KLA General Staff concludes.
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