[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH «ALBEUROPA»} NEWS: Rugova Says Too Soon For Dialogue With Yugoslavia (AFP, 3 Dec 2000)

[Wolfgang Plarre]

http://www.centraleurope.com/yugoslaviatoday/news.php3?id=226514

Rugova Says Too Soon For Dialogue With Yugoslavia

CAVOURI, Dec 3, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) The leader of the
Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Ibrahim Rugova said here Saturday it
was too soon to begin a direct dialogue with Yugoslavia on the future
status of the province.
    "We have to wait a little. We have time," the moderate nationalist
Rugova told AFP and Swiss radio, adding that the majority of the former
Yugoslav republics had become independent and "looked today towards
Europe."
    "It's necessary that they themselves (the Serbs) change, that they
have new ideas ... confidence will develop if they want it to," he said
at the end of a two-day conference called "Albanians as a majority and
as a minority."
    Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said last week he wanted to
talk with "Kosovo Albanian representatives, who were ready to talk ...
those who won the local elections," referring to Rugova and his LDK.
    Zoran Zivkovic, one of Yugoslavia's three interior ministers,
expressed his disappointment that no one had responded to the appeal,
which he renewed at the conference.
    "It would be wise to begin discussions" on the future of Kosovo, he
said, and appealed for a quick solution which "takes the citizens'
interests into account ahead of political ambitions."
    Hashim Thaci, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), had
said Friday at the same meeting that he was opposed to any talks on the
province's future that would exclude him.
    "No representative from Kosovo, including Rugova, can decide alone"
the future of the province, Thaci said.
    "Dialogue with Belgrade can only begin with international mediation.
Kosovo should be represented by its institutions and those who
participate in them," he said.
    "As soon as that mediation is in place, we will be ready to
negotiate a peaceful separation between Kosovo and Serbia," Thaci said
Friday, adding that he wanted Kosovo to be "free and independent."
    UN Security Council Resolution 1244 provides for substantial
autonomy for Kosovo, but as a part of Yugoslavia.
    Kosovo's UN administrator, Bernard Kouchner also took part in the
discussions, which were organized by the US non-governmental group
Project On Ethnic Relations and the Greek foreign ministry. 

((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)


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