[ALBSA-Info] Today's Articles on Albanian Issues, September 6, 2001

[National Albanian American Council - NAAC]

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For Your Information
September 6, 2001
REUTERS

Macedonia Assembly Votes to Draft Reforms for Peace
By Mark Heinrich 
SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonia's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to draft reforms vital to a Western- backed peace plan with ethnic Albanians, after delays that threatened to derail NATO's progress in disarming guerrillas. 
By a 91-19 margin, well over the two-thirds majority required, parliament authorized a procedure to rewrite key parts of the constitution to improve the civil rights of Macedonia's large ethnic Albanian minority. 
Parliament will be required to ratify the changes as soon as NATO completes a 30-day mission to disarm the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA), which began handing in its weapons last week. NATO's deadline is September 26. 
The peace debate opened on Friday but was frozen for two days by nationalist hard-liners who demanded concessions, such as immediate returns of refugees, in return for drafting reforms. 
They backed off after Western envoys warned the demands would jeopardize disarmament of the guerrillas. NATO said the guerrillas would resume handing in weapons as soon as parliament flashed the green light for the drafting of reforms. 
``We were waiting for the vote and finally it has been achieved. This makes us 80 percent sure that the war is about to end and we're willing to continue our cooperation,'' a guerrilla brigade officer known as Commander Qela told Reuters. 
Reforms mandated by the peace plan would decentralize power, allow greater official use of the Albanian language, recognize higher education for Albanians and more jobs for Albanians in public services, particularly the police. 
PEACE NOT IN THE BAG 
Despite Thursday's resounding vote, pitfalls lie ahead given Macedonian suspicions that the rebels have hidden weapons and resentment over Western pressure applied to push government leaders into signing the August 13 peace accord. 
Ratification will require a two-thirds majority and parliament's predominant nationalists who railed over Macedonia's ``capitulation to terrorism'' during four days of bitter debate have hinted they will block or dilute key reform clauses. 
Ethnic Albanian legislators and guerrillas have warned that Macedonia will be hurled back into war in that case. 
``The vote has substantial significance, especially the wide margin, and is an important psychological hurdle, but it does not mean that the final passage of reforms is a foregone conclusion,'' Edward Joseph, Macedonia analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, told Reuters. 
``The potential for strategems by hard-liners or a violent incident on the ground still exists,'' he said. 
``But what this does mean is that the international community can now focus squarely on the difficult question of what follows the NATO weapons-collection.'' 
With Macedonian-Albanian animosity still smoldering on the ground, Western officials have grown worried about a relapse into violence after a small NATO task force finishes collecting weapons from rebels later this month. 
Two senior Western envoys to Macedonia have been floating the idea of an international stabilization force to plug a security void, calling into question the reluctance of NATO countries to plunge into another Balkans peacekeeping mission. 
American envoy James Pardew said on Thursday that Russia, which has resented its secondary role in Balkan peacekeeping missions since 1995 and has religious and ethnic ties with majority Macedonians, had approved the proposal. 
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE NEEDED? 
``We...agreed on the need for an extended international presence in Macedonia for a period of time. The nature of that was not defined,'' Pardew told reporters after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. 
``But I think the ministry agreed with us that there is a need for an extended international presence to stabilize the situation,'' said Pardew, co-mediator of Macedonia's peace pact. 
Russia had concurred that ``an increased civil presence requires adequate security from the (Macedonian) government or from some form of international security force,'''' he added. 
Only 49 European monitors -- 24 from the EU and 25 from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- are now in Macedonia but officials are studying ways of increasing the mission to several hundred. 
The OSCE agreed on Thursday to almost double the size of its mission to Macedonia, where it will monitor the security situation. 
After several weeks during which Russia had blocked agreement on extra monitors, the 55-nation security and human rights group agreed to send an additional 25 monitors to reinforce those already there. 
Meanwhile, U.N. refugee agency the UNHCR called for an international security force in Macedonia, saying it was the only way to avoid fresh violence and secure the return of thousands of refugees. 
The NLA rose up in February and overran much of the northern highlands, saying they were fighting to end state discrimination against Albanians after years of futile political negotiations by Albanian civilian leaders. 
Scores of people have been killed and more than 100,000 displaced in the Balkans' fifth nationalist conflict since 1991. 
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten were due to arrive in Skopje with weighty diplomatic and financial arguments for Macedonian leaders to get cracking on the road to peace. 
The EU is a co-sponsor of the peace accord and its financial aid will be vital to Macedonia, the poorest former republic of the old federal Yugoslavia. 
Nationalist Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski blasted the peace plan in debate, but said with resignation that the reforms would have to be approved because Skopje could not afford to alienate would-be Western patrons. 
Western governments had originally hoped the vote would take place on Tuesday. They worried that further delays would rob the fragile peace process of momentum and give credibility to pro-war extremists within the guerrilla movement. 

RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY

LEOTARD WANTS EU FORCE FOR MACEDONIA 
Former French Defense Minister Francois Leotard, the EU's envoy for Macedonia, wants a 1,500-strong EU force to deploy there after NATO's Operation Essential Harvest is completed, the "Financial Times" reported on 6 September. The daily adds that, if approved, "it would be the first deployment of an EU military force independent of the U.S. in the Balkans, though it would still need U.S. logistics. The Macedonians will need to invite the force to operate." Leotard stressed that "the EU, for the first time in the history of the Balkans, [will be able] to show it was able to cope with a crisis." The plan is one of several that EU foreign ministers will discuss over the 8-9 September weekend near Brussels. One unnamed EU official told the British daily that "this is not EU policy. This is Leotard's private view. The whole issue of the follow-up to Essential Harvest [NATO's 30-day operation to collect weapons from Albanian rebels] has yet to be decided."
OTHER PLANS FOR MACEDONIA? 
Another plan under consideration by some EU officials is to set up a "coalition of the willing" among those countries willing to send troops to provide security for OSCE monitors, who will be observing the implementation of the political settlement, Reuters reported from Brussels on 5 September. Elsewhere, a NATO spokesman said that the alliance "is not...considering a new mission or making plans for an extension" of the current one. U.S. envoy to Macedonia James Pardew recently suggested that NATO might indeed consider a continuing role in Macedonia (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 September 2001). Whatever the nature of the international presence, Germany and France intend to be involved. The "Financial Times" reported that German and French leaders agreed in Berlin that NATO's arms-gathering mission will be completed by 26 September as scheduled, and that they are "willing to remain involved beyond then." German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said: "We also agreed that France and Germany will work closely over what will come...[later, including] the necessary things that go beyond Essential Harvest." 
PARDEW: RUSSIA AGREES TO INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN MACEDONIA 
U.S. special envoy to Macedonia James Pardew said in Moscow on 6 September that he and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov have agreed on the need for a continued international presence in Macedonia, Reuters reported. "We talked about the matter and agreed on the need for an extended international presence in Macedonia for a period of time. The nature of that was not defined. But I think the ministry agreed with us that there is a need for an extended international presence to stabilize the situation." Pardew noted that the Russians agreed that "an increased civil presence requires adequate security from the [Macedonian] government or from some form of international security force." Pardew said his meeting was "very, very good," and that Ivanov's analysis of the Balkan situation is "very sophisticated." Pardew added that "We talked about how Russia could be helpful in ensuring long-term peace in the region. We want to work closely with Russia to move forward on this common interest" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 5 September 2001 and "RFE/RL Balkan Report," 31 July 2001).
IVANOV GIVES FAMILIAR MESSAGE ON BALKANS 
Ivanov told a press conference in Moscow on 6 September that "we are witnessing attempts by certain forces to further destabilize the situation and undermine the legitimate Macedonian government's moves to normalize the situation. And we know where those forces are based -- Kosovo. Their policy is aimed at undermining stability in the whole of the Balkans," AP reported. He added that "the main goal of the world community is to prevent the development of the situation in Macedonia from leading to destabilization of the situation and not to worsen the already difficult situation in the Balkans." Moscow's policy (and that of Belgrade) is to portray NATO's work in Kosova as incompetent at best in order to embarrass and discredit the Atlantic alliance. Both Russia and Serbia want an international Balkan conference in hopes of regaining influence in the region at the expense of NATO countries.

RADIO TV 21

Kosova Transitional Council supports improvement of Serb schools but not parallel structures
Conditions should be created for Serb minority education in their native language in Kosova, but parallel educational institutions will not be allowed, according to the Kosova Transitional Council (KTC) Wednesday. Albanian members of the KTC strongly criticized the position of international co-head of the Department for Education and Science Michael Daxner that Serbs in Kosova be allowed to study according to Serbian state curricula. "I must assure you that there will be no parallelism in education and this was also determined by the international education representative. The Serbs should have the conditions to study in their own language. However, there will be no university in their language," said Vice-president Kole Berisha of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK). "Of course there will be cooperation with Serbia on curriculum issues, just as there will be cooperation with Albania and other countries for advancing education in Kosova," he added. Muhamet Kelmendi, Vice-president of the Alliance for the Future of Kosova (AAK), expressed a different opinion regarding curricula for the Serb minority in Kosova. "The points of views of the internationals, mainly Daxner, are that the Serb minority should study according to curricula from Serbia. AAK is for having a [unified] educational system on all levels and an integrity of the working program," Kelmendi said. He suggested that no other methods should be applied because they would only create difficulties that would benefit no one. Kelmendi further stated that educational reforms begun in Kosova should be intensified because, he said, they are quite superficial. "Beginning with elementary school, to university, there are no reforms that remind us that we are moving toward a modern educational system, which would create skilled workers for Kosovar society," he said. The issue of raising salaries for employees in education - "an issue that concerns all," according to Berisha - was also discussed at the KTC meeting. He said that it would be necessary to increase Kosova's budget and create an educational fund, but it was not decided at the meeting when this would occur. Regarding raises for teachers and professors, some Albanian KTC representatives said that current salary levels would not attract more teachers and professors. "It is not logical to ask a teacher who receives DM 170 monthly, a high school teacher who gets DM 300 or a university professor who receives DM 500 to acquire more qualifications and skills, and to do more work, because they also have to work outside their regular schedule to provide for their families," Kelmendi said. President of the Social Democratic Party of Kosova (PSDK) Kacusha Jashari asked for daily politics to be removed from the University of Prishtina. "Politics should support the autonomy of the university, but we are against politics being a daily occurrence at the university, particularly when the general elections in Kosova are now in sight," Jashari told reporters. 

KOSOVALIVE (Kosova News Agency)


Two People Injured by Mines Left Over from 1999 Conflict
TIRANA (KosovaLive) - The border zone between Kosova and Albania continues to present a high risk of danger to civilians due to mines left over from the 1999 conflict in Kosova. 
Police reported that two people were hurt in mine explosions in the Has region on Tuesday. Nine-year-old Gazmend Gecaj from Kruma was injured when a mine exploded no more than 100 meters from his house. Esat Dauti from Golaj was cutting hay to feed his cattle when a mine exploded nearby. Both of the injured are out of danger, according to police sources.

ATA (Albanian News Agency)

Ilir Meta - the thirty-one-year old who will head Albanian Government for the second term in succession
TIRANA, Sept. 5 (ATA) - Ilir Meta, the thirty-one-year-old socialist, was decreed for the second time in continuation as Albanian Premier by the country's President, Rexhep Meidani. Born in 1969 in Skrapar, Meta got involved in the political life of the country at the beginning of the 90ies, becoming part of the Students Movement leadership, which brought about collapse of the 50-year-long regime. In 1992 he was member of the Socialist Party General Committee, while from 1995 to 2001 he was at the office of the chairman of the Youth Euro-Socialist Forum of Albania. Ilir Meta is a member of the Socialist Youth International, and during 1993-1996 period he held the post of the SP vice-chairman. Premier Meta is elected deputy for the first time in 1992, and has later won all the elections in Skrapar, respectively the elections of '96, '97, and 2001. Over 1996-1997 period he was the vice-head of the Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Relations. Ilir Meta was elected Albania's 31st PM on October 29, 1999, following the post of the Vice-PM of the previously-running government. Before that Ilir Meta was State Secretary for Integration in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meta, married and father of two children, is graduated in the University of Tirana, Economic Faculty, Political Economy branch. PM Meta, who will get voted by the new Parliament, knows two foreign languages; English and Italian. 
Social-democrats negotiate with PM on seats they will occupy in government
TIRANA, Sept 5 (ATA) - By A.Haxhiu: Social Democratic Party (SDP) representatives asked Premier Ilir Meta, at negotiations held on Wednesday, to be represented by two ministers in the new government. "We have demanded the post of the Vice-PM, and that of the Minister of Local Government, but even another ministry was included while negotiating", Gaqo Apostoli, SDP vice-leader told ATA on Wednesday. "However, what is important is that the problem has entered the right path", he added. Apostoli added that SDP asks for a representative even in the new Parliament. "We back the proposal of the SP head Fatos Nano for three Deputy Speakers, because one of the posts will be left to the allies", said he. SDP won four deputy mandates in the general parliamentary elections of June 24.

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