[kcc-news] United Nations Report, Sept 9 (fwd)

[Mentor Cana]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> READ  &  DISTRIBUTE FURTHER <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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        KOSOVO - Official U.S. Government Documents
For more information regarding the latest policy statements
and other materials related to the Kosovo crisis, visit
http://www.usia.gov/regional/eur/balkans/kosovo/

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 09 September 1999

United Nations Report, Thursday, September 9, 1999

"RETURN FESTIVAL" TO CELEBRATE REBIRTH OF KOSOVO'S ARTISTIC LIFE

In celebration of the restoration of Kosovo's cultural and artistic
life, an international festival of music and theatre will be held over
the weekend in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, and in Skopje, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said September 9.

Vanessa Redgrave will host "The Return Festival" which will open in
Skopje, the capital of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on
Friday evening and continue in Pristina on Saturday and Sunday, under
the auspices of UNICEF and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR).

"We are not only celebrating the return of the province's artists and
performers, but are also promoting the return of tolerance and respect
among the different communities," Ms. Redgrave said.

Ms. Redgrave will open the Festival at Skopje's Universal Hall, where
the composer Philip Glass will perform.

On Saturday, the Festival will open in Pristina at the National
Theatre, with music, dance and theatre performances. Kosovar jazz
musicians will join international artists for a jazz "extravaganza" on
Saturday evening. The Festival will close on Sunday night with a gala
performance by international musicians.

The Festival will help to reinvigorate Kosovo's talented, but
long-neglected artistic scene, UNICEF said. Plans already exist to
rehabilitate Pristina's Dodona Theatre, and to build a new acting
studio.

UN CHIEF IN KOSOVO INVITES STUDENTS TO HELP BUILD DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

The goal of the United Nations in Kosovo is to build a new, democratic
and multi-ethnic society with active involvement and participation of
all its younger generation, the head of the UN mission in the province
told a group of Kosovar university students September 8.

In a keynote address at the University of Pristina on Tuesday evening,
Dr. Bernard Kouchner also appealed for a halt to ethnic violence, in
particular acts committed against elderly Serbs. Dr. Kouchner said all
political parties should work together towards holding free and fair
elections in the territory, stressing that any rift in Kosovo would be
a victory for Slobodan Milosevic.

During a lively two-hour question-and-answer session that followed,
Dr. Kouchner told the students that the UN Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) planned to suspend all discriminatory laws
in Kosovo. To a question on the future of the University of Pristina,
he said that the University would be open to all students in the
territory, regardless of ethnic background.

On the subject of Mitrovica, a town with large Albanian and Serb
populations that has been the site of ethnic tensions and violence,
Dr. Kouchner emphasized that the city would not be divided along
ethnic lines. To a question on whether there would be a Kosovo army,
Dr. Kouchner said that there would be a civilian force similar to the
National Guard.

Dr. Kouchner was joined in the debate by the leader of the Albanian
LBD (United Democratic Movement) Rexhep Qosja and the political leader
of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Bardhyl Mahmuti.

KOSOVO TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL DECIDES TO SETUP JOINT BODY WITH UN AND
KFOR

Leaders of Kosovo's political groups, meeting September 8 in the
United Nations-supervised Kosovo Transitional Council, agreed to form
a joint committee involving the UN Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK), the KFOR security force and representatives of Kosovo
national communities.

Each member of the Council, which acts as forum for major political
parties and ethnic groups and is the highest consultative body under
UNMIK, was asked to nominate one representative to the new security
structure.

Meeting for the fifth time under the chairmanship of UNMIK chief Dr.
Bernard Kouchner, the Council noted that while recent moves by the UN
and KFOR had led to some improvement, the security environment
remained a cause of serious concern, particularly after last week's
spate of assaults and murders. In his statement after the meeting, Dr.
Kouchner said it was a "good" session that took place in a positive
atmosphere and covered a wide range of issues, including the economy,
customs, budget and the question of the detainees and the missing
persons.

During the meeting, Dr. Kouchner reviewed recent UNMIK actions to
revive the Kosovo economy, drawing particular attention to latest
regulations adopted by UNMIK, as interim administrator, to restore the
customs service in the territory and to legalize the use of all
foreign currencies in Kosovo.

During a discussion of the Council's working methods, Dr. Kouchner
reiterated his offer to fundamentally reform the Council -- which
currently provides input into UNMIK decision-making process -- to give
it a truly executive role. Council members, in turn, agreed to the
idea of quickly expanding the scope of the body's work. The Council
also agreed to soon hold the inaugural meeting of its Sub-Commission
on Prisoners and Detainees, to address the situation of Kosovo
prisoners still being detained in Serbia.

UNITED NATIONS TO REGISTER KOSOVARS AS FIRST STEP TO HOLDING ELECTIONS

The United Nations will begin registering all people of Kosovo on 1
October, as a first step towards holding elections next year, a UN
spokeswoman said September 8.

Speaking to the press in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, Daniela Rozgonova
said the registration would also include Kosovar Albanians who had
gone abroad after 1989 and Serbs who had recently left the territory.

The UN will open offices around Kosovo to verify individuals' identity
and it is expected the first identification cards will be issued by
the end of October, Ms. Rozgonova said.

Working with local volunteers, the UN will strive to register people
in all parts of Kosovo, with an emphasis on reaching those in remote
areas.


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