Nebojsa Covic

Belgrade, September 7, 2001 - The main topics of the third round of talks held between Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic and UNMIK's chief Hans Haekkerup on Friday, September 7, were Kosovska Mitrovica, Serb participation in local government, imprisoned Serbs and missing persons.

- The situation in Kosovska Mitrovica is illustrative of unresolved issues throughout the province. Rushing to a solution would be counter-productive in the longer-term. We would arrive at a situation in which we would say: "Wherever there are Serbs, there are problems." I demanded that UN Resolution 1244 be strictly applied, so that ethnic cleansing would be halted. This issue will remain open till the next meeting - Covic said, adding that Kosovska Mitrovica was not the only problem in the province that needs to be solved in cooperation with international forces.

Force cannot bring Kosovo back

Answering a reporter's question on Serb participation or non-participation in the November elections, Covic said that the decision is not yet known. He promised that Resolution 1244 as well as the Constitutional framework for the province would soon be printed and distributed "because we are not sufficiently aware of our rights and obligations." - Elections represent phase two, which will provide for limited autonomy for Kosovo. (Phase one was international protectorate.) The Resolution guarantees autonomy, not independence - said the head of the Coordinating centre for Kosovo-Metohija. He added that those who think that Kosovo is lost are wrong. - We should be patient, ardent, and cooperative with the international community and very supportive to the Serbian people of Kosovo - that's how the situation can be improved - Covic reiterated.

He agreed with Haekkerup that Serbian curricula would be used in schools in Serbian enclaves until further notice. According to Covic, further talks would deal with staffing policies in schools and the salary system. When discussing the situation at Kosovska Mitrovica University, they agreed that there were some rash statements on the Serbian side, but that some positive results were achieved.

During today's talks, Covic issued a request for opening five offices housing the Coordinating Centre, one of them in Pristina. Covic said he expects a positive response.

- We particularly discussed the impartiality of judicial organs comprised of Albanians only. The situation has improved since international judges arrived on the scene, but it was agreed that judges in Belgrade would analyse all the sentences passed down on Serbs in Kosovo since June 1999. That's why close cooperation between Serbian judicial organs and UNMIK is of great importance - said Nebojsa Covic.

Speaking on the subject of missing persons, he stressed that during the talks with Hague chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte he received a list of all known missing and kidnapped persons. There are 1,257 Serbs and non-Albanians on the list, 325 of whom have been reported missing since the Kumanovo Treaty. The Hague Tribunal will expand its investigation to that period as well, Covic reiterated. A common Interpol database of all missing persons is presently being formed. The international community will also soon open a laboratory for DNA forensic testing in Belgrade.

- The registration has improved in the past few days. So far 30,000 people in Kosovo and 60,000 in Serbia have registered. That's why the extension of the deadline for registration is important. I stressed during the talks with OSCE officials that their team should be visiting isolated Serbian enclaves in the next two weeks as well - said the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, again calling on Serbs to register.