FIKRET ERTAN	08.18.2004 Wednesday

Critical Period in Kosovo…

The United Nations (UN) has administered Kosovo, the most problematic region in the Balkans since 1999, after the NATO bombardment that lasted approximately seven months ended the conflict between the Serb army and the [ethnic] Albanian militias.

The U.N., with hundreds of its officials and their superiors, have in the last five years been trying to help lift Kosovo to a certain economic and political level, under the umbrella of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), and thus maintain some order there.

Kosovo, where the post of the U.N. secretary general's special representative had been vacant for some time, officially received a new representative.yesterday. The lastest representative is Danish diplomat Soren Jessen-Petersen. The Dane, who came to the capital, Pristina, two days ago, is expected to meet with President Ibrahim Rugova and Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi. Petersen is the fifth U.N. representative in Kosovo.

Before the coming of Petersen, Kosovo has sometimes been very problematic, tense and even bloody since 1999, starting from the eras of former French Health Minister Bernard Koucher, Dane Hans Haerkkerup, German Michael Steiner and Finn Harri Holkeri. In the ethnic conflict that occurred last April during Holkeri's tenure, 19 people were killed, hundreds injured, villages, churches and monasteries destroyed and nearly 4,000 Serbs fled their homes.

The Danish diplomat comes as a special representative, only five months after these bloody and sorrowful incidents, in a very difficult and critical period. Likewise, he knows this quite well and yesterday told newspapers: "I know that I have come to Kosovo at a very difficult period, nevertheless, this period is vital for Kosovo. It will not be only to Kosovo's benefit but also that of the entire region if Kosovo can find stability, normalizes and the uncertainty over its status is eliminated."

Petersen really faces a very difficult and tough period ahead. Firstly, he has to prepare Kosovo for the upcoming general elections to be held on October 23, and ensure by all means that the Serb minority takes part in these elections. The Serb minority has decided to protest the polls if there is any collaboration with Belgrade. It remains to be seen whether Petersen will be able to prevent the Serbs from boycotting the polls, and what will happen if he can't? Will the elections without Serb participation be regarded as valid? Peterson has to find answers to these questions, and moreover, he has a very short time to find these answers. Loosely speaking, only two months are left before the crucial elections...

Another crucial issue before the fifth representative is the 70-page comprehensive report Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, who was assigned by the U.N., prepared on Kosovo and its future, and was submitted to U.N. Secretary General [Kofi] Annan last month. In this report disclosed to the media only a few days ago, Eide makes some offers to the international community, makes some suggestions.

In the report, Eide specifically emphasizes reducing the UNMIK mission, reorganizing it, and to a great extent, transferring the authority of the international community to the European Union (EU). He indicates that under this framework, the EU should assign its own special representative to Kosovo, and in the meantime he stresses that the NATO peacekeeping force must remain in this country, and the size of this force must not be reduced.

Eide primarily suggesting to the U.N. to review its "Standards Before Status Policy," that addresses the Albanian majority, says it should present a clear roadmap but at the same time, it must also take into account the rights that Serbs and other minorities are demanding, and make the necessary amendments accordingly.

How will fifth special representative Petersen evaluate this critical period in Kosovo, that since 1999, the international community, NATO and the U.N. have exerted great efforts, but have not been able to achieve the expected results, and so far four UNMIK representatives have been made scapegoats. Let's wait and see. However, there is not much time left.

August 17, 2004

08.18.2004