Holkeri reiterates faith in Kosovo process

"The process continues, and we have decided to hold on to the goals", says former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri, the head of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).
      At a press conference in Helsinki on Wednesday, Holkeri said that he believes that elections will be held in Kosovo in October, according to plan.
      The comments came in the aftermath of violence that broke out in Kosovo between the majority Albanian community and the minority Serbs after the drowning deaths of three ethnic Albanian boys in Mitrovica.
      As Holkeri sees it, the initial reaction to the drowning was followed by "a series of obviously less spontaneous events".
      "I can say that the small amount of optimism that had come out evaporated right away", he added.
     
The United Nations Security Council presented a summary of the aftermath of the violence on Tuesday.
      A total of 954 civilians, 65 international police officers, 58 local police officers, and 61 soldiers of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping forces were injured. At least 730 houses belonging to members of the Serb minority were damaged, as were 36 Orthodox churches or other monuments. Thousands of Serbs had to flee the fighting.
      Holkeri said that the violence was partly caused by the lack of future prospects of the vast number of young unemployed people in Kosovo. "Such people are easily susceptible to all kinds of incitement", he remarked.
     
Holkeri would not give an opinion on who may have been behind inciting the violence, but he did mention that "a few very important people" had been recently arrested. He also said that criminal organisations are among the beneficiaries of chaos in Kosovo.
      Holkeri also noted that Tuesday’s discussions at the UN revealed that the international community does not have a clear policy line on Kosovo.
      On the one hand there were calls to adhere to the implementation of "standards", while on the other hand, parts of the Security Council showed understanding for the fact that the Serb side had not taken part in the discussions on Kosovo’s future.
      The standards are the principles drafted by the UN for democracy, economic development, and the return of refugees in Kosovo. It is on the basis of these that the UN Security Council is to agree on further discussions on the future of Kosovo.
      Kosovo’s approximately 1.9 million Albanians, who comprise 88% of the total population, want extensive autonomy; some even want total independence, which the mother country Serbia is opposed to.
      Serbia will hold Presidential elections in June, in which the favourite candidate is a hard-line nationalist.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  New policy being sought for Holkeri in Kosovo (27.3.2004)
  Finnish soldiers arrest suspected leader of Kosovo rioting (25.3.2004)
  Holkeri demands that Kosovo leaders condemn violence (23.3.2004)
  Holkeri: riots by Kosovo Albanians partly organised (19.3.2004)