Kosova Daily Report #1354, 98-02-25

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From: Kosova Information Center <kic_pr@zana-pr.ztn.apc.org>

Kosova Information Center

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1354

Prishtina, 25 February 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Third LDK Convention Opens in Prishtina

[02] President Rugova's Address to the LDK Convention

[03] Declaration of the Third LDK Convention

[04] Situation in Kosova is Intolerable, U.S. Ambassador to FYROM Says

[05] Serbian Army Deployed at Several Villages of De‡an

[01] Third LDK Convention Opens in Prishtina

This is an election convention. Participating are some 240 out of 261 delegates elected late last year during elections for lower party ranks in Kosova as well as in the diaspora.

Representatives of Albanian political parties in Kosova, Macedonia, Montenegro and Presheva (southern Serbia), those of a couple of political parties and associations of Slavic Muslims in Kosova, members of Kosovar institutions, organizations, human right groups and NGO's have been attending the Convention as guests. Foreign guests, including representatives of the US Center in Prishtina, diplomats of the Belgrade- based embassies of Greece, Poland and Albania have been likewise attending the Convention.

Around thirty media crews from Kosova and abroad have been covering the event, which is taking places at the "Dora" Restaurant in downtown Prishtina.

The conference is expected to last all day long.

The Convention will elect a new leadership, including the President and the 55-member executive body, the General Council of the LDK.

The Convention adopted amendments to the LDK statute giving the party leader more say in the choice of senior officials, namely submitting candidates for election in the General Council and the 15-member Presidency of the LDK.

Delegates to the Convention are discussing the report about the party activities and achievements in the past several years, as well as a political declaratation.

[02] President Rugova's Address to the LDK Convention

President Rugova spoke about the LDK, the Kosova issue and its outlook.

The LDK is entering its ninth year of existence and operation, President Rugova said at the beginning. "During this almost ten- year-period, [the LDK] has become the main political party in Kosova, in the Albanian world, and a party recognized and respected internationally", he said.

"The political philosophy of the LDK has been all along to unite people, keep them together, in common activities for the implementation of the political will of the people for freedom, independence, and democracy by peaceful and democratic means. To put it in a nutshell, the LDK philosophy has been one of building in all respects", President Ibrahim Rugova said.

Operating under extremely demanding circumstances, the LDK has been built and maintained as "a league of people for cardinal existential goals, and a political party", Dr. Rugova said, adding that a cohesive spirit, tolerance, understanding and cooperation with other political groupings in Kosova has been promoted.

The LDK has worked together with other parties in the building up and maintaining of "the institutional, democratic life as well as the society and civic state". The legal and legitimate institutions of the Republic of Kosova have operated, the President said, adding that the Parliament of Kosova has operated in parliamentary commissions.

The LDK and other parties and state institutions have worked for the promotion and international affirmation of the Kosova issue, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said. The LDK has deepened its contacts with other parties in the world, as well as institutions and governments in Europe and the U.S. last year, the LDK became member of the Christian Democratic International.

The Kosova issue is well-known in diplomatic circles and governments in Europe and America, in the UN, the OSCE, the President said. "This comes in recognition of the struggle of the people of Kosova for independence and democracy, and its determination for the promotion of institutional and political life, an assertive activity in Kosova, as well as the amicable ties with the world the LDK, other political parties, and state institutions in Kosova have maintained."

President Rugova recalled the establishment of Kosovar representative offices as well as LDK abroad. "The year 1996 will be an historic year for Kosova - the opening of the American Office in the Kosova capital", he said, availing himself of the opportunity to thank the U.S. Administration and the American people for "this open window" in Kosova.

The President expressed hope a European Union Office and offices by individual European countries will be established in Prishtina.

For their support to the Kosova issue, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova thanked U.S. President Clinton, Vice-President Gore, Secretary of State Albright, EU member countries, first and foremost German Chancellor Kohl, Foreing Minister Kinkel, President Chirac of France, Foreign Minister Vedrine, British Prime Minister Blair and Foreing Minister Cook, then the Holy Father, Pope Paul John II.

Ibrahim Rugova extended his thanks for the international NGOs operating in Kosova, "helping the people survive the difficult social, economic and humanitarian situation".

President Ibrahim Rugova stressed the cooperation of the LDK an other Kosovar institutions with the Republic of Albania. Expressing his regrets about the upheavals in Albania last year, he stressed Albania "can help Kosova a great deal in international institutions".

The Kosova leaders said the LDK is supportive of Albanians in FYROM "being a state-forming element", whereas Albanians in Montengero and Presheva (southern Serbia) enjoy local self-administration.

The President said he hoped people devoted to the LDK program will be elected in the senior party ranks.

"This Convention will be an assembly of unity and continuity in strengthening the LDK, as the central political force in Kosova, in promoting the political culture in building up the society and civic state", President Rugova said.

In the run-up to the new parliamentary and presidential elections in the Republic of Kosova, "we should work so that the LDK win this election and, together with other parties, work to build and strengthen the legal and democratic institutions for the benefit and independence of Kosova".

We should work to build the reality and vision of independence, freedom and democracy of Kosova, of course with the support of our friends and the international community, especially the United States and the European Union", President Rugova said.

At the end of his key-note speech, the President said this Convention "demands that the new campaign of violence in Kosova be brought to an end, and the international community undertake preventative steps".

The international community should reward the sacrifices of the people and citizens of Kosova down their road of freedom, independence and democracy for Kosova, as well as in pursuit of stability in this part of Europe", President Ibrahim Rugova said concluding his address.

[03] Declaration of the Third LDK Convention

I The Democratic League of Kosova is a political party that articulates the will of the Albanian people of Kosova for freedom and democracy, works for an independent and democratic Kosova, and strives for the organization of national associations, which lead towards the resolution of the Albanian question by political and democratic means.

II The Democratic League of Kosova is built on the basis of principles of modern democracy which promotes an open competition on ideas and determines its internal life.

III The Democratic League of Kosova, founded on 23 December 1989, continues the rich tradition of unrelenting efforts, liberation and democratic, of the Albanians who strove for the creation of the national state.

IV Kosova (ancient Dardania) had its own ethnic identity and its political and administrative subjectivity for centuries.

On the basis of the national entity and the will of its people, as well as the political status and the legal and constitutional status, Kosova was proclaimed an independent state, and has established its legal framework by virtue of: The Constitutional Declaration of July 2 1990, the Constitution of the Republic of Kosova, September 1990, the September 1991 national Referendum, as well as the multiparty parliamentary and presidential elections held in 1992.

V The Democratic League of Kosova stands for: 1. The independent and democratic Republic of Kosova; 2. The institutional building of the Republic of Kosova - with the rule of law; separation of legislative, executive and judiciary powers; the election of representative bodies in free and democratic elections; the respect of constitutionality and law as well as prevention of arbitrariness on the part of those holding power; 3. The human rights and freedoms; free speech and opinion, faith as well as political organization; 4. Market economy, protection of private ownership, free initiative and circulation of goods, foreign investments and integration of the Kosova economy with the European and world economic structures; 5. Modern education in mother tongue at all levels; 6. Promotion of authentic culture and free circulation of its values in the Albanian world and in the world in general; 7. Equitable social policy and health protection of citizens; 8. Safeguarding and respecting the rights of other national communities in Kosova on the basis of international standards.

VI The Democratic League of Kosova works for comprehensive political, economic and cultural cooperation of the Republic of Kosova with the Republic of Albania; for cooperation of political parties and cultural institutions domestically and internationally, in the service of an overall development of the Albanian society and its advancement.

VII The Democratic League of Kosova stands for Kosova open to the world, its integration in the Western democratic world and good neighborly relations.

VIII The Democratic League of Kosova cooperates with all the Albanian political parties and groupings in the service of national interests of democracy.

IX The Democratic League of Kosova cooperates with all the democratically-oriented parties in the world, those which recognize the rights of the peoples to self-determination, as well as other democratically-oriented parties with similar political views.

The Democratic League of Kosova seeks membership in democratically- oriented international political associations.

X The Democratic League of Kosova stands for the protection of the environment and natural resources of Kosova.

[04] Situation in Kosova is Intolerable, U.S. Ambassador to FYROM Says

We in the international community have reached a joint position and we think it may be accomplished, said Ambassador Hill. I also think we should be more assertive in order to create more stability there [in Kosova]," said the Mr. Hill, and added that -- he doubted there existed a magic settlement, but he stressed he would like to see a better focus of the attention, because if there is no solution there will be bad consequences for all the region, not only for this country [FYROM], and not only for Albania, U.S. Ambassador said.

[05] Serbian Army Deployed at Several Villages of De‡an

Soldiers and heavy armament were deployed at the vicinity of Zhegra village, in Pasjan, Partesh, Budrig‰ e Ep‰rme and Budrig‰ e Poshtme.

Around noon the Serbian army withdrew, says the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the paper adds that in the early morning of 21 February, some 70 Serbian police besieged the families of Ali and Kamer Avdijaj at Grama‡el village.

The police searched the homes thoroughly demolishing a lot of furniture. The police arrested Alush Avdijaj and his son Muhamet Avdijaj (18). They were both taken to the Serbian security premises in Peja, under the pretext that they had been seen at the vicinity of the Kosova-Albania border zone. No report on their possible report has been provided.

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