Kosmet (italiano / english)
1. Presa di posizione ufficiale Belgrado contro la secessione
2. Nominato il nuovo governatore straniero della colonia-protettorato
=== 1 ===
KOSOVO: BELGRADO, PARLIAMO DI TUTTO MA NON DELL'INDIPENDENZA
(ANSA-AFP)- BELGRADO, 24 LUG - Belgrado si e' detto pronta a discutere
del futuro del Kosovo, ma esclude l'indipendenza che rivendica la
popolazione albanese maggioritaria nella provincia del sud della
Serbia. Lo scrive in un documento Nebojsa Covic, vice-premier serbo
incaricato del Kosovo.
Secondo il documento, ''la Serbia non puo', ad alcun prezzo,
disfarsi del Kosovo e nessun uomo politico in Serbia ha il diritto di
adottare questo approccio''.
''Una violazione delli'integrita' territoriale della Serbia non
puo' essere tollerata...e la nuova Costituzione serba deve contenere
una clausola d'interdizione sulla rinuncia al Kosovo, un atto che sara'
approvato da tutte le istituzioni internazionali'', afferma Covic.
''Il nostro progetto di statuto finale del Kosovo- si legge ancora-
e' fondato sulla sovranita' della Serbia sul Kosovo e questo non e' in
discussione, mentre tutti gli altri aspetti legati allo statuto possono
essere discussi''.
Secondo il documento, intitolato ''Principi fondamentali per la
risoluzione della crisi in Kosovo'', Belgrado deve insistere fermamente
e chiaramente per una rigorosa applicazione della risoluzione 1244 del
Consiglio di Sicurezza dell'Onu'' (adottata nel 1999) che definisce il
Kosovo come una provincia dello Stato di Serbia e Montenegro. (ANSA)
24/07/2003 19:53
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/kosovo/kosovo.shtml
---
Per il testo integrale del documento di Covic, e per il testo integrale
della Risoluzione ONU 1244 - entrambi in lingua inglese - si veda il
nostro precedente messaggio su:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2658
=== 2 ===
KOSOVO: ONU; EX PREMIER FINLANDIA NOMINATO AMMINISTRATORE
(ANSA) - NEW YORK, 25 LUG - L'ex primo ministro finlandese Harri
Holkeri e' stato nominato nuovo amministratore dell' Onu per il
Kosovo. Lo ha reso noto a New York Fred Eckhard, il portavoce del
segretario generale Kofi Annan.
Holkeri, che e' stato anche presidente dell'assemblea generale
dell'Onu, avra' il compito di gestire in Kosovo il delicato avvio dei
negoziati tra Pristina e Belgrado sullo status definitivo della
provincia.
Holkeri andra' a prendere il posto del tedesco Michael Steiner, che ha
lasciato Pristina nei giorni scorsi dopo un anno e mezzo di lavoro nel
corso del quale ha dovuto far fronte ad accuse e contestazioni
soprattutto da parte dei serbi.
L'ex premier finlandese, secondo un comunicato dell'Onu, ''portera' a
questo incarico una ricchezza di esperienza politica, cosi' come una
reputazione di mediatore capace e costruttore di consenso''. Annan lo
ha scelto dopo aver valutato una decina di candidati. L'Unione Europea
aveva indicato vari nomi, ponendo in cima alla lista l'ambasciatore
svedese all'Onu, Pierre Schori e l'ambasciatore italiano Antonio
Armellini.
Holkeri, 56 anni, ha guidato il governo finlandese tra il 1987 e il
1991 e sul piano internazionale, oltre a presiedere l'Assemblea
dell'Onu e la sua sessione del Millennio, ha partecipato al processo
di pace per l'Irlanda del Nord, come membro della delegazione che con
l'americano George Mitchell e il canadese John de Chastelain pose le
basi per il cammino verso la pacificazione. (ANSA). BM
25/07/2003 18:08
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/kosovo/kosovo.shtml
KOSOVO: STEINER LASCIA GOVERNO ONU FRA POLEMICHE
(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 8 LUG - Dopo 18 mesi alla guida
dell'amministrazione delle Nazioni Unite in Kosovo, il tedesco
Michail Steiner ha lasciato oggi il suo incarico senza che ancora sia
stato nominato un successore. A poche ore dalla sua partenza, Steiner
e' stato investito dall'ennesima polemica aperta dal governo di
Belgrado, che ha criticato aspramente l'accordo per il libero
commercio firmato proprio ieri fra il Kosovo e l'Albania. Accordo del
quale invece il governatore Onu si era detto ''orgoglioso''. In
tutto il suo mandato Steiner ha dovuto fronteggiare varie volte
accuse e contestazioni, non solo da parte serba. Con gli albanesi, ad
esempio, poche settimane fa c'e' stato un duro scontro diplomatico
dopo che l'amministratore tedesco aveva bocciato una delibera del
parlamento con la quale i deputati definivano ''lotta di
liberazione'' la guerriglia armata condotta fino al 1999
dall'Esercito di liberazione del Kosovo(Uck): come sanzione per quel
gesto politico, inviso a Belgrado, Steiner estromise i rappresentanti
albanesi da tre vertici internazionali. ''Se qualcuno qui e'
criticato sia dai serbi che dagli albanesi vuol dire che ha fatto
bene il proprio lavoro'', commenta senza ironia una fonte diplomatica
occidentale a Pristina. Resta un dato, che nessuno tuttavia se la
sente di imputare a Steiner: il livello di popolarita' della missione
Onu in Kosovo e' ai minimi storici. Secondo un sondaggio realizzato
dall'agenzia di stampa online Kosovapress, gli albanesi
preferirebbero restare uniti alla federazione serbo-montenegrina
insieme agli odiati governanti di Belgrado, piuttosto che rimanere
ancora a lungo sotto l'amministrazione delle Nazioni Unite. Fra le
cause di tanto risentimento, innanzitutto il pachidermico apparato
burocratico dell'Onu che mal si concilia con lo sbrigativo
pragmatismo balcanico che vorrebbero invece applicare i leader
albanesi. Lasciando il Kosovo Steiner, apparso per un anno e mezzo
freddo e rigoroso, ha comunque voluto lasciare di se' anche
un'immagine piu' fragile. E nel confessare che il Kosovo ''me lo
portero' nell'anima'', ha presentato in pubblico la sua bellissima
fidanzata albanese, Bukurje Gjonbalaj, 23 anni piu' giovane di lui,
finora apparsa al suo fianco sempre e soltanto come interprete
ufficiale. Bukurje, che in albanese significa ''bellezza'', seguira'
Steiner nel suo nuovo incarico di rappresentante tedesco presso le
Nazioni Unite a Ginevra. (ANSA). BLL 08/07/2003 20:33
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/bosnia/20030708203332624056.html
---
Riportiamo di seguito i dispacci in lingua inglese pervenuti sullo
stesso argomento. Ulteriore documentazione sul tira-e-molla diplomatico
che ha preceduto la nomina di Holkeri a governatore del protettorato si
trova alla URL:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2645
---
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3162067
Finland's Holkeri Named UN Governor in Kosovo
Fri July 25, 2003 02:38 PM ET
By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri,
a one-time president of the U.N. General Assembly, was named on Friday
as the new U.N. administrator for Kosovo, a compromise candidate.
The decision to appoint Holkeri, who has no experience in the Balkans,
was made by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan after interviewing about
a dozen candidates amid squabbles between the United States and the
European Union, which finances most of the operation.
Holkeri was acceptable to all sides, diplomats said.
He would replace German Michael Steiner as the head of UNMIK, the U.N.
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. Steiner resigned on July 8
after 18 months in the job and is now his country's ambassador to the
United Nations in Geneva.
Annan, after writing a letter to the U.N. Security Council about his
choice, said he expected Holkeri to be in Kosovo within a month. He
said he was "very pleased" Holkeri decided "to take on this challenge
and assignment."
"The operations and our activities there have reached a critical stage
and to have a man of this experience, his caliber and his judgment in
Kosovo is going to be a great asset to this organization," Annan told
Reuters.
As the new governor of Kosovo, Holkeri faces the sensitive task of
supervising the start of negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade on
the final status of the province.
The European Union had put forth several names, beginning with Sweden's
U.N. ambassador, Pierre Schori, and Italy's roving ambassador, Antonio
Armellini. The United States campaigned against Schori because he
criticized the invasion of Iraq and the United Nations rejected
Armellini as lacking political weight.
NATO waged an air war against former Yugoslavia in 1999 to force the
Serbian army out of Kosovo and halt ethnic cleansing by then-President
Slobodan Milosevic's security forces.
The province has since been in diplomatic limbo, with limited
self-government under a U.N. mandate and NATO-led troops serving as
peacekeepers.
Holkeri, who participated in the Northern Ireland peace process, was
president of the 191-nation General Assembly in 2000-2001, presiding
over its Millennium session.
He and retired Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain joined former U.S. Sen.
George Mitchell to help resolve problems in the Northern Ireland peace
process from 1995 to 1998.
Holkeri served from 1978 to 1997 on the board of the Bank of Finland
and has been a board member of a number of other companies and
organizations, including Finland's national airline Finnair .
He is president of the Finnish National Commission for the U.N.
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. Holkeri is
married and the father of a son and a daughter and the grandfather of
six.
HARRI HOLKERI - SKILLED MEDIATOR AND CONSENSUS BUILDER
Mr. Harri Holkeri, the former President of the fifty-fifth session of
the United Nations General Assembly - the Millennium Assembly 2000-2001
- brings to the post of Special Representative of the UN Secretary
General a wealth of political experience, as well as a reputation as a
skilled mediator and consensus builder. He was Finland's Prime Minister
from 1987 to 1991, and for over four decades has served his country and
the international community in several political and economic posts.
The most renowned and prestigious conservative political figure in
Finland over the last few decades, he served as Secretary of the
National Coalition Party from 1965 to 1971 and as Party Leader from
1971 to 1979. From 1970 to 1978, he was a Member of the Parliament. He
also served as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Bank of
Finland (central bank) from 1978 to 1997. As Prime Minister, he headed
a coalition formed by his party and the Social Democrats.
Mr. Holkeri played a key role in developing the social consensus that
led to the creation of the coalition government in power from 1987 to
1991, and of which he was Prime Minister. That government was based on
cooperation between the Conservative and the Social Democratic parties
- a cooperation that extended to international affairs as well. His
political philosophy - "You cannot make easy decisions unless you first
commit yourself to hard solutions" - has guided his political life.
His skills as a mediator and coalition builder have played an important
role in Finland's foreign relations. After the Second World War,
Finland, situated on the border between the East and the West, needed a
workable and trustful relationship with both the West and its eastern
neighbours and the former Soviet Union. The country's decision to
pursue a policy of military non-alignment and cooperation needed
internal popular support, as well as international acceptance. But the
difficulties faced in normalizing relations with the East were
compounded by distrust of the Finnish Right, both inside and outside
the country. During Mr. Holkeri's term as the Party Leader in the
1970s, Finnish Conservatives explicitly pledged to support the national
consensus foreign policy. This contributed to the restoration of
national harmony, helped to form broadly based governmental coalitions
and led to expanding international cooperation.
Mr. Holkeri has been a friend of three Presidents of Finland - Mr. Urho
Kekkonen, Mr. Mauno Koivisto and Mr. Martti Ahtisaari - all of whom
used him as their contact person in their relations with the political
right. He was a presidential candidate twice, in 1982 and 1988. Both
times he ran against Dr. Koivisto, with whom he had worked at the Bank
of Finland and with whom he had a close and personal relationship. In
1987, President Koivisto appointed Mr. Holkeri Prime Minister.
Mr. Holkeri has also been active at the international level. He was a
member of the Finnish delegation to the United Nations General Assembly
from 1963 to 1965. During his career as a Member of Parliament he held
various international positions, including as a member of the Nordic
Council from 1975 to 1978, Vice-President of the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) Parliamentarians from 1974 to 1975, and their
President in 1976.
From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Holkeri was a member of The International Body_a
group set up by the Governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland_on
the issue of the decommissioning of illegal weapons in Northern
Ireland. He was one of the three independent chairmen of the
multi-party peace negotiations, where his skills as a consensus builder
contributed greatly to furthering the peace process.
In 1999, Mr. Holkeri received an honorary British knighthood, Honorary
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for his
achievements in the Northern Ireland peace process. A year earlier,
President Ahtisaari had accorded him a Finnish honorary title,
valtioneuvos, for his national and international merits.
Mr. Holkeri was Chair of the Helsinki City Council from 1981 to 1987.
He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Finnair, Finland's
national airline, and sits on the boards of various Finnish industries
and organizations.
Mr. Holkeri was born on 6 January 1937. His upbringing in the small
rural city of Toijala, where his father was a police officer, formed
the basis of his personal values, which are centred on the family, love
of one's neighbour and love for and loyalty to one's own country. He
has a Master of Political Science degree from the University of
Helsinki. His military rank is major in the reserve.
He is very interested in sports, particularly long-distance
cross-country skiing and running. He has taken part in several
marathons, including the New York City Marathon. Golf has lately become
one of his favourite sports.
Mr. Holkeri is married, and has two children and six grandchildren.
---
EU INFORMED ABOUT HOLKERI'S CANDIDACY FOR UNMIK CHIEF
BRUSSELS, July 21 (Beta) - On July 21, EU foreign
ministers "took note" of the fact that UN General
Secretary Kofi Anan was considering the former Finnish
prime minister, Harri Holkeri, as "the most likely"
candidate for the post of the new UNMIK chief in
Kosovo, the sources in Brussels said.
EU ministers supported the "swift reestablishment of
direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina on
practical issues of common interest" and "invited both
sides to act in line with the obligations undertaken
at the EU summit in Thessaloniki."
The ministers concluded that "the EU will continue to
support this process" and expressed "pleasure at the
Kosovo leaders' appeal for the return of the
displaced."
"Reiterating the fact that the creation of conditions
for sustainable return was the key step towards
bringing a multiethnic and democratic Kosovo closer to
Europe, within the process of stabilization and
accession and in line with Resolution 1244 SBUN, the
EU council of ministers invites all Kosovo leaders to
turn their words into deeds."
---
Beta News Agency, Belgrade
July 22, 2003
Annan proposes former Finnish PM for Kosovo job
11:35 -> 13:05 | Beta
BRUSSELS -- Tuesday -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed to
EU Foreign Ministers former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Halkeri as
candidate for the vacant UNMIK governor's position.
According to sources in Brussels, European ministers are repeating
their call for the hasty launching of talks between Belgrade and
Pristina on practical issues of mutual interest.
An EU ministerial meeting saw representatives urge both Serbia and
Kosovo to act in accordance with obligations defined at the EU Summit
in Thessalonica. Participants of the meeting concluded that the
European Union will continue to assist in this process.
---
http://ww2.yle.fi/pls/show/page?id=227224
YLE NEWS (FINLAND)
Holkeri Tipped for UN Kosovo Role19.07.2003, 20.36
Former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri has reportedly been named
as the new head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK).
The Swedish News Agency TT reported the appointment on Saturday, citing
reliable sources.
The agency says that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked Holkeri
to take over the post, and that Holkeri has accepted. On Saturday
Holkeri declined to comment on the report.
A senior Foreign Ministry official confirmed to YLE television
news that the UN had been in contact with Holkeri regarding the post.
However he said no final decision has been made.
Annan's last Special Representative in Kosovo, Michael Steiner of
Germany, left the post on July 8 after a year and a half in the job.
UNMIK was established in 1999.
Since stepping down as prime minister in 1991, the 66-year-old Holkeri
has served in a range of international duties.
He was president of the UN General Assembly's Millenium Session, and
has served as a mediator in the Northern Ireland conflict.
YLE24, TT, Finnish News Agency
---
http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/international.cfm?id=778952003
The Scotsman
July 18, 2003
Cook linked to top UN role in Kosovo
The selection of the head of the UN mission has been lengthy after the
departure of the previous incumbent because of opposition to the
candidates. Robin Cook's name has been thrown into the ring at a late
stage, although he denies the rumours.
GETHIN CHAMBERLAIN AND TIM CORNWELL
Nearly 60 per cent of Kosovans are out of work, the
average monthly income is just £137 and its status in
relation to its neighbours in the Balkans is still
uncertain.
-[P]ierre Schori, the Swedish ambassador to the UN,
was vetoed by the United States because of his
opposition to the Iraq war. Robin Cook, the former foreign secretary,
was at the
centre of a deepening mystery last night, over claims
that he was being lined up for a new job as the United
Nations’ top man in Kosovo. UN sources in New York said Mr Cook had a
"good
chance" of being offered the post of the UN secretary
general’s special representative for Kosovo, a job
which comes with a six-figure salary. Sources within the Kosovan civil
administration also
told The Scotsman that Mr Cook, who was foreign
secretary during the successful operation to drive
Serbian forces from Kosovo, had been mentioned as a
leading contender for the job. Kofi Annan, the UN
secretary general, is believed to want a
higher-profile political figure to take on the
difficult task of running the country. Mr Cook, who took part in the
post-war peace
conference at Rambouillet in France, would fit that
description and has clearly ruled out any prospect of
returning to high political office in the UK. Yesterday, a UN spokesman
in New York said he had a
"good chance" of being offered the job, adding: "As
for Robin Cook, I think his chances may be good, but
it has been an unusually long process". But, in an extraordinary move
last night, Mr Cook and
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, issued a joint
statement flatly denying the reports. "Neither of us
has any idea where this has come from. There is no
truth in it," the statement said. The post of head of the UN mission in
Kosovo has been
vacant since Michael Steiner, of Germany, completed
his 18-month term of office last week. The position
has also been held by Bernard Kouchner, from France,
and Hans Haekkerup, from Denmark. But internal wrangling among UN
members has hampered
attempts to fill the post. Silvio Berlusconi, the
Italian prime minister, blocked the appointment of one
of the other front-runners, Stefano Sannino, because
he works for Mr Berlusconi’s political adversary,
Romano Prodi, the European Commission president. Another candidate,
Pierre Schori, the Swedish
ambassador to the UN, was vetoed by the United States
because of his opposition to the Iraq war. Mr Cook, a fierce opponent
of the Iraq conflict [sic],
has been a thorn in the side of the government since
he resigned his Cabinet post as leader of the Commons
on the eve of the war. His appointment in a role away
from Westminster would be seen as a welcome move in
some government circles. An ambitious politician, he was hurt when he
lost the
job of foreign secretary after the last election. In
an interview last month, he said he had achieved what
he set out to do in British politics and had "been up
there at the top". Earlier yesterday, Mr Cook refused to speculate on
the
Kosovo job, but the task facing any new man is
daunting. Nearly 60 per cent of Kosovans are out of work, the
average monthly income is just £137 and its status in
relation to its neighbours in the Balkans is still
uncertain.
--- In Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli., Rick Rozoff wrote:
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1054966647072&p=1012571727166
Financial Times
July 3, 2003
Frustration as choice of envoy blocked
By Judy Dempsey in Brussels
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, has stepped
into more controversy by pushing his own candidate to
take over as the European Union's special envoy to
Kosovo and blocking another with wide support from
other member states.
The moves have frustrated many diplomats as they have
left Kosovo without a special envoy at a critical
time, with German Michael Steiner's term ending this
week.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, wants to
start political negotiations with the Serbs and ethnic
Albanians in Kosovo.
The hope is that such negotiations would lead to final
status talks, ending one of the most difficult
disputes that have dogged a permanent peace in the
Balkans.
"We need an envoy to mediate between both sides and
one who is more trusted than Steiner," said a senior
EU diplomat. "Berlusconi has not made life easy for us."
The Italian leader prevented one of the favoured
candidates, Stefano Sannino, from getting the job for
political reasons. He works for his old foe, Romano
Prodi, European Commission president.
Mr Sannino, an Italian career diplomat who has served
twice in Belgrade, is foreign policy adviser, with
responsibility for the Balkans, to Mr Prodi.
"Berlusconi believed Sannino was in the other
political camp. He stopped his appointment," a
diplomat said.
Another candidate for the post, Pierre Schori, Swedish
ambassador to the United Nations, was rejected by the
US because he opposed the American-led war against
Iraq.
Mr Berlusconi then proposed Antonio Armellini, Rome's
envoy in Baghdad. "Armellini is a professional
diplomat but with no experience of the Balkans. He is
now a Berlusconi man through and through," said a
Balkan expert. So determined was Italy to have Mr
Armellini appointed that Rome lobbied the Bush
administration, confident of some payoff after Italy's
support of the US-led war in Iraq.
But Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general, who has the
final say, diplomatically avoided choosing between Mr
Sannino and Mr Armellini on the grounds that a
candidate with a higher political profile was needed.
Mr Berlusconi has also lobbied to have Laura
Mirachian, his ambassador to Damascus, succeed Miguel
Moratinos, outgoing EU Middle East envoy.
"This is a brute of a job. You have to win the
confidence of all sides. With Berlusconi pushing to
bring Israel into the EU, we wonder if she could win
the trust of the Palestinians," said a senior western
diplomat. By Thursday night, senior foreign ministry
officials from the 15 member states meeting in Rome
were trying to find a compromise candidates.
Even if they manage to do so, another foreign policy
controversy is looming. Desperate to stop illegal
immigration from Libya, Italy wants to supply night
vision technology, gun-boats and other equipment to
Libya. Several EU countries claim these items, which
Italy insists are for civilian use, could contravene
the embargo on arms exports. "If you think the envoys
are a headache, wait for Libya," added a diplomat.
--- End forwarded message ---
1. Presa di posizione ufficiale Belgrado contro la secessione
2. Nominato il nuovo governatore straniero della colonia-protettorato
=== 1 ===
KOSOVO: BELGRADO, PARLIAMO DI TUTTO MA NON DELL'INDIPENDENZA
(ANSA-AFP)- BELGRADO, 24 LUG - Belgrado si e' detto pronta a discutere
del futuro del Kosovo, ma esclude l'indipendenza che rivendica la
popolazione albanese maggioritaria nella provincia del sud della
Serbia. Lo scrive in un documento Nebojsa Covic, vice-premier serbo
incaricato del Kosovo.
Secondo il documento, ''la Serbia non puo', ad alcun prezzo,
disfarsi del Kosovo e nessun uomo politico in Serbia ha il diritto di
adottare questo approccio''.
''Una violazione delli'integrita' territoriale della Serbia non
puo' essere tollerata...e la nuova Costituzione serba deve contenere
una clausola d'interdizione sulla rinuncia al Kosovo, un atto che sara'
approvato da tutte le istituzioni internazionali'', afferma Covic.
''Il nostro progetto di statuto finale del Kosovo- si legge ancora-
e' fondato sulla sovranita' della Serbia sul Kosovo e questo non e' in
discussione, mentre tutti gli altri aspetti legati allo statuto possono
essere discussi''.
Secondo il documento, intitolato ''Principi fondamentali per la
risoluzione della crisi in Kosovo'', Belgrado deve insistere fermamente
e chiaramente per una rigorosa applicazione della risoluzione 1244 del
Consiglio di Sicurezza dell'Onu'' (adottata nel 1999) che definisce il
Kosovo come una provincia dello Stato di Serbia e Montenegro. (ANSA)
24/07/2003 19:53
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/kosovo/kosovo.shtml
---
Per il testo integrale del documento di Covic, e per il testo integrale
della Risoluzione ONU 1244 - entrambi in lingua inglese - si veda il
nostro precedente messaggio su:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2658
=== 2 ===
KOSOVO: ONU; EX PREMIER FINLANDIA NOMINATO AMMINISTRATORE
(ANSA) - NEW YORK, 25 LUG - L'ex primo ministro finlandese Harri
Holkeri e' stato nominato nuovo amministratore dell' Onu per il
Kosovo. Lo ha reso noto a New York Fred Eckhard, il portavoce del
segretario generale Kofi Annan.
Holkeri, che e' stato anche presidente dell'assemblea generale
dell'Onu, avra' il compito di gestire in Kosovo il delicato avvio dei
negoziati tra Pristina e Belgrado sullo status definitivo della
provincia.
Holkeri andra' a prendere il posto del tedesco Michael Steiner, che ha
lasciato Pristina nei giorni scorsi dopo un anno e mezzo di lavoro nel
corso del quale ha dovuto far fronte ad accuse e contestazioni
soprattutto da parte dei serbi.
L'ex premier finlandese, secondo un comunicato dell'Onu, ''portera' a
questo incarico una ricchezza di esperienza politica, cosi' come una
reputazione di mediatore capace e costruttore di consenso''. Annan lo
ha scelto dopo aver valutato una decina di candidati. L'Unione Europea
aveva indicato vari nomi, ponendo in cima alla lista l'ambasciatore
svedese all'Onu, Pierre Schori e l'ambasciatore italiano Antonio
Armellini.
Holkeri, 56 anni, ha guidato il governo finlandese tra il 1987 e il
1991 e sul piano internazionale, oltre a presiedere l'Assemblea
dell'Onu e la sua sessione del Millennio, ha partecipato al processo
di pace per l'Irlanda del Nord, come membro della delegazione che con
l'americano George Mitchell e il canadese John de Chastelain pose le
basi per il cammino verso la pacificazione. (ANSA). BM
25/07/2003 18:08
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/kosovo/kosovo.shtml
KOSOVO: STEINER LASCIA GOVERNO ONU FRA POLEMICHE
(ANSA) - PRISTINA, 8 LUG - Dopo 18 mesi alla guida
dell'amministrazione delle Nazioni Unite in Kosovo, il tedesco
Michail Steiner ha lasciato oggi il suo incarico senza che ancora sia
stato nominato un successore. A poche ore dalla sua partenza, Steiner
e' stato investito dall'ennesima polemica aperta dal governo di
Belgrado, che ha criticato aspramente l'accordo per il libero
commercio firmato proprio ieri fra il Kosovo e l'Albania. Accordo del
quale invece il governatore Onu si era detto ''orgoglioso''. In
tutto il suo mandato Steiner ha dovuto fronteggiare varie volte
accuse e contestazioni, non solo da parte serba. Con gli albanesi, ad
esempio, poche settimane fa c'e' stato un duro scontro diplomatico
dopo che l'amministratore tedesco aveva bocciato una delibera del
parlamento con la quale i deputati definivano ''lotta di
liberazione'' la guerriglia armata condotta fino al 1999
dall'Esercito di liberazione del Kosovo(Uck): come sanzione per quel
gesto politico, inviso a Belgrado, Steiner estromise i rappresentanti
albanesi da tre vertici internazionali. ''Se qualcuno qui e'
criticato sia dai serbi che dagli albanesi vuol dire che ha fatto
bene il proprio lavoro'', commenta senza ironia una fonte diplomatica
occidentale a Pristina. Resta un dato, che nessuno tuttavia se la
sente di imputare a Steiner: il livello di popolarita' della missione
Onu in Kosovo e' ai minimi storici. Secondo un sondaggio realizzato
dall'agenzia di stampa online Kosovapress, gli albanesi
preferirebbero restare uniti alla federazione serbo-montenegrina
insieme agli odiati governanti di Belgrado, piuttosto che rimanere
ancora a lungo sotto l'amministrazione delle Nazioni Unite. Fra le
cause di tanto risentimento, innanzitutto il pachidermico apparato
burocratico dell'Onu che mal si concilia con lo sbrigativo
pragmatismo balcanico che vorrebbero invece applicare i leader
albanesi. Lasciando il Kosovo Steiner, apparso per un anno e mezzo
freddo e rigoroso, ha comunque voluto lasciare di se' anche
un'immagine piu' fragile. E nel confessare che il Kosovo ''me lo
portero' nell'anima'', ha presentato in pubblico la sua bellissima
fidanzata albanese, Bukurje Gjonbalaj, 23 anni piu' giovane di lui,
finora apparsa al suo fianco sempre e soltanto come interprete
ufficiale. Bukurje, che in albanese significa ''bellezza'', seguira'
Steiner nel suo nuovo incarico di rappresentante tedesco presso le
Nazioni Unite a Ginevra. (ANSA). BLL 08/07/2003 20:33
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/bosnia/20030708203332624056.html
---
Riportiamo di seguito i dispacci in lingua inglese pervenuti sullo
stesso argomento. Ulteriore documentazione sul tira-e-molla diplomatico
che ha preceduto la nomina di Holkeri a governatore del protettorato si
trova alla URL:
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/2645
---
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=3162067
Finland's Holkeri Named UN Governor in Kosovo
Fri July 25, 2003 02:38 PM ET
By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri,
a one-time president of the U.N. General Assembly, was named on Friday
as the new U.N. administrator for Kosovo, a compromise candidate.
The decision to appoint Holkeri, who has no experience in the Balkans,
was made by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan after interviewing about
a dozen candidates amid squabbles between the United States and the
European Union, which finances most of the operation.
Holkeri was acceptable to all sides, diplomats said.
He would replace German Michael Steiner as the head of UNMIK, the U.N.
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. Steiner resigned on July 8
after 18 months in the job and is now his country's ambassador to the
United Nations in Geneva.
Annan, after writing a letter to the U.N. Security Council about his
choice, said he expected Holkeri to be in Kosovo within a month. He
said he was "very pleased" Holkeri decided "to take on this challenge
and assignment."
"The operations and our activities there have reached a critical stage
and to have a man of this experience, his caliber and his judgment in
Kosovo is going to be a great asset to this organization," Annan told
Reuters.
As the new governor of Kosovo, Holkeri faces the sensitive task of
supervising the start of negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade on
the final status of the province.
The European Union had put forth several names, beginning with Sweden's
U.N. ambassador, Pierre Schori, and Italy's roving ambassador, Antonio
Armellini. The United States campaigned against Schori because he
criticized the invasion of Iraq and the United Nations rejected
Armellini as lacking political weight.
NATO waged an air war against former Yugoslavia in 1999 to force the
Serbian army out of Kosovo and halt ethnic cleansing by then-President
Slobodan Milosevic's security forces.
The province has since been in diplomatic limbo, with limited
self-government under a U.N. mandate and NATO-led troops serving as
peacekeepers.
Holkeri, who participated in the Northern Ireland peace process, was
president of the 191-nation General Assembly in 2000-2001, presiding
over its Millennium session.
He and retired Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain joined former U.S. Sen.
George Mitchell to help resolve problems in the Northern Ireland peace
process from 1995 to 1998.
Holkeri served from 1978 to 1997 on the board of the Bank of Finland
and has been a board member of a number of other companies and
organizations, including Finland's national airline Finnair .
He is president of the Finnish National Commission for the U.N.
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. Holkeri is
married and the father of a son and a daughter and the grandfather of
six.
HARRI HOLKERI - SKILLED MEDIATOR AND CONSENSUS BUILDER
Mr. Harri Holkeri, the former President of the fifty-fifth session of
the United Nations General Assembly - the Millennium Assembly 2000-2001
- brings to the post of Special Representative of the UN Secretary
General a wealth of political experience, as well as a reputation as a
skilled mediator and consensus builder. He was Finland's Prime Minister
from 1987 to 1991, and for over four decades has served his country and
the international community in several political and economic posts.
The most renowned and prestigious conservative political figure in
Finland over the last few decades, he served as Secretary of the
National Coalition Party from 1965 to 1971 and as Party Leader from
1971 to 1979. From 1970 to 1978, he was a Member of the Parliament. He
also served as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Bank of
Finland (central bank) from 1978 to 1997. As Prime Minister, he headed
a coalition formed by his party and the Social Democrats.
Mr. Holkeri played a key role in developing the social consensus that
led to the creation of the coalition government in power from 1987 to
1991, and of which he was Prime Minister. That government was based on
cooperation between the Conservative and the Social Democratic parties
- a cooperation that extended to international affairs as well. His
political philosophy - "You cannot make easy decisions unless you first
commit yourself to hard solutions" - has guided his political life.
His skills as a mediator and coalition builder have played an important
role in Finland's foreign relations. After the Second World War,
Finland, situated on the border between the East and the West, needed a
workable and trustful relationship with both the West and its eastern
neighbours and the former Soviet Union. The country's decision to
pursue a policy of military non-alignment and cooperation needed
internal popular support, as well as international acceptance. But the
difficulties faced in normalizing relations with the East were
compounded by distrust of the Finnish Right, both inside and outside
the country. During Mr. Holkeri's term as the Party Leader in the
1970s, Finnish Conservatives explicitly pledged to support the national
consensus foreign policy. This contributed to the restoration of
national harmony, helped to form broadly based governmental coalitions
and led to expanding international cooperation.
Mr. Holkeri has been a friend of three Presidents of Finland - Mr. Urho
Kekkonen, Mr. Mauno Koivisto and Mr. Martti Ahtisaari - all of whom
used him as their contact person in their relations with the political
right. He was a presidential candidate twice, in 1982 and 1988. Both
times he ran against Dr. Koivisto, with whom he had worked at the Bank
of Finland and with whom he had a close and personal relationship. In
1987, President Koivisto appointed Mr. Holkeri Prime Minister.
Mr. Holkeri has also been active at the international level. He was a
member of the Finnish delegation to the United Nations General Assembly
from 1963 to 1965. During his career as a Member of Parliament he held
various international positions, including as a member of the Nordic
Council from 1975 to 1978, Vice-President of the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) Parliamentarians from 1974 to 1975, and their
President in 1976.
From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Holkeri was a member of The International Body_a
group set up by the Governments of the United Kingdom and Ireland_on
the issue of the decommissioning of illegal weapons in Northern
Ireland. He was one of the three independent chairmen of the
multi-party peace negotiations, where his skills as a consensus builder
contributed greatly to furthering the peace process.
In 1999, Mr. Holkeri received an honorary British knighthood, Honorary
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for his
achievements in the Northern Ireland peace process. A year earlier,
President Ahtisaari had accorded him a Finnish honorary title,
valtioneuvos, for his national and international merits.
Mr. Holkeri was Chair of the Helsinki City Council from 1981 to 1987.
He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Finnair, Finland's
national airline, and sits on the boards of various Finnish industries
and organizations.
Mr. Holkeri was born on 6 January 1937. His upbringing in the small
rural city of Toijala, where his father was a police officer, formed
the basis of his personal values, which are centred on the family, love
of one's neighbour and love for and loyalty to one's own country. He
has a Master of Political Science degree from the University of
Helsinki. His military rank is major in the reserve.
He is very interested in sports, particularly long-distance
cross-country skiing and running. He has taken part in several
marathons, including the New York City Marathon. Golf has lately become
one of his favourite sports.
Mr. Holkeri is married, and has two children and six grandchildren.
---
EU INFORMED ABOUT HOLKERI'S CANDIDACY FOR UNMIK CHIEF
BRUSSELS, July 21 (Beta) - On July 21, EU foreign
ministers "took note" of the fact that UN General
Secretary Kofi Anan was considering the former Finnish
prime minister, Harri Holkeri, as "the most likely"
candidate for the post of the new UNMIK chief in
Kosovo, the sources in Brussels said.
EU ministers supported the "swift reestablishment of
direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina on
practical issues of common interest" and "invited both
sides to act in line with the obligations undertaken
at the EU summit in Thessaloniki."
The ministers concluded that "the EU will continue to
support this process" and expressed "pleasure at the
Kosovo leaders' appeal for the return of the
displaced."
"Reiterating the fact that the creation of conditions
for sustainable return was the key step towards
bringing a multiethnic and democratic Kosovo closer to
Europe, within the process of stabilization and
accession and in line with Resolution 1244 SBUN, the
EU council of ministers invites all Kosovo leaders to
turn their words into deeds."
---
Beta News Agency, Belgrade
July 22, 2003
Annan proposes former Finnish PM for Kosovo job
11:35 -> 13:05 | Beta
BRUSSELS -- Tuesday -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed to
EU Foreign Ministers former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Halkeri as
candidate for the vacant UNMIK governor's position.
According to sources in Brussels, European ministers are repeating
their call for the hasty launching of talks between Belgrade and
Pristina on practical issues of mutual interest.
An EU ministerial meeting saw representatives urge both Serbia and
Kosovo to act in accordance with obligations defined at the EU Summit
in Thessalonica. Participants of the meeting concluded that the
European Union will continue to assist in this process.
---
http://ww2.yle.fi/pls/show/page?id=227224
YLE NEWS (FINLAND)
Holkeri Tipped for UN Kosovo Role19.07.2003, 20.36
Former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri has reportedly been named
as the new head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK).
The Swedish News Agency TT reported the appointment on Saturday, citing
reliable sources.
The agency says that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has asked Holkeri
to take over the post, and that Holkeri has accepted. On Saturday
Holkeri declined to comment on the report.
A senior Foreign Ministry official confirmed to YLE television
news that the UN had been in contact with Holkeri regarding the post.
However he said no final decision has been made.
Annan's last Special Representative in Kosovo, Michael Steiner of
Germany, left the post on July 8 after a year and a half in the job.
UNMIK was established in 1999.
Since stepping down as prime minister in 1991, the 66-year-old Holkeri
has served in a range of international duties.
He was president of the UN General Assembly's Millenium Session, and
has served as a mediator in the Northern Ireland conflict.
YLE24, TT, Finnish News Agency
---
http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/international.cfm?id=778952003
The Scotsman
July 18, 2003
Cook linked to top UN role in Kosovo
The selection of the head of the UN mission has been lengthy after the
departure of the previous incumbent because of opposition to the
candidates. Robin Cook's name has been thrown into the ring at a late
stage, although he denies the rumours.
GETHIN CHAMBERLAIN AND TIM CORNWELL
Nearly 60 per cent of Kosovans are out of work, the
average monthly income is just £137 and its status in
relation to its neighbours in the Balkans is still
uncertain.
-[P]ierre Schori, the Swedish ambassador to the UN,
was vetoed by the United States because of his
opposition to the Iraq war. Robin Cook, the former foreign secretary,
was at the
centre of a deepening mystery last night, over claims
that he was being lined up for a new job as the United
Nations’ top man in Kosovo. UN sources in New York said Mr Cook had a
"good
chance" of being offered the post of the UN secretary
general’s special representative for Kosovo, a job
which comes with a six-figure salary. Sources within the Kosovan civil
administration also
told The Scotsman that Mr Cook, who was foreign
secretary during the successful operation to drive
Serbian forces from Kosovo, had been mentioned as a
leading contender for the job. Kofi Annan, the UN
secretary general, is believed to want a
higher-profile political figure to take on the
difficult task of running the country. Mr Cook, who took part in the
post-war peace
conference at Rambouillet in France, would fit that
description and has clearly ruled out any prospect of
returning to high political office in the UK. Yesterday, a UN spokesman
in New York said he had a
"good chance" of being offered the job, adding: "As
for Robin Cook, I think his chances may be good, but
it has been an unusually long process". But, in an extraordinary move
last night, Mr Cook and
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, issued a joint
statement flatly denying the reports. "Neither of us
has any idea where this has come from. There is no
truth in it," the statement said. The post of head of the UN mission in
Kosovo has been
vacant since Michael Steiner, of Germany, completed
his 18-month term of office last week. The position
has also been held by Bernard Kouchner, from France,
and Hans Haekkerup, from Denmark. But internal wrangling among UN
members has hampered
attempts to fill the post. Silvio Berlusconi, the
Italian prime minister, blocked the appointment of one
of the other front-runners, Stefano Sannino, because
he works for Mr Berlusconi’s political adversary,
Romano Prodi, the European Commission president. Another candidate,
Pierre Schori, the Swedish
ambassador to the UN, was vetoed by the United States
because of his opposition to the Iraq war. Mr Cook, a fierce opponent
of the Iraq conflict [sic],
has been a thorn in the side of the government since
he resigned his Cabinet post as leader of the Commons
on the eve of the war. His appointment in a role away
from Westminster would be seen as a welcome move in
some government circles. An ambitious politician, he was hurt when he
lost the
job of foreign secretary after the last election. In
an interview last month, he said he had achieved what
he set out to do in British politics and had "been up
there at the top". Earlier yesterday, Mr Cook refused to speculate on
the
Kosovo job, but the task facing any new man is
daunting. Nearly 60 per cent of Kosovans are out of work, the
average monthly income is just £137 and its status in
relation to its neighbours in the Balkans is still
uncertain.
--- In Ova adresa el. pošte je zaštićena od spambotova. Omogućite JavaScript da biste je videli., Rick Rozoff wrote:
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1054966647072&p=1012571727166
Financial Times
July 3, 2003
Frustration as choice of envoy blocked
By Judy Dempsey in Brussels
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, has stepped
into more controversy by pushing his own candidate to
take over as the European Union's special envoy to
Kosovo and blocking another with wide support from
other member states.
The moves have frustrated many diplomats as they have
left Kosovo without a special envoy at a critical
time, with German Michael Steiner's term ending this
week.
Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief, wants to
start political negotiations with the Serbs and ethnic
Albanians in Kosovo.
The hope is that such negotiations would lead to final
status talks, ending one of the most difficult
disputes that have dogged a permanent peace in the
Balkans.
"We need an envoy to mediate between both sides and
one who is more trusted than Steiner," said a senior
EU diplomat. "Berlusconi has not made life easy for us."
The Italian leader prevented one of the favoured
candidates, Stefano Sannino, from getting the job for
political reasons. He works for his old foe, Romano
Prodi, European Commission president.
Mr Sannino, an Italian career diplomat who has served
twice in Belgrade, is foreign policy adviser, with
responsibility for the Balkans, to Mr Prodi.
"Berlusconi believed Sannino was in the other
political camp. He stopped his appointment," a
diplomat said.
Another candidate for the post, Pierre Schori, Swedish
ambassador to the United Nations, was rejected by the
US because he opposed the American-led war against
Iraq.
Mr Berlusconi then proposed Antonio Armellini, Rome's
envoy in Baghdad. "Armellini is a professional
diplomat but with no experience of the Balkans. He is
now a Berlusconi man through and through," said a
Balkan expert. So determined was Italy to have Mr
Armellini appointed that Rome lobbied the Bush
administration, confident of some payoff after Italy's
support of the US-led war in Iraq.
But Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general, who has the
final say, diplomatically avoided choosing between Mr
Sannino and Mr Armellini on the grounds that a
candidate with a higher political profile was needed.
Mr Berlusconi has also lobbied to have Laura
Mirachian, his ambassador to Damascus, succeed Miguel
Moratinos, outgoing EU Middle East envoy.
"This is a brute of a job. You have to win the
confidence of all sides. With Berlusconi pushing to
bring Israel into the EU, we wonder if she could win
the trust of the Palestinians," said a senior western
diplomat. By Thursday night, senior foreign ministry
officials from the 15 member states meeting in Rome
were trying to find a compromise candidates.
Even if they manage to do so, another foreign policy
controversy is looming. Desperate to stop illegal
immigration from Libya, Italy wants to supply night
vision technology, gun-boats and other equipment to
Libya. Several EU countries claim these items, which
Italy insists are for civilian use, could contravene
the embargo on arms exports. "If you think the envoys
are a headache, wait for Libya," added a diplomat.
--- End forwarded message ---