UNMIK/PR/559
PRISTINA--- The Kosovo Transitional Council was informed today that a representative of the Kosovo Serbs, Alexandar Simic, had joined the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the Legal Framework for Provisional Self government.
Briefing the KTC, JWG chairman Johan Van Lamoen, said that Mr. Simic had joined discussions this morning and had been “officially accepted by all members of the Joint Working Group”.
Mr. Van Lamoen said that the JWG was nearing the end of the first draft that would be presented to SRSG Hans Haekkerup on Friday. He said 90 per cent or more was a consensus document. A lot of progress had been made and the group had finished discussions on important issues related to provisional institutions of self-government. This morning the issue of human rights and the interests of the communities was discussed.
Mr. Van Lamoen said, however, there were some outstanding questions that have to be resolved at the political level. He outlined some of these as: the name of the document, the institution of president, the constitutional court and the possibility of holding “popular consultations”. He explained that on the institution of President, the Working Group had prepared a text, and if a decision was taken to have a President, this text could be adopted.
Several KTC members, cutting across ethnic lines, demanded that the document be called an interim constitution, a decision, as Mr. Van Lamoen emphasised, that would be taken by the SRSG.
The head of the Banking and Payments Authority Muhammed Bouaouga, also briefed members about the introduction of the euro in Kosovo in January 2002. He said in January and February next year both deutshce mark and euro will be allowed in Kosovo. A certain amount of deutsche marks, which is yet to be decided, could be exchanged for euros without a fee. Another limit would be fixed for exchanging DM for euro, for a fee. He said they could not allow unlimited exchange, since that would encourage organized crime to target Kosovo for money laundering purposes.
Earlier PDSRSG Gary Matthews, chairing the KTC in place of Mr. Haekkerup, who left for Paris today, welcomed the new COMKFOR Lieutenant General Thorstein Skiaker and his deputy, Lieutenant General Ollion. Both attended the KTC for the first time today. Lt. General Skiaker gave a security briefing and outlined his priorities in Kosovo, one of which was to create a safe and secure environment for everyone living here.
The COMKFOR told members that the investigation into the mortar attack in Krivenik had been completed and the report sent to AfSouth Headquarters in Naples. From there it would be sent to NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where it would be dealt with appropriately.
Mr. Matthews also spoke of the very unsatisfactory situation in Northern Mitrovica and said that they were working to resolve the situation.