UNMIK/PR/287
PRISTINA---The Interim Administrative Council today continued discussing the draft regulation on Self-Government of Municipalities in Kosovo, especially the issues related to the community offices.
In this context, the Joint UNMIK-SNC Understanding also came up for discussion, during which the Serb observer Father Sava underlined the fact that the community offices were not for the Serb community to build parallel structures but to be able to have access to municipal services, similar to the services to which the other communities have access.
Speaking to journalists later, Dr. Kouchner said that hopefully by next Tuesday, the discussions on the draft regulation should end and the draft accepted.
Dr. Kouchner also briefed the IAC members on the situation of the Turkish community. He told them that he would visit Prizren tomorrow and meet representatives of the Turkish community to discuss with them their concerns, especially about the registration process. He said he intends to assure the Turkish leaders that UNMIK reaffirms the equality of all communities, including the equality in the use of their language.
Answering journalists’ questions about the discussions in the IAC today, he reiterated that the Joint UNMIK-SNC Understanding was really about security. If other communities want to be better protected to sign a similar understanding that could also be done. He said UNMIK was under pressure from the international community for protecting minorities. He reiterated than a misunderstanding had been created in Kosovo and he would explain to the people of what was intended.
IAC was also briefed about the activities of the Department of Sports by its cohead Mr. Jean-Selim Kannan. Mr. Kannan said that the Germia swimming pool in Pristina would open on 15 July. He also informed the members that the department was in the process of organising 85 summer camps for youngsters all over Kosovo, in which about 5,000 people will participate. Of these camps, eight will be for non-Albanian communities.
The issue of travel documents was also discussed. DSRSG Mr. Tom Koenigs stressed the fact that the pre-requisite for getting a travel document was registration. He said the department was trying to get the document accepted internationally, adding that the first applications for the travel document would be accepted sometime this month.