UNMIK/PR/132
PRISTINA--The Kosovo Transitional Council met this morning to continue discussing the question of its enlargement, in light of the Agreement of 15 December which established the Joint Interim Administration Council.
That agreement explicitly foresees that the KTC may--if a majority of its members disagrees with a decision or position of the IAC--propose alternative solutions to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
Noting the important role that the KTC will be called upon to play, SRSG Bernard Kouchner described the enlarged Council as akin to a "roundtable" or interim "parliament"--without legislative powers--which will function until free, fair and internationally-supervised elections are held.
The Agreement also foresees the KTC's enlargement in order to "better reflect the pluralistic composition of Kosovo." This question, which was discussed at length in several meetings of the IAC, would include additional minority members, representatives of smaller Kosovo Albanian political parties, as well as members from Kosovo's civil society. It is also expected that women, who have been in effect absent so far in the Council, would be represented in substantial numbers.
Following an exchange of views among members of the KTC, the SRSG informed them that he would submit for their approval at their next meeting a list of potential candidates for the KTC.
In other business, the KTC issued the following statement regarding the recent murders of a Bosniak family in Prizren:
"The members of the Kosovo Transitional Council today expressed their shock and outrage to learn that an entire family of Bosniaks, including a young girl, her parents and grandmother, were brutally murdered inside their home in Prizren late Monday night, 10 January. The KTC strongly condemns such a ruthless attack on a defenseless family. The KTC uses this tragic occasion to renew its commitment to work to an end to violence in Kosovo and towards tolerance and the protection of minorities. It calls on the people of Kosovo to act with tolerance and to assist the UNMIK police and KFOR in their investigation of this crime. The KTC also expresses its sincere condolence to the Bosniak community, its leaders and the relatives of the victims."
The KTC also discussed security issues and the ongoing power situation in Kosovo, where a fire in one of two electricity plants has added to the difficulties of restoring and maintaining a functioning utilities system while winter has descended with brutally cold temperatures.