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ASI newsletter February 2004, No 10 • Kosovo leaders meet negotiators from several countries • Building better healthcare services • “Coalition Return” at a cross-road osce Mission in Kosovo 2 ASI newsletter Editorial Crafting strategies for negotiations It was a unique group. The main Kosovo political leaders met key Unionist Party in Northern Ireland; Mr. Pini Meidan, former negotiators and decision-makers from countries around the world Foreign Policy Advisor and senior negotiator for Israeli Prime to discuss leadership and negotiations during periods of transition Minister Ehud Barak in the 2002 Camp David talks; Mr. Roelf in similar circumstances. The sett ing was the picturesque castle Meyer, former Chief Negotiator for the De Klerk Government of Burg Schlaining in Austria. From 15 to 19 December 2003, an and former Minister of Constitutional Aff airs of South Africa; intensive exchange of experiences with distinguished offi cials and and Mr. Albert Reynolds, former Prime Minister of the Republic negotiators from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Israel, of Ireland and key participant in the Northern Ireland peace Palestine, South Africa and Chile took place. The conference on process. “Craft ing Strategies for Negotiations” was co-sponsored by the At the closing session of the meeting, President Ibrahim Rugova Project on Justice in Times of Transition of Harvard University stated that the discussions had been refreshing and useful, and and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and supported by the Kosovo that he considered the meeting a great success. Mr. Hashim Thaçi Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED) and the added that Kosovo needs to gain the trust of the international Olof Palme International Centre in Sweden. The initiative was community and that he hoped that this meeting would initiate endorsed by several international leaders, including former U.S. a fresh eff ort to cultivate new international relationships. Upon President Bill Clinton. returning to Kosovo, Prof. Nexhat Daci commented to the press: Of particular importance at this historic meeting was the full “Participation in this seminar was of dual importance to us. participation of the Þ ve senior Kosovar leaders: President Ibrahim The Þ rst beneÞ t was learning from participants from countries Rugova; Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi; Speaker of the Assembly that have overcome problems and built their states, such as Prof. Nexhat Daci; President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo South Africa, and from countries such as Ireland where there Mr. Hashim Thaçi; and President of the Alliance for the Future are important lessons to be learned. The second beneÞ t was of Kosovo, Mr. Ramush Haradinaj. While representatives of that we were isolated for three days from our daily problems Kosovo’s Turkish, Bosniak and Ashkali communities participated and all the leaders had excellent communication.” Dr. Friedhelm in this conference, Kosovo Serbs representatives declined their Frischenschlager, former director of OMiK’s Democratization invitations and did not att end the conference. The meeting Department stated: “The world has suff ered from these problems was co-chaired by Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch, Permanent before and still does. And these actors who come here with great Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva, experiences, have illustrated to the Kosovar political leaders that and Thomas Hammarberg, Secretary General of the Olof Palme they should shake each other’s hands when it is necessary to Þ nd International Center. a solution.” During the event, international speakers gave brief presentations about their previous negotiating experiences, paying special Franklin De Vrieze and Besnik Tahiri, att ention to issues that are of particular relevance to Kosovo. OSCE Mission in Kosovo. SpeciÞ c topics addressed in the course of the meeting included preparing for negotiations, building trust with negotiators on one’s own team as well as with the opposing side, eff ectively managing multi-party negotiations, creating trust among the larger public and with the international community, and engaging civil society actors and minorities in the creation of a stable future. The meeting gave PISG leaders ample opportunity to discuss the situation of Kosovo both among themselves and with the distinguished international speakers. Speakers included Mr. John Biehl, Advisor to the Government of Costa Rica during the Central American Peace Accords in 1987 and former Secretary General of the Presidency of Chile; Mr. Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, Political Advisor to the Deputy President of South Africa and senior African National Congress participant in the multi-party negotiations in South Africa; Mr. David Ervine, Senior Negotiator in the talks leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and Chief Spokesman of the Progressive ASI newsletter 3 Learning From Each Other What do South Africa, Northern Ireland, the Middle East and Kosovo have in common? Where do they differ? An immediate reaction might be to stress the differences - geographic, historical and political. But upon reflection, commonalties begin to appear. Wolfgang Petritsch, Austrian Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva and co-chairperson of the Symposium “Crafting Negotiations” in Austria by the Harvard University’s nical issues, like how to prepare his country; his white coun- “Project on Justice in Times for negotiations, how to build terpart who as an offi cial of of Transition” and the OSCE capacity, how to establish wor- the apartheid regime decided to Mission in Kosovo in Burg Sch- king relationships or how to join forces with the suppressed laining, Austria. This three-day deal with multiple parties and majority. These modern day event in mid-December 2003, interests in a negotiating pro- heroes provided a convincing sponsored in part by Sweden’s cess. testimony to the power of justice Olof Palme International Centre, But more than just learning the and human freedom. brought together senior repre- political and diplomatic skills A Þ nal - personal - lesson from sentatives of the three main for brokering a political deal, I these meetings in the wintry parties in the Provisional Ins- was personally impressed by the surroundings of Burg Schlaining titutions of Self-Government (PI- truly breathtaking stories these Castle is this: The “secret of SG) with former peace negotia- peace negotiators from around success” to achieving the desired tors from the above-mentioned the globe had to tell: the Irish goal of a true commitment to the countries and regions plus activist who spent ten years in spirit of democratic compromise Central America. Unfortunately prison only to devote his later seems to be to depart from past Kosovo Serb representatives life to peace and reconciliation; recriminations and exclusionist Wolfgang Petritsch declined their invitations to the South African who had spent att itudes. Thanks to the untiring att end. What these countries and re- twenty years in prison, together eff orts of everyone involved, gions have in common is a long “Craft ing strategies for nego- with Nelson Mandela, and who this conference proved to be and bloody history of conß ict - tiation” was the theme of this decided to reach out to his for- a promising exercise that will ethnic, religious, racial, to name highly interesting meeting mer oppressors in order to win continue to beneÞ t the parti- only the most obvious simi- which dealt mostly with tech- a just peace for everybody in cipants. larities. This is true in particular when it comes to the fate of its peoples, a fate frequently characterised by the total ab- sence of basic human and poli- tical rights, economic and social hardship and cultural depri- vation. What bett er idea than to bring together representatives from these aff ected regions to com- pare notes, so to speak, and listen to those who went through similar situations or are still in the middle of a deep rooted conß ict, like the one between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Or, for that matt er, to learn from those who successfully overcame apartheid, as in the case of South Africa where whi- tes and blacks fought a winning batt le against racism. This, precisely, was the idea be- Together at the castle of Burg Schlaining: Mr. Ramush Haradinaj, Mr.Nexhat Daci, Mr. Ibrahim Rugova, hind a recent meeting co-hosted Mr. Hashim Thaci and Mr. Bajram Rexhepi. 4 ASI newsletter “Kosovo citizens deserve better healthcare services” During the last two years the Assembly Committee on Health was involved in developing healthcare policies and followed up of its implementation. In monitoring the functioning of healthcare, the Committee participates in elaborating a strategy for healthcare, revises the Government program on healthcare and makes recommendations to the Assembly. ASI interviewed Naim Jerliu, (LDK), Vice- chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Health, starting with the role of the Committee in the field of legislation. Interview by David Buerstedde, Office of Political Affairs, OSCE Mission in Kosovo. Mr. Jerliu, How many laws roval of this law was important, have passed through your com- since Kosovo was the only part mitt ee? How many have been of Europe that had no legislation approved and how many pro- in this Þ eld. mulgated by the SRSG? What As you will recall, critics suc- is in the pipeline for 2004? In cessfully introduced total, over one hundred new draft laws are waiting to be amendments to this draft law processed. Which of these laws during its second reading due to should be treated as a matt er of fears that the draft law might priority? prohibit the import of galenic products from outside Kosovo So far the Committ ee has revised that are currently not produced and approved the Draft Law on in Kosovo. Why were these Sanitary Inspectorate and the amendments not taken into ac- Draft Law on Medical Products count ahead of the plenary and Medical Equipment, while session for which the second the Draft Law on Healthcare is reading of the draft law in awaiting its second reading.

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