United Nations »/2001/565 Security Council Distr.: General 7 June 2001 Original: English Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo I. Introduction address a number of serious challenges to security and ongoing measures to bolster law and order, including 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to important initiatives to combat terrorism and organized Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) of 10 June crime. The UNMIK strategy of pursuing the political 1999, by which the Council decided to establish the and security tracks in parallel during this period, United Nations Interim Administration Mission in together with steady progress in the objectives that my Kosovo (UNMIK) for an initial period of twelve Special Representative elucidated on taking office in months. In paragraph 20 of that resolution, the Council January 2001, have laid a promising foundation for the requested me to report at regular intervals on the partial transfer of authority later in the year. implementation of the mandate of UNMIK. The current report covers the activities of UNMIK and developments in Kosovo, Federal Republic of II. Overview Yugoslavia, since my report of 13 March 2001 (S/2001/218). A. Political situation 2. The activities of UNMIK from March through 3. The conclusion of the Constitutional Framework May 2001 were characterized by the laying of solid for Provisional Self-Government and the foundations for the interim period of self-government announcement of the election date heralded the envisaged in Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). unofficial beginning of the election campaign. The main achievement in this respect was the Focusing the attention of the parties on Kosovo-wide promulgation of the Constitutional Framework for elections will help to reinvigorate the political Provisional Self-Government, paving the way for situation. This reinvigoration has already been seen in Kosovo-wide elections, which will be held on 17 the differing reactions of the parties to the November 2001. The conclusion of the Constitutional Constitutional Framework, despite the common views Framework has also accelerated the transfer of public expressed on many of the issues discussed in the Joint administration responsibilities to local control, Working Group (JWG), as the political parties begin to bringing new momentum to the capacity-building position themselves for the upcoming elections. The efforts of UNMIK and the creation of a legitimate Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Alliance revenue-generating market economy in the crucial for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) expressed support for prelude to the transfer of authority at the central level. the document, while maintaining their additional With Kosovo-wide elections in sight, there is now also demands for a referendum, a Constitutional Court and increased focus on the serious challenge of engaging the title of "Interim Constitution". The late shift of all communities in the transitional administration AAK in favour of the document constituted a process. Underpinning UNMIK initiatives to facilitate potentially significant change in the political balance of the transition to substantial autonomy for all of power, contrasting as it did with the lack of support for Kosovo's inhabitants are the continuing efforts to the document by the Democratic Party of Kosovo 01-40218 (E) 110601 I 111 II III II III II III II III IS III II III II III I Illl S/2001/565 (PDK). The fact that PDK stated its intention to boundary line to further harden the stance of the participate in the elections, however, calls into question Kosovo Serb community in the region. The ensuing the real depth of the party's opposition to the nature of roadblocks and the linkage made between the tax the provisional institutions set out in the Constitutional collection points and the Constitutional Framework Framework for Provisional Self-Government. rendered progress on the two issues of progress in the divided city of Mitrovica and Kosovo Serb cooperation 4. In the run-up to Kosovo-wide elections, the with UNMIK very difficult. In the face of these Interim Administrative Council (IAC) and the Kosovo difficulties, UNMIK has made consistent efforts to Transitional Council (KTC) remain important both re-engage Kosovo Serb leaders in the Mitrovica mechanisms through which my Special Representative region and encourage the Government of the Federal can coordinate directly with the Kosovo leadership on Republic of Yugoslavia to use its influence, which the issues of greatest importance. The inclusion of remains key to the cooperation of the Kosovo Serb AAK in IAC and its additional representation in KTC community in the UNMIK-led process. To this end, I has broadened the basis of IAC, in accordance with the met with President Kostunica of the Federal Republic results of the municipal elections held in October 2000. of Yugoslavia in New York on 8 May. There have been An important development in furthering democratic some recent positive indications, including understanding for both IAC and KTC during the encouragement by the authorities of the Federal reporting period has been their visits to international Republic of Yugoslavia of Kosovo Serb participation in organizations outside Kosovo, namely the North civil registration and an agreement on tax collection Atlantic Council in Brussels on 25 April (joint IAC and points. KTC delegation) and the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna on 30 May (IAC). Another essential element to B. Security situation the furtherance of the democratic process is the involvement of all Kosovo communities in the interim 6, Continuing instances of ethnically and politically institutions. My Special Representative will continue to motivated violence, regarding which briefings have examine how best to include all Kosovo communities been given to the Council, as well as organized crime, in KTC, following the successful completion of the remain a great concern of my Special Representative representation of the Kosovo Turkish community with and pose a tangible threat to the fulfilment of the the appointment of a representative of the Turkish UNMIK mandate. Over the past three months, there Democratic Union (TDU), as well as the inclusion of a has been a general increase in tensions in the representative of the Egyptian community. Mitrovica, Gnjilane and Pristina regions, as well as 5. The political engagement of the Kosovo Serb specifically targeted attacks on individuals. These community remains a major challenge for UNMIK, tensions have resulted in both loss of life and a severe rendered more difficult by the branding of the limitation on freedom of movement, particularly for the Constitutional Framework as "unacceptable" by the Kosovo Serb community as a result of the temporary authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and suspension of bus lines operated by the Office of the the continuing divisions within the Kosovo Serb United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees community itself. Although the Serb National Council- (UNHCR) and the interruption of train services. The Gracanica (SNC-G) continues to participate in the most disturbing and extreme individual act of violence institutions of the Joint Interim Administrative was the bomb attack in the centre of Pristina on 18 Structure (JIAS), albeit intermittently for a while April, which killed the head of the passport office of during the consultations on the Constitutional the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Committee on Framework, its influence continued to diminish, as did Kosovo and injured four others. An investigation by that of the Serb National Council-Mitrovica. In the UNMIK Police and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) led to Mitrovica region, the self-styled "Political Committee the swift arrest of one suspect two days after the for the Defence of Kosovska Mitrovica", formed in bombing. Kosovo Albanian leaders were swift to February 2001, has gained influence, with radical condemn this terrorist attack, reflecting a relatively Kosovo Serb leaders seizing on the issue of UNMIK recent readiness on their part to condemn terrorist acts tax collection points along the northern administrative of this nature. S/2001/565 7. Over the past three months, there has been a shift C. Impact on Kosovo of the situation in in criminal patterns in Kosovo, with a disturbing southern Serbia and the former increase in violence against the international Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia community. While the overall level of crime remains uneven (with 89 incidents in March and 114 in April), 9. The situation in both the Presevo Valley and the the number of incidents against the international former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continued to community has risen and now accounts for 1.5 per cent have a destabilizing influence in Kosovo. The main of major crime statistics. In addition, a trend of openly priority of my Special Representative has been to aggressive behaviour towards law enforcement and minimize these effects within Kosovo. To this end, security personnel has become more commonplace. UNMIK and KFQR have continued to work jointly to This has resulted in assaults and threats against enhance measures to reduce the volatility of the members of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS), UNMIK regional situation. KFOR has maintained its vigilance police and KFOR, including the fatal shooting of a in both the ground safety zone (GSZ) and at the Russian KFOR soldier in the Kamenica area on 11 borders with the former Yugoslav Republic of April. (See also annex I for a summary of crime Macedonia, detaining suspected members of Ethnic statistics in Kosovo.) Albanian Armed Groups (EAAG) and actively 8. The Mitrovica region continued to be a focal searching for weapons. Ethnic Albanians have point for violence and civil disobedience within the subsequently been arrested for attempting to smuggle Kosovo Serb community over the reporting period. landmines, weapons and ammunition as well as After UNMIK police arrested three Kosovo Serbs on uniforms and other military equipment from Kosovo to 14 March, a crowd gathered outside the police station the GSZ.