Ban calls for a joint solution for the north (Koha Ditore – front page)

In his regular quarterly report on Kosovo to the Security Council, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on authorities in Pristina and Belgrade as well as local authorities in the north of Kosovo to jointly find a solution. He said this solution would enable implementation of agreements reached so far between Pristina and Belgrade.

The report that covers the period from 16 July to 15 October has positively assessed efforts of Kosovo authorities to integrate the Serb community and urged for the “relatively calm situation in the north” to be maintained by making it possible for EULEX to operate in the north.

Ban did not comment on the meeting between Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers as it did not happen during the reporting period but he did say he noticed constructive signs with both parties to get engaged in a serious dialogue.

Status of gates 1 and 31, special also according to IBM (Koha Ditore – front page)

The paper reports that the Integrated Border Management agreement with Serbia will not enable Kosovo to treat the border points in the north, Gate 1 and 31, like the rest of border crossings with Serbia. The agreement is set to begin implementation on 10 December when the Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi is expected to meet again Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic.

Senior international officials told the paper that Kosovo will continue to have only one police official, one representative from the customs and one from hydro-sanitary agency at these crossings while the rest of the officials will be from EULEX as has been the case so far.

Ready for IBM (Kosova Sot – page 2)

The paper quotes Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi as saying that the Kosovo Government has made all necessary preparations to begin implementation of Integrated Border Management agreement and announced that the agreement will be enforced in six border crossing points with Serbia. He said that the agreement foresees getting points of control closer to the border point from both sides with three getting closer to the territory of Serbia and three closer to that of Kosovo.

Thaçi asks for seriousness (Express – front page)

The paper writes that Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi is not pleased with the lack of seriousness from his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic in relation to meetings taking place in Brussels under the facilitation of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. Dacic, writes the paper, has make it a habit to give details of each meeting but not of what was discussed but rather what jokes are told and what meals are served. According to Thaçi, this shows lack of ethics. “Wherever I went and will go, I will behave in conformity to my human ethics and constitutional duties. In such lunches or dinners I respect protocol standards,” Thaçi told the paper.

Kouchner: Serbia in the EU after recognizing independent Kosovo (dailies)

Former head of UNMIK and also former French minister Bernard Kouchner who is taking part in a Kosovo-hosted international conference “Gërmia Hill” said that conditions imposed on Serbia by the EU will force it to recognize independence of Kosovo. “There is a condition that comes from Brussels for any country that aspires to integrate and this has to do with peace and talks with neighbours. I am not saying Serbia will recognize Kosovo now, this will come later, but it has to show readiness for talks and normalization,” said Kouchner.

He said there is room for negotiations on the north of Kosovo and for a substantial autonomy for the area. He said part of the blame for the situation in the north also rests with international community because it failed back in 1999 to stretch its authority in the north.

Kouchner reiterated that he had never heard about the existence of the so-called Yellow House while he was SRSG. “I never heard of organ trafficking while I was head of the United Nations administration in Kosovo. Never, never, never,” he said.

East Timor recognizes independence of Kosovo (Zëri, Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj received on Friday a letter from East Timore Foreign Minister Jose Louis Guteres announcing that the country recognizes independence of Kosovo. “East Timor shares joint experience and expresses solidarity with the people and the government of Kosovo,” said FM Guteres.

Tahiri, in the shadow of “coordinating team” for political dialogue (Koha Ditore – page 2)

The paper quotes sources as saying that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi has not yet decided whether to engage Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri who led the Kosovo team in technical dialogue with Serbia in the process of implementation of agreements reached in these talks. Sources added that Thaçi’s position will be clarified in the coming days as the prime minister is at this stage focused on setting up new working groups that will be active in the political dialogue with Belgrade.

Verdict on Haradinaj on 29 November (dailies)

International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has announced that the final verdict on the case against former Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and his two former fellow-fighters from Kosovo Liberation Army will be delivered on 29 November.