|
Enter content here
Vice-President Angel Marin (in the fore) kneeled down together with mayors and MPs in Petrova Niva yesterday. Near Zvezdetz the 99th anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising was celebrated. Photo BTA
Finance Minister Milen Velchev meets with the Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Sofia Dimitris Kourkoulas. BTA photo by Anelia Nikolova
SITUATION IN CRISIS REGIONS.
MIA
Increased shootings from various infantry weaponry and flare rockets were registered in Tetovo area overnight, MIA's special correspondent reported.
According to Tetovo Interior department, most of the shootings were registered on several occasions in the central city region from the residential complex of Arabati Baba - Teke, the settlements of Gorna Carsija, Kupenik, Sipad, Ciglana, Drenovec 2, the area around the railroad and the buss station, military barracks "Kuzman Josifovski Pity", city stadiums, the street of "Stipska", the textile school "SS. Kiril and Metodij", the SEE University and from other city regions as well.
Shootings were also registered on several occasions from the villages of Lisec, Palatica, Sipkovica, Gajre, Selce, Zerovjane, Vejce, Zelino, Trebos, Ozormiste, Odri, Dobroste, Prvce, Prsovce, Tearce, Slationo, Radiovce, Celopek, Zerovjane, Gorno Sedlarce and Mala Recica.
According to the reports of Tetovo police department, the shootings that ceased Monday morning had no determined targets.
The public order and peace in Kumanovo - Lipkovo region was violated on twelve occasions with sporadic and riffle gunfire.
As MIA's special correspondent reported, the shots mostly came from the villages of Ropajce, Matejce and Slupcane.
NATIONAL PAYMENT CARD PROMOTED.
MIA
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubcho Georgievski committed Monday the first transaction with the National Payment Card (NPC) thus promoting the new non-cash payment system in the country.
Georgievski expressed his satisfaction from the new payment system, emphasizing that it was promoted less than a year after the governmental decision on introduction of national payment card. According to him, this was another step in completing the reforms in the financial sector and coordination of the Macedonian with the European and world payment system. Georgievski was also satisfied because it took only ten months to implement the system in Macedonia.
"It is important that NPC system connects several participants in the payment system, provides unique infrastructure for the electronic payment and single center for monitoring the payment operations," Georgievski said.
"With this system the cash will be gradually replaced with more efficient non-cash payment, which will make the operations more efficient and more profitable, will offer high quality services and will eliminate the sources of the gray economy," he said.
"In fact that is the goal of the reforms - to have more efficient payment system," Georgievski said.
Georgievski expressed his satisfaction from the idea of expanding the NPC network and creating international compatible network for accepting the payment card in the foreign banks.
"The Government supports the idea for expanding the network and we decided to sell the government's share in the founding capital of AD National Payment Card to the banks in the country. We also decided to issue shares amounting to 35 percent of the founding capital to the foreign banks," Georgievski explained.
Finance Minister Nikola Gruevski referred to the NPC system as the final stage of the new payment system introduced on January 1, 2002.
In order to complete the system, Gruevski said that the post-terminals should be installed in the stores in the next three months.
Minister Gruevski denied the writings in the newspapers that NPC would not function and that this was just preelection marketing.
"This payment system existed even prior to 1998 and we should ask why someone had not tried to implement it in the payment operations and to operationalize it," Gruevski emphasized.
Director of the NPC Vladimir Mijalkov said that in the beginning this new form of payment would be used by 87 persons, employed mainly in the NPC department, who will be able to collect their cash from 20 automated teller machines and 11 banks - members of the NPC.
Macedonian Election Campaign: Bandits, Bullets, Bombs And Now UFOs.
Reality Macedonia
By Sasha Uzunov, Skopje
Milan Siljanoski from Krushica village near Kichevo shows the aledged UFO's landing spot. Source: Dnevnik
So far there have been threats from bandits, bullets have been fired, bombs thrown and now a suspected UFO has landed in Macedonia during the parliamentary election campaign. As an Australian journalist, I can safely say campaigns are never this exciting back home. Watching grass grow would probably be more arousing! But this is the Balkans, ladies and gentlemen, where the impossible is possible!
The present government, a strange coalition of VMRO-DPMNE, Macedonian nationalists, and their Albanian equivalent DPA (Democratic Party of Albanians), has warned the electorate of the possibility of Albanian guerillas, which it labels as terrorists and bandits, from the newly formed Army of the Republic of Ilirida, provoking another war.
Pressure from the United States and the European Union ended the short-lived war in Macedonia last year between that country's security forces and ethnic Albanian guerillas known as the National Liberation Army (NLA), which were supported by elements from the Kosovo Liberation Army.
The Macedonian government and ethnic Albanian political parties, including Albanian rebels, signed the western-brokered peace plan known as the Ohrid Framework Agreement last year.
The Social Democrats, SDSM, Macedonia's largest opposition party, has accused the government of inventing the spectre of terrorism to frighten voters into keeping the government in power on 15 September, poll day.
A favoured tactic of the government is to whip up anti-NATO and anti-western rhetoric through the media. Secret reports suddenly are leaked about NATO plans to carve up the country and to support the creation of a Greater Albania. How much of this is true, remains to be seen. However, an expert in the Balkans, Canadian Professor Michel Chossudovsky, has written extensively of NATO collusion with Albanian separatists in last year's war.
Only a few days ago, a UFO was sighted in Kichevo, western Macedonia, and the Police and Army called into investigate. Some are accusing NATO of using un-manned aircraft for espionage. But where does genuine fear end, and paranoia begin? One might ask!
The thing is that, like in Australia, Britain and other western nations, whom do the people trust? Most of the parties have been implicated in corruption scandals. During 1991-98, the SDSM was in power, and privatized most of the countries state-owned enterprises, and in return received enormous kickbacks.
The same has been said of the current government. Edward Joseph of the International Crisis Group, an influential geo-political think tank headed by ex-Australian foreign minister, Gareth Evans, recently released a damning report into the magnitude of corruption in Macedonia, which leads all the way to the top.
Not surprisingly, the powers that be have threatened to expel him from the country if he continues with his "anti-Macedonian rhetoric."
Some of the non-state Macedonian media portray the Prime Minister, Ljupcho Georgievski, from VMRO-DPMNE, as a very ambitious young politician, and his Albanian sidekick, Arben Xhaferi, from DPA, as a wily old fox. The pro-government media regard SDSM leader and ex-Prime Minister, Branko Crvenkovski, as not being a sweet innocent babe in the woods.
Polls are tipping the SDSM, in coalition perhaps with another ethnic Albanian party, winning the election. Since Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Albanian parties in one form or another have been in government.
In the western Macedonian city of Tetovo, which has a large Albanian population, rival Albanian parties are constantly at each other throats. Reports of shootings and bombings are commonplace. The Macedonian Police is at times hesitant to intervene, in fear of being labeled heavy-handed with ethnic Albanians.
Ali Ahmeti, an ex-NLA commander who received a Macedonian presidential amnesty, has formed his own political party, called the Democratic Union for Integration. The word on the street is that the other Albanian parties fear his popularity and the possibility of missing out on the spoils of office. The irony is that Ahmeti is also on the United States's black list of international terrorists but that has not stopped him from becoming a key player in Macedonia!
RALLY OF COALITION "TOGETHER FOR MACEDONIA" IN GOSTIVAR.
MIA
Coalition " Together For Macedonia" held a rally Monday evening in Gostivar, the first one in a series of its preelection gatherings, whereat the candidates of the sixth election district as well as the candidate list carriers for the other five districts were introduced.
The leaders of the United Party of Roma in Macedonia and the Democratic Party of Serbs, Nexhdet Mustafa and Ivan Stoiljkovic, addressed the citizens at the city square in Gostivar. They called for the Roma, Serbs and the other nationalities to give their votes for economic prosperity, inter - ethnic tolerance and co - existence in the country.
President of the Liberal - Democratic Party Risto Penov in his address at the rally, said that," Macedonia must retain its unity and territorial integrity," and added that if the coalition " Together For Macedonia" wins the elections, it would fight the poverty and corruption in the country as well as repair the destroyed economy of the country."
"The future government of the coalition ' Together For Macedonia' will open new jobs, which would be the main criteria for assessing its work," Penov emphasized. He said that the foreseen number of new jobs would be no less then 25 to 30 thousand per year.
Ilinka Mitreva, a candidate lists carrier in the sixth election district, said that Gostivar was not chosen for the campaign's starting point by accident. "The crucial developments for the Macedonia' fate took place in this area. The decision for the country's future will be also made here," she said.
The coalition "Together for Macedonia" would put an end to Macedonia's sufferings and divisions, feeding its strength for the country's future by the courage and wisdom of voters, she added.
"Common people wish no violence and run away from hatred. Macedonian and Albanians are not against living together," Mitreva said.
The coalition would create a state with all its characteristics, would replace the chaos with trust in the institutions, restore the rule of law, the peace and stability, she said.
A European Macedonia should emerge from the economic ashes, a country that would grant equal opportunities to all people, to youngsters, a country of social security and prosperity, Mitreva said.
Mitreva promised that the coalition would restore the economic capacities in the city so that Gostivar would not be labeled anymore as "a town with no economy".
"For that purpose we need real people that know their demands and their capabilities, and those are the people of the coalition " Together For Macedonia," Mitreva said, urging the citizens to cast their votes on September 15, in order to "score a great victory in the cities of Gostivar, Tetovo, Debar and a great victory for Macedonia."
Coalition candidate for the sixth election district Slave Arsovski, said that the last year conflict was avoided in the city of Gostivar due to the unity of its citizens of different nationalities. He called for the citizens to erase the conflict from their memory as soon as possible.
The coalition candidate list carrier of the fifth election district, Nikola Popovski, said that "Macedonia went through some heavy crises during the past years, like poverty and unemployment, so it was necessary to turn a new page of the state's history, in order to create a country where everyone would feel safe and secure."
Candidate list carrier of the fourth election district Petar Gosev, emphasized that, "the coalition 'Together For Macedonia' has worked out a strategy to fight the corruption, which would be realized as soon as the power is gained.
Candidate list carrier of the third election district Tito Petkovski, pointed out that the country needed people with common sense and mutual respect, people who loved their country.
"The citizens of Gostivar did not allow the conflict to spread in their city, thus showing reason and dignity, Petkovski said, adding that, "the city of Gostivar will always be for Macedonia."
Trifun Kostovski, candidate list carrier of the second election district said that there was co - existence among the citizens of different nationalities - Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Roma etc, that succeeded in preserving the peace in Gostivar.
"I wish to send a massage to the world to participate directly in creating a future Macedonia, whereat the co - existence will be the basis of the mutual understanding. The city of Gostivar has a prosperous future ahead. This team comprised of politicians, businessmen, and visionaries is on the right way to achieve this" said.
The SDSM leader and candidate list carrier for the first election district, Branko Crvenkovski said, "We are now facing enormous difficulties."
"In a time of crises we must make important decisions. You, the citizens of this country, will make the greatest, the historical and the most difficult decision on September 15. On this day, Macedonia will not have elections for a new government, but a referendum that will decide on the future existence of the country," Crvenkovski underlined.
"This is not a moment for someone to say that he is being neutral, with no determined political stance, or will not going to vote at the elections at all. We are talking about the future of Macedonia so none should be neutral regarding this issue and no one should be afraid to speak their mind openly as we have no other homeland, life or choice."
"We publicly accept the obligation to restore the peace and stability in the country, to regain the dignity and pride of each citizen in the country, to overcome and forget for good the ideas of division, drawing new borders in blood, conflicts and sufferings, to defeat the crime and the corruption in the state. It is our duty to build a happier country that will have families with at least one regularly employed member and with citizens that would not fear for their child's future schooling or wonder how to pay for their child's medical treatment; the country that will know the difference between the criminals and the honest working people and we will give our best to achieve this," SDSM leader Branko Crvenkovski said.
"The Christians and the Muslims, Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Serbs, Bosnians and other nationalities have always lived together in tolerance and "there are no good or bad nations and religions, but only good and bad people," Crvenkovski underlined.
"Macedonia is our country, Macedonia has a right to its future. We are committed to secure this very future and we are not running away from our obligations. We will prove this on September 15," Branko Crvenkovski stated.
The coalition caravan "Together for Macedonia", continues Tuesday its preelection activities in the city of Resen, while on Wednesday it will hold a rally in the city of Radovis.
LIBYA-BULGARIAN MEDICS-TRIAL.
BTA
Libyan Arraignment Chamber to Hand Down August 26 Decision on Infection of Libyan Children with AIDS Case Involving Also Bulgarian Medics.
Sofia, August 19 (BTA) - On August 26 the Arraignment Chamber in Benghazi will hand down its decision on the case of infecting 393 Libyan children with the AIDS virus in which six Bulgarian medical workers are also charged, the Information and Public Relations Department of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said.
At the latest sitting, the Arraignment Chamber heard the prosecutor in the case and the defendants' lawyers.
The defence of the Bulgarian medical workers - Libyan lawyer Osman Bizanti and his Bulgarian counterpart Plamen Yalnuzov, pleaded to declare the Bulgarians not guilty. The two of them had submitted a written statement comprising 16 pages and made brief verbal statements.
Bizanti emphasized that nurses Kristiana Vulcheva and Nassya Nenova confessions had been extorted by torture, documentary evidence of which had been tendered to the court.
In his five-minute verbal statement Bizanti pointed to the discrepancies in the documents presented by the prosecution.
Yalnuzov, who fully supported the written statement of his Libyan counterpart, drew attention to the assessment of the medical aspects of the case attached to it. He called for the immediate release of his clients, pointing out that in the light of the new evidence the arrest warrant had been legally ungrounded - the new documents presented to the court proved that it had been issued on the basis of extorted confessions.
The Bulgarian lawyer called upon the members of the court to acquaint themselves in detail with the counter-arguments of the defence concerning the medical aspect of the charges against the medical workers, saying the approach to the arguments should be very serious.
Yalnuzov pointed out that initially the investigation had been conducted in the wrong direction that did not lead to detecting the true causes of the tragedy.
"Only the objective consideration of all circumstances involved in the case will lead to the truth," he said, emphasizing that one of the causes of the tragedy was the shortage of equipment and consumables in the Libyan health care sector resulting from the embargo against that country.
Coming up with a brief emotional speech, Tahumi Tahumi, the defence lawyer of Palestinian Dr Ashraf al-Hadjudj, emphasized that the new investigation that included interrogation of the persons who tortured the Bulgarians and his client, and the forensic expert examination made in June proved the confessions had been extorted by torture. He also discussed the medical aspects of the case.
Taking the floor at the hearing in the Arraignment Chamber, the lawyer of the Libyan doctors charged in the case asked for a new adjournment. Bizanti raised objection, insisting that should the adjournment request be granted, the Bulgarians must be immediately released since there was no legal ground for their further detainment. The Libyan defendants' pointed out that his clients had acted in compliance with the instructions of the Secretariat of the People's General Committee on Health Care. The hospital in which they worked did not have the necessary equipment and potential for preventive measures and it had submitted documents proving it to the Committee, he said.
The six Bulgarian medical workers - nurses Kristiana Vulcheva, Nassya Nenova, Valentina Siropoulo, Valya Chervenyashka and Snezhana Dimitrova, and Dr Zdravko Georgiev, were in the room where the hearing was held.
Palestinian Dr Ashraf al-Hadjudj was also there.
The hearing was attended by representatives of the Bulgarian Embassy in Tripoli.
Exclusive security measures were applied in the area surrounding the building where the Arraignment Chamber was sitting.
Bizanti told BTA that the prosecutor of the Arraignment Chamber in Benghazi had brought against the Bulgarian medical workers all previous charges except the one of a conspiracy against the Libyan State.
The Bulgarians are charged with deliberately infecting 393 Libyan children with HIV and violating the norms and traditions of Libya.
Bizanti observed that the hearing had passed in compliance with the law and in a very good atmosphere. Both parties to the case were heard out after which the judge announced that the decision would be handed down in a week's time - on August 26.
Asked for his opinion regarding the decision of the Arraignment Chamber, Bizanti said: "One should expect everything."
"The six Bulgarian medics are going back to Tripoli today," Bizanti said.
However, he did not know for sure whether they would attend the sitting on August 26 when the judge is expected to say if the defendants will be sued by a criminal court.
Bizanti also said that there had been several parents of children who died from AIDS in the court room and in front of the building of the Arraignment Chamber but they were calm and did not stage protests. On July 15, when the Arraignment Chamber had its second sitting, relatives of the children staged protests in front of its building and the police had to intervene.
There is no ground for new concern after the Monday hearing of the case of the Bulgarian medical workers which was the 21st in a row, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy said in a National Radio interview.
According to him, the Libyan side is giving all possible assurances and signals that the case develops in a transparent way and in compliance with the rules of Libyan justice.
Over the past three years and a half, the panels of the respective instances of Libya's justice have had 21 sittings, Passy said, adding that the adjournment of August 19 was the shortest one - the next sitting is scheduled in only a week's time.
Passy said he had not talked to Yalnuzov or Bulgarian Justice Minister Anton Stankov who chairs the mixed commission on the Libyan case set up with the Government and that no change in the strategy for defending the six Bulgarian medics had been discussed so far.
According to Passy, the strategy chosen a year ago yields the desired results and he does not see any reason for changing it.
"Among other things, our goal was to restore our relations with the Libyan Jamahiriya and I believe that to a great extent we have succeeded in achieving it in the past year with a series of two-way visits, the latest of which was that of Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Vassilev," Passy said.
Passy said he had not yet talked to the Bulgarian medics since they were still in Benghazi but intends to do it when they arrive in Tripoli.
CRIME-OPPOSITION-DECLARATION.
BTA
Opposition Union of Democratic Forces Asks President to Summon National Security Consultative Council Over Crime.
Sofia, August 19 (BTA) - The leader of the opposition Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) Nadezhda Mihailova called upon the President to summon the National Security Consultative Council where the political forces can be informed of the measures the competent institutions are taking to ensure stability and security in the country. Mihailova made a statement to that effect Monday following a three-hour meeting of the UDF leadership.
The UDF leader announced last weekend her decision to cut short her vacation and call a meeting of the UDF leadership over the recent shootouts in Sofia and what she described as "the escalation of tension country-wide".
In only two days last week, Sofia saw three shootings targeting three people whom police said were connected with the illegal drugs business. Two innocent passersby were injured.
The ruling Simeon II National Movement (SNM) said Monday that Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Boiko Borissov is meeting August 20 SNM floor leader Plamen Panayotov to brief him on the measures that the Interior Ministry is taking against crime.
Borissov is also meeting Tuesday with the leaders of the socialist party. At the meeting will be Deputy Justice Minister Sevdalin Bozhikov.
In her statement after the Monday meeting, Nadezhda Mihailova called on the Bulgarian public not to allow strong-arm groupings to take positions in power. "In its desire to stop the dangerous process of destabilization of the country, UDF calls on the Government to stand up against crime syndicates and say who is who and who wants what," Mihailova said.
According to UDF, Bulgarians have seen "escalation of political and social tension in the recent weeks" and "central Sofia has turned into shooting ground". "48 hours after Gangster Friday, only police speak and politicians say nothing," said the UDF leader adding that the "Government's silence is about to become a national security issue".
The privatization deal for tobacco holding Bulgartabac provided a background for "a large-scale and well-organized campaign seeking to rehabilitate key international crime figures", Mihailova went on to say. "We also saw attempts at drawing political dividends from people's fears over the destruction of SS-23 missiles."
It emerges in the UDF statement that they blame what they call "a growing instability" to a lack of clear political will and ability in the Government to stand by the national interests. Further on, they reconfirm their assessment of the Government's performance as poor and say that UDF will remain in opposition throughout the life of this Parliament and with its political behaviour will continue to act as guarantor against any attempts at changing the strategic priorities of the country. "There is something more dangerous that a poor government, and it is a government of a criminal majority," Mihailova said.
In UDF's words, if the situation is not put under control, Bulgaria risks a relapse into "the cycle of controlled instability" as under Berov, the prime minister in 1992-94, and Videnov, prime minister in 1995-96. "Bulgaria also risks not to get an invitation for membership in NATO," Mihailova said.
The BTA correspondents across the country report of continuing Interior Ministry operations against criminals. 165 people with crime records are in police custody for 24 hours (58 in Sofia and 107 elsewhere) as a result of the large-scale police operation that started Saturday, said the Interior Ministry.
Police Hits Drugs' Market.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Vladimir Dontchev
Pavlina Zhivkova
Criminal groups settle accounts with guns, say MP Vladimir Dontchev.
Vladimir Dontchev is a NMS deputy in the 39th National Assembly. He is chairman of the parliamentary committee on national security and public order.
- Mr. Dontchev, to your mind what has provoked the fire exchange in the streets of Sofia these days?
- We presume that the resolute and effective police actions in the recent days resulted in serious disclosures that are a blow to the drug dealers. These actions were coordinated with our future partners from NATO. International operations with the participation of BG forces drug trafficking, mainly from Afghanistan, has been seriously reduced. In this situation it is only natural that conflicting interests of all kinds of criminal formations would lead to fire exchange between them.
- How does the NMS assess the incidents from a political angle of vision?
- We have made public our stand and took the decision already months ago, when we started reform of the legal system. We are unanimous in our opinion that the legal power in its present form is not efficient enough to curb criminality. The recent events in Sofia showed that we have chosen the right way and we'll pursue our policy. N. Vassilev Forms New Friendly Circle.
INTERVIEW Standartnews: Ventseslav Dimitrov
Milena Nikolova
Instead of attracting investors to Bulgaria we drive them out, says ex-MP Ventseslav Dimitrov.
- Mr. Dimitrov, do you thing that the present attitude to foreign capital is acceptable?
- I think that instead of attracting investors and stimulate them we drive the out.
- Do you mean to say that again time has come for "friendly circles"?
- Well, just look who surrounds Nikolay Vassilev. This is his friendly circle indeed. A man whom he once met in Budapest during his university years has become a chief of Bulgartabak.
- Who are the people that belong into this circle?
- The public sees the "friendly circle", particularly around the King, in the face of his sons and other relatives.
- Has the chief of the NMS parliamentary group, Plamen Panayotov, the right to comment on the case of Mikhail Chernoy and Denis Ershov and their return to Bulgaria?
- Plamen Panayotov has no political experience. He made a blander saying that he has no intention to override the notorious order for extradition of Ershov and Chernoy. First of all this order was not issued by the National Assembly and it doesn't have a status of law. It was an act of the executive power, which has to estimate whether such decision will be taken or not.
- How would you comment on the scandal with Bulgartabak and corruption of its privatization deal?
- The Russians are a powerful force and we must consider their interests. We want to market the lions share of our cigarettes on Russian markets. So a compromise is unavoidable.
- Do we have to raise the price for Bulgartabak?
- I would very much like to look at the results of audit made by such a respectable firm as "Earnest and Young". No one questions them, of course, but still I'm curious. It should be made public. If the holding is not heavily indebted we've got to see who and why sells it at this low price. Kosovo's government calls upon the United Nations to end its "arrest campaign"
By GARENTINA KRAJA, Associated Press Writer
PRISTINA, Yugoslavia - Kosovo's new government demanded Monday that the United Nations stop arresting former rebels that fought for Kosovo's independence.
In a harshly worded statement, the government attacked the U.N. efforts to arrest six former rebels for crimes committed during Kosovo's 1998-1999 war and its aftermath.
Led by ethnic Albanian Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, the leaders alleged the recent arrests were damaging to the political process and were "aimed at criminalizing Kosovo's liberation war."
"The charges against senior former fighters... are unacceptable for Kosovo's government," Rexhepi told reporters.
He did not say what the government would do if the arrests continue.
The United Nations and NATO have run Kosovo since 1999, after the alliance launched a 78-day air war that led to the ouster of forces loyal to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. The alliance fought the war to end Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanians.
Kosovo has a president and legislature that governs alongside the United Nations and NATO. However, the local authorities have limited powers, with U.N. administration in charge of police and judiciary.
The latest arrests suggested a new U.N. resolve to act against leaders of the now-disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army despite the support they enjoy among ethnic Albanians in Kosovo for having fought Serb rule in the province.
The moves have added tension, however, to an already unsettled region and sparked protests across the province demanding the release of the former fighters.
Rexhepi also said the U.N. authorities have exceeded their authority under agreements that ended the war and called upon them to investigate the crimes committed since June 1999, when Kosovo was brought under international rule.
However, U.N. officials said they have mandate to investigate all the crimes before and after the conflict.
"We are the judicial authority here," said Susan Manuel, a spokeswoman for the U.N. mission in Kosovo. "And we are mandated with prosecuting any crimes of past or present of which we have evidence, as we have done with Serbs accused of crimes committed during the war."
Afghan opium crop back to record levels.
The Scotsman
CHARLES HANLEY in KABUL
THE new Afghan government has "largely failed" in its effort to eradicate the opium poppy crop in Afghanistan, which in recent years became the worlds biggest producer of the raw material for heroin, United Nations crop experts reported yesterday.
The 2002 crop was close to the record levels of the late 1990s and could be worth more than $1 billion (650 million) at the farm level in Afghanistan. The nations GDP for 1999 was put at $21 billion
By the late 1990s, Afghanistan was supplying 70 per cent of the worlds opium. Then, in 2000, the Taleban government banned poppy cultivation and UN and US drug agencies determined that this led to an almost total - 96 per cent - reduction in acreage devoted to the crop in the 2001 growing season.
However, the US-led war that ousted the Taleban late last year prompted Afghan farmers to plant poppies again over tens of thousands of acres. In April, the interim government of President Hamid Karzai announced an eradication programme.
Under its terms, farmers would be compensated with $500 (325) per acre for destroyed poppy, the government said. That is only a fraction of the estimated $6,400 per acre a farmer can earn on poppy, according to the FAO report.
The government effort, however, never reached the level of required to tear up or burn the crop, which is cultivated so extensively, in relatively small patches, in several regions of Afghanistan.
The poppy forecast came in a joint report by the FAO and the World Food Programme assessing all Afghan crops and food supplies. "The Afghan Interim Administration banned opium production in January 2002, but by then most opium fields were already sown," the report said. "The subsequent eradication programme largely failed."
It estimated that 225,000 acres of poppy had been planted, and 150,000 to 175,000 acres have been or will be harvested. "The programme had a very limited impact," Hector Maletta, a spokesman for the FAO, said. He added that eradication was "a transient thing. It can be replanted".
The Taleban prohibition had driven prices for Afghan opium up astronomically, approaching $1,000 a kilogram, and the "farm gate" price remained relatively high, Mr Maletta said, at $350 to $400 a kilogram. Farmers can produce 16 kilograms per acre of opium.
The great bulk of the heroin produced from Afghan opium - with some of the drug made in Afghanistan, but most in Turkey and other countries - is used by addicts in Europe.
The move back into poppy cultivation, which has supported tens of thousands of Afghan farmers and farm labourers, has hurt the domestic food supply, the UN report said. It said that poppy production was estimated to have reduced the area of irrigated wheat by some 10 per cent.
President Karzai, at an anti-drug conference in Kabul, repeated his governments commitment. "We are determined, like hell, to fight the cultivation of poppy ... and to destroy all forms of this menaces cultivation and use and trafficking," he said.
The UN specialists predicted an even larger crop next year, however. "The returns are high and the risks are seen to be low," they wrote.
|
