> www.beta.co.yu > > Beta News Agency, Belgrade > April 9, 2004 > > Ivanovic: Holkeri advocating a situation in Kosovo in accordance with > Albanian wishes > > PRISTINA - Kosovo parliament deputy speaker Oliver Ivanovic assessed > that UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri in his address today to Kosovo MPs > advocated the development of the situation in the province "in > accordance with Albanian wishes". > > "At a session of the Kosovo parliament, in the absence of any Serb > deputies, Holkeri encouraged the development of the situation in the > province in accordance with Albanian wishes," said Ivanovic. > > He told Kosovo MPs, in the absence of the Serb Return Coalition > (Povratak), that he wants them to create "the kind of Kosovo you want > and need" together. > > "My message to you, my message to all of Kosovo is to continue to work > toward the realization of that goal. I am your partner. With the > international community which is with me, I offer you my hand so > together we can build the kind of Kosovo you want and need," said the > UNMIK chief. > > At the beginning of his speech Holkeri said he "regretted" that "because > of the violence" which occurred in March, the session was not attended > by representatives of the Serb community "even though this is a place > where they are should be, together with us, to talk about our common > future". > > Ivanovic, however, expressed dissatisfaction with Holkeri's positive > assessments made during the course of his speech. > > The UNMIK chief said that the March violence was committed by "a small > group of people who have their own plan for Kosovo" - to "rule by > violence and intimidation". > > Holkeri also added that "the true leaders of Kosovo... are already > acting to show the victims of the violence that the decent and > responsible people in Kosovo will repari the physical damage done to > houses and religious buildings" and "are already offering their hand > with a message of reconciliation". > > "The very fact that we are justifiably not in the auditorium of the > parliament and that we have suffered losses in mid-March, even though > assessment regarding the situation then were very idyllic, should remind > Holkeri to change his rhetoric," said Oliver Ivanovic. > > He believes that without "a realistic assessment of the situation" and a > determined battle against extremism, terrorism and extremist > nationalism, Kosovo will not be a better place for either Serbs or > Albanians for a long time to come.