Beta News Agency, Belgrade
April 21, 2004

MacShane: All criminals must be punished

PRISTINA - Britain's minister for Europe Denis MacShane stated today in Pristina that all those who participated in attacks on Serbs, UNMIK and KFOR during what he called the horrible events of March must be punished.

"Not everyone in Europe loves each other, either, but that does not mean they hate each other because of their differences," said MacShane at a press conference. He said that Kosovo in the future needs "less UNMIK and KFOR but more strong Kosovo institutions that will respect the different community, standards and European norms".

McShane said that he hoped that Kosovo within the next five years would achieve economic progress and that the two communities (sic) would grow closer together.

Kosovo has a future in the 21st century but it cannot be built on conflicts and barbarism, he said.

Answering a question regarding the final status of Kosovo, McShane said that he does not use words such as "final status" or independence bacause within Europe there is only internal independence and final status can be discussed only when someone has died.

In response to the question whether Kosovo and Serbia will join Europe together, McShane answered that within Europe, as well as within his own country, there are many regions but everyone lives in one country.

"Here we cannot share a common history. You need to find the the way to the EU and it depends on you. We are not asking you to love each other but to accept a common goal," he said.

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British minister says Kosovo president should apologise

B92, Belgrade


PRISTINA -- Wednesday - Britain's Minister for Europe has called on Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova to "kneel down" and apologise for last month's wave of attacks against the province's Serb minority and Orthodox churches, media in Pristina reported today.

"I hope I will soon see Rugova kneeling down and apologizing to Europe for the crimes committed against European culture," Denis MacShane was quoted saying in comments translated into Albanian.

Rugova has yet to publicly condemn the violence, in which more than 600 Serb homes were razed and 29 Orthodox churches and monasteries destroyed.

"What happened in 1999 is shameful, but you cannot take vengeance on churches," MacShane said, referring to attacks five years ago on ethnic Albanians by Serb security forces of the Milosevic regime.

He urged Serb and Albanian leaders to condemn such violence.

The British MP is due in Belgrade today, where he is expected to urge the new Serbian government to implement the reforms launched after the fall of the Milosevic regime in October 2000.