> http://www.blic.co.yu/
>
> Blic/ March 24, 2004
>
>
> Secret dinner in Washington
> Holbrooke and Thaqui planned terror
>
>
> Less than a week before the clashes in Kosovo and
> Metohija occurred, a group of Albanian lobbyists from
> USA held a meeting at which they decided to help
> Kosovo Albanians to force international community to
> give independence to Kosovo. 'Blic' got this
> information from well-informed sources in the US.
>
> As 'Blic' further finds out this informal meeting was
> held at the initiative of David Philips, deputy
> director of the Center for preventive action within
> Council for international relations in New York. The
> meeting was held at his home with light diner.
>
> Apart from Philips, known to our public opinion for
> his offer to Serbian authorities to sell Kosovo for
> three billion Euros, Richard Holbrooke, former USA
> envoy to the Balkans was also present. Then there were
> Randy Bears, senior political advisor to Senator John
> Kerry, actual candidate for the President of USA and
> several people from former Clinton's administration
> close to Albanian lobby. The guest of honor at the
> diner was Hashim Thaqui, former leader of Kosovo
> Liberation Army, visiting USA at that time.
>
> According to our unofficial information. Richard
> Holbrooke pointed out at that meeting that
> independence of Kosovo and its membership in European
> Union was the best way for establishment of peace in
> the Balkan region. The guests discussed possibilities
> for media campaign and accepted certain guidelines for
> the future actions.
>
> 'Blic' source says that the guests agreed that the
> first good opportunity should be waited for beginning
> of attack.
>
> Such opportunity occurred several days later when
> Albanians used the tragic drowning of their three
> children as an excuse to begin the campaign of terror
> against Serbs. Thaqui then informs the public opinion
> that he 'interrupts his visit to USA to return and
> calm down the situation'.
>
> While Holbrooke and Thaqui are well-known to our
> public opinion, Philips and Bears can be treated as
> people from shadow. One fact about Bears is that he is
> of Albanian origin. It is believed that in case that
> John Kerry wins presidential election, Bear might take
> the position of the US Secretary of State.
>
> As regards Philips, the official Internet site of
> influential American non-government organization
> Council for international relations he is described as
> director of Center for preventive action within the
> Council. The center is studying conflicts and ways for
> their prevention. His articles on the Balkans in which
> he mainly presented anti-Serbian stances were
> published in the leading newspapers including 'New
> York Times', 'Christian Science Monitor' and
> 'International Herald Tribune'.
>
> 'Blic' sources, close to American administration, said
> on condition of anonymity that Philips had been
> dealing with the Balkans for a longer period of time
> and that he was regularly present at all meetings
> dealing with this topic.
>
> Over the years of crisis, Philips had very close
> relations with the regime of former president Slobodan
> Milosevic as well with the leaders of then opposition.
> He chaired the team of experts and American officials
> who in the middle of the 90s worked on so-called
> Albanian issue.
>
> In December 1995, David Philips and another six
> Americans arrived in Belgrade and met with then
> Serbian president Milosevic. He managed on that
> occasion to get from Milosevic permission for opening
> American information office in Pristina. From Belgrade
> Philips went to Pristina and met there with Albanian
> politicians. He then went to Skopje and finally to
> Washington where he met with Richard Holbrooke and
> informed him about impressions from journey to Serbia.
> Somewhat later those impressions were published in a
> report called 'Towards permanent peace in Southeast
> Europe'. In that report there was requested for
> sanctions against Belgrade should remain in force and
> that work on strengthening of American office in
> Pristina should continue.
>
> Only eight months later, in August 1996, Philips came
> to Belgrade again together with his associate and met
> with Milosevic. This time he managed to get approval
> for opening of schools in Kosovo and began
> negotiations about Milosevic-Ibrahim Rugova meeting.
>
> After that Philips was more focused on Serbian
> opposition actively participating in meetings in which
> leading Serbian politicians participated.
>
> One of the most important meetings, no doubt, happened
> in April 1997 in New York when a round table on
> Serbian-Albanian relations was held at the
> organization on ethnic relations, PER. Albanians were
> led by Fehmi Agani, Mahmut Bakali, Adem Demaci,
> Hidajet Hiseni and Veton Suroi. Americans were led by
> David Philips. Cyrus Vance, Rudolph Perina and some
> other experts for the Balkans were also present. Serbs
> were represented by Vuk Draskovic, Miroljub Labus,
> Dragoljub Micunovic, Vesna Pesic and Dusan Janjic.
>
> Then it was agreed that agreement on Kosovo between
> Albanians and Serbs was to be reached in negotiations.
> It was also agreed that Helsinki principles about
> unchangeable borders were to be respected. The sale of
> Kosovo, as far as known, was not discussed then.