President Rugova Accorded the "Prize of the Defendants of

the Human Rights"

PRISHTINA, Nov 17 (KIC) - On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights, the Jury of the French National Consultative Commission of the human rights

accorded President Ibrahim Rugova of Kosova the ""Prize of the Defendants of the Human

Rights".

The office of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said the ceremony of the a delivery of the Prize

will be held in Paris on 10 October.

The President of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, has awarded this year's Sakharov

Prize by the European Parliament.

Ambassador Hill Meets with UÇK Political Representatives

PRISHTINA, Nov 17 (KIC) - U.S. envoy for Kosova, Ambassador Chris Hill, met today (Tuesday)

in the KDOM office in Dragobil village of Malisheva, central Kosova, with political representatives

of the (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, UÇK - Kosova Liberation Army), LDK sources said.

The prospects for a political resolution to the Kosova issue were discussed in the meeting, the

LDK chapter in Malisheva said, failing to offer other details.

LDK Dismisses Serb President's Invitation for Dialogue as

'Unserious'

PRISHTINA, Nov (KIC) - The presidency of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK), the

strongest political party in Kosova, reaffirmed today its commitment to the start of a meaningful

negotiating process, well-prepared and effectively mediated by the international community so

that it yield results, an LDK statement said today.

Being addressed by an incompetent body, Serb President Milutinovic's invitation fails to meet

any criteria to be a serious offer, the LDK said. "Such initiations to not serve the goal of creating

the appropriate environment for the opening of a meaningful process of negotiations", the party

added.

The LDK leadership said Serbian forces have been beefing up their presence in Kosovar areas

affected by Serbian offensives this year.

"The demonstration of [Serbian] force, the shelling of settlements, the persecution of young

Albanians, as well as the obstruction of the process of the return of Albanians to their homes are

forms of violence and pressure being instituted against the Albanians", the LDK said.

The incident on Monday in Podujeva which saw an Albanian woman, mother of five, being

wounded in her family courtyard, is an example of the Serb police brutality, the party stressed,

referring to the wounding of Shukrie Gashi (38) in Llapashticë village.

The LDK called on international mechanisms to prevent further Serbian aggression and violence

in what "is already a tragic situation in Kosova".

Demaçi Says Kosova Has Now All Elements to Be a State

PRISHTINA, Nov 17 (KIC) - "Now we have all the elements to create the state [of Kosova]",

Adem Demaçi, the general political representative of the UÇK (Kosova Liberation Army) said in a

press conference Tuesday in Prishtina, referring to the existence of the UÇK, the military factor

in Kosova.

The UÇK and "its police organs" are necessary for any [Kosova] government to be functional,

Demaçi said, complaining that the mainstream Kosova institutions, the Parliament and the

President, are not duly understanding this.

"It is true that a large portion of the people has voted this Parliament and this President", the

UÇK representative said, adding that he stood for compromise, although "as you know, I have

been given powers by the UÇK to form the Assembly and the Government".

Demaçi dismissed remarks by Edita Tahiri, a member of the Kosova negotiating team, on the

need to 'depoliticize the UÇK'.

The UÇK representative said Serb President Milutinovic's offer of dialogue with the Albanian side

"is propaganda, not a serious initiation".

The Americans and Ambassador Petritsch should take part in the negotiations, as a party

directly involved in the talks, and not as guests, Adem Demaçi said. "Efforts to sideline UÇK

from the negotiating process are pointless", he said, adding that "without UÇK's participation, let

whoever wants to talk and sign whatever they choose, but they will not be valid."

In two days' time, on 19 November, will be the 40 anniversary of "my active political work", Adem

Demaçi said, referring to 19 November 1958, when he was first arrested by the former Yugoslav

regime for his political activities. "I will not retire before winning freedom and creating our state".

At Least 1795 Albanians Killed in Kosova since Mid-January,

Human Rights Group Says

PRISHTINA, Nov 17 (KIC) - Since 14 January 1998, Serbian forces have killed 1795 Albanians,

the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said

today.

The major Kosovar human rights group said that over 900 Albanians have gone missing and at

least 1,200 have been arrested by Serb regime forces during the past ten months.

17 nov 98 17h00 CET