Demaçi: "Negotiations should be held on federal level"

ARTA, 24 November

KLA political leader, Adem Demaçi, refuses to meet the Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, because he was invited as a "private person", not as a KLA leader. The Serbian President, Milan Milutinovic, invited Demaçi to negotiations in Belgrade, several days ago.

"I will not go to Belgrade, because I was called as a private person", Adem Demaçi, the KLA general political representative, said in a press conference held on Tuesday. He added that none of the Albanian political representatives will go to meet Milutinovic, because "negotiations should be held on federal level, and not in a republican one". Milutinovic had prepared a draft for Kosova, which is "unacceptable" for Albanians. "Milutinovic's plan is unacceptable...and we even have objections to Hill's draft, which is now being negotiated. This does not mean that Serbs do not have the right to propose", he said. Hill's plan "is far from our goal, but we are not refusing it", Demaçi said. He also spoke about release of the Serb police inspector, Goran Zbilic, who was detained by the KLA earlier. He said that this was a "gesture of a good will" adding that it is now the Serbs turn to release Albanian detainees. As for the future, Demaçi said that he was not optimistic. "I am afraid that the Serb regime will provo

ke bloodshed, because they are not showing any sign of good will for changes in Kosova", he said adding that "the Milosevic-Sesel coalition understands the language of violence only". "Other than respecting the cease-fire, the KLA is also preparing to defend the Albanian people, if necessary."