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Arben ILIAZI Although the Albanians said “yes” to the Rambouillet Agreement, the international mediators do not wish to set a deadline for the second round of talks taking place in Paris. Why all this solicitude toward the Serbian side, when attacks on Kosovo have increased and the Serbs have given no sign of accepting the peace plan? It seems as though the international representatives, through this Agreement, wish to reward the Serbs at any cost. Indeed, the Albanians’ diplomatic move at the last moment has once again left the negotiators completely bewildered, foreshadowing an indefinite postponement of the talks. The Serbs are well informed about the pro-Serbian sentiment held by a considerable part of the international leadership, so they remain unperturbed. Ironically, in response to the Albanians’ “yes,” yesterday they presented a long list of objections and proposed that the sessions overturn the political and military essence of the Agreement. Kiku’s latest statement that “the Agreement is Belgrade’s best chance to keep Kosovo within Yugoslavia” has been interpreted by the Serbs as a clear signal to resist the growing pressure from NATO and the US. But, unexpectedly, in the game played by Europe’s pro-Serbian circles there has fallen

Serbs take the men of a village hostage. Fear of a massacre like the one in Reçak Page 5

Mediu comments on the roundtable The main obstacle to implementing the death penalty is the lack of political will and a failure to understand the reality of the crime situation in Albania How do you view the outcome of today’s roundtable? - I think that, as always, Albanian politics is afraid when faced with international institutions, especially when they bare their teeth. But I think it does not show the proper sense of responsibility toward the citizens who have clenched their teeth and given them their votes, whether to govern or to take part in parliamentary or public life. I believe that the Council of Europe cannot give the green light to implementing the death penalty, but neither can it force the opposite, that is, the non-implementation of the death penalty. Nevertheless, I think the roundtable reached a joint discussion. The main parliamentary political forces, with the exception of Page 2

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