HUNDREDS OF KURDS PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE FOR THEIR LEADER, WHILE ALBANIANS AND SERBS ARE DECIDING KOSOVO’S FUTURE p. 12

The Rambouillet Conference is proceeding normally. This is the standard phrase repeated every day at 12:00 by the spokespeople of the foreign ministries in the world’s most important capitals. And it represents the greatest commitment of their foreign ministries. This fact, made public by the press for the past 12 days, does not seem to have resonated much in Albanian politics. Nor has the fact resonated that the most important part of world politics has now turned towards Rambouillet and that the medieval French castle has become the arena of high politics. The presence of Chirac, the comings and goings of Albright, Cook, Vedrine and Dini seem to be followed in Albanian circles with the same degree of emotion as might accompany an important peace conference in the Middle East or Angola. News broadcasts that borrow footage from Euronews or RAI, the lack of political support demonstrations and, above all, the lack of real political engagement, give rise to a troubling feeling. It is almost as if France were not discussing Albania’s future as well, but something that has no connection with it. Meidani has not been seen on television for a single day, has not delivered any message of solidarity and, above all, has made no appeal to the political forces to pay closer attention to developments there. For more than a week, Yugoslav President Milutinoviç has been in Paris; Prime Minister Drashkoviç was there on a visit and then travelled from there to Rome. Belgrade is making use of all its diplomatic channels, while the Albanian executive looks like a shambles. Recalling a situation identical to that of the 1919 Versailles Conference, two or three delegations representing the Albanian government have arrived in Paris, as they did then, and none of them has any connection with the others. The Foreign Minister has sent another one. The Foreign Minister has sent Deputy Minister Xhufi. The Prime Minister has sent the Deputy Head of SHIK, Kadë-[?]na, and Legal Adviser Isaraj, while the Ministry of the Interior has sent Adviser Bare. This strange representation of Albania around the Castle where war or peace in the Balkans is being decided has provoked considerable reaction and resentment among the Kosovar delegation. This time they feel unsupported, and the support they are expecting is something more than reports from the few journalists who have gone there at their own expense, a few programmes on Albanian TV, and the Prime Minister’s message at Saturday’s demonstration. Albania is not a participant in the Rambouillet Conference, but the meeting there will decide Kosovo’s fate—and Albania’s.