KOSOVO.

Following a visit to the Balkans, Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported on 21 October that although the situation in Kosovo had greatly improved, much remained to be done to bring democracy and reconciliation to the territory. The level of violence in Kosovo continued to be unacceptable, he said. While the Security Council had mandated the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, UNMIK was faced with a large portion of the population clamouring for independence. The goal of a multi-ethnic and peaceful Kosovo, with substantial autonomy and meaningful self administration, could only be reached if all parties worked together and put the past behind them, he said.

The situation of ethnic minorities in Kosovo remained extremely precarious, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In a joint report of 3 November, they noted that despite the declining number of violent incidents, a volatile climate of impunity remained. They identified a pattern of "reverse ethnic cleansing"-increased attacks and widespread intimidation-directed against non-Albanians, in particular elderly Serbs. The report stressed the preventive role of KFOR- the international peacekeeping force in Kosovo-in improving security, particularly in rural communities. However, the "spirit of revenge" was still very high, according to UNMIK head Bernard Kouchner, who said that security could not be achieved without resolving the issue of missing persons, estimated at 6,000.

On 28 October, the Secretary-General recommended to the Security Council that the international civilian police force be increased to over 4,700 to strengthen law and order throughout the territory. So far, some 1,700 UNMIK police officers have been deployed, with UN police units already assuming full policing functions in the Pristina and Prizren regions.

On 18 October, the first class of Kosovo cadets graduated from the UN-sponsored police academy to become the first 173 officers of a projected indigenous police force of 3,500.

UNMIK's humanitarian pillar has succeeded in ensuring adequate housing for some 800,000 people before the onset of the cold weather. Many had to be accommodated in shelters and others' homes until more complete reconstruction efforts could resume in spring.

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