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UNITED NATIONS INTERIM ADMINISTRATION MISSION IN KOSOVO

Press Release

21 September 1999 -UNMIK/PR/49

KOUCHNER SIGNS REGULATION ON KOSOVO PROTECTION CORPS

PRISTINA - In a ceremony last night at KFOR headquarters, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner, signed a regulation establishing the Kosovo Protection Corps, as a civilian emergency service agency.

The SRSG appointed General Agim Ceku, former Chief of Staff of the Kosovo Liberation Army, as Commander of the Kosovo Protection Corps, in order to assist the transitional arrangements. A transition period of at least 60 days will be required to establish the Corps.

Taking part in the 9:30 p.m. signing ceremony was NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Wesley Clark, KFOR Commander General Mike Jackson, SRSG Kouchner, UCK Commander-in-Chief Hashim Thaci and Gen. Ceku.

Thaci signed an agreement to transform the UCK according to stipulations of the the UNMIK regulation and the Undertaking for Demilitarization and Transformation, signed on 21 June 1999 between KFOR and the UCK.

In addition, Gen. Jackson signed his approval of the declaration submitted by Gen. Ceku, that the UCK had completed the process of demilitarization and complied with the 21 June "Undertaking."

Key points of the UNMIK regulation establishing the Kosovo Protection Corps include :

• The Kosovo Protection Corps is to be a civilian emergency service agency, the tasks of which shall be to provide disaster response services; perform search and rescue; provide a capacity for humanitarian assistance in isolated areas; assist in demining and contribute to rebuilding infrastructure and communities.

• The Kosovo Protection Corps will have no role in law enforcement or in the maintenance of law and order.

• The KPC shall consist of a maximum of 3,000 active members and 2,000 reserve members.

• Members are to be recruited individually on the basis of professional criteria for the functions to be performed. At least 10 percent of active and reserve members shall come from minority groups.

• The UNMIK SRSG shall have final authority over the selection and appointment of KPC members and shall have authority to dismiss members.

• The KPC shall not take part in any political activity, nor shall its members hold public office or engage actively in political affairs.

• The KPC shall operate under the authority of the SRSG. KFOR provides day-to-day operational direction according to policies of the SRSG.

General Jackson also signed a Statement of Principles on the Kosovo Protection Corps. A summary prepared by KFOR on the Kosovo Protection Corps is attached here.

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