The IAC called upon all citizens of Kosovo to refrain from violence and intimidation of fellow residents and demonstrate their determination to this end through their participation in the Day and through a peaceful election campaign period.

"The IAC particularly underlines the responsibility of the media. It deplores press articles, as recently published in Bota Sot and Dita, inciting violence, and calls on the media to refrain from unfounded allegations against political opponents, such as masterminding political violence."

In other business, the IAC Kosovo Albanian members reaffirmed their opposition to the agreement regarding electricity imports concluded between KEK, the Kosovo power company and EPS, its Serbian counterpart. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, said the agreement might be necessary to guarantee sufficient power for the coming winter.

Briefing the IAC, the co-heads of the Department of Education, Michael Daxner and Naim Rrustemaj said that 1.8 million textbooks have been printed and distributed to students of all ethnic communities after being screened for appropriate content. They also told the Council that a school-rehabilitation unit has also been established to oversee rebuilding, and a model technical school has opened in Pec. Pilot centres for vocational training will be opened soon.

In a statement issued in Pristina today, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said the children, suffering from serious cardiac illness, eye diseases, orthopedic or visceral problems, include 24 Albanians and 11 Serbs. The trip is a joint operation by various humanitarian organizations, the French Ministry of Defence and UNMIK.

Dr. Kouchner described the operation as a symbol of what Kosovo will be tomorrow --a peaceful and prosperous land where all Kosovo people of all communities can live together. "These children represent hope of a better Kosovo to which the international community is fully committed, " he said.

The children will be treated in specialized hospitals in France, the United Kingdom and Monaco.

A spokeswoman for the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said this brings the total to seven international judges and three prosecutors in the province.

Last month, UNMIK appointed an additional 139 local judges and prosecutors, bringing the total of local judges and prosecutors in Kosovo to 405.

Dr. Bernard Kouchner said in a statement that the effort to stage the 24 September elections within Kosovo without any formal discussion with UNMIK amounted to nothing more than "a farce" and "a crude attempt" to disrupt the municipal elections organized by UNMIK on 28 October.

He said the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) elections would not meet any reasonable international standards as they disregarded the most elementary democratic rules, including adopted electoral lists or international supervision. In addition, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has indicted a leading candidate in the elections.

Dr. Kouchner said under Security Council resolution 1244 UNMIK bears "the sole responsibility" for interim administration in Kosovo. In order to administer any elections within Kosovo, UNMIK must ensure that fundamental international standards are met, he added.

He said the municipal elections "is the only election which will be properly internationally monitored by international observers, and which meets international democratic standards."

UNMIK and the international peacekeeping force, KFOR, have the responsibility of ensuring a secure environment as well as law and order in Kosovo. "UNMIK and KFOR will consider, on a case by case basis, how to respond to any specific activities associated with the so-called election of 24 September, and a joint coordination committee has already been specially established for this purpose, " Dr Kouchner said. "Our policies will be guided by security criteria alone, since our highest priority must be to ensure safety, a secure environment, and to protect life. "

The Mitrovica Detention Centre will be closed and the remaining prisoners will be relocated to a more secure site. Two of the detainees who escaped were recaptured but 13 are still at large, he said.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, vowed to bring to justice both the fugitives and anyone found to have been involved in their flight. "UNMIK is taking its responsibility very seriously in this incident," he said, promising "a full and vigorous investigation" and an intensive search for the escapees by UNMIK police and KFOR, the international peacekeeping force.

Earlier on Monday, UNMIK attempts to move the remaining prisoners to a more secure location was blocked by 300-500 people who gathered in front of the northern Mitrovica detention facility. KFOR spokesman Major Scott Slaten said families of the detainees were concerned about the transfer and blocked access roads out of the immediate area surrounding the facility.

Legal experts from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have been invited to lead the sessions and impart their knowledge on international humanitarian law, which is also known as the law of war. The participants will focus on the legal concepts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and individual criminal responsibility.

The seminar, organized by the Kosovo Judicial Institute (KJI), is considered important as cases pertaining to humanitarian law are coming before the judiciary, UNMIK said in the statement.

In addition to 44 participants, the meeting is also attended by 5 experts and 20 observers, including local judges, public prosecutors and defence counsel, as well as representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE), which runs the KJL. Representatives of the ICTY and the American Bar Association/Central and Eastern Europe Law Initiative are also attending.

The KJI was set up by the OSCE to provide legal education for judges and prosecutors and plays an important role in strengthening the independence of the judiciary and rule of law in Kosovo.