Kosova Daily Report #1459, 98-06-13

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1459
Prishtina, 13 June 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Meets President Chirac in Paris

[02] Nato Resolve on Kosova Raises Hopes for Political Solution

[03] Contact Group Statement on Kosova, London/12 June 1998

[04] Serbian Attack on Llausha Village Resumes

[05] Body of Unidentified Murdered Man Found Today

[06] Two Wounded Albanians under a Watchful Police Eye in the Prishtina Hospital

[07] Serb Attacks Continue in De^an Villages

[08] Armed Serb Civilians and Police Provoke Albanians in Suhareka Village

[09] 'Yugoslav' Soldiers Desert

[10] Serb Court Institutes Charges against Human Rights Activist

[01] President Rugova Meets President Chirac in Paris

For about an hour, the two leaders discussed about the most recent situation in Kosova and the possibilities for political and other action to prevent further escalation of violence in Kosova.

President Rugova said the situation in Kosova has been extremely dangerous amidst an unfolding Serbian military and police offensive against Albanian settlements. This is dangerous for peace and stability in the entire region, he said, adding that Serbian forces have killed and massacred many innocent civilians, shelled towns and villages, and turned scores of thousands of Kosovars into refugees.

"This is ethnic cleansing in action", President Rugova said, urging France and its allies to take urgent action to make Belgrade halt its offensive and bring about an end to its ethnic cleansing campaign.

The negotiating process between Prishtina and Belgrade cannot resume until Serbian brutalities have been terminated and the attacked areas in Kosova unblocked and made accessible to humanitarian and medical workers, as well as the displaced people, Dr. Rugova said.

Kosova as an independent and neutral country is the arrangement that would stabilize the entire southern Europe, the Kosova President said.

Kosova enjoyed the status of one of the eight equitable units in the former Yugoslav federation, Ibrahim Rugova recalled, adding that when Yugoslavia disintegrated the people of Kosova exercised democratically, in a national referendum, their right to self- determination and opted for independence of their country.

President Jacques Chirac of France briefed President Rugova on the Contact Group's decisions as well as the deliberations of the Nato defense ministers on Kosova in the past couple of days.

Western countries will use all means, including military power, to halt violence, conflict and ethnic cleansing in Kosova, President Chirac said.

Rugova thanked Chirac for the reception he accorded him, calling this "a great day for Kosova."

The two presidents spoke to the press after their meeting in the Champs Elysees.

President Chirac is the third leader of a Western power President Rugova conferred with in the past couple of weeks.

President Rugova met President Clinton in Washington and Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, as well as other senior officials in both countries, but also senior UN and German officials.

[02] Nato Resolve on Kosova Raises Hopes for Political Solution

Sealing the Kosova borders off while doing nothing to defend the people of Kosova in the face of Serbian aggression has been seen here as a cynical approach to take.

It looks as if NATO has been itching towards acknowledging that deploying ground troops to Albania and FYROM alone, along the borders with Kosova, would be both costly and not to the point unless intervention in Kosova itself is not on the menu in the event of further escalation of Serbian offensive against Kosova Albanians, which has turned around 100.000 Kosovars into internally-displaced people or refugees into neighboring Albania and Montenegro.

NATO is planning to stage mock air attacks in Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), countries bordering on Kosova, in the coming days to display its ability to project massive force rapidly into the crisis zone.

NATO warplanes are to begin mock air attacks in the skies over Albania and Macedonia on Monday, CNN has learned.

NATO ministers ordered military planners on Thursday to prepare options for intervention in Kosova, including air strikes and the use of ground forces if necessary.

About 30 warplanes from the United States, Britain, Canada, Italy and France will participate in the exercise, the sources told CNN.

There are no plans to drop live bombs, and the demonstration may amount to little more than "flyovers" by the planes, according to observers.

In preparation for the mock air raids, two U.S. Navy ships, the USS Wasp and the USS Portland, were called back one day early from a port call in Antalya, Italy, so they could be available to perform search-and-rescue missions if any NATO aircraft crash, reports said.

Nato ministers indicated that if Milosevic did not comply, they would move to further measures "including those which may require the authorization of a U.N. Security Council resolution.", a statement of the Nato ministers said Thursday.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, sounding skeptical that the Milosevic-Yeltsin talks next week would yield a breakthrough, said during a press conference: "We believe there is existing Security Council authorization and that we have inherent authority to do what needs to be done."

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and his French counterpart Hubert Vedrine told reporters that military action in Kosova would require a specific Security Council mandate.

Hopefully this kind of dissent within the Nato camp will not hamper genuine efforts to see an end to Serbian aggression in Kosova and pave the way for a political and diplomatic resolution for Kosova in internationally- mediated negotiations between Kosova and 'FRY'.

[03] Contact Group Statement on Kosova, London/12 June 1998

2. Ministers repeated that no solution to the problems of Kosovo can be found through violence. The parties must take urgent steps to end the violence and bring about a political solution to the crisis.

3. Security forces have again intervened indiscriminately causing many civilian casualties and forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to flee their homes. Ministers condemned Belgrade's massive and disproportionate use of force which has resulted in widespread destruction and the deliberate displacement of large numbers of people. They also condemned the failure by Belgrade to take concrete steps to reduce tensions.

Ministers therefore decided to put to the authorities in Belgrade a set of essential points on which they require immediate action to prevent any further deterioration in the situation. These cover concrete measures: - to cease all action by the security forces affecting the civilian population and order the withdrawal of security units used for civilian repression; - to enable effective and continuous international monitoring in Kosovo and allow unimpeded access for monitors; - to facilitate, in agreement with UNHCR and ICRC, the full return to their homes of refugees and displaced persons and to allow free and unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations and supplies to Kosovo; - to make rapid progress in the dialogue with the Kosovo Albanian leadership.

4. Ministers expect the Kosovo Albanian leadership to make clear its rejection of violence and acts of terrorism. It is essential that Kosovo Albanian extremists refrain from further violent attacks. A political dialogue is unlikely to take root if violence continues to be espoused by members of the Kosovo Albanian community. Our governments will work with others, including in the region, to ensure that all those seeking to escalate the crisis through violence are denied financial and material support. Ministers also expressed support for those in the Kosovo Albanian leadership who are committed to peaceful dialogue.

5. Ministers insist that the fighting stop and effective dialogue, capable of producing meaningful early results, resume quickly. Belgrade and the Kosovo Albanian leadership must agree to a continuous dialogue to discuss confidence-building measures and to find a political solution to the problems of Kosovo, with international involvement. There must be a clear time-table for rapid progress, and President Milosevic, as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, has a special responsibility to ensure that steps are taken to achieve a political solution.

6. Ministers expect that Belgrade will take the steps in paragraph 3 above immediately. They welcomed the invitation by President Yeltsin to President Milosevic to a meeting on 16 June. They stressed the importance of President Milosevic taking advantage of this meeting to announce progress on the above steps and to commit Belgrade to their implementation in full. If the steps in paragraph 3 are not taken without delay, there will be moves to further measures to halt the violence and protect the civilian population, including those that may require the authorization of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

7. In the meantime, faced with the growing crisis in Kosovo, Ministers also: - urged the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to undertake a rapid and thorough investigation of any possible violations of international humanitarian law in Kosovo; - agreed to give active support to UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations dealing with the humanitarian cost of this crisis in the region; - undertook to accelerate efforts to assist neighboring countries to improve their security and to cope with the humanitarian burden imposed upon them.

8. The Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States confirmed their decision to implement the ban on new investment in Serbia and to freeze funds held abroad by the FRY and Serbian governments, and agreed to take steps to ban flights by Yugoslav carriers between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and their countries. Japan supported this approach and agreed to consider similar action.

The Russian Federation does not associate itself with these measures.

9. Ministers again underlined the importance of the early launching of the mission of the Special Representative of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in order to establish a dialogue across the full range of the FRY's relations with the OSCE, and of the return of the long term OSCE missions.

10. Ministers will review these decisions in the light of developments.

(End text)

[04] Serbian Attack on Llausha Village Resumes

A local LDK activist said the Gecaj and Babaj family compounds have been targeted today.

A number of houses have been reported damaged.

There have been no immediate reports on possible casualties.

[05] Body of Unidentified Murdered Man Found Today

Eye-witnesses said the body was slit, though they failed to say whether that was because of it having been slit with a knife or a a gunfire wound.

A source said the man might have been executed there on the spot.

Just after midnight, fire from automatic rifles was reported heard in the area.

[06] Two Wounded Albanians under a Watchful Police Eye in the Prishtina Hospital

The two Albanians have been under a watchful eye by the Serbian police, Bujku said, not naming the source of information.

Reports spoke yesterday (Friday) of at least one Albanian wounded, and two Serb policemen killed and a third wounded, during an exchange of fire after Serb forces attacked the local population in villages between Obiliq and Vushtrri, a dozen km away from Prishtina, capital of Kosova.

[07] Serb Attacks Continue in De^an Villages

PRISHTINA, June 13 (KIC) - Heavy Serbian forces launched yesterday a fierce attack against the villages of Carrabreg i Ul&t and Prejlep in the municipality of De^an, western Kosova, sources said today.

Albanian defendants put up a strong resistance, they added.

Fighting was reported at the village of Strellc i Ep&rm, too.

At 16:00 hrs today, Serb forces resumed attacking Strellc i Ep&rm, a local source told the KIC. The sound of fire could be heard on the phone.

There have been no confirmed reports on casualties on either side.

Today, Serb sniper fire was reported in the villages of Isniq, Drenoc, Lluk& e Ep&rme, L&bush&, Carrabreg, Prejlep, Rastavic& and Baballo^.

Serbian forces continue looting deserted Albanian houses.

Scores of thousands of Albanians fled their homes in the aftermath of the Serbian military and police offensive against De^an villages since 29 May.

Situation in Shtime Deteriorating Rapidly

PRISHTINA, June 13 (KIC) - The situation in the municipality of Shtime has been deteriorating on a daily basis amidst stepped up Serb forces movements and a propaganda war waged by the Serb regime, the local LDK chapter warned today.

Ali Sadria, chairman of LDK branch in Shtime, told KIC today that there has been a rapid buildup of Serb police and army forces in the town and a couple of surrounding villages.

Shtime is a town 28 km south-east of Prishtina, stretching on both sides of the second most important Kosova axis connecting Prishtina in central and Prizren and Gjakova and Peja on the west of Kosova.

Serb troops have been roaming roads of the town and villages, the LDK activist said. The town has cut off electricity supply on several occasions over the past days and last evening.

Serb police stationed on both ends of the town harass routinely all passers- bye.

Ali Sadria said the panic caused by the stepped up movement of Serb forces has made a lot of local population flee their homes.

Meanwhile, a resident of Davidovc village of Shtime, Mrs Ganimete Zeqiri, has told the LDK Information Commission in the town that most of the children and women in the village have fled their homes since Friday.

The villagers have sought shelter with their relatives in the neighboring town of Ferizaj, she said.

[08] Armed Serb Civilians and Police Provoke Albanians in Suhareka Village

The LDK Information Commission in Suhareka said that while driving the street of the village, the Serbs opened fire in the air.

Meanwhile, gunfire has been heard today morning at the Duhla intersection, the venue of a Serb police checkpoint.

Serb police have been firing in the direction of the surrounding villages since 7 a.m. today, sources said.

[09] 'Yugoslav' Soldiers Desert

Only old soldiers and a number of mobilized reservists remain in Sllatin& and Vrell&, sources said.

There have been increasing reports of Serbian soldiers deserting the army, especially in the wake of the army offensive against Albanian towns and villages in Kosova.

A number of Serb policemen quit their jobs refusing to take part in fighting in Kosova.

Serbian TV Calls Shelter of Bank in Gjakova an Illegal Hospital!

PRISHTINA, June 13 (KIC) - RTS, the Serbian state television, presented last night, in its main news program, pictures of what it called an alleged illegal hospital run by Albanians in downtown Gjakova, a town in south- western Kosova.

Albanian sources from Gjakova said it was not a hospital, but rather the shelter of a bank in the town.

[10] Serb Court Institutes Charges against Human Rights Activist

Zahrie Podrim^aku, an administrative secretary with the chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in Gllogovc is being held in Serb custody since 8 June.

The CDHRF, the major Kosovar human rights group, said Ms Podrim^aku will be facing criminal charges pursuant to articles 125 and 136 of the Serbian Penal Code.

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