Browse through our Interesting Nodes on Greek History & Hellenism Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Friday, 29 March 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Kosova Daily Report #1471, 98-06-25

Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1471
Prishtina, 25 June 1998


CONTENTS

  • [01] President Rugova Discusses Kosova with Kinkel, to Meet German Chancellor Kohl
  • [02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Border Villages in Gjakova District
  • [03] Bodies of Two Killed Albanian Take to the Gjakova Morgue
  • [04] Serbian Forces Shell Bllac& Village of Suhareka
  • [05] Albanians Forced to Leave Homes, Two Wounded, in Vushtrri District
  • [06] Serb Forces Drive Albanians Out of Their Homes in Mitrovica Villages
  • [07] Serb Air Jet Flies over Drenica, Heavy Blast Heard
  • [08] Kosova MP, Ruzhdi Berisha, Reported Missing
  • [09] LDK Activists Arrested at Greme Village of Ferizaj
  • [10] Albanian Houses Shot by Serbs in Gjurakovc and ^est&

  • [01] President Rugova Discusses Kosova with Kinkel, to Meet German Chancellor Kohl

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova met today in Bonn with Dr. Klaus Kinkel, the Foreign Minister of Germany.

    Accompanying Rugova was also Bujar Bukoshi, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova.

    The current developments in Kosova, the modalities for concrete political action to prevent a further escalation of the conflict, as well as modes for a negotiated resolution in Kosova, were discussed in the meeting.

    President Rugova said the situation in Kosova continues to escalate amidst unfolding Serbian military and police brutal attacks against the Albanian population. An urgent intervention by the international community is needed to prevent fresh Serb massacres and an ethnic cleansing in Kosova, he stressed.

    Ibrahim Rugova reconfirmed the Kosova leadership's commitment to negotiations as a means towards resolution in Kosova. The resumption of dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade will be made possible after Belgrade's full compliance with all the Contact Group demands, he added.

    President Ibrahim Rugova emphasized that an independent and neutral Kosova, with all guarantees for the local Serb community, is the solution that would stabilize the entire region. He recalled that the Kosova leadership has pressed for an international protectorate, as an interim stage, which would create the kind of situation and normality conducive to the search of a lasting solution for Kosova.

    The German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel expressed his government's deep concern over the escalating conflict in Kosova.

    Germany stands for a negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue, Mr. Kinkel said, adding that his government is working with the Contact Group and within other international institutions for a resumption of serious talks between Prishtina and Belgrade.

    After the meeting, President Rugova and Foreign Minister Kinkel spoke to the press.

    In the morning today, the Kosova leaders Rugova and Bukoshi had a meeting with members of the Foreign Relations Committee of the German Bundestag.

    Later in the day today, the President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova will meet with the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the first ever meeting of the two leaders.

    [02] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Border Villages in Gjakova District

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - While U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke toured the border village of Junik and the town of Gjakova yesterday (Wednesday), only a few kilometres away, especially in the Reka e Keqe region, heavy fighting between Serbian ('Yugoslav') army and the local Albanian resistance forces, including the U^K, was taking place, local sources from Gjakova said.

    The center stage of this confrontation was the village of Nec.

    Serbs were said to have suffered material damage and casualties.

    Albanian forces were feared to have suffered a number of wounded.

    Meanwhile, reports said Serbian forces resumed today morning pounding the Reka e Keqe villages with heavy artillery.

    Serb military and police forces have been heading today to the Reka e Keqe region and the De^an villages under Serbian attacks for many weeks now.

    In the past three days, the town of Gjakova has been facing new Albanian arrivals, mostly women, children and elderly people displaced from their villages in the region of Has of Gjakova.

    The LDK Information Commission said the citizens of Gjakova have shown a remarkable solidarity with the arrivals.

    [03] Bodies of Two Killed Albanian Take to the Gjakova Morgue

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Local sources said the body of a killed Albanian was taken by the Serb military to the Gjakova town morgue at noon today (Thursday).

    Another killed Albanian was taken to the same morgue early afternoon.

    LDK sources from Gjakova said the two Albanians, one in his mid twenties, the other in his mid-forties, were originating from the Reka e Keqe region, which has been attacked by Serbian forces with heavy weaponry in the past several weeks.

    [04] Serbian Forces Shell Bllac& Village of Suhareka

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Serbian forces started today (Thursday), at 9:30 in the morning, shelling the village of Bllac& in the municipality of Suhareka.

    Serbian police positioned at Duh&l and 'Yugoslav' army position at the Duh&l Gorge (Qaf& e Duhl&s) have been attacking with mortars and heavy artillery, sources said.

    [05] Albanians Forced to Leave Homes, Two Wounded, in Vushtrri District

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Armed Serb civilians wounded last night, around 23:00 hrs on Wednesday, Xhevat Mehmeti (62) and Xhemajl Mehmeti (50), in their native village of Pantin& in the municipality of Vushtrri ('Vucitern'), local LDK sources said.

    The report said a local Serb, Ratko Zivkovic, first set fire on his haystack, then opened fire.

    All residents of the villages of Pantin& and Okrashtic& have abandoned homes, whereas part of the population of the village of Shtitaric& have left, too.

    A local woman of the Okrashtic& told the LDK offices in Vushtrri the Serb police had ordered the Pantin& and Okrashtic&s residents desert their homes.

    Gunfire was reported in the village of Pantin& today (Thursday) at 9:10 in the morning.

    Reports indicate Serb forces have been coming from the village of Frash&r ('Svinjare'), where Albanian houses have been burned in the past three days by local Serbs, and a depot of the Yugoslav army is based.

    The village of Pantin& has some 200 households, 95 of whom are Albanian, and borders on Frash&r. The village of Okrashtic& is adjacent to Pantin&, which is close to the town of Vushtrri.

    Okrashtic& is a 100 percent ethnic Albanian village.

    Meanwhile, reports said in the area near the Serb Church in Vushtrri members of Serb paramilitary bands have been seen milling.

    The Serb inhabitants of the neighborhood have set Friday midday as the deadline for Albanians to leave. If they fail to do so, they will be liquidated, Serbs threatened.

    There was shooting last night from the Serb-inhabited village of Prilluzh& towards the Albanian villages of: Gllavotin, Bivolak, and Strofc, local sources said.

    [06] Serb Forces Drive Albanians Out of Their Homes in Mitrovica Villages

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Mitrovica reported that the burning of Albanian houses in the village of Frash&r i Madh has been the work of local Serbs.

    The Commission named at least 16 family heads whose houses have been burned.

    Other property, haystacks, garners, etc., have been set on fire, whereas 25 houses in the village have been fired upon with automatic arms, LDK sources said.

    The Albanian population has fled the village after threats by Serb paramilitaries, which control it now.

    The LDK said three more abandoned Albanian houses were set ablaze today (Thursday) at Frash&r i Madh.

    Meanwhile, sources said a convoy of Serb army with combat equipment went to the village of Frash&r i Vog&l Wednesday morning.

    A Serb army colonel threatened the 17 Albanian households in the village would be burned, "if only a bullet is shot".

    The village of Frash&r i Vog&l is near the Serbian military barracks in Mitrovica.

    Meanwhile, LDK sources in Mitrovica said three Serb policemen raided the houses of Zenel Peci (60) and Zymer Peci (70) in the village of Boletin on 22 June, allegedly in search of hidden weapons.

    The two denied being in possession of any arms. The police ordered Zenel and his 25-year-old son Bekim to report to the police at Zve^an the following day.

    Fearful of what lay in store for them in Serb police custody, they did not show up.

    On 23 June, the police re-appeared in Boletin and gave the residents of the village an ultimatum to leave their homes.

    All Albanian residents of the village fled, fearing a Serb massacre in case of failure to abide by their ultimatum, LDK sources said.

    'Yugoslav' Army Sets Up Barricades Near Sllatin&

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The Serbian ('Yugoslav') army has set up today barricades on both sides of the village of Bellaqevc i Vog&l and in Pomozetin, near the village of Sllatin&, in the municipality of Fush& Kosov& ('Kosovo Polje'), a dozen km south-west of Prishtina.

    The one-meter high barbed-wire barricades have been placed on the Sllatin& - Bellaqevc roadway.

    Up in the pine woods of the village of Sllatin&, where Serb military barracks is, Serb forces have reinforced, reports said.

    [07] Serb Air Jet Flies over Drenica, Heavy Blast Heard

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - In the early hours of today (Thursday), a Serbian air jet on a reconnaissance mission flew over the Drenica region, local sources said.

    At 10:20 hrs, a heavy blast was heard, they added, without offering details on its nature or precise location.

    Serb snipers opened fire at 9:30 from their position near the post office in the town of Gllogovc.

    Serb security, backed up by two armoured vehicles positioned themselves in the Gllogovc crossroads in the morning today.

    [08] Kosova MP, Ruzhdi Berisha, Reported Missing

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - The member of the Parliament of Kosova from the municipality of Dragash, Ruzhdi Berisha, has been missing since 23 June, members of his family said.

    Mr. Berisha, a high school principal, left his car in Prizren and boarded a bus there to travel to Prishtina.

    His family said they had information that the bus Ruzhdi was travelling with had been stopped by the Serb police in Shtime for half an hour, before being allowed to proceed to Prishtina.

    The Kosova MP actually arrived in the Kosova capital, and telephoned his family from there.

    His fate and whereabouts remain unknown ever since, his family said.

    Police had detained him last week for a short time, and seized the seals of his school.

    [09] LDK Activists Arrested at Greme Village of Ferizaj

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Heavy Serb police forces, backed up by four armoured vehicles, raided the house of Enver Topalli, former member of the LDK leadership in Ferizaj, and former Kosova MP.

    He and Ylber Topalli, chairman of the LDK sub-branch at the village of Greme, were eventually arrested at Greme.

    During the raid of Enver Topalli's house at Greme, the police ill- treated him and his brother Naim till they lost consciousness in the presence of family, local sources said.

    In Ylber's house, the police ill-treated his father, Islam Topalli.

    There has been no immediate report about where the arrested Albanian were taken to.

    Serb Police Arms Local Serbs and Gypsies

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - On Tuesday evening, Serbian police headed by Zoran Stojkovic, a security officer, provided local Serbs and Gypsies with weapons in the village of Plemetin, in the municipality of Obiliq, LDK sources said.

    [10] Albanian Houses Shot by Serbs in Gjurakovc and ^est&

    PRISHTINA, June 25 (KIC) - Three Serb policemen opened fire from their passing car on the house of Beqir Kabashi in the village of Gjurakovc in Istog, northwestern Kosova, on Wednesday afternoon, local sources said.

    Meanwhile, sources said the farmhouse of Mehmet Mehmeti from ^est& e Re^akut village of Shtime was fired upon by Serb forces on Wednesday evening.

    Kosova Information Center

    Kosovo Information Center: Kosova Daily Report Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    ksv2html v1.02 run on Thursday, 25 June 1998 - 15:34:21 UTC