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Kosova Daily Report #1681, 99-02-02
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1681
Prishtina, 2 February 1999
CONTENTS
[01] President Rugova Meets with Rexhep Qosja, LBD Leader
[02] U^K to Attend Rambouillet Talks, Despite Dema^i's Opposition
[03] Serbian Forces Shell Podujeva Villages
[04] Serbian Forces Attack Two De^an Villages
[05] Bodies of Re^ak Victims Remain in Prishtina Morgue
[01] President Rugova Meets with Rexhep Qosja, LBD Leader
PRISHTINA, Feb 2 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova met today in Prishtina with Rexhep Qosja, leader of the United
Democratic Movement (LBD), to discuss the situation in Kosova and the
summons of the international community to attend talks near Paris on an
interim settlement for Kosova.
Rugova and Qosja discussed also about the urgency of coordination of
actions by the Albanian political and national forces in these decisive and
historic moments for Kosova and the Albanian people, President Rugova's
office said.
The Kosova President told British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook on Saturday
he would attend the Rambouillet conference, scheduled to start on 6
February.
Rexhep Qosja gave a qualified yes to the talks Monday, adding that the
talks cannot be held unless the U^K is there.
[02] U^K to Attend Rambouillet Talks, Despite Dema^i's Opposition
PRISHTINA, Feb 2 (KIC) - The Kosova Liberation Army (U^K) will accept a
summons from the international community to hold peace talks with the Serbs
near Paris, their spokesman said on Tuesday, Reuters reported Tuesday
afternoon.
"We are definitely going to the talks with our proposals," Jakup Krasniqi,
spokesman for the U^K General Staff told Reuters.
"I have recommended to the U^K General Staff that they do not go to
Rambouillet, France. However, it is they who have the final word and will
decide on this", Adem Dema^i, the U^K political representative told a noon
press conference in Prishtina, capital of Kosova, on Tuesday.
"We are asked to go to capitulate," Adem Dema^i told the press.
"What is offered to us in Rambouillet is some sort of autonomy, and the
Albanian people did not take up arms for autonomy. They are fighting to be
independent and sovereign and then to negotiate with Serbia and
Montenegro."
Jakup Krasnqi, the spokesman for the U^K General Staff, said the U^K would
name its negotiators on Wednesday, Reuters said.
Krasniqi was speaking during a break in a meeting of the U^K General Staff
at a secret location to discuss the planned peace conference, due to start
in Rambouillet near Paris on Saturday.
The spokesman said the U^K had several proposals to take to the talks. One
of the main ones was for a referendum on independence after the interim
autonomy period, expected to last three years.
Krasniqi said after three years of an actual international protectorate
status in Kosova a referendum on self-determination by all Kosovars will
have to be organized.
[03] Serbian Forces Shell Podujeva Villages
PRISHTINA, Feb 2 (KIC) - Serbian military and police shelled a number of
villages in Podujeva municipality today (Tuesday) morning, local LDK
sources said.
The shelling - which started at 8:30 CET - was targeting the villages of
Llapashtic&, Godishnjak, Majanc and other outlying areas on the western
side of the Prishtina-Podujeva highway. At 10:00 CET the intensity of the
shelling was decreasing, sources told the KIC.
Meanwhile, sources said Serbian military forces were deployed yesterday
near the border village of P&rpellac, a dozen km north from the conflict
area between Serb forces and the Albanian resistance forces, the U^K.
Gunfire was heard yesterday and today inside Serbian territory bordering on
Kosova in the area of P&rpellac and Dumnic& villages, local LDK sources
said.
[04] Serbian Forces Attack Two De^an Villages
PRISHTINA, Feb 2 (KIC) - Serbian paramilitary police forces resumed today
(Tuesday) an attacked started last evening against the villages of Ratish&
and Dashinoc, municipality of De^an, western Kosova.
Local LDK sources said heavy artillery was being employed by Serb forces
targeting Albanian villages.
Meanwhile, some 4,000 Albanians, most of whom displaced people from other
villagers, are said to be in a desperate position. Residents who have their
houses alongside the Peja-De^an roadway have abandoned their homes fearful
of Serb police reprisals in the aftermath of a shooting incident on Sunday,
when two Serb policemen were wounded, sources said.
[05] Bodies of Re^ak Victims Remain in Prishtina Morgue
PRISHTINA, Feb 2 (KIC) - Family members and relatives of the more than 40
Albanian civilians killed January 15 in what is known by now as the Re^ak
massacre waited in vain today (Tuesday) to collect the bodies from the Serb
regime-run Prishtina hospital morgue, where they have been for autopsies
for two weeks now.
Serbian police said yesterday the bodies would have to be picked up by
10:00 CET today. The Prishtina morgue's authorities asked for special
documents to get bodies of killed Albanians out, though.
The OSCE KVM urged the Albanian relatives not to pick the bodies today, and
promised to oversee their burial, LDK sources said, adding that the time of
the funeral of the Re^ak victims has not been set yet, LDK sources said.
Kosova Information Center
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