Kosova Daily Report #1687, 99-02-08
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1687
Prishtina, 8 February 1999
CONTENTS
[01] Expert Teams to Join Rambouillet Conference
[02] One Albanian Killed, Another Wounded in Gjakova Suburbs on Sunday
Evening
[03] Serbian Forces Shell Podujeva Villages
[04] Heavy Explosive Device Tossed on Albanian Cafe in Mitrovica
[05] Bodies of Re^ak Massacre to Be Released Today?
[06] Body of Unidentified Person Found near Ka^anik
[01] Expert Teams to Join Rambouillet Conference
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - Expert teams will join the official delegations to
the Rambouillet conference on an interim settlement for Kosova, the Kosova
Information Center (KIC) has learned today, The internationally-mediated
Conference was kicked off late Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Kosovar and 'FRY'/Serbian delegations to the Rambouillet
conference on Sunday reportedly accepted a set of principles set forth by
the six-nation Contact Group on an interim settlement for Kosova. The
principles were presumably the basis on which the sides had agreed to come
to the talks in the first place, news agencies reported.
The talks are being held behind closed doors in the 14th century chateau
near Paris. The negotiating teams are not meeting face-to-face, but
international mediators instead shuttling between two floors of the
chateau.
"We expect tomorrow (Monday) to begin the substantive, line-by-line
discussions," Phil Reeker, one of the conference spokesmen, told reporters,
Reuters reported.
The Kosova delegation asked for a cease-fire to be put in place in Kosova.
"The Albanian delegation is confident the ceasefire would have contributed
to an appropriate conduct of talks between the two sides," Hashim Thaqi,
the head of the political directorate of the Kosova Liberation Army (U^K),
was quoted as saying in a statement.
Meanwhile, Kosova Press, the U^K news agency, quoted today (Monday) its own
sources in Rambouillet as saying the talks process has been blocked because
the Serb side refuses the conclusion of a ceasefire between the warring
parties in Kosova.
"The Albanian side has demanded this, because when talks go on arms should
be laid down, whereas the Serbian regime is carrying out terrorist acts
against the Albanian population", the Kosova Press reported, referring to
incidents in Prishtina when three Albanians were killed and two others were
wounded.
[02] One Albanian Killed, Another Wounded in Gjakova Suburbs on Sunday
Evening
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - One Albanian was killed and another wounded at
around 23:00 CET Sunday on the outskirts of Gjakova, in the road leading to
the villages of Novosell& e Ep&rme and Novosell& e Ul&t, local sources
said.
In still unknown circumstances and by unidentified assailants, Luigj Mataj
(26) from Novosella e Ep&rme was killed in his car, and his companion
Skender Lekaj (23), resident of Novosella e Ul&t, was seriously wounded.
Residents of Gjakova found today the body of Luigj, whereas Skender was
taken to the town hospital in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, LDK sources said Serbian police forces have embarked on a
campaign of raids of Albanian houses in the village of Dobrigj&,
municipality of Gjakova, allegedly in connection with arms searches. Young
people are the target of the sweep, however.
Many residents of Dobrigj& left their homes for Gjakova yesterday.
Police arrested yesterday Halil Gashi (26), resident of Arllat village of
Gllogovc, who has found refuge for five months in a Gjakova mosque. Halil
was together with his 6-year-old son, whom the police took to an eating
establishment while taking his father with them.
Two Gypsies killed in unsolved circumstances in Gjakova Two members of the
Gypsy (Roma) community, Sabahate Zeka (f, 18) and Xhemajli Sma^i (23) were
killed Sunday evening at 20:30 CET in yet unsolved circumstances on the
outskirts of Gjakova, local LDK sources said.
The bodies of the killed Gypsies were taken to the Gjakova morgue by the
Serb police today morning.
[03] Serbian Forces Shell Podujeva Villages
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - Serbian occupation forces opened today morning
heavy machine-gun fire against the village of Godishnjak, municipality of
Podujeva, the Kosova Press, the U^K news agency reported.
Meanwhile, LDK sources in Podujeva reported Serbs opened fire today morning
from their position at Tabet e Llapashtic&s.
In the afternoon, the villages of Godishnjak, Lup^ and Majanc, on the
western side of the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway, were shelled, they added.
A convoy of Serbian police forces - involving 15 buses, 4 lorries and four
other vehicles - entered Kosova from Serbia at 7:00 CET today, LDK sources
said.
A large number of Albanian people have been unable to return to their
villages in the municipality of Podujeva. They are people who fled their
homes amidst Serb military offensives which started on the Christmas eve.
A resident of Peran village, four km north of Podujeva, who tried to get
back to his home yesterday, was harassed for a couple of hours in police
custody in Podujeva.
[04] Heavy Explosive Device Tossed on Albanian Cafe in Mitrovica
Material damage, but no injuries reported
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - Unidentified persons tossed a heavy explosive
device on 'Agimi' cafe, owned by brothers Rexha, in the main street in the
town of Mitrovica Sunday evening.
LDK sources said the powerful explosion caused material damage, but no
injuries, although there were people inside the cafe at the time - past
19:00 CET.
A car with Belgrade license plates passed along the road just before the
explosion occurred, according to eye-witness accounts.
The car headed to the town center, whereas a few minutes later bursts of
firearms were heard at Ura e Ibrit (Ibri bridge).
[05] Bodies of Re^ak Massacre to Be Released Today?
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - The Serb Blic daily said an agreement had been
reached for family members to be able to pick up the bodies of their loved
ones massacred by Serbian paramilitary police forces in Re^ak on 15
January.
40 bodies have been since 17 January in the Prishtina town morgue, run by
the Serbian regime.
Only 28 bodies could be released today, whereas 12 others were pending
identification by families, Blic said, quoting a Serb investigating judge.
The Serbian regime has been pressuring Albanian community leaders in Shtime
to bury the dead in individual funerals.
[06] Body of Unidentified Person Found near Ka^anik
PRISHTINA, Feb 8 (KIC) - The body of an unidentified person was spotted
Sunday afternoon at a location called "Krivarek&" under a bridge on the
Ka^anik - Hani i Elezit ('Djeneral Jankovic'), three km away from Ka^anik,
local LDK sources said.
The dead man was dressed in a blue jacket, they added.
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