Note: Place names rendered primarily in Serbian spelling"[The closing of the roads January 7 was] well prepared in advance. The
Serbian actions are being carried out under the very nose of the
international verifiers. Like it or not, Bosnia is happening in Kosovo
right now."
Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo
January 8, 1999 -- Pristina
"[NATO Secretary General Javier Solana] appealed to Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic to ''withdraw the excessive military presence from the
northern part of Kosovo and to stop aggressive military action in that
region. 'Kosovar Albanians should stop all provocative action,'' he said in
a statement. ''Serb special police and army units should avoid
disproportionate violence.'' Such violence, he said, ''only causes
destruction to the civilian population.''
Associated Press
January 9, 1999 - Brussels
"The monitors managed to get [the Yugoslav army tanks] to stop shelling
[ethnic Albanian villages in northwest Kosovo January 9] at about 5 PM. We
think this is a very positive development."
OSCE-KVM spokesman Sandy Blyth
Quoted by The Guardian (London), January 11, 1999 -- Pristina
"We are not going to permit a return to the humanitarian outrage of last
summer."
NATO Supreme Commander US General Wesley Clark
Quoted by Reuters, January 8, 1990 - Lisbon
"[France's Foreign Minister Hubert] Vedrine pointed out that France and
Russia have 'very close positions, convergent aims and complementary
measures' on the situations in Iraq and Kosovo."
Agence France Presse, following Vedrine's meeting with Russia's Foreign
Minister Igor Ivanov
January 12, 1999 - Moscow
I. DISPLACED PERSONS/KILLINGS/ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS
Associated Press reported that "an aide to Kosovo's top ethnic Albanian
leader [Kosovo "President" Ibrahim Rugova] was assassinated outside his
home Monday... sources...said he was hit by semi-automatic gunfire from
three assassins as he was about to leave his car." Reuters noted that
Maloku -- who was the editor of the Kosovo Information Center press agency
closely aligned with Rugova's Kosovo Democratic League (LDK) -- "narrowly
escaped an earlier attack last July." Agence France Presse reported
yesterday that EU envoy to Kosovo Wolfgang Petrisch told Austrian
television that "there are many possibilities for who carried out this
murder'... He said the assassination 'was apparently politically
motivated,' and 'the work of professional killers.' "
Radio Free Europe/Newsline reported that some 1,000 Kosovo Albanians
attended Maloku's funeral Monday, and that "armed members of the UCK
[Kosovo Liberation Army] in uniform provided both security and a guard of
honor at the burial. A spokesman for shadow-state President Ibrahim Rugova
said that the 'killing is proof of what the Serbian regime may do to us if
we are journalists.' "
According to local independent and international accounts, at least
twenty-five people have been killed in Kosovo since January 1.
Mercy Corps International reported January 12 that "figures released by
the [humanitarian NGO] Mother Theresa Society at year's end indicate that
the number of IDPs [internally displaced persons] has increased over the
past several weeks. This is due to increased fighting between government
forces and the KLA [Kosovo Liberation Army] in a number of
municipalities... At year's end [the IDP count] has increased to 286,782,
an increase of 27,622 [from December 9]." The Mother Theresa Society noted
sharp increases in displaced persons in Srbica district.
The BBC reported Monday that "there are fears of a new refugee crisis in
Kosovo... Whenever fresh fighting flares up here, as it did over Christmas,
thousands more people are suddenly made homeless."
Deutsche Presse Agentur reported that Yugoslav armed forces "bombarded
several villages in northern Kosovo Saturday." The offensive followed an
announcement that "every deadline to release the [eight Yugoslav National
Army (JNA) soldiers captured by Kosovo Liberation Army forces] soldiers has
run out" [see section IV for a summary of the events surrounding the
capture and release of the eight prisoners].
Radio 21 reported January 9 that the attack targeted the villages of
Bradashi, Peranic, Obrance, Llapshtice and Glammnik, all in northeast
Kosovo. The Scotsman (Edinburgh) reported from Pristina that Fernando del
Mundo, UN High Commission for Refugees' Pristina spokesman, said Sunday
that "a 15-year old ethnic Albanian was killed in Saturday's shelling of
the village of Perane, north of Pristina, and another youth was wounded.
Mr. del Mundo said some 90 percent of Perane's 1,000 inhabitants had fled
the shelling."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children (Pristina) reported
January 9 that "women and children were coming from the Lupc village in
grave fear for their relatives who remained at the spot of the attacks."
Reuters reported January 9 that "a UNHCR spokesman said the village of
Slappusane to the southwest of Pristina was shelled Friday afternoon and
some 800 villagers, mostly women and children, have fled."
Independent Radio B-92 (Belgrade) noted a report yesterday by daily Kosova
Sot (Pristina) that civilians in the Decani area had fled their homes due
to fighting over the past four days. Radio 21 reported January 10 that
"eight Albanian families remained holed up in their homes" when the
shelling began in Perane.
Independent Radio 21 (Pristina) reported today that Albanian sources "said
three Albanians had been killed... Unknown persons this morning shot
Nexhmedin Sadiku, a Mitrovica resident. Whereas last night in Ferizaj
unidentified persons seriously wounded Sejdi Sahiti, who later died from
the wounds." Radio 21 also noted one unidentified victim killed this
morning in Kriove village.
Radio 21 reported January 9 that 6 year-old Kujtesa Selman Bytyqi was
killed in Saturday's shelling of Sllapuzhan; Radio 21 reported January 8
that "Serb forces today shelled Sllapuzhan village, during which one
Albanian, 13 year-old Nazlije Bytyq was wounded," and another, 65 year-old
Osman Bytyqi, was killed.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) reported at a
January 11 press conference in Geneva that "tension runs high in Kosovo
following the killing of an Albanian journalist Monday and the capture last
weekend of 8 Serbian soldiers by Kosovo rebels. Shelling by government
troops during the weekend of villages near Podujevo and Suva Reka led to
fresh displacement of about 2,000 people. At the same time life appears to
return to normal in Malisevo, which had been a ghost town for months. A
third of Malisevo's original population of 3,000 have gone back and more
are returning. Today, UNHCR is sending the first convoy to Malisevo
bringing warm clothes, blankets and repair material. The continuing
incidents in Kosovo are of concern and we could see full scale fighting and
a new wave of refugees if no political solution is found soon."
Radio 21 reported January 9 that "last night unidentified people shot at
three Albanian youths in Bibaj village [near Ferizaj]," killing 20 year-old
Faruk Murseli.
The Kosovo Information Center (KIC) and state news agency Tanjug
(Belgrade) both reported that ethnic Albanian student Blerim Balaj was
found murdered January 7, after his abduction two days before by unknown
persons dressed in white.
Reuters reported "a grenade exploded outside an Albanian pool club [in
Pristina] early Sunday... 'It was after midnight. My family and I were
sleeping and we woke up just to hear a grenade rolling above our heads [on
the roof] before it exploded,' said Rasim Thaqi, the brother of the club's
ethnic Albanian owner."
The official Serbian Media Center (Pristina) reported January 9 that
"Albanian terrorists had fired from mortars, machine guns and assault
rifles at the police that were protecting the return of Serbs and
Montenegrins in Perane village, Podujevo municipality. Policemen Boban
Zdravkovic and Dejan Vidojevic, both from Pristina were lightly wounded in
the attack. The police fired back and the attackers withdrew toward a
nearby Bradas village."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children reported that January 5
"the infant Milaim Kastrati died for lack of medical care in the village of
Turjake, municipality of Malisheve...[January 9] three Albanians [were]
reported killed in [Suva Reka] area. Four Serbs [were] wounded in the same
area. A grave situation is reported in [Suva Reka]. Only Serb forces and
Serb civilians are roaming the town...[an Albanian] from Trubuhovc village
of Istog has been killed under unknown circumstances; according to the
testimony of his family, the young man left his home on 7 January for Istog
to repair his bicycle; his bicycle has been found on the Prekale upland,
on the Gjurakovc-Peje roadway, and he was found killed in Drenovc village."
II. POPULATION CENTERS UNDER SIEGE/ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS
Reuters reported January 9 that "in an apparent show of strength, the army
rolled two large convoys into Pristina late on Friday. The army and Serbian
police were patrolling the streets of the city in large numbers on Saturday
morning. 'We did it to step up security,' a source close to the army said
on Saturday. He did not elaborate." The Kosovo Information Center reported
January 9 that Pristina "was under a heavy Serb military and police grip
Friday night, with between 300 and 500 soldiers and policemen keeping
a...number of villages under siege for several hours. They were
concentrated in the area near the students' dormitories and on the Dragodan
neighborhood main road." International media reported the troops returned
to barracks the following day.
Catholic Relief Services reported Monday that on January 6 "Prizren was
surrounded by 30-50 tanks. Staff in the Prizren office reported shooting of
artillery fire and mortars in and around the town throughout the night."
Radio 21 reported Monday that Shaptej village "is blocked by large Serb
forces. The roads leading to Glodjane and Irzniq are [also] blocked."
Radio 21 said January 9 that Albanian sources report the village of
Slivovo is "under siege by large police forces."
Radio 21 reported January 9 that "large Serb police forces arrived in
Lumbardh village of Decan. Serb police required from the local residents to
surrender the weapons, although the residents told them that there were
none... Our correspondent also informed about new reinforcements in Babloq
and Grammacel villages. Because of ill-treatment by Serb police the
movement of residents in these villages is limited."
Radio 21 reported January 9 that "about 15 buses full of Serb policemen
arrived in Kosovo from Serbia. The same buses went in the direction of
Pristina and from there continued" along the road to Pec.
Radio B-92 reported January 9 "Serbian sources have reported that a
Yugoslav Army convoy arrived in the Kosovska Mitrovica area from Urosevac."
Radio 21 reported January 8 "increased movements of Serb and military and
police forces [in Urosevac and]...increased movement of Serb forces and
reinforcements" in Djakovica. [January 7]...Lez and Jeshkove villages of
Prizren are being held under siege...in Kline, area shooting from Volljake
forests...is continuing; villages of Sferke and Dush are being reportedly
shot at...shooting was reported in Malisheve right after the humanitarian
convoy to Lladrovc village left. Actually the humanitarian convoy is an
eye-witness to the paramilitaries and police forces on board heading
towards Malisheve...Villages of Okrashtice, Pantine and Oshlan of the
municipality of Vushtrri were fired upon."
Radio 21 reported January 10 that "the situation in Stimlje continues to
be tense... Large Serb forces are being deployed in this town and the
surrounding villages... Serb police last night arrested several Albanians."
Radio 21 reported January 8 that 40 armed Serbs in Nente Jugovic village
"yesterday afternoon for about two hours, beat the passersby."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children reported January 7 that
"Rasim Rexha from Dobrosh village of Gjakove, staying in Gjurakovc village
as an IDP [internally displaced person], was shot and wounded in the leg by
police...police arrested Agim Thaci from the village of Skivjan, Haki
Idrizi from Ponoshec, Natyre Rama and Afrora Rama both from the village of
Jabllanice. Afrora was released after 4 hours being held in custody; others
are still being held. Hydajet Beqiri from the village of Rracaj was
arrested and sent to the Peja prison immediately...Police arrested Jetullah
Behrami from the village of Klina e Eperme of Skenderaj; no further
explanation was given and there is no information on his whereabouts."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children said January 6 that
"scores of Albanians were harassed and ill-treated by the police in the
Tuneli i Pare suburb of Mitrovice...Some 30 policemen raided the house of
Bashkim Morina, allegedly in connection with arms searches, then the house
of Bexhet Ahmeti in Zhabar i Eperm village. Police arrested Lam Kurti's
children, his daughters Sebahate and Resmije, together with their brother
Muhamet... the OSCE is trying to negotiate with police to release these
children, accused of being members of UCK [Kosovo Liberation Army].
Radio 21 reported January 8 that "three Serb civilians stopped a member
of the LDK [Kosovo Democratic League] leadership [Ramiz Bellanica] in
Djakovica and ill-treated him physically. Our correspondent informed that
Ramiz endured heavy bodily injuries. Serb civilians gave to Ramiz a warning
letter threatening Ramiz with death. The text of the letter...was signed by
the "movement for Serbia."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children reported January 4 that
"some 40 policemen were involved in raiding Albanian houses in Mitrovice.
Family members (some 20 Albanians) were taken to the police station. They
raided the homes of Agim Hajrizi - trade union activist, Sahit H. Parduzi,
of Sherif Hajzeri - robbed him up of 1,000 DM, then they continued,
raiding the house of Avdyl Tmava, and afterwards they continued raid in the
village of Zhabar i Ulet and Suhodoll village"...over thirty Albanians were
arrested in Gjakove [January 4]. All of the arrested are young, and it
happened during a sweep on the town pubs.
The Center for Protection of Women and Children noted January 5 that
"Xhemail Sallauka from Budakove village of Suhareke is arrested; he was
taken to the police station while returning from Prizren together with his
sick mother; the motive of his arrest is not made known by police."
Independent news agency BETA (Belgrade) noted January 6 that "Natasa
Kandic, director of the Belgrade Foundation for Human Rights, has stated
that the human rights situation in Serbia has deteriorated significantly...
'What is particularly worrying is that rights are being violated by state
bodies and that the prosecutor's offices and the judiciary have either
reacted to these only mildly or not at all,' Kandic said in an interview
published in [the January 7] edition of NIN. The Foundation for Human
Rights' annual report on the state of human rights last year says that 500
cases of torture and cruel or inhumane conduct by the police were
registered last year and that there are indications that six Albanians and
one Serb died in detention as a result of torture." BETA noted that Kandic
drew specific attention to the involvement of Serbian forces in massacres
of ethnic Albanian civilians in several Kosovo locations.
The Center for Protection of Women and Children said January 10 that
"there is an evaluation that the Serb troops have retaken last summer's
combat positions in Kosovo."
III. FIGHTING/FORCE DEPLOYMENTS
Reuters noted January 8 that NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark "said
Milosevic had not honored all pledges given in October when he narrowly
avoided a NATO military strike against his armed forces. 'The Serbs are not
living up to those promises and they need to do so,' Clark said. NATO
officials say Milosevic has sent special police units back to Kosovo...in
defiance of the October accords. Army units supposed to be confined to
barracks were deployed without prior notice to NATO after the first clashes
in northern Kosovo before Christmas, they say."
The Kosovo Information Center reported yesterday that "heavy arms shooting
was heard coming Monday night and Tuesday morning in the villages of
Zulfaj, Qafi e Prushit and Devi, situated in the Kosova-Albania border
area, LDK sources in Gjakova said. Fighting was reported Tuesday between
the UCK and the Serbian military and police in the villages of Shaptej,
Gllogjan, Ratish, Dashinoc and Mazniki of the municipality of Decan, the
Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms
(CDHRF) said. There was no information on the casualty toll." Radio 21
reported Monday that "shooting is continuing in Decan, said Albanian
sources. Shooting and detonations were heard today, in the direction of
Shaptej village."
The Daily Telegraph (London) reported Monday from Pristina on an attack
Saturday by Serbian forces on villages in the Podujevo district: "A Western
observer serving with the Kosovo Verification Mission [KVM] near Podujevo
said: 'They pushed really hard up that road yesterday, the KLA [Kosovo
Liberation Army] fought back but couldn't hold their lines.' Barely two
miles away at the local KLA command post, guerrillas said they had merely
retreated to their bases under a seven-hour-long barrage but had lost
neither men nor territory."
The Daily Telegraph also reported Monday: "Tank and artillery emplacements
along the main road north of Pristina were reinforced, with no attempt made
to camouflage their positions. More than 20 tanks were deployed, all with
their turrets pointing at the hills to the west. In one long building on
the east side of the road there was frenetic military activity as soldiers
set up positions around armored vehicles...alongside the road, some of
which is still held by the KLA, armored troop carriers had been positioned
at intervals and watchful men carrying rifles, some in police blue, others
in army green, stood with their backs to the buildings... Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic's deployment of fresh troops has made a
mockery of his promise to reduce levels to those before the uprising last
year."
Radio 21 reported January 11 that "from Serbia to Kosovo arrived about 100
vehicles [including] armored vehicles, APCs, lorries and other vehicles
with Serb soldiers and policemen. This convoy went in the direction of
Pristina."
Reuters reported January 10 that "Podujevo was deserted except for
fast-moving, armored Serbian police vehicles carrying servicemen with
automatic rifles at the ready. Along the Pristina-Podujevo road, at least
50 other Yugoslav tanks and APCs were deployed, some camouflaged with hay,
others behind village homes with barrels aimed at the hills."
Associated Press reported Monday that "the head of the Yugoslav army,
General Dragoljub Ojdanic, arrived yesterday in Pristina, said an army
statement, adding that forces have been put on a higher level of alert."
Voice of America correspondent Phillip Smucker reported January 8: "Three
Serbian policemen were reported killed Friday in clashes with ethnic
Albanian guerrillas. A spokesman for the OSCE...confirmed that two Serbian
policemen had died instantly in a clash near the town of Suva Reka in
central Kosovo. A third died in the hospital of his wounds. He was driven
there by OSCE officials in Kosovo assigned to monitor the fragile truce.
OSCE spokesman Sandy Blyth says the shooting appeared to involve an
exchange between two armored vehicles. A spokesman for the ethnic Albanian
"Kosovo Liberation Army"...says that armed Serb civilians had provoked the
incident. The spokesman gave no further details. Western sources confirmed
that several civilians were wounded in the crossfire."
Associated Press reported January 9 that the attack on the three policemen
was "apparently the first time that guerrillas have destroyed an armored
vehicle since fighting began in February [1998]. The attack confirmed
reports that they have obtained better weapons." BETA quoted a KLA
commander saying "if something similar happens, the UCK [KLA] cannot
guarantee it will be able to restrain itself."
A BBC report Monday noted "the KLA say they now have so many volunteers
they are turning them away. The latest recruits know they may be thrown
into battle within weeks." Deutsche Presse Agentur reported January 10 that
"three Albanians were killed in a clash with Serbian police in...Kosovo,
the Belgrade news agency BETA reported Sunday. Three policemen were
seriously injured in the firefight, which erupted between security forces
and members of the KLA in the village of Dasinovac, the report added."
The Serbian Media Center reported January 9 that "Albanian terrorists
attacked regular police patrol, using assault rifles and mortars, today at
1 PM, near Dasinovac village, Decane municipality. The police fired back
and three attackers, wearing camouflage uniforms with the insignia of the
separatist 'Kosovo Liberation Army' were killed in the clash. They were
armed with a grenade launcher, assault and sniper rifle of the U.S.A. make
'Black Arrow.' The OSCE KVM [Kosovo Verification Mission] team members
arrived at the incident spot, but the terrorists fired at the verifiers
also. In order to protect the verifiers, the police fired back and the
attackers ran away. No casualties were reported among the police members,
nor among the verifiers, the Pristina Police headquarters confirmed the
Media Center."
When asked during a January 9 press briefing in Washington if he had "seen
an increase in the level of sophistication of [KLA] weaponry during the
winter," OSCE-KVM mission chief William Walker said: "I have been told by
those who have been there longer than I that they are better dressed, they
are better equipped, their weaponry looks newer. But I don't know how they
were six months ago or a year ago... Where are they getting it? God knows."
Reuters noted January 8 that "a KLA commander...told the [KLA radio
station] Radio Free Kosovo that Serb military and police had attacked
ethnic Albanian villages in the area, wounding two ethnic Albanian men."
The Center for Protection of Women and Children reported that "after the
big clashes near the Podujeva area, the UCK...reported that Xhavit Jusufi,
a UCK army officer, was killed January 3; he was ambushed near the place
called Te Varret e Smrekovnices."
Associated Press reported January 8 that "Serb villagers took down
barricades they had erected on three main roads to Kosovo's capital, but
continued blocking a fourth to protest the killing of a Serb security guard
by ethnic Albanian guerrillas." Agence France Presse reported January 8
that "near Preoc...50 Serb civilians continued to block a road
linking...Pristina to the south of Kosovo. 'Our action will last until
Slobodan Milosevic and Milan Milutinovic make up their minds to come to
Kosovo to guarantee our security,' one of the protesters told journalists.
Talks overnight Thursday between the Serbs and Zoran Adjelkovic, head of
the provisional Kosovo government, ended in failure. Tanjug news agency
quoted him as saying he understood the Serbs' anger over the murder but
that roadblocks were not a suitable method to solve the dispute."
The Serbian Media Center reported January 9 that "the Pristina - Urosevac
road blockade was lifted this morning. During the night, Serbs from Preoce
village withdrew their guards and removed the blockade of the road that was
set as a result of the villagers' revolt caused by the murder of Nebojsa
Denic, the resident of their village."
Agence France Presse reported that "OSCE monitors in Kosovo to verify the
implementation of last year's peace accords complained Thursday about the
roadblocks, saying they were being prevented from doing their work. The
OSCE said it held the Yugoslav authorities responsible for any threats or
risks to its staff."
Associated Press also reported Friday "ethnic Albanian sources said
barricades remained on several side roads." Reuters noted that "on Friday
police...were turning back cars with ethnic Albanians in on the southern
road, apparently to try to prevent a clash with the Serbs."
Voice of America correspondent Phillip Smucker noted January 8 that many
of the Serbian civilians manning the road blocks were "already armed with
submachine guns." Radio 21 reported January 8 that 40 armed Serb civilians
in Nente Jugovic village "stopped for two hours the German Ambassador in
Belgrade."
Tanjug reported January 8 a two-pronged attack "in the area around the
Gorozup watchtower [in the evening]...at the same time an attempt was made
to smuggle terrorists from the Republic of Albania onto Yugoslav territory,
the information service of the Yugoslav Army's Pristina command reported
today. Yugoslav border guards repelled the attack, forcing the terrorist
groups to withdraw deep into Albanian territory. The Yugoslav Army border
guards suffered no consequences." Tanjug reported January 7 three
consecutive attacks "from the Albanian territory in the area of the Kosare
border post... The armed attacks from Albania served to back up a large
terrorist group that attempted to infiltrate the Yugoslav territory. There
were no casualties among the border guards."
IV. CAPTURED YUGOSLAV ARMY SOLDIERS
Associated Press reported today that "Kosovo rebels today freed eight
Yugoslav army soldiers after holding them captive for five days...
[OSCE-KVM chief] Walker...said the release was part of a 'fair and balanced
agreement.' The army insisted in a statement that the release was
unconditional, but international officials and the rebels indicated the
release came only after last-minute assurances by the mediators. That left
open the possibility that KLA prisoners could later be let go in amnesty,
enabling Serbian authorities to save face." Agence France Presse noted that
KLA spokesman Jakup Krasniqi "indicated that the rebels' main demand - the
release of comrades taken prisoner by Serbian authorities - had been met to
some degree. 'A time deadline was set for a release of Albanian soldiers,
and their number was decided,' he said."
Associated Press reported yesterday that the Yugoslav army "had warned the
soldiers must be released 'unconditionally,' saying otherwise it might have
to use force. 'The case of kidnapping of Yugoslav army members by Albanian
separatists and terrorists is a flagrant example of an insane criminal
act,' said the army."
Agence France Presse reported January 8 that "Kosovo rebels captured eight
Yugoslav soldiers...this was the first time that the KLA had captured
soldiers from the Yugoslav federal army. [An OSCE spokesman said] the
soldiers were 'captured' by the KLA in an area to the north of Mitrovica
city." United Press International reported January 10 that "both the KLA
and the KVM say heavy fog...coupled with the misreading of a road map, led
the eight into KLA territory while they were searching for a vehicle that
had been reported disabled."
The Association for Independent Media [independent Balkans news agency
AIM], noted January 10 that "there is no reliable information how it
actually happened. [The] pro-government Media Centre claimed that a
truckload of soldiers was distributing food to their colleagues and that
they were "kidnapped" by "terrorists" along the way. The KLA claims that
the truck full of soldiers entered the territory controlled by it, that it
provoked the civilian population, and that there was shooting in which
soldiers were 'taken prisoner.' "
The BBC reported that Bardyl Mahmuti, the KLA's Geneva-based spokesman,
had Monday"called for the Serbian authorities to release some of the ethnic
Albanians they are holding in return. He said the eight officers were not
hostages: 'This is a conflict between two armies. They are prisoners of war."
United Press International reported January 10 that "Serbian officials and
KVM members appear convinced a simple release of those held is the best
solution. 'A swap could set a dangerous precedent. There are so many people
missing, you could see kidnappings spring up everywhere in attempts to
recover them."
AIM noted that "the UCK [was] not trying to conceal that through
negotiations on [the soldiers' release] it is trying to achieve formal
recognition as a warring party."
Reuters noted yesterday a statement by the head of Yugoslavia's Army
Information Service carried by Tanjug said "we cannot rule out any form of
action to free [the soldiers] including the use of force... The Yugoslav
army servicemen who were kidnapped must be freed unconditionally." Reuters
also noted that "in a reflection of the Yugoslav army's simmering anger,
General Ljubisa Stojimirovic, chief of general staff of the Third Army,
which covers Kosovo, was quoted as saying the West was 'extending maximum
support to ethnic Albanian terrorists.' The Danas daily also said he had
urged new recruits to 'train and prepare to defend our country, which faces
an immediate danger of war.' " However, a few hours earlier, student
activist Albin Kurti, described by Reuters as "an aide to Adem Demaci,"
said that "it could be that the international community is putting pressure
on the KLA for an unconditional release...but the KLA would stand firm in
its insistence that the prisoners of war be exchanged."
Associated Press reported earlier yesterday that Vollebaek "who met with
Milosevic on Monday, said the Yugoslav leader had set a deadline for the
release and warned that Kosovo will explode in bloodshed unless the KLA
acts immediately. 'There is very little time left, and we have to see an
immediate release of the hostages if we should avoid a major conflict... 'I
think that it is very important that the KLA knows that we are very short
of time.' Vollebaek did not say what Milosevic's deadline was."
Tanjug reported the talks "took place in an atmosphere of openness and
understanding" and that Milosevic told Vollebaek: "The authorities will not
tolerate any more terrorist activities... If, after hundreds of terrorist
attacks...world powers still cannot understand that this is terrorism, it
is clear that we are faced with open support for the criminal acts against
citizens and the state. OSCE members are obliged to urge security, which is
incompatible with tolerance of a terrorist group... The Yugoslav public and
authorities justly expect such objectivity from the new OSCE chairman. The
OSCE will continue to enjoy support and cooperation of state organs in the
realization of its mandate."
Reuters noted Monday that Yugoslavia's Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic
"said Yugoslavia's patience 'has its limits.' He added Yugoslav officials
have shown 'more than reasonable restraint,' the official Tanjug news
agency reported."
News agency TASS (Moscow) reported a January 10 statement from Russia's
Foreign Minister: "Moscow demands that the Albanian gunmen release their
hostages immediately and unconditionally...we call on the authorities of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia to show as much restraint as
possible, as they have been able to do until now despite provocation. "
Associated Press also noted yesterday that "Yugoslav Army tanks are
stationed close to Stari Trg...poised for action if talks on [the eight
soldiers'] release fail." Associated Press reported Monday that "the
Yugoslav army pulled back its armor around Stari Trg by a half-mile on
Sunday and the rebels said they would respect the cease-fire 'except when
we have to protect civilians and ourselves.' "
V. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
The US Kosovo Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in Pristina noted
January 11 that "UNHCR and humanitarian relief organizations have scaled
back and/or halted operations in Kosovo due to an increase in tensions over
the past several days...On January 10 UNHCR advised NGOs to avoid the Suva
Reka area unless activities are closely coordinated with the OSCE Kosovo
verification mission."
A United Nations inter-agency report on Kosovo noted that January 9 "armed
Serbian civilians seized medicines from Medecins du Monde outside Suva Reka
in central Kosovo. The medicines were taken to a local hospital. The four
members of the MDM staff sought refuge in the nearby woods and were
extricated by OSCE KVM later in the evening after UNHCR requested
intervention at its headquarters in Pristina and spoke to police
authorities" Belgrade official media statements and media have increasingly
accused international humanitarian NGOs working in Kosovo of helping the
KLA in the past few months.
The UN report also noted that following the January 7 closure of roads
into Pristina by armed civilians, "10 trucks in three convoys were unable
to return to Pristina and spent the night in Mitrovica and Malisevo. Other
aid workers were stranded. At nightfall, UNHCR negotiated with police to
allow 14 NGO vehicles blocked at Kosovo Polje just outside Pristina to
proceed to the capital."
The January 11 DART report also stated: "On January 10, Catholic Relief
Services [CRS] informed the Kosovo DART that the security situation
constrained operations out of their Prizren field office during the week of
January 3-10. A CRS representative said that their Prizren operation was
unable to make deliveries or go to the field on January 6-8 and that they
had limited their area of operation to the immediate area around Prizren
for convoys on January 9, due to security concerns. (The Kosovo DART
reported in its update for January 6, 1999 that CRS was suspending their
humanitarian operations based in Prizren for January 6 after reports of
mortars and small arms fire within the town of Prizren.) The CRS
representative said that all of the international staff members from their
Prizren field office drove up to Pristina on January 10 for consultations
but operations would return to normal on January 11."
Reuters reported January 8 that "the United Nations has sent four human
rights experts to monitor human rights violations in...Kosovo... Under an
accord signed last November by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary
Robinson and Yugoslav officials after lengthy negotiations, a total of four
monitors will be deployed in Kosovo, according to spokesman Jose Diaz.
Three other experts will be based in Belgrade, including one dealing only
with Kosovo, Diaz told a news briefing. 'This will bring to seven the
number of international staff [deployed in Serbia]. We will try to send
more monitors, but it will take time,' Diaz said."
VI. OSCE KOSOVO VERIFICATION MISSION/NATO EXTRACTION FORCE
Agence France Presse reported Monday that speakers at a demonstration of
Kosovo Serbs Monday night "called for the expulsion of the Kosovo
Verification Mission... Milorad Jevric, a former member of the
ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party, said: 'The situation has
deteriorated since the verifiers arrived and we should refuse them
hospitality... Those who permitted the deployment of the verifiers here
contributed to the loss of life.' "
According to a statement from Serbia's Ministry of Information about the
meeting January 11 between OSCE chairman-in-office Vollebaek and
Yugoslavia's Foreign Minister Zivodan Jovanovic, "Jovanovic said the talk
had been held at the right time because three months since the signing of
an agreement between Yugoslavia and the OSCE on mission deployment were
about to expire, and it was possible to review the mission's results to
date and prospects for its further positive engagement in the province. He
voiced Yugoslavia's stand that the mission is vital for the verification of
developments in the field." In an October 13, 1998 press briefing, US
National Security Advisor Sandy Berger said that "there's not a time limit
on the verification mission."
Tanjug reported January 10 that Socialist Party board member Zivorad Igic
"estimated today that the international verifiers had been encouraging and
enticing Albanian terrorists and separatists with their attitude... actions
of the Albanian terrorists create the impression that terrorists have taken
OSCE verifiers as their patrons and verifiers have taken terrorists as
their proteges."
Agence France Presse reported that a diplomatic source close to the OSCE's
Kosovo Verification Mission said January 8 that "the OSCE is hoping to have
1,600 verifiers on the ground in Kosovo by mid-February... The OSCE said
these verifiers will be joined by 400 more 'once a political settlement is
reached'... An OSCE spokesman declined to predict when the 1,600 would be
in place, but confirmed comments by German Defense Minister Rudolf
Scharping that the initial verification mission will not be 2,000."
The Observer (London) reported January 10 that OSCE Chairman-in-office
Vollebaek "complained that three buses were sent to meet an aircraft
recently from which only 13 new observers disembarked. He has since revised
the planned force down to 1,500."
During an October 26 press briefing, US envoy Richard Holbrooke said of
the number of verifiers to be placed in Kosovo: "I keep reading 'up to
2,000' or 'maybe won't reach 2,000.' Read the agreement. It is '2,000 or
more'... 2,000 is a floor, not a ceiling." As reported in Kosovo Briefing
#31, Deutsche Presse noted October 21 "that [US Ambassador Christopher
Hill]...said there had been firm commitments for the sending of 2,000
observers to Kosovo."
TASS news agency (Moscow) reported January 9 the opening of another
OSCE-KVM regional center in Gniljane 30 miles southeast of Pristina, noting
that "Russian verifiers will make up the bulk of its staff."
The TASS report also noted that "the OSCE mission is going to take a
census of the population in the Kosovo region, and to organize elections
there, if Belgrade and a delegation of Kosovo Albanians reach agreement."
To date, the OSCE has not officially announced whether it will conduct a
census in Kosovo before the election.
Reuters reported January 8 that acting head of KVM Gabriel Keller said
"the mission faced many difficulties. Serbian forces prevented its access
to some parts of the region while the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation
Army closed other areas. 'There were some signs of hostility against the
OSCE verifiers... After all, one could not expect sympathy towards someone
who is objective.' "
When asked at a January 8 Washington press briefing whether the KVM had
"the capacity to investigate" isolated murders and killings, OSCE-KVM
mission chief William Walker said: "Do we have the capacity to, you know,
go in and do investigations ourselves? Not in the terms you might be
thinking about, going in and doing a...fullflown police criminal
investigation, no....During the... more dramatic violence in Podujevo,
where the KLA was on one side of a row of ridges and on the other side the
VJ [Yugoslav Army] and the MUP [Serbian Ministry of Interior] was pretty
well dug in with some tanks and some armored personnel carriers and almost
it was kept localized, I think, by our efforts, but it could have gotten
much worse. We put people in both command posts and they stayed there
through the night, 24 hours a day, to determine if, in fact, someone
started shooting, who had started the shooting."
At the same press briefing, Walker noted: "I think we can look to both
sides and say there have been
instances of noncompliance on both sides. In our view, the majority of the
instances of noncompliance have emanated from the government side, but that
is also perhaps a function of the fact that we have asked more of them.
When I say that they are not cooperating in terms of landing rights for
planes that might be bringing in supplies or quibbles at the border over
customs, this sort of thing, those are things you ask from a government,
you don't ask that from the KLA. We have been quite upset, I would say, in
terms of the words of cooperation emanating from the government. Their
words are very ample in terms of they want to cooperate 100 percent with
our mission so that we can get on with our mandate, but in terms of
implementing those words, I think we would have to say we are less than
satisfied. There have been any number of areas in which we have made
requests of the government and the answer has been, 'That is not in the
agreement, it is not specifically spelled out in the agreement; therefore,
you can't have it.' And if you want some details on that, I'd be glad to go
into it..."
"[After a shootout on the Yugoslavia-Albania border between Yugoslav Army
and KLA soldiers], it turns out there were, I think, nine or more prisoners
taken. A couple were taken in later action. We have asked for access to
those prisoners. Immediately we asked for it. The answer was essentially
no. You know, "It's not in the agreement." My answer to that was, "You told
us about the incident. You told that it was the KLA coming across in an
armed incursion. Fine, that's your story. We went up and looked at the
scene. Now we would like to talk to the other side to see if there's, you
know, another version. That's how we're going to get to the truth of what
happened." They then said this is the government then said, "Well, you
know, there's a judicial process that has to be gone through. You will have
to ask for permission through the Ministry of Justice or through the
prosecutor, and maybe we'll give you access later."
When asked at the press briefing whether American monitors in the KVM
would be allowed to be out in Kosovo past dark, Walker replied: " 'In by
dark' is a U.S. KDOM [Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission] regulation, rule,
whatever you want to call it. We are as an international organization, we
are sort of designing our own rules as we go right now, and we are taking a
look at those rules that the various KDOMs operated under. I think we will
be more likely to let people be out after dark if the mission requires it.
We might have a rule that says you can be out after dark if you're in a
stationary position, but not running up and down the road and maybe someone
won't quite know what you're doing out there and take a shot at you. But we
will be putting people in villages after dark and having them stay there,
which is a little different from the way the KDOMs have been doing it."
The Los Angeles Times reported January 8: "The risks to the monitors are
especially high in an environment that Walker maintains has been poisoned
with Yugoslav propaganda denouncing the mission as de facto support for
ethnic Albanian guerrillas seeking independence for Kosovo. In addition,
virtually everyone in the province carries some form of weapon. 'We must be
the only unarmed people in the country,' said Walker."
Radio B-92 reported yesterday that following a meeting with OSCE
chairman-in-office Vollebaek, Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic "told
media...that Montenegro had begun an initiative to expand the Kosovo
Verification Mission into Montenegro in order for Montenegro to have
logistic support for the successful implementation of the Kosovo peace
agreement."
The Observer (London) reported from Pristina yesterday a senior British
official's statement about the NATO extraction force based in Macedonia:
"It's just a deterrent. If we're in trouble we'll have to get out of it
ourselves."
VII. INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY
Agence France Press yesterday reported that France's Foreign Minister
Hubert Vedrine "attacked the United States for its handling of the Kosovo
crisis, saying Washington's 'shuttle diplomacy' in the troubled Yugoslav
province was not working. Vedrine, speaking during a visit to Moscow,
acknowledged that the US mediator in Kosovo, Christopher Hill, was 'working
very hard' to resolve the conflict... But, he added, 'we are now forced to
conclude that this shuttle diplomacy does not work. 'Time is passing and
tension remains high,' Vedrine said... Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
agreed, saying 'it would be best to step up the role of the Contact Group
as soon as possible, as the current pause is being used by those seeking to
increase tension in Kosovo'... Vedrine pointed out that France and Russia
have 'very close positions, convergent aims and complementary measures' on
the situations in Iraq and Kosovo." Agence France Presse reported January 8
that French President Jacques Chirac "warned in Paris that Kosovo was at a
'dangerous impasse.' He called on the Contact Group to take 'vigorous
diplomatic action. Talks are blocked on both sides by the refusal of any
compromise and the temptation to resort to force.' "
Agence France Presse reported Monday that the UN Security Council "failed
to agree Monday on a Russian draft statement condemning the seizure of
eight Yugoslav soldiers by [the KLA]...the draft statement would strongly
condemn the 'recent irresponsible actions' by the KLA in Kosovo and demand
an 'immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by the KLA.'
The council diplomats said the statement could not be agreed because the
Slovenian delegation objected to the description of the soldiers as
'hostages' rather than prisoners. The 15-member council also failed to
agree on whether Belgrade or the ethnic Albanian leadership was the primary
obstacle to the peace process [in Kosovo]."
OSCE chairman-in-office Knut Vollebaek met January 11 with Yugoslavia's
President Slobodan Milosevic and Foreign Minister Zivodan Jovanovic.
According to Serbia's Ministry of Information, the meeting with Milosevic
took place "in an atmosphere of openness and understanding...views were
exchanged on current issues of interest to regional security and stability,
and the development of relations and co-operation with the OSCE."
The Ministry of Information report on the Vollebaek-Jovanovic meeting
noted that Vollebaek "said Yugoslavia must be enabled to participate in the
OSCE work... [he] underscored it was his personal goal that Yugoslavia take
its place in the OSCE, for which cooperation is important, and meeting
obligations stemming from Security Council resolutions and OSCE documents."
Agence France Presse noted Monday that "early Monday, Vollebaek met
Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle, who said his church was ready to
'cooperate with the OSCE' in a search for a peaceful solution of the Kosovo
crisis, the official Yugoslav agency Tanjug reported."
Reuters reported January 9 that in a statement just prior to the shelling
of several villages in the Podujevo region by JNA tanks, "international
monitors in Kosovo blamed ethnic Albanian guerrillas on Saturday for
increased tension in the province and praised what they called the
restraint shown by Yugoslav government forces. A statement by the
KVM...said: 'KVM wishes to state that irresponsible actions by the KLA
since yesterday (Friday) morning are the main reasons for a considerable
increase of tension in Kosovo.' It said KLA guerrillas had staged 'a
meticulously planned ambush' against a Serbian police convoy on Friday,
killing three policemen... 'KVM wishes to make it clear that it finds the
reaction by Yugoslav authorities to these KLA provocations has been to this
point very restrained ... The representatives of the Yugoslav authorities
have shown a willingness to cooperate in the present situation.' "
Reuters noted a statement from France's Foreign Ministry January 9 that
"said Paris completely agreed with a Kosovo Verification Mission statement
blaming KLA guerrillas for initiating the flare-up and praising what it
called restraint by Yugoslav forces."
Reuters reported January 8 that "asked who bore the brunt of the blame -
something NATO allies appear to differ on - [acting chief of KVM Frenchman]
Keller said: "I would say both sides are to be blamed. Generally speaking,
I would say that the KLA is responsible for most provocations and the
Yugoslav authorities and Serb police are responsible sometimes for
exaggerated actions or are reacting heavy-handedly."
During a January 8 press briefing in Washington, OSCE-KVM mission chief
Walker said that the conflict in Kosovo comes "from the events of last
summer and into the fall, from the way this government, which has
responsibility for treating the people of Kosovo, you know, equally and
indiscriminately, they do not perform those tasks very well. And I think
much of the genesis of the violence derives from that, that particular lack
of decent governance in Kosovo."
Reuters said January 8 that after three Serbian policemen in Kosovo were
reported killed, NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark "said... 'we call on
both sides to stop. This is a critical period in which diplomacy must take
charge...to resolve these issues peacefully'... But he made clear who he
believed was to blame for triggering the wave of violence that threatens to
bury the October truce. 'The cycle of instability and violence began with
repression...that has led to a military response that in turn provokes
additional military reactions. It is a spiral of violence.' "
Reuters reported that NATO Secretary General Solana said in a January 9
interview with Paris daily Le Figaro: "We are in a difficult period... From
the military point of view, everything is in place. NATO cannot go any
further without resorting to force. The international community can hardly
be more mobilized. Now we must relaunch the political process. I hope the
Contact Group will take an initiative in the next few days.' Solana
said...Milosevic bore the 'historic responsibility' for the crisis because
he took away the majority Albanian region's autonomous status within
Serbia. 'But the two parties share the responsibility to keep the
ceasefire,' he added."
News agency Interfax (Moscow) said January 6 that according to a Russian
Foreign Ministry statement, Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, stressed
in a meeting with Yugoslavia's ambassador to Russia Borislav Milosevic "
'how important it is for direct talks on the drafting of an interim
agreement on Kosovo to start as soon as possible between the Belgrade
authorities and representatives of the Kosovo Albanians'... The actions of
terrorists and extremists which destabilize the situation in the area must
not be allowed to wreck the process of finding a political settlement, the
minister pointed out."
Radio B-92 reported January 8 that "European Union experts will meet on
Monday to discuss European policy on Yugoslavia and Kosovo, according to a
Brussels news agency. The meeting will discuss the position of EU special
envoy in Kosovo, Wolfgang Petritsch. Also on the agenda will be the
possibility of establishing a democratisation mission in Yugoslavia, to be
headed by former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales."
Agence France Presse noted Monday that "early Monday, Vollebaek met
Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle, who said his church was ready to
'cooperate with the OSCE' in a search for a peaceful solution of the Kosovo
crisis, the official Yugoslav agency Tanjug reported."
VIII. POLITICAL STATUS NEGOTIATIONS
Reuters reported Monday that "Pristina was buzzing with top-level
diplomatic activity. US mediator Chris Hill and the Austrian and Russian
ambassadors to Belgrade were there, having closed-door talks. Austrian
envoy Wolfgang Petrisch told reporters his meeting had discussed ways of
bringing the...ethnic Albanian side into talks on a future political
settlement." According to Radio 21, yesterday Petrisch discussed
"completing a common negotiating team" with the current Kosovo Albanian
negotiating team, the opposition, and the KLA, and commented: "They are all
aware of the necessity of a broad-based negotiating team that would really
represent all political forces in Kosovo."
Reuters noted January 9 that "in Paris, a Foreign Ministry statement said
the renewed fighting 'again demonstrated it is absolutely necessary for the
opposing parties to begin talks as soon as possible to reach a political
settlement based on wide autonomy for Kosovo.' "
In an interview with OSCE-KVM chief William Walker, the Los Angeles Times
noted that "Walker said he is especially pessimistic about the progress of
negotiations between ethnic Albanians and Serbs... 'the negotiating process
is moribund right now,' Walker said."
IX. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Agence France Presse January 8 cited Daan Everts, OSCE's representative in
Albania: " 'The north of Albania serves as a training base for the KLA,
which is preparing for a war option in the event that political
negotiations break down... There's no denying that the north of Albania is
a training base for the KLA, which is preparing for battle.' He added that
the northern region was 'completely out of the control of the government in
Tirana, which, even if it wanted to, does not have the police or military
force to patrol the border.' "
Deutsche Presse Agentur said Albanian state radio reported Monday that
"Albanian authorities have invited [Kosovo "President"] Ibrahim Rugova to
visit Tirana for unity talks... There was no immediate indication whether
Rugova had accepted the invitation. Acceptance would further indicate
Tirana's growing role in patching up differences among Kosovo Albanian
leaders. State radio Tirana also reported the leader of the self-styled
government of republic of Kosovo Bujar Bukoshi was in Tirana for talks with
[Albania's] Prime Minister Pandeli Majko and other government leaders...
According to state television, the visits have been made possible after the
Albanian government and opposition agreed jointly to support the right of
Kosovo Albanians to self-determination... Albanian president Rexhep Meidani
said last week that Albanian politicians on both sides of the border should
agree on a common platform for the future of the province."
Albania's state TV noted January 8 that Rexhep Qosja, chairman of the
United Democratic Movement of Kosovo (LBD - an alliance of six ethnic
Albanian parties opposed to the LDK) also visited Tirana, saying: "The
Albanian government considered it reasonable to hold talks here with the
representatives of the Albanian national and political parties and
organizations with the aim of uniting their political opinions so that they
speak in one voice on the Kosovo issue... I would like the Albanian
government...to continue its efforts so that Albanians in Kosovo are united
and speak with one voice."
The Serbian Radical Party, junior member of Serbia's ruling coalition, was
quoted by Tanjug January 8: "The separatist ambitions of Albanian terrorist
gangs are daily being stirred by the political like-minded people and top
officials in Albania, which has been a nest of terrorists from the very
beginning of the crisis in Kosovo and which has the role of the main
instigator and initiator of crimes committed by Albanian extremists against
Serbian civilians in Serbia's southern province... provocative behavior by
the leadership of the Republic of Albania...represents an opportunity for
international institutions and organizations, especially the United
Nations, to regain trust by condemning these and taking specific measures."
Reuters noted January 11 that "Albania accused Yugoslavia of violating its
airspace for a second time in three days, the state-owned ATA news agency
reported. An interior ministry spokesman told ATA that...on Sunday, a
Yugoslav plane violated Albanian airspace in the district of Kukes, 149
miles northeast of Tirana. 'The Serb plane flew to Morine village entering
500 meters [1,640 feet] into our territory,' ATA quoted the spokesman as
saying. Tirana had asked Belgrade for an explanation and officials from
both countries would meet soon to discuss the matter, the agency reported.
Last Thursday. Albania said Serb planes and helicopters violated its
airspace in the districts of Kukes and Has."
X. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN KOSOVO
Radio B-92 reported today that "about a hundred Serbs today attended a
protest rally held by the Serbian Resistance Movement in Pristina. Serb
leader Momcilo Trajkovic blamed the poor turnout on pressure on Serbs, who
were unable to leave their locked factories and offices. The organisers of
the protest gave up the idea of a protest march through the streets of
Pristina and announced that they would organise another protest soon."
Radio 21 reported Trajkovic said: "We are not organizing protests against
Albanians. They are directed against the Serb regime, which is not ready to
solve the Kosovo problem in a democratic way."
Agence France Presse reported that "around 500 Kosovo Serbs demonstrated
Monday against the Belgrade government... the demonstrators gathered in a
sports hall shouting "treason, treason," and vowing to renew their
anti-Belgrade protest on Wednesday. Momcilo Trajkovic, leader of the
Serbian Resistance Movement - Democratic Movement, said: 'The Serbs of
Kosovo have been abandoned [by the Belgrade authorities]... They have to
take charge of their fate and play a political role."
BETA reported January 7 that Serbia's former minister for family affairs,
Serbian Radical Party member Radmila Trajkovic (no relation), "said...that
the residents of Pristina are in the 'state of preparedness' to fight alone
against Albanian terrorists in Kosovo. 'We are simply ready to fight
Albanian terrorists alone, for the sake of dignity and honor of Serbia,
regardless of whether it comes to our help or not,' Trajkovic told Studio B
television... According to...Trajkovic, the residents of Preoce are
'disgusted by the ineffective reaction by the state.' They said that the
largest number of murders and attacks occured in the places visited by the
US verifiers and that most trenches were dug and preparations by Albanian
terrorists for new offences carried out in those areas, Trajkovic said."
XI. BELGRADE ON KOSOVO
Radio B-92 reported a January 9 statement by the Serbian Renewal Movement
(headed by one-time Zajedno opposition coalition member Vuk Draskovic):
"The killings of policemen and soldiers carrying out their regular duties,
as well as of citizens loyal to their country, and other crimes inspired by
Nazi ideology, have been going on for months, and yet the international
community keeps the hands of our country tied, preventing it from striking
a final blow to terrorists. This goes far beyond any restrictions imposed
by international law and common sense."
Radio B-92 also cited Democratic Party head Zoran Djindjic at a January 8
news conference: "A ray of hope is provided by the Kosovo Serbs' attempt to
organize themselves, to represent their own interests, to do what the state
cannot do for them, to represent their interests in international
negotiations and to show that they are players and living human beings and
not chess pieces which Milosevic can move left or right."
The Times (London) reported January 8 that "Patriarch Pavle, Serbia's
Orthodox leader, in his sermon to the nation Wednesday night...said: 'Who
has the most sheep in the field, that is his field.' If the message had
been too oblique for some, he then added: 'Multiply yourselves.' The frail
85-year-old is no stranger to controversy... By raising the issue of
Serbia's declining birth rate, he again runs the risk of falling foul of a
Government determined to bury the issue of the dwindling number of Serbs in
the country's southern province."
