Voice of America, 99-02-27

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] CLINTON / KOSOVO (S) BY KYLE KING (SAN FRANCISCO)

[02] KOSOVO/VILLAGE (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (RANDOBRAVA)

[01] CLINTON / KOSOVO (S) BY KYLE KING (SAN FRANCISCO)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS SERBS AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS NEED TO RETURN TO PEACE TALKS IN FRANCE NEXT MONTH AND HAMMER OUT AN AGREEMENT ON KOSOVO. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF FOREIGN POLICY AND BUSINESS LEADERS IN SAN FRANCISCO, MR. CLINTON SAID THE UNITED STATES MUST DO ITS PART TO BRING PEACE TO KOSOVO.

MR. CLINTON SAYS NATO IS READY TO HELP IMPLEMENT AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SERBS AND KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS. HE URGED BOTH SIDES TO RETURN TO PEACE TALKS IN FRANCE ON MARCH 15TH AND SIGN AN AGREEMENT.

IN THE MEANTIME, PRESIDENT (SLOBODAN) MILOSEVIC MUST UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TIME FOR RESTRAINT NOT REPRESSION. AND IF HE DOES NOT, NATO IS PREPARED TO ACT.

MR. CLINTON'S COMMENTS CAME AS SERB FORCES APPEARED TO BE MASSING FOR A NEW CRACKDOWN AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS. THE PRESIDENT SAYS SERBIA MUST GIVE THE PEOPLE OF KOSOVO THE AUTONOMY THEY NEED TO CONTROL THEIR LIVES. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/WTW
26-Feb-99 7:37 PM EST (0037 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] KOSOVO/VILLAGE (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (RANDOBRAVA)

INTRO: SPORADIC FIGHTING IS CONTINUING IN KOSOVO AS SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES STEP UP THEIR PRESENCE ACROSS THE PROVINCE. IN THE VILLAGE OF RANDOBRAVA, 80 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF PRISTINA, ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGERS SAY TWO PERSONS WERE KILLED BY SERBIAN FORCES WHO ENTERED THE VILLAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WEEKS. PHILIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM RANDOBRAVA.

TEXT: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM WALKER, CHIEF OF THE KOSOVO VERIFICATION MISSION, WARNS THAT SERBIAN FORCES APPARENTLY WANT TO SHOW THEY HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OVER KOSOVO.

INCREASED SERB SECURITY PATROLS AND FIGHTING BETWEEN SERBS AND ALBANIANS ARE HAPPENING IN ADVANCE OF A NEW ROUND OF KOSOVO PEACE TALKS SCHEDULED FOR MID-MARCH IN FRANCE.

WESTERN MONITORS SAY THE SERBIAN FORCES SEEM TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A REDUCED THREAT OF NATO AIR STRIKES TO PUT A MILITARY STRANGLEHOLD ON THE PROVINCE.

THEY BELIEVE YUGOSLAV LEADERS WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR BARGAINING POSITION AT THE PEACE TALKS.

IN THE VILLAGE OF RANDOBRAVA ON FRIDAY, SERBIAN FORCES ENTERED A TENSE AREA ON WHAT THEY TOLD WESTERN MONITORS WAS A SEARCH FOR TERRORISTS.

SIMON GERRY, A BRITISH SPOKESMAN FOR THE VERIFICATION MISSION, SAYS THAT MONITORS WATCHED THE INCURSION FROM THE EDGE OF THE VILLAGE AND THEN DISCOVERED TWO DEAD ALBANIAN CIVILIANS.

UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE THE POLICE STARTED WITHDRAWING AND WE GOT RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE VILLAGE AND WE DISCOVERED TWO BODIES OF MALE CIVILIAN ALBANIANS AND ONE WOUNDED WOMAN.

THE BRITISH SPOKESMAN BLAMED THE SERBIAN FORCES FOR OTHER PROVOCATIVE ACTS ACROSS SOUTHERN KOSOVO.

RONDOBRAVA VILLAGERS TOLD V-O-A THAT MORE THAN 60 SERBIAN SPECIAL POLICE FORCES ENTERED THE TOWN. ONE MAN SAID HIS BROTHER, 65-YEAR-OLD MUHAMET KABASHI, WAS KILLED WHEN HE TRIED TO HELP HIS WOUNDED WIFE IN THE FAMILY COURTYARD.

VILLAGERS SAID ANOTHER MAN WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD AT CLOSE RANGE. WESTERN MONITORS SAID THE BODIES WERE REMOVED BY THE SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES. ALL THAT WAS LEFT AT THE SCENE WAS A BLOODY PLASTIC GLOVE ALONG WITH SEVERAL SPENT CARTRIDGES. (SIGNED)
NEB/PS/DW/GE
27-Feb-99 12:19 PM EST (1719 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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