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Kosova Daily Report #1439, 98-05-24
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1439
Prishtina, 24 May 1998
CONTENTS
[01] U.S., NATO See Still Need for Eventual Foreign Mediation in Kosova
[02] Albanian Killed During Serb Attack on Bokshiq Village of Klina
[03] Klina Villages Continue Being under Serbian Siege
[04] Six Wounded, Several Houses Damaged at Prejlep and Drenoc Villages of
De^an
[05] Considerable Damage During Five-Hour Serb Attack Against Border
Villages
[01] U.S., NATO See Still Need for Eventual Foreign Mediation in Kosova
PRISHTINA, May 24 (KIC) - The United States still believes international
mediation will be needed to achieve a settlement in Kosova, according to
Undersecretary Thomas Pickering.
Washington temporarily set aside the demand for mediation.
"We were not capable of achieving what we set out to do in terms of having
an international mediator on the scene and participating at the talks from
the beginning. Nevertheless we remain committed to that particular
objective,'' Mr. Pickering told Friday a lunch sponsored by Europe Magazine,
Reuters reported.
"International mediation (is something) which we all believe will need to
be present ... if the parties are to be brought to the kind of agreement
that we seek:, the senior U.S. official was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Javier Solana, the NATO Secretary General pressed for mediation
in the Kosova crisis, too.
Speaking Saturday in Barcelona, he said talks to try to resolve the
conflict in Kosova are promising, but lack a crucial element -
international mediation.
He was referring to talks on Friday between the Kosovar and 'FRY'
negotiating teams meeting in Prishtina.
NATO chief was quoted as saying that in order for any negotiations to be
recognized internationally, they needed to include a foreign mediator.
"The only person who has the mandate from the international community (to
negotiate) is ... Felipe Gonzalez," Solana said.
Felipe Gonzalez, Spain's former Socialist prime minister, is Solana's party
colleague.
[02] Albanian Killed During Serb Attack on Bokshiq Village of Klina
PRISHTINA, May 24 (KIC) - Shaqir Rrustem Zeqiri (26), resident of Bokshiq
village of Klina, has been reported killed during a Serb attack on the
village.
The LDK Information Commission said Shaqir Zeqiri was a mentally-sick
person.
Circumstances of his death remain unknown.
Meanwhile, the funeral of Brahim Ukaj and Bajram Kastrati will take place
today at Zajm village of Klina. The two Albanians were killed in their
homes during a Serb attack.
LDK sources said the Serb police ordered they be buried not in their family
cemetery, but in another cemetery in the village.
[03] Klina Villages Continue Being under Serbian Siege
PRISHTINA, May 24 (KIC) - The villages of Zajm, Grabanic&, Dellov&, Bokshiq,
K&puz and Qeskov& in the municipality of Klina are still sealed off by huge
Serb police and paramilitary forces.
LDK Information Commission in Klina said the villages of Grabanic&, Dellov&,
Bokshiq and Zajm have been turned into real ruins, adding that there may be
more killed people there.
Serb snipers targeted all day long yesterday the Veselaj family compound,
LDK sources said.
The village of Gllarev&, which has been abandoned for weeks now in the wake
of Serb police attacks, has been ravaged and plundered.
[04] Six Wounded, Several Houses Damaged at Prejlep and Drenoc Villages of
De^an
PRISHTINA, May 24 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in De^an reported
that six Albanians were lightly wounded and several houses damaged during
an attack Serbian forces launched against the villages of Prejlep and
Drenoc in the municipality of De^an on Saturday.
Serbian forces targeted the two villages also from a military base at Hulaj
village.
After a three-hour long attack, Serb forces withdraw, having suffered
"considerable losses", local sources said.
The six Albanians wounded yesterday are Riza Isuf Mazrekaj (30), Ramiz
Muzli Tolaj (65), and Rasim Mal& Hulaj (24), all of them Prejlep
inhabitants, Bashkim Sk&nder Dautaj, resident of Carrabregu i Posht&m, and
Tafil Mazrekaj (35) and Ham&z Mazrekaj (32), both residents of Drenoc
village.
They were all wounded by Serb shelling, in their house yards, sources
said.
At Prejlep two dozen houses were burned or damaged from Serb shelling.
The local elementary school was hit, too.
At Carrabreg i Ul&t, namely the Lendina compound, four houses were shelled,
whereas at Drenoc five houses were partly damaged.
The De^an-Gjakov& roadway has been closed to all traffic since morning
today, LDK sources in De^an said.
[05] Considerable Damage During Five-Hour Serb Attack Against Border
Villages
PRISHTINA, May 24 (KIC) - The villages of Morin&, Ponoshec, Smolic&,
Stub&ll, Berjah, etc., in municipality of Gjakova were attacked by Serb
forces for five hours yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and evening, LDK
sources said.
In their attack Serb forces used all kinds of weapons, but met with a
strong resistance from local Albanian villagers defending their homes,
sources said.
There was considerable material damage, but no casualties were reported.
Local Albanian sources could not confirm Serb media reports about the
arrest by Serb forces of five young Albanians at Morin& village.
There is a ubiquitous police presence in the town of Gjakova, reports said,
adding that citizens have been detained and taken to police stations.
Kosova Information Center
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