Kosova Daily Report #1464, 98-06-18

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1464
Prishtina, 18 June 1998

CONTENTS

[01] President Rugova Receives Russian Diplomat

[02] Kosova Government to Appoint Executive Authorities in Attacked Areas

[03] Planning for Nato Response to Kosova Crisis Is "Proceeding Rapidly", Gelbard Says

[04] Milosevic's Offer to Resume Dialogue with Prishtina, a "Red Herring"

[05] Albanian Sources Cannot Confirm Serb Reports of Albanians Killed at the Border

[06] Serb Police Orders Burial of Four Unidentified Men in Gjakova

[07] Serb Police Shoot Albanian Villager in His Courtyard in Shtime

[08] Two Serbs Killed in Kosova Wednesday

[09] Montenegrin Parliament Calls for Withdrawal of Conscripts from Kosova

[01] President Rugova Receives Russian Diplomat

Germasimov, Minister-Counsellor in the Russian Embassy in Belgrade.

The Russian diplomat briefed President Rugova on the Yeltsin- Milosevic meeting in Moscow on Tuesday.

Rugova said resumption of the talks process between Prishtina and Belgrade should be preceded by a halt to Serbian operations as well as the pull-out of Serbian forces from Kosova.

The President of Kosova said an independent and neutral Kosova, with all guarantees for local Serbs, is the best arrangement. It would stabilize the entire south-eastern Europe, Rugova concluded.

[02] Kosova Government to Appoint Executive Authorities in Attacked Areas

Prime Minister Bujar Bukoshi briefed the political representatives about the activities of the Government against this background.

There was agreement between the Government ministers and Kosova political leaders that concerted efforts were needed to handle the situation in the most efficient way.

The Prime Minister informed the political party representatives that the Government will appoint people with full executive authorities in the municipalities under a direct Serb aggression to organize survival and self- defense, a statement from the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Kosova said.

[03] Planning for Nato Response to Kosova Crisis Is "Proceeding Rapidly", Gelbard Says

Milosevic's offer to withdraw troops from Kosovo only after "terrorist" acts by the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army ended is "way, way less" than what major powers demanded at a meeting in London last Friday, he said.

Milosevic's offer to resume dialogue with Kosovar Albanians is a "red herring" because it was the Kosovar Albanians who understandably halted the negotiations in the face of coercion and intimidation by Serb military forces, he said.

"There will be another urgent meeting of the Contact Group in the next few days", Gelbard said.

He spoke at a State Department seminar for regional media.

NATO contingency planning for possible military action to prevent the Kosova conflict from broadening to regional war "is proceeding quite rapidly given the gravity of the situation," the U.S. envoy said.

Gelbard also stressed the Contact Group demand that Milosevic accept direct international intervention in the Prishtina-Belgrade talks and that the negotiations be continuous, not episodic, news agencies reported.

"Milosevic needs to accept direct international involvement in the talks," Gelbard said during a symposium for reporters from newspapers based outside of Washington or New York.

[04] Milosevic's Offer to Resume Dialogue with Prishtina, a "Red Herring"

Duma's praise for Yeltsin was acknowledgment from traditionally bitter rivals, perhaps the best interpretation of the kind of achievement the Moscow meeting was - Russian support for Milosevic's policies towards Kosova.

Russia was quick to present Milosevic's pledges as a breakthrough.

"The maximum that was possible to do at this time was done," Russian Foreign Minister Primakov told reporters.

Milosevic's promises included a pledge to continue negotiations with Kosova Albanian leaders.

The United States and other Western countries have said Milosevic did not go far enough to comply with international demands, citing first and foremost his refusal to agree to an immediate withdrawal of Serbian security forces from Kosova.

"There was some progress but (Milosevic) did not meet the primary points that the Contact Group raised," U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said.

Milosevic's offer to resume dialogue with Kosova representatives is a "red herring" because it was the Kosovar Albanians who understandably halted the negotiations in the face of coercion and intimidation by Serb military forces, U.S. envoy to the Balkans, Ambassador Robert Gelbard said Wednesday.

Great Britain said Wednesday Milosevic's pledges "fall substantially short" of world demands.

Germany said it would be deeds rather than words that would count.

Russian deputies of the Duma voted by 334 votes to just three against to adopt a resolution praising Yeltsin's mediation and condemning NATO threats to use force if necessary to halt Milosevic's crackdown in Kosova.

Serbian Forces Resume Shelling Border Villages PRISHTINA, June 18 (KIC) - Early morning today (Thursday), Serbian forces resumed shelling the villages of the 'Reka e Keqe' region in the municipality of Gjakova along the Kosova-Albanian border area.

The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said Serb forces were pounding Albanian villages from their position at Babaj i Bok&s, the Pllanik hill and the ^abrati hill.

Blasts were such heavy, their echo reached the town of Gjakova itself, sources said, adding that the shelling lulled at around 10 o'clock.

Since the town and the area under attack are sealed off, it has been virtually impossible to filter information out about the extent of damages and casualties.

Serb reinforcements have been sent into the area today, sources said.

[05] Albanian Sources Cannot Confirm Serb Reports of Albanians Killed at the Border

Unconfirmed reports spoke of several Albanians wounded in fields at the border mined by Serbian forces.

CNN said Serbian forces reported attacked refugees fleeing Kosova in Tuesday, killing two.

A 33-year old man, Adem Selmani, resident of Tropoj&, was shot dead inside Albanian territory by Yugoslav soldiers who fired across the border.

The trek route used by Kosovar fleeing to Albania has been cut off by Yugoslav forces.

There is increasing fear about the safety of thousands of Kosova Albanians who have been on their way to cross to Albanian running for their lives amidst the unfolding Serb offensive against border villages in western and south-western Kosova.

[06] Serb Police Orders Burial of Four Unidentified Men in Gjakova

Quoting Serb police authorities, the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said the three men were Albanians.

They were brought to the town morgue by the Serb army, pending identification for a couple of days.

Meanwhile, sources said that the body of another unidentified man was buried today in the Gjakova cemetery. The corpse was also delivered to the burial home by Serb police.

The bodies of three men, believed to be Albanians, were buried earlier this week in the Peja cemetery.

Serb police prevented the people from opening the coffins under the excuse that they were decomposed.

[07] Serb Police Shoot Albanian Villager in His Courtyard in Shtime

The LDK Information Commission said Serb forces shelled for over three hours yesterday afternoon the Gryka a Carralev&s villages, stretching on both sides of the Prishtina-Prizren roadway.

Serb forces in armored vehicles opened indiscriminate fire on Albanian farmsteads.

Sources in Shtime said there has been a mobilization of local Serbs in the town and the surrounding villages.

Four Serb police carriers were seen Wednesday evening entering the Muzeqina village to collect Serbs mobilizing with the Serb forces.

Local Serbs have over the past two days demolished several shops owned by their Albanian neighbors.

[08] Two Serbs Killed in Kosova Wednesday

The Yugoslav army, which is on regular duties, was fired into by Albanian forces Wednesday near Lluzhnic& village, Serb sources added.

Meanwhile, local Serb daily, Jedinstvo, reported of Albanian forces attacks Wednesday afternoon against the villages of Bic and Grabac in Klina, where 150 Serb households live. Serbs fired back, the newspaper said, adding that there were no casualties.

A similar attack occurred Wednesday morning, Jedinstvo said, adding that local Serbs defended themselves successfully.

Wednesday afternoon, a Serb, named as Zivojin Milic (30), was found dead near Vojtesh village along the Mitrovic&-Sk&nderaj roadway, Serb forces said.

He had been hit with bullets in the head.

[09] Montenegrin Parliament Calls for Withdrawal of Conscripts from Kosova

According to the Serb media, the Montenegrin Parliament resolution urges the 'FRY' President Milosevic to "undertake immediate measures in bringing an end to the violence and promoting confidence in Kosova, pursuant to vital interests of the citizens of Montenegro and citizens of FRY", as well as recommendations of the 12 June Contact Group.

The resolution noted that if Milosevic failed to meet those conditions, the Montenegrin Parliament will demand that citizens of Montenegro serving in Kosova be withdrawn into barracks in Serbia or Montenegro.

Growing Protest of Parents of Serb Soldiers in Kosova PRISHTINA, June 18 (KIC) - While official Belgrade maintains 'Yugoslav' army is not involved in the offensive against Kosovar towns and villages, a growing number of parents in Serbia whose sons have been serving in Kosova have been calling for them to be withdrawn from what they see as a war.

Hungarian parents in the province of Vojvodina have said that would call for their sons to be returned back to their region.

Meanwhile, Nasa Borba reported many parents protested yesterday in Nis, in front of the third army headquarters.

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