Kosova Daily Report #1468, 98-06-22
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1468
Prishtina, 22 June 1998
CONTENTS
[01] President Rugova to Meet Solana, Holbrooke
[02] President Rugova Meets Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
[03] Afanasyevsky Says "Difficult and Complex" Issues Were Discussed in
Prishtina
[04] Dr. Agani: Serb Offensive against Albanian Civilians Has Blocked
Negotiations
[05] Three Busloads of Albanians, Held by Serb Police, Driven to Raska
[06] Heavy Serbian Shelling of Gjakova Villages Overnight
[07] Over 500 shells hit the villages of Smolic& in 48 hours
[08] Serbian Military Convoy Heads for Gjakova Today
[09] Serbs Attack, Albanians Resist in Klina Villages
[10] Two Albanian Doctors in Serb Custody
[01] President Rugova to Meet Solana, Holbrooke
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr.
Ibrahim Rugova leaves tomorrow (Tuesday) for Brussels for a meeting with
NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana.
En route to Brussels, President Rugova will meet in Shkup (FYROM) with the
newly nominated U.S. ambassador to the UN, Richard Holbrooke.
The U.S. Balkan troubleshooter, Ambassador Holbrooke, will be on a trip to
Kosova, sources tell the KIC.
[02] President Rugova Meets Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr
Ibrahim Rugova received today in Prishtina Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister
Nikolai Afanasyevsky and his aides.
The most recent developments in Kosova were discussed, as well as ways to
de-escalate the dramatic situation so as to create conditions for a
negotiated settlement to the Kosova issue.
The Russian diplomat briefed Rugova on the contents of the meeting
President Yeltsin of Russia had with 'FRY' President Milosevic in Moscow
last week.
Afanasyevsky said his country stands for a resolution in Kosova through
dialogue and presses for a resumption of the talks process.
President Rugova said Belgrade should comply with all the demands of the
Contact Group first for the negotiations to resume.
The Kosova leader pressed for an urgent international intervention to force
Belgrade pull out its military and police forces from Kosova, and bring an
end to its aggression and ethnic cleansing of Albanians. A great number of
people in central and western Kosova fled their homes following Serb
massacres and amidst the unfolding military offensive, Rugova said, adding
that many Albanians were forcefully driven out and made to flee to
Albania.
Kosova was one of the eight equitable units of the former Yugoslavia, and
when the latter was disintegrated, the people of Kosova opted in a national
referendum for an independent state, Ibrahim Rugova said. "An independent
and neutral Kosova, with all guarantees for local Serbs, is the best
solution", the President concluded.
[03] Afanasyevsky Says "Difficult and Complex" Issues Were Discussed in
Prishtina
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - Nikolai Afanasyevsky, the Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister, talked to reporters in Prishtina after meetings he had with
President of the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova and his negotiating
team for talks with 'FRY' representatives.
His trip to Belgrade and Prishtina was aimed at efforts to an early
resumption of Albanian-Serbian negotiations, Afanasyevsky said, adding that
the commitments made in the Yeltsin-Milosevic statement of the last week
paved the way for the resumption of talks.
He noted Belgrade's willingness to press ahead with them, as well as
Rugova's commitment to peaceful means.
Afanasyevsky then elaborated more or less on what the statement of the
Russian and 'Yugoslav' President said.
The commitment not to attack the civilian population should be honoured, he
said, adding that "all terrorist activities" should be brought to an end.
In his meetings with Kosova leaders today, "difficult and complex issues"
were discussed, the Russian diplomat said.
Asked by reporters to say whether the Russians would support the withdrawal
of Serbian forces from Kosova, the main point of the Contact Group demands,
Afanasyevsky said "the Security Council and the Contact Group demanded that
the Kosova leadership condemn terrorism and distance itself from terrorist
activities in Kosova".
Asked to comment on the fact that over 50 percent of the Albanian victims
in Kosova were women, children and elderly, Afanasyevsky said his country
and other members in the international community had condemned the
"excessive use" of forces by Serbian forces.
It was not only Russia that opposed Nato intervention in Kosova, the
Russian diplomat said.
[04] Dr. Agani: Serb Offensive against Albanian Civilians Has Blocked
Negotiations
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - After meeting with the Russian diplomat Nikolai
Afanasyevsky, Dr. Fehmi Agani, coordinator of the Kosovar negotiating team
for talks with Milosevic's team, told reporters Russia's position for a
peaceful solution to the Kosova issue was welcome.
"We expressed our position that Serbia/Yugoslavia, by embarking on
offensive operations against the Albanian civilian population, has blocked
the negotiating process", Dr. Agani said.
He went on to say that "the road towards resumption of the negotiating
process is the respecting of the demands put forward by the Contact
Group".
The Kosovar side notes that in the Moscow statement, the key point is
lacking: withdrawal of the Serbian forces of repression in Kosova, Dr.
Fehmi Agani said. "Without this, the process of the return of refugees back
to their homes, as well as the resumption of the process of negotiations is
impossible".
Asked to say whether the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) was a topic of
discussions today, Agani said the Albanian side stressed it was "a movement
of rebellion".
[05] Three Busloads of Albanians, Held by Serb Police, Driven to Raska
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - Three busloads of Albanians, thought to be held
captive/prisoners of war by Serb police, passed through the town of Novi
Pazar Sunday at 11:00 hrs., heading for Raska, the Information Service of
the National Council for the Bosniaks of Sandjak in Novi Pazar said.
The Albanian prisoners had evident signs of injuries about the face and the
head, Bosniak sources said, adding that they raised their hand-cuffed hands
while passing to indicate they were held as captives.
The convoy of buses and police cars escorting them stopped for a while just
before entering the town of Novi Pazar, near a gas station, because a bus
needed repair.
During this time, policemen armed with automatic weapons, prevented
citizens from approaching the cavalcade, the National Council for the
Bosniaks of Sandjak said.
[06] Heavy Serbian Shelling of Gjakova Villages Overnight
[07] Over 500 shells hit the villages of Smolic& in 48 hours
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - The villages of the 'Reka e Keqe' region in the
municipality of Gjakova, along the border area with Albania, found
themselves under a fierce artillery attack by Serbian military and police
forces, local sources said.
The shelling and heavy detonations started at around 20:30 hrs, from Serb
positions in 'Suka e Biteshit', 'Kodra e ^abratit', 'Babaj i Bok&s' and
other drive-by positions.
Heavy detonations echoed in the ears of the fear-stricken citizens of the
town of Gjakova, sources said, adding that the extent of damage from
shelling in the villages of Nec, Stub&ll, Berjah, Smolic&, Brovin& and
Morin&, is still unknown.
In the past 48 hours, more than 500 shells hit the village of Smolic&
alone.
Serbian forces launched a heavy shelling of the Reka e Keqe villages around
04:30 a.m. today (Monday), the LDK Information Commission said.
From the above-mentioned positions and others, Serb forces shelled the
villages of the De^an district, such as Grama^el, Baballoq, and Gllogjan.
The local population has been putting up a fierce resistance, sources
said.
There is an alarmingly deteriorating situation in the De^an district after
several weeks of Serb offensive and blockade.
There were long queues today in front of bakeries and other shops in the
town of Gjakova, the LDK Information Commission said.
[08] Serbian Military Convoy Heads for Gjakova Today
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - A Serbian military convoy was seen today
(Monday) morning, around 10:20, passing through Krush& e Madhe village,
heading in the direction of Gjakova.
The convoy, said to have arrived from Prizren, consisted of four tanks,
four military lorries, three armoured personnel carriers, 7 Yugoslav-made
TAM lorries with cannons trailed on them, a transporter lorry with a cannon,
four jeeps, nine armoured vehicles with anti-aircraft guns, as well as
accessory equipment.
Serb Forces Shell Shtime Villages Today
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - Around 10:20 hrs today, Serbian forces resumed
shelling the villages of the Carraleva mountain pass.
Serb military and police have been shelling also the hillside between the
villages of Belinc and Re^ak in the municipality of Shtime, LDK sources
said.
Serbs have been pounding the Albanian villages from their position at the
'Kryqi i Belincit'.
High-caliber weaponry has been reportedly used today. The sound of heavy
blasts could be heard in the small town of Shtime, local sources said.
There have been no immediate reports about the extent of damage or possible
casualties.
Serbian forces attacked these village yesterday, too.
Serb artillery fire targeted three Albanian family compounds: Latifi,
Smajli and Emini.
Meanwhile, LDK sources from Shtime reported that Mr. Ali Sadriu, chairman
of the LDK branch in Shtime, who was arrested and ill- treated by Serb
security Saturday, reported back to the police in Ferizaj ('Urosevac')
today morning, as he had been ordered.
After a quarter of an hour, he was told he would not be questioned, but
rather be free to get back home.
[09] Serbs Attack, Albanians Resist in Klina Villages
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - There as fighting yesterday (Sunday) in many
Klina villages between Serbian paramilitary forces and the local Albanian
resistance fighters, including the U^K, defending their homes, the LDK
Information Commission in Klina said.
There were fierce clashes in the village of Dush, which has an ethnically
mixed population.
A local Serb villager is known to have died, and the population to have
deserted the village, sources said.
The village of Dush is near the Serb police checkpoint at Pograxh&, and the
Mushrooms Factory at Jashanic&, where police have been stationed.
It is from these positions that Serbs have been shelling on a daily basis
the surrounding villages of Jashanic&, Jellovc, Resnik and villages in the
neighbouring municipality of Skenderaj ('Srbica').
Population have left the villages of Jellovc and Resnik.
There was gunfire yesterday in the villages of Grapc and Bingj&, mainly
Serb populated, in which heavily-armed Serb forces have been deployed, as
well as in the villages of Shtupel, Kerrnic&, Ozdrim, sources said.
Life in the town of Klina is very dangerous, the said, adding that
Albanians do not dare go out because of a heavy Serb build-up, including
the Serb armed population which has arrived here after having left the
villages of Grapc, Bingj&, Shtupel, and Dush.
[10] Two Albanian Doctors in Serb Custody
PRISHTINA, June 22 (KIC) - Two Albanian doctors, residents of the
municipality of Gllogovc, Dr. Xhevat Avdiaj and Dr. Anton Gegaj, have been
in Serb custody for ethno-political-medical reasons.
Dr. Avdijaj has been in detention for more than a month for having given
medical help to an Albanian shot and wounded by Serb forces.
Dr. Gegaj, employee with the Health Center in Klina, was arrested on 19
June and taken to the Peja detention center, accused of "negligence in
offering medical assistance".
This 'negligence' is assumed to have been related to the fact that Serb
wounded policemen had been taken to the Health Center the day Dr. Anton
Gegaj was arrested.
Kosova Information Center
|
