United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-06-15

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 15 June, 1999

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• UN refugee agency alarmed by Serb exodus from Kosovo.
• Concerned about naval confrontation, Secretary-General urges improved dialogue in Korean Peninsula.

The UN agency said it was witnessing the same pattern of displacements of Serbs seen in Western Slavonia in December 1991, in the Krajina and August 1995 and in Sarajevo after the 1995 Dayton peace agreement.

The High Commissioner's Special Envoy, Dennis McNamara, discussed the outflow of Serb civilians with Lieutenant General Michael Jackson, the commander of the Kosovo Force (KFOR). The General confirmed that his troops would do their best to provide security for all of Kosovo's citizens, but stressed that under the circumstances, there was unfortunately a limit to what could be done.

In an effort to stabilize the situation, UNHCR is also talking to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and to the Serbian leadership in Kosovo. However, the agency said tensions were high and there were likely to be more departures.

Serbs arriving in Montenegro say they fear reprisals and are uncertain of their future in Kosovo. UNHCR is using both local radio and international networks to send out the message that KFOR troops will provide security to all people regardless of ethnicity.

UNHCR estimates 13,000 Serbs have crossed into Montenegro since Thursday but it is not known how many Serbs are crossing directly into Serbia. The Serb population of Kosovo is estimated at between 100,000 and 200,000 people.

At the same time, UNHCR reported a rush of refugees returning to Kosovo from neighbouring countries. People in cars, tractor trailers and on foot were lined up at the borders of Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

UNHCR estimates more than 3,000 refugees in vehicles and an indeterminate number on foot crossed back into Kosovo on Tuesday. At least one mine explosion on the Kosovo side of the Blace border crossing killed one returnee and injured another. Three people from Albania were also injured in a separate mine explosion. According to UNHCR many of the returnees were men, apparently going to their home towns for look-and-see visits.

Meanwhile, UNHCR teams in Kosovo fanned out to assess conditions in and around Pristina, Glogovac and in Prizren near the border with Albania. On Monday, a multi-agency convoy took emergency supplies to Glogovac, where 20, 000 displaced people have swollen the town's original population of 4,000. People said they had received no relief in the last two and half months and had to scrounge for food in the hills. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that many people, particularly children, would need nutritional attention.

Fred Eckhard, the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, told a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York that Mr. Annan had urged both sides to resolve their differences through peaceful means.

"The Secretary-General strongly encourages the two countries to further develop and strengthen their dialogue with a view to normalizing the overall situation in the Korean Peninsula," Mr. Eckhard said.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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