United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-06-18

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, 18 June, 1999

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General appeals to all Kosovars to show "utmost restraint and patience".
• UN advance team in Kosovo pushes ahead with efforts to restore basic services.
• UN refugee agency receives pledges of cooperation from Kosovo Liberation Army.

"The United Nations and KFOR are committed to helping you -- the people of Kosovo -- create a peaceful, democratic and multi- ethnic society," the Secretary-General said in a statement.

Mr. Annan also urged the Kosovar Albanian population to return to their homes -- but to be patient and do so with the assistance of the international security force known as KFOR and the United Nations. "I urge the Serbian population in Kosovo to remain in their homes and to do their part to return Kosovo to a life of peaceful coexistence amongst all communities," he said.

The Secretary-General stressed in his appeal that the United Nations and KFOR were committed to ensuring the safety and security of all the people of Kosovo, regardless of ethnic background.

"I urge all parties to recommit themselves to creating a life of peaceful coexistence, which is the foundation for lasting peace in Kosovo, and throughout the region," Mr. Annan said.

The Mine Action centre will open in Kosovo's capital Pristina by early next week, according to a UN spokesman. The international military presence known as KFOR is responsible for supervising demining until the civilian component of the UN mission in Kosovo can assume responsibility. Currently, there are four civilian deminers in Kosovo and more are on the way, said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vieira de Mello's staff concluded an agreement on Friday with the Power and Water Authority in Kosovo. The spokesman said the agreement will provide more security to technicians working to restore service. Parts of Pristina had water on Friday.

Mr. Vieira de Mello, who is acting head of the UN Civil Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), also visited by helicopter areas where widespread destruction and displacement has been reported, including the towns of Djakovia, Pec, Drnica and Orahovac.

KLA leaders told Assistant High Commissioner Soren Jessen- Petersen that they would caution refugees against rushing to return to their homes until Kosovo was declared safe by the international security force known as KFOR.

More than 50,000 Kosovars have headed home from neighbouring countries in the last three days and more are on their way. UNHCR said it wants the refugees to return soon, but feels they must go back safely. The UN agency said many parts of Kosovo remain insecure, the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops is still under way and there has been no thorough survey of the landmines and unexploded ordnance which litter the countryside.

In response to Mr. Jessen-Petersen's statement that it would be a pity if peace in Kosovo began with an exodus of Serbian civilians, the KLA said its members would act with restraint in dealing with the local Serb population. It also said it will let the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia deal with war crimes suspects.

Meanwhile, UNHCR and the World Health Organization say they need more medical staff. UNHCR has appealed to Kosovar professionals -- doctors, engineers, administrators, judges and lawyers -- to return to help rebuild Kosovo's war-damaged infrastructure. The agency estimates that 50,000-60, 000 Serbs have left Kosovo in the last three weeks.

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

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