Finnische Experten untersuchen Berichte über Kosovo-Massaker
Belgrad/Pristina (dpa) - Ein finnisches Expertenteam soll Berichte über ein Massaker serbischer Einheiten an albanischen Zivilisten in Gornje Obrinje im Kosovo untersuchen. Der Sender B 92 (Belgrad) berichtete, die medizinischen Experten seien am Freitag im Auftrag der Europäischen Union (EU) in Pristina, der Hauptstadt der Provinz im Süden Jugoslawiens, eingetroffen.
     Die EU-Außenminister hatten Anfang des Monats die Behörden in Belgrad aufgerufen, Berichte über Massaker an Flüchtlingen sofort zu untersuchen und Verantwortliche zu bestrafen. In Gornje Obrinje sollen nach albanischen Angaben mindestens 26 Personen, darunter Frauen und Kinder getötet worden sein. Westliche Journalisten hatten darüber berichtet, nachdem sie die Leichen gesehen hatten.
© dpa

Moskau warnt Albaner und Serben - Nato-Militärs nach Belgrad
Moskau/Brüssel/Pristina (dpa) - Rußland hat die Konfliktparteien im Kosovo am Freitag davor gewarnt, die Arbeit der internationalen Beobachter und humanitären Organisationen zu behindern. Die Resolution des UN-Weltsicherheitsrats müßten beide Seiten erfüllen, betonte der Sprecher des russischen Außenministeriums, Wladimir Rachmanin.
     Die Militärspitze der Nato reist an diesem Samstag zu Gesprächen mit der jugoslawischen Militärführung nach Belgrad, um erneut Druck zu einem schnellen und vollständigen Abzug der serbischen Sondereinheiten von Armee und Polizei aus dem Kosovo zu machen.
     Nach einer Sitzung des Nato-Rates am Freitag in Brüssel verlautete, der Chef des Militärausschusses der Allianz, General Klaus Naumann, und der Oberbefehlshaber der Nato in Europa, General Wesley Clark, werden nach Belgrad fahren.
     Die 16 Nato-Botschafter stellten noch einmal fest, daß der jugoslawische Präsident Slobodan Milosevic die UN-Bedingungen noch immer nicht erfülle. Deshalb soll der militärische Druck des Bündnisses weiter aufrechterhalten werden. Die Nato hat bereits den Aktivierungsbefehl für Luftangriffe beschlossen, die Verwirklichung vorerst aber bis zum kommenden Dienstag ausgesetzt.
     Moskau forderte Serben und Albaner auf, weder die Beobachter der Organisation für Sicherheit und Zusammenarbeit in Europa (OSZE) noch humanitäre Helfer zu behindern. Für die Rückkehr der Flüchtlinge müsse eine Atmosphäre des Vertrauens geschaffen werden. Rußland messe einem raschen Beginn von Verhandlungen zur politischen Beilegung der Krise höchste Bedeutung bei, sagte Rachmanin.
     Milosevic erwartete eine gute Zusammenarbeit seiner Behörden und der Kosovo-Beobachtermission der (OSZE). Das verlautete am Freitag aus der Präsidialkanzlei in Belgrad nach einem Treffen von Milosevic mit dem Leiter der OSZE-Beobachter, William Walker. Die vorgesehenen 2 000 OSZE-Beobachter würden zu einer «umfassenden und objektiven» Feststellung der Lage in der Krisenprovinz beitragen und sollen positiv auf die Intensivierung des politischen Prozesses einwirken, hieß es. Walker wurde am Abend in der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina zu Gesprächen mit der Albanerführung erwartet.
     In Pristina forderte Albanerführer Ibrahim Rugova am Freitag eine Verlängerung des Nato-Aktivierungsbefehls und die Stationierung von Nato-Truppen im Kosovo. «Serbische Einheiten sind weiterhin im Kosovo, die Lage ist schwer und gefährlich», zitierte ihn die Nachrichtenagentur Beta (Belgrad).
     Rugova forderte zudem internationale Garantien, damit alle Flüchtlinge in ihre Dörfer zurückkehren können. Die serbischen Einheiten verließen die Provinz Kosovo nicht, sondern wechselten lediglich ihre Standorte. Deswegen sei zusätzlicher internationaler Druck auf Belgrad nötig, sagte er.
     Albanische Untergrundkämpfer der UCK haben am Donnerstag einen jugoslawischen Soldaten getötet und einen zweiten schwer verletzt. UCK-Kämpfer hätten auf der Landstraße von Pristina nach Pec einen Armeekonvoi aus dem Hinterhalt angegriffen, teilte das Militärkommando in der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina am Freitag mit.
© dpa

Bulgarien will Luftraum für Nato öffnen
Sofia (dpa) - Bulgarien ist bereit, seinen Luftraum für Flüge der Nato zu öffnen. Das geht aus einer Erklärung des Parlaments in Sofia hervor, die am Freitag mit 150 von insgesamt 206 Stimmen verabschiedet wurde. Damit wurde die von der sozialistischen Opposition kritisierte Entscheidung der Regierung verfassungsmäßig bestätigt.
     Bulgarien werde sich «weder direkt noch indirekt» an militärischen Handlungen in Jugoslawien beteiligen, unterstütze jedoch alle noch möglichen Friedensbemühungen. Sofia bestehe darauf, daß Jugoslawien das zwischen dem US-Sondergesandten Richard Holebrooke und dem jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic vereinbarte Abkommen umsetzte, heißt es weiter in der Erklärung.
     Die oppositionelle Sozialistische Partei (frühere KP) kritisierte in der siebenstündigen Parlamentsdebatte die Freigabe des bulgarischen Luftraumes für Flüge der Nato. «Wir wollen nicht, daß der bulgarische Himmel zur Bedrohung des Nachbarstaates Jugoslawien wird», erklärten ihre Redner.
© dpa

Jugoslawischer Soldat im Kosovo getötet
Belgrad/Pristina (dpa) - In der südserbischen Provinz Kosovo haben albanische Untergrundkämpfer der UCK am Donnerstag einen jugoslawischen Soldaten getötet und einen zweiten schwer verletzt. UCK-Kämpfer hätten auf der Landstraße von Pristina nach Pec einen Armeekonvoi aus dem Hinterhalt angegriffen, teilte das Militärkommando in der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina am Freitag mit.
© dpa

Militärspitze der Nato reist nach Belgrad
Brüssel (dpa) - Die Militärspitze der Nato reist an diesem Samstag zu Gesprächen mit der jugoslawischen Militärführung nach Belgrad. Dies verlautete am Freitag in Brüssel nach einer Sitzung des Nato-Rates. Der Chef des Militärausschusses der Allianz, General Klaus Naumann, und der Oberbefehlshaber der Nato in Europa, General Wesley Clark, sollten noch einmal auf einen schnellen und vollständigen Abzug der serbischen Sondereinheiten von Armee und Polizei aus dem Kosovo dringen.
     Die 16 Nato-Botschafter stellten noch einmal fest, daß der jugoslawische Präsident Slobodan Milosevic die UN-Bedingungen noch immer nicht erfülle. Deshalb soll der militärische Druck des Bündnisses weiter aufrechterhalten werden. Die Nato hat bereits den Aktivierungsbefehl für Luftangriffe beschlossen, die Verwirklichung vorerst aber bis zum kommenden Dienstag ausgesetzt.
© dpa

Cap Anamur: Lage der Flüchtlinge im Kosovo weiter furchtbar
Bonn (dpa) - Die Lage der Flüchtlinge im Kosovo ist nach Darstellung des deutschen Hilfskomitees Cap Anamur nach wie vor «furchtbar». Es gebe nach wie vor «keine große Rückkehrbewegung der 50 000 Waldmenschen in ihre kaputten Dörfer», berichtete die Organisation am Freitag in Bonn. Sie verwies gleichzeitig auf den bevorstehenden Winter. Es fehle weiter ein umfassendes Rückkehrprogramm für die insgesamt 350 000 Menschen, die in der Region auf der Flucht seien.
     Cap Amamur reagierte damit auf Darstellungen, wonach es den Flüchtlingen im Kosovo besser gehe, da Lkw mit Nahrungsmitteln wie Milchpulver und Suppenwürfel inzwischen zu den Betroffenen gelangten.
© dpa

Moskau warnt Kosovo-Konfliktparteien vor Behinderung der Beobachter
Moskau (dpa) - Rußland hat die Konfliktparteien im Kosovo am Freitag davor gewarnt, die Arbeit der internationalen Beobachter und humanitären Organisationen in der Krisenprovinz zu behindern. Die Resolution des UN-Sicherheitsrats müßten beide Seiten - Serben und Kosovo-Albaner - erfüllen, betonte der Sprecher des russischen Außenministeriums, Wladimir Rachmanin.
     Für die Rückkehr der Flüchtlinge müsse eine Atmosphäre des Vertrauens geschaffen werden. Rußland messe einem raschen Beginn von Verhandlungen zur politischen Beilegung der Krise höchste Bedeutung bei, sagte Rachmanin. Auch Präsident Boris Jelzin betonte am Freitag noch einmal die Notwendigkeit einer politischen Lösung für das Kosovo.
     Nach Angaben des US-Vermittlers Christopher Hill liegen bereits konkrete Zusagen für die Entsendung von 1 500 Beobachtern der Organisation für Sicherheit und Zusammenarbeit in Europa (OSZE) in das Krisengebiet vor. Diese sollen überprüfen, inwieweit die Führung in Belgrad die in der Resolution des UN-Sicherheitsrats aufgezählten Forderungen erfüllt. Insgesamt soll die OSZE-Mission eine Stärke von 2 000 Personen erreichen.
© dpa

Rugova verlangt Nato-Truppen für das Kosovo
Belgrad/Pristina (dpa) - Der führende politische Vertreter der Kosovo-Albaner, Ibrahim Rugova, hat eine Verlängerung des Nato-Aktivierungsbefehls und die Stationierung von Nato-Truppen in der südserbischen Krisenprovinz verlangt. «Serbische Einheiten sind weiterhin im Kosovo, die Lage ist schwer und gefährlich», zitierte die Nachrichtenagentur Beta (Belgrad) am Freitag den Politiker.
     Rugova verlangte in der Provinzhauptstadt Pristina auch internationale Garantien, damit alle Flüchtlinge in ihre Dörfer zurückkehren können. Die serbischen Einheiten verließen die Provinz Kosovo nicht, sondern wechselten lediglich ihre Standorte. Deswegen sei zusätzlicher internationaler Druck auf Belgrad nötig, sagte er.
© dpa

«The Guardian»: Die Schwächen des Kosovo-Abkommens werden deutlich
London (dpa - Zur Situation im Kosovo schreibt der britische liberale «Guardian» am Freitag:
     «Es hat nicht lange gedauert, bis die grundsätzlichen Schwächen des Kosovo-Abkommens vor Ort zu Tage getreten sind. Ein harter Kern der serbischen Streitkräfte wird die Region nicht verlassen oder gar in die Kasernen zurückkehren, wenn sich die Untergrundarmee (UCK) in den freigemachten Gebieten breit macht. (...) Je erfolgreicher die Nato den Rückzug der Serben verlangt, desto wahrscheinlicher ist es, daß die UCK trotz aller militärischen Schwäche das Vakuum füllt. Das wiederum ruft die Serben zurück (...) Das Durcheinander der Situation kommt Milosovic entgegen. Jetzt kann er auf kleiner Flamme die Feindseligkeiten fortsetzen und ständig argumentieren, ohne daß dies als Provokation empfunden würde, die neue Drohungen mit Luftangriffen auslöst.»
© dpa

«Les Echos»: Russen müssen sich in Kosovo-Krise zu Lager bekennen
Paris (dpa) - Die französische Wirtschaftszeitung «Les Echos» kommentiert am Freitag die Entwicklung der Kosovo-Krise:
     «Die Drohung einer Nato-Intervention im Kosovo erscheint immer weniger glaubwürdig, selbst wenn die Serben in Verzug geraten mit der Umsetzung ihrer Zusagen, die sie am 13. Oktober dem amerikanischen Unterhändler Richard Holbrooke gemacht haben. Gestärkt durch die Unterstützung der Russen, spielt der jugoslawische Präsident Slobodan Milosevic auf Zeit. (...)
     Es ist höchste Zeit, daß Rußland sich dazu bekennt, in welchem Lager es steht. Die Haupt-Darlehensgeber des IWF, die sich darum bemühen, einen Zusammenbruch der russischen Wirtschaft zu verhindern, sind in der Lage, ihre Bedingungen zu diktieren. Die vom Nato-Rat vorgeschlagene russische Beteiligung an der Luftüberwachung im Kosovo muß im Gegenzug ernsthafte Anstrengungen für den Frieden mit einschließen.»
© dpa

Nato-Rat warnt UCK vor Gewalt - Sacharow-Preis für Rugova
Brüssel/Straßburg/Pristina (dpa) - Der Nato-Rat hat am Donnerstag abend die Kosovo-Untergrundarmee UCK vor weiteren Aktionen in der südserbischen Unruheprovinz gewarnt. Die Botschaft der 16-Nato-Vertreter an die UCK lautete, daß ihre Aktionen einen Vorwand für den jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic liefern würden, seine Repressionsmaßnahmen fortzusetzen. Die internationale Gemeinschaft würde weitere Gewaltakte der UCK nicht verstehen, hieß es.
     Zuvor hatte die Allianz ihren Plan «Eagle Eye» (Adlerauge) für die Luftüberwachung des Abzugs der Sicherheitskräfte Belgrads aus dem Kosovo gebilligt. Die Kontrollflüge mit unbewaffneten Aufklärungsmaschinen könnten jederzeit beginnen, verlautete aus dem Hauptquartier in Brüssel.
     Am (heutigen) Freitag morgen will der Nato-Rat erneut zusammentreten. Nato-Generalsekretär Javier Solana, der heute (Freitag) nach Bosnien reisen sollte, wird wegen der angespannten Lage in Brüssel bleiben. Ein Ultimatum der Nato an Milosevic läuft am kommenden Dienstag aus.
     Die Führung in Belgrad kommt ihrer Verpflichtung zum Truppenabzug weiter nur unzureichend nach. Das sagte der US-Vermittler Christopher Hill am Donnerstag in der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina. «Wir sind mit dem Grad der Erfüllung (der UN-Resolution vom 23. September) nicht zufrieden», sagte Hill auf einer Pressekonferenz.
     Der Diplomat bezog sich auf Auflagen des UN-Sicherheitsrates und der internationalen Kontaktgruppe, die Belgrad zu einem Teilabzug der Militär- und Polizeitruppen aus dem Kosovo verpflichten. Außerdem muß die Rückkehr Zehntausender vertriebener Albaner ermöglicht werden. Andernfalls droht die Nato mit Luftangriffen.
     Das Europaparlament vergibt seinen Sacharow-Preis für die Freiheit des Geistes 1998 an den Schriftsteller und politischen Führer der Kosovo-Albaner, Ibrahim Rugova. Die Fraktionsvorsitzenden des Europaparlaments stimmten am Donnerstag in Straßburg für den 1944 in Cerrca geborenen Rugova, der sich seit 1989 für eine friedliche Opposition gegen das serbische Regime in der Provinz einsetzt. Der mit 15 000 Ecu (30 000 Mark) dotierte Preis wird Rugova während der Dezember-Sitzung des Europaparlaments übergeben.
     Unterdessen erklärte sich die UCK offensichtlich bereit, zwei am vergangenen Sonntag entführte serbischen Journalisten dem Internationalen Komitee vom Roten Kreuz (IKRK) zu übergeben. Das habe ein Pressesprecher der UCK-Militärpolizei am Donnerstag gesagt, berichtete die Nachrichtenagentur Beta (Belgrad) aus der Kosovo-Hauptstadt Pristina.
© dpa

Nato-Rat warnt Kosovo-Rebellen vor weiteren Aktionen
Brüssel (dpa) - Der Nato-Rat hat am Donnerstag abend die Kosovo-Untergrundarmee UCK vor weiteren Aktionen in der südserbischen Unruheprovinz gewarnt. Die Botschaft der 16-Nato-Vertreter an die UCK lautete, daß ihre Aktionen einen Vorwand für den jugoslawischen Präsidenten Slobodan Milosevic liefern würden, seine Repressionsmaßnahmen fortzusetzen. Die internationale Gemeinschaft würde weitere Gewaltakte der UCK nicht verstehen, hieß es.
     Die Nato-Botschafter zogen am Donnerstag erneute Bilanz über den Abzug der serbischen Sondereinheiten aus dem Kosovo und kamen zu dem Schluß, daß der Abzug immer noch nicht zufriedenstellend sei. Der Nato-Rat wird am Freitag morgen erneut zusammenkommen. Nato-Generalsekretär Javier Solana, der am Freitag nach Bosnien reisen sollte, wird wegen der angespannten Lage in Brüssel bleiben. Ein Ultimatum der Nato an Milosevic läuft am kommendn Dienstag aus.
© dpa

zurück zu    ==> Teil 1

 Betreff:         Re: The Plain Dealer -Reply
 Datum:         Thu, 22 Oct 1998 19:13:43 -0400
    Von:         Betsy Sullivan <BSULLIVA@plaind.com>
     An:         decani@EUnet.yu

As a matter of fact, here is an analysis from yesterday's paper. I also
had a column Monday that I'll tack on the end.

TAG: 9810210408
LENGTH:   95 lines
EDITION: FINAL / ALL
SECTION: NATIONAL
PAGE: 7A
ILLUSTRATION: BOX: THE ISSUE
The Kosovo deal that headed off NATO bombing of Serbia may wind up just  postponing fighting until next spring, after the usual Balkans winter truce.  Critics warn that raises the possibility of further NATO involvement, including use of ground troops, if there's no political resolution before then.
BYLINE: By ELIZABETH SULLIVAN
FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT

EXPERTS FEAR DEAL IN KOSOVO COULD FUEL BIGGER WAR

   Last week's Kosovo deal will lead to more fighting next spring unless NATO ground troops go in, warn analysts across the ideological spectrum.
   Some fear this is the "slippery slope" that could lead to U.S. casualties in the southern Serb province, where a police crackdown against ethnic Albanian rebels has left hundreds dead.
   Skeptics also worry that 2,000 unarmed civilians who are supposed to patrol Kosovo this winter to verify Serb and Albanian ceasefire compliance will instead become "human shields" against any NATO bombing.
   NATO has extended to Oct. 27 a deadline for Serb troop pullbacks before bombing might occur. Meanwhile, the first observers from the 54-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are arriving.
   Kosovo province is less than a tenth the size of Ohio, but many roads are mined or in the sights of snipers, and travel remains hazardous.
   "My major concern is that the KLA [Kosovo Liberation Army of ethnic Albanian rebels] is regrouping and will launch an offensive in the spring," said Gary Dempsey, a foreign policy analyst with the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute in Washington. The institute opposes U.S. intervention overseas.
   KLA soldiers have either "gone to northern Albania or swapped their military garb for civilian clothes and have simply reintegrated into refugee camps," said Dempsey, who was in Serbia last month.
   The KLA has rejected the Kosovo deal, reached after marathon talks in Belgrade between Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke, and threatened anyone who supports it. No Albanians were party to the talks.
   The KLA announced a ceasefire Oct. 8.
   But over the weekend, three Serb police were killed in apparent KLA attacks, raising concerns that factions opposed to the agreement were out to sabotage it.
   "We will see in the next 48 hours whether it will unravel," said Jonathan Clarke, an adviser to the American Hellenic Institute, who writes frequently on the Balkans.
   "I think it's already beginning to unravel," said Kurt Bassuener, associate director of the Washington-based Balkan Action Council. Unlike Clarke and Dempsey, he thinks the opportunistic violators are the Serbs who have moved an armored column out of barracks to attack Albanian villages.
   Clarke thinks that, for U.S. policy-makers, Kosovo has become a slow-ticking bomb that may be about to "explode in their faces."
   Clarke believes Holbrooke was sent in at the last minute by officials opposed to NATO bombing - a factor that may have severely inhibited Holbrooke's ability to wrest concessions from Milosevic.
   It is impossible to find a copy of the agreement reached with Milosevic, which officials say has not yet been committed to paper.
   Milosevic has signed two related agreements that allow NATO overflights of Kosovo and OSCE verification mission on the ground.
   But critics say the United States, through its military threats, has helped prop up Milosevic when the goal should be to oust him.
   "The real problem is in Belgrade, not in Pristina," said Daniel Serwer, former U.S. special envoy to the Muslim-Croat federation in Bosnia, now retired.
   "We have allowed Milosevic to rule the roost for too long," said Serwer. "We have got to do much, much more on the democracy front, but we're not going to do it by spring, unless we're willing to put troops on the ground."
   "Nothing in this agreement or even in the political settlement that has been proposed is likely to end the likelihood of spring fighting," added Serwer, a senior fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
   Serwer said Milosevic's latest crackdown on dissent - closing opposition newspapers and firing university professors who refuse to sign a loyalty pledge - was a "devastating" blow to "the last of what remains of serious opposition to an anti-democratic, autocratic regime."
   Threatening military force against Serbia without actually using it has become "the worst of both possible worlds," he argued.
   But bombing would "be folly," says Dempsey of the CATO Institute. He said it would induce Milosevic to impose martial law and muzzle all opponents, "completely undermining the long-term prospects" of ending his regime.
   Kosovo is regarded as the cradle of Serbian culture and religion, but Albanians who trace their ancestry to more ancient Illyrians are believed to outnumber Serbs 9 to 1. After nearly 10 years of Serb repression, they want independence.
   Criticism of the Milosevic-Holbrooke deal in part reflects the sharp divisions among U.S. policy-makers over whether U.S. casualties are warranted. Similar arguments raged over Bosnia.
   Holbrooke tried to strike a compromise between the isolationist and interventionist camps, and ended up pleasing neither side.
   Serwer said he is no fan of military action, but that if there is one place in the Balkans where it is warranted, it is Kosovo, where U.S. national security interests are threatened by a war that could spill south and destabilize the entire region, including NATO allies Greece and Turkey.
   But, unlike Clarke, Serwer thinks the deal will hold together until spring, because the KLA wants to see humanitarian supplies get through to the overwhelmingly Albanian population this winter.

KEYWORDS: ANALYSIS

This column ran in the Monday oct. 19 paper:

TAG: 9810180596
LENGTH:   89 lines
EDITION: FINAL / ALL
SECTION: EDITORIALS & FORUM
PAGE: 9B
COLUMN: A FORUM OF OPINION & IDEAS
AMERICA ABROAD
ELIZABETH SULLIVAN
BYLINE: By ELIZABETH SULLIVAN
PLAIN DEALER FOREIGN-AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT

IN SERBIA, A LACK OF NEWS IS DANGEROUS

   Two years ago, a Farsi-speaking congressman from Ohio stood on a frigid balcony in Belgrade, looking down on 100,000 hostile students jostling in the square below.
   For more than two weeks, the students had been putting 50,000 to 150,000 protesters on the streets, day in and day out, to bring down a corrupt government.
   They had endured beatings, arrests and daily threats.
   But instead of being treated like the student martyrs of Tiananmen Square, they were being ignored by a West that considered maintaining a Bosnian peace treaty more important than democracy in Serbia.
   As the Ohioan and three other U.S. congressmen were introduced, however, attitudes among the students changed, remembers Republican Bob Ney of St. Clairsville.
   "We waved to the crowd, and suddenly the American flags and banners were being unfurled," said Ney, who learned Farsi as a young man teaching English in Iran.
   "They had felt that nowhere was anyone listening to their opposition to [Serbian strongman Slobodan] Milosevic. They felt abandoned."
   Seeing the four men - who had disregarded U.S. government warnings not to go to Belgrade - was a huge boost.
   So was the lawmakers' intercession when Milosevic closed the leading opposition radio station, B-92, later that day.
   Nick Rahall, Democrat of West Virginia, and Ney immediately arranged for Voice of America to pick up B-92's broadcasts. B-92 was back on the air within days.
   Belgrade's opposition press must be wondering where the Americans are today.
   Milosevic's government - again taking advantage of a bloody crisis, this time in Kosovo - is engaged in its most intensive suppression of the independent media since the days of communism.
   Last week, three popular daily newspapers were padlocked and their assets seized, muzzling the only credible anti-Milosevic voices available every day on Belgrade streets.
   An open-ended, patently illegal, Oct. 7 decree threatens to shut every other media outlet guilty of sowing "defeatism," whatever that means.
   Rebroadcast of BBC Radio and other foreign programs has been banned - for the first time since the Nazis shut down "Radio London" broadcasts to Belgrade after invading in 1941, according to exiled Serbian Crown Prince Alexander, who was born in London.
   Meanwhile, the official press has reached new heights of sycophancy about Milosevic's brilliance in heading off a NATO attack. Of course, it doesn't mention that NATO still is threatening to bomb if Milosevic reneges on promises to withdraw his brutal security forces from the southern province of Kosovo and to allow self-governance for the ethnic Albanian majority there.
   Hundreds of thousands of Albanians have been driven from their homes and hundreds more have died in indiscriminate shelling and occasional massacres as Serbian forces routed the secessionist Kosovo Liberation Army. The KLA had engaged in a two-year terror campaign against Serbian police and Serb, Albanian and Gypsy "collaborators" before the crackdown began in February.
   Serbia's independent press and radio have been the only sources providing an approximation of the truth. The importance of that in subverting totalitarian tendencies cannot be overstated.
   That's why Milosevic, and the other would-be strongmen of the Balkans, always are looking for ways to muzzle the media. A time when the West is distracted by Kosovo is as good as any.
   How far will Milosevic go? It depends critically on the reaction of the West.
   Neo-fascist Vojislav Seselj, a partner in Milosevic's coalition government, said last week that Koha Ditore, the most prominent of the Kosovo Albanian-language independent dailies, was in his media gunsights.
   There have been only peeps of protest so far.
   The State Department finally condemned the newspaper closings Thursday, a week after the decree was issued and weeks after Seselj, whose party controls the Information Ministry, first started talking ominously about "NATO fifth columnists" in the media.
   The term "fifth column" was coined by Spanish Fascists besieging Madrid during the Spanish civil war to denote a "fifth military column" of secret supporters inside the city. It has since become a common totalitarian phrase, useful for labeling domestic critics as spies.
   Actually, many Serbian opposition media are bankrolled by Western interests. Since April 1996, the U.S. Agency for International Development has plowed $7 million into Bosnia and Serbia to support 82 independent TV and radio stations, 59 newspapers and news magazines and seven news agencies.
   This funding makes those who accept it vulnerable in times of anti-Western hysteria.
   It also doubly obligates the West to step in and make its objections known, forcefully, before fascism comes into fashion in Belgrade.
_______________________________________________________________________

--------------------------------A CHRISTIAN VIEW-------------------------------

Hieromonk Sava Janjic

     As opposed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where abuse of religion directly or indirectly caused the escalation of inter-ethnic conflicts, the religious communities in Kosovo and Metohija can play a much more constructive role in achieving peace and making possible coexistence, and thus preventing the existing conflict from acquiring religious characteristics.
     People of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Islamic faiths have been living in Kosovo and Metohija for several centuries, sharing the tumultuous historic experiences that took place in this part of the Balkans. These communities have played a very important role in building and preserving the national and cultural identity of the region's ethnic groups. Thus, for instance, the Serbian Orthodox Church created and maintained the spiritual identity of the Serb nation, especially during the hardships of Ottoman rule. Furthermore, in Kosovo and Metohija there are over 1,300 Serb Orthodox churches and monasteries of the greatest importance, along with other cultural and historic monuments of extreme significance not only to the Serbs, but also to the other peoples that live here, and to the world as a whole.
     Unlike the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serb-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and Metohija is primarily a clash between two national ideologies, and not a clash of two peoples or religions. Religion played a secondary role in the formation of contemporary national consciousness, especially in the case of the Albanians, among whom are members of all three major denominations. On the other hand, the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church has never incited national intolerance, but primarily limited itself to protecting Serb spiritual tradition and culture. The Albanian and Serb Christians frequently rebelled together against the Ottoman occupiers. Because of this and despite all the antagonism and occasional exceptions, there has been a relatively high degree of religious tolerance in the region.
     Until recently, the Albanians, both Muslim and Roman Catholic, frequently visited Orthodox holy places and large gatherings and fairs. In addition, many Serbs and Albanians established strong personal ties and visited each other on religious holidays. Unfortunately, owing to increased ethnic tensions in the past several years, all contacts have been reduced to a minimum. However, despite the present grave conditions, representatives of religious communities can now play a very important part in resolving the Kosovo problem and establishing peace.
     Activities of religious communities towards establishing peace and advancing coexistence could develop in the following directions:

1. Despite all their religious differences, religious communities ought to clearly demonstrate readiness to pursue a lasting peace based on truth, justice, and respect of human rights. This goal can be achieved only by developing cooperation, personal contacts, and organizing symposiums and debates in the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect for tradition and customs. Religious communities could make an active and sincere contribution to building trust and furthering coexistence.

2. Parallel with the official negotiating process, members of religious communities, academicians, scientists, humanitarian activists, crisis-solving experts, could, by way of unofficial meetings, assist the negotiating process by proposing solutions as well as contribute to the implementation of the agreements reached. Religious communities should distance themselves from all forms of ethnic extremism and religious intolerance, which requires refraining from unbalanced statements, unfounded charges and referring to members of other ethnic groups in a derogatory manner, as well as reducing ethnic animosities by promoting peace and respect for one's fellow men.

3. It is essential to establish cooperation in the area of humanitarian work, especially by creating conditions for the return of refugees and other displaced people. The work of humanitarian organizations and their free access to endangered areas should be openly supported and direct cooperation with them established.

4. In no way should religious communities directly or indirectly incite or justify any use of violence against innocent people, and they should condemn every abuse or violation of basic human rights. In doing so, appeals, official announcements of certain events, and active efforts within their respective communities in fighting violence would be of great assistance. It should be particularly stressed that human life is the greatest gift of God, and that human beings and their dignity should be respected as required by both earthly and divine laws.

5. There should be intense activity against discrimination along ethnic or religious lines. This could be achieved by increasing humanitarian activities and making aid available to all in need of it, regardless of nationality or faith, as well as by protecting ethnic groups which are minorities in certain areas or are otherwise endangered.

6. Special, strong appeals should be made against the destruction and desecration of sacred places (mosques, churches and cemeteries) and cultural monuments. To destroy that which has been preserved for centuries is an act of ultimate barbarism. On the other hand, such places should under no circumstances be used for military purposes.

7. In the area of humanitarian activities, acts of personal vengeance and retaliation, together with the abduction of people and other forms of illegal detention, should be particularly condemned. Strong appeals should be launched against the unnecessary and deliberate destruction of private property: the torching of houses and crops, and slaughter of livestock, and at the same time all assistance available should be offered for the renewal of areas ravaged by the clashes.

8. Religious communities should appeal to news media to prevent provocative and biased reporting on the activities of religious communities, as such reporting often fans the flames of inter-ethnic hate and intolerance. Educational programs on electronic media should not promote quasi-historic theories denying religious and cultural identity to any ethnic group. Abusing and forging history for the sake of political objectives is an injustice which seriously undermines inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations.

9. Religious communities should demand normal contact with their congregations. All attempts to jeopardize religious freedom should be openly condemned and unobstructed activity of spiritual leaders and institutions secured, as well as free access for believers to their places of worship.

We, the representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, are ready and willing to do everything possible to ensure that these principles are respected and implemented in the spirit of peace and tolerance, and thus create conditions for the restoration of trust. For example, the fraternity of the Visoki Decani Monastery has appealed for peace and a cessation of hostilities on a number of occasions. In addition, the Monastery organized humanitarian aid not only for Serb refugees, but for the Albanian population as well. This could help the monastery bridge the gap between the Serbs and Albanians in the Decani region. We are planning a more ambitious humanitarian project with the IOCC and other humanitarian organizations, both at home and abroad, to assist a greater number of displaced people on both sides.
     With a rational and sober attitude, our Church -- and we hope this applies to all other religious communities -- might become a key factor in finding a peaceful resolution and establishing a modern, democratic society in this region. Though deeply bound to their tradition, religious communities must encourage all citizens of Kosovo and Metohija to seek their common interest in the future and in the integration of this part of the Balkans with Europe and the world. Throughout this period, our bishop, Artemije, on many occasions has pleaded with the government to start negotiations as soon as possible, while representatives of our Church presented our peaceful platform in many places, from Washington, to London, to Paris, having been met everywhere with support for our peaceful and non-violent position. It is our deep conviction that the problem of Kosovo and Metohija should be perceived within the context of the wider problem of democratization and human rights in the Balkans, instead of as a local, territorial problem that should be resolved by force. Therefore it is necessary that all citizens of the province actively contribute to finding a solution, acceptable to all the people who live here. This solution should also be in accordance with international charters and law.
     The Holy Scripture teaches us that one cannot love God without first loving one's neighbor, and that we should treat other people in the same way that we would like them to treat us. Guided by these basic Christian principles, the Serbian Orthodox Church sincerely believes that all people of good will in this region will find enough strength and will to emerge from this nightmare of war and intolerance, and seek to give an active contribution to democratization and the improvement of everyday life, taking care to preserve their spiritual tradition and cultural and historic heritage.
     Or, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: "It is not enough to talk about the peace. One must believe in it. And it is not enough to believe in it. One must work at it."

(The author is a hieromonk in the Serb Orthodox Monastery of Visoki Decani. )

 ----------------------------A MOSLEM VIEW-------------------------------

Qemajl Morina

*For some Serb circles the conflict in Kosovo may even be a "Crusade," but for the Albanians it has an exclusively ethnic and national character
     There is no doubt that religion, as one of the most important components of the spiritual life of every nation, was a key factor in shaping the consciousness of the Albanian nation. Since Albanian territories lie on a strategic crossroads, where the interests of the East and West meet, during history they became the arena in which many battles were waged and the different interests of the East and West clashed. The result of these clashes, and of the political, military, and religious dominance of one or another great power, is the fact that in regard to faith, the Albanians belong to various denominations.
     This is why Albanians, wherever they live - be it in Albania proper, or in their ethnic territories in Kosovo, Macedonia, or Montenegro - are mostly Muslims, though there are also Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians. However, it has to be stressed that the Albanian nation, though not strong in numbers and though divided by two great religions and a number of religious rites, never experienced a single religious clash in its long history. To the contrary: it is renowned for its enormous religious tolerance, and for respect shown towards religious monuments of other religious groups, which have been preserved for generations.
     This tolerance and generosity demonstrated by the Albanians was probably initiated by their religious leaders, who properly understood and preached religion as a mission of God which strives for equality of people regardless of nationality, race, or creed. The Koran says: "People! We have created you from a single man and a single woman and made you into nations and tribes to differ one from another. The noblest among you are the most devoted."
     There is no doubt that after the Second World War, with the advent of the communist system in Albania and in other places populated by the Albanians, religious feelings began to weaken, primarily among young people. For many, religion was but a formality that could be deduced from names and surnames. However, even this was gradually eliminated because traditional Albanian names were abandoned and instead of them were adopted ideological or international names.
     Maybe this introduction was necessary as a response to the question posed by a number of media and which involves the role played by religion in the ongoing Kosovo conflict. But, first of all, we have to say that this conflict has a long history. It started in 1878, when the Ottoman Empire was declining and when the first ethnic cleansing of 600 Muslim villages in the region of Nis, Pirot, Vranje, Leskovac, and other towns was carried out. At the time, Serbia and Montenegro enjoyed the support of Russia, and even of Great Britain and France.
     The Albanians realized they were threatened by their neighbors, and consequently formed the Albanian League in Prizren to defend Albanian territories from their neighbors' hegemonistic aspirations. But later, at the London Conference in 1913, and the Versailles Conference in 1918, Albanian territories fell prey to the Great Powers, and the greed of their neighbors.
     The Albanians were disappointed by this injustice committed against them by the Great Powers, and had never accepted it. Because of that the present conflict between Albanians and Serbs should not be seen as accidental. Certain changes took place in the territory of the former Yugoslavia - several new states have been created along ethnic lines, and it is entirely normal for the Albanians to choose their own path, knowing that they differ from the Serbs in regard to nationality, language, culture, and religion.
     Therefore, when analyzing the role and influence played by religion in the ongoing Albanian-Serb conflict, we come up with entirely opposed results. On the one hand we have the Serbs, who always used religion when they needed to mobilize their forces for any holy "Crusade" of cleansing "Serb lands" of Muslims. But, this argument is used also to mobilize the European and Western public for the defense of Christian Europe from Islam, as Serb propaganda puts it, against the "Green Belt" -- Turkey, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Sandzak, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
     There is no doubt that the main force that sets this propaganda in motion in the Serbian Orthodox Church, with all its institutions. Orthodox Churches in general -- the Serb, the Greek, the Romanian, etc. -- as opposed to the Roman Catholic Church, are also national churches, close to the national interests of their respective countries.
     Historic data provides the best evidence that the Serbs are engaged in a religious war. Towards the end of the last century, for example, Belgrade had 275 mosques, but they were all destroyed and there is only one left standing in the city, and it is a frequent target of attacks. During their horrible war in Bosnia, the Serbs destroyed about 1,000 mosques, massacred tens of thousands of civilians, and raped thousands of Muslim women.
     Almost the same scenario is being repeated in Kosovo. Since the revoking of Kosovo's autonomy, but even since earlier times, Serbia waged a "Crusade" in Kosovo, pretending to "defend Europe from Islamic invasion," because the majority of the Kosovo's population are Muslims.
     This propaganda of the Serbian Orthodox Church is frequently joined by leaders of political parties, even the communists. The former secretary of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Serbia, Milomir Minic, accuses the Albanians "of Islamic fundamentalism because of their high birth rate."
     On the other hand, in 1992, the former head of the Kosovo district said at a meeting with a delegation of Russian parliamentarians: "In Kosovo were are not only defending the Serbs, but primarily Eastern Orthodox Christianity from the Albanian Islamic invasion."
     Recently, the leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement, Vuk Draskovic, said at a press conference that "the foundations of European democratic principles cannot rest on the standards of Sharia - the Muslim religious law - and that Europe cannot be joined by constructing high walls around one's houses."
     The "fear" of Albanian Islam is the main target of the Serbian establishment and the Orthodox clergy. The loudest of all is the bishop of Raska and Prizren, Artemije, as well as the bishop, Lavrentije, who according to Nasa Borba, which, in turn, quoted the Macvanske Novine newspaper, said: "Bishop Artemije might have been right in proposing, with great pain, that we should give away a part of Kosovo that we love the least to Albanians. Maybe this part of Kosovo would become a challenge for Serbia's future, and the future of all of Europe, because it will serve as an obstacle to the Islamic thrust northward. If this is not done, I fear that the Albanians will rather soon get as far as Sumadija, and even reach the gates of Belgrade, because in only two decades they will be the most numerous nation in Serbia. If ethnic Albanians served in the Yugoslav Army, every third recruit would be Albanian, as would every third representative in the Serbian Legislature," concluded Lavrentije.
     While over 40 mosques were the target of the latest Serb offensive and were completely destroyed, a number of imams were massacred, while Shah Muhedin was killed in his tekhe (dervish school) in Orahovac, together with all the civilians who took refuge there. Because of this, as far as the Serb side is concerned, the conflict in Kosovo has the character of a religious war, as all the signs point in that direction. The Serbian Orthodox Church should be considered the mastermind behind all these acts as long as it does not condemn them.
     Unfortunately, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Pavle, blessed such criminals as Karadzic and Mladic, instead of distancing himself from their misdeeds in Bosnia. As far as the other side in the conflict is concerned, that is, the Albanian side, except for one small minority, the conflict is exclusively ethnic and national. Precisely because of that, the entire Albanian establishment is turned towards Europe and the U.S., which hold the keys to the Kosovo problem in their hands.
     To show that they are close to the West, in 1991 the Albanians formed the Democratic Christian Albanian Party, whose members are chiefly Muslims. Ibrahim Rugova said once that he was "a symbolic Muslim." During his frequent meetings with Western representatives, he also met on several occasions with Pope John Paul II and keeps his portrait in his office, and has never visited a single Muslim country.
     All symbols of the Kosovo Liberation Army have only a national character. And, finally, proof that the conflict in Kosovo for the Albanians has only an ethnic character, is that it is seen by all Albanians as a common resistance and a common struggle, regardless of whether they are Muslims or Christians. The Serb army killed a number of Christian Albanians and their villages and settlements have met the same fate as those of their Muslim brothers.

The author is a lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Culture in Pristina)

-END-

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NATO Warns as Artillery Fire Jolts Kosovo ''Truce''
Reuters  23-OCT-98

BELGRADE, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Heavy artillery fire has shaken Kosovo's relative ceasefire and Serbian security forces have taken fresh casualties in clashes with ethnic Albanian guerrillas, Western monitors said on Friday.
     Fresh guerrilla forays were raising obstacles to a full-blown Serbian military pullout from Kosovo demanded by NATO to avert punitive air strikes as early as next week, a monitors' spokesman said by telephone from the province.
     But NATO said two top generals would fly to Belgrade on Saturday to explicitly demand of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic that he withdraw combat forces and heavy weapons from Kosovo unconditionally or face air action after Tuesday.
     "This is not a poker game, this is not a negotiation. He has very little time left," a NATO official told reporters.
     Government security forces, condemned worldwide for blasting insurgents and civilians randomly over the summer in the Albanian-majority region of southern Serbia, had mounted no offensives since October 1, the monitors' spokesman said.
     But the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) had been trying to seize some areas vacated by Serbian troops in response to NATO's ultimatum, scrambling the picture for Alliance decision-makers in the view of some analysts.
     "Yesterday KDOM (Kosovo Diplomatic Observers' Mission) observed serious violations of the ceasefire, although cannot identify who provoked it," the spokesman said.
     "We heard heavy artillery fire (in the) Drenica region. An NGO (charitable aid group) heard incoming mortar trounds southwest of (central town of) Kijevo," the spokesman said.
     "The atmosphere remains charged, especially in Malisevo and Drenica," he added, citing two central pockets of persistent shooting threatening Kosovar refugees who have been cowering in the woods for weeks or even months.
     "There have been casualties among the Serbs recently so they seem to be more nervous and more willing (once again) to respond with force," the official added.
     The Yugoslav news agency Tanjug said on Friday one federal soldier was killed and another wounded when an army column came under "Albanian terrorist" gunfire in central Kosovo along the main road between Pristina and Pec.
     KDOM reported robust numbers of Yugoslav federal troops and Serbian military police still in Kosovo, perpetuating a climate of intimidation deterring thousands of Albanian refugees from coming home to villages looted and wrecked by security forces.
     Kosovo Albanian political leader Ibrahim Rugova accused the Serbs on Friday of continually bombarding central and western villages. "Serbian forces are still present in substantial numbers, merely repositioning themselves within Kosovo."
     A Western diplomat close to KDOM said it had presented the Serbs with lists of combat units NATO wants out.
     "But we know they could all pull out one day and be back the next," he said. "A serious problem is that the KLA is moving into some areas from which the Serbs have pulled out, which draws the Serbs back in again, re-starting this vicious cycle of skirmishing."
     Regardless, General Klaus Naumann, chairman of NATO's military committee, and alliance supreme commander General Wesley Clark will tell Milosevic on Saturday he must do more to heed U.N. directives or face military intervention.
     "We are still far from what we consider to be adequate, satisfactory compliance (on troops withdrawals). We expect more, a lot more, by Tuesday's deadline," the NATO official said. There were no conditions, no loopholes, no relativisation that Milosevic could hope to apply, he added.
     Milosevic must fully respect the truce he signed up to and could not use KLA activities as justification for evasion.
     But analysts say punitive NATO bombing is a flawed option at best since, without follow-up ground deployments to pacify Kosovo, it could goad Serbs into mass reprisals against ethnic Albanians and totally halt foreign aid convoys to refugees.
     KLA guerrillas, sworn to achieve Kosovo's independence regardless of Western opposition, would be tempted to grab territory wherever they could fill a vacuum left by Serbian forces knocked out by NATO warplanes.
     The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is assembling a 2,000-member mission for Kosovo to verify military disengagement, encourage refugee returns and foster talks on self-rule for ethnic Albanians.
     But unlike armed peacekeepers, they will be unable to separate combatants and will avoid any flareup of fighting for their own safety, leaving NATO with scant means to enforce demilitarisation in Kosovo.

Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved.
-------

Kosovo Albanian Leader Calls for Continued NATO Pressure on
AP  23-OCT-98

PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) -- Echoing Western claims, Kosovo's main ethnic Albanian leader said today that Yugoslavia has not removed its troops from the province and that little progress has been made to defuse the crisis.
     Fighting has all but ceased, but tension remains high in Kosovo despite the agreement reached Oct. 12 between Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke to avert NATO airstrikes.
     The U.N. refugee agency said today that only a "trickle" of refugees are returning to their homes because of fear and intimidation by Serb police.
     "The impression our staff got on the ground is while some people trickle back to their ruined homes, widespread destruction of housing and fear of the continued Serb military and police presence prevent significant return," U.N. spokesman Kris Janowski said in Geneva, Switzerland.
     Four days before NATO's latest deadline for compliance, Ibrahim Rugova told reporters "the Serbian forces have not yet withdrawn from Kosovo," despite Yugoslav claims to the contrary.
     "We cannot say any progress was made and NATO should maintain its 'activation order' and keep pressing the Belgrade government," Rugova said.
     Yugoslavia insists it has met NATO demands to withdraw troops to the levels they were at before Milosevic began his crackdown in February to suppress an ethnic Albanian revolt in Kosovo.
     U.S. and other Western diplomats dispute this, however, warning that continuing violence threatens the Serbian province's peace process and raises the threat of NATO airstrikes. NATO has extended the deadline until Tuesday for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to comply.
     Hundreds have been killed and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes by the violence. The majority of Kosovo's 2 million inhabitants are ethnic Albanians, and most favor independence.
     Laura Boldrini of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said ethnic Albanians who returned two weeks ago to the village of Poklek fled again this week because of intimidation by Serb police.
     "It's a never-ending story," Boldrini said.
     American diplomat William Walker arrived in the Yugoslav capital Belgrade late Thursday to oversee the establishment of a 2,000-member mission to make sure Milosevic honors the agreement.
     Walker will head the mission under the direction of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
     State-controlled media said Yugoslavia's foreign minister, Zivadin Jovanovic, assured Walker the government will stick by the deal. Walker heads today to the Kosovo capital Pristina to meet Rugova.
     Milosevic also agreed to talks with ethnic Albanians on the future of the province, which is part of Yugoslavia's largest republic, Serbia.
     The rebel Kosovo Liberation Army has insisted it will not abandon its goal of independence. The United States and the Europeans reject independence but support some form of autonomy for Kosovo.
     At U.N. headquarters in New York, the U.N. Security Council is working on a resolution endorsing the Kosovo peace deal.

Copyright 1998& The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
-----------

Yugoslav Albanian Leader Welcomes Milosevic-Holbrooke Accord
Xinhua   22-OCT-98

BELGRADE (Oct. 22) XINHUA - Ibrahim Rugova, leader of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, Yugoslavia Thursday voiced welcome to the Milosevic-Holbrooke Accord,the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug reported.
     After meeting with Western diplomats in Pristina, capital of the autonomous province of Kosovo, Rugova also appealed to armed groups of ethnic Albanians to cease provocation against Serbian police.
     This is the first time that the ethnic Albanian leader expressed his active attitude toward the accord reached between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke earlier last week.
     He said he would continue the talk with U.S. envoy Christopher Hill to seek a transitional solution to the Kosovo crisis.
     Austrian Ambassador to Yugoslavia Petric Volfgang, who acted as representative for the European Union, said that he was pleased by Rugova's remark and hoped that Yugoslav Albanians would immediately stop violence so as to resolve the Kosovo crisis in a peaceful way.

AMB. HILL REPORTS ON MEETING WITH KOSOVAR ALBANIANS   22OCT
OCT 21 OFDA HEAD PRESS CONF. IN KOSOVO
------

22 October 1998
TEXT: AMB. HILL REPORTS ON MEETING WITH KOSOVAR ALBANIANS
(OSCE has pledges of 1500 for verification mission) (490)

Pristina, Kosovo -- Ambassador Christopher Hill met with the leader of the Kosovar Albanians October 22, Dr. Rugova, Hill told reporters here.
     He also announced that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has now received pledges for some 1500 individuals who will participate in the Kosovo accord's verification mission. Ambassador William Walker, who will head the OSCE verification mission, is scheduled to arrive in Pristina on October 23, following a meeting with President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia-Montenegro.
     Following is text of Amb. Hill's statement, provided by the U.S. Information Service in Pristina:

(Begin text)

Today we had a series of discussions with Dr. Rugova and with the negotiating team under Dr. Agani; we also met with some of the associates of Dr. Demaci, that is, Mr. Hajrizi, and Mr. Hyseni. I also met with Blerim Shala in a separate meeting, and I hope Mr. Demaci will be back soon, because I hope to meet him in the next few minutes.
     Are there members of the independent media here from Belgrade today? Because I would like to keep meeting with you all, as we started to do the other day.
     Today we've also been in touch with the KDOM (Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission), which is expanding rather rapidly. We have now have a total of 145 people from KDOM here. In the last couple of days, in coordinating the OSCE (Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe) matters, we have gotten pledges of upwards of 1,500 verifiers for the OSCE mission. And I think maybe you know that Bill Walker, who will be the director of the OSCE verification mission, will be arriving here in Pristina tomorrow, following a meeting that he will have with President Milosevic.
     Today I also brought with me a lawyer from the State Department, Jonathan Levitsky, who will stay here in Pristina, where he is going to continue to work on the political agreement, on the political track. We've been working very hard on that in the last few days. We are going to have a new draft very shortly. We are trying to develop some of the ideas, and especially to quicken the pace of the negotiations. So Jonathan Levitsky will remain here in Pristina for as long as it takes to try to get a new draft, and make sure we have accommodated to the extent that we can the Albanian issues. With that in mind, let me also mention that Deputy Assistant Secretary [for International Organization Affairs] Mike Sheehan is here from the State Department. He is working on the police aspect of the political settlement. He has had some meetings in Belgrade, and he's also been down here meeting with the Serbs and the Albanians on development of the local police.

(End text)
------

22 October 1998
TRANSCRIPT: OCT 21 OFDA HEAD PRESS CONF. IN KOSOVO
(Roy Williams explains mission of DART in Pristina) (2880)

Pristina, Kosovo Province, Serbia -- Roy Williams, director of the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), held a press conference on his first full day here, October 21, as head of the DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) team bringing food and emergency supplies to the Kosovar Albanian refugees to alleviate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the fighting in Kosovo.
     Williams said the DART team is there to take advantage of the opening or "window of opportunity" provided by the recent agreement negotiated by U.S. Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke with "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (Serbia-Montenegro) President Slobodan Milosevic.
     "We see this as opening: the possibility to deal with those people who have not had a chance to have relief assistance available to them. We see this as an opportunity to harness a lot of the energy that has gone into many efforts of a large group of people over time to deal with the situation which seemed to be static," Williams said.
     Asked if the arrival of the DART team could be construed as a sign that there is no imminence of NATO air strikes on October 27, or any other time, Williams said he views this period as "an opportunity. It's been a frustrating period, trying to assist people, and now the opportunity to assist people is much more generous. Whether or not there are air strikes down the road is something we'll consider in terms of our own security, should that eventuate."
     Questioned as to whether his team would also help the refugees to rebuild their houses, Williams said, "One of the plans, certainly, is to avoid a long-term relief situation. That doesn't help anybody. I think the most effective thing is to create a situation which will enable people to return to their homes.... Obviously, everyone is going to have to make up his own mind, as to whether it is safe, or feasible, to return home," adding that his sense of that situation is that there are others in the international community able to respond to the need for rehabilitation of the housing.
     One member of the press asked if DART's aid operations would be impaired if the fighting continues. Williams responded, "I think that the question sort of speaks for itself. We cannot really send people into harm's way, if they can't do any good. One of the first rules in our business has always been, if you can't do any good, there's really no point in being there. I hope the fighting, such as it is, does not continue."
     Following is a transcript of the press conference, provided by the U.S. Information Service in Pristina and cleared by Mr. Williams' office in Washington:

(Begin transcript)

UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICE - PRISTINA
Wednesday, October 21, 1998
PRESS CONFERENCE
MR. ROY WILLIAMS
Director of the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)
Dea Hotel, Pristina

MR. WILLIAMS: Good evening. The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance works within the context of the U.S. Government and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and our objective really is to respond to emergency situations, relief situations, disaster events. Basically, what we try to be is the catalyst for activity. We try to rally the best of the relief environment, the best energy within the relief structure, the resources, defining the intelligence and the forward thinking, so as to achieve an objective which in a long run we trust will the benefit the most people. Situations vary considerably. Recently we dealt with Hurricane George, which is one example.
     The reason that we are here now is that we have a new situation, essentially, emerging from the recent agreements. We see this as opening: the possibility to deal with those people who have not had a chance to have relief assistance available to them. We see this as an opportunity to harness a lot of the energy that has gone into many efforts of a large group of people over time to deal with the situation which seemed to be static. Now we are looking at what we hope will be a new day, when people will be presented with an opportunity to return home, to do the things that they would choose to do normally. An opportunity for us to reach those people who for whatever reason have been inaccessible for a long time. This is essentially the role that the DART [Disaster Assistance Response Team] team has taken on itself.
     With that very broad introduction, I'm open to your questions. Thank you.

Q: Sir, what do you see as a long-term strategy, over the winter, an overall strategy for dealing with the refugees in Kosovo. Will it be just convoys delivering food and needed supplies? What is the primary plan for getting these people back to their homes?

MR. WILLIAMS: One of the plans, certainly, is to avoid a long-term relief situation. That doesn't help anybody. I think the most effective thing is to create a situation which will enable people to return to their homes. To take advantage of what seems to be a positive step forward on the part of the international community in dealing with this crisis. Obviously, everyone is going to have to make up his own mind, as to whether it is safe, or feasible, to return home. But my sense is that the agencies that have been working in this environment over time are in a position to respond to the need, to create those options, and I think we can really begin to move forward.

Q: UNHCR [U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees] yesterday described some problems of getting aid to refugees because of mines. Today, we have one UNHCR convoy turned back, because of a road block. To what extent do you see these as difficulties for getting aid to people in the short term?

MR. WILLIAMS: Well, certainly there are difficulties, but by the same token I noticed that the number of convoys has increased almost a 100 percent in the last week. So, whereas we see some setbacks, I think overall we're certainly seeing more positive results than setbacks.

Q: NATO says they may have to bomb next week. Are your people going to be in the country, or they are going to evacuate before the bombs fall?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think prudence would dictate that, should that be the case, they would evacuate before the bombs fall. There is not very much you can do for people when you're being bombed.

Q: And how much notice would you need of an air-strike to get your people out?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think that in general the people who have been involved in this kind of activity are rather used to dealing with evacuation circumstances. As to notice, it is going to vary, obviously, depending upon your location, but as for as the ability to get out, I think that is something that all of us are pretty much used to doing in a very short time.

Q: Would you have to leave your equipment behind if this happens?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think each agency will have to deal with that issue in its own terms. The primary thing is to get the people out, and each agency I think would have to make its own determination as to how it does that, under what circumstances.

Q: About six weeks ago, maybe a month ago, Julia Taft was here, and said that we had six weeks until we are in a disaster, a humanitarian disaster in Kosovo. Are we in a disaster, or still on the verge of a disaster, or are we now well in control of the situation? Where do we stand in terms of the level of alarm about what is going on?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think the six-week time frame was predicated upon the assumption that really cold weather was going to set in at a certain point, and some of the options that we now see were not going to exist. Also, at that point there had not been a settlement, so again, some of the options that we now see did not exist. You know a lot has happened, and a lot more can happen within a relatively short term. There are agencies that have been here for some time, which really have a great deal of muscle. The difficulty, as you all know, probably better than I, is their ability to use that muscle under such constraint. My point of view is that we have an opening, and we really intend to take advantage of it.

Q: How many people are displaced in this moment? Do you really still think that are 200,000 displaced people in Kosovo?

MR. WILLIAMS: That's one of the difficulties, and I think it is good question, precisely the sort which the DART team is trying to focus on, trying to get an answer to it. You've all heard figures that vary considerably. Of course, to the extent that the figures vary, that makes it difficult to provide assistance. So, one of the things we're going to try to do is rationalize the number as quickly as possible, simultaneously with delivering the assistance to those people who already are accessible to us.

Q: Sir, have you been out into the field yet?

MR. WILLIAMS: I arrived yesterday evening, and my first trip will be tomorrow.

Q: To where?

MR. WILLIAMS: Malishevo [also known as Malisevo], that area, to the west.

Q: If you go to Malisheva, you will see almost every house is destroyed. All the aid agencies wish the refugees to return to their homes. But perhaps 60 percent of all the dwellings, for habitation and for business, are destroyed, absolutely destroyed.

MR. WILLIAMS: You're giving information which I did not have, and until I see it for myself -- I would have to say, having been in many war zones, that there are always possibilities for people. You know, it is astonishing at least to my experience, how inventive people are acting on their own behalf. We can only help them in being inventive. But until I see for myself what is the percentage of the destruction, I certainly am not going to plan on that figure.

Q: As an humanitarian agency, are you going to help the refugees to rebuild their houses?

MR. WILLIAMS: That is the next step. And again, going back to the first question that was asked, you know, a long-term relief situation in something that everyone wants to avoid. So, as soon as it is possible, rehabilitation, which is the next phase after direct relief, we intend to get that started, yes.

Q: (Off mike)

MR. WILLIAMS: Those are plans which do not concern my agency immediately, because we deal with direct disaster relief, and then we pass the ball, if you will, to other agencies of governments, who, more importantly, have a kind of funding which is necessary to do exactly this. We just try to get things started.

Q: Sir, did you have any obstacles to deal on the ground?

MR. WILLIAMS: Well, again, I've not been on the ground. I've been in Pristina most of the day with meetings, and my first trip will be tomorrow. I, of course, have been following the information and reading the situation reports, and all the assessments of what the other agencies, including the United Nations, have done. To prepare myself somewhat. And I should say, I've spent a lot of time in the Balkans, under various circumstances, so perhaps I have some sense of what is likely to be the problems during the winter.

Q: What can you say about the two journalists who were abducted last weekend?

MR. WILLIAMS: I've heard about it, but I really can't say, I have no information whatsoever.

Q: What if this fighting continues, how much will that impair your aid operations?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think that the question sort of speaks for itself. We cannot really send people into harm's way, if they can't do any good. One of the first rules in our business has always been, if you can't do any good, there's really no point in being there. I hope the fighting, such as it is, does not continue.

Q: Even if the fighting isn't over, do you hope to save any lives, or some?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think you have to look at this business in a very pragmatic way. If there's fighting in one spot, there may be no fighting in another spot. What we've done, what has been done here over time, is to take advantage of those openings, essentially to provide relief where it is possible to provide relief. That will not change.

Q: It will be interesting to hear your reflections after you've had a chance to go out in the field. Because I think you'll find that in a lot of villages in Kosovo there remain hostile forces in the hills surrounding those villages. It's hard to imagine, actually, how you can go into those villages and begin to help reconstruct housing, when there are opposing forces operating in one or another part of the town.

MR. WILLIAMS: You're absolutely right. And what I was saying was that rehabilitation is the next phase. Right now there are a lot of people, as you know, scurrying around delivering relief. We would like to move as quickly as possible away from that. Of course, you cannot reconstruct houses if the people don't feel it's safe to occupy them. But we have also noticed that some people have begun to return. Some villages and some smaller towns are certainly showing signs and stirrings of life. So things are beginning to move out there, and to use a word I used earlier, we intend to be a catalyst to assist that process.

Q: What are your tactical distribution plans? Will you pick a few places and use them as distribution points, or will you locate where refugees are living and try to bring assistance to them directly?

MR. WILLIAMS: We are certainly searching out the pockets of displaced people. We go to those communities which, as I just indicated, are beginning to come back to life, and we will provide options, so that people themselves can find ways to assist themselves. There are a lot of different patterns that can be followed. One of the things that has been unfortunate, I think, in this situation is that the circumstances have been such that basically we've only had one or two options to look at. What we hope to do now, going back to the fact that things seem to be quieting down, is to explore different options.

Q: Like what, can you specify?

MR. WILLIAMS: For example, the United Nations is opening areas where people can themselves choose to frequent, to collect supplies. Or, our teams will be going out to look at those communities where there is, say 30 percent habitation, and then it will take a certain amount of work to expand that habitation to 60 percent. These are the sorts of things that we can do. But again, as the gentleman pointed out, if there's fighting, that's not going to happen.

Q: When Senator Dole was here recently, he said that the world is trying to treat the problem of Kosovo as a humanitarian problem, when in fact it's a political and military problem. Are aid workers being sent here to do the job of soldiers?

MR. WILLIAMS: I think this is a phrase that we've heard increasingly over the last five or six years, that's when I first began to hear it. The only answer I can give is that aid workers go to do the job that aid workers feel they should do. If in the minds of politicians, or if in the minds of other people, they are in fact being sent in place of soldiers, I don't think that the aid workers themselves are going to be deterred from doing what is essentially their responsibility. I know that's a simplistic answer, but basically that is the motivation of the aid worker, to do what seems needed to be done.

Q: There is a perception that your arrival, and other things happening, are signs that there is not really any imminence to air strikes on October 27, or any other time. What is your response to that?

MR. WILLIAMS: Frankly, my response is, echoing what I've been saying, that for us this is an opportunity. It's been a frustrating period, trying to assist people, and now the opportunity to assist people is much more generous. Whether or not there are air strikes down the road is something we'll consider in terms of our own security, should that eventuate.

Q: Is there any communication to you that things have cooled off, so it's a good time to go in, the chances of air strikes are less than we thought?

MR. WILLIAMS: No communication such as that is required. We can read the newspapers. Thank you all very much.

(End transcript)

22 October 1998

TEXT: EU FINDS ELECTIONS IN FYR MACEDONIA PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY
(EU President-in-Office Schuessel please with high turnout) (320)

Vienna -- The president of the Council of the European Union found the first round of the parliamentary elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) peaceful and orderly.
     President-in-Office Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schuessel "was pleased with the high turnout and the generally positive and constructive role played by the media in the run-up to the elections," according to a statement released October 19, the day after the elections.
     Following is the text of the statement:

(Begin text)

President-in-Office Schuessel welcomes the orderly conduct of the elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

President-in-Office Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schuessel welcomes the peaceful and orderly conduct of the first round of the parliamentary elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 18 October 1998. Through the positive climate in which the elections were held, Macedonia has demonstrated another step towards stability and peaceful co-existence amongst the different population groups in the country.

President of the Council Schuessel was pleased with the high turnout and the generally positive and constructive role played by the media in the run-up to the elections. He was convinced that the second round of elections, scheduled to be held on 1 November, would also proceed in a positive manner and that the population would thus demonstrate its democratic maturity. It would then be up to the parties concerned to continue on the democratic path desired by the population during the negotiations on the formation of a new government, and in particular to promote peaceful co-existence amongst the various ethnic groups. Schuessel hoped that the new government would accelerate the process of transformation in Macedonia, so that the country may be encouraged to adopt European structures more swiftly.

(End text)

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