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Wednesday, March 10, 1999, 2:30 PM.
Serbs have robbed and burned-down Shtraza, Kotlina,
Ivaja
Kaēanik, March 10 (Kosovapress) After ferocious clashes, that have been going on for the
past days, in the villages near Kaēanik and Hani I Elazit, Serbina terorist forces have
entered and robbed and burned-down the villages Shtarzė, Kotlinė, Ivajė and Dragomac
ward of Glloboshicė. For the time being the Serbs have retreated, but there are
suspicions that they have left behind mine-fields. In the village Kotlinė five people are
missing. Population is fleeing massively. Men taken by Serbian police are from villages
Ivajė and Laē. Also today at 08.00 4 APC and a Serb military truck have gone in
Glloboshicė.
Serbian Forces Burn Shallc, Druar and Mihaliq Villages of
Vushtrri
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Serbian military and police forces have burned almost
completely the villages of Shallc, Druar ('Drvar') and Mihaliq during an offensive today
(Wednesday), local LDK sources in Vushtrri said today afternoon.
Hani i Elezit Sealed off by Serb Military and Police
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - The small town of Hani i Elezit has been sealed off by Serbian
military and police today, local LDK sources said.
A heavy explosion was heard in the southeastern town of Kosova today, at a time Serb
forces were heading towards the villages of Rezhancė and Gorancė.
Dead body of a young man identified
Gjakovė, March 10 (Kosovapress) In the morgue of Gjakova’s General Hospital, dead
body of a young man, brought here days ago by Serbian police, was identified. With the
help of OSCE representatives and also victim’s family members it was ascertained that
the victim is Elhami Ferizi (23) from Prishtinė, born in the village Starasellė of
Ferizaj.
There were shootings today in the direction of villages Tėrpezė, Lladroc and
Tėrpezė e Ulėt
Malishevė, March 10 (Kosovapress) Since 09.00 of this morning, Serb forces, positioned in
the place called "Smanica", near Tėrpezė, in the Arllat-Malishevė axis, are
shooting from heavy machine-guns and other automatic weapons at the villages Tėrpezė,
Lladroc and Tėrpezė e Ulėt. OSCE verifiers are on the spot and they are monitoring the
developments. There are no confirmations about eventual casualties.
Defile of Serbian Military Convoys
Ferizaj, March 10 (Kosovapress) In between 21.30 to 22.00 last night, a Serb military
convoy, of 10 tanks 1 military truck has gone through Ferizaj and towards Kaēanik, while
another convoy made of tanks only, has gone towards Prishtina. Meanwhile, today at 07.15 ,
a similar convoy of 10 tanks, came from Kaēanik, through Ferizaj and went towards Serb
military barracks.
Serbs retreated in OZ of Shalė
Shalė, March 10 (Kosovapress) Some villages of Shala region such as Druar, Mihaliq and
Beēuk were pounded with heavy artillery, at 09.00 today. Serbs have tried to enter these
villages with infantry. In the counter-attack of the 142nd Brigade of UĒK of Shala OZ,
large human and war-machinery casualties were caused to Serb side. It is 17th day today
since the fierce fighting erupted in this region. Zone Command was visited today by the
head of OSCE’s Verifying Mission in Mitrovicė. There were talks in regard to Serb
soldier who was detained a few days ago.
Tromblone fired on the house roof
Gjakovė, March 10 (Kosovapress) In the "Skėnderbeu" quarters of Gjakovė, a
tromblone was fired on the rooftop of Ahmet Kadriu’s house, last night at around
20.20. There are no human casualties but there are considerable material damages. It is
suspected that the hit came from Ēabrat or from the blocks of apartments opposite, where
90% are of tenets are Serbs. OSCE verifiers have visited the site immediately.
Population of Ivajė is sheltered in the Culture Centre of Kaēanik
Kaēanik, March 10 (Kosovapress) Population of Ivajė is sheltered in the Culture Centre
of Kaēanik. Our sources confirmed that, first humanitarian aide has arrived there.
According to unconfirmed information, all men, from these villages, kidnapped yesterday by
Serb forces, have been released today. The situation is calmer for the moment. Command of
the brigade of UĒK for this zone, warns, miss-informants and anti UĒK propagators,
against these anti Albanian acts, and that they will answer for that.
Kosova Albanian Killed in Minefield Buried in FYROM
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Hysen Nebih Suma (22), a Kosova Albanian from Hani i Elezit
municipality, was buried Tuesday afternoon in Bllacė village of neighboring FYROM.
Mr. Suma died three days ago when he ran into mines while crossing the Kosova-FYROM
border, local LDK sources said.
Serb Paramilitary Police Attacks UĒK Positions in Drenica
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Serbian paramilitary police forces stationed in Llapushnik
village, west of Prishtina, engaged local UĒK forces in gunbattle today, sources said.
There has been no immediate word on casualties from the Albanian side. Unconfirmed reports
spoke of a couple of Serb policemen wounded there today.
Serbian Forces Shell Godishnjak Village
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Serbian forces positioned in Lluzhan shelled in mid-morning
hours today the village of Godishnjak, municipality of Podujeva, local human rights
sources said.
A column of Serbian motorized vehicles left the Dumosh airfield and was deployed at 'Tabet
e Llapashticės', from where UĒK positions in the Llapi region have been regularly
attacked in the past few months.
A stepped up movement of Serbian forces has been reported in the Podujeva-Prishtina
highway, as well as frequent overflights of Serbian aircraft over the Podujeva area.
Heavy Explosions Reported in Rahovec and Gjakova
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Early in the morning today, a heavy explosion occurred in the
town of Rahovec ('Orahovac'), local LDK sources said. No other details have been provided.
Heavy Serbian police forces kept the town under a tight grip today, routinely checking and
ill-treating passers-by.
Meanwhile, a powerful device exploded on the roof of the house of Ahmet Kadriu in the town
of Gjakova last night. Material damage was reported, but no casualties, although Ahmet was
at home together with his two children, local LDK sources said.
Meanwhile, the body of an Albanian in the town morgue in Gjakova has been identified as
Ilhami Ferizi, resident of Prishtina, born in Fshat i Vjetėr village, Ferizaj
municipality. He was found killed three days ago in the suburbs of Gjakova.
Local sources in Gjakova said Fadil Tolaj, a taxi driver in town, has been missing since
Tuesday morning. His family tried in vain to learn about his fate.
Serb Forces Launch Attack against Malisheva Village of Tėrpezė
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Serbian forces attacked today the village of Tėrpezė,
municipality of Malisheva, local LDK sources reported.
From their position in the Smonica family compound just opposite the village, Serbian
forces started firing at the village today morning; then attempted to advance into it.
They clashed with UĒK (Kosova Liberation Army) forces. The gunbattle lasted for hours,
while Serbs were getting troop reinforcements from Prishtina.
There have been no immediate reports on casualties on the Albanian side, at a time a Serb
policemen was reported wounded in the fighting.
From 8:30 through 12:00 CET, Serb gunfire was reported targeting several other villages in
the municipality of Malisheva.
The village of Shkozė was reported attacked from Serb positions above Rahovec and Hoēa e
Madhe village. The village of Maxharrė was likewise fired upon.
The drivers of trucks carrying humanitarian relief to Malisheva have been reported
threatened by Serb police today.
Unidentified Persons Shoot and Wound Albanian in Prizren
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - Unidentified persons shot and wounded Monday evening Munir
Mashkulli, who had just walked out from Bajrakli mosque in the town of Prizren. He has
been taken to the town hospital for treatment, reportedly in a serious situation.
Meanwhile, sources from Prizren said three Albanians, residents of Potoēan village of
Rahovec, were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Serb regime court in Prizren. Daut S.
Mustafa (40), Xhabir M. Mustafa (48) and Nazmi G. Ahmeti (36) were sentenced to three and
a half years in prison each.
A similar trumped up political trial of 15 Rahovec Albanians was expected to begin today
in the Serb regime court in Prizren.
One Albanian Killed, Two Wounded in Serbian Offensive in
Vushtrri Area on Tuesday
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - One Albanian, resident of Oshlan village, and two others were
wounded yesterday (Tuesday) during the renewed Serbian military and police offensive
against Vushtrri villages at the foot of the Ēiēavica mountains in northwestern Kosova,
local LDK sources said.
Serbian forces advanced yesterday into the villages of Shallc, Kollė, Vėrnicė, Novolan,
Brusnik, Okrashticė and Pantinė, and engaged in widespread looting and destruction of
Albanian households. A number of Shallc village farms were reported set on fire by Serb
forces.
Heavy gunfire and detonations were heard overnight in the area.
At 8 o'clock in the morning today, a column of nine Serbian vehicles headed to Mihaliq
village.
Half an hour later, Serbian military and police mounted an attack against the villages of
Druar ('Drvar'), Shallc and Kollė, destroying and torching Albanian property. There has
been no word yet on possible casualties.
The population of the villages around the Ēiēavica massif, targeted by Serbian forces in
the past several days, have been displaced from their homes.
An Albanian elderly, Ramadan S. Zeneli (78), who, unable to flee, died three days ago in
his home village of Resnik, has not yet been buried because people are fearful of moving
around.
Mitrovica and Vushtrri Villages Shelled by Serbian Forces on
Tuesday Evening
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - For more than a couple of hours on Tuesday evening, Serbian
forces shelled the villages of Vaganicė, Verrnicė, Oshlan, Pantinė and Lkej, local LDK
sources in Mitrovica said.
Overnight and today morning, Serbian aircraft flew overhead the area.
Tens of Albanians, including people displaced from their homes, were illtreated and
arrested by Serb police in Mitrovica on Tuesday, sources said. A group of Serb hooligans,
including masked persons, assaulted Monday a number of Albanian high school students in
Mitrovica.
Six girls, Mimoza Cilimi (18), Ferdane Cimili (18), Lumturie Bunjaku (17), Antigona Rama
(18), Vjollca Osmani (18) and Myrvete Elshani (18) were injured, being kicked and punched,
but also hit with wooden sticks.
Serbian Forces Shell Podujeva Villages Overnight
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - A number of the northern Llapi region villages, municipality
of Podujeva, were shelled last night, local LDK sources said.
Serbian military and police forces launched their artillery attack from their positions in
the Dumosh airfield, in Lupē, Lluzhan, Peran, and at 'Tabet e Llapashticės' and
'Besiana' motel, targeting the villages of Majanc, Lupē, Sallabajė, Godishnjakė,
Penuhė, Konushec, Llapashticė e Epėrme, Llapashticė e Poshtme, Obranēė, and Bradash,
situated on the right side of the Llapi river.
The sound of heavy shelling reverberated in all the Llapi region last night, sources said.
Serbian Forces Torch and Loot Albanian Houses in Shtrazhė,
Kotlinė and Ivajė Villages
PRISHTINA, March 10 (KIC) - During the Serbian offensive against Kaēanik and Hani i
Elezit villages in southeastern Kosova, Serbian forces advanced into and destroyed and
torched Albanian houses in the villages of Shtrazhė, Kotlinė, Ivajė and the Dragomac
neighborhood of Glloboēica villages, the UĒK's Kosovapress news agency.
Serbian forces have withdrawn by and large now, but there is fear the area has been mined,
the UĒK's news agency said. Five persons have gone missing in the village of Kotlinė
alone.
The Albanian population has been displaced in great numbers in the area.
The Albanian menfolks separated yesterday by Serb police from other family members are
residents of Ivajė and Laē village, sources said.
Serbian Interior Ministry has declared eight KLA members to be
in chase. Among them there is the leader of Albanian delegation in Rambouillet, Hashim
Thaqi
(Radio21)
RTS referring to Serbian Interior Ministry said eight KLA members are to be dogged by
Interior Ministry Authorities. Among them there are Hashim Thaqi, Jakup Krasniqi and Ramė
Buja, members of Albanian delegation in Rambouillet, the KLA commissar Sami Lushtaku,
Jonuz Tėrstena, Jakup Nura, Bujar Osmani and Fadil Nimani.
Three KLA members killed and four others wounded, "Kosova
Press" informs
(Radio21)
News Agency "Kosova Press" confirms three KLA members, and four others badly
wounded, during the last conflicts. According to these sources the number of killed and
wounded soldiers is supposed to be larger. Meanwhile, many Albanian houses in flames, and
totally overrun are confirmed.
"Kosova Press" reports of large Serb troops number going towards Gajre and
Ivajė villages. It is said over 7.000 troops to be involved.
Many inhabitants fled their homes in Kaēanik
(Radio21)
It is reported many inhabitants of Kotlinė, Ivajė, Shtrazh, Laē, Pustenik, and Gajre
villages, displaced and sheltered in mountains near Kaēanik.
KIC also reports of 5.000 inhabitants, children and women, which fled their homes, waiting
to get over Kosova - Macedonian borderline. Serb forces are hindering these movements.
Holbrooke, Milosevic Clash Over Kosova
By Philippa Fletcher
BELGRADE (Reuters) - U.S. Balkans envoy Richard Holbrooke locked horns with Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic Wednesday in talks designed to avert a collision with the
West over Kosova.
As Holbrooke and chief international peace talks mediator Chris Hill began a tough meeting
with Milosevic, fresh clashes erupted in the troubled Serbian province, where thousands of
ethnic Albanian villagers have fled the latest violence.
Reporters found Serb forces had devastated a village in the south, leaving most of the
houses in smoldering ruins, after they moved in to destroy a local rebel headquarters
Tuesday.
Diplomats could not give any indication of the length of Holbrooke's talks with Milosevic,
which follow 17 days of inconclusive internationally-brokered negotiations in France last
month. ``It's minute by minute,'' said one.
``We know that Mr. Milosevic is a master of brinkmanship and we do not expect an early
answer,'' said E.U. Kosova envoy Wolfgang Petritsch, who met Holbrooke early in the
morning.
Holbrooke will try to persuade Milosevic to agree an autonomy plan to end the year-old
conflict in Kosova between the security forces and separatist ethnic Albanian guerrillas.
Aware of the shortcomings of a cease-fire deal he negotiated with Milosevic in October,
Holbrooke's main efforts will focus on trying to convince him to drop seemingly implacable
objections to letting 28,000 NATO troops police the plan.
The rebels were said Wednesday to be ``within hours'' of signing up to the settlement. But
mediators remained cautious after facing objections from the rebels to requirements to
disarm and the lack of a referendum on independence.
NATO has warned Milosevic that it is prepared to bomb Yugoslav military targets if he is
seen to be blocking a deal.
``The threat of greater war is ever present,'' Holbrooke said Tuesday, turning up the heat
for a possible showdown.
``We are only a few days away from a tragedy of even greater dimensions than what has
occurred already.''
Diplomats say the next round of talks in Paris, due to begin Monday, could last three or
four days, after which the air strike threat would take on greater urgency.
But only if Milosevic presents a clear-cut obstacle to peace, which means the guerrillas
must have signed up by then.
Petrisch said he had spoken to Hasim Thaqi, head of the Kosova Liberation Army's political
directorate, over the past two days and that the guerrillas were very close to signing.
``His basic indication was that they are going to sign, that it is a matter of hours...it
is 95 percent a done deal, they just have to make sure the last local commander is on
board.''
Hill was more cautious. Asked about a local media report from Kosova that commanders may
meet on Wednesday, he said:
``If that's true that's very good news.''
The mission by Holbrooke, Washington's diplomatic weapon of last resort and one of the few
western officials Milosevic is prepared to negotiate with, underlined the dominant U.S.
role in the international peace efforts.
But he met ambassadors of the six-nation Contact Group earlier Wednesday to assuage fears
expressed by some western diplomats that he would cut a deal without consulting them.
``We're coordinating now with the Europeans in the Contact Group,'' Holbrooke told
reporters on his way into the meeting with ambassadors from Russia, Britain, France,
Germany and Italy. ``We're on a single position.''
Holbrooke said he would also be coordinating his position with Russian Foreign Minister
Igor Ivanov, who is due to meet Milosevic Thursday.
Moscow opposes any threat of NATO air strikes against its fellow-orthodox Slavs in
Belgrade but has said it is prepared to contribute to a ground force, which is already
assembling in Macedonia, if Milosevic invites it in.
Fighting Resumes At Kosova Flashpoints
IVAJA (Reuters) - Fresh fighting erupted in central Kosova Wednesday, a day after Serb
forces swept through and destroyed a village in the south of the province, forcing its
residents to flee.
Reporters said Yugoslav security forces and separatist rebels exchanged fire near the
village of Trpeza, close to Malisevo, and international truce monitors said local
civilians had been given an ultimatum to leave by Serb police.
At Ivaja, close to the Macedonian border, reporters found most of the houses smoldering
ruins, with dead animals littering the streets, after Serb forces moved in to destroy the
local headquarters of a Kosova Liberation Army brigade.
They found the body of a man in civilian clothes who appeared to have been shot at close
range and a shocked and blood-caked 84-year-old man who said he was beaten with rifle
butts by Serb soldiers searching for KLA rebels.
The house that had been used as the KLA headquarters was burnt-out and the interior of the
mosque devastated. The mosque's exterior had been sprayed with bullets.
``The fighting started yesterday. The VJ and MUP (Serb forces) tried to clear the area of
KLA and you can see it was successful,'' said international truce monitor Otto Bischof who
was inspecting the ruins of the village.
``There was no need to destroy all the houses with mortars,'' he added.
``They beat me with rifles and asked me if I knew anyone from the KLA,'' said Ramadan
Muljoki, the only survivor in the village. ``They asked me if my son was in the KLA and I
said no and they beat me again.''
Some 400 inhabitants of Ivaja were rounded up by Serb forces Tuesday after fleeing their
homes. The men were separated out and taken away to check if they were affiliated to the
KLA, an incident that cease-fire verifiers called very worrying.
Aid workers said Wednesday that some 35 men were still in police custody.
The West is worried that worsening fighting in Kosova will complicate efforts to forge a
deal on autonomy for the province, which has a 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority, before
the scheduled resumption of peace talks in Paris Monday.
U.S. Official Sees 'Collision Course' in Kosova Dispute
By CARLOTTA GALL
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- The American envoy Richard Holbrooke arrived here on Tuesday,
warning that Yugoslavia and the West were on a "collision course" over Kosova
that could bring NATO intervention. At the same time, Yugoslav authorities announced that
they had issued arrest warrants for eight Kosova rebel leaders, including three taking
part in the peace talks.
Arrest warrants were already out on the leaders of the separatist guerrilla movement, and
Tuesday's announcement was interpreted as a gesture of defiance to the West.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting was reported from the separatist province of Kosova.
Holbrooke, who is scheduled to meet with Yugoslavia's president, Slobodan Milosevic, on
Wednesday in an effort to advance a peace accord for Kosova, told reporters shortly after
his arrival on Tuesday: " "We are only a few days away from a tragedy of even
greater dimensions than what has occurred already. We might be on a collision course here
between Yugoslavia and the western authorities, including NATO."
NATO has threatened air strikes if no agreement is reached to end the year-long fighting
in the southern Serbian province of Kosova, whose population is predominantly ethnic
Albanian.
Holbrooke was making the visit at the request of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to
try to bring the two warring sides closer before international mediated peace talks resume
in France on March 15. Negotiations broke up inconclusively after 17 days last month.
He said he had not come to dictate to the Serbs. "We are here to help resolve a
long-standing problem between the Serbs and the Albanians in Kosova," he said.
"We come in peace, but the threat of war, of greater war, is ever present."
The two sides are still far apart and throwing up last-minute obstacles. On Tuesday,
Serbian forces pushed deeper into the region along the Macedonian border.
They drove rebel fighters of the Kosova Liberation Army out of the hill village of Ivaja,
capturing the commanding heights over the main road to the border, a vital artery for the
government. There was also cannon fire reported in northern Kosova as Serbian units
shelled the area west of the town of Vucitrn.
The Serbian army offensive has been proceeding for the two weeks since the peace talks
broke up, despite the presence of international monitors, who are overseeing a cease-fire
signed last October.
Yugoslav authorities also announced that they had issued arrest warrants for eight leading
members of the Kosova Liberation Army, including three delegates to the peace talks. The
men were wanted for murder, kidnapping and attacks on Belgrade's military and police
personnel, the Yugoslav Tanjug news agency reported.
The timing of the announcement appeared to be a calculated signal to the West, and to the
United States in particular, since an invitation was extended to members of the KLA to
visit Washington.
Among those on the wanted list are Hashim Thaci and Jakup Krasniqi, who took leading roles
in the negotiations in France and have frequently met with Western diplomats and
mediators.
"I think it is a reaction to the invitation for them to go to Washington," said
one American official close to the talks. He described Belgrade's attitude as, "If
you can do that, see what we can do."
The U.S. mediator for the talks, Christopher Hill, said the arrest warrants were not new
but admitted the announcement would not help efforts to seal an agreement.
The ethnic Albanians have frustrated mediators by their slowness to sign the autonomy plan
as drafted by the Contact Group. Despite promises to sign within days, they have yet to do
so. KLA members have raised last-minute doubts about the plan for disarmament in the
agreement and the presence of Russian troops in the international peace-keeping force
intended to enforce a settlement.
The KLA news agency reported a new condition on Tuesday, that the Serbian forces should
cease all military operations in Kosova before they sign.
Their reluctance to sign has been portrayed by Western officials as weakening the case
against Belgrade and leaves Holbrooke with little ammunition for his meeting with
Milosevic.
Holbrooke personally negotiated a cease-fire agreement with Milosevic last October in
which Serbian forces were to withdraw and international monitors under the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe would move in to oversee the cease-fire.
While the violence abated at first, the monitors have been unable to prevent a new
escalation since December, including killings in Racak, where 45 ethnic Albanians were
taken out and shot by Serbian police units.
Holbrooke acknowledged that the original agreement had limitations and emphasized that a
new agreement was necessary. The October agreement was not between the Yugoslav
authorities and the Kosova Albanians, but rather between Holbrooke and Milosevic. It also
had no adequate enforcement mechanism, he said.
The agreement now under negotiation grants significant autonomy to the ethnic Albanians of
Kosova and envisages a 28,000-member NATO-led peace-keeping force to enforce the
agreement. Milosevic has, however, repeatedly refused to countenance any international
military force in Kosova, arguing that it was an infringement on Yugoslav sovereignty.
Europarliament Urges Warring Sides to Sign Peace Agreement
PARIS, March 10 (Itar-Tass) - German minister for European affairs Guenter Verheugen
called on Yugoslavia and Kosovar Albanians to sign the Contact Group peace plan.
Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Verheugen said that the warring sides took first
steps in Rambouillet towards the peaceful settlement of the conflict and urged both sides
to give up any measurers which will pose a threat to "everything that was achieved
earlier."
He stressed that EU countries obliged to render assistance to restore peace in Kosova if
the Serbian and Albanian delegations sing the agreement which will facilitate establish
peace in the province.
Analysis: Rising star of Kosovar politics (BBC)
By South East Europe Analyst Gabriel Partos
Hashim Thaēi (right) and Albanian Foreign Minister
Paskal Milo.
Hashim Thaci, the youthful rising star of Kosovar Albanian politics, is a secretive man.
As the US waits for an ethnic Albanian answer to the international peace plan, Mr Thaci's
whereabouts are unknown even though his assent is essential for KLA agreement.
He was named as prime minister designate of the ethnic Albanian provisional government by
the Kosova Liberation Army a week ago.
But what is Mr Thaci's background and how did the 29-year-old hard-liner rise to such
importance in such an apparently short time?
Little was known about him outside the KLA before he was nominated, along with four other
KLA members, to join the Kosovar Albanian negotiating team for the peace talks at
Rambouillet in February.
A dramatic shift in the balance of ethnic Albanian forces quickly came to the fore when Mr
Thaci - rather than long-standing leader Ibrahim Ruguova - was chosen as the Kosovar
Albanian negotiating delegation's co-ordinator.
In other words, Mr Thaci emerged as the de facto leader.
That was not the only surprise the head of the KLA's political directorate produced at
Rambouillet.
On 20 February, the day which was supposed to be the last day of negotiations before the
deadline was extended, Mr Thaci appeared outside the building and declared that the
Albanian delegation, and himself in particular, had been blackmailed.
"I have had pressures," he said. "I have had threats by the Serbian
delegation, I have had threats from 'above' - through my picture being taken, through
insulting me - that if I don't sign the agreement I would be killed."
The Serbian side denied the allegations.
Lone stand
The Albanian side did not sign the interim agreement presented by the six-nation Contact
Group - reportedly because Mr Thaci, alone among the 15-member negotiating team, held out
against it.
Mr Thaci's hard-line stance at Rambouillet was a logical continuation of his long
involvement in the Kosovar Albanians' struggle for independence.
He was born in the Drenica region, stronghold of the current and previous ethnic Albanian
revolts.
He was a student activist during between 1989-91, when ethnic Albanians tried to resist
Belgrade's abolition of Kosova's autonomy through peaceful protests.
Soon afterwards he went underground to join the KLA, which was formed in 1993.
During the mid-1990s he also spent time in Switzerland, a centre for radical Albanian
emigre circles, where he pursued post-graduate studies in politics.
Mr Thaci has been credited with reorganising the KLA after the setbacks it suffered at the
hands of the Serbian security forces last summer.
He is on the KLA's general staff and is its most influential political official.
Though he is a hardliner, Mr Thaci is prepared to be pragmatic at times. He ignored the
recommendation of the KLA's political representative, Adem Demaci, that the KLA should
boycott the Rambouillet talks.
The disagreements have since continued, and Mr Demaci has now resigned from his post
following the apparent failure to consult him about the setting up of the new government
which Mr Thaci is set to lead.
Mr Demaci's resignation will improve the prospects of the Kosovar Albanian side signing up
to the deal now on the table.
If anyone can deliver the ethnic Albanian signature, it is almost certain to be Mr Thaci
who is trusted by the KLA leadership.
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