[ALBSA-Info] Kostunica wants security zone cut

[Iris Pilika]

Kostunica wants security zone cut

Kostunica wants to 'cleanse southern Serbia of terrorists'
December 19, 2000
Web posted at: 2035 GMT


BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- President Vojislav Kostunica has called for a peace 
agreement to be changed to allow Yugoslav soldiers closer to the provincial 
boundary between Kosovo and Serbia.

Ethnic Albanian rebels are threatening transport routes in the area, but 
Serbian police can carry only light arms under the Kosovo peace agreement 
that ended last year's NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

Four days ahead of elections in Serbia, the main Yugoslav republic, 
Kostunica suggested changes in a provision of the peace agreement that also 
established a five kilometre (three mile) security zone between the NATO-run 
province and Serbia proper.

"A possible solution is to have the five-kilometre zone reduced to two or 
one kilometres and free the communication route to the south," he said.

"That would help return stability into the zone."

Clashes in the zone last month left four Serbian policemen dead.

"Our goal is to cleanse the southern Serbian region of terrorists," 
Kostunica said, referring to Albanian militants.

NATO troops in Kosovo -- despite their "overwhelming presence" -- have 
"shown themselves incapable of the task" of stopping violence, he said.

"And if they failed in Kosovo, what can we expect in the Presevo Valley," 
Kostunica added, referring to the buffer region.

"This can evidently not be achieved single-handedly with the presence or 
intervention of (NATO's) Kosovo Force. Other solutions should be sought."

Speaking ahead of Saturday's elections, Kostunica said much needed to be 
done to undo the wrongs committed by his predecessor former president 
Slobodan Milosevic.

"When I took this office, I was aware of the scope of our problems," 
Kostunica said.

"Democracy -- which we all coveted the most -- is still slow in coming ... 
and many issues will have to be solved on the road ahead."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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