[ALBSA-Info] Russia Calls Kosovo Bus Bombing "Barbarous Crime"

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Russia Calls Kosovo Bus Bombing "Barbarous Crime"

MOSCOW, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Russia called Friday's bombing of a bus packed 
with Serb civilians in Kosovo a "barbarous crime" and said ethnic Albanian 
separatists were trying to drive the remaining Serbs out of the Yugoslav 
province. 

International officials said seven Serbs were killed and dozens injured when 
the bus was blown up by an explosive device near Kosovo's border with the 
rest of Serbia. Russia put the death toll at 10. 

"A new, barbarous crime was carried out on February 16 in Kosovo, Federal 
Republic of Yugoslavia," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement 
released hours after the attack. 

"This new, inhuman act continues the chain of crimes carried out by Albanian 
extremists with the goal of raising tensions in and around Kosovo, to plant 
feelings of fear and hopelessness in the non-Albanian population," it said. 

It accused the Albanians of trying to create an "ethnically cleansed" 
province, in order to declare independence. 

"All this is aimed at wrecking the course of the new, democratic leadership 
of Yugoslavia and Serbia, which is taking real steps towards the peaceful 
political resolution of problems, that has met the understanding and support 
of the international community." 

Russia vocally supported Serbia during NATO's 1999 bombing campaign that 
ended with Kosovo becoming a de facto international protectorate. It has 
frequently criticised NATO troops in Kosovo for failing to protect the 
province's Serb minority.