[ALBSA-Info] EU Condemns Attack on Serbs in Kosovo

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

EU Condemns Attack on Serbs in Kosovo
  
STOCKHOLM, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The European Union condemned an attack on a bus 
in Kosovo on Friday that killed seven Serbs and injured dozens of others. 

The condemnation issued by Sweden, which currently holds the EU's rotating 
presidency, followed an earlier statement calling for an end to violence in 
the area near Kosovo's boundary with Serbia proper. That statement was 
directed at what the EU called extremist Albanian groups. 

The bus, carrying about 60 people and escorted by international peacekeepers, 
was blown up by an explosive device as it approached Kosovo's northern 
boundary with Serbia. 

"This barbarous act of violence severely jeopardises confidence building 
between ethnic communities and undermines efforts at creating a safe 
environment for all people in Kosovo," the EU presidency statement said. 

It called on all parties in the area to remain calm, urged authorities in 
Kosovo to catch and punish those responsible, and called on all Kosovo 
leaders to condemn the attack. 

Earlier the EU said it supported the initiative of the Belgrade authorities 
to find a peaceful and durable solution to instability near the Kosovo 
border, which risks destabilising the whole region. 

It called on the Albanian community in the region to appoint representatives 
who could engage in constructive dialogue with Serbian and Yugoslav 
authorities. 

"This implies an immediate cessation of violence by the armed extremist 
Albanian groups notably in the GSZ (Ground Safety Zone)," it said. 

The GSZ is a five-kilometre zone extending beyond the Kosovo province border 
into Serb territory. 

The commander of peacekeeping forces in Kosovo, General Carlo Cabigiosu, said 
on Wednesday that extremists on both sides were bent on stirring up trouble 
to try to block a peaceful future for the province. 

Balkan leaders and EU officials are due to meet on February 23 in Macedonia's 
capital Skopje to discuss regional security. 

The Swedish presidency said the EU regarded a peace plan adopted by Serbia 
and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on February 8 as "a good basis for 
further discussions."