[kcc-news] Serbian Forces Shell Villages in Vushtrri and Drenica Area

[Mentor Cana]

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1704
Prishtina, 26 February 1999

"An Important Event in the Modern History of Kosova", President
Rugova Says of Rambouillet Conference

PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) - The Rambouillet peace conference is of
great importance for Kosova and all its citizens, the President of
the Republic of Kosova Dr. Ibrahim Rugova said at the outset of his
press conference in Prishtina today (Friday).
The interim settlement for Kosova is aimed at stopping the
bloodshed, putting in place functioning instituions in Kosova and
opening up prospects for all the Kosova citizens, President Rugova
said. The agreement will be politically and militarily guaranteed,
he said, recalling that NATO will implement it.
President Ibrahim Rugova availed himself of the opportunity to
thank the co-chairmen of the Rambouillet conference, French and
British foreign ministers, Hubert Vedrine and Robin Cook, as well
as the negotiators headed by Ambassador Chris Hill, and Ambassadors
Petritsch and Mayorski.
The Kosova leader thanked the United States of America and the EU
countries for their engagement on the conference, singling out
Presidents Bill Clinton's and Jacques Chirac's unfailing efforts,
and Secretary of State Albright's "committed and energetic" work
and her participation in the conference's deliberations.
Rugova said the Serbian military offensive in Kosova is continuing,
and pressed for an unimpeded work of the OSCE Kosova Verification
Mission, as well as an international intervention in Kosova.
Asked whether a stepped up Serbian military crackdown can destroy
the peace accords of Rambouillet before they have actually been
signed, President Rugova acknowledged such a danger exists. The
agreement would be destroyed and a new catastrophe and tragedy
created in such a case, he said. "The international community
should watch this closely", he pointed out.
Asked to speak about the benefits of the interim settlement for
Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova said it would in the first place create
peace and security here, as well as pave the way for the
establishment of functioning institutions at the Kosova and local
levels. "It is an important event in the modern history of Kosova",
because it has been mediated and will be implemented by the
international community, he said.
The agreement will be put to the people and the political
organizations for consultations and approval, President Ibrahim
Rugova said. The majority of the people of Kosova and all the
political forces here are in favour of a three-year-long interim
settlement, which leaves the door open for the people of Kosova to
determine their future, he said in reply to a question.
We are keen to have the agreement as soon as possible in place, so
that NATO troops are deployed in Kosova and create security for all
the people in Kosova and wider in the region, President Ibrahim
Rugova concluded.

Serbian Forces Shell Villages in Vushtrri and Drenica Area

PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) -  At 14:45 CET today (Saturday), Serbian
forces positioned at Bukosh village started shelling the village of
Oshlan as well as in the direction of neighboring villages in the
Drenica region, the LDK chapter in Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') reported.
The sound of heavy detonations was being heard in the town of
Vushtrri, they said.
On Thursday evening, at 18:30 CET, Serbian forces shelled the
villages of Bukosh and Oshlan.

Serbian Forces Shell Mitrovica Villages Saturday Afternoon

PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) - Today (Saturday) afternoon, at around
16:00 CET, Serbian forces launched artillery and machine-gun fire
against the villages of Pir^, Oshlan, Pantin&, Vernic& and
Vaganic&, LDK sources in Mitrovica said.
The Serbs are shelling from their positions in Frash&r i Vog&l
village, where more than 30 Serbian vehicles, including 7 army
tanks, have been deployed.
Most of the Albanian people living in the area have fled their
homes. Those who have not been evacuated have found shelter in the
cellars of their family homes.

Serb Authorities Detain Eight KVM Vehicles and Staff in Kosova-
Macedonia Border

PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) - The Serbian border authorities stopped
four KVM vehicles and their staff on Thursday evening at the
Kosova-Macedonia border crossing in Hani i Elezit, and a further
four vehicles today (Friday) morning in what amounts to a
diplomatic incident in breach of Geneva conventions governing
diplomatic immunity.
Two armoured vehicles coming from Shkup/Skopje (Macedonia) passed
through the Macedonian side and the Serb-controlled police border
procedures before being stopped by the Serbian customs authorities
at 18:30 CET on Thursday, OSCE KVM spokespersons said.
A British verifier protested the Serb authorities' move to open the
car trunks, because it was in breach of the diplomatic immunity the
verifiers and their cars enjoy, Beatrice Lacoste, a spokeswoman for
the KVM told the KIC by phone today.
Twenty minutes later, a KVM Pajero car, with one Italian and two
local staff members based in Brezovica, also coming from Shkup to
Kosova were stopped at the customs area of the border crossing from
the Kosovar side. Five persons, two internationals and three locals
were thus stuck in there, Ms Lacoste said.
The KVM headquarters were informed, and then sent a Pajero car with
two customs experts, a Russian man and a Swedish woman, and a local
interpreter, the KVM spokeswoman said. Four vehicles with eight
staff members were thus stuck in the border, with Serbian
authorities holding them up there all night.
A KVM liaison officer informed the Serbian police authorities and
the 'FRY' Foreign Ministry, pressing for the detainees to be
released. A telegram was sent late Thursday to the 'FRY' Foreign
Ministry in an attempt to resolve the situation.
The KVM staff, detained by the Serb border police, spent the night
of Thursday in the two armoured vehicles stuck there in the border
crossing area, Beatrice Lacoste said.
The Serbian police, carrying weapons, seemed to be under "alcoholic
influence, very aggressive verbally and with their body language",
Lacoste told the KIC.
One of the KVM customs officers, who was walking around, was pushed
physically into the KVM car, the OSCE spokeswoman said.
At around 10:30 CET today (Saturday), four more KVM vehicles
travelling from Kosova to Macedonia were stopped by the Serb
authorities at the border.
Negotiations were going on at different levels to resolve the
situation.
"We have informed Vienna (the headquarters of the OSCE), Norway
(the country holding the OSCE presidency), and NATO" about all
this, Beatrice Lacoste told the KIC just past noon today.

Serbian Troops and Weaponry Building Up in Different Parts of
Kosova

Serb troops and armaments massed in Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Suhareka,
Hani i Elezit, Malisheva, Istog, Skenderaj
PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) - Early in the morning today (Saturday),
heavy Serbian military and police forces were stationed in several
settlements in the municipality of Suhareka, local LDK sources
said.
The Serbian forces have taken up the very same positions they had
during the last year's offensive against the Albanian population in
the area.
Just past noon, Serbian forces were heading towards Prizren, in
what seems to amount to preparations for a fresh Serbian offensive
in the area, sources said.
Serbian forces have been reportedly redeploying in the Mitrovica
area, in Frash&r i Vog&l ('Svinjare') village and the outlying area
towards Vaganic& e Poshtme, Vaganic& e Ep&rme, Pir^, and Oshlan
villages.
In Frash&r i Vog&l, the Serbian military has entered Albanian
family house courtyards, whereas police was housed last night in
the house of Gani R. Ahmeti (45).
The Albanian population of the villages of Frash&r i Vog&l, Pir^,
Vaganic& e Ep&rme, Vaganic& e Poshtme, as well as part of the
population of Verrnic& village, have fled their homes. Part of them
spent the last night rough in the open in the "Ura e Gjakut"
neighborhood of Mitrovica.
A number of Serbian tanks and lorries have been deployed near the
village of Zhabar i Ep&rm of Mitrovica, with their barrels aimed at
the villages of Lusht&, Vaganic&, Verrnic& and Pir^ between
Vushtrri and Mitrovica.
Serbian police has been reported arbitrarily stopping and ill-
treating Albanians in mounting checkpoints in the town of
Mitrovica.
Seven Serbian army lorries with soldiers on board as well as a
number of APCs and jeeps left Mitrovica for Skenderaj ('Srbica')
today morning.
Fresh Serbian police and military forces, backed up by armoured
vehicles and APCs, arrived in the town of Rahovec today morning.
Later on, some of them headed towards Ho^& e Madhe, the rest in the
direction of Suhareka, local LDK sources said.
Serbian paramilitary forces backed up by an armoured car and four
other vehicles headed towards the village of Trubuhovc,
municipality of Istog, in northwestern Kosova, in mid-morning
today, local LDK sources said.
Serbs have redeploying and digging in in the Malisheva area, in
central Kosova, sources told the KIC.

Serbian Forces Encircle Rezhanc& Village of Hani i Elezit

PRISHTINA, Feb 26 (KIC) - At 8:00 a.m. today (Saturday),  shooting
was heard in the villages of Pustenik and Rezhanc&, municipality of
Hani i Elezit ('General Jankovic'), local LDK sources in Ka^anik
reported
Serbian troops and armaments have been concentrated recently in the
south-eastern border area of Kosova with Macedonia.
A column of Serbian forces consisting of a dozen motorized vehicles
arrived from Ferizaj in Hani i Elezit just before noon today.
At noon, Serbian forces besieged the village of Rezhanc&. The local
Albanian residents started fleeing their homes.

Kosova Information Center


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