State Department: Serbia-Montenegro - Public Announcement, May 12, 1998

Serbia-Montenegro - Public Announcement
May 12, 1998

The Department of State cautions U.S. citizens against travel to Serbia's southern province of Kosovo because of the potential for rapid changes in the security situation there. Ongoing ethnic tensions between Serbs and ethnic Albanians have worsened in spring 1998, with a series of armed clashes, particularly in the Drenica region north and west of Pristina and in the region near the border with Albania. Police checkpoints are numerous throughout Kosovo and the Yugoslav Army is increasingly visible outside of garrisons. Armed ethnic Albanian extremists are also increasingly visible and have set up temporary roadblocks at some points. Large demonstrations by both Serbs and by ethnic Albanians continue in the major Kosovo towns on a daily basis.

American citizens already in Serbia-Montenegro may contact the U.S. Embassy for current security information. The Embassy is located at Kneza Milosa 50, Belgrade; telephone (381)(11) 645-655.

For further general information on travel to Serbia-Montenegro, consult the latest Department of State Consular Information Sheet.

This supersedes the Public Announcement dated March 3, 1998, and expires August 31, 1998.