Kosova Daily Report #1593, 98-10-25

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1593
Prishtina, 25 October 1998

CONTENTS

[01] UN Security Council Authorizes Kosova Mission

[02] Four Albanians from Malisheva Killed in Minefields at Kosova- Albania Border

[03] Five Kosova Refugees Shot and Seriously Wounded by Serb Army

[04] Albanian Youths Killed and Wounded in Their Copse Saturday

[05] No Serb Troop Withdrawal from Malisheva Area

[01] UN Security Council Authorizes Kosova Mission

Russia and China abstained on the resolution which was adopted by a 13-0 vote.

The text endorsed agreements signed by Yugoslavia that allow NATO to evacuate the European monitors but only with noncombat aircraft, Reuters noted.

But the United States and Britain immediately made it clear force would be used by NATO if necessary. Britain said it would use self-defence if any of its 200 monitors expected to go to Kosova were endangered, while the United States said NATO had the right to strike, the news agency said.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in a statement from Washington, called the resolution a "strong" document because it was adopted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter.

"We and our NATO allies have the authority, the will, and the means to take action, if necessary to ensure full implementation," she said.

The resolution endorses agreements with Yugoslavia under which the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and NATO will monitor an Oct. 13 accord between 'FRY' and U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke for the withdrawal of Serbian troops and special police from Kosova.

The resolution does not touch on NATO's warnings that it would use airstrikes against Yugoslavia if President Slobodan Milosevic fails to withdraw his forces.

"No one should be in any doubt that we will use to the full our inherent right to protect our nationals if they are in danger, and the right under this resolution to take action to ensure their safety and freedom of movement," British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said in the Council debate.

The resolution was sponsored by 10 countries-- Bahrain, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States.

Reuters news agency said the UN Security Council resolution also: - demands that the Kosovo Albanian leadership cooperate fully with the monitoring operations; - stresses the need for both the Yugoslav and Kosova Albanian leadership to enter immediately into a political dialogue with a clear timetable for a negotiated solution; - reminds Yugoslavia it bears primary responsibility for the safety of all diplomatic personnel and the OSCE mission; - insists that the Kosova Albanian leadership condemn and stop all terrorist actions; - reaffirms the right of all refugees to return to their homes in safety and says Yugoslavia must create conditions that allow their return; - calls for the "prompt and complete" investigation of all atrocities against civilians and cooperation with the Hague-based U.N. war crimes tribunal.

[02] Four Albanians from Malisheva Killed in Minefields at Kosova- Albania Border

A few days ago, Hasan Shala (18), resident of Banj& village of Malisheva, was killed. His body has been found and buried.

Meanwhile, the bodies of three other Albanians have been for three days now in the Prizren hospital morgue.

Shp&tim Kryeziu (20) and Sami Kryeziu (18), both of them from Pagarusha village of Malisheva, were killed likewise in the border area. A third killed Albanian, whose name has not been reported, was supposed to be resident of Shkoza village of Malisheva.

[03] Five Kosova Refugees Shot and Seriously Wounded by Serb Army

The five - two elderly men, two children and a woman - were airlifted from the Albanian border village of Pogaj to a military hospital in the capital, Tirana, where they were in critical condition late Saturday, said Artan Bizhga, Interior Ministry spokesman.

Last week, four members of a Kosova Albanian family were killed and two others wounded while returning back to their homes at G&r^ina village in the Gjakova area. Serb military fired at the Albanians - three of whom children - without warning.

[04] Albanian Youths Killed and Wounded in Their Copse Saturday

The funeral of the 11-year-old Albanian boy was delayed on Sunday when seven gravediggers came under fire as they prepared the burial plot.

"We started to open the grave at about 9.30 a.m. and shooting came in our direction, very close," the 22-year old Petrit, one of the gravediggers, told Reuters news agency.

The boys' father said on Sunday that his son had been shot without warning.

"There are 24 [Serb] tanks in the area around here despite the NATO ultimatum. Their location is no secret. This is what we live with every day, but still I did not think the police or the soldiers would shoot my son without reason," said Rashid Buzaku, 37, the boy's father, Reuters reported.

[05] No Serb Troop Withdrawal from Malisheva Area

PRISHTINA, Oct 25 (KIC) - Serbian forces have camouflaged their combat arsenal in the woods of the Malisheva area, and not withdrawn, as demanded by the international community, LDK sources in the area said.

Gunfire was reported in the village of Dragobil last night.

Serbian forces have planted mines in this village, local LDK sources claim.

The around 18,000 displaced Albanians in the area - many of them originating from surrounding municipalities - are in a desperate humanitarian situation, with scarce food supplies and virtually no medical attention.

Meanwhile, reports said Serb police have been preventing Albanians from returning to their villages, most of them destroyed and burned, in Shtime municipality.

The LDK chapter in Shtime said the villagers of Re^ak, 2 km from the town of Shtime, were forced to evacuate their homes again when a Serb police expedition entered the village to loot the few homes which have remained intact from Serb attacks.

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