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Thursday, 15 August 2024
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MILS NEWS 06/05/96From: "M.I.L.S." <mils@MILS.SPIC.ORG.MK>Macedonian Information Liaison Service DirectoryCONTENTS[01] CLASHES IN KOSOVO AND THE BALKANS WILL CONTINUE[02] SUROI - 'START OF THE KOSOVO INTIFADA'[03] SOLANA AND BILDT PREOCCUPIED WITH KOSOVO[04] SERIOUS CONCERN FOR KOSOVO[05] RUGOVA ASKS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PROTECTORATE OF KOSOVO[06] BERISHA - 'SERBIAN EXTREMISTS TO BLAME FOR THE INCIDENTS IN KOSOVO'[07] SESELJ - A GOVERNOR OF KOSOVO?[08] NO CHANGES AT THE NORTHERN BORDER[09] NATO DELEGATION IN MACEDONIA[10] PROVOKING A RUSSIAPHOBIA TO COME CLOSER TO NATO[11] GLIGOROV - 'NO NEW ASSOCIATIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA'[12] MEETING OF BALKAN VETERANS ORGANISATIONS IN LUXEMBOURGMILS SUPPLEMENT[13] 'Vision of Hell and of Burnt Land' ('Nasa Borba', Belgrade)MILS NEWSSkopje, 06 May 1996[01] CLASHES IN KOSOVO AND THE BALKANS WILL CONTINUEAn Organisation called 'Liberation Army of Kosovo' took the responsibility for the last week attacks in Kosovo, announced the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo. This Organisation became known to the public two months ago, when it took the responsibility for the bomb attacks to the Serb refugees' camps in Kosovo. The 'Liberation Army of Kosovo', in its message to the Albanian BBC Service, warned that 'unless the will of the jeopardized Albanian people in Kosovo is respected, the armed clashes in Kosovo and the Balkans will continue'. The actions in Kosovo were described as a liberation war, and not an inter-ethnic or religious terrorism.[02] SUROI - 'START OF THE KOSOVO INTIFADA'Veton Suroi, the Editor in Chief of the Kosovo weekly 'Koha', in his interview for the Macedonian weekly 'Fokus', claimed that 'the situation in Kosovo is not being radicalized, following the models of IRA and ETA, but is more like the case of Intifada. 'As we all know, the initiatives were not of the PLO, but of the groups we call 'the base', which had directed the development of the policy.''I expect that we will have that new cycle during this year. It will determine the so-called 'low level conflict', which would not inevitably lead to a war, but will keep the tension in the region, not only in Kosovo, but wider,' stated Suroi. [03] SOLANA AND BILDT PREOCCUPIED WITH KOSOVOEnding his visit to Albania last Thursday, Havier Solana, NATO Secretary General, stated that the Kosovo issue had dominated his talks with the Albanian President Berisha.'Makpress' agency reported the information from 'Royter' that Solana had promised Berisha to inform the NATO member countries of the recent events in Kosovo. In the meantime, Carl Bildt, after his visit to Kosovo, said he was worried about the situation there, as it would influence not only Bosnia, but also the future stability of the whole region, including Serbia, informed 'Nova Makedonija'. He promised to send his Special Envoy, the German Ambassador Martin Linc, to Kosovo. [04] SERIOUS CONCERN FOR KOSOVOThe UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Elizabeth Rehn, last Thursday expressed a serious concern for the situation in the south Serbian province of Kosovo. After the meeting with the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, she said she hoped the violence would not escalate further. After Kosovo, Ms. Rehn visited Sandzak, south Serbia region, northern Montenegro and a part of Bosnia, all of them settled by Moslem population.[05] RUGOVA ASKS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PROTECTORATE OF KOSOVODuring the discussions with the US Deputy Secretary of State, Rudolph Perina, who is in charge of the former Yugoslavia issues, the Kosovo Albanians leader Ibrahim Rugova asked for Kosovo to be put under an international protectorate, as a condition for a political solution. As the Kosovo Information Centre announced, Perina said Kosovo was in the focus of the international diplomacy attention after Dayton, adding that the American Administration would seriously deal with the solving of this problem.Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo Fehmi Agani, in an interview for the Macedonian weekly 'Puls' stated that any kind of an autonomy of Kosovo within Serbian borders was out of question. The only solution possible, he said, would be a greater autonomy within FR Yugoslav borders, similar to the one of Montenegro. 'Puls' also reads that a press conference of the 'Human Rights Committee' President Adem Demachi is expected to take place today. [06] BERISHA - 'SERBIAN EXTREMISTS TO BLAME FOR THE INCIDENTS IN KOSOVO'Macedonian Television reported an information of the Albanian paper 'Gazette Shkjiptare', according to which the Albanian President Sali Berisha told the US Deputy Secretary of State Rudolph Perina that he was very worried about the latest development of the situation in Kosovo. During their meeting in Tirana yesterday, Berisha stated that the Serbian extremists were to blame for the escalation of such incidents, and that their intention was to radicalize the situation in Kosovo.Meanwhile, 'Makpress' reported the information of Radio Tirana that the USA had been helping Kosovo since 1993 through the NGO called 'Mercy International'. As alleged, the USA had sent to Kosovo a humanitarian aid of more than $20 million to date. [07] SESELJ - A GOVERNOR OF KOSOVO?Leader of the Serbian Radical Party Voislav Seselj said the Serbian regime was incapable of solving the problem of Kosovo and Metohija and asked from the authorities to appoint him a Governor of this province. As 'Makpress' informed, he also guaranteed that he would 'pacify and solve the Kosovo issue in two years'. Seselj also accused USA and NATO of leading a policy of secession of Kosovo and Montenegro from FR Yugoslavia.[08] NO CHANGES AT THE NORTHERN BORDERMacedonian Defense Ministry and UNPREDEP agree that the last incidents in Kosovo did not affect situation at the northern border of the Republic of Macedonia, reported 'Dnevnik' last Friday.The paper continued that those incidents and their eventual rising into an armed conflict could directly reflect in Macedonia, in a form of a bigger migration. It also reminded of the evaluations of the Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov that the clashes in Kosovo would inevitably bring to a new Balkan war. Today's issue of 'Dnevnik' cites the statement Macedonian Defense Minister Blagoj Hanjiski gave for the local paper in Albanian 'Flaka e Velazerimit', regarding the mandate of the peace keeping forces in Macedonia: 'We think they should remain here until a qualitative solution for Kosovo within FR Yugoslav borders is found, as well as until Balkan countries strengthen their mutual trust, which would guarantee permanent solutions in the field of defense and security.' [09] NATO DELEGATION IN MACEDONIAA high NATO Military Delegation, led by Anthony Craig, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Military Issues and Planning, will arrive for an official two-days visit to Macedonia today. The purpose of the visit will be to have NATO informed on the intentions of Macedonia to join the Alliance and will help in preparations for the visit of NATO Secretary General Havier Solana to Macedonia in September.During the meetings of the delegation with the highest Macedonian officials, Macedonian programme for cooperation in the frames of the 'Partnership for Peace' Initiative will be discussed. This programme is expected be approved in June this year. [10] PROVOKING A RUSSIAPHOBIA TO COME CLOSER TO NATOCharge de Affairs of the Russian Embassy in Macedonia, Jurij Petrovic Trushin, commented the statement at the Macedonian Parliament that Russia disapproved of Macedonia's intention to join NATO. He stated for 'Dnevnik' that: 'the anonymous sources cited by the MP Nano Ruzin have nothing in common with the official stand of Russia about this issue. The Russian Embassy finds this claim a political provocation, intending to bring intolerance towards Russia among the Macedonian people. It should not be treated differently than provoking a Russiaphobia among the Macedonians, in order to come closer to the West' said Trushin.[11] GLIGOROV - 'NO NEW ASSOCIATIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA'Macedonian President Gligorov stated for the German paper 'Frankfurter Algemaine Zeitung' that he was categorically against any kind of ideas for a new associating of the newly formed countries from the former SFRY republics. As 'Nova Makedonija' cited him, Gligorov said the main conditions for the development of good neighbourly relations and for creating a free trade zone in the region were the mutual recognition of all these countries and the respecting of each country's independence. He pointed out Macedonia as the only country that had established diplomatic relations with all former Yugoslav countries so far.Regarding the relations with Greece, Gligorov said he would not like to jump into conclusions regarding the negotiations in New York, but he emphasized that Macedonian government could not give up the name of its country - Macedonia. Gligorov also stressed the policy of Macedonia towards the minorities as a proof that the ethnic groups could not and must not be integrated by a pressure, but by a dialogue and tolerance. He stated the majority of ethnic Albanians treated Macedonia as their fatherland, and there were very little separatists among them. The President showed no readiness for a compromise about the 'Tetovo university', by saying that ' the institution was planned and established by separatists and is illegal'. Gligorov also expressed his worry about the latest incidents in Kosovo, estimating that it could provoke a great Balkan war. He said the only peaceful solution would be to have direct negotiations between the Kosovo Albanians and the Belgrade authorities. [12] MEETING OF BALKAN VETERANS ORGANISATIONS IN LUXEMBOURGThe cooperation, peace, security and development of the Balkans is subject of discussion at the meeting of the Military Veterans, that began yesterday in Luxembourg. The Conference, which is organised by the World Veterans Organisation, is attended by representatives of Veterans Organisation of 9 Balkan countries, and of Italy, Austria, Hungary, as well as by representatives of the Council of Europe, OSCE and the UN. The meeting was initiated by the Macedonian Veterans Association, which also initiated agreements to be signed on a Balkan cooperation and on respecting the borders.MILS SUPPLEMENT[13] 'Vision of Hell and of Burnt Land'('Nasa Borba', Belgrade)The latest bloody incidents in Kosovo are a sign that the long time accumulated political tension, resulting from time to time with human casualties and violence, could escalate in severe armed clashes between the Serbs and the Albanians there. Kosovo has been a potential war territory for a decade and a half already, and the 'status quo' situation has been kept due to the fear from repression, to the international diplomatic pressure, and to the exhausting mutual policy of 'waiting'.A military uprising of the Kosovo Albanians was announced as 'a very possible' several times during the dissolution of former Yugoslavia. The disbanding of the territorial defense units of Kosovo in 1989, however, made it obvious that the eventual uprising could be limited only to a guerrilla war. And it could hardly bring to some significant effects, due to the characteristic flat configuration of the ground. The Yugoslav National Army (YNA), that was performing military actions in Kosovo beginning from 1981, had a very detailed operating plan, which included: action for quick isolation of rebellion places, bases and areas; interruption of the eventual supplying lines from Albania; severe vengeance measures; punishing the Albanian rebellion movement, etc. The actions of the YNA, that were to take place eventually, would have followed the 'burnt land' model, and there is not a single thing to show that it had changed in the meantime. Currently, strong forces of the Yugoslav Army (YA) are covering Kosovo. The Third Nish Army units are the land forces of an operational-strategic level, and the operational forces are grouped in the Pristine Corps. These Corps are one of the YA most powerful ones, and are made of highly mobile brigades. Their imperative is to break and disorganize the Albanian uprising at the very first interval of the eventual armed conflict with strong initial actions, lots of fire and movement, as well as to give the YA headquarters enough time to evaluate the character, the dimensions and the intentions of the rebellion. Accordingly, the following steps anticipated are the strengthening of the already present forces with units from the inland of Serbia and Montenegro, which would be preceded by a mobilization and a concentration of the forces at those regions. The Pristine Corps consist of the following basic units: an armored brigade, two motorized brigades, an artillery- missile regiment, and an antitank artillery-missile brigade. The back up troops would arrive from three directions. The Nish units and Leskovac Corps would strengthen the units in Gjakovica, Prizren, Uroshevac and Gnjilane; the Kraguevac Corps would act alongside the Ibar Ravine, from Kosovo Mitrovica through Vuchitrn towards Pristine and due south; the Podgorica and Uzice Corps (as a part of the second Army) would be grouped at the Pestar Plateau to cut the road communication from western Kosovo to Novi Pazar, and to further act towards Pec and Kosovo Mitrovica in the Metohija Plain. The operations of the land Serbian-Montenegrin forces would be joined by a demonstration of force, and then by military actions of the air forces. The air military base of Pristine bases its forces on a regiment of fighter planes 'Mig-21', that would perform their assault actions as a support to the land forces. The other air forces which would also be included would be: the Nish military air forces (the transport brigade of the 63rd parachute brigade and the 'Gamma' helicopters squadron), the Kralevo air forces ('Eagle' squadron, 'Gamma' squadron and 'G-4' assault squadron), and, eventually, airplanes from the Podgorica airport, which would act from the reserve runway near Berane, located at the north-eastern part of Montenegro. In case the Albanian rebellion is of a smaller intensity and at isolated regions, the engaging of the Serbian Internal Affairs Ministry special forces would be of a priority. The other forces included would also be: the local police ones (that have antiaircraft guns 'Beffers' and 'Prague' at their disposal, as well as machine guns, mortars and armored vehicles); the YA Special Corps (consisting of the Topchider guard motorized brigade, the 63rd parachute brigade and the Panchevo 72nd sabotage brigade); the military police units; and the protection regiment of the Pristine Corps. According to the Defense Law, the operational commander of these forces would be General Dushan Samardzic, the commander of the south-eastern battlefield of the YA, and the operations would be strategically led by the Supreme Military Council, from the military bunker near Belgrade. There are no proofs that the Albanians in Kosovo have many weapons, except for the light arms they have obtained illegally (either from foreign countries or from the police- army forces, the latter of which provoked great affairs in public), and probably light antiaircraft and antitank weapons. An intensive resistance of Kosovo Albanians near the border with the Republic of Albania is expected. They would be probably supported by Albania, but this country's armed forces would not be able to help, unless an international military intervention against Serbia and Montenegro takes place. Taking into account the numerous population of Kosovo and the great hatred between the ethnic groups there, it is certain that any kind of armed clashes in this province would bring to great civil sufferings and to a great number of desperate refugees. The reservists and volunteers from Serbia and Montenegro, as it happened in 1991-1992, would be hard to be controlled and they would hardly respect the laws of the war. On the other hand, a war in Kosovo would make a foreign intervention very possible, and could provoke an all- against-all war in the Balkans. (end)mils news 06 May, 1996 |
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