UN RAPPORTEUR BLAMES KFOR AND UNMIK FOR SITUATION IN KOSOVO

BELGRADE, March 17 (Hina) - A UN special rapporteur for human rights, Jiri Dienstbier, on Saturday pinned the blame on the NATO- led international forces in Kosovo (KFOR) and UNMIK for the current situation in Kosovo and expressed confidence that following the developments in Macedonia the international community would finally realise what goals Albanian extremists had. So far there have been many illusions and misunderstanding, and I hope the international community is going to show more resoluteness in its bids to counter such events in Kosovo, the UN official said in Belgrade on Saturday after he also a day before made similar accusations of the World Organisation he represents, following his talks with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. Wrapping up his ten-day visit to Yugoslavia, Dienstbier held the closing news conference at which he expressed optimism about prospects for the resolution of problems in south Serbia. However, in that context, he added that no one knew what would happen in Macedonia. He asserted that the co-operation between Yugoslav authorities and international organisations in Kosovo had been on the rise, and added that latest attacks of extremists in the Valley of Presevo and in Macedonia had altered the international community's conception (of what was going on), and therefore there was now a strong will to disarm the population in Kosovo. The UN rapporteur maintained that the issue of armed extremism in the south of Serbia could be solved not only by military operations but also by solving problems the local community was facing. During his tour in Yugoslavia, he visited the Valley of Presevo, Kosovo, Sandzak, Podgorica (Montenegro) and Belgrade where he held talks with authorities of Yugoslavia, Serbia, Montenegro, and representatives of UNMIK, KFOR and of non-governmental organisations. (hina) ms