UNMIK OFFICIAL SHOWS CUSTOMS AGREEMENT TO KOSOVO SERB REP

BELGRADE, April 18 (Hina) - The U.N. Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has confirmed to and provided a Kosovo Serb official with a copy of an agreement between Yugoslav authorities and the UNMIK regulating the establishment of the customs administration and customs points on the border between Serbia and Kosovo. In a statement to the Wednesday issue of the Belgrade daily 'Politika', Oliver Ivanovic confirmed he had been given such assurances by UNMIK representatives, adding this explained yesterday's "lukewarm" reaction of Belgrade to the setting up of customs points. The Serbian government on Tuesday officially denied having known about the setting up of customs points and the head of the Yugoslav customs administration said the administration was not "competent" for the territory of Kosovo. So far, the Yugoslav government has not voiced its stand on the introduction of customs control. A spokesman for UNMIK's civilian affairs sector, Frank Benjaminnsen, told 'Politika' that goods which came from Serbia or had already been taxed upon entering Yugoslavia would not be taxed on customs points on the Serbia-Kosovo border. The UNMIK official said the goods to be taxed included cigarettes, oil products, alcoholic drinks, and technical equipment coming from other countries. The customs service will tax only those goods which are intended for sale and not those intended for personal consumption, Benjaminnsen said. He emphasised that the tax money would be invested in the development of Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo. Serbs from northern Kosovo today continued the blockade of regional roads leading to Kosovska Mitrovica. Oliver Ivanovic distanced himself from these protests and told Politika the organisers of the rallies were former high officials of Milosevic's Serbian Socialist Party, which, he said, were using every opportunity to improve their popularity rating with local Serbs. (hina) rml