PRISTINA, June 18 (Hina) - The withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo is proceeding as planned - by Friday midnight Serbian forces are to leave zone two. International peace forces have already entered zone three, and a British unit
has set out towards Podujevo, which is in zone three. A spokesman for the international peace force, Lieutenant Colonel Robin Clifford, expressed hope that the withdrawal of Serbian forces would end in line with estimates. So far, 35,000 Serbian troops have withdrawn while the remaining forces are to withdraw by midnight, June 20. According to available information, last night was peaceful in Pristina and several other towns in the southern Yugoslav province. Albanian refugees are returning in large numbers despite warnings by international officials, especially the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. According to incomplete reports, at least 45,000 Kosovo Albanians have ret
PRISTINA, June 18 (Hina) - The withdrawal of Serbian forces from
Kosovo is proceeding as planned - by Friday midnight Serbian forces
are to leave zone two. International peace forces have already
entered zone three, and a British unit has set out towards Podujevo,
which is in zone three.
A spokesman for the international peace force, Lieutenant Colonel
Robin Clifford, expressed hope that the withdrawal of Serbian
forces would end in line with estimates. So far, 35,000 Serbian
troops have withdrawn while the remaining forces are to withdraw by
midnight, June 20. According to available information, last night
was peaceful in Pristina and several other towns in the southern
Yugoslav province.
Albanian refugees are returning in large numbers despite warnings
by international officials, especially the U.N. High Commissioner
for Refugees.
According to incomplete reports, at least 45,000 Kosovo Albanians
have returned to Kosovo after the arrival of international peace
forces. Most of them are arriving from the refugee camp in Kukes, a
town on the Yugoslav-Albanian border.
At least 20 Kosovars were wounded and one was killed in the
explosions of mines planted by Serbian forces.
Long columns of vehicles are moving along a road leading to the
province's capital of Pristina. The same road is used by several
thousand Kosovo Albanians who are returning to their homes.
Kosovo Serbs from Prizren and other towns are leaving the province
for Serbia in long columns, because, they say, they no longer feel
safe in Kosovo.
The establishment of civil self-government in Kosovo is becoming
the breaking news. During this week's consultations with the Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA), the temporary Kosovo government, headed by
Hashim Thaqi, elected its mayor of Prizren. Plans for the
establishment of civil authorities in the town are underway.
KLA representatives said they were ready to elect the mayor of
Pristina and other Kosovo towns. There have been no reactions by
U.N. officials to the latest moves by Kosovo Albanian leaders.
Thaqi is expected to visit Pristina today.
(hina) rml