RUGOVA REJECTS AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVO AS UNACCEPTABLE

( Editorial: --> 5386 ) PRISTINA, July 3 (Hina) - Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova says autonomy for the southern Yugoslav province is unacceptable for his people and only independence or an international protectorate as an interim phase would be satisfactory. He told a press conference on Friday that the situation in Kosovo was extremely dangerous and called for an urgent halt to all operations by Serbian military-police forces and international protection for the province. When asked by reporters whether he would accept political control over the insurgent Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Rugova said: "I am the president and represent all people and political groupings. Groups which have been organised in the defence of their homes need to be careful because they carry responsibility for the situation on the field." (Hina) mbr jn 031341 MET jul 98