KOSOVO ALBANIAN LEADER CALLS FOR FLIGHTS BAN OVER PROVINCE

( Editorial: --> 5035 ) PRISTINA, Aug 21 (Hina) - Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova on Friday demanded the international community introduce a no-fly zone over the southern Yugoslav province in a bid to stop the Serbian war machine. He also asked the United States, European Union, United Nations and NATO to protect Kosovo's people because the situation in the province was very difficult and dangerous. Rugova accused the Belgrade regime of continuing the destructive offensive by its forces against Albanian villages in Kosovo. He said this was illustrated by attacks on the largest Albanian village of Junik near the Albanian border, where Serbian forces had used airplanes and helicopters to cause massive damage, while more than a thousand residents had fled to Albania. Rugova said that since March this year when the Serbian offensive was launched in Kosovo, there had been a total of 300,000 Albanians displaced, 16,000 had fled to Albania and 30,000 to Montenegro which was creating a very difficult humanitarian situation. He demanded that the refugees be immediately returned to their homes under international supervision and that the Serbian police not prevent their return. Rugova confirmed preparations were underway for talks between Pristina and Belgrade. He said a new Kosovo government was being formed and it would be announced soon. (Hina) mbr 211739 MET aug 98