KOSOVO'S AGANI CLAIMS SERBS HAVE NOT CEASED MILITARY OPERATIONS

( Editorial: --> 4592 ) PRISTINA, Oct 1 (Hina) - Head of the Albanian negotiation team Fehmi Agani on Thursday stated that claims by the Serb authorities that they had ceased war operations in Kosovo were false. In fact the opposite was true as movements of Serb troops were still being noted and new troops were still arriving from Serbia. Agani believes that the Serb authorities were not portraying the Kosovo situation realistically and correctly. "It is not true that the situation on Kosovo is calming down, that the Kosovo Liberation Army has been defeated, that Albanians are giving up their arms and that they are accessing the normal political channels in Serbia", said Agani speaking to Croatian news agency HINA. He denied claims by Serb Premier Mirko Marjanovic that Serbia had fulfilled its obligations regarding the agreement on schooling in Kosovo. In fact, not one condition from that agreement has been met. Agani confirmed that Kosovo Albanians are prepared to accept a temporary solution which would mean that Kosovo would remain within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia if however, it was given the status of an entity with full rights pertaining to any federal unit. The Albanian side would recognise that some powers would remain at the federal level such as, defence, common market and foreign affairs. After a period of three years, a referendum would be held at which Kosovo residents could state their wishes for the future status of Kosovo said Agani for HINA. (Hina) sp 011253 MET oct 98