KOSOVO ALBANIANS TO HOLD DIALOGUE ONLY THROUGH MEDIATION

( Editorial: --> 9067 ) PRISTINA, March 12 (Hina) - A Serbian government delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ratko Markovic, and representatives of Parliament parties, arrived in Pristina on Thursday to hold talks with Kosovo Albanians who never showed up. The Serbian government representatives told reporters that Serbia was all for dialogue, but it was consistent in its stance that the Kosovo problem was an internal issue, and that dialogue would be held consistent with the Constitution of Serbia, with the intention of securing human and civil rights of citizens and minorities. Deputy president of the Democratic Union of Kosovo, Fehmi Agani, said Albanians had received no official offer for dialogue, and remained firm in their requests to speak only with the mediation of a third side, representatives of the United States or the European Union. Agani said the suggestion of the Serbian authorities that negotiations be held via the media was an obvious game and manipulation of the public. As long as violence and terror in Kosovo continue, dialogue with Serbian authorities who are trying to minimalise the problem of Kosovo, despite international threats and warnings, cannot be held, Agani stressed. (hina) LM jn 121357 MET mar 98