ALBANIANS BOYCOTT TALKS IN RESPONSE TO ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE

( Editorial: --> 9185 ) PRISTINA, June 5 (Hina) - Serbian forces continued shelling villages in the Decani municipality and along the Albanian border on Friday, the Kosovo Information Centre said. As the Decani municipality is blocked by Serbian forces, there is no information as to casualties of these attacks, the same source said. A 24-year-old Albanian was killed and two were wounded in today's attacks on the Orahovica municipality. According to Media Centre, which is close to the Serbian Government, a Serbian police column was shot at from mortars on the Mitrovica-Pece road on Friday morning. The column returned fire. Due to the dramatic situation and the escalation of Serbian violence, the Kosovo Albanians on Friday boycotted talks with a Serbian Government delegation. Fifteen thousand residents of the Decani municipality set out for Montenegro and as many or more headed for the Albanian border, the leading Kosovo Albanian party, the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, said on Friday. According to the same source, 52 Albanians have been killed in that municipality since last Friday. As many as 200 are missing and 150 are held hostage by Serbian forces. (hina) jn as/bag 051929 MET jun 98