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KDOM Daily Report Released by the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, November 16, 1998

Compiled by EUR/SCE (202-647-4850) from daily reports
of the U.S. element of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission

November 16, 1998

KDOM intervention today helped avert serious confrontations between police and KLA in the Malisevo and Podujevo areas. In one incident near Podujevo, KDOM helped extract a police patrol from a KLA ambush. In another at Belancia (near Malisevo) KDOM came upon a police patrol which reportedly had come under fire from KLA. KDOM convinced the police not to retaliate and not to patrol that road for the rest of the day. Neither incident resulted in bloodshed.

KDOM urged the police commander not to send a patrol to Gornja Lapustica tomorrow. While showing restraint today, police responded to KDOM that they will return to the patrolling of the roads in question tomorrow.

Following up on the incident of yesterday in which personnel in a passing VJ convoy fired shots in the direction of a KDOM Humvee, the VJ demonstrated to KDOM how their vehicle backfired, creating the misconception of gunfire. Notwithstanding the demonstration, KDOM continues to believe the VJ fired one to three shots over their vehicle.

The village of Ljubisda received an ultimatum from the military that they must turn over smuggled arms and money by November 17 or face unspecified consequences. To counter that ultimatum, U.S. KDOM, EU KDOM, and UNHCR will be present in the village tomorrow in the hope that their being there will reduce the likelihood of violence.

Today in Banjica (Drenica), KDOM ran into KLA members who allowed them to proceed without the previously-demanded "Demaci letter." KLA assured KDOM that their chief-of-mission letter and Serbian MFA documentation are all that is necessary to move about in KLA-controlled territory. A KDOM patrol on the road from Vucitrn to Kosovsha Mitrovica experienced similar treatment from the KLA.

In the Komorane-Lapusnik-Malisevo triangle area KDOM observed increased activity in roof repairs and people tending livestock. Increased VJ and police patrols in the area, however, may increase the general level of tensions. KDOM will continue to meet with police in the triangle in an attempt to avert any incidents.

KDOM has 183 American personnel today and 42 vehicles.

[End of Document]

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