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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 18, 1998

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

November 18, 1998

Kosovo was calm today but with continuing tensions, especially in the Malisevo area. There were no major incidents.

The KLA maintains a high profile along main roads in the Malisevo region. KDOM accompanied police patrols in that area, along the Dulje-Malisevo, and the Orahovac-Malisevo routes, where KLA presence remains especially strong and visible. The police insist on patrolling off the main roads, especially in areas known to have heavy KLA presence. The police presence continues to be of great concern to local residents. KDOM continues to urge restraint on both sides and tries to find ways of keeping the two from direct confrontations.

A KDOM patrol visited an unauthorized police check point at Rastane (near Suva Reka). The local police commander contended the post was authorized. KDOM will raise the violation with the provincial police commander.

UNHCR, KDOM, and 45 NGOs met in Pristina today to discuss IDPs. Participants agreed that there are 385,000 IDPs in Kosovo, none of whom remain in the open. Additionally, there are about 75,000 refugees outside Kosovo (maximum estimates of 40,000 in Montenegro, 10-20,000 in Serbia, 20,000 in Albania, and 3-5,000 in Macedonia).

KDOM and UNHCR continue to monitor the situation in Lubizhda, near Prizren, where Serb authorities gave local villagers until 12 noon yesterday to surrender weapons and money "or else". The deadline passed without trouble.

KDOM provided a strong presence in the Podujevo area following the shooting of a woman during a KLA-police shoot-out. The woman, whose prognosis is good, was apparently an unintended victim in the brief battle. KDOM raised the incident with local police officials as an example of how such altercations can injure innocent bystanders.

KDOM is working closely with ethnic Albanians in Kravasarija and Blace (SE of Malisevo) who have requested the restoration of electrical power. Due to damage suffered over the summer to the Malisevo power station which supplies this area, an early resumption of service to the villages is not likely. According to the Mother Teresa Society residents of the village of Semetiste (near Suva Reka) have raised the money to restore power to their area.

The U.S.KDOM complement of Americans remains at 183.

[End of Document]

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