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KDOM Update Released by the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, February 5, 1999

(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)

Compiled by EUR/SCE (202-647-5624) from daily reports of the U.S. element
of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission and other sources

February 5, 1999

Kosovo has enjoyed another day and night of general quiet with no fighting reported anywhere. The focus of most people in the province continues to be on the political maneuverings as the various parties prepare for the Rambouillet talks opening tomorrow. Word that the F.R.Y. side would send a delegation to the talks was received with mixed reactions -- but in general was greeted with relief.

Tensions continue to increase in the Podujevo and Drenica regions where the KLA, the VJ, and the police all refuse to abide by a KVM plan for permitting utility workers to repair the power grid south of the town. The area in question is controlled by the KLA whose leaders say that the workers and KVM escorts would be at risk in the territory unless police and VJ first abandon their positions in the area. The KLA contention is that the F.R.Y. positions are "illegal" under the October accords and that the Serb forces are using them to shell the town of Podujevo daily. (The latest incident of this shelling took place yesterday when the VJ began firing at 11:30 AM and continued until about 1:00 PM, damaging three village houses.) The Podujevo impasse continues today with KDOM and KVM greatly concerned about possible further deterioration of the situation.

The KLA told KDOM yesterday that unless the body of Bedri Bajrami (killed in Majance a week ago) were returned within 24 hours, they would kidnap and kill a policeman or VJ soldier in Podujevo and hold the body hostage. KLA said the Bajrami issue was reported earlier to KVM personnel who have not yet been able to recover the body. KDOM pledged it would look into the matter quickly.

In Stimlje yesterday, a group of UNHCR and KVM personnel transporting humanitarian supplies were briefly "held hostage" by a group of Serb civilians. The incident was resolved peacefully with the arrival on the scene of Serbian police.

Police report that the body of an ethnic Albanian man was found yesterday in the village of Lipa (Zvecan Opstina) on the Kraljevo to Mitrovica road. The man had been killed by two gunshots to the head.

A police patrol was reportedly attacked by four unidentified people in Djakovica yesterday. One Serbian civilian who was riding in the police vehicle later died of his wounds and the police car was badly damaged, according to police reports.

[End of Document]

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