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Kosovo Update Released by the Bureau of European Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, February 25, 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(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)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 25, 1999

While there are reports of minor skirmishes yesterday near Vucitrn, no major fighting has been reported in the past 24 hours in Kosovo. The considerable movement of F.R.Y. military and police units noted over the past few days seems to be slowing today -- perhaps indicating a change in Serb planning for any major offensive.

With the Rambouillet talks finished, all parties are now preparing for the next round of negotiations on March 15. U.S. KDOM chief Shaun Byrnes escorted the KLA delegation members home from the peace talks yesterday. The Kosovar Albanians all reached home safely with cooperation from the OSCE/KVM and Serbian authorities. Media reports now indicate that the KLA and supportive ethnic Albanian Kosovar leaders plan to create a "provisional government" for the province.

The U.S. embassy in Belgrade has paid the F.R.Y. $24,000 in air traffic fees in order to bring in a USAF C-130 aircraft for embassy support during the crisis. The U.S. Government protested the payment and will pursue refund of the money once the present crisis has passed.

Harassment of both OSCE/KVM and private NGOs has continued in many parts of Kosovo. Earlier this week, trucks used by the Catholic Relief agency (CRS) for delivery of U.S. sponsored Food for Peace shipments were confiscated in Prizren by Serbian police (apparently for their use in the redeployment of military assets then underway). UNHCR also reports this week a dramatic increase in the number of police roadblocks along many highways, seriously slowing their deliveries of relief supplies to the villages of Nevoljane, Vucitrn, Bobovac, and Kosovska Mitrovica. Weather conditions remain cold throughout the province making delivery of relief supplies additionally urgent and difficult.

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