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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 26, 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(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)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 26, 1999

F.R.Y. customs officials at the F.R.Y.-Macedonia border have detained some eight vehicles and 21 mission members (both local staff and internationals, no American citizens) of the OSCE Kosovo verification mission from entering the country. According to latest reports, officials have begun to search the vehicles without the permission of the verification team. In order to do this, the officials forcibly removed KVM personnel from their vehicles. Earlier, the officials confiscated passports and vehicle registrations. They are preventing the vehicles from either proceeding onward or returning to Macedonia.

Yesterday, a Russian verifier was shoved back into his vehicle after attempting to get out. The presence of armed Serb civilians, who reportedly were drinking with the F.R.Y. customs officials the evening of February 25, has added to the climate of intimidation.

Amid reports that the Serbs are massing troops and tanks along the border with Kosovo, fighting broke out between the VJ and KLA near the southern village of Pustenik. There were reportedly no injuries in the 20-minute exchange of fire in the area, where many displaced people fleeing their homes for Macedonia are gathered.

Serb forces clashed with KLA insurgents in Bukos, the scene of heavy activity this week. Hostilities appeared to intensify as VJ units deployed to the area for live-fire exercises and subsequently engaged KLA forces positioned nearby.

There are reports of small numbers of VJ troops moving into two villages north of Tetovo Macedonia after an overnight firefight. This has caused Kosovars to retreat into Macedonia. In the meantime, most U.S. Government-funded NGOs have begun to bring some or all of their personnel back into Kosovo from Skopje. These returns should bring aid deliveries back to a consistent schedule in relatively short order.

Yesterday, China vetoed a UN resolution to extend the mandate of the UN preventive deployment in Macedonia, while Russia abstained. China's action apparently came in response to Macedonia's diplomatic recognition of Taiwan in January, in return for a reported $1 billion in aid.

[End of Document]

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