The State Department web site below is a permanent electronic archive of information released prior to January 20, 2001.  Please see www.state.gov for material released since President George W. Bush took office on that date.  This site is not updated so external links may no longer function.  Contact us with any questions about finding information. NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

Kosovo Update Released by the Bureau of European Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, March 15, 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(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)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

March 15, 1999

March 15, 1999 Today there is fighting reported in the Podujevo area and in southwestern Kosovo near Klina.

Over the weekend, violence flared dramatically in Kosovo. On Saturday, seven died and nearly three score were injured in a series of three bomb attacks which took place at busy markets in the towns of Podujevo and Kosovska Mitrovica. It has not been determined who was responsibile for these bombings which happened as the Kosovo peace talks are about to reconvene in Paris. Many observers believe the intensified "sweep" operations by F.R.Y. forces in the past week and, possibly, these bombings are designed to further destabilize Kosovo on the eve of the talks.

As he prepared to leave for the Paris talks, KLA leader Hasim Thaqi told Albanian television that the KLA has accepted the autonomy plan worked out at Rambouillet and that the KLA will sign on to the accord in Paris. Another Albanian delegate to Paris, Veton Surroi, said upon his departure that the Albanian side does not expect further discussion of the agreement at Paris. They expect, rather, to work on implementation planning for the accords.

In separate Belgrade talks with Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov and Greek Foreign Minister Papandreou, F.R.Y. President Milosevic again categorically rejected any foreign military presence in Kosovo as part of a settlement. The F.R.Y. delegation to the Paris talks, which reportedly consists of the same personnel who attended the Rambouillet session, is expected to maintain that established F.R.Y. position.

OSCE/KVM reported heavy VJ action Sunday morning, involving tanks, mortars, and heavy machine guns in western Kosovo, south of Klina. The reports say that four KLA soldiers died in the action. There is no information on possible Serb casualties in that fighting.

The UNHCR reports that over 5,000 residents of villages around Dus fled Sunday morning's fighting. Most had returned to their villages, however, once the shooting stopped in the afternoon. Shooting has resumed there today. There was no new fighting reported over the weekend or today in areas which saw heavy action last week, namely around Vucitrn and Kacanik.

While it is not clear how many Kosovars will flee into Macedonia, the government in Skopje announced last week that it could provide support for up to 20,000 of the displaced. The announcement said that "illegal" entrants would be rounded up by police and processed through centers set up along the Kosovo border.

An American member of the OSCE/KVM was injured in a road mishap near Pec. The incident apparently was not related to any fighting. The verifier suffered six broken ribs and was evacuated to Skopje for medical attention.

[End of Document]

Previous reports

Special Section on Kosovo Home Page
Office of the Special Representative
Bureau of European Affairs Home Page.
DOSFAN Home Page.