http://www.centraleurope.com/yugoslaviatoday/news.php3?id=213485&section=Kosovo

UNHCR Chief Cautious on Serbs' Return to Kosovo

SKOPJE, Oct 25, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) UN refugee chief Sadako
Ogata cautioned Wednesday against the immediate return of Serbs to Kosovo,
saying the ethnic-Albanian dominated Yugoslav province was too tense.

New Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, due in Moscow Friday, is expected
to seek Russia's support for a speedy return of Serbs, who fled the UN
administered province due to an upsurge in attacks by pro-independence
Albanians.

Ogata, making a farewell visit to Russia as the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees, said she supported the Serbs' return but warned conditions were not
yet
right.

"In principle we are all for return of Serbs to Kosovo," Ogata told a press
conference here. "In principle they should return, Kosovo should be a
multi-ethnic
society.

"At the same time, we are very cautious about an immediate return right now,
because the harassment of minorities, especially Serbs, even leading to
killings, is
still there" she said.

An estimated 170,000 Serbs fled the province and 100,000 are thought to have
remained in an enclave in the northern part of the region.

Serbs account for around five percent of Kosovo's two million strong population,
and shortly after being declared the winner in presidential elections Kostunica
said
the return of Serbs to the province was a key objective.

"In my talks with all foreign officials, I will be persistent and even boring in
my
insisting for a return of refugees to Kosovo," the moderate Serb nationalist
said on
October 7.

Russia has accused the NATO-led Kosovo protection force of failing to protect
Serbs living in the province from attacks by pro-independence Albanian Kosovars.