http://www.serbia-info.com/news/2000-11/27/21309.html

Rugova dares not to accept dialog
November 27, 2000

Belgrade, November 26 - President of Democratic Reform Party of Albanians
Sokolj Quse has evaluated today that president of ethnic Albanian Democratic
League of Kosovo (DSK) Ibrahim Rugova will not accept yesterday's invitation
to talks from FR of Yugoslavia's President Vojislav Kostunica.

"Rugova dares not, for reasons of his safety and that of his party members,
to accept a dialogue with Kostunica", Sokolj Quse stated to the Tanjug.

He, however, left open the possibility that Rugova might send a deputy to
the talks with the Serbian side, "if he even dares to do that".

Quse said that the recent escalation of violence by loyalists of ethnic
Albanian extremist Hashim Thaqi against both the DSK and the Serbs in Kosovo
and Metohija and across the boundary in the Bujanovac area, were a direct
result of the power change since September's presidential elections.

"(Ethnic) Albanians feel Kostunica's victory to be an obstacle to the
attainment of their dream of an independent Kosovo, and so violence may be
expected to be turned also against international representatives in Kosovo
and Metohija", Quse said.

In the message to Rugova, Kostunica pointed out that it is necessary to
begin Serbian-Albanian talks in order to secure lasting peace and stability
of Kosovo and Metohija and evaluated that problem could be solved.