KOSOVO FLASH NEWS
Serbian media monitoring for December 14, 2000
Prepared by "Voice of Kosovo and Metohia"
[Media and publishing center of Raska and Prizren Orthodox Diocese]

http://www.kosovo.com
http://www.decani.yunet.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*Serb murdered in UN-administered Kosovo-Metohija
*A Serb disappears in the vicinity of Bujanovac
*We'll swap sympathy for territory: Djindjic
*Bujanovac blockade diminishes but continues
*Railway traffic Nis-Presevo cut off, blockades on Vranje-Presevo road
*Yugoslav President requests urgent session of the UN Security Council
*Tsohatzopoulos condemns terrorist actions in southern Serbia
*Rugova's party meets rebels from "eastern Kosovo"
*Laissez-faire on Dec 23 elections in Kosovo: UN, KFOR, OSCE
----------------------------------------------------------------------

SERB MURDERED IN UN-ADMINISTERED KOSOVO-METOHIJA
(Tanjug, 14. 12. 2000.)

Kosovska Mitrovica - A Serb was gunned down outside a shop owned by an
ethnic Albanian in the Serbian (Yugoslav) UN-administered Kosovo-Metohija
province late on Wednesday, according to reports in Kosovska Mitrovica on
Thursday. The Serb, Milorad Krstic, aged 55, was shot from a pistol in
Kosovska Vitina, eastern Kosovo-Metohija, where he had moved after being
driven by ethnic Albanian extremists from his native Urosevac. Since a month
ago, he was working as a watchman in the local UN Mission (UNMIK) office.

A SERB DISAPPEARS IN THE VICINITY OF BUJANOVAC
(Serbia Info, 14. 12. 2000.)

Bujanovac, December 14 (Tanjug) - Zoran Stankovic from the village of
Rakovac disappeared in Bujanovac, the representatives of the local police
and the Mayor of Bujanovac, Stojanca Arsic confirmed to Tanjug. According to
the available facts, Stankovic set off for Veliki Trnovac village on a
motorcycle on Saturday, December 9th, but every trace was lost in Kosovska
Street in Bujanovac. Since Stankovic disappeared on this road, it is
believed that he has been kidnapped by the ethnic Albanian terrorists.

WE'LL SWAP SYMPATHY FOR TERRITORY: DJINDJIC
(B92, 14. 12. 2000.)

Belgrade, Thursday - Armed Albanians are planning to plant their flag in the
Presevo valley by the end of December, DOS leader Zoran Djindjic said last
night. Djindjic told Jagodina TV Palma Plus that the situation in southern
Serbia was threatening to plunge the Balkans into a "new crisis". "Urgent
uncompromising action is imperative," he said. "We have to show the world
and the Albanians that there can be no negotiation on things which are not
negotiable." He added that he had made an official appeal through Macedonia
and Greece that Serbia be allowed to implement the Kumanovo agreement, which
meant demilitarisation of the zone. Armed Albanians there were currently
planning a new offensive some time after December 20, he added. Djindjic
continued that he had heard that Serbia had won the sympathies of the world
for its reaction in southern Serbia. "Albanians have got control over the
territory and we've got sympathy. Let's swap," he said. "All these
sympathies have earned us is 5,000 armed Albanians."

BUJANOVAC BLOCKADE DIMINISHES BUT CONTINUES
(B92, 14. 12. 2000.)

Bujanovac, Thursday - The crowd holding the Bujanovac road blockade for over
30 hours has thinned out in the afternoon hours, with approximately 1000
protestors remaining. This is half the number of protestors who had been at
the blockade earlier this afternoon. The remaining protestors are still
refusing to lift the blockade and and allow traffic on the road to the
Yugoslav-Macedonian border past Vranje. Journalists estimate that some 160
trucks are waiting in an eight kilometre long convoy behind the blockade.
High-ranking Serbian government officials met with the protestors this
afternoon, saying that they understood the protestor's requests and promised
to "once again inform the Federal leadership, with Vojislav Kostunica at
helm". The protestors have requested that Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica speak with them. They have also asked for the expulsion of
Albanian extremists from the buffer zone and for the opening of the
Bujanovac-
Konculj-Gnjilane road.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC NIS-PRESEVO CUT OFF, BLOCKADES ON VRANJE-PRESEVO ROAD
(Radio Index, 14. 12. 2000.)

Belgrade - The railway traffic Nis-Presevo has been cut off today around 11
a.m., after the residents near railway station Bujanovac blocked the
railroad, the Company Railway Traffic Belgrade has stated. The local railway
traffic has been conducted according to the timetable between Nis and
Vranje, while the trains south from Vranje are on standstill. The "Hellas
Express" train, which covers the route Belgrade-Thessalonica, will not drive
on this route till further notice, it has been specified in the statement.
The traffic has been broken on the highway Vranje-Presevo near Bujanovac and
near Ristovac, on the road towards the border crossing Prohor Pcinjski, and
it is still out of function. The highway Belgrade-Nis has also been blocked
near Razanj, in both directions, therefore vehicles are directed to the old
road from Pojat to Razanj, it is said in the statement.
YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT REQUESTS URGENT SESSION OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
(Serbia Info, 14. 12. 2000.)

New York, December 14 (Tanjug) - Late Wednesday the United Nations Security
Council called an urgent session for Tuesday, December 19 at Yugoslav
President Vojislav Kostunica's request. A statement said that the Council
would discuss the disturbing situation in the security zone in southern
Serbia that has been a target of ethnic Albanian armed groups' incursions
from Kosovo and Metohija. It is stressed in the statement that the Council
has reached the decision based on the request made by Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica who had sent a letter to the Security Council president
pointing to the difficult situation in the security zone to which the
International Community had to respond by meeting its obligations. After
familiarizing themselves with President Kostunica's letter and requests, the
Security Council members "confirmed their deep concern over the situation in
the security zone"' it is said in the statement. The Security Council
members condemned "acts of violence by armed groups in southern Serbia,"
reiterating "their call for an immediate halting of violence" in that area.
The Security Council expressed support for active efforts by UNMIK and KFOR
aimed at preventing illegal activities in Kosovo and Metohija and the
security zone, in line with U.N. Resolution 1244 and the Military-Technical
Agreement. In his letter to the Security Council, President Kostunica
stressed that the situation in the security zone was becoming increasingly
complicated. Kostunica insisted that Yugoslavia had always respected
Resolution 1244 and the Military-Technical Agreement, and that it would do
so in future, adding that the International Community had to take specific
measures in order to reaffirm its resolve to meet its obligations. According
to the Yugoslav President, this is particularly important in this period of
time when Yugoslavia is undergoing still fragile process of democratization.

TSOHATZOPOULOS CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACTIONS IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
(B92, 14. 12. 2000.)

Belgrade, Thursday - Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos condemned
"terrorist actions in southern Serbia" during his official visit to
Belgrade. "I emphasise the need for respect of the UN Security Council
Resolution. Our position is that terrorist actions in southern Serbia being
carried out by Albanian extremists and terrorists must be prevented,"
Tsohatzopoulos said. "We insist that the UN Security Council give the
ultimatums and not us. We want this to be solved politically and
diplomatically, although we are in a position to resolve it swiftly," Zizic
told press after meeting with Tsohatzopoulos. Tsohatzopoulos met with
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic,
and Defence Minister Slobodan Krapovic, with whom he spoke about the
military cooperation. Tsohatzopoulos offered Greece's assistance in
inclusion of Yugoslavia into the NATO Partnership for Peace program.

RUGOVA'S PARTY MEETS REBELS FROM "EASTERN KOSOVO"
(B92, 14. 12. 2000.)

Pristina, Thursday - The most prominent Kosovo Albanian party today issued a
statement saying it had met leaders of the Presevo valley extremists to
discuss the situation in "eastern Kosovo", Albanian media report. Ibrahim
Rugova's moderate Democratic Alliance of Kosovo had not previously used this
term to describe the southern Serbian region.The phrase - strongly
criticised by the international community - has hitherto been used only by
the parties that stemmed from the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army. The
delegation from the Political Council of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja
also met representatives from two more hardline parties, Hashim Thaqi's
Democratic Party of Kosovo and Ramus Haradinaj's Alliance for the Future of
Kosovo. Haradinaj's Alliance issued a statement calling for a political
solution to the problems.

LAISSEZ-FAIRE ON DEC 23 ELECTIONS IN KOSOVO: UN, KFOR, OSCE
(B92, 14. 12. 2000.)

Kosovska Mitrovica, Thursday - International organisations in Kosovo would
not take part in organising the Serbian elections in Kosovo, but would also
not stand in their way, representatives of OSCE, UNMIK and KFOR announced
Thursday. UNMIK and KFOR are "not planning any special activities" during
the Serbian elections scheduled for December 23, UNMIK representative for
north Kosovo Frenk Benjaminsen confirmed.