http://www.centraleurope.com/yugoslaviatoday/news.php3?id=235436&section=default

Western Diplomats, Serbian Officals Discuss Rebels in South Serbia

BUJANOVAC, Dec 23, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Serbian officials and
Western diplomats met Friday in southern Serbian to express concern about
security in the region, where ethnic Albanian guerrillas are holding out against
police.

"The situation is clearly serious and we share with the Serbian government
concern at the continuing violent activities of armed extremist groups in the
area,"
British charge d'affairs David Landsman said.

Tension has soared in the area in recent weeks amid increasing activity by
ethnic
Albanian gunmen demanding that the predominantly Albanian region be united
with the the breakaway province of Kosovo.

"We welcome the constructive attitude the Yugoslav authorities have taken in
wanting very actively to solve problem in a political way," he added.

US ambassador to Yugoslavia William Montgomery said Washington was "very
pleased that the Yugoslav government realized that this situation must be solved
peacefully and with negotiations and with respect for Resolution 1244" of the UN
Security Council which put Kosovo under UN administration.

Serbian deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic said the Yugoslav authorities
enjoyed "excellent cooperation" with the NATO-led KFOR troops deployed in
the province.

Covic said KFOR was doing a lot to restrict the actions of Albanian guerillas,
but
asserted that "more can be done".

The five kilometer (three mile) wide demilitarized buffer zone along the Serbian
side of the boundary between Serbia and Kosovo was set up following the end of
the 1999 NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia.

But guerrillas of the self-styled Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and
Bujanovac have taken control of several villages within the zone and chased
Serbian out local police, the only forces allowed into the border strip.

On Wednesday the UN Security Council demanded the withdrawal of Albanian
extremist groups from southern Serbia.