Serb MPs in Kosovo to try again tomorrow
20:05 BELGRADE, Monday - MPs of the Serb Return coalition will attempt again
tomorrow to enter the Kosovo Parliament after UNMIK agreed to provide an
escort for them and Belgrade journalists.

The MPs today refused to attend the Parliament in protest after journalists
from Belgrade were not permitted to leave Pristina airport.

At a press conference in Belgrade today, MPs Gojko Savic, Rada Trajkovic and
Oliver Ivanovic said UNMIK had agreed to provide escorts for all 22 Serb MPs
and any journalists from Belgrade.

The MPs said today's events were sending a poor message to Serbs in Kosovo.

"Serb MPs are conscious that danger awaits them in the Kosovo Parliament,"
said Ivanovic.

All meetings scheduled for today between Return coalition members and
representatives of the international community were cancelled.


Journalists meet police state reception in Pristina
20:04 PRISTINA, Monday - Journalists from Belgrade attempting to cover
Serbian MPs taking their seats in Kosovo's new Parliament were today herded
into a holding area at Pristina airport before being returned to the
Yugoslav capital.

TV B92 reporter Ljubica Gojgic was among those refused permission to enter
the city.

"Immediately on their arrival, journalists were separated from MPs and sent
to a special wing of the airport building where the airport police commander
told us we had no permit to enter the city.

The UNMIK police were courteous, but told us very directly that filming was
forbidden and that in anybody attempted to record anything the tapes would
be confiscated and destroyed."


UNMIK urges Serb MPs not to exploit security crisis
14:50 PRISTINA, Monday - The UN administration in Kosovo has urged Serb
ministers in the province's new parliament against exploiting this morning's
security dispute in Pristina.

UNMIK spokeswoman Susan Manuel told press today that the authorities had not
been given enough notice to organise security for the thirty journalists
accompanying the Serb "Return" coalition.

Return's parliamentary members refused to leave Pristina airport this
morning, to attend the opening seminar of a parliamentary training week,
after UNMIK said the journalists did not have security clearance.

The coalition claimed it had given 48 hours notice but Manuel insisted this
was not enough to organise security for such a large entourage.

The spokeswoman said UNMIK had offered security for five of the journalists.
The MPs refused, boarded the plane and returned to Belgrade.

Manuel said she hoped the Serb MPs would complete the seven-day training
seminar organised by the OSCE, ahead of the parliament's inaugural session
on Monday.


Serb MPs refuse to leave airport amid Pristina security row
11:19 PRISTINA, Monday - Serb members of Kosovo's new parliament have
refused to leave Pristina airport amid a security dispute with the UN
administration in the province.

The 22 members of the "Return" coalition, returning from Belgrade this
morning, were due to make their first visit to the Kosovo parliament ahead
of its inaugural session on December 10.

The MPs however refused to leave the airport after UNMIK said it could not
guarantee the security of the accompanying journalists and personnel.
Airport security prevented journalists from leaving the airport to enter the
city. The Return members asked to be flown back to Belgrade.

Oliver Ivanovic, one of Return's two parliament presidency members, said the
coalition would not attend this week's preparatory workshops until UNMIK
guarantees the safety of all MPs, staff and journalists.

Ivanovic claimed the UN administration had been informed of who would be
arriving 48 hours in advance. He described their failure to provide security
as "scandalous and shameful."

The arrival of the MPs marked the first time a Yugoslav airways plane had
touched down at Pristina's Slatina airport since before the arrival of
international peacekeepers in June 1999. (B92/Srna)