KOSOVO: SERB FORCES SHELL AREA IN THE SOUTHWEST OF PRISTINA скачать в хорошем качестве

KOSOVO: SERB FORCES SHELL AREA IN THE SOUTHWEST OF PRISTINA

(19 Jan 1999) English/Nat Defying warnings from NATO and Washington, Serb security forces shelled an area southwest of Kosovo's capital Pristina, near the village of Racak where 45 ethnic Albanians were found massacred on Saturday. The relentless attacks upon the area have caused an exodus of frightened civilians who have taken refuge in the surrounding forests and hills. In Pristina, the ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova met the Austrian ambassador and special E-U envoy Wolfgang Petrich who said the need to start peace negotiations has never been more pressing. Despite repeated warnings and a unified condemnation from the international community Serb police continued to mount patrols in Kosovo in an attempt to flush out K-L-A guerillas. The shelling in the Racak area, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) southwest of Pristina, continued on Tuesday unabated and with no sign of stopping. On Saturday the bodies of 45 ethnic Albanian civilians, who are thought to have been executed by Serb police, were found in Racak. It's estimated that the recent Serb onslaught has driven over 5-thousand ethnic Albanian villagers into the hills and forests. This Serb patrol came under fire in the open country between Racak and Petrovo. An Associated Press photographer on a hilltop above Racak said one Serb policeman was killed and two more were wounded in clashes with the K-L-A. In Pristina, the provincial capital, the arrival of the accredited Austrian ambassador to Yugoslavia and special E-U envoy signalled the growing European concern at the latest crackdown in Kosovo. Wolfgang Petrich met with the ethnic Albanian political leader Ibrahim Rugova in an effort to ease tension and establish a joint negotiating team for the Kosovo Albanians. After his meeting with Rugova journalists asked Petrich to comment on Monday's decision by the Yugoslav authorities to expel the Chief of the O-S-C-E Verifying mission William Walker. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I have expressed my personal opinion yesterday and it has been supported in the meantime by all relevant international forces that Ambassador Walker has to stay, that this decision has to be reversed, it is not acceptable to us". SUPERCAPTION: Wolfgang Petrich, Austrian Ambassador and Special EU Envoy With the expulsion of Walker and Saturdays bloody massacre of over 40 ethnic Albanian civilians in Racak, Petrich said now, more than ever, was the time to start meaningful peace negotiations. SOUNDBITE: (English) "He (Rugova) is nevertheless ready to join such a unified Kosovo/Albanian platform to join in forces to come up with an early and unified and joint negotiation team. There's full support for this and I'm very happy with this because it is absolutely important now , precisely because of the deterioration of the security situation in Kosovo to start as soon as possible the negotiating process" SUPERCAPTION: Wolfgang Petrich, Austrian Ambassador and Special EU Envoy As NATO Generals hold meetings with Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic and pressure from Europe and Washington continues to grow, the October ceasefire seems to have been completely shattered. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...