Kosovo On Verge Of Armed Conflict

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/07/26/53771125.html

Voice of Russia
July 26, 2011

3 Serbs wounded in clashes near Zubin Potok in Kosovo

Three Serbs have been wounded in clashes in the village of Zubin Potok in the north of Kosovo, Radio KIM that broadcasts in Kosovo and Metohija reports. At about 4:00 p.m. local time, the sounds of gunfire were heard near the village of Varage. At least one Kosovo policeman was reportedly wounded. Controversial reports are coming from Kosovo.

The Tanjug News Agency quotes Milena Cvetkovic, the head doctor of a hospital at Kosovska Mitrovica, as saying that no new patients have been admitted since Tuesday morning. At the same time, Serbia's Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic has confirmed that the clashes did take place and that there are casualties among Serbs.

The Serbian television says that the Jarine border crossing in Kosovo has been shut. Reports about clashes near Zubin Potok have prompted local Serbs to seal off the road to the Brnjak border checkpoint. Earlier, Kosovo special task police made a failed attempt to storm the checkpoint, Mr. Boganovic said.

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http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/07/27/53775277.html

Voice of Russia
July 26, 2011

Kosovo on verge of conflict

Three Serbs were wounded in clashes with riot police in Kosovo near the village of Zubin Potok. According to the local radio station K.I.M. the situation in northern Kosovo escalated on Monday evening, when Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci ordered the police to establish control over two checkpoints along the dividing line in central Serbia.

Normally the responsibility for these checkpoints is handled by the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, EULEX.

One checkpoint was seized but later abandoned by Kosovo police commandos. The path to another checkpoint was blocked by local Serbs.

Tuesday afternoon, after the intervention of NATO international forces under the command of the Kosovo Force, KFOR, the situation seemed to have calmed down. But later it became apparent that it had not.

According to Serbian media on Tuesday the border crossing at Yasmin was closed. After reports of the clash near Zubin Potok, Kosovo Serbs also blocked the road leading to the border crossing at Brnyak. 

The Voice of Russia talked to the head of the administration of Zubin Potok, Slavish Ristic, in Serbian and he had the following to say: "Zubin Potok still remains tense. People fear for their safety. The reasons for concern are the actions that members of the special forces of the Kosovo Police have taken."

This morning the special division of the Kosovo police and members of the Rosa (Dew) Special Forces Unit seized the border checkpoint in the village of Brnyak. After lengthy negotiations which started at 13:00 hours between representatives of Belgrade, Pristina and KFOR, and representatives of "Rosa", the border crossing was handed back to KFOR forces.

A half hour later, however, a different group of "Rosa" Forces again attempted to penetrate into Zubin Potok. Members of the Special Forces Unit opened fire on unarmed civilians who attempted to block the road. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Currently the reports coming out of Kosovo are conflicting in nature. At approximately 16:00 Belgrade time (18.00 GMT) gunfire was heard near the village of Varaga. At least one Kosovo policeman was injured.

The chief doctor of the Kosovo-Mitrovitsa hospital, Milena Cvetkovic told the Tanjug News Agency that there had been no admissions to the hospital during the morning. However, the Minister for Kosovo-Metohija affairs, Goran Bogdanovic, confirmed that clashes had in fact taken place and that there were Serbs among the victims.

The head of Kosovska-Mitrovitsya Region, Radenko Nedelkovic, reported that on Tuesday night negotiations between the northern Kosovo Serbian authorities and the representatives of NATO forces (KFOR) had taken place.

The Serbs insist that the Albanian leadership withdraw its police commandos and special forces from the border areas. At the same time there are reports coming in that the Albanian special forces have already left the checkpoint they captured and moved in the direction of Kosovo-Mitrovitsya, and are now in the village of Zhupche.

According to other reports Minister Goran Bogdanovic and the Political Director for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Borislav Stefanovic, had negotiated with the commander of KFOR Erhard Bühler.

Observers say that the recent relations between Belgrade and Pristina have seriously deteriorated. Last week, the Kosovo government imposed a ban on the import of goods from Serbia, citing the decision by Serbian authorities not to recognize Kosovo's customs seal and thereby prevent the importation of goods from Kosovo into Serbia. The dispute between Belgrade and Pristina had led to the disruption of another round of talks which were to have taken place on practical issues.

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