Kosovo Verification Mission supports UNHCR relief efforts

SKOPJE, 6 April 1999 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek offered the resources of the 250 strong OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission in Ohrid, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to support the UNHCR relief efforts in a statement on 1 April.

On 3 April the UNHCR Balkans Chief, Mr. Nicholas Morris, met with Major General John Drewienkiewicz, acting KVM Head of Mission, in Skopje for discussions as how best KVM could support the UNHCR.

As a result an agreement was reached that the KVM should assist UNHCR in the Skopje area and in the Stenkovac Refugee Transit area. To date KVM personnel are helping at Skopje Airport, where relief flights are arriving, at the Stenkovac Refugee Centre where 40.000 refugees are located and within other refugee camps. Activities include assisting in the coordination of the efforts of other Non-Govermental Organisations as well as registration of refugees in family groups for onward flights to sanctuary countries.

In addition a 70-strong Task Force has been detached to Albania to assist the authorities with registration of refugees and to conduct interviews to establish the specifies of Human Rights violations.