OSCE welcomes education agreement in Kosovo

WARSAW, 24 March 1998 - The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, welcomed the agreement reached yesterday in Pristina between Serbia and Kosovar Albanians to implement the Education Agreement, originally signed by President Milosevic and Mr. Rugova on 1 September 1996.

Mr. Geremek notes that yesterday's decision to implement the Agreement represents an important, though small, first step towards normalization of the situation in Kosovo. At the same time, he reiterates the OSCE's expectations that talks on the status of Kosovo will begin soon to bring an end to the current crisis.

Mr. Geremek commends the parties to the agreement for this achievement as well as Monsignor Paglia and the organization Sant Egidio for their mediating efforts.