OSCE increases monitors on Albania-Kosovo border

VIENNA, 4 June 1998 - In response to the worsening situation in Kosovo, the OSCE Permanent Council decided today to increase the number of OSCE monitors to 30 on Albania's border with Kosovo.

Also at today's Council Meeting, delegates discussed to reports by OSCE border monitors of heavy shelling by Serbian forces, and the devastation of whole villages along the Kosovo-Albanian border. They condemned the escalation of violence in Kosovo which has resulted in the movement of thousands of displaced persons and refugees.

OSCE States called on both sides in the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and to cease violence. They expressed the hope that talks tomorrow in Pristina would move the negotiating process forward by tackling issues of substance.

Serious concern was also expressed about the refusal by Serbian authorities to allow access to the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations. Speaking at the Council Meeting, ICRC President Cornelio Sommaruga said Serb security forces were blocking access to the area in and around Decane. Belgrade authorities were called upon to allow immediate and full access to all organizations working to alleviate human suffering in Kosovo.

The OSCE's border monitoring operation was established in March 1998 to report on the situation along the border with Kosovo. Working closely with monitors from the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) and the West European Union, the operation also helps facilitate the work of UNHCR, the ICRC and other international and humanitarian organizations in the area. The monitoring operation is a part of the OSCE mission in Albania, which has its headquarters in Tirana and its field offices for border monitoring in Bajram Curri and Kukes. It also has offices in Shkoder, Vlore and Gjirokaster.