International Crisis Group warns

International Crisis Group warns: Kosovo more dangerous than Iraq
Blic - January 3, 2005

According to opinion of analysts of International crisis Group, Kosovo and Metohija is in the zone of dangerous risk. This means that it could be a source of 'dangerous political crisis' as early as this month ahead of the talks on final status of this southern Serb province.

In regular monthly bulletin issued by ICG in Brussels as of 1999, this is for the first time that KiM is in the zone of dangerous risk. Interestingly, Iraq or Afghanistan is not in this zone. KiM has found itself in the zone of danger because of estimation that raising of indictment by the Hague tribunal against actual Kosovo Prime Minister and one of former KLA leaders, Ramush Haradinaj could make Albanians to start violence against Serbs similar to that of March 17 last year.

Advisor to SCG Minister of Defense, Veljko Kadijevic claims that talks on final KiM status shall 'by no means be reflected in the field' in regard of security situation.

'The information we get from the other side indicate serious preparations both in Kosovo and Metohija and in the south of Serbia for different kinds of scenarios that could happen.

Kadijevic said that SCG Army was preparing itself for the challenges but he expressed hope that Serbia Government and other state institutions would 'show sufficient wisdom' and prevent the problems through political-diplomatic activity.