SERBIA-MONTENEGRO DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS ALBANIAN ARMED GROUPS LINKED

Text of with Serbia-Montenegro Defence Minister Boris Tadic by "B.H."; place and date not given: "The crisis will continue over the next few months" report by Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik on 30 September

Dnevnik: How would you assess the current security situation in southern Serbia, Macedonia, and Kosovo?

Serbia-Montenegro Defence Minister Boris Tadic: The situation is extremely difficult. All our information indicates that the crisis will continue over the next few months. We are prepared to respond to such terrorist provocations with the help of state instruments. But at the same time we have to find political solutions as well. The reports on the links between certain political and terrorist groups are unacceptable for me. This is a dangerous phenomena that must be discouraged by the senior political institutions in Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. But it also must be discouraged by the United States, NATO and the EU.

Dnevnik: Following the latest events in Macedonia, there was certain disagreement between Belgrade and Skopje on the connection between the armed groups in northwestern Macedonia, the Albanian National Army structures in Kosovo and southern Serbia and the Kosovo Protection Corps. What do your reports say?

Tadic: There is a connection and synchronization of the operations. Some terrorist groups are preparing in Macedonia, while others are preparing in Kosovo-Metohija. This is a serious problem, which is why we are demanding operational resolutions. What is even worse is the connection between the terrorist groups in Macedonia and southern Serbia and the Kosovo Protection Corps, which is a legitimate institution recognized by the international community. With this we have a certain loss of credibility of the international community and this must be prevented.

Dnevnik: Can you predict the development of the negotiations on the status of Kosovo?

Tadic: The negotiations will be extremely difficult, because the two sides are proceeding from a somewhat irreconcilable position. Calmness will be needed so that the problems can be resolved step by step. First we will have to define what is acceptable for the two sides and then we should start tackling the issues on which we currently have diametrically opposed views. At this moment the responsibility of the Serbian and Albanian politicians is huge, because one generation of politicians will have to resolve this Kosovo-Metohija problem once and for all.

Source: Dnevnik, Skopje, in Macedonian 30 Sep 03 p 2
 
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