UNMIK HOLDS NO EVIDENCE OF MISSING SERBS BEING HELD PRISONER IN KOSOVO

Belgrade, 9 February: Head of the UNMIK UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo office for missing persons and forensics Jose Pablo Baraybar said Sunday 9 February there is no reliable evidence that any of the persons reported missing in Kosovo are still alive, or that any prisons where abducted Serbs might still be held exist in the province any more.

Baraybar said in an interview to Tanjug that according to a list that UNMIK has, nothing is known of the fate of 901 non-Albanians reported missing, while evidence exists that eight of the missing are dead, but the whereabouts of their bodies is unknown. As regards ethnic Albanians, 3,168 have been reported missing, and another 156 are presumed dead but their bodies have not been found, he said.

All reports on alleged prison locations are being investigated, but there is no proof that any abducted Serbs are being held in captivity in Kosovo, as there is no evidence either that any ethnic Albanians are still being held in detention in Serbia as the ethnic Albanian side is speculating, Baraybar said.

Asked about the different figures on missing persons made public by UNMIK (909) and by the Association of Families of Persons Reported Missing or Abducted (1,300), Baraybar said that there is a list with over 300 names of persons reported only to the association but not to UNMIK. UNMIK has consequently asked the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija to confirm that list too by 15 March and to present it to UNMIK...

Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1814 gmt 9 Feb 03

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