Brussels / Belgrade, 19/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Union and NATO (through its Secretary General, Lord Robertson) last weekend condemned the new attacks by Albanian extremists in Southern Serbia. Following these attacks that caused the death of seven civilians Friday and three policemen on Sunday, President Kostunica, while reassuring that he would launch initiatives aimed at reconciliation, announced measures of "protection against terrorism" (see EUROPE of 17 February, p,.3 for the EU declaration backing the Covic Plan for Southern Serbia).
On behalf of the EU, the Swedish Presidency made the following declaration: "The Presidency strongly condemns the attack on a civilian Serb bus convoy which cost the life of several people close to the Kosovo town of Podujevo today. This barbarous act of violence seriously jeopardises confidence building between ethnic communities and undermines the efforts at creating a safe environment for all people in Kosovo. The Presidency calls upon all parties to remain calm. The Presidency of the EU expects relevant authorities to take action to apprehend and punish those responsible for this tragic event. The Presidency also calls upon all Kosovar leaders to join the Union and publicly express their strongest condemnation of the attack. The Presidency, once again, reiterates the full support of the EU for UNSCR 1244 and the commitment of the Union to a multi-ethnic and undivided Kosovo. It reaffirms its strong support for the efforts of the UNMIK and KFOR in the implementation of UNSCR 1244, carried out under strenuous conditions."
Dr Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the CFSP, also condemned the extremists attacks and, noting that, "recently, moderates on all sides have been gaining precious ground", he stressed that "acts leading to a climate of terror will serve nobody's long term interest". Solana launched an appeal to Kosovar leaders to exercise real leadership and to take immediate and concrete action to stop this senseless violence. Kosovo Serbs should also resist retaliating to this outrageous provocation", and on "both communities in Kosovo to lend every support to KFOR and UNMIK in their efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and to bring them to justice."
The European Commissioner for external relations Chris Patten also condemned Friday's attack against civilians, stating that the authors of this "medieval barbarity" must be relentlessly pursued. "It is no coincidence that these attacks come as moderation and democracy have been gaining ground in the region, including in Belgrade", he said, noting that these attacks were "a crude attempt to thwart that progress". The "best and only solution" to this violence and "savagery" was to "rebuild the lives of all people of Kosovo with determination and patience", Patten declared.