NATO closes Kosovo border points to Serbia amid violence (2nd Roundup)

Pristina - NATO-led peacekeepers closed two border crossings toward Serbia on Tuesday and stepped up its presence in the area after two border crossings in northern Kosovo were destroyed, international officials confirmed in Pristina. Flames engulf buildings as border crossing point Jarinje burns in northern Kosovo, 19 February 2008. Kosovo Serbs set fire on two border crossing points linking Kosovo to southern Serbia, reacting on growing international tensions over teritory's independence. EPA/STRINGER

Flames engulf buildings as border crossing point Jarinje burns in northern Kosovo, 19 February 2008. Kosovo Serbs set fire on two border crossing points linking Kosovo to southern Serbia, reacting on growing international tensions over teritory's independence. EPA/STRINGEROfficials of the international peacekeeping mission (KFOR) and the United Nations administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) stated that the two administrative crossings would be closed for a period of 24 hours. 'Any violence is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I expect all Kosovo citizens to exercise calm and respect UNMIK and KFOR, which will continue to diligently ensure a safe and secure environment throughout Kosovo.' UN mission head Joachim Ruecker said. The KFOR forces took control over the crossings from the Kosovo and international police, shortly before noon, spokesman Veton Elshani told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Sunday and was already recognized by several countries, including the United States. The split of what Serbs regard as their heartland soil, which today is dominated by a 90-per-cent majority, has spurred violent protests in Belgrade and other Serbian cities over the past two days. 'There are two border crossings in northern Kosovo which are closed, at Janjine and Leposavic, due to the very serious situation,' Elshani said. One of the crossing points on the Serbian side was torched and the other one blown up in an explosion. 'Police have completely withdrawn from the places and KFOR is in charge now,' Elshani said. KFOR has sent reinforcements to the north, KFOR spokesman Colonel Bertrand Bonneau told dpa. 'We are reinforcing in northern Kosovo after these two incidents,' he said. 'We have set up checkpoints in the area and we will use all necessary means to put the situation under control.' KFOR also evacuated the international and Kosovo police officers, which took shelter in a nearby tunnel, by helicopter and armoured vehicles. Bonneau also said that a 'convoy of around 70 vehicles, including 10 buses, had passed the frontier and entered Kosovo,' at the time of the attacks on the two border crossing points, but were stopped later by UN police. President of the north Kosovo municipality of Zubin Potok, Slavisa Ristic, said that the protest was sparked by rumours that Albanian customs officers were coming to take over at the checkpoints. 'We cannot allow the institutions of a non-existent country to be forced on us. It is unacceptable,' Ristic said. He said that while the checkpoints were set ablaze, Kosovo Serbs did not attack any international personnel. 'KFOR has the right to be here...and we have nothing against it,' Ristic said, adding that Kosovo Serbs would respond in a similar fashion to any other efforts to 'impose the institutions of a false state' on them.

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...Feb 19th, 2008 - 18:00:34

Irony strikes back.

Serbia claimed over and over again that it worries for the security of serbs in Kosovo if it should declare independence and the first people who set fires, attack policemen, use violence.....are the serbs

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waine UKFeb 19th, 2008 - 18:50:37

The West IE: USA just love to cause havock around the world, all just to cock a snook at the Russians, and for no other reason. Mr Bush and the EU are hell bent on causing division where ever they can. The EU has got an excuse because they haven't got any independent policies, they have to go along with whatever the Americans want. You would think that with the catastrophic adventures in Iraq and Afganistan any more problems would have been avoided. No doubt Bush @ co will station missiles etc in Kosovo. ( for defensive purposes of course LOL ). A can of worms has now been opened and no doubt more divisions in the Balkans will surface because of this move, and not just in the Balkans. America will once again expect other countrys to mop up when the crunch comes ( as it will )

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Message to EditorsFeb 19th, 2008 - 19:02:44

There is no border crossing between Serbia and her Kosovo & Metohija province. By suggesting such a thing you are tacitly supporting the annexation of 15% of Serb sovereign land and giving the impression that M&C is nothing more than a NATO Pact propaganda cell.

Under international law Kosovo & Metohija remains Serb.

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waine UKFeb 19th, 2008 - 19:05:44

Can we see Scotland and Wales becoming independent from England now or do they not have the same rights as Albanians.

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ScotlandFeb 19th, 2008 - 19:21:45

A referendum in Scotland could be compared to the break up of the SCG Union (Serbia-Montenegro) in 2006 which was legal under the constitution.

The NATO Pact perversion of international law that we saw on Sunday can only be compared with 'Bradfordars' creating a 'Bradforda Republic' out of Yorkshire. Pure madness.

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ZoltanFeb 20th, 2008 - 02:13:22

NATO and EU should also protect Vojvodina from Serbian government which terrorizes peaceful citizens of that multinational province! Today a member of Serbian government said that terrorist attacks on UN mission are legitimate! Please act up on Vojvodina too before Serbs repeat ethic cleansing in same way they've done it all over former Yugoslavia! They are threatening to slaughter us publicly in front of the police and police does nothing! Don't allow another Srebrenica! Act up now to prevent bloodshed!

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Hungarian = Albanian ?Feb 20th, 2008 - 07:11:58

Zoltan, probably an ethnic Hungarian provocateur, illustrates that the Fourth Reich (NATO Pact) annexation of Serb lands will not end with the theft of Kosovo & Metohija. They will now turn to trying to create tension in the north.

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Serbia has no heart it could looseFeb 20th, 2008 - 09:06:31

Theft....yeah right. You LOST Kosovo along time ago by loosing its population. Thats not NATO's fault.

The only thing Serbs whine about is loosing the land and loosing their pity little attempt to correct historic failures with military force.

When they complain about loosing Kosovo its just that what they miss, the land not the people.

They would like to have it without Albanians in it. Thats why you are not the victims you claim to be.

Thats what you really think and thats why you are in no moral position to complain or judge.

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AlbaniansFeb 20th, 2008 - 09:50:42

After the manner in which they have been behaving during the last decade (and not just in Serbia) one couldn't imagine any country that would want Albanians within their borders.

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