Events of June 14 from Stratfor


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Stratfor's Kosovo Crisis Center
http://www.stratfor.com

Events of the Day - June 14, 1999 

1812 GMT, 990614 - Ukraine has expressed a willingness to contribute a force
of 1400 soldiers to the peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo. The action is
pending approval by the Ukrainian parliament and will require a mandate from
either the United Nations or the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe for implementation.

1733 GMT, 990614 - Itar-Tass News Agency is reporting that multiple
incidents, accompanied by fatalities, have occurred within Kosovo over the
past 24 hours. They say that as KFOR and KLA enter the province, concurrent
with the withdrawal and fleeing of Yugoslav military and Serbian refugees,
unfriendly parties are crossing paths at several points. The agency points
to NATO's early deployment of KFOR troops as the reason behind the
confrontations and claims that NATO forces are continuing to enter
designated areas and cities where Yugoslav troops still remain.

1716 GMT, 990614 - Over 20,000 displaced ethnic Albanians have been
discovered 12 miles west of Pristina. UN relief workers hurried to the area
of Glogovac, where an advance team had been searching for those displaced by
the Serb atrocities. One UN official said there could be upwards of 500,000
living "hand to mouth" in Kosovo. Meanwhile, the half of a million refugees
living in Albania are staying put and waiting for signs from NATO to return
home.

1655 GMT, 990614 - NATO British Lt. Gen. Michael Jackson categorically
denied on Monday that any type of standoff exists between Russian
paratroopers and NATO forces at the Pristina airport. Citing that
negotiations are still under way, he said he is not involved in a backstage
war with the Russians.

1631 GMT, 990614 - NATO spokesman Jamie Shea stated his concerns, June 14,
regarding the killing of two armed men by peacekeeping soldiers in Kosovo.
He advised Serbs and ethnic Albanians to exercise the "utmost" restraint and
sent a strong message saying, "The very robust way in which the KFOR forces
have responded immediately to anybody threatening their live, according to
their rules of engagement, is I hope a signal which will be heeded very
clearly by any other armed assailants on the ground who may adopt any kind
of threatening behavior."

1608 GMT, 990614 - The Russian Security Council emerged from their meeting
earlier today and said that Russia will play a "significant" role in the
international peacekeeping operation, so as to safeguard its own national
interests. "Today we can state with satisfaction that the Balkan crisis is
at last entering the stage of its political settlement owing to an
invaluable service performed by Russia," said Russian Security Council
Secretary Vladimir Putin.

1551 GMT, 990614 - British Prime Minister Tony Blair reiterated on June 14
his stance that there will be no partitioning of Kosovo and the Russians
will not have control of any sector. He said, "There is no room in my mind
at all for separate sectors that fall outside the unified chain of command."

1534 GMT, 990614 - French Defense Minister Alain Richard declared June 14
that Russia's deployment of troops to Pristina's airport was a "political
and not at all operational " problem. He also expressed confidence that
Russia would adhere to the conditions set forth by the G-8 nations and a
solution would be reached.

1523 GMT, 990614 - NATO announced today that the number of peacekeepers in
Kosovo has reached 14,000. As many as 24,000 more are stationed in Macedonia
at present. The alliance said it expects the number in Kosovo to top 50,000
following the complete withdrawal of Serb forces by the weekend. KFOR
commander Lt. Gen. Michael Jackson also claims that NATO's Kosovo
headquarters south of Pristina would be operational later on Monday.
 
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