Kosovo protection corps members arrested, UN envoy reports

The senior United Nations envoy in Kosovo today informed top leaders in the province that a number of protection force members have been arrested in connection with serious crimes, including murder of Kosovo Albanians.

Briefing President Ibrahim Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and other officials, Harri Holkeri said the action in no way constitutes an indictment of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC). He also pledged that those arrested would be treated fairly.

In another development, Mr. Holkeri and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic today agreed that the Pristina-Belgrade direct dialogue will convene in the last week of February or the first week of March.

Mr. Holkeri told Mr. Covic that in his recent travels to New York, Washington D.C. and London, the message was the same: consistent interest by the international community in favour of the dialogue and a sense of urgency that meetings should begin soon.