Belgrade demands KFOR action

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Yugoslavia has demanded that peacekeepers in the tense buffer zone between Serbia and Kosovo take a tougher line against ethnic Albanian extremists.

Yugoslav Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic accused the NATO-led peacekeepers of being too soft on ethnic Albanian extremists as violence increases in and around Kosovo.

There have been a number of clashes between Albanians and Serbs in the border zone and the U.N. said that the death toll from a bus attack last Friday, which was blamed on ethnic Albanians, has risen from seven to 10.

The Presevo Valley border zone is the latest flashpoint in the volatile region where extremist Albanians are targeting the Serb population.

VIDEO Serbia threatens Kosovo crackdown Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Alessio Vinci reports on the bomb attack Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AUDIO CNN's Alessio Vinci: Serb forces are ready to intervene 395K/36 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

The bus bomb was planted on the road to the Kosovo town of Podujevo and targeted a bus known to carry only Serbs to visits and shopping in the city of Nis in eastern Serbia.

Zivkovic said the KFOR peacekeeping force and U.N. Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) were shying away from confrontation with armed Albanians.

"They're afraid that the Albanian terrorists will perceive them as their adversaries," he said.

"KFOR and UNMIK must be enemies to the Albanian terrorists, not because they want to but because it is their mandate. If someone has a mandate to protect civilians from terrorists then he is an adversary to these terrorists."

Two days after the bus attack, three Serb policemen were killed when their vehicle ran over anti-tank mines on the edge of a buffer zone that runs along the Serbian side of the boundary.

A member of an Albanian guerrilla group operating in the zone was killed in fighting with Serb police later in the day.

Zivkovic said the violence was an extremist response to the efforts of Yugoslavia's new reformist leaders to bring peace to the Presevo Valley through dialogue.

"We have had a maximum of tolerance, patience and desire to resolve the problem to prevent deaths of anyone, including the terrorists, but it is obvious by their reactions they are not interested in peace in this area," Zivkovic said.

NATO has defended its peacekeeping in Kosovo, saying it has made efforts to improve boundary security and protect minorities.

Its commanders say they can only do so much and only local leaders and civilians can put an end to the violence.

Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic said on Monday that a Bosnian Serb government delegation would visit Kosovo to show support for their ethnic kin in the volatile province.

Ivanic said the visit in the next 10 days would aim to demonstrate support for the Kosovo Serbs, "who live there under extremely difficult, nearly impossible conditions."

"As they helped us during the (1992-95 Bosnian) war, now the time has come that we, in accordance with our abilities, if not financially then by our presence at least, show that we stand behind our people living in Kosovo," Ivanic said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Serbia threatens Kosovo crackdown
February 19, 2001
Kosovo landmines kill Serb policemen
February 18, 2001
NATO vows to protect Serb bus families
February 18, 2001
Alessio Vinci: Kosovo bus attack and relations between ethnic Albanians and Serbs
February 16, 2001
Anti-Serb attacks in Kosovo
February 17, 2001
Gunmen shoot at Serb minister
February 16, 2001

KFOR
NATO
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbia Information Ministry

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