- Title: YUGOSLAVIA: U.S. ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ANNOUNCES BREAKTHROUGH IN KOSOVO CRISIS.
- Date: 13th May 1998
- Summary: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (MAY 13, 1998) RTV (W) - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/PAN/GV: UNITED STATES ENVOYS RICHARD HOLBROOKE AND ROBERT GELBARD ARRIVE AT NEWS CONFERENCE/ WIDE VIEW OF CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 0.23 2. MCU: HOLBROOKE SPEAKING AS NOTED (ENGLISH SOT)/ CUTAWAYS (6 SHOTS) 2.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th May 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
- City:
- Country: Yugoslavia
- Reuters ID: LVA4F7FIEH9PPFEL4R90IKMFXWSG
- Story Text: Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has invited ethnic Albanian separatist leader Ibrahim Rugova for peace talks in a breakthrough for U.S.mediation in the Kosovo crisis.
American envoy Richard Holbrooke told reporters on Wednesday (May 13) that Rugova would meet Milosevic in Belgrade on Friday and that negotiators of the two sides would later hold weekly talks in Pristina, the Kosovo capital.
He brought the two sides together during four days of shuttle diplomacy between Milosevic and Rugova after President Bill Clinton ordered an intensification of U.S.efforts to avert the threat of a new Balkan war.
A statement from Milosevic's office said he had invited Rugova in order to "cut short unnecessary hesitation which is damaging everyone" as the level of violence rises in Kosovo.
At least 150 people, including many civilians, have been killed this year in fighting between Serbian police and ethnic Albanian guerrillas of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
Serbia has countered Rugova's demand for independence with an offer of autonomy within Serbia but talks have been blocked by Milosevic's rejection of foreign mediation in any face-to-face negotiations.
Rugova boycotted a team of Serbian government negotiators which unsuccessfully visited Pristina 13 times in the last 2-1/2 months to try to get negotiations started.
The Albanians insisted they wanted talks with the federal Yugoslav government.
The United States and its allies have rejected Albanian demands for independence but urged Milosevic to grant Kosovo greater autonomy.
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