17.06.99
SECURITY SITUATION
Yesterday the Prime Minister of periodical government of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi visited Macedonia. In Skopje he had a meeting with Lubço Georgievski, the Prime Minister of Macedonian government. This meeting was estimated as a chance for diplomacy and not for war. Both Prime Ministers ascertained that even these two countries are to close, the official contacts were missing, so in the future this communication need to be intensified. They also agreed to open official offices in Skopje and Prishtina as soon as possible.
All borders between FRJ and Macedonia are under the control of NATO forces, and NATO forces took of the Albanian flag, that was put on by KLA members. The American marines control the border in Bllace, while the German troops have under controll the border in Jazince.
THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES
In Tabanovce and Blace borderland the day before yesterday with one’s own free will 2.840 refugees starting to came back in Kosovo, while according to the humanitarian workers, yesterday thousands of kosovars started to leave Macedonia and came back in Kosovo. The refugees are not going just in Kosovo but also in the third countries. Using airlift yesterday and the day before yesterday, 573 kosovar refugees were transferred into third countries.
CAMPS
According to unofficial information the number of refugees in camps is increasing, even that there are no new refugees. Probably this is because the part of refugees still wants to go to third countries. But there are case when the refugees from houses go to camps to be united with their families.
Almost in all camps around Macedonia refugees are feeling relaxed. Even that the turning back at home is still not safe, a large number of refugees are preparing things for returning. They all say that they want to go back to Kosovo, even that their houses are burned or damaged.
SUPPORT
According to UNHCR the returning of refugees is totally unorganized and refugees have problems to arrive at borderland, because military and humanitarian convoys have blocked the road from Skopje to Bllace. The UNHCR assistants are photographing the refugees at the borderland and gave them an identification cartoon, so they can entered Kosovo. For being remarked with all kind of risks they can be confronted the UNHCR gave them a booklet pressed in Albanian language. But UNHCR also said that very quickly would organize return of refugees.
After a maximal engagement of DPA in the acceptance of refugees in Macedonia, this party had premonition, that, as quick as the conditions are improved, they will maximally be engaged in returning of refugees.
In Skopje today, the members of government of Macedonia, of Albania, of NATO forces and High commissioner for refugees hold a coordinate meeting. They took a decision that the High commissioner for refugees, began to organize the returning of refugees from 1 July of this year.