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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Kofi Annan to be informed about unbearable situation in Serb villages in Kosovo-Metohija

Belgrade, 20 January 2005

The Serbian government unanimously adopted at today's session the conclusion regarding electricity cuts to Serb villages in Kosovo-Metohija.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Special Advisor to UN Secretary General Soren Jessen-Petersen met on January 17, 2005 to discuss measures to normalise the electric power supply of Serb villages Batuse and Lipljan. The meeting was also attended by head of the Coordination Centre for Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic, the government said.

Jessen-Petersen said that the problem could be solved and that he would take appropriate measures in the next few days. He was asked to inform the Serbian government immediately upon taking these measures.

Four days after this agreement not only are these villages still without electricity, but another Serb village, Priluzje, has been left without power in the meantime. There are justified fears that this is another way of exerting pressure on the Serb population to leave Kosovo-Metohija.

The Serbian government said that UNMIK has done nothing to help the return of over 200,000 violently expelled persons, or the return of similarly expelled people in March last year, and in addition power has been cut to Serbs in mid-winter, depriving them of basic living conditions.

Bearing all this in mind, the Serbian government has reached the following Conclusion:

1. President of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro Svetozar Marovic is advised to inform UN Secretary General Kofi Annan about the extremely difficult situation in the most endangered villages which have been without power for over a month and request his personal engagement in helping the normalisation of life of the endangered population in this part of the territory of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro under UN mandate.

2. The Serbia-Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs is advised to inform the Contact Group member countries about the letter of the President of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro to the UN Secretary General.