The Rugova-Milošević meeting, a grotesque fabrication by the Serbian secret services. Western diplomacy skeptical about this “trick” NATO Secretary General Solana, German Defense Minister Scharping, State Department spokesman Rubin and Western diplomats in Skopje express deep doubts about such a meeting. It is a Serbian fabrication NATO Secretary General Solana, German Defense Minister Scharping, State Department spokesman Rubin and Western diplomats in Skopje [?] express deep doubts about such a meeting. It is a Serbian fabrication It came to be considered that President Rugova was held hostage by the Serbian police in the middle of Milosević’s brutal war on Kosovo. French and American diplomats said they were dismayed by such an appearance in front of a televised conversation in Belgrade. “Milošević will surely use him [Rugova] as a sign of his claim that everything is going well in Kosovo,” British Foreign Minister Robin Cook said in an interview with the BBC. “I don’t think anyone in the West will take this appearance seriously,” Cook continued. German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping called Rugova’s television appearance “a classic example of hostage-taking.” “It cannot be ruled out that Rugova is being held hostage and threatened with death,” Scharping said. AP reported that President Clinton also described Rugova’s action as done “at gunpoint” and State Department spokesman James Rubin said Washington was looking at “every possibility.” “It remains to be proven whether President Rugova has the right to speak freely, or whether he is a hostage in Milošević’s private prison,” Rubin said. According to The Guardian, the circumstances of the Kosovo leader’s appearance seemed suspicious. “The British government and Washington believe that Rugova had effectively been a hostage for at least 24 hours before his meeting and photos with Milošević,” the newspaper wrote. “Rugova did not speak about any issue of the Serbian offensive, ethnic cleansing, or NATO bombings. His face was tense and his left eye appeared bruised.” At the same time, Solana declared that “I do not know whether [Rugova] is free or not,” but called the appearance “extremely strange.” Western diplomacy was treating the meeting as a Serbian propaganda attempt to legitimize the campaign in Kosovo. ON PAGE 4

Former President Berisha: he called on NATO to intervene with troops in Kosovo so as not to allow Milošević to exterminate the Albanians Belgium was warning that, in order to advance one of the objectives, one should not lose sight of the day of such an agent as the correspondent of the news agency “Associated Press” [AP], who reported that NATO leaders are ready to draft a policy for opening routes for humanitarian aid in Kosovo, at a time when hundreds of thousands of Albanian refugees are fleeing Serbian attacks. AP noted that a unanimous NATO decision was needed to carry out this action, but senior officials of the State Department and the alliance did not expect objections. Indeed, describing attacks against Serbian forces in Kosovo as inevitable, senior NATO and State Department officials confirmed that the possibility of using ground forces was being considered. This, according to AP, was the clearest sign of NATO’s readiness to extend its operation beyond air strikes, which have targeted Serbian infrastructure. Consequently, NATO’s decision on this issue was seen as a decision to save Albanian civilians in Kosovo. “Nothing that is happening now in Kosovo was in the plan from the outset… which made the leaders understand that something else had to be done,” AP quoted an unnamed American official as saying. “If we really want to save these people, then something else must be done,” he continued. “Associated Press” pointed out that a NATO ground offensive to attack Serbian military units and police in Kosovo would require, according to military experts, thousands of troops and at least two weeks for them to be assembled in the region. Such a force, it was assessed, would not be sufficient to end the ethnic cleansing of Albanians, but only to protect refugees and hinder Serbian operations. “President Clinton and his allies are considering all options,” said National Security Council spokesman David Lee. “A responsible government must always consider all possibilities,” he added. At the same time, AP emphasized that American officers were preparing safe corridors for the alliance’s supplies of food and medicine. These would pass through Albania and Macedonia. AP added that senior European and American officials have begun to think seriously about the ground-troops option if the air campaign does not end the ethnic cleansing. Administration spokesmen said NATO was carefully reviewing the possibilities. In its article, the agency also noted former President Berisha’s call for NATO ground intervention. ON PAGE 3

Clinton: The attacks will have a successful ending In his address [on television?], Clinton said that “it will happen again as in the case of Bosnia, but it is clear that it will take more time.” ON PAGE 4

Thousands displaced by Serbian genocide to be evacuated from Kukës to other districts of the country The arrivals from Kosovo have reached Kukës, but the government is not covering them with food, shelter, and other aid they need. “I don’t even want to help them,” the head of government has said. 5 [?] what happens with the migrants… ON PAGE 7 120

Rubin Cook: Split in the Serbian army In a television program on CNN, the British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, according to the latest reports, added that there are signs of division in the Serbian army. Thus, along with a threat, I see that determination for victory in Kosovo is fading. He also added that once the Serbian professionals exert influence in the army, the government in Belgrade will understand that it cannot achieve its goal in Kosovo. ON PAGE 4

About pornographic films from Kosovo Yesterday the PD called on the Tirana government to take urgent measures to close the premises where pornographic cassettes are shown, as well as to stop the distribution from Kosovo of the newspaper “Bujku” and other publications which, according to it, “encourage moral degeneration.” ON PAGE 7

The City Hall of Tirana calls on the Government to unlock funds to cope with the influx of arrivals from Kosovo It will take weeks to put an end to the bombings Solana: NATO may send ground troops ON PAGE 7

Visit: www.albanianline.net (See page 5)