(24 Dec 1999) English/Nat

Russia's defence minister arrived in Kosovo on Friday for a first-hand look at the U.N. and NATO-led peacekeeping operation, which he has accused of failing to make progress in securing peace and stability in the southern Yugoslav province.

Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev met jointly with Gen. Klaus Reinhardt, the commander of the NATO-led Kosovo Force, and German Defence Minister Rudolph Scharping, who is visiting German peacekeepers in the Balkans.

NATO's Supreme Commander for Europe General Wesley Clark said he believes the K-FOR mission is doing everything possible to protect Serbian minorities in Kosovo.

Despite a near mishap, Russia's defense minister arrived for a first-hand look at the Kosovo peacekeeping mission which has recently attracted his criticism.

Igor Sergeyev met with the man best able to deflect his criticism - General Klaus Reinhardt, commander of the NATO-led Kosovo Force, or KFOR.

He also talked with German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping, who is
visiting German peacekeepers in the Balkans.

Sergeyev's arrival from the Yugoslav capital Belgrade was delayed for several hours because of fog at Pristina's airport.

Earlier, he told Russia's Itar-Tass news agency that so far, NATO's results "cannot be called positive."

Ministers also met with NATO's Supreme Commander for Europe, General Wesley Clark, who is visiting the region for a Christmas call on the troops, and has different views to the Russian defence minister.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"Well, that's a political issue that is handled at levels higher above this, but I think that our cooperation with Russian soldiers on the ground is just outstanding"
SUPERCAPTION: General Wesley Clark, NATO's Supreme Commander for Europe

Clark said that there is no reason to call the K-FOR mission unsuccessful.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"Well I think that the record shows very clearly the K-FOR is doing a great job and that's why we think is a really good thing that the Russian minister was here today to hear directly what a great job K-FOR is doing, and I think he heard that. I certainly have heard that from the Russian troops that I was with today. They told me they think things are going extremely well."
General Wesley Clark, NATO's Supreme Commander for Europe

He also believes that American soldiers are doing a lot to protect Serbian minority in the region.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"I was particularly impressed when I was in Gnjilane today. I saw the extraordinary attention to detail that the American soldiers are providing here to take care of a Serb minority in M-N-B East (K-FOR sector). It's extraordinary the degree that they've gone through to take care of the Serb population there. So it's been a good day, it's a special time of the year obviously, and I know it's a real hardship for the men and women in K-FOR to be away from their families. We're just very proud of them. We really appreciate what they're doing down here. I really want to come down here and tell everybody that, especially the K-FOR commander, Gen. Klaus Reinhardt"
General Wesley Clark, NATO's Supreme Commander for Europe

Alliance peacekeepers arrived in the province in June after a 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia.

The bombardment was meant to force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to halt a crackdown on ethnic Albanian militants and accept a peace deal.

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