(20 Apr 1999) Eng/Russ/Nat
O-S-C-E chief monitor, William Walker is expressing concern over the fate of refugees who are not crossing the Kosovo-Albanian border at Jazince.
There have been reports that Serb forces are preventing the refugees from crossing.
Meanwhile the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (U-N-H-C-R) is claiming a column of between nine and 25 thousand refugees is marching south through Kosovo from Pristina.
The line of refugees is said to be almost 25 kilometres (16 miles) long.
The crossing point at Jazince on the Kosovo-Albanian border was deserted on Tuesday.
Both the Organisation and Security for Cooperation in Europe (O-S-C-E) and the U-N-H- C-R fear Serb forces are preventing ethnic Albanian refugees from crossing into Albania.
From the Albanian side of the border Serb forces could clearly be seen over in Kosovo patrolling the area.
However at Blace in Macedonia, some refugees are being allowed to cross over from Kosovo.
One Serbian family was allowed to leave the province.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
(Q)"Where are you from, Pristina?"
"Urosevac."
(Q)"Why did you leave?"
"Because of the NATO bombing."
SUPER CAPTION: Serbian Refugee
In the Macedonian capital, Skopje, a U-N-H-C-R spokesman claims a new mass movement of ethnic Albanians is underway.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We were told there was a column up to 25 kilometres long which could be anywhere from nine thousand to fifteen or sixteen thousand people. This was quite far north, I believe it was up in the Pristina area. It was heading south, speculation is that if this is indeed a column moving in this direction it would either, when it reaches the fork in the road down here, it would either turn towards Jazince or towards Blace."
SUPER CAPTION: Ron Redmond, U-N-H-C-R Spokesman
If the column is heading for the border, it's unclear whether it will be allowed to leave Kosovo.
However refugee agencies are preparing themselves for the possibility that the border could soon be overwhelmed with refugees once again.
On Tuesday the speaker of the Italian Parliament, Luciano Violanta, visited the border region to see the conditions there for himself.
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