UNMIK, KFOR: MUP officers were in K. Mitrovica court

UNMIK and KFOR officials in Pristina say a "red line has been crossed" between them and the Kosovo Serbs. This is the message sent a day after the deadly violence in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, where clashes broke out after UN and NATO policemen and soldiers raided a local court to arrest protesting Serb judicial workers. UNMIK, KFOR: MUP officers were in K. Mitrovica court One Ukrainian officer has died, while 100 others, including over 70 Serbs, have been injured, two of them critically. The Pristina news conference also heard KFOR commander Xavier Bout de Marnhac and deputy UNMIK chief Larry Rossin say that the force used by their troops while dealing with the unrest was not excessive. Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic yesterday made the allegation, and announced Belgrade will seek "full international investigation"; today, international representatives in Kosovo responded with counter-accusations. "[UNMIK chief] Joachim Ruecker has spoken to several officials on various government levels in Belgrade Friday, and asked that they use their undisputable authority, in order to have those that have occupied the court building withdraw. Some of them have been identified as members of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior [MUP]," Rossin was quoted as saying. All 53 of the Serb protesters arrested Monday were released in the evening of the same day. Marnhac for his part told reporters that attacks on UNMIK and KFOR "will not be tolerated". "Yesterday morning a red line was crossed. With a clear intention to kill people, Molotov cocktails, bombs were thrown, and there was direct shooting at UNMIK and KFOR. We will not tolerate that," the French general warned. The Serbian police (MUP) reacted by saying that they have "no information about any of their members being arrested during the clashes in northern Kosovska Mitrovica". Also in Pristina, as he was visiting injured UNMIK policemen, Kosovo's president, Fatmir Sejdiu, said that Belgrade is to blame for the violence. "All those who incited to violence, whether they call themselves spiritual leaders, but also other leaders who wish to sustain the chaos in Kosovo, are responsible," he was quoted by Beta news agency. As for official Belgrade, Sejdiu sees its responsibility in now "keeping the promises it made during the negotiations", but also "in Security Council sessions". The news conference in Pristina today (Beta)

UNMIK, KFOR: MUP officers were in K. Mitrovica court

One Ukrainian officer has died, while 100 others, including over 70 Serbs, have been injured, two of them critically.

The Priština news conference also heard KFOR commander Xavier Bout de Marnhac and deputy UNMIK chief Larry Rossin say that the force used by their troops while dealing with the unrest was not excessive.

Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardžić yesterday made the allegation, and announced Belgrade will seek "full international investigation"; today, international representatives in Kosovo responded with counter-accusations.

"[UNMIK chief] Joachim Ruecker has spoken to several officials on various government levels in Belgrade Friday, and asked that they use their undisputable authority, in order to have those that have occupied the court building withdraw. Some of them have been identified as members of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior [MUP]," Rossin was quoted as saying.

All 53 of the Serb protesters arrested Monday were released in the evening of the same day.

Marnhac for his part told reporters that attacks on UNMIK and KFOR "will not be tolerated".

"Yesterday morning a red line was crossed. With a clear intention to kill people, Molotov cocktails, bombs were thrown, and there was direct shooting at UNMIK and KFOR. We will not tolerate that," the French general warned.

The Serbian police (MUP) reacted by saying that they have "no information about any of their members being arrested during the clashes in northern Kosovska Mitrovica".

Also in Priština, as he was visiting injured UNMIK policemen, Kosovo's president, Fatmir Sejdiu, said that Belgrade is to blame for the violence.

"All those who incited to violence, whether they call themselves spiritual leaders, but also other leaders who wish to sustain the chaos in Kosovo, are responsible," he was quoted by Beta news agency.

As for official Belgrade, Sejdiu sees its responsibility in now "keeping the promises it made during the negotiations", but also "in Security Council sessions".