US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has said that the Serbian delegation at the peace talks in Paris bore the lion’s share of responsibility for the difficulties in the Kosovo peace talks. Speaking around an hour ago Ms. Albright added that she hoped the remaining issues could be resolved and defended the contents of the proposal as it stood.
The six-nation contact group tonight extended the deadline for a Kosovo peace agreement until 3pm on Tuesday, after both the Serbian and ethnic Albanian delegations failed to reach complete agreement. Negotiations were due to conclude by noon today, but the group considered sufficient progress had been made to justify a further extension.
Both sides accepted in principle the political side of the proposed agreement, subject to minor changes. However, the Yugoslav authorities continued to resist a NATO peacekeeping force to implement the accord on the ground. NATO had threatened to bomb Serbia if it blocked an agreement, but the results of the Rambouillet talks suggested that there was scope for further negotiation.
Diplomats attached to the talks have said that it is possible a formula might be found allowing for a neutrally named NATO-led force under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council. Earlier today, hundreds of Kosovo Albanians are said to have fled the village of Studencane after it came under sustained Serbian artillery fire.
