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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by James B. Foley, Deputy Spokesman
January 25, 1999

U.S. Welcomes Release of Nine Kosovar Albanian
And Five Serb Detainees

The United States welcomes the release today by Serbian authorities of nine Kosovar Albanian detainees. We also welcome the release of the Serbian civilians who were kidnapped from their village early Friday morning. These actions represent constructive steps toward reducing tension in Kosovo.

These releases highlight the importance of the role of the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) in managing the cease-fire and defusing tensions as they seek to build compliance with UN Security Council resolutions and the October agreement.

We call on both sides to release all detainees and to cease further detentions. Such action would serve to build confidence on both sides, help maintain the cease-fire, and facilitate progress in the negotiations on a political settlement. We strongly urge both sides to treat detainees humanely, and to afford them due process of law, and to allow access by the International Committee of the Red Cross, KVM, and other international observers.

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