ALBANIAN EXTREMISM SHOULD BE SHIELDED, SAYS UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER








PRAGUE, MARCH 9, 2001 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT VIKTOR PRUSAKOV/ -- UN Human Rights Commissioner Jiri Dienstbier spoke of the need to shield the Albanian extremism in connection with the recently mounting tension on the border between Macedonia and the Kosovo province of Yugoslavia. Dienstbier, who is actually the former Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia, is touring the Balkan region these days.


	


	Mr Dienstbier told reporters that Albanian extremism expansion had intensified due to the passive and non-coordinated activity of the world community. In his words, Albanian extremists have already occupied  the bulk of the 5-km-long security zone in the south of Serbia, and now they are infiltrating into both Macedonia and the heart of Serbian territory. Meanwhile, Albanian rebels are drafting young local men by force. 


	


	An immediate truce between Serbs and Albanians in the south of Serbia is the sole way to thwart a new wave of violence in the area, reckons Jiri Dienstbier. In his opinion, "Albanian expansion" can be curbed only with Yugoslavia-Macedonia-NATO cooperation.