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Kosovo Liberation Army

Kosovo Leader Ibrahim Rugova Arrives in Rome Under Secret Trip

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, reported to be under house arrest in Yugoslavia, arrived unexpectedly in Rome to meet Italian government leaders. Rugova and his family were guests of the Italian government, reportedly traveling with the consent of Yugoslav authorities. The meeting with Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema and Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini was held at a secret location. This marks Rugova's first trip outside Yugoslavia since NATO began air strikes on 24 March to persuade Slobodan Milosevic to end repression in Kosovo.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rugova's visit to Rome was kept secret, with his family staying in the town of Artena, near the Alban Hills south of Rome.
  • The meeting between Rugova and D'Alema was initiated by Rugova's request to press the Italian government to mediate a peace accord for Kosovo with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.
  • Rugova's presence in Rome has been seen as a shock to some members of his community, given his previous meeting with Milosevic on Serbian television, which NATO and Rugova's staff claimed was under duress.
  • Rugova led a decade-long campaign of passive resistance to Belgrade, and his current situation has sparked controversy.
  • Belgrade claims Rugova is a free man under police protection, but NATO and Rugova's staff assert he is effectively a prisoner of the Serbian authorities.
  • The trip comes amid protests against NATO's air campaign, with reports of a petrol bomb attack on a McDonald's restaurant in Rome and two US military vehicles set ablaze outside the Vicenza air base.

Statistics:

  • NATO began air strikes on 24 March to persuade Slobodan Milosevic to end repression in Kosovo.
  • Rugova's family is staying in the town of Artena, reportedly with the consent of the Yugoslav authorities.
  • Three similar attacks on US chain outlets (McDonald's) have occurred since the start of the air campaign in March, with no reported injuries.
  • A Molotov cocktail attack was reported at a Democratic Party office, which was extinguished before it could explode.

Sources:

  • The office of the prime minister, Massimo D'Alema: statement
  • A senior source: quoted statement
  • The ANSA news agency: reported Rugova's intent to press the Italian government to mediate a peace accord for Kosovo
  • Reports from the scene of the petrol bomb attack on McDonald's restaurant in Rome
  • Reports from the scene of the attack on US military vehicles outside the Vicenza air base

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