Yugoslav Troops Hope to Enter Buffer Zone Peacefully

The Yugoslav government hoped to enter a buffer zone in southern Serbia without causing new conflicts with ethnic Albanian rebels, Yugoslavia's state news agency Tanjug said Thursday.

Tanjug said the Yugoslav government told ethnic Albanian rebels to lay down their arms by May 24, the day when NATO will allow Yugoslav troops to deploy throughout the buffer zone that in effect is under the rebels' control.

NATO decided on May 14 to return the buffer zone back to Yugoslavia's hand. According to an agreement reached between Yugoslavia and NATO in June 1999, neither Yugoslav troops nor NATO 's KFOR army can enter the area.






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