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Russian peacekeepers  MILITARY PLAN:  MESSAGE BOARD: Rebuilding Kosovo  IN-DEPTH SPECIAL: Focus on Kosovo

July 5, 1999
Web posted at: 8:45 a.m. EDT (1245 GMT)

MOSCOW (CNN) -- NATO and Russia have resolved differences over the role of Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo, a Russian defense ministry spokesman said Monday, clearing the way for the deployment of the main Russian contingent to the Yugoslav province.

The agreement came after a NATO military delegation traveled to Moscow seeking an 11th-hour deal to end yet another stand-off between Russia and the West.

Russia's peacekeepers were grounded at home over the weekend in the latest dispute over the role they were to play in Kosovo.

Russia has only a few hundred troops in the Serbian province, holed up at the airport in the provincial capital Pristina, which they seized unexpectedly just hours before NATO rolled into Kosovo on June 12.

Sunday was to see the beginning of a deployment that would bring the total up to 3,600 Russian peacekeepers, deployed in the French, German and American sectors. A small contingent will remain at the Pristina airport as well in the British sector.

But Washington persuaded Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria to close their air space to Russian troops on Saturday, saying there remained details to resolve before Russia could deploy.

The gesture cast into doubt a breakthrough agreement on Russia's peacekeeping role secured two weeks ago in Helsinki, Finland.

A prolonged delay in the deployment would be a major embarrassment after a week in which Russian television has featured eager paratroopers anxious to start their mission.

Formally, Moscow made no statement in response to the new dispute over the weekend. But in anonymous comments to Russian news media, Moscow's generals seethed.

Interfax news agency quoted unnamed Defense Ministry sources on Sunday as calling the stand-off a "provocation" on the part of the United States.

Two weeks ago, after more than a week of tense talks in Moscow and Helsinki, Russia backed down from its main demand, that it be given its own sector of Kosovo to patrol, and agreed to deploy its peacekeepers in sectors controlled by NATO states.

But despite the great fanfare with which the Helsinki deal was announced -- just before a friendly summit in Cologne, Germany -- Russia and the West never quite reached agreement on the precise relationship Russian forces would have with NATO.

Washington says Moscow is going back on its Helsinki promises by insisting its forces should not answer to NATO command. But Russia has always said it would not permit its troops to be required to obey orders from NATO generals.

Little has been made public about the talks to resolve the dispute. The NATO delegation's trip to Moscow was confirmed only after the delegates were in Moscow and their presence had been leaked to the press.

Meanwhile, a top Serb opposition leader -- braving a military court investigation -- returned to Serbia on Sunday to face accusations of draft-dodging and to campaign for the ouster of President Slobodan Milosevic.

Zoran Djindjic, head of the Democratic Party, landed at Belgrade airport and immediately dismissed the accusations against him, seen by many as Milosevic's attempt to crack down on forces demanding democratic reforms in Yugoslavia.

"I think it is utterly cynical and ironic that they are after me because of the war that they organized, caused and led without themselves fighting it," Djindjic said at the airport.

The war was the 78-day NATO air campaign against Yugoslavia triggered by the Kosovo crisis, which ended with government troops withdrawing from the province in Serbia, the larger of two Yugoslav republics. During the bombing, thousands of Yugoslav reservists were called up.

After the bombing started March 24, Djindjic went to Montenegro, Yugoslavia's other republic, mainly in fear of Milosevic's crackdown against opponents. Djindjic later traveled to western Europe while the army tried to serve him with a draft notice.

"My stay in Montenegro and abroad enabled for re-establishing the credibility of a democratic Serbia in the world," Djindjic said. "I think I was of more use to Serbia (there) than if I stayed ... just watching the NATO planes unable to do anything."

Djindjic and his party have spearheaded protests against Milosevic, rallying support from increasingly dissatisfied and impoverished Serbs. Already in international isolation and struggling economically by previous wars in the region, Yugoslavia was badly damaged in the NATO raids.

"Our first task is removal of Milosevic and his regime ... Changes must come very soon so that people can survive the next winter," he said.

He also said the most important task the opposition faces is to avoid civil unrest while ensuring a change in government.

Djindjic said once Milosevic is no longer in power, the country should establish a transitional government to end the country's pariah status and then hold elections.

It was unclear when he would testify in the draft-dodging investigation. Under Serbian law, a court investigation is necessary to determine if there is enough evidence to indict.

A conviction on the charge can carry a prison sentence of 20 years.

Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

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