Abducted Iranians Still in Captivity
Three Iranian health workers, sent to Kosovo by a non-governmental organization (NGO), were arrested on July 22, ahead of a lightning trip by U.S. President George W. Bush to Kosovo. Other foreigners are also reported to have been arrested concurrent with the Iranians.
The U.S. president arrived in Kosovo on July 24, for a visit including meetings with U.S. troops and civilian and military authorities in the UN-administered Serbian province.
An official of the Foreign Ministry talking to the TEHRAN TIMES categorically denied that any of the two abducted Iranians had been released. The official said that Iranian missions in Tirana and Macedonia were following the matter closely.
One of the three Iranians arrested by U.S. forces in Kosovo was freed following Iran's diplomatic efforts, the Iranian Foreign Ministry told the TEHRAN TIMES on Tuesday.
Based on a report carried by Associated Press (AP), Iranian Radio and TV announced that the two Iranians were freed by KFOR. The Islamic Republic of Iran's Broadcasting (IRIB) reporter in Balkans later denied the story.
It is rather surprising what aims AP had been following by carrying such a report. It is more surprising why the Iranian news media picked up such a false story without having the Foreign Ministry's confirmation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry has so far sent a message to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan calling for the international body's help in obtaining the release of the Iranians."
Iranian health workers were members of the non-governmental organization of Aid Headquarters who had been working in the war-torn region of Balkans.
The population of Kosovo is approximately 90% Albanian and 10% Serbian, with several smaller ethnic minorities such as the Romany. The ethnic Albanians, who are mostly Muslims, had been complaining about discrimination for years, until finally a conflict broke out in 1999.
Many Albanians were killed and others were deported when the Yugoslav government adopted a policy of ethnic cleansing.