Yugoslav Government releases nine Albanian prisoners

PRISTINA, 24 January 1999 - The OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission was pleased to learn yesterday that nine ethnic Albanians, imprisoned since December for KLA-activities, were released by the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The KVM welcomes this as an act of good will. It is the hope of the KVM that this and similar gestures, from both sides, will help to create an atmosphere conducive to the achievement of a lasting political settlement of the conflict through negotiation.