UN, US condemn anti-Serb violence

The United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan has condemned anti-Serb violence in Kosovo.

In a report to the UN Security Council, Mr Annan, says recent vicious attacks on Serbs and other minorities appear to be part of an orchestrated campaign by ethnic Albanian extremists.

He said the international community did not intervene in the province to make it a haven for revenge and crime.

His views were echoed by the United States special envoy to the Balkans, James O'Brien, who used the word 'systematic' to describe the killing of eight Serbs in the past week alone.

After talks with Mr O'Brien, two leading Kosovo Albanians, Hashim Thaqi and Ibrahim Rugova, issued statements calling for an immediate end to such attacks. The UN Security Council is to debate the issue tomorrow later today, Friday.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service