Daily Humanitarian Update in the Balkans Released by the Department of State, Washington, DC,  April 7, 1999

U.S. Military/NATO

DOD reports that assets are in place in the region as well as in Guantanamo to begin the airlift of refugees out of Macedonia.

A U.S. Air Force team, the advanced team for the Joint Task Force (JTF), has made its assessment of air support and other requirements at the Kukes border crossing. There are currently 153 USAF troops at Tirana airport in Albania; this will be increased to 400.

Increased supplies of food are now reaching the refugees at the Albania border points. At least 60 metric tons arrived at Kukes on April 6 by helicopter and truck.

Hundreds of USAID donated tents have been erected by NATO soldiers, though some refugees remain without shelter. Conditions at the Blace border crossing, however, remain poor.

Conditions in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)/NATO managed refugee processing centers between Skopje and the Kosovo-Macedonian border have improved.

In Macedonia, an estimated 14,000 people have been moved from the chaotic border area into transit centers.

UN/UNHCR/International Organizations

At an April 6 meeting called by the UNHCR some 50 countries and international and non-governmental organizations condemned FRY actions. There was a general consensus on NATO's offer to take a major role in humanitarian efforts in Macedonia and Albania.

UNHCR has issued guidelines on the evacuation of refugees to temporary safety, emphasizing family unity, family reunification, and that all movements should be voluntary.

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is assisting UNHCR in coordinating relief efforts in Albania. UNHCR has 22 staff in Kukes, and OSCE has provided 70 Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) monitors in 12-16 teams to reinforce the capacity of Albania. The monitors may also participate in refugee processing.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) is increasing its operations to transport refugees from Albania to third countries. Some 3,000 have already been airlifted to Turkey and Norway.

UN World Food Program (WFP) is deploying a 22 person logistics and assessment team to Albania, some of whom will arrive today.

EU Assistance

Various donors, including the German and Italian governments and European Community Office of Humanitarian Operations (ECHO), are constructing at least 20 shelter areas that can accommodate an estimated 100,000 refugees.

A revised UN donor alert was launched asking for $138.4 million (nearly $65 million for UNHCR) to meet needs of an estimated 650,000 refugees through June 30.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata has left for the region.