20000227

Malaysia

liaison office

in Kosovo

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will establish a liaison office in war-torn Kosovo in the next three to four months, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid said on Saturday.

Syed Hamid said during his visit to Kosovo in September last year, leaders there had requested that Malaysia set up an office in the country rather than supervising relations from its embassy in Rome.

"The cabinet has recently agreed to establish a liaison office in Kosovo to directly channel whatever assistance that we can contribute to the Kosovo people," he told reporters.

"We also want to effectively monitor developments in Kosovo and have a better relationship with the agencies operating there." The office, to be led by a foreign ministry official, will also supervise the safety of Malaysian officers Ñ mainly police Ñ still stationed in Kosovo, he added.

Malaysians last year raised 4.68 million ringgit (1.23 million dollars) for Kosover refugees.

Syed Hamid said 800,000 dollars had been donated and used for the rebuilding of mosques, a university and hospital in Kosovo. Part was also channelled to the United Nations World Food Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.ÑAFP