ST. ANDREW THE FIRST-CALLED FOUNDATION PREPARES REPORT ON GENOCIDE

MOSCOW, January 13, 2004. /RIA Novosti correspondent Olga Lipich/. The Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called is preparing a report to PACE, UNESCO and UN on the violation of rights of national minorities (Serbs) in Kosovo and Metohija /Serbia/ and on the condition of Orthodox shrines. Many of them are already destroyed and others are facing the threat of destruction by Albanian extremists, President of the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called Alexander Melnik told a press conference in RIA Novosti on the trip to Kosovo and Metohija on January 4-8 by the delegation of the foundation, representatives of the Federation Council, the Russian Orthodox Church and Russia media.

"We should stir up public consciousness of the world community. We saw real genocide in Kosovo and Metohija. Serbs are oppressed, they live in reservations which are protected by KFOR from Albanian extremists. However, murders and destruction of Serbian houses and churches continue. There are victims among peacekeepers," Melnik said.

According to him, since 1999 more than 250,000 Serbs were driven out of their houses. Thousands of them were killed. There are less than 130,000 Serbs in Kosovo. More than 120 monasteries and churches were destroyed including unique cultural monuments of the 11th-14th centuries.

"We believe that stability, peace and quiet cannot be established for one nation. Rights of national minorities should be duly observed and cultural and historic legacy of the world importance should be preserved in Kosovo and Metohija," the President of the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called concluded.