(18 May 1999) English/Nat
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has visited a refugee camp in Albania to see first hand how the refugees who have fled their homes in Kosovo are coping.
He was taken on a tour of a Turkish run refugee camp by the Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Majko and told the refugees that NATO's mission was to make sure they would all be able to return to Kosovo.
He arrived in Albania on Tuesday amid continued reports of deep divisions in NATO over the deployment of ground troops in Yugoslavia.
The British Prime Minister was warmly greeted by his Albanian counterpart Pandeli Majko at the Tirana airport.
The two inspected a guard of honour before setting off in a military helicopter for a refugee camp 40 kilometres away.
He wanted to see for himself the conditions the refugees who have fled Kosovo are living in.
When he arrived, hundreds of refugees crowded around to catch a glimpse of one of the men who is leading the campaign to help them return to their homeland.
Serbian troops have driven hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians from the province since the end of March.
He reassured them that this was NATO's sole reason for action.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"These people have been driven from their homes in their homeland. Our mission is very simple and very clear - it is to make sure that they return to their homes in their homeland, to be able to live in peace and security as should be the right of any civilised human being in our world."
SUPERCAPTION: Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
His words were greeted with enthusiastic applause.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Day after day our campaign continues, we hear this morning that there have been demonstrations against him (Milosevic) in Serbia. This shows not just our determination, but that we will be successful in the mission we have set ourselves. Of that I have no doubt."
SUPERCAPTION: Tony Blair, British Prime Minister
But the refugees are clear that Britain is not operating alone.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"Of course, the role of England is the second most important after that of the United States. We know that Tony Blair is prime minister and I don't think he is going to leave this job half done."
SUPERCAPTION: Ekrem Gashi, Refugee
Blair also took the time to meet with Albanian refugees to hear their stories.
One old man told him of being forced to strip naked for Serb soldiers before being robbed of his every last cent.
Blair's one-day visit Albania also included a visit with NATO soldiers stationed there.
The prime minister posed for pictures with soldiers before going inside to discuss military efforts.
There, strategists briefed the Prime Minister on reports of mounting resistance to Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic inside Serbia.
At recent demonstrations in Aleksandrovac and Krusevac, thousands had demanded troops remain in Yugoslavia and not be sent back to Kosovo.
In the afternoon, Blair planned to meet with Albanian political leaders.
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