UNMIK, ICMP establish cooperation

Pristina, Nov 26, 2003 - The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) signed a memorandum on Wednesday to define mutual tasks in the identification of victims in Kosovo-Metohija.

ICMP has recently signed a similar agreement with the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija, establishing the procedure for the identification of bodies discovered in central Serbia, said ICMP Chief of Staff Gordon Bacon.

ICMP has collected 8,816 blood samples so far, allowing for the identification of 3,263 persons believed to have gone missing after the conflict in the province broke out.

It has also collected 2,657 bone samples to establish the identities of 2,189 persons.

Victim identification is carried out in forensic laboratories in Belgrade, Banjaluka, Sarajevo and Tuzla.

According to ICMP, around 40,000 persons went missing during wars on the territory of former Yugoslavia.