In a telephone session on Aug. 1, the Serbian government decided to deploy 75 tons of foodstuffs from the food reserves to the municipality of Leposavic to help the Serb people in northern Kosovo and Metohija.

The reserves would provide 20 tons of sugar and of cooking oil, 30 tons of wheat and five tons of powdered milk, the total value of which is RSD8.49 million.

Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management Dusan Petrovic today announced that several dozen tonnes of basic provisions will be sent to Kosovo-Metohija.

During a visit to the village of Jezero near Sokobanja, Petrovic stressed that this is one of the measures of assistance to our people in the southern province, the aim of which is to help them overcome these difficult times.

The Serbian government will hold a telephone session to discuss a proposal by the Serbian Commodity Reserves that a certain amount of basic provisions be sent to the province, he said, voicing his expectation that the problem in the north of the province will be resolved through talks.

Minister of Health Zoran Stankovic today announced that the relevant Ministry will deliver the necessary amounts of medicines and other medical material needed to treat patients in northern Kosovo-Metohija.

In a statement to RTV B92, Stankovic stressed that the delivery will be made tomorrow, in line with an agreement with the World Health Organisation.

The Minister voiced his expectation that there will be no greater difficulties in delivering the aid, specifying that health institutions in northern Kosovo-Metohija are currently short of blood, oxygen and medicines needed for patients that are undergoing haemodialysis.

Two Red Cross trucks carrying humanitarian aid in food and hygiene products arrived, via checkpoint Jarinje, in northern Kosovo and Metohija on Aug. 1.

The administrative checkpoints Jarinje and Brnjak were closed until July 31 following the tension, provoked by Pristina's decision to deploy special police units at two checkpoints, causing anger among the local Serbs. Jarinje was set on fire in the evening on July 27.

KFOR soldiers control the transit of passenger vehicles at these crossings.

Last night, they did not allow any vehicle carrying any goods or foods to enter the province at the Jarinje crossing.

They even prevented from entering the vehicles carrying medications, and also refused to let those loaded with heating fuels to pass through.

The drivers said that American KFOR soldiers had told them that they had an order to prohibit the crossing of vehicles loaded with goods and to allow only passenger vehicles without load to transit.

No rigorous controls at Brnjak crossing early on Tuesday

As opposed to the situation at the administrative crossing Jarinje, there were no rigorous controls of goods at the Brnjak crossing near the town of Zubin Potok early on Tuesday.

Tanjug learned that smaller-sized vehicles had no trouble delivering bread and milk from central Serbia to Kosovo via the crossing at Brnjak.

The Brnjak crossing is under the control of KFOR members from France, Morocco and Austria, with members of Kosovo border police also stationed at the checkpoint.

The traffic at the checkpoint is taking place without longer delays.