The U.N. mission in Kosovo has created an agency to help Serbs reclaim property that was confiscated during NATO air attacks in 1999.
The Kosovo agency for property is to help courts in Serbia's southern province in solving appeals on reclamation of private property including land, houses and cars, the BETA news agency said.
The U.N. civilian mission in Kosovo handed over 908 files on land reclamation that Serbs and other non-Albanians who fled Kosovo in 1999 had submitted to the provincial courts.
Serbian officials estimate about 200,000 Serbs have left their homes over the past seven years and settled in Serbia.
The U.N. officials in Pristina have administered Kosovo since 1999 when NATO attacks stopped forces of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic in their military drive against ethnic Albanians.
Kosovo, whose population is 90 percent ethnic Albanian, is formally part of Serbia. Currently, Serbs and ethnic Albanians are talking about how the province would be governed once NATO forces leave Kosovo.
© Copyright 2006 by United Press International
