KOSOVO: PRISTINA: IRISH REGIMENTAL BAND

Описание: (31 Jul 1999) English/Nat

Residents of the Kosovar capital Pristina have been enjoying some unusual entertainment - a band of bagpipers horns and drums brought in by a fresh contingent of British troops.

Troops from Royal Irish Regiment are taking over from the Paratroopers who spearheaded the push into Kosovo and who are now returning home.

They can't have heard many bagpipe bands before but residents of Pristina seemed to be enjoying the music on Friday night.

There was a festive atmosphere in the Kosovar capital as troops from Britain's Royal Irish Regiment paraded through the streets.

They're just taken over from the First Batallion of the Parachute Regiment, which is returning to its base in the United Kingdom.

Despite the efforts of NATO troops to remain impartial, they are viewed as liberators by the majority ethnic Albanian population.

One of the officers in charge of the new arrivals explained the purpose of the parade.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Basically we've just arrived today and we are taking over from the Parachute Regiment having spent eight weeks about 20 kilometres south of Pristina in Lipljan. We've just arrived here and this is our way of saying hello, we're here and welcome to everyone else who's come along with us. And we've been playing down south as well. All ages appreciate this, especially the young and the elderly and the middle ages will find that they join in as well so this is our way of saying hi, we're here and we're here to have a good time as well as do our job."
SUPER CAPTION: Lt. Naeem Ahmed, First Battalion Royal Irish Regiment

Pristina falls inside a sector of Kosovo administered by Britain and British troops form the largest contingent of foreign peacekeepers in the province.

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