PRISTINA, Yugoslavia, Dec 4 (AFP) -
Hardline ex-Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters say they have laid the foundations for a US-style 'National Guard' in spite of a demilitarisation accord with NATO forbidding the ex-guerrillas from forming internal security units.

Some 120 of the former separatists paraded in camouflage uniforms in the northwest town of Srbica last Sunday as part of ethnic Albanian celebrations marking Flag Day, which commemorates Albanian independence in 1912.

They marched before a crowd of thousands of revellers which included the former political leader of the KLA, Hashim Thaci, and the former KLA military chief, Agim Ceku.

One former KLA member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the National Guard was designed to "act if the integrity of Kosovo is threatened".

"They are not armed but the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) weapons are stored in warehouses and they will use them if necessary," he said.

The guardsmen were among other future members of the KPC, the civilian successor to the KLA, whose 3,000 regular members and 2,000 reservists will take on tasks such as cleaning up the war-torn Serbian province.

The KPC is still being formed, its members undergoing selection by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), although the peacekeepers have already issued 1,500 uniforms with the corps' insignia.

Apart from its chief -- Ceku -- none of the organisation's commanders have been appointed.

"The National Guard, the most important part of the KPC, pledges that the wishes of the martyrs will never be forgotten and will succeed," said Ramiz Lladrovic, introduced as the "deputy commander of the National Guard" at the weekend festivities.

His comments referred to KLA guerrillas who died fighting for independence from Belgrade.

KFOR spokesman Major Roland Lavoie said the announcements of the self-proclaimed leaders of the KPC were only a "minor infraction as the KPC has not yet been set up."

But other senior KFOR sources said that Srbica, in the middle of the KLA heartland of Drenica, is a "difficult zone."

Fatmir Istogu, the KPC press officer in Srbica, said the National Guard is no more than the KPC's rapid reaction force, set up to deal with natural disasters and which will comprise an honour guard and body guards.

It is the only section of the KPC which will be armed, although its 600 guns will remain under KFOR supervision.

However the activities of the guards seem to exceed the mandate of a civilian rapid reaction force.

Istogu said the guard unit will be tasked with "guarding important buildings such as hospitals and factories" -- even though it is officially excluded from law and order duties.

A guards camp has already been set up on the edge of of Srbica, with an armed sentry at the entrance.

But there is only one authorised camp for the rapid reaction force, located to the south of Pristina, KFOR said.

Istogu also said the "guard will have the same status as the US National Guard," a military reserve dealing with issues such as defence in case of invasion or security during civil unrest as well as civilian duties.

The concept of a Kosovo National Guard along the US lines was discussed between NATO and the KLA before being abandoned.

In a June accord, the KLA demanded that the international community "give due consideration to ... the formation of an army in Kosovo on the lines of the US National Guard in due course."

But the final accord on the formation of the KPC, signed in September, states that the organisation "will have no role in defence, law enforcement, riot control (or) internal security."

Istogu said the guard was spread across the province and AFP confirmed that in the eastern town of Gnjilane the KPC freely use the term "National Guard".
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