[House Document 106-43]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-43
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING
NOTIFICATION THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DRAMATIC AND VERY SERIOUS
DEVELOPMENTS IN KOSOVO AND THE REGION, PARTICULARLY MACEDONIA AND
ALBANIA. IN THE LIGHT OF THESE DISTURBING EVENTS, I HAVE DIRECTED THAT
ADDITIONAL U.S. FORCES BE DEPLOYED TO ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT DISASTER RELIEF BY, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES, DELIVERING FOOD AND
ESSENTIALS, CONSTRUCTING SHELTER, PROVIDING COORDINATION AND ASSISTING
IN ONWARD MOVEMENT, AND WHEN NECESSARY, PROVIDING PROTECTION FOR RELIEF
SUPPLIES AND REFUGEES, PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 105-262
April 12, 1999.--Referred jointly to the Committees on International
Relations, Appropriations, and Armed Services and ordered to be printed
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-011 WASHINGTON : 1999
The White House,
Washington, DC, April 3, 1999.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: Since I reported to the Congress on March
25, 1999, under section 8115 of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-262), there have been
dramatic and very serious developments in Kosovo and the
region, particularly Macedonia and Albania. Belgrade's
sustained and accelerating repression and ethnic cleansing in
Kosovo has created a humanitarian crisis of staggering
dimensions. Estimates are that more than 800,000 Kosovars have
been displaced from their homes and villages, with large
concentrations in Albania, Macedonia, and Montenegro, and with
the numbers rising dramatically every day. Throughout Kosovo,
Serb forces have burned villages. Homes throughout the region
have been looted and are smoldering. In Pristina, Kosovars are
being forced into rail cars and shipped to the Macedonian
border.
As the refugee flow out of Kosovo has surged, the limited
ability of Albania and Macedonia to deal with the situation has
been overwhelmed. The international organizations engaged in
refugee assistance do not currently have in the region the
ability and resources to deal with a refugee crisis of this
magnitude. Unless adequate care can be provided for these
refugees, a humanitarian disaster of immense proportions will
result. In addition to the human suffering involved, such a
disaster carries with it the very real possibility of
destabilizing the governments and societies of Albania and
Macedonia. This disaster could have the effect of spreading
violence in the region that NATO is determined to prevent.
In the light of these disturbing events, I have directed
that additional U.S. forces be deployed to Albania and
Macedonia in order to support disaster relief by, among other
activities, delivering food and essentials, constructing
shelter, providing coordination and assisting in onward
movement, and when necessary, providing protection for relief
supplies and refugees. In regard to the elements of section
8115(a)(1)-(8), I am providing the following information:
1 & 2. National Security Interests. I hereby certify that
the deployment of additional forces to Albania and Macedonia as
described above is necessary in the national security interests
of the United States. These actions will provide additional
forces to aid in the relief efforts supporting Kosovar
refugees. They also will contribute to the overall effort to
stabilize this region that has historically been a tinderbox,
thereby helping to preserve peace and security in the region.
3. Numbers. The number of U.S. personnel who will be
deployed for these purposes cannot be definitively provided at
this time, since planning for the deployment is ongoing. I
would anticipate, at a minimum, a deployment of 1,000
personnel. It can be anticipated that headquarters elements,
air crews, airlift control elements, selected transport and
rotary wing aircraft, security personnel, civil affairs and
psychological operations personnel, medical and engineer
forces, and logistics support forces may become involved in the
operation. These forces will operate under U.S. and NATO
operational control. I will ensure that the Congress is
informed in a timely manner about deployments described in this
report when the information is available.
4. Mission/Objectives. As stated above in my report to the
Congress of March 25, the overall objective of our efforts with
our allies is to maintain stability in the region and prevent a
humanitarian disaster resulting from the ongoing offensive
against the people of Kosovo. The specific military mission of
the forces deployed as described in this report would be to
support disaster relief operations to aid in the care and
protection of Kosovar refugees and to provide for their own
security.
5. Schedule. At this point, it is not possible to determine
how long these deployments to Albania and Macedonia in response
to this dire need will be required. This will be affected by
how long Belgrade continues its campaign of ethnic cleansing
and how long beyond the cessation of that campaign it will take
before the Kosovar refugees will be able to return to their
homes or resettle elsewhere. Circumstances permitting, it will
be our objective to transfer responsibility for the refugees to
other organizations such as the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees as soon as possible.
6. Exit Strategy. The duration of the requirement for a
U.S. military presence in Albania and Macedonia for these
purposes will depend on the course of events, and in
particular, on Belgrade's conduct on the ground in Kosovo. So
long as Belgradeforces the Kosovar refugees to remain
dispossessed, and the enormity of the situation continues to overwhelm
the ability of Albania, Macedonia, and the international relief
community to deal with the situation, it is likely that U.S. forces
deployed for these purposes will be required. Nevertheless, as stated
above, it will be our objective to transfer responsibility for the
refugees to other organizations as soon as the emergency has subsided.
In addition, we are working with our European partners to provide
temporary asylum to some of the refugees in third countries.
7. Costs. The costs of the deployment described in this
notice will be paid initially from FY99 Defense appropriations,
including the provision of defense commodities and services
directed pursuant to Presidential Determination 99-20 of March
31, 1999. An estimate of likely costs for these deployments is
being prepared, and I will ensure that it is provided to the
Congress as soon as it is available.
8. Effect on Morale, Retention and Readiness. In the first
instance, these deployments will have a positive effect on
morale, retention and readiness because they will demonstrate
the commitment of the necessary resources to those aspects of
operations relating to response to the worsening conditions
brought by the refugee crisis in the area.
United States forces participating in these operations, as
well as U.S. forces deployed for other purposes in the region
are dedicated professionals serving with great pride and
enthusiasm. Given the importance of these activities,
particularly in humanitarian terms, we anticipate that U.S.
forces would maintain the highest morale and effectiveness. It
has been our experience that personnel serving in these types
of operations manifest great pride and satisfaction in
demonstrating America's capacity to ensure care and protection
for people in need.
However, we recognize that even deployments for the best of
reasons increase the periods of separation from family and add
other burdens to military service.
The Department of Defense has underway extensive and
effective programs to do what is necessary to manage personnel
and other resources so as to reduce these problems. As with any
operational deployment, the effects on readiness are mixed. In
these operations, U.S. forces will be conducting one of the
missions they have been trained to perform, which will provide
an unparalleled opportunity to apply their skills in a unique
environment. We believe that this will contribute significantly
to a high state of morale and readiness.
Sincerely,
William J. Clinton.