[House Document 106-45]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-45
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 AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE SITUATION IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF 
                              YUGOSLAVIA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

AN UPDATE ON THE REPORT SUBMITTED ON MARCH 26, 1999 WITH REGARDS TO THE 
   PARTICIPATION OF U.S. MILITARY FORCES IN A SERIES OF AIR STRIKES 
        CONDUCTED BY NATO IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA




 April 12, 1999.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations 
                       and ordered to be printed

                               --------

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE                    
69-011                     WASHINGTON : 1999




                                           The White House,
                                     Washington, DC, April 7, 1999.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: I reported to the Congress on March 26, 
1999, on the participation of U.S. military forces in the 
series of air strikes conducted by NATO in the Federal Republic 
of Yugoslavia (FRY) in response to the FRY government's 
campaign of violence and repression against the ethnic Albanian 
population in Kosovo. Since my report on March 26, there have 
been dramatic and very serious developments in the FRY. 
Belgrade's sustained and accelerating repression is creating a 
humanitarian disaster of staggering dimensions. Estimates now 
are that well over one million Kosovars have been displaced 
from their homes and villages. At this time, more than 400,000 
Kosovars are in Albania, Macedonia, and Montenegro.
    The worsening instability in Kosovo directly threatens 
peace in the region. We will continue to intensify our actions 
to achieve the objectives I described in my report to the 
Congress of March 26 and to support the international relief 
efforts being conducted in the region. I have directed U.S. 
military forces to deploy to Albania and Macedonia in order to 
support humanitarian disaster relief operations for the Kosovar 
refugees. These relief efforts will include delivering food and 
supplies, constructing shelters, providing coordination and 
assisting in logistics movement of displaced persons and relief 
supplies, and when necessary, providing protection for 
displaced persons and relief supplies. As a force protection 
measure, the U.S. military forces will be equipped for combat.
    Separate from this effort, I have also ordered additional 
U.S. forces to Albania. These forces consist of rotary wing 
aircraft, artillery, and tactical missile systems and will be 
stationed in Albania to provide a deep strike task force to 
enhance NATO's ability to conduct effective air operations in 
the FRY. Approximately 2,500 soldiers and aviators will deploy 
as part of this task force. The mission of the force does not 
include deploying into the FRY.
    It is not possible to predict how long either of these 
operations will continue. The duration of the deployments 
depend upon the course of events in Kosovo, and in particular, 
on Belgrade's conduct with respect to its campaign of ethnic 
cleansing and the duration of the threat posed to peace and 
security in the region. It is our objective to transfer 
responsibilities for the relief effort to other organizations 
over time, and to redeploy those U.S. forces, in all 
circumstances, as soon as the situation permits.
    I have taken these actions pursuant to my constitutional 
authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in 
Chief and Chief Executive. In doing so, I have taken into 
account the views and support expressed by the Congress in S. 
Con. Res. 21 and H. Con. Res. 42.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep 
the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers 
Resolution. I appreciate the continued support of the Congress 
in this action.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.

                                
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