[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 22, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE'S PRESENCE IN KOSOVO

                                 ______


                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 22, 1994

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I met with the 
distinguished Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Bujar 
Bukoski. The Prime Minister succinctly outlined the range of serious 
concerns faced by the two million Alabanians who make Kosovo their 
home. I want to highlight one point in particular.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States must call for and support the return 
of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe's long duration 
missions to Kosovo. Serbia expelled CSCE monitors in July 1993, and 
there has been a marked deterioration in the human rights situation in 
Kosovo. Several independent reports of human rights abuse are 
compelling evidence that an international presence is imperative and 
critical. I believe international monitors are needed to help counter 
the abuse perpetrated at the hands of Serbian police and security 
officers stationed in Kosovo, and they could help prevent the outbreak 
of further armed conflict in the Balkans.
  For the benefit of my colleagues, I would ask that Dr. Bukoski's 
press statement made yesterday at the United Nations be printed in 
today's Record.

  Remarks Prepared for United Nations Press Conference, March 21, 1994

    (By Dr. Bujar Bukoshi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova)

       I would like to thank the United Nations Correspondents 
     Association for giving me the opportunity to speak here 
     today.
       I have come to United States in the wake of some 
     extraordinary diplomatic developments. A few days ago when 
     the Bosnian and Croatian presidents signed their accord in 
     Washington, the world was given hope that peace in the 
     Balkans could possibly be achieved in the near future.
       The two million Albanians of Kosova also hope that peace 
     can be achieved. We applaud the efforts of the U.N., the 
     United States, the E.U., and Russia which made these recent 
     breakthroughs possible.
       We are concerned however, that no true peace can occur 
     until there is an end to the brutal Serbian repression which 
     continues unabated in our Republic and our 90 percent 
     majority retains basic rights and freedoms which have been 
     stripped from us by the Belgrade regime.
       In fact as the world witnesses hints of peace in Bosnia, 
     the situation in Kosova grows worse. For example:
       This month there have been renewed movements and 
     deployments of Serbian army units in Kosova. Moreover, armed 
     Serb police and paramilitary units are killing Albanian 
     civilians in cold blood. Two innocent civilians died this 
     month in what appears to be an orchestrated campaign of 
     killings designed to terrorize the Albanian majority.
       The raiding of Albanian homes by Serb police under the 
     pretext of weapons searches has resulted in serious abuses 
     including beatings, confiscation and destruction of property 
     and illegal imprisonments.
       Political activists are being harassed, beaten and 
     imprisoned. Serbian extremists have called for the 
     imprisonment of Kosova's President Ibrahim Rugova and other 
     Albanian leaders who direct our peaceful resistance.
       Belgrade has orchestrated an assault on the Albanian 
     economy. Serbian confiscation of property and hard currency 
     is alarming.
       The Prishtina airport is closed, preventing desperately 
     needed supplies from entering the Republic.
       We are experiencing a new type wave of cultural genocide, 
     as witnessed by the closing of the Institute of Albanian 
     Studies which was forcibly taken by Serb paramilitary forces 
     who beat Albanian professors and students out of its 
     facilities.
       In conclusion, Serbia has virtually completed the 
     eradication of institutional life in Kosova.
       Serbia continues to mock the international community by 
     refusing to readmit neutral observers to Kosova. Belgrade 
     wrongfully claims that Kosova is an internal matter. It is 
     not. The United Nations charter guarantees protection against 
     the sort of orchestrated aggression that Serbia directs at 
     our entire population.
       Despite the horrible situation which I have only briefly 
     described, there is hope for peace in Kosova and peace in the 
     Balkans if the international community acts immediately.
       I am here today to urge the international community to 
     undertake specific actions aimed at ending Serbian oppression 
     in Kosova and preventing a wider war.
       First, we call upon the United Nations, the U.S., the E.U., 
     and Russia to fully include Kosova in the peace process. For 
     without a settlement of the Kosova crisis, there will be no 
     peace in the Balkans. The crisis in former Yugoslavia 
     requires not only settlements for Bosnia and Croatia, but a 
     global solution to an international crisis.
       Serbs in Knin and Bosnia seem close to achieving their 
     territorial aspirations through armed violence and aggression 
     while Albanians in Kosova and Macedonia only suffer for their 
     commitment to a non-violent solution. We believe that by not 
     including Albanians in all negotiation the international 
     community sends a dangerous message that aggression will be 
     rewarded and non-violence punished.
       Second, we ask for an international presence in Kosova to 
     prevent Serb abuses from exploding into a wider conflict that 
     would have ruinous consequences for regional peace. Last 
     month in Prague, the CSCE called for the immediate return of 
     a long-term monitoring mission. Without an international 
     presence, the region completely lacks stability and can 
     explode over the smallest incident.
       Finally, we urge that international sanctions imposed 
     against Serbia be conditioned on the successful resolution of 
     the Kosova crisis. The international community cannot forfeit 
     its leverage over the accused war criminals who dominate 
     Kosova society.
       The Kosova problem is truly an internationally problem. 
     International precedents, international security and 
     international peace hang in the balance. If these logical 
     steps are not taken immediately, I fear that the progress 
     toward peace that has been made in Bosnia will be in vain and 
     the world will have missed an opportunity to prevent a wider 
     war in the Balkans.
       Our government's pacifist approach in Kosova is losing 
     credibility within our population. Meanwhile, this non-
     violent attitude is viewed by Belgrade as an invitation to 
     increase oppression, and seen by the international community 
     as an excuse to ignore the situation in Kosova. These 
     alarming trends severely threaten all progress toward peace 
     in the Balkans.
       Thank you. I will now take your questions.

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