[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 103 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 1, 1994]


 
FORMER BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS KOSOVA PEACE AND DEMOCRACY ACT 
                        ``IS RIGHT ON THE MARK''

                                 ______


                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 1994

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, recently several prominent foreign policy 
experts gathered for a panel discussion on the situation in Kosova. All 
of the panelists agreed that the United States and the world community 
should do more to end Serbian repression against the ethnic Albanian 
population of Kosova.
  One of the participants, Paula Dobriansky, a former member of the 
National Security Council staff and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 
for Human Rights in the Bush administration stated that the Kosova 
Peace and Democracy Act, H.R. 4115, was ``right on the mark.'' 
According to Ms. Dobriansky, this legislation, which I and 
Representative Susan Molinari introduced last May, includes a 
``critical linkage'' of improvements in Kosova before sanctions against 
the Serbs are lifted.
  I am encouraged that foreign policy experts such as Paula Dobriansky 
agree on the importance of utilizing our leverage over Belgrade until 
its brutal policies are reversed. I commend Ms. Dobriansky's remarks to 
my colleagues and urge them to support the Kosova legislation.
  I ask that the text of Paula Dobriansky's remarks be included at this 
point in the Record.

 American Enterprise Institute [AEI] Press Briefing--Kosova: The Next 
                          Balkan Flash Point?

       Paula Dobriansky, former State Department and National 
     Security Council official:
       First, I'd like to thank AEI and Patrick Glynn for holding 
     this panel. It is most timely and quite critical. I'd like to 
     address three points this morning. First, what is the 
     potential for a major outbreak of violence in Kosova, and 
     what is the situation in Kosova today? Secondly, what are the 
     ramifications of such violence for the region and for 
     American interests? And also, thirdly, what essentially have 
     been US policies toward Kosova, and what should they be?
       In Kosova we are already witnessing, I believe, what 
     essentially constitutes Serbian premeditated ethnic cleaning 
     and repression of the some 2.5 million Albanians living there 
     who, as you know, constitute 90% of the population. In other 
     words, the spillover of the Balkan conflict has occurred and 
     is, in fact, escalating. If you look at what's just happened 
     from 1993-94, we have witnessed an escalation of human rights 
     abuses and the increasing tensions placed on the Albanians 
     living in Kosova. Serbia's unilateral revocation of Kosova's 
     autonomous status in March of 1989, I believe, was a 
     harbinger of subsequent events. Recently, Dr. Gashi of the 
     Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms in 
     Kosova was here in the United States and testified before 
     Congress. In his testimony, he characterizes what he deems to 
     be the situation in Kosova today. He said, ``the Serbian 
     strategy is to change the ethnicity of Kosova through 
     institutionalized discrimination and structural repression. 
     Its goal is ethnic cleansing without open war at this time, 
     but with daily police brutality.
       We are essentially observing nothing less than a 
     systematic, premeditated, cultural genocide of the Albanian 
     population in Kosova by Serbia. Among the shameless methods 
     that have been utilized are, as you know, the suspension of 
     the provincial government, the closing of Albanian language 
     schools, and, in fact, the virtual overturn of the Albanian 
     language, history, curriculum which have been virtually 
     eradicated from the main university in Kosova and we've 
     witnessed the building of an alternate university which has 
     Albanian language and history. We have also witnessed the 
     widespread dismissals of Albanian professionals from Kosova's 
     public institutions, arbitrary arrests and detentions of 
     Albanian officials and citizens. Virtually what can be 
     characterized is essentially the existence of an apartheid 
     system there. Serbs have taken actions to strain the Albanian 
     population and essentially to provoke situations which I 
     think, they hope can provide them with the pretext to use 
     force.
       As a buffer against that the strategy of President Rugova 
     has essentially been to wield a peaceful resistance campaign 
     in the face of daily repression and he's been very successful 
     by having pursued this campaign in thwarting or deterring any 
     kind of outbreak of violence or giving the Serbian police or 
     others the pretext for sparking a conflict as results of an 
     incident. President Rugova's stoic and what has often been 
     described as Gandhian-like efforts have prevented conflicts 
     from spreading, but it truly has taken a substantial toll on 
     the Albanian population. In fact, only this year in the first 
     quarter, human rights organizations have recorded over some 
     3,000 incidents of police brutality.
       So, in sum, on the first point, the potential for outbreak 
     of violence in Kosova and, if you will, the expansion of the 
     conflict in the most violent way, I think, is great. Why? 
     First, as I already described the spillover effect is ongoing 
     and a foundation has already been laid by the fact that 
     Kosova's provincial autonomy has been rescinded, and also the 
     expansion of the scope and the extent of the repression that 
     has occurred there.
       Secondly, I think it can be said for these very reasons 
     it's clear that an investment has already been made on the 
     part of Serbia, the groundwork has been laid. Thirdly, I 
     think you have to factor into the calculus that Serbia will 
     also be evaluating the United States lack of resolution on 
     policies toward the region at large and toward this area in 
     particular, no less the West. The US will, in all likelihood, 
     not act, despite its statement that it plans to utilize force 
     if there's an outbreak or violent conflict in Kosova. And the 
     likelihood that our troops in Macedonia will be utilized to 
     cross the border is also rather unlikely from their calculus. 
     And fourthly, I'd say that in looking at the prospects for 
     peace from the peace plan already from the reports today and 
     even regardless, I think even if this moved forward in what 
     ever shape or form, I think it can be said that the prospects 
     for peace are somewhat negligible. And given that, and given 
     the underpinning of the plan--the legitimization of Serbian 
     aggression--I think it can be said that again, in the overall 
     calculus, this can lead toward the assumption that there is 
     no reason for Serbia not to continue with its aggressive plan 
     forward in Kosova.
       What are the ramifications of an outbreak of violence in 
     Kosova? I think they are very great for the region and for US 
     interests. Some of the reasons include: first, given the 
     ethnic fabric of the region, conflict will certainly and 
     inevitably trigger the involvement of other neighboring 
     countries, including two NATO members. Turkey has already 
     expressed itself quite vocally on the grave circumstances in 
     Kosova and has forged a very close relationship with Albania. 
     Albania also has been very vocal and is expected not to just 
     sit by in this case. Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria. 
     Consequently, I think it can be said that the scope of the 
     conflict will be quite damaging and quite dangerous for 
     European security. Such a conflict will inevitably have a 
     very destabilizing influence in Europe, as a whole. This, in 
     turn, has ramifications for US interests--our interests in 
     preserving peace and stability on the Continent and 
     elsewhere, in particular, the former Soviet Union.
       We can also expect the increase of refugees. Already 
     there's a substantial number as a result of the Bosnian 
     conflict. This can only be expected to increase as a result 
     of an outbreak of violence in Kosova and obviously will have 
     political and social ramifications. And also, the economic 
     impact of such a population dislocation will be quite 
     great. The outbreak of violence certainly, then, will have 
     political, economic, social and security consequences that 
     I believe have direct bearing on American interests in 
     securing a stable and peaceful Europe. So now, not to act, 
     and to deter such a broad based conflict from occurring I 
     think would be quite unfortunate.
       This brings me to my last point about US policies: what are 
     US policies at this time and what should they be? First, one 
     policy that I think the United States should continue is the 
     rendering of humanitarian aid. The Albanians in Kosova have 
     suffered quite greatly and the tragedy is quite large and 
     significant. From that standpoint, I would hope that 
     humanitarian aid would continue to be rendered. In fact, 
     recently Senator D'Amato has proposed legislation 
     recommending the rendering of $8 million dollars of 
     humanitarian assistance to Kosova.
       Secondly, I think its very important to have a very vibrant 
     and active strategy which should be continued in furthering 
     democratic, technical assistance to the region at large. 
     Certainly to Bulgaria, certainly to Albania, to Romania, no 
     less to those other countries which comprise what constituted 
     the former Yugoslavia. Their strong democratic and economic 
     development is in our interest because that kind of stability 
     is critical for the region. I'd like to cite the recent visit 
     of the Albanian Defense Minister Shalali, a very good visit 
     with our Defense Secretary Perry in which there was an 
     exchange about the importance of a strong relationship 
     between the US and Albania. These kinds of actions I think 
     are important and should be continued. Also it's important to 
     continue the very vigorous recognition of President Rugova as 
     the legitimate leader of Kosova. Not only on the part of the 
     US, but on the part of the West at large. And in this regard, 
     I would hope to see that the United States would actually 
     take a more active role as has been urged by many, in the 
     mediation between Albanians and Serbs over such issues as 
     schools and over Albanian language.
       In other words, we should make it vitally clear that the 
     solution to the conflict does not rest with the peace plan. I 
     believe it will not necessarily be observed and will not 
     necessarily bring peace to the region. There has been set 
     forth in Congress the Kosova Peace and Democracy act which, I 
     think, is right on the mark. The essence of it is that given 
     the repressive situation in Kosova, the United States should 
     insist that the international economic sanctions should not 
     be lifted until the Kosova crisis is resolved. That kind of 
     linkage is critical.
       We also must be far more vocal and vigilant that Serbia has 
     been very outspoken about the rights of Serbs. I think there 
     are legitimate concerns just as Serbia should have, in some 
     cases, about the rights of Serbs. But having said that, the 
     same argument can be made, and should be made, very 
     forcefully that if you have that principle on one hand, then 
     you should have the same principle in not denying the rights 
     of Albanians in Kosova. Finally, I would just say that all 
     efforts should be made to establish such linkages in US 
     policy. They have not been made to date, and they need to be 
     made. And in sum, only a strong, a decisive and preventive 
     action, I believe, can help Kosova now and in the future.

                          ____________________