[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 107 (Friday, August 5, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                                 BOSNIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. McCloskey] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCLOSKEY. Mr. Speaker, I thought it might be good, given the 
events of the last week or so in both Sarajevo and Bosnia and also in 
Washington, it would be good to take 5 minutes or more today with my 
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], to 
state some of the opportunities, hopes and problems that still are upon 
us as to this ongoing tragedy.
  First of all, I might say I think it should be to no one's surprise, 
as we all know in the last several hours, two U.S. war planes, it is 
reported, have been among four NATO planes striking at Serb positions 
in Sarajevo. This follows a recent firing, if you will, of Bosnian Serb 
weaponry into French soldiers, but I think, more importantly and 
probably what really did strike up the response was the fact that 
yesterday the Bosnian Serbs, as we all know, seized heavy weaponry that 
was in the U.N. storage neutral areas and took it back, obviously with 
the intention to going on with the siege.
  We all know in recent weeks things have, despite the efforts of the 
contact group, have done nothing but get worse. U.S. planes flying 
humanitarian cargo into Sarajevo had been fired upon. In essence, both 
air and road ingress and egress as to Sarajevo has been cut off. More 
than ever, almost as much as ever, Sarajevo and other places in Bosnia 
are under siege, as reported in the last 2 days, indeed, that only 1 
week of food stores remain.
  With this going on, the contact group proposal as to implementation, 
particularly the idea that the Serbs, the Bosnian Serbs would suffer 
severe retaliation if they did not sign up to the contact group plan, 
has essentially been ignored, evaded and nonimplemented.
  Indeed, as we all know in the last 48 hours, Mr. Karadzic has said 
prepare for all out war. Bosnian Serbs are on a war footing. More than 
ever, I would say, just before I yield to the gentleman from Maryland 
[Mr. Hoyer], my good friend and leader, it is important for us to say 
what we mean, to do what we will say we will do, and, indeed, once and 
for all to get this ongoing tragedy behind us.
  One of our hopes here in Washington, of course, is the resolution of 
the conference committee right now going on between the House and 
Senate. As we all know, the House voted by a strong majority to, if 
necessary, unilaterally lift the arms embargo in Bosnia. That still 
must be done. It must be done.
  With that, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer].
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. I 
congratulate him for his continuing leadership on the issue of the 
West's relationship to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the tragedy that has 
occurred there.
  As we know and as the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. McCloskey] has just 
said, this House voted very substantially to lift the unilateral arms 
embargo that has been imposed on Bosnia and Herzegovina which was, I 
would point out, imposed on the former Yugoslavia.
  This House agreed to lift the arms embargo because it adversely 
affects one party to the conflict. That is the Bosnian Government as 
opposed to the Bosnian Serbs and the Milosevic government in Serbia 
which are more than adequately armed.

                              {time}  1500

  The fact of the matter is that this embargo has made it almost, if 
not impossible for the Bosnian Government and its supporters to defend 
their homes and their families.
  The West, the United Nations, the United States, Germany, France, 
England, other NATO nations, have repeatedly warned the Serbs to stop 
the aggression, to stand in place, to respect the zones that were 
supposed to be kept safe by the United Nations, to leave the United 
Nations Protection Force [UNPROFOR] alone, and to allow humanitarian 
aid to be delivered.
  Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the fact that the West has warned that 
if that was not done it would take substantial action, the Serbs have 
violated their responsibilities under international law. They have 
violated the proscriptions of U.N. resolutions, and they have blatantly 
violated the basic tenets of human rights as well as provisions of 
international law and agreements relating to genocide and the respect 
for international borders.
  Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. McCloskey] has 
pointed out, just yesterday Bosnian Serbs seized a T-55 tank, two 
armored personnel carriers, and an antiaircraft gun from the U.N.-
guarded site near Sarajevo and shot at a U.N. helicopter sent to tract 
the tank. This is absolutely in violation of the understandings 
governing the exclusion zone.
  Mr. McCloskey. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would 
just say it is time to act now. This cannot go on indefinitely. We 
should lift the arms embargo and provide effective air support for the 
besieged Bosnian nation.

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