[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 26 (Thursday, February 9, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S2431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE DANGER OF RENEWED WAR IN CROATIA

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I am very concerned about the situation in 
Croatia, where the Krajina Serbs have refused to consider an 
international peace plan for the country, and where President Tudjman 
has indicated that he will ask UNPROFOR troops to leave when their 
mandate expires in March. Last weekend in Munich, Bosnian Croats and 
Moslems, with the support of the Croatian Government, agreed to bolster 
their federation agreement. This good news is overshadowed, however, by 
dangerous developments in the Croatian peace process.
  Last week, Serbian nationalists who control one-third of Croatia 
declined to consider a plan to resolve the status of Croatia's U.N.-
protected area [UNPA's] prompting fears of a renewed Croatian war. The 
plan was developed by the Zagreb Four--or Z-4--consisting of the United 
States, Russia, the United Nations, and the European Union. It ought to 
have been the last step in an otherwise successful process to reduce 
tensions and normalize relations between Croatia and the Serbs living 
in the UNPA's.
  I would particularly like to commend our Ambassador to Croatia, Peter 
Galbraith, the United States representative to the Z-4 process--who was 
a senior staff member with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 
during my tenure as chairman--for his efforts in this regard. A Z-4-
negotiated ceasefire is in place, and the parties have agreed to 
confidence-building measures that include opening transportation and 
communications links between Croatia and the U.N. zones. These are 
important gains which I hope will not be lost by last week's setback 
with regard to a political settlement.
  By all accounts, the Z-4 plan goes a long way to address the concerns 
of both the Croatian Government and the Krajina Serbs. It calls for the 
restoration of Croatian sovereignty to all the U.N areas, with 
considerable autonomy for the local Serbian population.
  As I said, the Krajina Serbs have not even deigned to look at the 
plan; the Croatian Government has not yet responded to it. President 
Franjo Tudjman's decision not to renew the mandate for UNPROFOR, the 
15,000-troop U.N. force in Croatia, has dangerous repercussions for the 
Z-4 process. The threat of withdrawal has provided a convenient, though 
unacceptable excuse for the Serbs to ignore the peace process.
  To my mind, it would be a grave mistake for UNPROFOR to withdraw at 
this time. Frankly, I am concerned that the U.N. withdrawal will 
precipitate renewed fighting between the Serbs living in Croatia and 
the Croatian Government, and indeed, even between Serbia and Croatia. 
While the United Nations does not have a flawless record in Croatia, 
UNPROFOR's presence since early 1992 has prevented the reemergence of 
full-scale war. Without UNPROFOR to patrol the demilitarized zones, the 
current ceasefire negotiated by the Z-4 is likely to collapse. 
UNPROFOR's withdrawal could very well offer an opportunity for the 
Serbs to attack, and Croatia's intentions regarding Serb-controlled 
areas in the wake of a U.N. withdrawal are unclear.
  A new war in Croatia, by all estimates would make the horror in 
Bosnia pale in comparison. Mr. President, I hope the parties to the 
conflict wake up; see the treacherous path on which they are headed; 
call off the U.N. withdrawal; and seriously consider the Z-4 peace 
plan.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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