[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6404-S6407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              REPORT OF SENATE DELEGATION VISIT TO BOSNIA

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, during the April recess, the Senator from 
Utah [Mr. Hatch], the Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], and I traveled to 
Bosnia and other countries of the former Yugoslavia as well as Albania 
and Hungary to monitor developments related to implementation of the 
Dayton peace accord and to visit United States troops stationed in 
Bosnia and the surrounding area. We have prepared a report of our trip 
and submit it for our colleagues' and the public's consideration. It 
should be noted that the situation in Bosnia is constantly evolving and 
that the report reflects our findings based on developments through the 
period of our visit, which ended on April 12, 1996. I ask unanimous 
consent that the full report be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the report was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

     Report of Senate Delegation Visit to Bosnia, April 3-12, 1996


                              Introduction

       A delegation from the United States Senate, consisting of 
     Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), Senator Orrin G. Hatch 
     (R-UT), and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), met with leading 
     officials in Bosnia and the other countries of the former 
     Yugoslavia--Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of 
     Macedonia (FYROM), Serbia, Slovenia--as well as Albania and 
     Hungary from April 3 to April 12, 1996. The delegation was 
     authorized by the joint leadership of the Senate to explore 
     outstanding issues related to implementation of the Dayton 
     Peace Accord formally signed on December 14, 1995, by 
     President Alija Izetbegovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
     President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia and Montenegro, and 
     President Franjo Tudjman of Croatia in Dayton, OH.
       The accord is based upon the tenet that Bosnia will remain 
     a single state within its internationally recognized borders, 
     but that the state will be comprised of two entities--the 
     Bosnian Muslim-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska--
     with substantial authority. In an effort to create the 
     conditions for peace in Bosnia, the Dayton agreement provides 
     for a peace implementation force (IFOR) under NATO command 
     and calls for civilian implementation through elections and 
     economic reconstruction.
       In the period between the signing of the accord and the 
     delegation's departure, the ceasefire had held, elections 
     were being scheduled, and problems related to implementation 
     of the civilian aspects of the peace agreement were reported.
       On the day the delegation left for the region, Americans 
     received the tragic news that the plane carrying Commerce 
     Secretary Ron Brown, 32 other Americans, and two Croatians 
     had crashed near Dubrovnik, Croatia. Secretary Brown had been 
     traveling in and around Bosnia with U.S. business leaders and 
     Commerce Department officials as part of the American effort 
     to help build democratic and economic institutions in the 
     region so that a lasting peace might take hold in the 
     Balkans. After making schedule adjustments, the delegation 
     chose to go forward with its planned visit to the region to 
     honor Ron Brown's vision and to send a clear signal to those 
     struggling for peace in Bosnia that the United States remains 
     committed to that mission.
     Tom Daschle.
     Orrin G. Hatch.
     Harry Reid.


                                Summary

       Senators Daschle, Hatch, and Reid met with leading 
     officials in Bosnia, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of 
     Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Albania, and Hungary. In each 
     country, the delegation gathered perspectives on: (1) 
     military implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord; (2) 
     civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord; (3) that 
     country's progress toward democratization; and (4) that 
     country's progress toward privatization and development of a 
     market economy. In Bosnia, the FYROM, and Hungary, the 
     delegation visited U.S. military installations and met with 
     troops stationed in the region.
       While perspectives on progress toward peace in Bosnia and 
     the Balkans varied from country to country, the delegation 
     found there was general consensus around two basic points: 
     first, that NATO's Implementation Force (IFOR), led by the 
     United States, has been an unqualified success in terms of 
     stopping the war in Bosnia; and, second, that, while moving 
     forward, implementation of the civilian and economic aspects 
     of the Dayton accord has met with significant delay and 
     difficulty.
       U.S. military and diplomatic leadership were credited by 
     virtually everyone in the region for progress that has been 
     made in Bosnia. Still, concerns persist about the prospects 
     for full implementation of the Dayton accord within the 
     timeframes laid out in the plan. Officials stressed that key 
     to successful implementation will be the efforts of Serbian 
     and Croatian leaders to garner the commitment of Serbs and 
     Croats within Bosnia to the borders agreed to in the Dayton 
     accord as well as human rights for all ethnic groups within 
     those borders.
       Morale among U.S. troops appeared to be high, despite the 
     fact that they are living and working under extremely 
     difficult conditions. The servicemen and women with whom the 
     delegation spoke understood and believed in the importance of 
     their mission. They also spoke highly of the cooperative 
     spirit that has exemplified their relationship with forces 
     from Russia, Britain, France, and the other countries 
     represented in IFOR.
       The delegation's goals were to promote, and assess progress 
     with respect to, full implementation of the Dayton Peace 
     Accord; to express support for U.S. troops participating in 
     the NATO and UN peacekeeping efforts; to promote democracy, 
     economic growth, and respect for human rights in the region; 
     and to reflect the United States' commitment to those working 
     for a lasting peace in Bosnia.


                                Findings

       The delegation returned to the United States confident that 
     U.S. military and diplomatic leadership has been the driving 
     force behind the current peace in Bosnia--that the peace 
     could not have been accomplished, and probably cannot be 
     sustained, without our efforts. The delegation returned 
     convinced of the value of that mission, for, as fragile as 
     the peace in Bosnia may be, the promise of peace, freedom and 
     democracy for all the people of the former Yugoslavia--and 
     the regional stability that would follow from that 
     achievement--justify their pursuit.
       Several major findings--some of them confirmations of past 
     ones--resulted from this visit.
       NATO military action, U.S. diplomacy, and military 
     implementation supporting that diplomacy stopped the war in 
     Bosnia and have been the primary deterrents to resumption of 
     the war.
       U.S. military and foreign service personnel serve as models 
     for the rest of the world; their professionalism under 
     extraordinary circumstances should make every American proud.
       Landmines pose a serious threat to U.S. and other 
     peacekeeing forces as well as the civilian population in 
     Bosnia. The United States should actively seek an 
     international ban on the use of anti-personnel landmines.
       Regarding the military aspect of the Dayton Peace Accord, 
     IFOR has successfully carried out its mandate thus far.
       Conditions for free and fair elections in Bosnia have not 
     yet been established. Numerous concerns were heard regarding 
     the willingness of the dominant parties in the three regions 
     to allow free elections.
       People throughout the Balkan region are concerned about the 
     timing of IFOR's departure in light of problems related to 
     implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton accord 
     and economic reconstruction.
       While these concerns should be taken seriously, the 
     ultimate success or failure of the Dayton accord--and the 
     chance for sustained peace in the region--will depend on the 
     political will of its signatories.
       The United States must continue to pressure those 
     signatories to commit themselves fully to that effort.


                                Hungary

       The delegation began its investigations in Hungary, host to 
     7000 American troops at three U.S. military installations, 
     including Taszar Airbase, the primary logistics center and 
     staging area for U.S. troops deployed in Bosnia. In meetings 
     with the Deputy Foreign Minister, American troops at Taszar, 
     business leaders in Budapest, and U.S. Embassy officials, the 
     delegation explored issues related to implementation of the 
     Dayton Peace Accord, Hungary's role in supporting the 
     military aspects of the accord, NATO expansion, and Hungary's 
     progress toward fulfillment of the country's political and 
     economic goals.
       Deputy Foreign Minister Istvan Szent-Ivanyi told the 
     delegation that, while implementation of the military aspects 
     of the Dayton Peace Accord was proceeding in the right 
     direction, he remained concerned about implementation of the 
     political aspects of the accord. He expressed the view that 
     the American and European military presence in Bosnia has 
     been essential to the restoration of peace in the region and 
     that continued U.S. support of the peace effort will be 
     essential to maintenance of that peace and the

[[Page S6405]]

     safe resettlement of war refugees, including ethnic 
     Hungarians. He reported that Hungary is fully cooperating 
     with the War Crimes Tribunal's efforts to identify, locate, 
     and prosecute perpetrators of war crimes in Bosnia.
       Szent-Ivanyi also stressed Hungary's desire to be included 
     in the first round of candidates for NATO expansion and 
     called for a ``normal integration process.'' He also 
     discussed with the delegation the upcoming official opening 
     of the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest to 
     combat organized crime.
       During a visit to the United States' Intermediate Staging 
     Base in Taszar, Hungary, the delegation was briefed on the 
     massive effort to deploy U.S. forces to Bosnia. Seventy-five 
     to 80 percent of the 18,000 U.S. troops stationed in Bosnia 
     have entered the country through the staging area in Taszar 
     since the deployment began last December.
       Major General Walter H. Yates, Jr., Deputy Commanding 
     General, V Corps, United States Army, Europe, advised the 
     delegation that the size and configuration of the U.S. 
     deployment in Bosnia would be assessed again in early summer 
     and that any minor adjustments that might be needed would be 
     made at that time. He also reported that, from a military 
     perspective, all sides have been in general compliance with 
     the Dayton Peace Accord. He concluded that the greatest 
     challenge facing the multinational force in Bosnia is the 
     existence of 3 to 8 million landmines in that country. He 
     added that U.S. forces are encouraging, training, and 
     monitoring the work of various factions to deactivate the 
     mines. Finally, the group was told that the Hungarian 
     government has been especially helpful to U.S. military 
     efforts and that U.S. personnel at Taszar is seeking to 
     further its cooperation with Hungary and the local community 
     at the military, political, and civic levels.
       Senator Daschle addressed the troops in attendance at the 
     briefing, thanking them for their role in the mission and 
     expressing the support of the Senate. He and the entire 
     delegation also had a chance to visit with individual 
     servicemembers.


                         Serbia and Montenegro

       In Belgrade, the delegation met with President Slobodan 
     Milosevic, opposition leaders, union leaders, members of the 
     independent press, and U.S. Embassy officials. Discussions 
     focused on Serbia's compliance with the Dayton agreement, 
     cooperation with the War Crimes Tribunal, relations with 
     other republics of the former Yugoslavia, movement toward 
     democratization and privatization, the situation in Eastern 
     Slavonia, resettlement of the Krajina Serbs, and progress 
     toward a peaceful solution to the disputes between the 
     government and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
       In its meeting with President Slobodan Milosevic, the 
     delegation reiterated and expressed strong support for U.S. 
     policy concerning normalization of relations with Serbia--
     that the ``outer wall'' of UN sanctions will remain in place 
     until the Dayton agreement is fully and successfully 
     implemented, Serbia has fully cooperated with the War Crimes 
     Tribunal's effort to arrest and prosecute war criminals, and 
     there is significant progress in Kosovo. The delegation also 
     pressed Milosevic on the need for progress toward the 
     development of democratic institutions, including a free and 
     independent media. The delegation stressed the importance of 
     normalization of Serbian-FYROM relations.
       Milosevic characterized developments since the signing of 
     the Dayton accord as ``pretty positive,'' concluding that the 
     military aspects of the agreement have been ``absolutely 
     successful'' and that civilian implementation of the 
     agreement has slowed somewhat. Although he said he questions 
     the objectivity of the War Crimes Tribunal, Milosevic stated 
     that Serbia has cooperated with the Tribunal and ``will not 
     protect war criminals.'' While acknowledging that respect for 
     human rights is a ``global issue,'' he called the situation 
     in Kosovo ``an internal matter.'' Milosevic suggested that 
     the independent press in Serbia is thriving and that Serbian-
     FYROM relations would be normalized in the near future.


                                 Bosnia

                                Sarajevo

       The flight over Bosnia and into Sarajevo gave the 
     delegation its first sense of the magnitude of the 
     devastation in that country, and the drives from the Sarajevo 
     airport through the city and through the Sarajevo suburbs 
     revealed the reality of ``ethnic cleansing'' in a way that 
     news reports can only suggest. Burned and bombed buildings 
     lined the main street running through Sarajevo. The 
     delegation's visit to the ruins of the Sarajevo library, 
     which was known as one of the most magnificent buildings in 
     the country was graphic evidence of the war's devastating 
     impact on Bosnia. Some have proposed to leave the library as 
     it currently stands--if it can be stabilized structurally--
     and turn it into a war memorial.
       Make-shift cemeteries in what were formerly soccer fields 
     and other public spaces served as sad reminders of the 
     200,000 Bosnians, including 10,000 Sarajevans, who died in 
     the 4\1/2\ year war. Still, the resumption of activity all 
     over Sarajevo served as evidence that peace is both hoped for 
     and possible if all sides commit themselves to it.
       At the U.S. Embassy, the delegation was briefed by Admiral 
     Leighton W. Smith, Jr., Commander in Chief, IFOR (Smith also 
     serves as Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe 
     and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces), and by Embassy 
     officials accompanied by various U.S. and international 
     representatives charged with implementation of various 
     aspects of the Dayton accord. The delegation also met with 
     President Alija Izetbegovic.
       Again, the delegation heard that the military aspects of 
     the Dayton agreement had been very successful, but that 
     civilian implementation of the agreement has proven more 
     complex. Of particular concern were efforts to ensure the 
     Muslim-Croat Federation in Bosnia remains viable, ensure that 
     the Bosnian elections--at the municipality, canton, entity, 
     and republic levels--are free, fair, and in full compliance 
     with the Dayton guidelines, and ensure the safe resettlement 
     of refugees from all ethnic groups as well as general freedom 
     of movement.
       The delegation was told by international representatives at 
     the Embassy briefing that Serb, Croat, and Muslim factions 
     within Bosnia all have been accused of varying degrees of 
     authoritarianism and violations of human and civil rights and 
     that concerns about Serbian President Milosevic's and 
     Croatian President Tudjman's interests in pursuing a 
     ``Greater Serbia'' and a ``Greater Croatia'' persist. 
     Nevertheless, most analysts reported that Milosevic and 
     Tudjman appeared to be complying with the Dayton accord, 
     though limits on Serbian cooperation on the release of 
     prisoners continues to pose a serious challenge, and greater 
     cooperation in turning over war criminals remains wanting 
     from both leaders. Furthermore, many are concerned that 
     Bosnian Serb Army Commander Ratko Mladic and Bosnian Serb 
     President Radovan Karadzic are still in control of the 
     Bosnian Serbs, and that Tudjman has been reluctant to 
     disassociate himself from troubling actions by the Bosnian 
     Croats. It is clear that close monitoring of these factors 
     and continued pressure on all sides to comply with the 
     Accord, including the removal of all indicted war criminals 
     from political power and their submission to the Hague, will 
     be important to the long-term viability of the Muslim-Croat 
     Federation and peace in general.
       The delegation was briefed on efforts to build the civilian 
     police and criminal justice systems in Bosnia. The importance 
     of having these systems in working order by the time the NATO 
     implementation force departs was stressed.
       In its meeting with President Izetbegovic, the delegation 
     discussed the President Izetbegovic's perspective on the 
     military and civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace 
     Accord; ways to strengthen the Muslim-Croat Federation; 
     progress toward free and fair elections; the importance of 
     freedom of the press; and efforts to ensure that borders in 
     the Dayton Accord, as well as the human rights of all ethnic 
     groups within those borders, are respected. The senators 
     stressed the importance of ensuring that all Iranian and 
     other foreign forces leave Bosnia. The delegation 
     congratulated Izetbegovic for his efforts to release 
     prisoners under Muslim control and reiterated the United 
     States' commitment to a lasting peace and a multiethnic 
     Bosnia.

                             Tuzla Airbase

       After an aerial tour of the devastation of countless 
     Bosnian villages, the delegation was briefed by U.S. military 
     personnel, led by Major General William L. Nash, Commanding 
     General, First Armored Division, Operation Joint Endeavor, 
     and Colonel John R. S. Batiste, Commander, Second Brigade, 
     First Armored Division, Operation Joint Endeavor. They 
     described a combat team evenly distributed between the 
     Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation and stressed 
     the importance of operating within both entities in an even-
     handed, impartial way and always reflecting the competence 
     and discipline that have given NATO the legitimacy to make 
     this operation a success. Batiste stated that IFOR operates 
     on the premise that any violation of the peace accord demands 
     an appropriate response.
       Colonel Batiste reported that contact between the Muslim, 
     Croat, and Serb factions in Bosnia has become less 
     confrontational over time, but that civilian freedom of 
     movement has been restricted by all factions and that this is 
     a key area of concern. He stated that exemplary U.S.-Russian 
     troop cooperation has led to combined patrols and that the 
     U.S. military's relationships with both NATO and non-NATO 
     countries involved in the mission has been excellent.
       Reiterating what the delegation had heard in Hungary, 
     Colonel Batiste reported that one of the greatest challenges 
     facing IFOR is the threat posed by remaining landmines. He 
     said there had been good cooperation in clearing the 
     minefields for which there are records but that only 30 to 40 
     percent of the mines are included in that category. He 
     reported that, on the previous day, 68 mines in the area had 
     been cleared through the Mine Action Center in Tuzla. Only 
     minutes after the delegation was given that information, 
     Colonel Batiste's briefing was interrupted by a report that a 
     Russian soldier had just lost his foot in a mine explosion.
       Colonel Batiste stressed the importance of the effort to 
     ensure that the political and civilian aspects of the Dayton 
     accord are fully implemented and to keep the economic 
     reconstruction effort on track. He discussed the difficulties 
     related to the election process, since many, particularly 
     Serbs, are uninformed about where they must vote (under the 
     Dayton agreement, all Bosnians' voting

[[Page S6406]]

     eligibility is based on where they lived in the spring of 
     1990 before the war began). The economic impact of Serb, 
     Muslim, and Croat army downsizing was also discussed, as were 
     the ongoing effort at arms control within Bosnia and the 
     importance of the development of a professional, civilian 
     police force.
       The delegation was briefed on the medical facilities 
     serving U.S. forces (every lodgement has a medic and a 
     surgeon) and advised that environmental data collection that 
     might be needed in any follow-up health investigations has 
     been vigorous.
       Senators Daschle, Hatch, and Reid addressed the servicemen 
     and women at the briefing, acknowledging their personal 
     sacrifices and praising and thanking them for the 
     professionalism with which they are carrying out their 
     mission. Members of the delegation also had an opportunity to 
     share a lunch of soup and MREs (meals ready to eat) with 
     personnel from their respective states.


                                Albania

       The delegation's visit to Albania was marked by visual 
     impressions as much as verbal reports. As soon as the plane 
     made its descent, the American mental image of one of the 
     world's most closed societies was overshadowed by the reality 
     of a green, mountainous countryside and a capital filled with 
     activity. Reminders of Albania's past, including 600,000 to 
     750,000 seven-ton concrete-and-steel bunkers built to respond 
     to the perceived threat of simultaneous attacks from NATO and 
     the Warsaw Pact, remain, but the future is clearly Albania's 
     focus.
       In Tirana, in addition to sessions with the President and 
     opposition leaders, the delegation met with U.S. Embassy 
     officials joined by representatives of the U.S. Information 
     Agency and the U.S. Peace Corps mission in Albania. They were 
     briefed on the repression suffered by the Albanians for 40 
     years at the hands of dictator Enver Hoxha. It is estimated 
     that 25 to 30 percent of Albanian families experienced that 
     repression--imprisonment, exile, torture, or execution--
     firsthand. Albania had been a bankrupted economy that for 
     decades had outlawed private ownership of cars, monitored the 
     direction of people's television antennas, and declared 
     itself atheist, turning its largest Catholic cathedral into a 
     basketball court to prove it. In April 1992, Albania elected 
     a new president and was on its way to filling its streets 
     with cars and every other form of transportation, tuning in 
     to ``CNN International,'' erecting coffeehouses on every city 
     curb, privatizing its economy, and reducing inflation from 
     400 percent to single digits.
       Certainly Albania faces serious challenges. According to 
     the briefing team, reports of discrimination against the 
     ethnic Greek minority continue; criminal justice and judicial 
     reforms are needed; the state controls Albania's electronic 
     media; the civilian police force is ill-trained; opposition 
     parties complain the country's ``Lustration'' law, which bars 
     certain former communist officials and others from seeking 
     political office until 2002, is too broad; the military is 
     severely underfunded; and the country's economy and 
     infrastructure have a long way to go. Still, they report that 
     Albania has made significant progress toward the 
     establishment of democracy.
       In a meeting with the delegation, Albanian President Sali 
     Berisha reported that his administration has focused on 
     efforts to promote fast growth, make possible integration 
     into NATO and the European Union, and improve educational 
     opportunities within the country. He thanked the delegation 
     for U.S. support for progress in Albania and reported that 
     U.S.-Albanian military cooperation has been especially good. 
     He also expressed thanks for U.S.A.I.D.'s reforestation 
     program in Albania, adding that the construction of the 
     ubiquitous bunkers had caused serious damage to Albania's 
     forests.
       President Berisha added his voice to those who rate the 
     military implementation of the Dayton accord as successful 
     and the political progress slow. He also provided an Albanian 
     perspective on the situation in Kosova, saying that Albania 
     wants a peaceful solution with Serbia. He defended Albania's 
     Lustration law, arguing that Albania faced a true ``cultural 
     genocide'' at the hands of its former rulers and that 
     those barred from political candidacy may appeal that 
     ruling if they can show that documents linking them to 
     abuses have been falsified. He addressed concerns about 
     state-controlled media outlets by saying that private 
     entities are forming and that state-controlled outlets 
     will be privatized as independent outlets develop.
       President Berisha expressed optimism about Greek-Albanian 
     relations and discussed the process in place for Albania's 
     upcoming elections. He concluded by saying that Albania's 
     greatest challenges are to maintain the country's fast 
     economic growth and continue to build its democratic 
     institutions.


             Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

       The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is the only 
     former republic to make a completely peaceful transition to 
     independence, and, in virtually every discussion the 
     delegation had with political leaders in that country, a 
     pragmatic and democratic attitude about how to approach 
     problems and resolve disputes was reflected. The delegation 
     met with Tito Petkovski, President of the Macedonian 
     Parliament, Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, and President 
     Kiro Gligorov, as well as U.S. Embassy officials. The 
     discussions focused on implementation of the Dayton accord, 
     the impact of potential instability in Bosnia and Kosovo on 
     the FYROM, the FYROM's political process, efforts to fully 
     privatize the country's economy, and the FYROM's relations 
     with its neighbors. The delegation also visited two U.N. 
     Preventative Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) observation posts 
     along the Serbian border.
       Parliament President Tito Petkovski advised the delegation 
     that Serbia and the FYROM had agreed within the previous 24 
     hours to establish full diplomatic relations, though the 
     details of the agreement were not fully available at the time 
     of the meeting. He said he was hopeful that the issue of his 
     country's name could be resolved with Greece in the near 
     future and noted that his country has no other open problems 
     with Greece. Petkovski stressed the importance of a lasting 
     peace in Bosnia, saying that failure to fully implement the 
     Dayton accord would threaten the FYROM's stability. He 
     thanked the delegation for the United States' military 
     cooperation and support of FYROM's efforts to develop 
     democratic institutions and a stronger economy. Petkovski 
     also briefed the delegation on the parliament's preparation 
     of a new electoral law and the current situation with respect 
     to political parties in the FYROM.
       Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski declared the UN military 
     presence, led by a force of 550 Americans, to be an 
     overwhelming success, arguing that such preventive efforts 
     are much more cost-effective than war, and predicted that the 
     deployment would serve as a prototype for other deployments. 
     He discussed the impact on the FYROM's economy of past UN 
     sanctions against Serbia and stressed the importance of 
     turning around the negative economic trends that have been 
     suffered by the Macedonian people. Crvenkovski acknowledged 
     the difficulties the FYROM has faced in the area of the 
     schooling for ethnic Albanians and outlined the FYROM's plan 
     to increase the percentage of classes taught in the Albanian 
     language. He also noted the importance of stabilizing the 
     situation in Kosovo.
       The delegation met with President Kiro Gligorov and was 
     pleased to learn both that he had recovered well from his 
     injuries resulting from an assassination attempt several 
     months earlier, and that, during his absence from office, the 
     FYROM government adhered strictly to its constitutional 
     precepts. President Gligorov spoke of the resiliency of the 
     Macedonian people and their willingness to accept great 
     personal sacrifices to achieve independence and democracy. He 
     expressed his commitment to a peaceful, fair resolution of 
     the Kosovo issue and, like Petkovski and Crvenkovski, noted 
     that Albanians are active participants in FYROM's government. 
     Gligorov spoke of his country's two most basic challenges and 
     obligations during the war in Bosnia were: to do nothing to 
     cause the expansion of the war to the south and to care for 
     the FYROM's internal stability. He noted that he had 
     substantial support from the United States in these efforts. 
     Gligorov expressed the hope that continued US-FYROM 
     cooperation would lead to his country's integration into NATO 
     and the European Union.
       The delegation traveled by helicopter to two U.S.-operated 
     UNPREDEP observation posts along the Serbian border, meeting 
     with servicemembers at each post. Five hundred fifty U.S. 
     troops are stationed in the FYROM as part of this effort, 
     first proposed by President Bush and later implemented by 
     President Clinton, to monitor the FYROM-Serbia border and 
     prevent the Bosnian conflict from spreading to the south.


                                Slovenia

       In addition to a briefing from U.S. Embassy officials, the 
     delegation's visit to Slovenia, the most economically 
     advanced country of the former Yugoslavia, was marked by 
     meetings with President Milan Kucan, State Secretary Ignac 
     Golob, and Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek.
       In the meeting with President Kucan, the delegation 
     discussed the historic roots of Slovenia, which he described 
     as a traditional identification with Austria-Hungary that has 
     manifested itself in the Slovenian people through 
     individualism, realism, a strong work ethic, and tolerance of 
     different peoples. He stated that Tito interrupted that 
     tradition but that Slovenia has maintained its Central 
     European, rather than Balkan, orientation.
       With respect to the break-up of Yugoslavia, Kucan argued 
     that, while Islam and socialism had served as integrating 
     elements beginning in 1918, there had been no ``new idea'' to 
     keep Yugoslavia unified beyond those periods. He called that 
     explanation an oversimplification, but said he believed it 
     was a major factor in the former Yugoslav republics' 
     declarations of independence.
       Kucan called the Dayton agreement ``a decisive point,'' 
     stating that the United States had successfully interrupted 
     the cycle of violence and ignorance. He reiterated what many 
     others had said about the roots of the conflict--that the war 
     was not a civil or religious one, but an attempt to use 
     ultranationalism to create a ``Greater Serbia'' and, later, a 
     ``Greater Croatia'' by exporting the war to Bosnia-
     Herzegovina. Kucan stated that the U.S. presence has been 
     critical to the effort to prevent resumption of the war, he 
     believes the ultimate success of the Dayton accord will 
     depend on a commitment to that peace reflected in Belgrade 
     and Zagreb, and he called for continued U.S. and European 
     pressure on Serbia and Croatia toward that end.

[[Page S6407]]

       Kucan also discussed Slovenia's current dispute with Italy 
     over Slovene land that was owned by Italians before 1945. The 
     Slovene parliament was to consider a law to ease restrictions 
     on foreign ownership of property later that day. (The 
     parliament did later approve a proposal by the Spanish 
     presidency of the European Union to resolve the dispute. The 
     Italians foreign ministry has responded positively, but the 
     final outcome of the issue, which rests in the Italian 
     parliament, remains uncertain.)
       With State Secretary Golob of the Ministry of Foreign 
     Affairs, the delegation discussed the Kosovo issue. Golob 
     shared the view of many others--that war in Kosovo would 
     destabilize the entire region and that the foreign presence 
     in the area--particularly that of the United States--is 
     ``extremely important.'' He described the situation in the 
     former Yugoslavia as ``complicated, but not hopeless,'' and 
     argued that the price the international community is paying 
     for the IFOR deployment is small compared to the costs that 
     would be associated with failure in Bosnia and a spread of 
     the war.
       Prime Minister Drnovsek also argued the legitimacy and 
     importance of the U.S. role in Bosnia. He acknowledged the 
     challenges the involvement poses for the United States in the 
     short term, but expressed its long-term value in terms of the 
     cost-effectiveness of prevention as well as the benefit of 
     helping small democracies develop in Central Europe and the 
     Balkans. He said, ``You who espouse democracy, and have 
     enjoyed it for 200 years, have the opportunity to see people 
     who have lived for generations under tyranny, dictatorship, 
     and communism now breathe freely under democracy. We, the 
     small struggling republics, could be like you.''


                                Croatia

       In addition to a briefing from the Ambassador and other 
     U.S. Embassy officials in Zagreb, the delegation met with 
     Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to discuss progress related 
     to implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord, the prospects 
     for long-term peace in the region, and the investigation of 
     the crash of Secretary Brown's plane in Dubrovnik.
       The delegation thanked President Tudjman for Croatia's 
     assistance in the aftermath of the plane crash and expressed 
     the delegation's and the United States' interest in 
     continuing the mission that Secretary Brown started. The 
     senators pressed Tudjman on the importance to U.S.-Croatian 
     relations of continued progress toward democratization and 
     privatization. The delegation also indicated that the United 
     States would be monitoring the following issues over the next 
     6 to 18 months: continued support for the Muslim-Croat 
     Federation, including respect for Bosnia's borders and 
     protection of human rights within those borders, and for 
     peaceful resolutions of regional disputes; fair treatment and 
     resettlement of Serbs who lived in Croatia before the war; 
     continued progress in Eastern Slavonia; and cooperation with 
     the War Crimes Tribunal. The delegation stated that the 
     United States is looking to Croatia for leadership toward a 
     lasting peace in the region.
       Tudjman reported that good progress is being made in 
     Eastern Slavonia, and supported the idea of Serb family 
     reunification, but said that it ``would not be realistic'' to 
     expect the return of all Serbs from that region. He argued 
     that Bosnian Croats have been more cooperative than Bosnian 
     Muslims with respect to implementation of the Dayton 
     agreement and pointed to recent problems in Mostar to support 
     that claim. Still, Tudjman called himself ``an optimist,'' 
     saying that optimism is based on peace being in Croatia's 
     strategic interest and the Bosnians having no other option. 
     He summarily dismissed rumors of his willingness to enter 
     into an agreement with Serbian President Milosevic to divide 
     Bosnia.

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