[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 85 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE SITUATION IN KOSOVA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, the killing in Kosova continues, and as is 
always the case in war, it is the innocent civilians who suffer the 
most. This picture of refugees fleeing Kosova, right here, through the 
mountainous region on the border with Albania illustrates only a few of 
the many thousands of Kosovan refugees who have fled the country in 
recent weeks to escape from the latest round of ethnic cleansing taking 
place in this troubled region.
  I visited the region with my colleagues, the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Elliott Engel) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Jim Moran) 
just prior to the latest offensive launched by Serbian strongman 
Slobodan Milosevic. What we saw there was a mixture of fear and 
apprehension over the possibility that the violence would escalate, a 
fear which has, sadly, come to pass.
  The ethnic Albanian population in Kosova elected Dr. Abraham Rugova 
as the President of the Republic of Kosova. Despite the fact that 
Belgrade refused to recognize the legitimacy of the election, despite 
the violence that was already taking place at the time, and despite the 
fact that the Kosovan people went to the polls on an election day at 
their own personal peril from possible retribution from Serbian police 
and military forces, I saw a genuine sense of hope among the ethnic 
Albanians that we were able to meet.
  Of course, that hope was shattered by artillery and mortar rounds as 
Milosevic launched his latest and most deadly campaign against the 
Kosovan people, a campaign which has left hundreds dead and many 
thousands more homeless. I suppose, Mr. Speaker, that this should not 
surprise any of us. After all, dictators care very little for the will 
of the people, for human rights, and for the rule of international law.
  Milosevic now has an estimated 50,000 troops and special police in 
Kosova, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, artillery, helicopter 
gunships, and aircraft to support his campaign of genocide. No, Mr. 
Speaker, Mr. Milosevic cares very little about the consequences of his 
actions in Kosova, or for the outrage expressed by world leaders.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Milosevic no longer responds to words and 
condemnation. What will get his attention? What will end the killing? 
What will end scenes such as this, of terrified refugees fleeing with 
whatever belongings they could grab and carry, these poor people 
streaming out of the mountains, leaving their homes, leaving their 
family farms, trying to flee the violence? What will end scenes such as 
this? What may finally bring peace and stability to this troubled 
region? That is the very real threat of military action by NATO.
  Mr. Milosevic does not understand reason, but he does understand 
force. When he realizes that his own forces may be in jeopardy if he 
fails to pull them out of Kosova, then and only then will he cease fire 
and pull back. Then and only then will we have any real chance at 
negotiating a lasting peace that recognizes the rights of all Kosovans.

                              {time}  1830

  It is time that NATO take the gloves off, Mr. Speaker. If Milosevic 
only responds to force, then perhaps we have reached a point where 
force is necessary.

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