[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 20, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SERIOUS SITUATION IN KOSOVO

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I would like to address the Senate for a 
few minutes about this very serious situation unfolding in Kosovo.
  Last fall I gave a series of remarks regarding the increasing 
problems relating to Kosovo. On September 3, 1998, having just returned 
from Kosovo at that time, and subsequently on October 2, October 8 and 
October 20, I stood at this very desk and said it was my belief that 
the types of atrocities that the world has witnessed in the past few 
days would quickly unfold, unless NATO placed in the Pristina region a 
ground force to serve as a deterrent. That may not be a popular 
position, but it is a realistic one, and I expressed it to the Supreme 
Allied Commander of NATO, General Clark, just a few days ago. I 
reiterated the fact that we simply had to put in place a deterrent 
force.
  Now, there is the complexity that Kosovo is a sovereign part of 
Yugoslavia--a sovereign nation. However, if we are using the threat of 
air operations against that sovereign country, it seems to me that 
short of taking that step, we could make it very clear to Milosevic, 
who unquestionably is responsible for these atrocities, that it is 
absolutely essential to have this ground force in place. Currently, 
over 800 individuals--unarmed verifiers--are in Kosovo, trying to help 
the people of this tragic region sort out their lives and receive the 
basics of food and shelter. Now, those people are at risk.
  Mr. President, I also say that if that NATO force were to be placed 
in the Pristina region, as I so recommend, a part of that force would 
have to be a U.S. component. General Clark, Supreme Allied Commander of 
NATO, is an American officer. In my judgment, we could not in clear 
conscience have a NATO force in place without some representation of 
American servicemen and women. I recognize the risks, but there is a 
direct parallel, Mr. President, between the disintegration in Kosovo, 
the threat of atrocities and, indeed, conflict between the KLA and the 
Serbian forces. Conflict, which in the estimate of those on the scene, 
is looming just weeks ahead. There is a direct correlation between 
Kosovo and Bosnia. Although I personally was initially opposed to the 
deployment of U.S. ground troops in Bosnia, once done, I have been a 
strong supporter of getting it done correctly. This Nation has 
contributed a very significant investment, first, of men and women in 
the Armed Forces serving as an integral part of the NATO forces in 
Bosnia, and second, with respect to billions of dollars of the 
taxpayers' money.
  In my judgment, there has been very little progress of late in Bosnia 
because of the political factions still tenaciously holding on to their 
fractious relationships between Serbs and Croats, Muslims and Croats, 
and Muslims and Serbs--all of the ethnic, deep-rooted problems which 
brought about this conflict many years ago. But we could lose that 
investment; what little gain has been achieved in Bosnia could be lost 
and, indeed, in all probability, any ability to advance toward an 
independent nation--one that is militarily and economically able to 
stand on its own feet so that we can get our forces out, together with 
other allies involved. That is in jeopardy with this instability in 
Kosovo because those various factions are going to watch Kosovo and 
say, ``NATO is not going to do anything there, so let's just wait it 
out in Bosnia. Wait it out, and we will have that opportunity some day 
to go back and fight amongst ourselves to achieve our respective 
goals.''
  So, Mr. President, I so recommend to our President and other leaders 
in NATO today, other nations, examine very carefully, indeed, the 
suggestion to place a ground force as a deterrent force in the Pristina 
region as quickly as possible.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry. It is my 
understanding that from 12 o'clock to 1 o'clock there is 1 hour on our 
side under the control of myself or a designee.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.

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