[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1485-E1486]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TAIWAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF ASSISTANCE FOR THE KOSOVAR REFUGEES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. OWEN B. PICKETT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 1999

  Mr. PICKETT. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 7, 1999, President Lee 
Teng-hui of Taiwan made the following statement regarding assistance to 
Kosovar refugees:
  ``The huge numbers of Kosovar casualties and refugees from the Kosovo 
area resulting from the NATO-Yugoslavia conflict in the Balkans have 
captured close world-wide attention. From the very outset, the 
government of the ROC has been deeply concerned and we are carefully 
monitoring the situation's development.
  ``We in the Republic of China were pleased to learn last week that 
Yugoslavia President Slobodan Milosevic has accepted the peace plan for 
the Kosovo crisis proposed by the Group of Eight countries, for which 
specific peace agreements are being worked out.
  ``The Republic of China wholeheartedly looks forward to the dawning 
of peace on the Balkans. For more than two months, we have been 
concerned about the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Kosovar 
refugees who were forced to flee to other countries, particularly from 
the vantage point of our emphasis on protecting human rights. We 
thereby organized a Republic of China aid mission to Kosovo. Carrying 
essential relief items, the mission made a special trip to the refugee 
camps in Macedonia to lend a helping hand.
  ``Today, as we anticipate a critical moment of forth-coming peace, I 
hereby make the following statement to the international community on 
behalf of all the nationals of the Republic of China:

[[Page E1486]]

  ``As a member of world community committed to protecting and 
promoting human rights, the Republic of China would like to develop 
further the spirit of humanitarian concern for the Kosovar refugees 
living in exile as well as for the war-torn areas in dire need of 
reconstruction. We will provide a grant aid equivalent to about US $300 
million. The aid will consist of the following:
  1. Emergency support for food, shelters, medical care, and education, 
etc. for the Kosovar refugees, living in exile in neighboring 
countries.
  2. Short-term accommodations for some of the refugees in Taiwan, with 
opportunities of job training in order for them to be better equipped 
for the restoration of their homeland upon their return.
  3. Furthermore, support the rehabilitation of the Kosovo area in 
coordination with international long-term recovery programs when the 
peace plan is implemented.
  ``We earnestly hope that the above-mentioned aid will contribute to 
the promotion of the peace plan for Kosovo. I wish all the refugees an 
early return to their safe and peaceful Kosovo homes.''
  This important announcement demonstrates the dedication of democratic 
Taiwan to the promotion of peace in the Balkan region and to the return 
of the Kosovo refugees. I am pleased that Taiwan has chosen to assume 
such an active and praiseworthy role in issues of concern to the 
international community.

                          ____________________