[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Bosnia and Herzegovina

  Mr. President, it is important for this Senate and this country to 
once again be interested in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During my time in 
Congress, and particularly since joining the U.S. Helsinki Commission, 
which I now chair, the Western Balkans have been an ongoing concern of 
mine. Although our relationship with all of these countries of the 
Western Balkans is important, the United States has a specific 
interest, a particular interest, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We need to 
concentrate more on that.
  I had the opportunity in July to lead a nine-member bicameral 
delegation to Bosnia. The delegation sought to see more of the country 
and to hear from its citizens, rather than meet only in the offices of 
senior Bosnian officials. We visited the small town of Trebinje in the 
entity of Republika Srpska, and we visited the city of Mostar in the 
entity of the Federation. Then, we went on and visited in Sarajevo, the 
capital, engaging with international officials, the Bosnian Presidency, 
and citizens seeking a better Bosnia.
  Bosnia was a U.S. foreign policy priority when I came to the House in 
1995. In less than a decade, Bosnia had gone from international acclaim 
while hosting the Winter Olympics to the scene of the worst carnage in 
human suffering in Europe since World War II. The conflict that erupted 
in Bosnia in 1992 was not internally generated. Rather, Bosnia became 
the victim of the breakup of Yugoslavia and the extreme nationalist 
forces this breakup unleashed throughout the region, first and foremost 
by Serbian leader and war criminal Slobodan Milosevic.
  At this point, I will be happy to yield to the distinguished majority 
leader for whatever purposes he would choose.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I thank my friend from Mississippi. I 
will be brief.