[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12562-12563]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 SENATE RESOLUTION 122--RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC 
 TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR YUGOSLAVIA, AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

  Mr. McCONNELL (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 122

       Whereas Slobodan Milosevic has been transferred to the 
     International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia to face 
     charges of crimes against humanity;
       Whereas the transfer of Slobodan Milosevic and other 
     indicted war criminals is a triumph of international justice 
     and the rule of law in Serbia;
       Whereas corruption and warfare under the Milosevic regime 
     caused Yugoslavia extensive economic damage, including an 
     estimated $29,400,000,000 in lost output and a foreign debt 
     that exceeds $12,200,000,000; and
       Whereas democrats and reformers in the Federal Republic of 
     Yugoslavia deserve the support and encouragement of the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That (a) the Senate hereby--
       (1) recognizes the courage of Serbian democrats, in 
     particular, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, in 
     facilitating the transfer of Slobodan Milosevic to the 
     International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia; and
       (2) calls for the continued transfer of indicted war 
     criminals to the International Criminal Tribunal for 
     Yugoslavia and the release of all political prisoners held in 
     Serbian prisons.
       (b) It is the sense of the Senate that the United States 
     should remain committed to providing foreign assistance to 
     support the success of economic, political, and legal reforms 
     in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, Senator Leahy and I welcome the news of 
the transfer yesterday of Slobodan Milosevic to the International 
Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, ICTY. Last year, we worked to include 
language in the fiscal year 2001 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill 
to condition assistance to Serbia on, among other issues, certification 
by the President that the government is cooperating with the ICTY on 
the ``surrender and transfer'' of war criminals to The Hague.
  While our efforts to secure justice for the victims of Milosevic's 
atrocities through Section 594 of P.L. 106-429 contributed to dramatic 
events in early April, when Milosevic was first arrested, and again 
yesterday, the real credit for facilitating the transfer belongs to 
Serbian democrats and reformers, in particular Prime Minister Zoran 
Djindjic. I am pleased that they recognize the importance of forward 
progress on the issue of war crimes, and I think it bodes well for the 
country's overall prospects for successful economic, political, and 
legal reforms.
  The resolution we submit today recognizes the courage of Serbian 
democrats and reaffirms our commitment to providing U.S. foreign 
assistance to support much needed reforms in the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia (FRY). We hope that Prime Minister Djindjic, and other 
reformers, continue to demonstrate courageous leadership, such as they 
did yesterday. Other indicated war criminals should be transferred to 
The Hague and all political prisoners in Serbian jails should be 
immediately released.
  There is no victory sweeter than justice. It is now up to the ICTY to 
deliver justice to the victims and the survivors of atrocities 
committed in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Croatia.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, last year, when Senator McConnell and I 
included language in the fiscal year 2001 Foreign Operations bill to 
condition United States assistance in Serbia on the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia's cooperation with the War Crimes Tribunal, we could not 
predict what the effect of our provision would be. While we both wanted 
to support democracy and economic reconstruction in Serbia, we also 
felt strongly that if Serbia's leaders wanted our assistance they 
should fulfill their international responsibility to apprehend and 
surrender indicted war criminals to The Hague.
  I am very grateful for the way Senator McConnell and his staff have 
worked closely with me and my staff on this. It has been a classic case 
of how conditioning our assistance and working together, with the 
Administration, can achieve a result that significantly advances the 
cause of international justice. Milosevic's transfer to the War Crimes 
Tribunal should bring

[[Page 12563]]

hope to millions of people throughout the former Yugoslavia.
  Above all, as Senator McConnell has already noted, we should 
congratulate Prime Minister Djindjic and other Serb leaders who have 
risked their lives and their careers for their country's future. It is 
a legacy that few people in history can claim. Those who have 
criticized Prime Minister Djindjic for surrendering Milosevic should be 
aware that for the United States there is no alternative. We will not 
support a Serb Government that does not cooperate with the War Crimes 
Tribunal. We expect the apprehension and transfer to The Hague of the 
other publicly indicted war criminals who remain at large in Serb 
territory, and the release of the remaining political prisoners in 
Serbia's jails.
  I also want to recognize the Serb people who suffered terribly under 
Milosevic's disastrous policies, and who increasingly saw that in order 
to rebuild their country and establish democracy and the rule of law on 
a solid footing, it was necessary to bring to justice the people who 
devastated the former Yugoslavia in their names. We submit this 
resolution on their behalf, and on behalf of Milosevic's other victims, 
dead and alive, in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Croatia.

                          ____________________