[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
[May 13, 1998]
[Pages 747-748]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the Situation in Kosovo
May 13, 1998

    I welcome the news that President Milosevic and Dr. Ibrahim Rugova 
will meet on May 15 in Belgrade to initiate a dialog without 
preconditions.
    As Ambassadors Holbrooke and 
Gelbard announced earlier today, the 
parties have also agreed to continue this dialog in a series of talks in 
Pristina.
    This is a sober first step towards resolving a very dangerous 
conflict that clearly has the potential to spill over into neighboring 
countries and destabilize the region.
    There is a great deal more to be done, however, before all the 
peoples of Kosovo enjoy the peace, security, and human rights they 
deserve. The parties face a complex challenge, but success is up to 
them. We expect each to make

[[Page 748]]

good their commitment to serious and productive dialog.
    We should be mindful of the difficult road ahead, but we are 
encouraged to see this process underway.