    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [May 27, 1999]
    [Page 853]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 853]]

    Radio Address to the People of Kosovo
    May 27, 1999

        On behalf of all Americans, Hillary and I send a message of hope and
    solidarity to the Kosovar people. Over the last few months, you have
    been forced from your homes. You have seen terrible violence. Many of
    you are still searching for friends and family members. I met with
    Kosovar refugees in Germany last month. My wife recently met with another group in Macedonia. Your
    stories filled us with sorrow, stories of decent people whose lives have
    been violently uprooted by scenes we thought we would never again see in
    Europe, stories of innocent people beaten and brutalized for no reason
    but their ethnicity and faith, people rounded up in the middle of the
    night, forced to board trains for unknown destinations, separated from
    their families, stories of people arriving in refugee camps with nothing
    but a fierce determination to find their loved ones and return to their
    villages with their culture intact.
        But you have not been defeated. You have not given in to despair.
    And you have not allowed the horror you have seen to harden your hearts
    or destroy your faith in a better life in the land of your birth. You
    left Kosovo with one goal: to return in safety. The United States and
    its NATO Allies are working for the same goal. It will take time. But
    with your strength and our determination, there is no doubt what the
    outcome will be. The campaign of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo will end.
    You will return.
        Our military campaign is daily increasing the pressure on the
    Serbian leadership and on Serbian forces in Kosovo. They know we will
    persevere until the Serbian forces leave and you are allowed to return
    home, with NATO there to prevent a return to violence. In the meantime,
    nations across the world have come together to bring aid to you and your
    families. The United States has just finished building a new facility in
    Albania called Camp Hope, which will house up to 20,000 people. Our
    Congress has just approved more than $700 million in humanitarian
    assistance to make sure we can meet your needs both now and when you go
    home.
        We are grateful to the people of Albania and Macedonia for accepting
    refugees into their countries and their homes. It is not easy for any
    nation to absorb huge numbers of people, and it is certainly not easy
    for two nations still struggling to meet the needs of their people. We
    recognize your sacrifices, and we are committed to help by easing your
    burden and helping you build security, prosperity, and democracy at home
    and in your neighborhood.
        A great challenge can draw people together. The 19 NATO nations are
    not alike, but we hold the same essential values in common. And on the
    eve of a new century, we refuse to be intimidated by a dictator who is
    trying to revive the worst memories of the century we are leaving. Thank
    you for your strength, and remember that no matter what has happened to
    you, you are not alone. The United States and NATO are with you, and we
    will stay with you long after you return home.

    Note: The address was recorded at 5:30 p.m. on May 26 in the Map Room at
    the White House for broadcast on the Voice of America and Radio Free
    Europe. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on May 26 but was embargoed for release until 12 a.m. on May
    27. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
    address.