[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.