    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [March 24, 2000]
    [Page 532]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 532]]

    Statement on North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operations in Southeast
    Europe
    March 24, 2000

        One year ago today, the 19 democratic members of NATO, supported by
    our regional partners, launched Operation Allied Force to put an end to
    Slobodan Milosevic's brutal campaign of
    ethnic cleansing.
        Milosevic's actions not only caused
    the worst human disaster in Europe since World War II but also
    threatened NATO's core interest in the stability of southeast Europe. As
    result of NATO's resolute and concerted stand over 78 days, we reversed
    the ethnic cleansing, compelled Serb forces to withdraw, allowed a NATO-
    led force and a United Nations mission to secure the peace, and paved
    the way for nearly a million refugees to return to their homes in
    safety. Imagine the consequences if NATO had not acted one year ago.
    Milosevic's campaign of ethnic cleansing would have proceeded unchecked,
    exterminating or expelling hundreds of thousands of Kosovar Albanians, a
    final grim epitaph of the twentieth century. Those who survived would
    have become permanent refugees, causing a humanitarian crisis and
    threatening the stability of the region. The historic progress we have
    made toward building a Europe undivided, democratic, and at peace for
    the first time in history would have been reversed, and NATO's role to
    help consolidate stability in Europe would have been undermined.
        We should be proud that we met our responsibilities in Kosovo, and
    we have accomplished much in the past year. With the support of the
    international community, NATO and the United Nations Interim
    Administrative Mission have created the foundation that can lead to a
    peaceful and stable Kosovo. The U.N. mission helped return over 90
    percent of the refugees to their homes in time to assist their
    preparations for winter. Some 300,000 Kosovar children are back in
    school today. Electric power has been restored to most areas. Over 200
    kilometers of railway are back in service, and nearly 2,000 kilometers
    of roadways have been cleared of unexploded ordnance and mines. Although
    violence still remains too frequent in Kosovo, the weekly murder rate
    has been reduced by 90 percent since last June, thousands of weapons
    have been confiscated and destroyed, and the Kosovo Liberation Army was
    successfully disbanded.
        There is much more to be done. The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR),
    with approximately 85 percent of the troops contributed by our Allies,
    has helped create conditions of basic security that will permit civil
    implementation to move forward quickly. The international community has
    pledged over $1 billion for the stabilization and economic
    revitalization of Kosovo--with our partners providing more than 6 times
    our contribution to this effort. U.N. member states have sent over 2,500
    policemen to patrol the streets of Kosovo, but the U.N. has asked for an
    additional 2,000 officers, and we will do our share. Building on the
    foundation of the 300 local judges and prosecutors that have been
    appointed by UNMIK, the international community is working with Kosovars
    to help rebuild Kosovo's legal and judicial systems. With the support of
    international soldiers and police, we are working to protect the
    individual human rights and cultural heritage of all Kosovars, Serb,
    Roma, Albanian and others. We remain committed to seeking the release of
    those Kosovars jailed in Serbia without the benefit of due legal
    process.
        During Allied Force, we persisted until we prevailed. Today, we are
    carrying that same spirit forward into the challenges of building peace,
    democracy, and opportunity--in Kosovo and across the Balkans. And with
    the leadership of our European allies and the support of our Congress,
    we will continue to work with the people of southeast Europe toward our
    shared vision of a democratic and peaceful future.