[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.