[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 14 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Page 617]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Departure for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

April 9, 1999

Situation in the Balkans

    Good morning. Before we depart, I'd like to say a few words about 
the situation in Kosovo. Over the last several days, we have struck hard 
at Serbia's machinery of repression and at the infrastructure that 
supports it. Our humanitarian relief operation is bringing life-saving 
supplies to refugees in Macedonia and Albania. Our military is doing its 
part to help there, too.
    I'm gratified by the efforts of all involved and confident that, 
after 2 weeks, NATO is determined to persist and prevail. If anything, 
Mr. Milosevic's actions have strengthened the unity and resolve of our 
allies.
    As our strikes have intensified, Mr. Milosevic has tried to 
rearrange the facts on the ground by declaring a cease-fire while 
holding his borders--closing his borders to fleeing refugees. But the 
fundamental reality is unchanged. Attacks on innocent people continue. 
Refugees who were pushed from their homes by force now see their escape 
routes blocked by force.
    Mr. Milosevic still thinks he can manipulate the situation by 
cynically using innocent people. He hopes that we will accept as 
permanent the results of his ethnic cleansing. We will not, not when a 
quarter of Kosovo's people are living in refugee camps beyond Kosovo's 
borders, not when hundreds of thousands more are trapped inside, afraid 
to go home, but unable to leave.
    If we settle for half-measures from Mr. Milosevic, we will get 
nothing more. And what we have from Mr. Milosevic today is not even 
partial compliance but the illusion of partial compliance. We and our 
allies have properly rejected it.
    President Milosevic must withdraw from Kosovo his military police 
and paramilitary forces; they are responsible for the violence. He must 
permit deployment of an international security force, for we have seen 
in the past that this is the only way to ensure his promises are kept. 
He must allow the unconditional return of our refugees because their 
expulsion from their homes and their land cannot be tolerated.
    He must take these essential steps as we move toward self-government 
and security for the people of Kosovo. In the meantime, we will continue 
to do all we can to help the victims of the tragedy.
    Today the First Lady is going to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, 
the main east coast departure point for humanitarian supplies, where a 
C-5 aircraft, our largest transport plane, loaded with humanitarian 
daily rations headed for Albania and Macedonia, will be stocked.
    Thus far, we have seen 800,000 of the 1.1 million daily rations 
we've pledged for the region. I am deeply gratified that the American 
people have placed over 15,000 calls to the 1-800 number I announced 
Monday to make donations. I also know that many churches and other 
religious institutions have been taking up collections and sending them 
in; we are grateful for that as well. I ask the American people to 
continue their steadfast support. I believe that they will. I am 
confident we will prevail.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:53 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of 
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).