[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 21 (Monday, May 31, 1999)]
[Page 994]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the International War Crimes Tribunal Decision To Indict 
Slobodan Milosevic

May 27, 1999

    I welcome the decision of the International War Crimes Tribunal to 
indict Slobodan Milosevic and four other senior Serbian leaders for 
crimes against humanity and war crimes. It will reassure the victims of 
Belgrade's atrocities in Kosovo, and it will deter future war crimes by 
establishing that those who give the orders will be held accountable. It 
will make clear to the Serbian people who is responsible for this 
conflict and who is prolonging it. I call on all nations to support the 
Tribunal's decision and to cooperate with its efforts to seek justice.
    For 6 years, the United States has strongly supported the work of 
the Tribunal and urged it to pursue its investigation of war crimes in 
the former Yugoslavia as far up the chain of command as the evidence 
leads. The Congress recently approved my request for supplemental 
funding for the Tribunal, which will provide $9 million for the Tribunal 
trust fund, $4 million for technology that will speed up our providing 
information to the Tribunal, $10 million to interview Kosovar refugees, 
and $5 million for forensic teams to go into Kosovo once conditions 
there allow the gathering of evidence.
    The objectives of NATO's military effort remain unchanged. The 
Kosovar refugees must be able to go home with security and self-
government; Serb forces must leave Kosovo; and an international security 
force with NATO at its core must deploy. We intend to persist with our 
efforts until our objectives are achieved.