Issued at the Ministerial Meeting of the North
Atlantic Council held in Luxembourg on 28th
May 1998
PRISHTINA, May 28 (KIC) - Foreign meetings of
the NATO member countries started a
two-day meeting in Luxembourg today. Following
is the text of the long statement on
Kosova.
(Begin text)
1. We are deeply concerned by the situation in
Kosovo. We deplore the continuing use of
violence in suppressing political dissent or
in pursuit of political change. The violence and
the associated instability risk jeopardizing
the Peace Agreement in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and endangering security and stability
in Albania and the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. It is particularly worrying
that the recent resurgence of violence
has been accompanied by the creation of obstacles
denying access by international
observers and humanitarian organizations to the
affected areas in Kosovo.
2. We are firmly convinced that the problems
of Kosovo can best be resolved through a
process of open and unconditional dialogue between
authorities in Belgrade and the
Kosovar Albanian leadership. The status quo is
unsustainable. We support a political
solution which provides an enhanced status for
Kosovo, preserves the territorial integrity of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), and
safeguards the human and civil rights of all
inhabitants of Kosovo, whatever their ethnic
origin.
President Milosevic has a special responsibility
to ensure that steps are taken to achieve a
political solution in Kosovo. The Kosovar Albanian
leadership, represented by Dr. Rugova,
also has a crucial part to play in bringing about
a political solution. We therefore urge both
sides to ensure that the dialogue that has now
begun leads rapidly to the adoption of
concrete measures to lower tensions, stop the
spread of violence and open the way to a
peaceful resolution of the crisis. The dialogue
process should take into account the views
of all communities in Kosovo. We welcome all
efforts of the international community to
these ends.
3. We support strongly the continuation of an
international military presence in the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia after the end
of the current mandate of UNPREDEP. We
support the continuation of the mandate of UNPREDEP,
which has contributed
significantly to stability in the region.
4. We have two major objectives with respect
to the situation in Kosovo:
- to help achieve a peaceful resolution of the
crisis by contributing to the response of the
international community; and
- to promote stability and security in neighbouring
countries, with particular emphasis on
Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
5. We have decided to enhance and supplement
PfP activities in both Albania and the
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to promote
security and stability in these Partner
countries and to signal NATO's interest in containing
the crisis and in seeking a peaceful
resolution:
- We are launching NATO-led assistance programmes
to help Albania and the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to secure their
borders, based on enhanced PfP
activities and on bilateral assistance.
- We are upgrading a PfP exercise in the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
scheduled to take place in September.
- We are scheduling by the end of August a PfP
exercise in Albania involving ground and
air forces.
- We are establishing a NATO/PfP Cell in Tirana,
which will play a direct role in the
implementation of Albania's Individual Partnership
Programme and which, with the other
measures we are taking, will help to enhance
the capabilities of Albania's armed forces to
ensure the security of its borders.
- We are elaborating a concept for the establishment
of PfP training centres, including the
possible future use of the Krivolak training
area in the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia.
- We are authorising the visit of NATO's Standing
Force Mediterranean
(STANAVFORMED) to the port of Durres in early
July.
- We will prepare to support the UNHCR in the
event of a humanitarian crisis in the area.
6. In addition, in order to have options available
for possible later decisions and to confirm
our willingness to take further steps if necessary,
we have commissioned military advice
on support for UN and OSCE monitoring activity
as well as on NATO preventive
deployments in Albania and the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, on a relevant
legal basis, in order to help achieve a peaceful
resolution of the crisis and to strengthen
security and stability in the region.
7. We will continue to monitor closely the situation
in and around Kosovo and we task the
Council in Permanent Session to consider the
political, legal and, as necessary, military
implications of possible further deterrent measures,
if the situation so requires.
8. We are in close consultation with the governments
of Albania and the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia about the measures involving
their countries. We have informed
Partners of the development of NATO's thinking
prior to this meeting. With Russia, we
have consulted in a special meeting of the PJC.
We will use the meetings of the NATO-
Russia Permanent Joint Council, the NATO-Ukraine
Commission and the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council, both here in Luxembourg
and in the future, with a view to seeking the
cooperation of Russia, Ukraine and our other
Partners with our efforts to help achieve a
peaceful resolution of the crisis in Kosovo.
We have invited the Secretary General to
inform the UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
the WEU Secretary
General and other appropriate international organizations
with a view to suggesting the
coordination of the activities of the various
international organizations involved in Albania
and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
9. We call upon President Milosevic to agree
to the re-admission of the OSCE Long-Term
Mission, and to accept the mission of Mr. Felipe
Gonzëlez, the Personal Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the EU Special
Representative.
10. We are determined, through the ongoing activities
of the Alliance through Partnership
for Peace and the additional measures we have
decided today, to contribute to the
international efforts to solve the crisis in
Kosovo and to promote regional security and
stability.
(End text)
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