[kcc-news] NAAC CALLS ON NATO TO STOP SERB MILITARY ATTACKS

[Mentor Cana]

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National Albanian American Council
1899 L Street, NW  Suite 1130  Washington, DC  20036
(202) 955-1428    Fax: (202) 955-1429
Email: NAACDC at aol.com
________________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			CONTACT: Aferdita Rakipi
January 11, 1999			(202) 955-1428

NAAC CALLS ON NATO TO STOP SERB MILITARY ATTACKS IN KOSOVA BY STANDING UP TO
MILOSEVIC

WASHINGTON – Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic today set a deadline for the
release of Serb soldiers by the Kosova Liberation Army ("KLA").  Milosevic
promised a major crackdown on Albanians if the deadline is not met.  Knut
Vollebaek, Norwegian foreign minister and chairman of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, also called on the KLA to release the
hostages, but did not criticize Serbia for repeatedly violating the Holbrooke
cease-fire agreement.  In response, Ilir Zherka, Executive Director of the
National Albanian American Council, issued the following statement:

"As Serb tanks and soldiers are positioning themselves for a major offensive
against Albanian civilians in Kosova, NATO countries are blaming the victims -
the Albanians - for the resumption of the war.  But the position of the west
is untenable given the facts on the ground.  The present crisis has erupted
because of Serb violations of the Holbrooke-Milosevic agreement, not because
of actions by the KLA.

"Both President Clinton and Secretary Albright promised that NATO would bomb
Serb targets if Milosevic violated the terms of his agreement with U.S.
Ambassador Holbrooke in October.  Instead, NATO has sat on the sidelines as
Serbs have executed Albanians in cold blood, arrested civilians without cause,
and repeatedly bombed Albanian villages – all in flagrant violation of the
Holbrooke-Milosevic agreement.

"Unfortunately, the current crisis fits perfectly with NATO’s Kosova policy:
NATO secures an agreement from the Serbs, and the Serbs violate that
agreement, while NATO looks the other way.  The Serbs then use some event to
justify launching military strikes against innocent Albanians.  NATO responds
by tacitly agreeing with the Serbs and by holding its collective nose until
the military assault becomes unbearable, at which point we start the cycle
all over again.  But the Albanians cannot be expected to sit by silently as
Milosevic and his henchmen continue their campaign of murder and
repression.

"If the United States and its western allies are serious about preventing
another round of fighting in Kosova, it must deal with the source of the
conflict – Milosevic and the Serbian regime.  NATO should strictly enforce the
Holbrooke agreement and take military action, as it has threatened to do, if
the Serbs do not comply.  Otherwise, the war in Kosova will continue in the
foreseeable future, threatening all of the Balkans and Europe as well."
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