[Prishtina-E] NAAC Testifies in the Congressional Hearing on the Future of Kosova

[Valbona Sherifi]

National Albanian American Council
2021 L Street, N.W., Suite 402, Washington, DC  20036
481 8th Avenue, Suite 922, New York, NY 10001
Brigada e Krajishtes, No. 8, 38000 Prishtina, Kosova
Telephone: (202) 466-6900   Fax: (202) 466-5593
Web: www.naac.org <file://www.naac.org>    Email: naac at naac.org
<mailto:naac at naac.org> 
_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release: May 22, 2003    Contact: Valbona Sherifi (202)
466-6900

PRESS RELEASE

NAAC Testifies in the Congressional Hearing on the Future of Kosova

Washington, DC, May 22, 2003: The National Albanian American Council (NAAC)
issued the following press release regarding the Hearing of the House
Committee on the International Relations that was held in the US Congress on
May 21, 2003.  (Pictures available upon request for the Media.)
 
The National Albanian American Council (NAAC) testified before the United
States Congress at a Hearing of the House International Relations Committee
on the Future of Kosova, which was held on May 21, 2003.  Ambassador William
Walker, Honorary Board Member of NAAC and Former Director of the OSCE Kosova
Verification Mission and NAAC Executive Director Martin Vulaj both
represented NAAC's position on the independence of Kosova.  Former
Congressman Joe DioGuardi and his wife Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi represented
the Albanian American Civil League (AACL).  

Other distinguished witnesses in this hearing were Deputy Assistant
Secretary for South Central Europe, Janet Bogue of the US State Department;
Mr. Jim O'Brian, Former Special Presidential Envoy for the Balkans and
Senior Advisor to Secretary Albright; and Daniel Serwer, Director of the
Balkan Initiative at the United States Institute of Peace. Members of the
Committee on International Relations that attended this hearing were
Congressman Henry Hyde, Chairman; Congressmen Tom Lantos; Eliot Engel,
Chairman of the Albanian Issues Caucus; Christopher Smith; Dan Burton; Dana
Rohrabacher, Nick Smith, Jo Ann Davis; and Congresswoman Betty McCollum.

The Chairman of the International Relations Committee, Honorable Henry Hyde
opened the hearing by providing to the audience a brief description of the
situation in Kosova today.  The United Nations resolution 1244 of June 1999,
that created the United Nations Mission in Kosova (UNMIK), left the final
status of Kosova unresolved.  As of today, Kosova remains a UN protectorate
with about 25,000 troops maintaining peace in the region.  The level of
unemployment has skyrocketed to 60 percent and there are worries that if
something is not done to employ the people of Kosova (over 50 percent of
which are under the age of 25) they might turn toward organized crime and
resort to violent actions as means to provide for their living. 

According to Congressman Tom Lantos, long-term stability in Kosova and the
region would require more than reconstruction it needs a resolution of
finals status - independence.  Congressman Lantos together with Congressman
Hyde has co-sponsored House Resolution 28, which states that the U.S. should
declare its support for the independence of Kosova.  In 1968 Kosova gained
representation at the Federal level in the Yugoslav Republic.  However, the
international community did not recognize its right to self-determination
(even though it recognized countries such as Slovenia, and
Bosnia-Herzegovina).  Kosova deserves independence for the same reasons as
other former constituents of Yugoslavia: security, democracy, and justice. 

Congressman Eliot Engel, a strong supporter of the Albanian cause, concurred
in his statement with the proposal that independence should be the solution
for the final status of Kosova.  Neither continuing long-term international
presence, nor making Kosova the third republic alongside Serbia and
Montenegro, would solve the conflict in the region.  In addition, he
advocated that the United States should play an active role to make sure
that independence is achieved for all of Kosova, including the region of
Mitrovica. Congressman Engel advocated a gradual process toward independence
that would take from one to two years, as outlined during the November 2002
meeting co-sponsored by NAAAC, the Center for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) and the Dayton Peace Accords Project (DPAP).

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher was also in support of the independence of
Kosova.  He stressed the administration's concern for the European audience
and consideration for the aggressors over the victims.  The U.S. has based
its policies thus far on political benchmarks, rather than on moral and
ethical concerns. 

Congressman Smith of New Jersey raised the issue of the Roma Serbs and other
minorities within Kosova and how such groups have not been allowed to return
to their homes in the region.  In addition, he brought up attacks on the
Orthodox churches from the part of the Kosovars.  Based on these examples,
he argued that Kosova is not yet ready to be an independent entity because
it cannot keep such violence/incidents in check, and therefore, it should
remain a UN protectorate. 

Bogue, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South-Central Europe, stated the
current position of the US Administration on the future status of Kosova.
According to her, Kosova has made real progress in governance, law and
order, ethnic relations, security, and the economy.  It has gone through
three successful elections, including Kosova-wide elections in November of
2001, and now has a government and developing democratic institutions.  In
addition, Kosova's police force is assuming most police functions and is
approaching its capacity of 6,500 personnel. 

Bogue also argued that there has been less progress in creating an
integrated judiciary and closing the Belgrade-supported courts that continue
to exist in Serbian municipalities. Another challenge is organized crime, a
problem that can be tackled through measures such as increased witness
security. 

Ethnic problems are improving slowly but unevenly - the most important
development remains the participation of Kosova Serbs and other minorities
in elections, which has resulted in significant Serbian representation in
the Kosovar Assembly.  Tensions continue in many areas, however, and while
the number of incidents is down, the violence continues.  Freedom of
movement is also problematic. 

Kosova's economy has also been an issue of close observation by the U.S.
government. Kosova's access to lending is also problematic; international
financial institutions, such as the IMF and the World Bank, are unable to
extend credit to Kosova because neither the UN administration, nor Kosovar
institutions are able to provide a sovereign guarantee. 

Therefore, Bogue added, the US supports the 'standards before status'
approach of the UN Secretary General's Representative in Kosova, Michael
Steiner.  She did not offer a concrete timeframe, or even an estimate, of
how long it might take for Kosova to achieve these benchmarks.  The US
administration opposes both immediate independence and immediate partition.
The administration opposes Resolution 28 because such resolution could lead
to confusion about the position of the US and could detract from the work of
institution-building and ethnic reconciliation. 

Mr. and Mrs. DioGuardi testified in this hearing on behalf of the Albanian
American Civic League.  According to them, there is no peace and stability
without Kosova's independence.  Albanians are best friends of the United
States and deserve what they want - freedom and independence.

NAAC Executive Director Martin Vulaj stated that the lack of final status
has been a principle source of instability in Kosova.  It fosters fear and
distrust on the part of Albanians and false hope on the part of Serbs.  It
discourages foreign investment and provides oxygen to the simmering ambers
of Nationalism. To put many of these issues to rest Kosova must move on to
final status.  

NAAC Council resolutely believes that the only option that will enable
Kosova to capitalize on its' progress, face its' challenges, overcome it's
obstacles and not only enjoy stability but be a factor of regional stability
is to become an independent state that will be integrated into Europe and
Euro-Atlantic structures.  While an independent Kosova will present
challenges, any other option will surely result in continued internal and
regional instability.

An independent Kosova would be a factor of stability.  Such a result would
put to rest much of the Nationalism that exists in the region.  Kosova would
have a stabilizing effect on Albanian issues in the surrounding areas and
would be a key partner in any discussions involving issues in the region.
Additionally, Kosova, with its complete and unwavering support for the
United States would be a key regional ally in the war against terrorism.

The United States must take the lead on resolving the final status of
Kosova.  The U.S. has a strategic interest in Balkan security as well as in
maintaining regional influence as the Balkans move ever closer to Brussels'
orbit.  At the end of his testimony, Vulaj submitted to the record of this
hearing a final report, which was a result of the international conference,
held last November at CSIS and was sponsored from NAAC, CSIS and DPAP.

Ambassador William Walker shared in his testimony his experience as Director
of the OSCE Kosova Verification Mission.  Among other things, Ambassador
Walker suggested four possible paths, strategies that might be pursued to
move Kosova towards final status.  According to him out of all the paths
only independence can offer the possibility of a Balkans moving away from
the tragic, ethnic, religious, linguistic legacies of the past.  Ambassador
Walker emphasized that he is "a firm advocate of full independence, now or
soon as humanly possible to obtain." 

This hearing was a positive step forward in that it brought attention to the
issue of Kosova once again in the US Congress at a time when almost everyone
else is concerned with issues in other regions of the world. 

NAAC is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for Albanians
and promoting peace and economic development in the Balkans by fostering
democratic policy, promoting respect for human rights, and conducting
educational and developmental programs.  For more information on the
National Albanian American Council please visit us on the web at
www.naac.org <http://www.naac.org> 

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