Article 4414 of alt.politics.clinton: Path: bilver!tous!peora!masscomp!usenet.coe.montana.edu!caen!malgudi.oar.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u45301 Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton Subject: CLINTON STATEMENT: YUGOSLAVIA (FORMER) CRISIS Supersedes: <92229.224429U45301@uicvm.uic.edu> Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago Date: Monday, 17 Aug 1992 18:18:19 CDT From: Mary Jacobs Message-ID: <92230.181819U45301@uicvm.uic.edu> Lines: 60 SEND COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS INFORMATION TO THE CLINTON/GORE CAMPAIGN AT 75300.3115@COMPUSERVE.COM (This information is posted for public education purposes. It does not necessarily represent the views of The University.) ======================================================================== Statement of Governor Clinton on the Crisis in the Former Yugoslavia June 23, 1992 The Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovinia, the wanton killing, the starvation and forcible relocation of civilians, and the destruction of some of Europe's most ancient and historic cities must end. It is time for America, acting in concert with its allies, to exert strong leadership in putting a halt to the Serbian-led aggression in the Balkans and to avert an even worse humanitarian disaster. The Milosevic regime, the last of the communist dictatorships in Europe, has threatened the peace of Europe with a ruthless campaign of ethnic purification and territorial ambition. If Milosevic's aggression in Bosnia is not checked, we risk a widening of the conflict to other countries in the region. The war in Yugoslavia has cost tens of thousands of lives and caused over one million innocent men, women and children to flee as refugees. Many in the besieged city of Sarajevo face starvation and dehydration if the airport is not opened to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Not since World War II has Europe witnessed this level of fighting and destruction. The international community must use all the diplomatic and economic tools at its disposal to stabilize the situation in Bosnia. Last month, I called for tough sanctions against the Milosevic regime, including freezing assets, an oil embargo, and the suspension or expulsion of Yugoslavia from the key international organizations. I fully support the decision of the United Nations Security Council to adopt these and other sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro, and I welcome the steps announced today by Secretary Baker to further isolate the remnants of the Yugoslav government in our own diplomatic relations and in international organizations. Almost two years ago President Bush announced that naked aggression against Kuwait would not stand. I supported him then and I will support the President and the Congress now in drawing the line against further destruction and killing in the Balkans. If diplomatic efforts are unsuccessful at achieving a cease-fire and delivering urgent humanitarian assistance, I would support a multilateral military effort to open the airport and ensure that relief supplies reach their destination. Through the United Nations, and in close cooperation with our European allies and NATO, we can and must take necessary steps to prevent the starvation of Sarajevo. I would hope that any such action would receive bi-partisan support in the Congress and throughout the United States. The crisis in the former Yugoslavia is important to the long-term interests of the United States because its outcome will affect the nature of the states that will emerge from the old communist empire. The choice lies between unstable, highly nationalistic states with centralized and potentially oppressive governments, on the one hand, and democratic states in which a variety of ethnic groups will have a voice in their government and their rights protected, on the other. The United States should be taking the lead to ensure that democracy, not dictatorship, takes hold in that crucial part of the world. If we fail to respond to this challenge, we will miss an opportunity presented by the end of the Cold War to create a more democratic and stable world.