[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[April 9, 1999]
[Pages 529-530]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Situation in the Balkans
April 9, 1999

    Good morning. Before we depart, I'd like to say a few words about 
the situation in Kosovo. Over the last several days, we have struck hard 
at Serbia's machinery of repression and at the infrastructure that 
supports it. Our humanitarian relief operation is bringing life-saving 
supplies to refugees in Macedonia and Albania. Our military is doing its 
part to help there, too.
    I'm gratified by the efforts of all involved and confident that, 
after 2 weeks, NATO is determined to persist and prevail. If anything, 
Mr. Milosevic's actions have strengthened 
the unity and resolve of our allies.
    As our strikes have intensified, Mr. Milosevic has tried to rearrange the facts on the ground by 
declaring a cease-fire while holding his borders--closing his borders to 
fleeing refugees. But the fundamental reality is unchanged. Attacks on 
innocent people continue. Refugees who were pushed from their homes by 
force now see their escape routes blocked by force.
    Mr. Milosevic still thinks he can 
manipulate the situation by cynically using innocent people. He hopes 
that we will accept as permanent the results of his ethnic cleansing. We 
will not, not when a quarter of Kosovo's people are living in refugee 
camps beyond Kosovo's borders, not when hundreds of thousands more are 
trapped inside, afraid to go home, but unable to leave.
    If we settle for half-measures from Mr. Milosevic, we will get nothing more. And what we have from Mr. 
Milosevic today is not even partial compliance but the illusion of 
partial compliance. We and our allies have properly rejected it.
    President Milosevic must withdraw 
from Kosovo his military police and paramilitary forces; they are 
responsible for the violence. He must permit deployment of an 
international security force, for we have seen in the past that this is 
the only way to ensure his promises are kept. He must allow the 
unconditional return of our refugees because their expulsion from their 
homes and their land cannot be tolerated.
    He must take these essential steps as 
we move toward self-government and security for the people of Kosovo. In 
the meantime, we will continue to do all we can to help the victims of 
the tragedy.
    Today the First Lady is going to 
Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the main east coast departure point 
for humanitarian supplies, where a C-5 aircraft, our largest transport 
plane, loaded with humanitarian daily rations headed for Albania and 
Macedonia, will be stocked. Thus far, we have seen 800,000 of the 1.1 
million daily rations we've pledged for the region.
    I am deeply gratified that the American people have placed over 
15,000 calls to the 1-800 number I announced Monday to make donations. I 
also know that many churches and other religious institutions have been 
taking up collections and sending them in; we are grateful for

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that as well. I ask the American people to continue their steadfast 
support. I believe that they will. I am confident we will prevail.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:53 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House, prior to his departure for Philadelphia, PA. In his remarks, he 
referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).