IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 205

Deploring human rights abuses in Kosova and calling for increased American

involvement.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 28, 1998

Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. KING, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, and

Mr. LANTOS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was

referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Deploring human rights abuses in Kosova and calling for

increased American involvement.

Whereas the Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of

Yugoslavia, adopted in 1946 and the amended Yugoslav

Constitution adopted in 1974, described the status of

Kosova as one of the eight constituent territorial units of

the Yugoslav Federation;

Whereas the political rights of the Albanian majority in

Kosova were curtailed when the Government of Yugoslavia illegally amended the Yugoslav federal constitution

without the consent of the people of Kosova on March

23, 1989, revoking Kosova’s autonomous status;
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Whereas, in 1990, the Parliament and Government of Kosova

were abolished by further unlawful amendments to the

Constitution of Yugoslavia;

Whereas, in September 1990, a referendum on the question

of independence for Kosova was held in which 87 percent

of those eligible to participate voted and 99 percent of

those voting supported independence for Kosova;

Whereas, in May 1992, a Kosovar National Parliament and

President, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, were freely and fairly

elected, but were not permitted to assemble in Kosova;

Whereas, according to the State Department Country Reports on Human Rights for 1996, ‘‘Police repression continued to be directed against ethnic minorities, particularly the Albanians of Kosovo’’;

Whereas Human Rights Watch/Helsinki reports that ‘‘random harassment and beatings is a daily reality for ethnic

Albanians in Kosovo’’;

Whereas, during 1997, the human rights situation facing

Kosova worsened during 1997 with the increased use of

violence by police against ethnic Kosovars;

Whereas increased repression and despair has allegedly given

rise to a new group, the Kosova Liberation Army, which

reportedly has a greater willingness to use violence to

achieve self-determination and a restoration of human

rights;

Whereas, on October 1, 1997, Serb riot police wielding batons and firing tear gas brutally repressed a peaceful

demonstration of students of the University of Pristina

calling for the right to Albanian-language education;

Whereas scores of non-violent protestors were injured in the

crackdown;
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Whereas a 1996 agreement on education signed by Yugoslav

President Slobodan Milosevic and Kosovar President

Rugova provided for return of ethnic Albanians to the

classroom;

Whereas the United States Government has called for ‘‘implementation of the agreement at all levels, including at the

University level’’;

Whereas the agreement has not yet been implemented by the

government in Belgrade;

Whereas new elections in Kosova are scheduled for March 22,

1998;

Whereas the Organization on Security and Cooperation in

Europe observers dispatched to Kosova in 1991 were expelled by the government in Belgrade in July 1993, and

have not been reinstated as called for in United Nations

Security Council Resolution 855 of August 1993;

Whereas, following the departure of such observers, international human rights organizations have documented an

increase in abuses;

Whereas, pursuant to U.S. section 223 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993, the

United States opened a United States Information Service Office in Pristina, Kosova in 1996;

Whereas the international outer wall of sanctions against the

former Yugoslavia, which links membership in international organizations, access to international financial

institutions, and normalization of diplomatic relations

with the United States, is conditioned upon significant

progress in resolving the problems in Kosova;

Whereas the Contact Group of nations pressing for a resolution to the situation in Bosnia addressed the situation in
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Kosova directly for the first time in 1997, supporting an

enhanced status for Kosova within the Federal Republic

of Yugoslavia; one that would fully protect the rights of

the Albanian population in accordance with OSCE standards and the U.N. Charter;

Whereas H. Con. Res. 155, which passed the House of Representatives on July 26, 1996, called for a resolution to

the crisis in Kosova, maintenance of the outer wall of

sanctions against Belgrade, and the appointment of a

Special Envoy on Kosova; and

Whereas, with the continued implementation of the Dayton

agreement on Bosnia, future peace in the Balkans hinges

largely on a settlement of the status of Kosova: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) the situation in Kosova must be resolved be4 fore the outer wall of sanctions against Serbia is lift5 ed and Serbia is able to return to the international

6 community;

7 (2) the human rights of the people of Kosova

8 must be restored to levels guaranteed by inter9 national law;

10 (3) the United States should support the legiti11 mate claims of the people of Kosova to determine

12 their own political future;

13 (4) a solution to the conflict in Kosova can only

14 be achieved through dialogue, not violence;
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1 (5) the March 22, 1998 elections in Kosova

2 should be permitted to proceed without interference

3 by the Belgrade authorities and, if conducted freely

4 and fairly, the United States should recognize the

5 results of the elections as a legitimate, democratic

6 expression of the will of the people of Kosova;

7 (6) international observers should be returned

8 to Kosova as soon as possible and monitors should

9 be dispatched to observe the upcoming elections;

10 (7) the elected government of Kosova should be

11 permitted to meet and exercise its legitimate man12 date as elected representatives of the people of

13 Kosova;

14 (8) all individuals whose employment was termi15 nated on the basis of their ethnicity should be rein16 stated to their previous positions;

17 (9) the agreement on education in Kosova

18 should be implemented immediately, including at the

19 university level, allowing all residents of Kosova re20 gardless of ethnicity to education in their native

21 tongue;

22 (10) the students of the University of Pristina

23 have the full support of the United States as they

24 peacefully demonstrate to return to classes at the

25 University;
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1 (11) efforts of the international Contact Group

2 in support of a resolution of the conflict in Kosova

3 are to be commended; and

4 (12) the President should appoint a special

5 envoy to aid in negotiating a resolution to the crisis

6 in Kosova.

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