IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 587
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the recent 
outbreak of violence in Kosovo. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 30, 2004
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. PITTS, Mr. 
HASTINGS of Florida, and Mr. ADERHOLT) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives 
regarding the recent outbreak of violence in Kosovo.
Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
successfully intervened in 1999 to stop the continued, 
brutal repression of the Albanian population of Kosovo by 
the regime of Slobodan Milosevic; 
Whereas NATO has subsequently led a multinational peace 
operation in Kosovo, known as KFOR, while the United 
Nations has deployed an international civilian police force 
to enhance peace and security; 
Whereas the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE) has deployed a mission to help develop 
democratic institutions, including a professional and
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multiethnic Kosovo Police Service, and encourage respect 
for human rights; 
Whereas the United States and the international community 
as a whole have called for all parties to respect the terms 
of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 
(June 10, 1999) as the basis for progress in Kosovo; 
Whereas the United Nations has developed benchmarks in 
Kosovo, progress in the achievement of which would in-
clude increased respect for human rights and adherence 
to the rule of law; 
Whereas ethnic communities comprising the population of 
Kosovo, including an Albanian majority and Serb, 
Romani, and several other minority communities, have 
yet to reconcile their differences despite efforts by the 
international community and several nongovernmental or-
ganizations; 
Whereas the OSCE has issued several reports critical of the 
respect shown in Kosovo for the rights of persons belong-
ing to minorities; 
Whereas ethnic tensions remain high in Kosovo due to the 
lack of freedom of movement, the inability of displaced 
persons to return to their homes, and sporadic and recur-
ring attacks on individuals, their property, and particu-
larly their places of worship; 
Whereas separate and tragic incidents in Kosovo led to a 
massive outbreak of violence on March 17, 2004, which 
has left dozens dead, hundreds wounded, and thousands 
more displaced; 
Whereas Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo have 
often been targeted for attack, and in recent days several
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additional churches and monasteries have been severely 
damaged or destroyed; 
Whereas mosques in Serbia have also been attacked, dam-
aged, or destroyed, in apparent retaliation for the vio-
lence taking place against minority populations in 
Kosovo; 
Whereas this violence in Kosovo threatens the dialogue which 
has just been established on issues of common concern, 
such as resolving the cases of missing persons from the 
earlier conflict; and 
Whereas it should be beneath the dignity of any individual 
who was persecuted or otherwise suffered under the re-
pressive regime of Slobodan Milosevic to violate the 
human rights of others, to support the persecution or re-
pression of those belonging to other ethnic groups, or to 
encourage or participate in their ethnic cleansing: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that—
(1) the outbreak of violence in Kosovo deserves 
the strongest condemnation by the United States 
and the international community, and all sides 
should refrain from encouraging or engaging in any 
further violence; 
(2) the attacks on places of worship in Kosovo 
and in various Serbian cities should be viewed as es-
pecially reprehensible;
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(3) those who can be identified as responsible 
for acts of violence should be brought to justice; 
(4) the elected leaders of Kosovo have a pri-
mary responsibility to take action to stop any con-
tinuing violence, to prevent future violence, and to 
encourage ethnic reconciliation and respect for the 
rights of persons belonging to minorities in Kosovo; 
(5) the presence of additional military forces in 
the NATO-led multinational peace operation in 
Kosovo, known as KFOR, as decided by NATO with 
the support of the United States on March 18, 
2004, is warranted and welcomed; 
(6) the international community should take 
necessary measures to protect people and property 
facing the threat of violence in Kosovo; 
(7) dialogue on issues of common concern in 
Kosovo, including the resolution of missing persons 
cases, should continue; 
(8) the benchmarks established by the United 
Nations parallel the democratic standards estab-
lished and encouraged by participating states of the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eu-
rope (OSCE); 
(9) the United States and the international 
community as a whole should maintain an active and
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effective presence in Kosovo not only until violence 
subsides but until there is significant progress in 
meeting the benchmarks established by the United 
Nations, including the return of displaced persons 
and greater freedom of movement for all persons 
throughout Kosovo; and 
(10) authorities in Serbia should maintain ef-
forts to protect people and property vulnerable to re-
taliatory violence.
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