Embassy of the Republic of Croatia to the United States of America
Washington DC, March 25, 1999
For Immediate Release
STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE CROATIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
From the very outset of the Kosovo crisis the Republic of Croatia has been advocating the need to reach a peaceful political settlement which would also satisfy the legitimate interest of the majority population of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in compliance with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, the Final Helsinki Act and the Paris Charter. The crisis went out of control when the Serbian military and police forces undertook a major offensive in breach of the cease-fire agreement of autumn 1998, destroying civilian targets and expelling the civilian population. The Kosovo crisis also increasingly disrupts the stability in the southeast of Europe. Unfortunately, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia turned a deaf ear to repeated appeals by the international community to stop the military operations.
The Republic of Croatia deeply regrets the failure of the FRY Government to accept the draft agreement proposed by the international community. We believe that thereby an excellent opportunity has been lost for the start of peaceful dealing with the crisis.
The Republic of Croatia firmly supports the efforts by the international community in using all possible and required means to force the FRY Government to accept the proposed peace plans. Considering the gravity of the crisis, we find wholly justified the decision of the NATO member States to stop the bloodshed and ethnic cleansing by resorting to military force and to impose complete acceptance of the peace solution to the Kosovo crisis based on the principles of modern democracy and respect for minority rights in Kosovo.
The Republic of Croatia calls upon the Serb leadership to immediately stop its actions against the innocent civilian population in Kosovo and thus make the end of the air raids and the resumption of the peace process possible.
Croatia hopes that the actions taken by the international community will achieve the desired goal, prevent the conflict from spilling over, lead to resumed negotiations and contribute to the renewal and strengthening of stability.
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(Contact: Luka Aleric)