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Doc. 8364
29 March 1999
Crisis in Kosovo and situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Report
Political Affairs Committee
Rapporteurs: Mr András Bársony, Hungary, Socialist Group and
Mr Peter Bloetzer, Switzerland, Group of the European People’s Party
I. Draft resolution
1. The Assembly highly appreciates the efforts of the Contact Group which led to the holding of the Rambouillet meeting and considers that the Interim Agreement for Peace and Self-Government in Kosovo resulting from this meeting represents a fair and equitable proposal for the solution of the Kosovo conflict
2. The Assembly fully supports this Agreement, which is entirely in line with previous Assembly recommendations on the crisis in Kosovo and the situation in the FRY (Recommendations 1376 (1998), 1384 (1998) and 1397 (1999)).
3. The signing, on 18 March 1999 in Paris, of this Agreement by the representatives of the Kosovo Albanians reflects their willingness to compromise and respect the will of the international community.
4. The Assembly deeply regrets that the intransigent policy of the leadership of the FRY has led to military action by NATO to prevent a humanitarian tragedy in Kosovo.
5. The indiscriminate offensive of the Serb forces in Kosovo has inflicted enormous sufferings on the Albanian civilian population, which could no longer be tolerated.
6. The Assembly stresses that President Milosevic and his government are responsible for this development, thus holding hostage the whole population of their own country.
7. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that the NATO military action was launched in the absence of a specific decision by the United Nations Security Council.
8. The Assembly calls on the Contact Group to intensify its diplomatic efforts to bring the Yugoslav authorities to sign and implement the Rambouillet Interim Agreement, and to put an end to the sufferings inevitably resulting from the NATO military action.
9. The Assembly condemns any ethnic cleansing and stresses the importance of the indisputable right of all inhabitants of Kosovo to return to their original homes.
10. The Assembly calls on the Council of Europe’s member states to assist Montenegro and Yugoslavia’s neighbouring countries in receiving and accommodating those fleeing the conflict.
11. In this context, the Assembly calls on member states and the international community to organise, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, an international conference on humanitarian aid to refugees and the people of Kosovo.
12. The Assembly reiterates its willingness to help all political forces in the FRY striving to establish democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the country.
II. Draft recommendation
1. The Assembly refers to its Resolution ... (1999) on the crisis in Kosovo and the situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
2. It recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
i. prepare long-term programmes for the FRY with a view to establishing democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the country;
ii. invite member states to pursue, in the light of the experience gained from the situation in FRY and Kosovo, the strengthening of the United Nations in their responsibility to protect threatened ethnic minorities.
Reporting committee: Political Affairs Committee
Reference to committee : Doc. 8365 and Reference No. 2375 of 30 March 1999
Draft resolution and recommendation adopted on 29 March 1999.
Members of the committee : Mr Ruffy (Chairperson), Mrs Ojuland (Vice-Chairperson), Mr Toshev (Vice-Chairperson), MM Arzilli, Atkinson, Bársony, Behrendt, Bergqvist, Björck (alternate : Mrs Naslund), Blaauw, Bloetzer, Bühler, Daly, Davis, Demetriou, Dokle, Domljan, Fico, Gjellerod, Gligoroski, Glotov, Gül, Mrs Iotti (alternate : Mrs Squarcialupi), Mr Iwinski, Mrs Kautto, MM Kirilov, Krzaklewski, Kuzmickas, Mrs Lentz-Cornette, MM Lopez Henares, Lupu, van der Maelen (alternate : Clerfayt), Maginas, Martinez (alternate : de Puig), Medeiros Ferreira, Meier (alternate : Mrs Wohlwend), Micheloyiannis, Mota Amaral (alternate : Roseta), Mutman, Nallet (alternate: Mr Baumel, Vice-Chairman), Nedelciuc, Mrs Nemkova, MM Neuwirth, Oliynyk, Pahor, Palmitjavila Ribo, Prusak, Mrs Ragnarsdottir, Mrs Roudy, MM Schieder, Schwimmer, Schlotten, Selva (alternate : Mrs Pozza Tasca), Sinka, Mrs Smith, Mrs Stanoiu, Mrs Stepová, MM Surjan, Thoresen, Timmermans, Urbain, Vella, Volcic, Zhebrovsky (alternate : Lukin)
N.B. The names of the members who took part in the vote are printed in italics
Secretaries of the Committee: Mr Kleijssen, Mr Sich, Mrs Ruotanen.