Bob Dole: “I rise to offer an amendment, together with the distinguished Senator from South Dakota, Senator Pressler, which would…”

“I rise to offer an amendment, together with the distinguished Senator from South Dakota, Senator Pressler, which would require the President to certify that certain conditions have been met before United States sanctions on Serbia can be lifted. These conditions include an end to systematic violations of the civil and human rights of the people of Kosova; the restoration of Kosova's political autonomy as exercised prior to 1984; and an end to the Belgrade regime's support for Serb separatists in Bosnia and Croatia. In my view this amendment is very important. For all of the administration talk of peace being around the corner, the situation in the former Yugoslavia is hardly peaceful--or stable. We cannot and must not forget that in Kosova, 2 million Albanians are in their 6th year of martial law. Not only are they disenfranchised, unemployed, and living what is at best a subsistence existence, they are victims of brutal and systematic repression. The Serbian Government has deployed thousands of interior police to ensure its regime of terror in Kosova. Furthermore, despite his image as peacemaker, Serbian President Milosevic continues to support aggression against Bosnia, and the occupation of Croatia. The Yugoslav Army is assisting Bosnian Serb forces--who are still attacking Bosnian towns.”