Larry Craig: “the violence that has pervaded the former Yugoslavian Republic has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and more…”

“the violence that has pervaded the former Yugoslavian Republic has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and more than 1 million refugees. The Balkan conflict has not only seized those involved; people around the world have watched in horror as this conflict has progressed. Here in the United States emotions and reactions to the conflict have ranged from frustration to devastation. The concerns of my fellow Idahoans, as well as my own concerns, have also run that course of feelings. The situation in Bosnia at present is quiet and somewhat stable. But this conflict has taught us one thing; peace agreements are difficult to obtain and when they are secured they are short lived. Therefore, this conflict is far from over and, unfortunately, few policy options remain. The proposal being debated today would lift the United States arms embargo on the former Yugoslavia, as it applies to Bosnian Moslems. This policy option is not without some flaws, which concerns me. For example, I am concerned about the safety of U.N. peacekeeping troops that are presently on the ground in the region.”