Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, for too long ethnic Albanian citizens of Kosova, who comprise 90 percent of the province's population, have been dominated and repressed by Serbia. Today I rise to offer an amendment which will demonstrate support for Kosova and serve America's interests by helping prevent a regional spreading of the Balkan conflict. The people of Kosova voted overwhelmingly for the independence of their state in September of 1990 and chose Ibraham Rigova, a professor of literature, who recently met with Secretary of State Chirstopher, to be the first President of the newly declared republic. Serbia, however, has not seen fit to recognize these valid and legitimate acts of self-determination. Belgrade has prevented the new government from meeting in the capital of Pristina and strictly controls the media and all speech. The human rights situation in Kosova is grave and worsened with the July 1993 expulsion of international monitors according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Ethnic Albanians are denied access to education, health care, and legal process solely on the basis of their ethnicity. I might say, by the way, Mr. Chairman, that with the events happening in Bosnia, we can say that those events will look like a tea party compared to what might happen in Kosova if Belgrade gets its way. The security situation in Kosova is also very troubling.”