George Voinovich: “My resolution put the OSCE, as a body, on record as condemning the Milosevic regime and insisting on the restoration of…”

“My resolution put the OSCE, as a body, on record as condemning the Milosevic regime and insisting on the restoration of human rights, the rule of law, free press and respect for ethnic minorities in Serbia. I was pleased that the resolution passed--despite strong opposition by the delegation from the Russian Federation--and I am hopeful that it will help re-focus the attention of the international community on the situation in the Balkans. In conclusion, Mr. President, I believe that we are approaching a crossroads in Kosovo with two very different directions that we can choose. The first direction--the wrong direction--involves more of the same of what we have seen in recent months. More bloodshed, more grenade attacks on elderly minorities as they sit on their porch. More land-mines on roads traveled by parents taking their children to school. More intimidation, threats and harassment of minorities walking the streets in mixed villages and towns. All this would lead to the continued fleeing of minorities from Kosovo and the establishment of an Albanian-only Kosovo. Again, ethnic cleansing carried-out under the nose of NATO and the U.N. The second direction--the right direction--involves the international community, led by the United States, protecting the human rights of the minority communities of Kosovo.”