OSCE urges Yugoslavia to cooperate fully with Gonzalez

VIENNA, 11 March 1998 - At a special session of the Permanent Council this morning, the 54 OSCE States decided to increase their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).

The decision supported a new mission by Mr. Felipe Gonzalez as the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office for the FRY, which would include a mandate for addressing the problems in Kosovo. They called on the FRY authorities to co-operate fully with Mr. Gonzalez.

The decision authorized the temporary enhancement of the monitoring capabilities of the OSCE Presence in Albania and the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission in Skopje in order to allow for adequate observation of the borders with Kosovo, FRY, and prevention of possible spillover effects.

The decision noted that the crisis in Kosovo is not solely an internal affair of the FRY because of violations of OSCE principles and commitments on human rights and because it has a significant impact on the security of the region.

The participating States condemned the excessive and indiscriminate use of force during recent Serb police actions in Kosovo, which led to the deaths of some 80 people over the past week. They also called on all concerned to oppose the use of violence to achieve political ends and stressed the unacceptability of any terrorist action.

The participating States called on the authorities of the FRY to halt excessive use of force in Kosovo, to vigorously investigate and accept international investigation of reported summary executions and to bring to justice those found responsible. The FRY authorities were also called on to allow access to Kosovo for the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations and to implement the Education Agreement without delay.

Taking into account the need for immediate efforts by the international community to prevent further escalation, the participating States called on the authorities in Belgrade and the leadership of the Kosovar Albanians to assume their responsibility to enter without preconditions into meaningful dialogue, based on full observance of OSCE principles and commitments. The OSCE expressed its readiness to assist in this process.

The OSCE States also called on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to accept without preconditions an immediate return of the OSCE missions of long duration to Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina, noting the return of these missions as essential for future participation in the OSCE by the FRY.