BISSETT pred americkim congresom 19 jula 2000:

SPEAKING NOTES: CONGRESSIONAL HEARING

I AM PLEASED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TODAY. AS A FORMER
CANADIAN DIPLOMAT IT IS A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN INVITED BY
CONGRESSMAN KUCINICH TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT KOSOVO.


I BELIEVE THAT NATO’S MILITARY INTERVENTION IN YUGOSLAVIA LAST YEAR WAS
A DREADFUL MISTAKE. INDEED I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS A HISTORICAL
MISCALCULATION. A MISCALCULATION THAT WILL HAVE SERIOUS LONG-RANGE
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY.

KOSOVO MARKS A TURNING POINT FOR THE NATO COUNTRIES. THEY CHOSE TO
ABANDON THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE ALLIANCE WAS FOUNDED.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS FOR ALL OF US ARE SERIOUS AND FOREBODING.
WHEN PRINCIPLES ARE ABANDONED WHAT REMAINS IS EXPEDIENCYAND
OPORTUNISM.THESE ARE NOT SUITABLE PILLARS UPON WHICH A VIABLE ALLIANCE
CAN BE SUSTAINED.

AS A PRACTICING DIPLOMAT WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY FOR 37 YEARS I DO NOT
CONSIDER MYSELF A WIDE-EYED IDEALIST. NEVERTHELESS, I AM A STRONG
BELIEVER IN DEMOCRACY.I DO RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW, I BELIEVE IN HUMAN
RIGHTS AND HAVE STRONGLY DEFENDED ALL OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES THAT MY
COUNTRY AND YOURS HAVE STOOD FOR AND FOUGHT FOR THROUGH SO MANY YEARS.

NATO’S BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA SHATTERED THOSE BASIC PRINCIPLES. NOT ONLY
WAS THE BOMBING ILLEGAL AND CONTRARY TO EVERY PRECEPT OF INTERNATIONAL
LAW BUT IT WAS A DIRECT CONTRADICTION OF ARTICLE ONE OF NATO’S OWN
TREATY, WHICH STATES UNIQUIVICALLY THAT NATO WILL NEVER USE FORCE OR
INDEED EVEN THREATEN TO USE FORCE TO RESOLVE INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES.
ARTICLE ONE OF THE TREATY ALSO EMPHASIZES NATO’S COMMITMENT TO
INTERNATIONAL PEACE, SECURITY AND JUSTICE AND ITS ADHERENCE TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE UN CHARTER. ALL OF THIS WAS CYNICALLY CAST ASIDE BY
THE NATO MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.

NATO BROKE ALL THE GROUND RULES IN KOSOVO.ITS AGGRESSIVE MILITARY
INTERVENTION INTO THE AFFAIRS OF A SOVEREIGN STATE WITHOUT SECURITY
COUNCIL OR AT LEAST UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AUTHORITY MARKED AN OMINOUS
TURNING POINT IN THE CONDUCT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.

TO MANY PEOPLE IN THE FREE WORLD [AND I INCLUDE MYSELF AMONG THESE] NATO
WAS MORE THAN JUST A STRONG MILITARY POWER ACTING AS THE FIRST LINE OF
DEFENCE AGAINST COMMUNIST TYRANNY. IT WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT STOOD FOR
THE RULE OF LAW, FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS… FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS
THAT DISTINGUISHED THE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES FROM THE COMMUNIST AND NAZI
DICTATORSHIPS.

NATO WAS A POWERFUL MORAL FORCE.IT ACTED AS A SYMBOL OF HOPE FOR THE
CIVILIZED WORLD. A SYMBOL OF HOPE NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US IN THE WEST
BUT ALSO FOR THE MILLIONS CAUGHT BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN AND FOR MANY
OTHERS AROUND THE GLOBE.

THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA DESTROYED THAT SYMBOL. NOW WE HAVE LOST THE
MORAL HIGH GROUND. OUR NEW SET OF POLITICAL LEADERS, THE CLINTONS, THE
BLAIRS, THE SCHROEDERS, THE CHRETIENS, HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO HAVE
ABOUT AS MUCH RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW AND THE TRUTH AS THE FORMER
COMMUNIST PARTY BOSSES OF THE OLD SOVIET EMPIRE.THIS IS THE REAL TRAGEDY
OF KOSOVO.

. OUR POLITICAL LEADERS LIED TO US ABOUT KOSOVO. WE WERE TOLD THAT MASS
MURDERS WERE TAKING PLACE THERE. YOUR SECRETARY OF DEFENCE, MR. COHEN
TOLD US THAT 100,000 ALBANIAN KOSOVARS HAD PERISHED. TONY BLAIR, THE
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, SPOKE OF GENOCIDE. WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT
MILOSOVIC WAS PLANNING TO ETHNICALLY CLEANSE ALL OF THE ALBANIANS FROM
KOSOVO THROUGH A DEVILISH PLAN CODE-NAMED "OPERATION HORSESHOE."

WE WERE TOLD THAT A MASSACRE OF 45 ALBANIAN CIVILIANS HAD OCURRED IN
THE VILLAGE OF RACAK. INDEED IT WAS THIS INCIDENT THAT SPARKED THE
SUBSEQUENT BOMBING CAMPAIGN.WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN
HAD INFLICTED A CRIPPLING DEFEAT ON THE SERB WAR MACHINE. NATO SPOKES
PEOPLE AND MUCH OF THE MEDIA CONTINUE TO HAIL THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA
AS A TRIUMPHANT VICTORY.


THESE ARE LIES. WE NOW KNOW THAT THE TOTAL CASUALTIES IN KOSOVO BEFORE
THE BOMBING [BOTH ALBANIAN AND SERB] AMOUNTED TO APPROXIMATELY 2000.THIS
IS HARDLY MASS MURDER OR GENOCIDE AND NOT A SURPRISING FIGURE GIVEN THAT
AN ARMED REBELLION HAD BEEN TAKING PLACE IN KOSOVO FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THE SO-CALLED, "OPERATION HORSESHOE," HAS BEEN REVEALED AS A COMPLETE
FALSEHOOD FABRICATED BY THE GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER RUDOLPH SCHARPING TO
SWING FALTERING GERMAN PUBLIC OPINION BEHIND THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN.THERE
IS NOT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT MILOSOVIC PLANNED BEFORE THE
BOMBING TO CLEANSE KOSOVO OF ITS ALBANIAN POPULATION.

FURTHERMORE, IT NOW SEEMS THAT THE RACAK MASSACRE MAY NEVER HAVE
HAPPENED.FROM THE OUTSET THERE HAS BEEN STRONG SUSPICION THAT THIS
INCIDENT HAD BEEN ENGINEERED BY THE KLA TO APPEAR AS AN EXECUTION OF
INNOCENT CIVILIANS.FRENCH JOURNALISTS ON THE GROUND CHALLENGED GENERAL
WALKERS DECLARATION THAT A MASSACRE HAD TAKEN PLACE.

MORE RECENTLY ON MARCH 24 OF THIS YEAR, GERMAN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS
FROM THE BERLIN ZEITUNG HAVE WRITTEN THAT AUTOPSY REPORTS TO WHICH THEY
HAVE GAINED ACCESS REVEAL NO EVIDENCE OF THE VICTIMS HAVING BEEN
EXECUTED AT CLOSE RANGE.

AS FOR NATO’s AIR WAR VICTORY OVER THE SERB ARMY WE KNOW FROM A
SUPRESSED US AIRFORCE REPORT PUBLICIZED IN THE MAY 15 ISSUE OF NEWSWEEK
MAGAZINE THAT THE NUMBER OF MILITARY TARGETS DESTROYED BY NATO AIR
STRIKES, "WAS A TINY FRACTION OF THOSE CLAIMED." THE REPORT DECLARED
THERE WERE ONLY 58 CONFIRMED STRIKES BY NATO PILOTS NOT THE PREVIOUSLY
744 AS CLAIMED BY NATO.

I AM SORRY TO SAY I FULLY EXPECT WE WILL FIND AS TIME GOES BY THAT MORE
LIES AND FALSEHOODS WILL BE REVEALED ABOUT THE KOSOVO WAR.

THE REALIZATION THAT OUR POLITICAL LEADERS CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO TELL
THE TRUTH MAY NOT COME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR
WITH THE POLITICAL PROCESS. NEVERTHELESS IT IS NOT A COMFORTING THOUGHT.

IT IS ESPECIALLY DISTRESSING WHEN THE LIES INVOLVE FOREIGN POLICY
ISSUES. THESE ARE ISSUES FREQUENTLY DEALING WITH MATTERS OF LIFE AND
DEATH, OF WAR AND PEACE, OF THE DESTRUCTION OF CITIES AND THE
DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE AND OF THE WELLBEING OF OUR OWN SONS AND
DAUGHTERS WHO SERVE IN THE MILITARY FORCES.

AS THE CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO YUGOSLAVIA FROM 1990 TO1992 I WITNESSED AT
FIRST HAND HOW WESTERN DIPLOMATIC INEPTITUDE AND CLUMSINESS HASTENED THE
BREAKUP OF YUGOSLAVIA AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE DREADFUL VIOLENCE AND
BLOODSHED THAT FOLLOWED THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE COUNTRY. HERE ARE A
FEW EXAMPLES:

THE FINANCIAL AND MILITARY SUPPORT GIVEN TO THE SEPERATIST
REPUBLICS BY SOME WESTERN GOVERNMENTS WHICH ENCOURAGED THEM TO BREAK
AWAY BY FORCEFUL MEANS WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS ATTEMPT AT NEGOTIATING THE
TERMS OF SECESSION IN A NON-VIOLENT MANNER.

THE PREMATURE RECOGNITION OF SLOVENIA AND CROATIA BEFORE ANY
GUARANTEES OF CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS WERE GIVEN TO THE SERBIAN
POPULATION OF CROATIA WHICH, BECAUSE OF THE HORRENDOUS EVENTS THAT
OCURRED THERE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, MADE CIVIL WAR INEVITABLE.

. THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALIA IZETBEGOVIC TO WITHDRAW HIS
SIGNATURE FROM THE SO-CALLED LISBON AGREEMENT AND TO PROCEED WITH A
REFERENDUM ON INDEPENDENCE IN BOSNIA WHICH EVERYONE KNEW WOULD LEAD TO
THE DEATH AND DISPLACEMENT OF THOUSANDS.

THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF THE SERBS AS THE ONLY BAD GUYS IN THE
BALKANS AND THE PORTRAYAL OF THEM BY THE WESTERN MEDIA AS BARBARIC
SAVAGES COMPRIMIZED ATTEMPTS BY THE WESTERN POWERS TO DEAL WITH THESE
ISSUES OBJECTIVELY.

THESE EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATE HOW WESTERN DIPLOMATIC INEPTITUDE ENSURED
THAT THE BREAKUP OF YUGOSLAVIA WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE SCALE
KILLING AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF ETHNIC POPULATIONS.YUGOSLAVIA WAS AN
AVOIDABLE WAR.IT WAS MADE UNAVOIDABLE BY THE CYNICAL NATURE OF WESTERN
DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION.

KOSOVO, HOWEVER, PRESENTS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO. KOSOVO WAS NOT
THE RESULT OF DIPLOMATIC FAILURE. SERIOUS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS WERE NOT
TRIED. NATO UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE UNITED STATES CHOSE TO DISCARD
ANY SERIOUS ATTEMPT AT FINDING A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION IN FAVOR OF USING
FORCE AND VIOLENCE. BOMBING WAS THE INSTURMENT OF CHOICE.

THE TERMS OF THE ULTIMATION ISSUED AT RAMBOUILLET WERE CLEARLY DESIGNED
TO ENSURE THAT THE SERBIAN SIDE WOULD FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCEPT
THEM.THE TRICK WAS TO KEEP THE MEDDLESOME RUSSIANS AND THE UNITED
NATIONS OUT OF THE ACTION AND THUS AVOID THE RISK THAT DIPLOMATIC
OPTIONS MIGHT BE OFFERED WHICH WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE USE OF DEADLY
FORCE. NATO NEEDED ITS WAR. THE ASUMPTION APPEARED TO BE THAT AFTER A
FEW DAYS OF BOMBING THE YUGOSLAVS WOULD BE FORCED TO ACCEPT THE TERMS OF
RAMBOUILLET.

AS THE BOMBING CONTINUED NATO WAS FORCED TO SWITCH ITS TARGETTING TO THE
CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. PUBLIC OPINION IN THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES BEGAN
TO OPPOSE THE WAR.NATO BECAME DESPERATE TO FIND A WAY OUT OF THE MESS
THEY HAD CREATED. THE ALLIANCE THAT HAD REJECTED DIPLOMACY AS AN OPTION
WAS FORCED IRONICALLY TO FIND A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION. EVEN MORE
IRONICALLY, THEY HAD TO TURN TO THE RUSSIANS AND THE UNITED NATIONS TO
FIX IT FOR THEM.

THIS WAS DONE BY GETTING NATO TO DROP THE TWO CONDITIONS THEY HAD
INCLUDED AT RAMBOUILLET FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING A SERB REJECTION;
NAMELY, THE ACCEPTANCE OF NATO TROOPS THROUGHOUT YUGOSLAVIA AND THE
HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM ON AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVO. WHEN NATO DROPPED THE
TWO CONDITIONS THAT HAD CAUSED THE WAR, MILOSOVIC READILY ACCEPTED THE
PEACE TERMS OUTLINED BY UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION 1244. SO MUCH FOR THE
NATO VICTORY!

I AM AFRAID THAT JUST AS NATO MISMANAGED THE WAR IN KOSOVO THEY WILL
MISMANAGE THE PEACE. THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THERE SINCE THE
FIGHTING STOPPED IS NOT ENCOURAGING.DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF 40,000 NATO
AND UN FORCES, MURDER AND KIDNAPPING, BURNING OF CHURCHES AND THE ETHNIC
CLEANSING OF SERBS, ROMANS AND MUSLIM SLAVS CONTINUES ALMOST ON A DAILY
BASIS. IT SEEMS EVIDENT THAT IT IS THE KLA NOT NATO OR THE UN THAT IS
GOVERNING KOSOVO.

THE STABILITY OF THE BALKANS HAS NEVER BEEN SO PRECARIOUS. ALBANIAN
DREAMS OF UNITING ALL OF THEIR PEOPLE IN ONE TERRITORY HAS BEEN
ENCOURAGED BY THE KOSOVO DEBACLE.THE FORMER REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA WITH
ITS LARGE ALBANIAN POPULATION IS A POTENTIAL POWDER KEG.THE ALBANIANS
ARE INCREASING DEMANDS FORFOR SELF-DETERMINATION AND POSSIBLE SECESSION.

SERBIA, CRIPPLED ECONOMICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY IS FESTERING WITH
BITTERNESS AND HOSTILITY.ENCUMBERED BY A GOVERNMENT INCREASINGLY
ISOLATED FROM THE PEOPLE AND DESPERATE TO REMAIN IN POWER BY ANY MEANS,
THE COUNTRY IS RIPE FOR CIVIL WAR. IT STILL HAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
ARMIES IN EUROPE. SHOULD RELATIONS WITH MONTENEGRO CONTINUE TO
DETERIORATE WE COULD SEE ANOTHER ARMED CONFLICT BREAKOUT WITH ALL OF THE
TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNECINE STUGGLE.

GIVEN THE TRACK RECORD OF THE WESTERN DEMOCRACIES IN YUGOSLAVIA I AM NOT
OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY WILL RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES THERE WITH GOOD
SENSE AND GOOD DIPLOMACY. THEIR TENDENCY TO OVER SIMPLIFY COMPLICATED
SITUATIONS, THEIR COMPULSION TO IDENTIFY FOR TV AUDIENCES GOOD GUYS AND
BAD GUYS, THEIR AVOIDANCE OF TELLING THE TRUTH TO THEIR OWN CITIZENS
ABOUT THE REAL ISSUES. THESE CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR PRESENT DAY
LEADERSHIP DO NOT INSPIRE ME WITH HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BALKANS.


EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THE REALITY THAT IN OUR NEW UNIPOLAR WORLD THE
OVERWHELMING MILITARY POWER OF THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO LEAD IT
INEVITABLY TO RESORT TO FORCE IN THE RESOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL
DISPUTES RATHER THAN TO USE ITS STRENGTH AND INFLUENCE TO BRING ABOUT
JUST AND EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS.WHY GO THROUGH THE DIFFICULT AND LENGTHY
PROCESS OF DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS WHEN YOU CAN THREATEN TO BOMB FROM
15000 FEET WITH NO RISK OF AMERICAN CASUALTIES?

AS A LONG-RANGE POLICY THISAPPROACH COULD BE DISASTEROUS.HISTORY
ENDURES AND POWER RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE.NOBODY RESPECTS A BULLY OR
ADMIRES SOMEONE THAT DOESN’T PLAY BY THE RULES. AS THE SAYING GOES,
"WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND."THERE WILL INEVITABLY BE A DAY WHEN THE
UNITED STATES WILL WANT TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
FRAMEWORK THAT IS FAIR AND ABIDES BY THE RULE OF LAW.

I THINK WE CAN LEARN FROM KOSOVO. LET US NOT TURN OUR BACKS ON THE
PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE SERVED US SO WELL IN THE PAST. LET US ABIDE BY THE
RULES OF THE UN CHARTER EVEN WHILE WE STRIVE TO REFORM THAT BODY. LET US
BE RELUCTANT TO INTERVENE IN THE DOMESTIC AFFAIRS OF A SOVEREIGN STATE
WITHOUT SECURITY COUNCIL OR GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVAL. LET US TRY TO
STAY OUT OF CIVIL WARS UNLESS OUR OWN VITAL INTERESTS ARE AT STAKE OR IF
WE MUST INTERVENE LET US DO SO OBJECTIVELY IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE
DISPUTE BY PEACEFUL MEANS.

I WOULD HOPE THAT KOSOVO HAS TAUGHT US TO BE MORE DEMANDING OF OUR
POLITICAL LEADERS. IN THE CASE OF MY OWN COUNTRY CANADIANS WOKE UP ONE
MORNING LAST MARCH TO FIND THAT CANADIAN PILOTS WERE BOMBING YUGOSLAVIA.
THERE HAD BEEN NO DECLARATION OF WAR, NO DEBATE IN OUR PARLIAMENT. WE
WERE BOMBING A COUNTRY THAT PRESENTED NO THREAT TO CANADA. A COUNTRY
THAT HAD FOUGHT ALONG SIDE OF US IN TWO WORLD WARS.THE VAST MAJORITY OF
CANADIANS HAD NO IDEAOF WHERE KOSOVO WAS OR WHAT WERE THE ISSUES.

WE WERE ASKED TO SIMPLY ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE WERE ON THE SIDE OF THE
GOOD GUYS.AFTER ALL WE WERE A DEMOCRACY AND COULD NOT STAND BY WHILE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE BEING MURDERED IN KOSOVO.

MOREOVER WE WERE PART OF THE NATO TEAM AND EVERYONE KNEW THAT NATO WAS
THERE TO REPRESENT THE RULE OF LAW, DEMOCRACY AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
UNITED NATIONS CHARTER. IF WE WERE BOMBING FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS IN
BELGRADE, NOVI SAD OR PANCEVO AT LEAST WE WERE DOING IT FOR HUMANITARIAN
REASONS SO IT MUST BE OK.THIS IS THE MESSAGE THE CANADIAN POLITICAL
LEADERS WERE TELLING CANADIANS ABOUT KOSOVO.I FOUND THIS PRETTY
DISTURBING STUFF.


I THINK KOSOVO SHOULD HAVE ALSO TAUGHT US TO ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT
THOSE WHO STRUGGLE FOR SELF- DETERMINATION ARE STRUGGLING FOR TERRITORY.
THE ONE IS INTRINSICALLY BOUND UP WITH THE OTHER. PRESIDENT HAVEL OF THE
CZECH REPUBLIC RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION IN THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT
WHEN HE DECLARED THAT KOSOVO WAS THE FIRST WAR IN HISTORY FOUGHT FOR
HUMAN VALUES RATHER THAN TERITORY. HE WAS WRONG. THE STRUGGLE IN KOSOVO
WAS ALL ABOUT TERRITORY AND WHO SHOULD CONTROL IT –SERBS OR ALBANIANS.
THAT STRUGGLE IS NOT YET SETTLED.



--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
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