(28 Oct 1998) English/Nat
President Clinton has described the withdrawal of Serb military and police units from Kosovo as "a hopeful moment" for the troubled province.
But he warned Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic that the pullout would not be taken as a guarantee of a peaceful settlement with ethnic Albanians.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright pledged the U-S would continue to scrutinise the actions of the Serb regime in Kosovo.
Once again foreign policy in the Clinton administration has a high profile.
Having negotiated a landmark Middle East peace accord last week, the United States is now at the forefront of establishing peace in Kosovo.
President Clinton's first reaction to the NATO announcement that it would not immediately bomb Serbs in Kosovo was praise for the organisation's non-violent peacekeeping effort.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I'm very encouraged that NATO's persistence and resolve have compelled President Milosevic to pull back his forces and comply very substantially with the demands of the international community. Hopefully now the climate of fear and intimidation can be lifted and Kosovar Albanians can return to their villages. And more importantly over the long run that negotiations towards a durable and peaceful resolution can move forward."
SUPERCAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President
But continuing reports of skirmishes between Serb and ethnic Albanian factions and anecdotal evidence of atrocities are threatening to undermine NATO's threats.
So Clinton had a firm warning for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic - NATO is still ready to launch punitive air strikes if peace is not restored to the region.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"NATO's willingness to act, combined with determined diplomacy, created this chance to end the suffering and repression in Kosovo and to put its people on the path to peace. But this is a chance, not a guarantee. That is why NATO today agreed to retain the authority, the forces and the readiness to act if Mister Milosevic backslides on his commitments. We are at a hopeful moment. But we should be under no illusion - there is still a lot of hard road to walk before triumph, excuse me, before hope can triumph over hatred in the Balkans."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President
Earlier on Tuesday, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright underlined NATO's resolve to prevent Serb troops returning to the province.
However, she didn't set a further deadline for air attacks on Serb military targets, despite a history of broken pledges from the Yugoslav leader.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We must consider Milosevic's track record, his long-standing unwillingness to negotiate seriously, and the accumulated barbarity of the past months. Time and again Milosevic has taken half steps to avoid the consequences of his actions. We are not interested in further promises, only in continued compliance. We assume that Milosevic will act responsibly only when all the other alternatives have been exhausted. That is why we are maintaining the threat of force and not letting down our guard."
SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
Progress will continue to be monitored by NATO warplanes, while on the ground, the alliance is planning a rapid-reaction force based in Macedonia.
This will ensure NATO forces are ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Albright admitted international pressure had had some effect on the humanitarian crisis in Kosovo.
But she stressed there was still a long way to go before that crisis is resolved.
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