NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, July 25, 2001

Bush addressed about 3,000 U.S. troops on "peacekeeping" duty in the province of Kosovo and said that the allied forces entered the area together and "we will leave together."

"Our goal is to hasten the day when peace is self-sustaining, when local democratically elected authorities can assume full responsibility and when NATO troops can go home," Bush said, without setting a timetable for that eventuality. Earlier he said the "stationing of our forces here should not be indefinite."

International forces have been deployed in Kosovo since 1999 when NATO, with the United States in the lead, staged an air siege of the former Yugoslavia to thwart a plan in which ethnic Albanians were being forced from the area by Serb forces under the control of then-President Slobodan Milosevic.

After speaking to the troops, Bush signed the legislation promising $1.9 billion for military pay, benefits and health care. He said he was including an additional $2.2 billion in next year's budget for military benefits.

Earlier, in official remarks upon arrival at the U.S. base in Kosovo, Bush said that the greatest challenge in the Balkans was in Macedonia, where ethnic violence was related to ethnic Albanians' efforts to gain constitutional equality in the country. However, there is also a move among some of those involved to establish an ethnic-Albanian enclave, which would include part of Macedonia. Many of the weapons for the insurgents reach Macedonia from neighboring Kosovo.

"The United States stands against all who use or support violence against democracy and the rule of law," Bush said. "That's why American forces in Kosovo are interdicting the flow of arms into Macedonia. And that's why I imposed sanctions against individuals and organizations assistants the insurgents.

"Those here in Kosovo who support the insurgency in Macedonia are hurting the interests of ethnic Albanians throughout the regions. The people of Kosovo should focus on Kosovo. They need to concentrate on developing civil institutions that work and a political climate that supports and sustains democracy, the rule of law, ethnic tolerance and cooperation with neighbors."

Copyright 2001 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Bush Administration
George W. Bush
Kosovo Yugoslavia
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