SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTRAGED BY REPORTS OF ATROCITIES IN KOSOVO FOLLOWING DENIALS BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
Press Release
SG/SM/6725
SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTRAGED BY REPORTS OF ATROCITIES IN KOSOVO FOLLOWING DENIALS BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
19980930 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:The Secretary-General is outraged by eyewitness reports of atrocities perpetrated by security forces in Kosovo under the authority of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. These reports are particularly shocking to the Secretary-General in light of denials received from the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, whom he met yesterday, that such actions were taking place.
The Security Council has recently affirmed the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, from which it follows that the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have the right, and indeed the duty to maintain public order and to defend it from provocative actions such as those that have been committed by Kosovar Albanian separatist extremists. But those actions can never justify the pattern of terror including the burning of houses, looting, killing of livestock and wanton killing that have been reported these past few days. Such actions are totally unacceptable to the international community. It is the duty of security forces to protect citizens, not to intimidate them. The Secretary-General utterly condemns these actions, and renews his strong representations to the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, made directly to the Foreign Minister, to desist from repeating them. He once again calls upon all parties to cease violence and to concentrate on the search for a negotiated solution to the crisis in Kosovo according to law.
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