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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Lacelle who wrote (5598)	4/27/1999 1:12:00 PM
From: Les H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17770

Albright Fears Spread Of Kosovo War By ALAN FRAM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright expressed concern on Wednesday that the Kosovo conflict might be spreading into Montenegro, Yugoslavia's smaller pro-Western republic. She also asked Congress to support the NATO campaign - but not to declare war. ''We think declaration of war would have a number of negative effects, such as NATO cohesion, regional stability and our relations with Russia,'' Albright told the House International Relations Committee. The panel was meeting later to take up several measures related to the War Powers Act, including resolutions to either declare war formally on Yugoslavia or withdraw U.S. participation in the NATO campaign. There did not appear to be widespread support for either measure. Albright said there was fresh worry about Serbian involvement in Montenegro, where many ethnic Albanians have fled from Kosovo. She said she had been in close touch with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, a stern critic of Milosevic. Djukanovic was reported to have rejected demands by the Yugoslav army that he put his republic's police force under Belgrade's control. Any Serbian ''incursions into Montenegro would have serious consequences,'' Albright said. Albright also said that under discussion was a British proposal to create some kind of international protected area within Kosovo that would allow there to be self-government with an international protective force. ''I think it is very hard to imagine that the Kosovar people could go back and just live easily side by side with the Serbs who have committed these kinds of atrocities,'' she said. Congress also was considering the administration's emergency spending request for $6 billion to help continue the air war through September, if necessary, and to pay refugee-related costs. House GOP leaders said they anticipated making the measure even larger to help meet some longer-term needs of the Pentagon such as buying more weapons and ammunition and dealing with a personnel shortage. Some House conservatives have said the bill should cost $15 billion to $18 billion to adequately cover Pentagon needs. But Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said a $15 billion measure would lack ''any realistic chance'' of being approved, and said he preferred something under $10 billion. In any event, its seems likely that the money would be taken from the government's budget surplus, estimated at about $110 billion this year, cutting into funds set aside for Social Security. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., asked Albright: ''Where is this money going to come from?'' He suggested that, if the war continues, programs such as a national missile defense - long a priority for conservatives - might have to be abandoned. Albright engaged in lively, sometimes contentious, debate with House members, many of them expressing skepticism about the conduct of the war and long-range U.S. goals. Rep. Jim Leach, a Republican from Iowa who is a political moderate, told Albright that U.S. ''policies to date are clearly not working.'' ''Just like in the Vietnam War, wouldn't it have been better to declare victory and get out?'' he asked. ''Let me dispute your point that things are not working,'' Albright said. ''We believe the air campaign is accomplishing a great deal. No one thought it would end quickly.'' Several members of the panel complained that the administration had yet to formally seek approval from Congress for the NATO military campaign. Chairman Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., told Albright that the administration is on the verge of being ''in clear violation'' of the War Powers Act. The law requires presidents to win approval from Congress before committing U.S. forces to combat. Presidents of both parties have sought to get around the measure. Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Calif., has sponsored resolutions to invoke that law, setting up possible showdown votes on the House floor as early as next week on whether to declare are or withdraw troops. ''As to specifically the declaration of war, we strongly oppose this resolution,'' said Albright. ''We don't consider ourselves 'at war' with Yugoslavia or its people. NATO is acting to deter unlawful violence in Kosovo ... and upholding the will of the international community.'' ''But, of course, we would welcome the support of Congress in an appropriate forum,'' she said. She did not elaborate other than to say, ''We will continue to work with Congress to ensure that you all play an important role in these matters.''