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Conclusions of Serbian parliament
March 24, 1999



Belgrade, March 23 (Tanjug) - The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, at its session of March 23, 1999, reviewed the state delegation's report on talks held at Rambouillet and in Paris, and adopted the following

C O N C L U S I O N S


I

1. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia most strongly condemns threats of aggression to our country and our people, as well as a NATO troop build-up on our borders. Preparations of war and threats of aggression against our country are destroying the political process for the resolution of problems in Kosovo and Metohija and hampering the reaching of a political agreement, representing a direct support and assistance to separatists and terrorists.

2. NATO threats constitute a direct violation of the U.N. Charter and the jeopardizing of our country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. NATO is trampling on the basic principles of international relations, on the very foundations of the international order and represent a threat to international peace and security. Therefore, we request that the U.N. Security Council prevent the violation of the U.N. Charter, to immediately place on its agenda a request by the government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to condemn NATO action. We request the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the U.N. not to turn a blind eye to the threat of aggression and hide themselves behind silence, because this will make them accessories to destruction of generally-accepted principles in international relations and also to attack against a sovereign country, a United Nations co-founder. We also condemn a withdrawal of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission. There is not a single reason for this but to put the withdrawal into the service of blackmails and threats to our country.

3. We are warning NATO and all countries whose territory might be used to attempt an aggression against our country that we shall defend our territory, our people and our freedom by all means available.

4. We urge the parliaments and governments of all U.N. and OSCE member-countries, as well as of the Contact Group member-countries, to support a resumption of the political process and condemn threats of force and the advocating of an aggression against our country.

II

1. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia accepts Serbian government delegation's report on talks held at Rambouillet and in Paris and notes that the delegation, with its principled and constructive efforts, has done its utmost toward the reaching of a political agreement on the peaceful settlement of problems in Kosovo and Metohija.

2. The state delegation acted in line with the platform worded by the National Assembly in its conclusions of February 4, 1999, toward the reaching of a political agreement on a wide-ranging autonomy for Kosovo and Metohija, with the securing of a full equality of all citizens and ethnic communities and with respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

III

1. We have accepted the talks in France, starting out from a firm commitment of the people and of all political factors in the country to do our best and to contribute to a peaceful political settlement of problems in Kosovo and Metohija in good faith that the international community and the Contact Group, which had organized the talks, want the same.

2. Instead of direct talks and genuine efforts toward the reaching of a political agreement on an essential wide-ranging autonomy and instead of peace and political settlement, dictate, forgeries, threats, blackmails and NATO troops have been offered in France.

3. The National Assembly stresses with regret that the international mediators, as well as the co-chairmen of the talks at Rambouillet and in Paris, have failed to find a way to persuade the separatist movement's delegation to sit at the same table with the Serbian state delegation and, therefore, there were no talks between the two delegations.



IV

1. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia takes note that no political agreement between the two delegations was reached either at the Rambouillet or the Paris talks.

2. The Serbian state delegation cannot be blamed for the failure of the talks in Rambouillet and Paris, as it had constantly been insisting on direct talks and consultations. The fault lies solely with the delegation of the separatist and terrorist movement and with all who had allowed them to behave in such a manner and sign a text which they had not wanted to discuss with the Serbian state delegation at all, but which they proclaimed as a complete agreement.

3. Agreement was not reached because the separatist-terrorist delegation of ethnic Albanians avoided direct talks as it did not give up its separatist goals: to use autonomy as a means for establishing a "state within a state"; to secure occupation of Serbia through the implementation of the political agreement; to create an ethnically pure Kosovo-Metohija under the pretext of protecting human rights and democracy; and to secure the secession of Kosovo-Metohija from Serbia with the help of their patrons and through an international protectorate and referendum.

4. Agreement was not reached also because the Contact Group insisted on proposals nullifying the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, thus violating its own fundamental principles defined on January 29, 1999, bringing confusion to the talks through undefined procedure for the work and decision-taking, thus creating the conditions for fraud and falsifying documents that were not discussed at any time or adopted by the Contact Group as a whole. By encouraging pressures and threats of aggression on our country, it provided an incentive to separatists and terrorists, thus contributing to the creation of an atmosphere unfavorable for reaching a political agreement on resolving problems in Kosovo-Metohija in a peaceful manner.

5. The paper signed by the separatist-terrorist delegation of ethnic Albanians does not constitute any kind of "agreement', but a demand for a "republic of Kosovo", initialed by their sponsors. The fraudulent document that was presented as an "agreement" is not a document of the Contact Group, as even some of its members have dissociated themselves from it. It constitutes an unprecedented criminal act in international legal relations and creates a pretext for fresh threats and pressures on our country. This document was imposed by force in Paris by the US, which thus openly sided with one party diplomatically, politically and militarily, placing the NATO in an alliance with separatists and terrorists.



V

1. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia assesses that the Agreement proposed and signed by the state delegation constitutes a key contribution to the political process of resolving problems in Kosovo-Metohija by peaceful means. The signatures of the members of our delegation, representatives of all ethnic communities living in Kosovo-Metohija - Serbs, Montenegrins, Muslims, Turks, Romanies, Goranies, Egyptians and ethnic Albanian parties in favor of living together as equals with the other communities - confirm the essential value and importance of that document.

2. This agreement is fully in line with the Contact Group principles, provides for wide autonomy of Kosovo-Metohija within Serbia and the FR of Yugoslavia, guarantees sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and the FR of Yugoslavia, full equality of citizens and all ethnic communities, the constitution of democratic institutions for decision-taking on a footing of equality and without outvoting, and rules out independence of Kosovo-Metohija or a status of a third republic. This agreement reiterates the commitment to peaceful coexistence and a safe future for all in a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional Kosovo-Metohija.

3. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia presents the Agreement on self rule in Kosovo-Metohija to the parliaments of all UN member-states to witness the form and the scope of autonomy that the Republic of Serbia guarantees to ethnic Albanians, Serbs, Montenegrins, Muslims, Romanies, Goranies, Turks, and Egyptians who live in Kosmet and urges them to express their views on democratic provisions that guarantee the equality of ethnic communities in the province.

4. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia once again clearly reiterates that the Republic of Serbia and the FR of Yugoslavia remain committed to a political settlement of problems in Kosovo-Metohija. We reiterate our readiness to have the state delegation immediately resume talks directly with representatives of ethnic Albanian political parties and all other ethnic communities. Serbia is open to a feasible political agreement.

5. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia empowers the state delegation to sign a political agreement on self rule in Kosovo-Metohija on which agreement will be reached by representatives of all ethnic communities living in Kosovo-Metohija.

6. The National Assembly instructs the government of the Republic of Serbia to immediately put into operation this agreement and propose solutions for implementing it as soon as possible, in order to guarantee the strengthening of the new structure of authorities in Kosmet, secure inter-ethnic confidence-building, prepare a census, and lay the conditions for direct, general and secret elections and for an overall normalization of the situation in the province.



VI

1. We thank the parliaments, governments, numerous political parties, scientific, cultural and educational organizations and institutions, numerous eminent intellectuals, scientists, artists and other public figures and individuals worldwide who have expressed support to our people and state in this historically decisive moment in the defense of freedom, independence and dignity, and who have raised their voices in the defense of the principle of equality of peoples and states in international relations and condemned the threats of aggression to a sovereign country. All this has contributed to making the truth on the real reasons for the problems in Kosovo-Metohija known to the world.

2. Serbia is united, determined and steadfast in the defense of its freedom, independence and territory. The plebiscitary commitment of our people, expressed at numerous rallies and gatherings in the country and the Diaspora has confirmed this. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia sees the unity of the people as a support to the state institutions to persevere in this policy and as the determination of the people to defend freedom, independence, honor and dignity of our state, and a commitment that the competent state institutions take all the necessary measures and activities in this regard.

3. The National Assembly expresses Serbia's determination to reach a speedy, peaceful and just agreement, so that the power of right and justice may prevail over force and injustice. At the same time, the National Assembly expresses its unanimity and readiness to defend Serbia and the FR of Yugoslavia from any aggressor, whatever his name or motives for this crime.
 


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