January 26, 1999
Vienna -- Ambassador William Walker, head of the Kosovo Verification Mission, said at a press conference at the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) January 25 that "I think that ICTY [International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia] and Judge Arbour should be allowed to come in" to investigate the deaths of 45 Kosovar Albanian civilians in the village of Racak in southern Kosovo.
Saying of his "frozen" persona non grata status, "I've been told that that status in no way puts conditions on what I do, that it was a word selected in place of a lot of other words which were unacceptable to Belgrade. I have no feeling that it puts constraints on what I can do, or what I should do."
Calling the killings in Racak "dramatic," he said, "I think that the attention that was placed on my diplomatic status was a diversion of sorts. It took attention away from the real issue which had to do with 'Who killed those people? Why were they killed? What punishment is going to be meted out to those who committed that massacre?' I think a lot of good came out of the meetings, despite the horrors. I think, out of Racak -- the Kosovo Verification Mission came out strengthened."
To charges that there was no massacre, Walker responded, "I haven't heard anything like that from the Finnish forensic team.... I was astounded that the Yugoslav forensic team had begun the autopsy investigation and that after examination of three of the forty-five bodies, they had announced to the world there had been no evidence for what Walker had found -- for what the Kosovo Verification Mission had found -- of a massacre."
On the subject of the verifiers, Amb. Walker said, "We were surprised by events in Podujevo and the other parts of the country where we had not put verifiers before. We are putting verifiers there now. What we want to do, what our goal is, is to have a verifier in every corner of the country so we can observe what is going on and report it as quickly as possible."
Walker suggested the press talk with reporters he had shown around the Klina area who were "all impressed by the things the Kosovo Verification Mission was doing, things that don't get much publicity, things that aren't easy to quantify. For example, such as bringing electricity to those without electricity, because ethnic Serbs won't visit the villages to hook up the electricity."
He said in this case the KVM explained to the Serbs that "the population wanted the electricity more than they wanted to eject the Serb technicians, and we were willing to accompany them into the village, all of a sudden lights were going on in the Klina area."
When asked if he expected any difficulty in returning to Kosovo from Vienna, Ambassador Walker replied, "My understanding was that President Milosevic gave the Chairman-in-Office [of the OSCE] a very solid guarantee that I would continue as Head of Mission, and that I would continue to perform my duties as needed. It was needed that I come to Vienna to talk to the Watch Group. It is beyond my comprehension that President Milosevic would not keep his word."
Joining Ambassador Walker at the press conference was Ambassador Eide, representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek. Ambassador Eide said, "The CIO has been promised that the Head of Mission can continue his work. It is obvious that a Head of Mission of this sort will have to travel to various capitals for consultations, and therefore we do not expect any complications with the normal procedures."
Following is a transcript of the press conference:
(Begin transcript)
AMB. WALKER: I am happy to be able to come to Vienna to discuss the [Kosovo Verification] Mission. I wanted to tell the (OSCE Kosovo) Watch Group that a couple of thresholds have been crossed. The Kosovo Verification Mission is past building up and establishing infrastructure. Those were difficult days, given the difficult absorption capacity of Kosovo to bring in so many different international people with different tasks. What I think we saw over the last couple of weeks is that we are well past that initial phase.
We have taken on some new tasks which we had not anticipated. In terms of hostage releases on both sides, in terms of the pullback of both forces when they looked like they were about to go at each other -- that sort of thing. But another threshold I think we have passed is that the people of Kosovo -- if not yet the people of Belgrade or the people outside -- the people in Kosovo, both Albanians and Serbs, see the Kosovo Verification Mission in a positive way ... that we are making a difference, and not just in the areas that I have mentioned. Get hostages released and the world will pay attention to it, or that we go in and get military forces to not go at each other. But I think that the entire population is beginning to see that the Kosovo Verification Mission can make things happen in terms of their day-to-day lives, a feeling of security and confidence. The very fact that we are there, riding around in our little orange vehicles trying to bring a sense of security to the local population: That is starting to happen. It is a threshold we have crossed and I think it is an important one.
Two days ago, in my first day as a "frozen persona non grata," wanting to show that I was there, I took some of your colleagues out around the Klina area. I think you should talk to them because they were all impressed by the things the Kosovo Verification Mission was doing, things that don't get much publicity, things that aren't easy to quantify. For example, such as bringing electricity to those without electricity, because ethnic Serbs won't visit the villages to hook up the electricity. When the Kosovo Verification Mission came along and explained that the population wanted the electricity more than they wanted to eject the Serb technicians and we were willing to accompany them into the village, all of a sudden lights were going on in the Klina area. Some of you might have seen a very spontaneous response in Klina in front of the media where they (the villagers) applauded the Kosovo Verification Mission presence in their area. I could tell you more stories about the Kosovo Verification Mission being appreciated without the press covering the event....
Let me tell you about the killings in Racak: They were dramatic. I think that the attention that was placed on my diplomatic status was a diversion of sorts. It took attention away from the real issue which had to do with "Who killed those people? Why were they killed? What punishment is going to be meted out to those who committed that massacre?" I think a lot of good came out of the meetings, despite the horrors. I think, out of Racak -- the Kosovo Verification Mission came out strengthened. We appreciated the support we got from the international world and to hear from just about every one of the member states, their foreign ministers' statements. And of course I felt very pleased to hear that I would not be removed as HOM [Head of Mission], because we are interested to make the Kosovo Verification Mission bigger, better, more responsive to the needs of the people of Kosovo.
Despite last week, I think the mission is getting stronger day by day. There was no indication that member states were thinking of their contributions. On the contrary, member states were asking, "What more can we do? What more is needed?" That was my message to the Watch Group: We've come out of this stronger, tougher. We are going to be willing to be proactive, to take risks to improve the situation. I think we are going to move on to more successes: not just hostage release, but more importantly on a grass-roots level in the villages, on a level where most people don't get to see us, or what we are doing. I would encourage you to come down and see us on the ground to fully understand and appreciate what we are doing.
Q: What is your comment about the forensic reports that no massacre took place? (Belgrade Novosti)
A: I'm sorry I haven't heard anything like that from the Finnish forensic team, and I would be surprised if that was an accurate quote. We were told by the team that it would take several weeks for them to complete their autopsies and another several weeks to complete their reports. I was astounded that the Yugoslav forensic team had begun the autopsy investigation and that after examination of three of the forty-five bodies, they had announced to the world there had been no evidence for what Walker had found -- for what the Kosovo Verification Mission had found -- of a massacre. After completing only three of the forty-five, I would be very surprised if the head of the Finnish delegation would fall into the same process. This is a very serious matter, these autopsies. I think that ICTY [International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia] and Judge Arbour should be allowed to come in. You know that has been stressed by the various people who have spoken to President Milosevic over the week, "Let it begin." Unfortunately, that has not happened.
Q: Excuse me, this was twenty-seven ... the number Yesterday. (Belgrade Novosti)
A: That's correct. I'm saying that the Yugoslav delegation of forensics experts announced a decision within a day of having examined the bodies. I know it has increased since then.
Q: Why did you prima facie speak of the killings as "massacres"?
A: I explained that at the conference, that I am not a lawyer. I had just come down from where I had seen the bodies. I think that anyone who came down from there and had seen the bodies would have described it as a massacre. I use the word "killings" here because that is another aspect of a massacre. That was a massacre down there. We have been examining much more than what we saw on the ground, since the events. Nothing that we have seen in any way contradicts what I said at that press conference. Everything we have seen -- in terms of witnesses and evidence -- coincides with what I said. I am confident that, when the last word is written about that event, it will be described, by rational and unbiased observers at least, as a "massacre." I am not stepping back from those words I issued after my trip to Racak. As i say, I would be appreciative if the ICTY could come in to investigate. They are experts in war crimes, in crimes against humanity, and I think they would be the people who would be best suited to say if I am right or wrong. But that is not happening because the FRY ["Federal Republic of Yugoslavia"] will not allow them in.
Q: Are you able to guess which tactical, or strategic goals has the VJ attacks? Why in these regions of Kosovo?
A: As we described, when we arrived, most of the military action was taking place in the west. This is where we put our verifiers: in the west. We were surprised by events in Podujevo and the other parts of the country where we had not put verifiers before. We are putting verifiers there now. What we want to do, what our goal is, is to have a verifier in every corner of the country so we can observe what is going on and report it as quickly as possible. The question of the strategic goal of the VJ, or the FRY, I suggest you take that to them. I have no idea what it might be.
Q: Could you be declared PNG again? Does that leave you more circumspect in the future if such situations should rise again? Do you find it intimidating in any way to have that threat hanging over your head?
A: I've been in the diplomatic field for thirty-eight years now, and I've never heard that term before, "frozen" persona non grata. I'm still sort of getting used to it. I've been told that that status in no way puts conditions on what I do, that it was a word selected in place of a lot of other words which were unacceptable to Belgrade. I have no feeling that it puts constraints on what I can do, or what I should do. I have no feeling that it in any way inhibits the work of the mission or me from proceeding as we have in the past. I do not see it as any impediment to calling things as I see them. So I guess the answer to your question is, "No. I don't see it as any impediment."
CIO REP AMBASSADOR EIDE: I just want to add that Ambassador Walker's performance does not come from somebody who is "frozen." On the contrary, Amb. Walker is somebody who is very upbeat, enthusiastic, and optimistic about the job he is doing. We expect that he will continue his work as head of the mission.
Q: If you see something in the future that looks like a massacre, you will call it a massacre, won't you? You won't feel intimidated by your situation?
A: That is correct. Definitely correct.
Q: After all those accusations from Belgrade, how do you imagine your work?
A: I think a good number of people are trying to convey to Milosevic and Milutinovic that their personal attacks on me were not wise, were not appropriate. As I said, I do not feel in any way less able to do my job than before. I feel saddened that they feel so bad about me. I'm the sort of person who likes to be liked. It's not me, I guess, in the present situation.
Q: What will be the time frame for deployment, given what has arisen? Do you think that any solution short of independence will satisfy the Kosovar Albanians?
A: We are moving forward as originally planned. Obviously, there were a few days last week where we did not bring people into the training center. But that has resumed. The inhibiting factors have more to do with getting protective vehicles to get people out and about. But the rhythm is going to be at the pace we originally planned for. It has not been expressed that we should slow down; our presence is very assuring on the ground for people's security. Regarding independence, I think you have to leave that to the people who are handling the political side of the equation. We hope to get them in and working on a political solution as soon as possible. But it's certainly not for me to say.
Q: Do you have any indication that the (inaudible) are reacting in any way?
A: There's a lot of verbiage as to how they are reacting to what they perceive as pressure and threats. Other than that, I can't say what they are thinking.
Q: What is your comment on the use of NATO forces? What was the content of your discussion on NATO here in Vienna?
A: For my part, I was reassured from what I heard from our NATO partners. (to Amb. Eide) why don't you characterize...
AMB. EIDE: What we had today was a briefing from Amb. Walker specifically on the security situation on the ground. We had representatives from the mission itself and NATO. From their point of view, as to the contribution to the mission, the thematic approach which we take in the Watch Group. It's part of that process: We try to cover as many issues as we can. I must say I am pleased to see how far we have come in cooperation with other organizations and in other areas.
Q: Do you think you might have any problems getting back to Kosovo? What about an Albanian delegation for negotiation?
AMB. WALKER: My understanding was that President Milosevic gave the Chairman-in-Office [of the OSCE] a very solid guarantee that I would continue as Head of Mission, and that I would continue to perform my duties as needed. It was needed that I come to Vienna to talk to the Watch Group. It is beyond my comprehension that President Milosevic would not keep his word. I happened to be present when the Chairman-in-Office came down right after assuming the Office of Chairman, and the message he gave very strongly to the Albanian groups was, "Get your act together so that you can speak with a united voice." And I think that message was taken loud and clear, among the various Albanians, to try to bring their various groups together.
AMB. EIDE: The CIO [Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE] has been promised that the Head of Mission can continue his work. It is obvious that a Head of Mission of this sort will have to travel to various capitals for consultations, and therefore we do not expect any complications with the normal procedures. Thank you very much.
(End transcript)
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