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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
April 1, 1999

U.S. Concerned That KVM Local Employees May be Targets of Retribution

The United States is deeply concerned by credible reports that local employees in Kosovo of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM), as well as of humanitarian and non-governmental organizations, have been targeted for retribution by security forces in the FRY. The OSCE has confirmation that Serbian police killed one ethnic Albanian KVM employee last week, and has been unable to make contact with at least 20 local KVM employees in Kosovo.

During its nearly five months in Kosovo, the OSCE KVM mission, along with other international organizations, contributed enormously to stability, the alleviation of human suffering, and the protection of innocent civilians of all Kosovo's ethnic communities. The local employees of these organizations labored alongside the international staff to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Kosovo conflict. It is simply unconscionable that anyone would seek to retaliate against them for their efforts to bring about peace and diminish suffering in Kosovo. The government of the FRY bears a special obligation in this regard, given its commitment to guarantee the security of the Kosovo Verification Mission.

The United States again reminds the Belgrade authorities that attacks directed against the civilian population are war crimes under international law. War crimes, along with genocide and crimes against humanity, that may be committed in Kosovo are within the jurisdiction of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We will continue to work with the prosecutor of the International Tribunal to assist her efforts to prosecute anyone responsible for ordering and carrying out such crimes in Kosovo.

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