ICCN Statement on Yugoslavia
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 09:49:48 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: ICCN Statement on Yugoslavia
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: George Khutsishvili <[email protected]>
ICCN Statement on Yugoslavia
Dear Friends:
Yesterday we at the ICCN have stated our position on the Kosovo crisis
and tragic developments in Yugoslavia. We invite you to intensify an
open discussion of these issues, and you are also welcome to add this
Statement to your internet pages and materials, as time is running
out.
Peace,
George Khutsishvili
-----------
STATEMENT
Of the International Center on Conflict and Negotiation
April 12, 1999
Tbilisi, Georgia
Today is the twentieth day of the NATO air bombings of the capital
Belgrade and other cities of Yugoslavia. The decision about the air
strikes was made by the NATO member countries as a result of
unsuccessful attempts to prevent mass violations of basic human rights
and extermination of the ethnic Albanian population in the Kosovo/a
province of Yugoslavia. The international community failed in its
attempts to persuade the Yugoslav leaders to take a constructive
position towards the proposed peaceful initiatives.
It became obvious, however, that the bombings did worsen and
complicated the crisis, instead of pushing towards a constructive
solution. Geo-politically a Central-European country of tradition,
Yugoslavia was even under the communist rule characterized with a
pronounced Western orientation. Now Belgrade seeks a closest military
and political union possible with Russia and Belarus (!) at the
expense of further alienation from the rest of Europe. Yugoslavia may
finally be lost for Europe, turning into a hostile and alien power at
the strategic Mediterranean gate. It is worthwhile to visualise the
reasons of such destructive developments in the world policy.
The Yugoslavia developments showed once again with clarity that there
is no military solution to an ethnic conflict. Today's Yugoslavia is
but another manifestation of the regularities of ethnic conflict which
have already shown in the post-Soviet space. Any military involvement
to the end of forceful solution fosters radicalisation of public
consciousness, consolidation of the nation around an uncompromising
leader which suddenly rises to the ranks of national hero and becomes
unreachable for criticism, it further hardens positions, pushes
towards reconsidering values and orientations. The great majority of
people suffering from the bombings are not those responsible for
atrocities in Kosovo/a, yet it looks they have to pay for it.
Logically enough, their antagonism grows not against the Milosevic
regime that has provoked an impasse, but against all those nations
identified with the NATO decision about the air strikes.
Under given circumstances, introduction of the NATO ground forces into
Yugoslavia would lead to even more unpredictable and destructive
outcomes, make the whole situation uncontrollable, and fade away the
prospect of a final solution. There should exist alternatives though.
It is not yet late to take steps towards avoiding the global
destructive effects of the unleashing process. To facilitate them, THE
BOMBINGS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY AND WITHOUT ANY PRECONDITION STOPPED.
Right thereupon, an intensive political dialogue should start, keeping
in mind that negotiating with Serbs will now be immeasurably more
difficult, than it was before the bombings started. But, if they are
not stopped now, a negotiated solution may never happen.
------------------------------------------------
> George Khutsishvili, Ph.D.
> Director of the International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN)
> Mailing Address: P.O. Box 38, Tbilisi, 380079, Georgia
> Phones: 995-32-939178; 995-32-999987
> Fax: 995-32-939178
> E-mail: [email protected]
> Homepage: http://members.tripod.com/`iccn
--
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