Yugoslav parliament condemns interference in internal affairs
Serbian Ministry of Information - December 4, 1998

Belgrade, Dec 3 (Tanjug) - Both chambers of the Yugoslav Federal Assembly (parliament) adopted at separate sessions on Thursday a Declaration condemning pressure, threats and interference by the United States of America in the internal affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).

The declaration was tabled in the Chamber of Citizens (lower house) and the Chamber of Republics (upper house) by the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), Yugoslav Left (JUL), the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro (SNP CG), the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) and the Serbian National Party of Montenegro (SNS CG).

The text of the declaration (unofficial translation) follows:
 

The Federal Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia notes with indignation:

That there have lately occurred a series of gross attacks by officials of the U.S. Administration on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, its vital state and national interests and constitutional institutions.

That the latest U.S. pressure has come about after it has become clear that (the Yugoslav republic of) Serbia and Yugoslavia do not accept the thesis about so-called "displacement of Serbia from (its province of) Kosovo-Metohija," and that they would, at all costs, defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and a settlement for Kosovo-Metohija on the basis of equality for all people, national and ethnic communities.

In this connection, the Federal Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

D E C L A R E S

1. All present, as well as past, U.S. pressure is in fact support for separatism and terrorism in Kosovo-Metohija and causes destabilization of the region.

2. Resolutely rejects and condemns all forms of pressure, threat and gross interference by the USA in the internal affairs of the FRY. In order to attain its destructive objectives in the Balkans, the United States of America, its official representatives and services, are giving direct support and assistance to the separatism and terrorism and financing the opponents of the independence, stability and progress of the FRY. In this way, the USA, as a super power, places itself in the service of the terrorists and separatists, forces that have declared their aim to be retailoring of international border, creating of a so-called "Greater Albania" at the expense of the territories of sovereign states in the region. This is in violation of the fundamental principles of the U.N. Charter and of resolutions of the U.N. Security Council condemning terrorism and separatism, and jeopardizes the lasting peace and stability of the region.

3. Invites representatives of the USA to stop deceiving the U.S. and world public that, with their policy of threats and blackmail towards Yugoslavia, they are in fact working for human rights, the protection of ethnic minorities and democracy.

4. Resolutely condemns the contacts and cooperation of ranking U.S. officials with Albanian terrorists, murderers, kidnappers and hardened bandits of the Albanian drug mafia and organised international crime in general. In this way, U.S. representatives are giving open support to the separatism and terrorism in Kosovo-Metohija, despite the proven fact that the separatists and terrorists have ties with terrorist organizations in Asia, the Gulf, east and north Africa, which competent U.S. services know full well.

5. Statements by ranking U.S. officials that they cannot displace Kosovo-Metohija out of Serbia, that they cannot snatch it away and annex it to some "Greater Albania" for as long as Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is in power, are in fact expressions of recognition to Yugoslavia and its president for their policy of defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. The Federal Assembly gives full support to the president of the F.R. Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, to persevere in the defence of the vital national and state interests, on a peaceful and just settlement of problems in Kosovo-Metohija in the best interests of all ethnic communities living in Kosovo-Metohija and in the best interests of all people of our country.

6. The will of the people expressed in elections is a sovereign will and this principle, on which modern democracies, including the USA, are based, is valid equally in the case of Serbia and the F.R. Yugoslavia. The constitutional bodies of Serbia and Yugoslavia cannot be replaced and appointed to suit the tastes of any one foreign factor, nor can the will of the people be called in question. It is the duty of democratically elected bodies and institutions to protect efficaciously, with all methods at their disposal, the sovereignty, independence and integrity of the country, to defend its dignity, and at this time above all, resolutely to stand in the way of all kinds of separatism and terrorism. Kosovo-Metohija has always been and is today and forever will be an integral part of the Republic of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. We expect the American public and the United States of America to understand and accept this fact, and not to provoke crises, orchestrate pressure to attain targets that they conceal from their own public and from the international public as well.

7. If the USA truly wishes to see a democratic Serbia and F.R. Yugoslavia, it will best help by lifting economic sanctions and pressure on Serbia and the FRY, as well as by taking a firm and principled attitude to the ethnic Albanian separatism and terrorism in Kosovo-Metohija, in line with the U.N. Charter, international law and modern democratic principles. The outer wall of sanctions and direct or indirect support for ethnic Albanian separatists do not stimulate democratic processes, but rather seriously hamper them instead.

8. The Federal Assembly stresses that peace, stability and relations can be developed solely on the principles of equality, independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of others and strict respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others. Anything else would bring incalculable danger not only to the region, but to international relations in general.

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