ISCOMET
ISCOMET - INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE MINORITIES FOR EUROPE OF
TOMORROW
ISCOMET - MEDNARODNA ZNANSTVENA KONFERENCA MANJSINE ZA JUTRISNJO EVROPO
NGO enjoying consultative status with the Council of Europe
ISCOMET ima posvetovalni status pri Svetu Evrope
Mladinska 9, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia; Tel.: +38 62 221 709, Fax: +386 62
222 240
E-mail: devetak@uni-mb.si; jasmina.klojcnik@uni-mb.si
STATEMENT
ON THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE KOSOVO CRISIS
ISCOMET - The International Scientific Conference of Minorities for the
Europe of Tomorrow, faithful to its moral and legal principles concerning
peace, democracy, human rights, reconciliation between peoples and the
protection of minorities, being convinced that the use of violence can not
be a means for resolving ethnic conflicts, continuing its activities
undertaken since 1990 for the realisation of these principles in the
territory of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia and with regard
to the relations between them, has adopted the following Statement on the
Peaceful Resolution of the Kosovo Crisis:
General considerations. The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia has apparently had
the opposite effect of that which was intended, that is to prevent the
further expulsion of the Albanian population from Kosovo and to make
possible a political settlement of the conflict, in line with the
requirements of the international community. The continuation of bombing
has resulted in a severe deterioration of the situation not only for the
population of Kosovo, but also for other parts of Yugoslavia, irrespective
of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations. In addition to the
humanitarian catastrophe that has been caused by the expulsion or exodus of
the Albanians and, proportionally, of members of other ethnic groups from
Kosovo, a human catastrophe is emerging that effects the entire Yugoslav
population, which is composed not only of Serbs (64 per cent of the total)
but also of Albanians, Hungarians, Montenegrins, Romanians, Croats,
Slovaks, Ruthenians and other ethnic groups who have their kith and kin in
neighbouring countries.
It is essential to be aware of the number of civilian casualties, which is
increasing day by day (at least 500 killed and even more injured by now),
of other "collateral damage" which has now achieved disastrous proportions
and of the real danger of a major ecological catastrophe, which could
affect the whole geographical area, etc. As things now stand, the final
outcome could be the total destruction of the economic, social and cultural
foundation of a European nation and of the international infrastructure in
this part of Europe, on the one hand, and the additional exodus of
Albanians from a devastated Kosovo, who will probably remain for an
uncertain time in neighbouring countries which are either unable or are
unwilling to host them, on the other hand.
The existing regime in Serbia has been reinforced by NATO attacks against
Yugoslavia due to the natural response of people to "rally round the flag"
at a time of external aggression. Contrary to the NATO's intention,
democratic forces in Serbia have been weakened and, in addition, the
democratic government of Montenegro finds now itself between the NATO
"hammer" and the Serbian regime's "anvil"; it is also confronted with a
large pro-Serbian oriented population with the potential for violent
conflict between the two groups.
Proposals. In order to stop the further deterioration of the situation it
is necessary, with political wisdom and human dignity, to undertake the
following measures:
-
The immediate and simultaneous cessation of any action by Serbian
military, paramilitary and police units which leads to the harassment and
expulsion of the Albanian population remaining in Kosovo, a cease-fire
between Serbian forces and the KLA , the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from
Kosovo, cessation of NATO bombing of targets in Yugoslavia, and the
suspension of economic and symbolic sanctions directed against Yugoslavia
and its constituent republics.
-
The immediate sending of humanitarian aid to Kosovo and other parts of
Yugoslavia affected by the present conflict and to the approximately half a
million refugees from previous conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia Hercegovina
who have not received international aid in the past, and whose resentment
and unequal treatment could jeopardise long-term prospects for peace in the
region.
-
The development of an international peace-keeping force in Kosovo
organised and co-ordinated by the UN.
-
The return of the OSCE verifiers to Kosovo and their introduction into
other parts of Yugoslavia affected by the war in order to investigate the
amount of damage and to identify the urgent needs of the population with
the aim of avoiding a further major human catastrophe.
-
The persecution and punishment of persons, whoever they are, who
committed, collaborated with the perpetrators of, or instigated the crime
of genocide, crimes against humanity, the crime of ethnic cleansing and war
crimes.
-
The organisation of the safe return of the Albanian and other peoples of
Kosovo to their homes.
-
The immediate start of Serbian/Albanian negotiations under the aegis of
the Secretary General of the UN with the participation of all parties
involved in the conflict, European neutral states and states who have a
connection with the region, leading to the adoption, by the Parliament of
Serbia, of clearly worded legislation for the broadly autonomous status of
Kosovo within Yugoslavia and a detailed programme of legislative,
educational and other measures to be taken to improve inter-ethnic
relations within Kosovo and for a better understanding of the culture,
history and traditions of Albanians and other minorities living in Yugoslavia.
-
The convening of a donor's conference aimed at discussing and proposing
plans for the adoption of economic, social and logistical measures for war
affected areas and war affected populations including refugees and
displaced persons from the present and previous conflicts, and the
restoration of navigation on international waterway, the river Danube.
-
The convening of an international conference within the framework of the
OSCE dealing with security, stability, human rights and the protection of
ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in south-eastern Europe leading
to the repatriation of all refugees and displaced persons and the
development of programmes of assistance for the strengthening of democratic
institutions and the culture of democracy. The representatives of the
relevant NGOs, religious communities and organisations as well as other
entities of civil society should be invited to take part and give their
contributions to the deliberations of the conference.
-
Prof.Dr. Silvo Devetak, President of ISCOMET - International Scientific
Conference on Minorities for the Europe of Tomorrow (Slovenia)
-
Romedi Arquint, President of FUEN - Federal Union of European
Nationalities (Switzerland)
-
Dr. Ludwig Elle, Vice-President of FUEN - Federal Union of European
Nationalities and Vice-President of DOMOWINA (Germany)
-
Hans Heinrich Hansen, Vice-President of FUEN - Federal Union of European
Nationalities (Denmark)
-
Bojan Brezigar, President of EBLUL - The European Bureau for Lesser Used
Languages (Belgium)
-
Prof.Dr. Winfried Bottcher, Vice-President of ISCOMET (Germany)
-
Prof.Dr. Peter Roberts, Vice-President of ISCOMET (United Kingdom)
-
Dr.Lyuba Shishelina, Vice-President of ISCOMET (Russian Federation)
-
Prof.Dr.Emil Kirchner, President of the Scientific Council of ISCOMET
(United Kingdom)
-
Jasmina Klojcnik, Secretary General of ISCOMET (Slovenia)
-
Prof.Dr. Semyen Appatov (Ukraine)
-
Prof.Dr. Jan Berting (Netherlands)
-
Prof.Dr. Thomas Bremer (Germany)
-
Costa Carras, Vice-president, Europa Nostra (Greece)
-
Prof.Dr. hab. Wladyslaw Czaplinski, Jean Monnet Professor of International
and European Law (Poland)
-
Richard Danitza (Poland)
-
Dr. Vladimir Dubovik (Ukraine)
-
Miljenka Fischer Devetak, M.A. (Croatia)
-
Prof. Karsten Fledelius (Denmark)
-
Angus Fowler M.A. (Germany / United Kingdom)
-
Hermann Heil (Denmark)
-
Prof.Dr. Henry R. Huttenbach (United States of America)
-
Dr. Zivojin Jazic (FR Yugoslavia)
-
Prof.Dr. Igor Koval (Ukraine)
-
Karl Kring (Germany)
-
Bostjan Lovsin, M.A.Ph. (Slovenia)
-
Maire Mattinen, arch. (Finland)
-
Igor Mekina (Slovenia)
-
Dr.Dahlia Moore (Israel)
-
Jasna Murgel M.A. (Slovenia)
-
Elisabeth Naucler, The Aland Islands (Finland)
-
Hon. Francis Noel Baker (Greece / United Kingdom)
-
Letas Palmaitis (Lithuania)
-
Dr. Franc Perko, Belgrade Archbishop and Metropolitan (FR Yugoslavia)
- Prof.Dr. Remigio Ratti, (Ticino, Switzerland)
- Donall O Riagain (Ireland)
- Prof. Andras Roman PhD Architect (Hungary)
- Prof.Dr. Dominique Rosenberg (France)
- John Sell, RIBA, DipCons (United Kingdom)
- Dr.Vasile Sandru (Romania)
- Dr.Julija Spiridonova (Bulgaria)
- Maja Uzelac M.A., Director, A Small Step, Centre for the Culture of Peace
- and Non-violence (Croatia)
- Prof. Vera Varsa - Szekeres, MA (Hungary)
- Svetlana Vasovic-Mekina (Slovenia)
- Boze Vuleta, Franciscan Institute for the Culture of Peace (Croatia-Bosnia
Herzegovina)
- Jane Wade, MFA, DipCons (United Kingdom)
- Bojana Weiss-Hatic (Slovenia /
Croatia)
- (The list of supporters is continuously being updated with new signatures)
Maribor, 5 May 1999
ISCOMET - is an international NGO with about 250 members from all European
countries and is enjoying the consultative status with the Council of Europe
FUEN - is an international NGO which includes representatives of minorities
from all European countries and has the consultative status with the
Council of Europe and the UN
EBLUL - was established in the framework of the EU with the aim to protect
and ensure the development of the lesser used languages within the EU
|