Finishing
the job in Kosovo
by
Lord Robertson
In the torrent of words since NATO’s
decisive action in Kosovo last year
it has been all too easy to focus
on the continuing problems, and forget
the
fundamentals. During my visit to Kosovo
ten days ago, on the anniversary of
NATO’s first airstrikes, I got
a vivid reminder of just why we acted,
how much we have already achieved,
and why we need to finish the job.
I visited a rebuilt school in a village
called Poklek, “ethnically cleansed”
this
time last year by the Serbs. When
Milosevic’s paramilitaries came
to Poklek,
53 local residents, including 10 children,
were locked in one house and the Serbs
threw in hand grenades. They then
burned the house and those in it.
Virtually every building in the village
was destroyed.
NATO drove out the Serb forces, and
KFOR re-established security in the
province. Families returned to their
scorched and bullet-ridden homes.
Children again began to study - inside
tents. But they did so in their native
language for the first time in ten
years. And with KFOR’s help,
a new school for Poklek was built.
The children still walk over an hour
to and from school each day. There
is no bus service, but life has begun
again.
The message to me and NATO Generals
Clark and Reinhardt was simple;
NATO was their savior. Their joy and
gratitude was as humbling and exhilarating
as was the deep sorrow of honouring
the photos of the 10 murdered children.
To anyone who doubts the rightness
of NATO’s actions last year,
I say,
go to Poklek’s new school, look
at those pictures, and tell me NATO
did not stop a great tragedy. To those
who argue that the international mission
is failing, let them too go to Poklek
school, speak to those lovely children
and tell me NATO has not made the
world of difference.
A year ago, Kosovo was sinking into
a nightmare, reliving horrors we
thought Europe had put behind it a
half a century before. Serbian forces
were carrying out a deliberate policy
of murder, rape and terror. More than
a million refugees were on the move.
The ruling regime was burning houses,
shelling towns, denying the majority
population basic rights of education,
health and democracy.
Today almost a million and a half
people are back in their homes. Tens
of
thousands of houses have been rebuilt.
Bridges and roads have been repaired.
Despite the harshness of the Balkan
winter, and here is a minor miracle,
there were no reported deaths due
to lack of food or shelter. What NATO
began, and KFOR continues, was not
only the right thing to do. It was
the only thing to do.
Do not let me suggest that we have
an easy road ahead. Though the conflict
may be over, the peace is still something
to be won day-by-day, and step-by-step.
This is a challenge for us all. But
it is a challenge we must meet. The
international community, which has
already done so much, must do even
better. We must put in the necessary
resources and see the job through.
Three things are key: troops, money,
and police. Let me take them in
turn and be blunt. KFOR has enough
troops to do the job. At NATO, we
keep a close watch on the situation
on the ground and we have a reserve
force at our disposal. If new forces
are required, NATO nations provide
them. Italy, France, Poland, and the
UK have all recently added forces
and capabilities to KFOR. There is
no crisis in KFOR troop levels.
Let me also correct one misperception:
The European Allies are doing their
share. Out of a force of some 45,000,
the U.S. is providing roughly
6,000 troops, slightly less than the
largest contributor, which is Italy.
European nations - EU and non-EU together
- are providing 80 percent of the
KFOR forces. This is burden-sharing
that is working.
The same is true for the money. Although
there has been justifiable criticism
about the slowness of the EU in providing
financial support to Kosovo, that
situation has now been largely addressed.
The EU has already provided some $35
million this year to the budget of
the UN Mission in Kosovo, and is planning
to provide $360 million for the year.
The bigger picture is even more telling.
According to its own statistics, the
European Union has provided some $16.5
billion to the Balkans since 1991,
and has budgeted $12 billion for the
next six years.
This is a major contribution in line
with the EU’s desire to play
a leading role in rebuilding the region.
On police, however, we still need
to do more. Of an authorized strength
of
some 4,700 international civilian
police, roughly 2,700 have been provided.
The U.S. accounts for over 400 of
these police - the largest single
contribution - but that means the
other 2300 have come from other countries.
Nevertheless, we still need more police,
and I know that UN
Secretary-General Annan has been using
his authority to press nations to
contribute.
The international community’s
efforts are only the beginning, not
the end.
Ultimate success can only be delivered
by the people of Kosovo themselves.
Whenever I visit the province I urge
them to seize this chance to break
with a past that had already brought
so much pain, and could still drag
them down if they let it.
In Pristina, I gave the bluntest possible
warning to their leaders. They must
promote a new vision of a peaceful,
democratic, and law-abiding province
- not play on old nightmares.
To some, Kosovo may seem a far away
place that does not affect U.S.
interests. But history has many examples
of small problems becoming big crises
just through lack of attention or
commitment.
The NATO-led operation in Kosovo was
not just morally right, but remains
crucially important for European security
itself, too often jeopardized by conflicts
in the Balkans.
In Kosovo, we must all stay the course
- U.S. and Europe alike. If anyone
has any doubts, just go to Poklek.
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