USA: KOSOVO CRISIS SITUATION UPDATE
(23 May 1999) English/Nat The United States is maintaining that it still has no plans to send ground forces into the Yugoslav province of Kosovo. On Sunday, Madeleine Albright said the Pentagon's plans to mobilise troops near the Kosovo border was merely preparation for a peacekeeping mission. As speculation over the possible use of ground forces intensifies, Albright insisted that the air campaign is working effectively, although she added that no options had been ruled out. Britain has been the most assertive member of the NATO alliance with regard to the possible need to send in ground troops to Kosovo. The country's Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said NATO must prepare to deploy troops "in a permissive or a non-permissive environment". So far, America has stalled calling for ground troops - insisting the air campaign is working. But on Sunday, the U-S Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, said all options remain open. SOUNDBITE: (English) "As we've said, all options are on the table and NATO is doing an update and assessment. But, I maintain, and we all do, the air campaign is working. We are going to stay with the air campaign." SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, U-S Secretary of State In an opinion piece in Sunday's New York Times, President Bill Clinton said much the same thing. He did not rule out the need for other military options but wrote that NATO's air campaign against Yugoslavia is still effective, and that it will help establish a Europe that is peaceful, undivided and free. On Sunday, the president went about normal business and was in Louisiana to present a commencement speech at Grambling State University. While both Albright and Clinton are maintaining that the NATO air campaign is a success, the Senate Majority Leader disagrees. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We've been bombing now, I guess over seven weeks. And, the secretary (Albright) said it's been successful. Yet, she noted in her own comments that we have only degraded their military capability by one-third. Only one-third, after all this time? That's why our Apache helicopters haven't gone in their yet, because they're still in danger. While I know our military men and women are doing a good job, and doing the best they can from 30-thousand feet - there has been collateral damage. The degrading of their military capability is not nearly adequate. We have a long way to go. Do you hope and pray for the best? Yes, but I don't think you could declare it much of a success so far." SUPER CAPTION: Senator Trent Lott, Republican, Majority Leader Lott also warned that any plan to consider ground troops would be met with resistance in Congress. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
