24 March, 1999
By Justin Torres
CNS Senior Staff Writer(CNS) - President Bill Clinton and the office of NATO Secretary General Javier Solano have confirmed that NATO forces have begun bombing in the Serbian province of Kosovo.
"President Milosevic has again chosen aggression over peace," said Clinton from the White House. "I have concluded that the dangers of acting now are greater than the risks of failing to act."
The president is scheduled to address the nation this evening at 8 p.m. regarding the bombing in Yugoslavia.
Clinton said, "Kosovo's crisis is now full-blown and if we do not act clearly it will get even worse."
Network reports indicate that air defense gunfire has been heard in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, and unconfirmed reports have been received of cruise missile impacts in the city and around the province.
U.S B-52 bombers reportedly left their bases in England around noon time (6 a.m. EST), more than seven hours before the first blasts were heard after 8 p.m. (2 p.m. EST) in Pristina. Fighter jets also lifted off from Aviano air base in northern Italy and crossed the Adriatic Sea into Yugolsavia.
White House Spokesman Joe Lockhart declined to offer specifics to the press concerning operational aspects of the bombing, including tonnage, types of bombs used, or any Serbian response.
The Kremlin has called the bombing "a crude violation" of international peace and accused the U.S. of violating the sovereignty of Serbia. Earlier this week, Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov abruptly postponed a planned trip to Washington Wednesday, after he was briefed by Vice President Al Gore on unsuccessful attempts to resolve the Kosovo crisis.
Earlier today, Russian President Boris Yeltsin spoke on Russian television, urging President Clinton not to order the bombings, and the commander of Russia's Northern Fleet, told Itar-Tass News Agency on Wednesday that "the Northern Fleet is ready to carry out any order issued by the Supreme Command to defend Russia's interests".
Yeltsin has indicated that he will demand an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in order to protest the NATO action.
The White House did say President Clinton telephoned Yeltsin to inform him of the bombings in hopes of preventing any further rift in the relationship.
In Rome, Pope John Paul II has asked all Christians to pray for peace in Kosovo and in Europe.
The bombings became inevitable, says the Clinton administration, after a second emergency meeting between U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic failed to produce progress in peace talks.
The Clinton administration had hoped to convince Milosevic to sign an agreement that would ensure Kosovar autonomy and station 28,000 UN peacekeepers in the breakaway province, including 4,000 U.S. troops.
Senior congressional leaders met for two hours with President Clinton Tuesday morning in a session that was described by Sen. John Warner (R-VA), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as a "very good meeting." Warner said that when Clinton was specifically asked if he was seeking congressional support for military action, Clinton replied: "Yes."
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), who supported a resolution that would have denied funding of a military action by U.S. forces until clear objectives were spelled out, said after the meeting with Clinton that Congress should not vote on anything that would undermine U.S. troops.
Milosevic, earlier today, delivered a nationally televised message and said the Yugoslave army will defend the country "by all means." He claimed the freedom of his country would be compromised if he accepted the U.S. backed plan and its call for the stationing of 28,000 NATO troops to enforce peace in the region.
Additional 10,000 NATO troops are already stationed in neighboring Macedonia.
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