in French

United Nations

S/PV.3868

Security Council
Fifty-third year

3868th Meeting
Tuesday, 31 March 1998,
New York

Provisional

Mr. Erdõs (Hungary)
(interpretation from French)

First allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on the work you have accomplished this month as President of the Security Council.

Hungary associates itself with the statement made earlier by the Presidency of the European Union with regard to the problem of Kosovo. Like the entire international community, it is following with particular attention the serious events that are taking place in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As a neighbouring country, Hungary feels increasingly anxious about the evolving situation in Kosovo. Tension in this region of Yugoslavia is a new and disturbing source of destabilization, all the more dramatic given that nearby we are witnessing the very welcome economic and political consolidation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while in Croatia the process of the peaceful reintegration of Eastern Slavonia is progressing successfully.

It is important to underline that the reasons for the crisis in Kosovo are not new and that they should have been addressed long ago. The authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should have taken necessary measures much earlier to prevent the current explosion of violence. Repeated omissions in this area have led to a situation that threatens to ignite the whole region, which is already very volatile.

Hungary considers Kosovo an integral part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It feels that it is only on the basis of this principle that the future of the region can be settled. On the other hand, it is also important to find a lasting solution to the question of the status of Kosovo and the problems relating to the enjoyment of human rights by the Albanian community, which has been living there for centuries. We believe that it is precisely the lack of appropriate attention over the years to the rights of minorities and to their legitimate claims that has led to the present situation. Having said that, we condemn recourse to violence and terrorism, whoever the perpetrators. Such actions can hardly bring about calm or lead to a genuine solution.

The modalities for arrangements relating to the status of Kosovo will certainly depend on the outcome of a substantive dialogue, which we hope will begin without delay, between the authorities in Belgrade and the representatives of the Kosovar Albanians, with external participation. If it is to be acceptable to the parties, this outcome will have to be in conformity with the standards set by various relevant international instruments. In the meantime, patient but methodical work to introduce the greatest possible number of confidence measures, in order to create a climate conducive to such a dialogue, must continue relentlessly. It is reason on all sides, rather than blind impulse, that must prevail.

Hungary cannot accept that the problem of Kosovo should be dealt with as a strictly internal matter. This argument would not even deserve mention here if recent conflicts in this part of Europe had not reached such horrifying proportions. Given the tragedy and bloodshed that has swept over so many people, with 200,000 killed and 2 million exiled, I do not believe that I need to elaborate. Our essential task, here at the United Nations and in other international multilateral forums, consists precisely in preventing a deterioration of events in Kosovo such as took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

To that end, the Government of Yugoslavia must admit the futility of arguing against the international community's offers of assistance. Belgrade must look forward rather than backward; it must base its policy not on the events of yesterday, not on old historical animosities that all of us - all of us - in Europe, including in Central and Eastern Europe, have experienced, but on a vision of tomorrow, on the interdependence and coexistence of communities of differing ethnic and religious origins. It is important that the Yugoslav authorities should sit at the negotiating table with representatives of the Kosovar Albanian community to resolve, peacefully and politically, the problems that face them.

It is indispensable that they should permit the return to Yugoslavia of long-term missions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and that they should recognize not only in words but in deeds the importance of full respect for the rights of minorities and of their participation in public life. This would go a long way towards halting the wave of violence and terrorism that is spreading over Kosovo. To do this, the Government of Yugoslavia will have to accept the logic of granting to non-Serb ethnic communities in Yugoslavia rights similar to those that it demands for Serb populations living outside its territory.

To overcome the crisis, one must avoid the pitfalls of anti-Albanian - and anti-Serb - nationalist passions, which only poison the situation in Kosovo. Rather than offering vague promises and so-called concessions on matters of secondary importance, there must be a focus on the real issues, on matters that are of primary importance, without any delay or procrastination. In that context, we welcome the progress that has recently been made. Only in this way can Yugoslavia improve its international position.

As a country directly affected by the situation on our borders, and having maintained fruitful, excellent relations with our neighbour to the south, Hungary ventures to hope that the day will soon come when we can welcome to international forums a Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that is at peace with itself and with the various ethnic and religious communities living on its territory.

The resolution that the Security Council has just adopted will help begin the process needed to identify the elements of a long-term political solution for Kosovo.