MPR Special: Possible peace settlement of Kosovo War

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An MPR Special report on Kosovo, highlighting various reports on potential peace settlement and status of refugees from war. Program also contains interview with Nick Hayes, chair of history department at Hamline University, and comments from President Clinton.

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Thank you, Karen, six minutes now past 11. Good morning, and welcome to mid-day at Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary I can glad you could join us. They always say the devil is in the details and the details are sketchy at best. But as you heard on the news the US and the way, I have reached a broad agreement with Russia on the outlines of a peace settlement in Kosovo. The agreement includes a provision calling for an armed Force to keep the peace in Kosovo. And we'll have more on that story during this first day program. Also, the shower will hear from President Bill Clinton who says NATO can indeed negotiate with Slobodan milosevic despite allegations at milosevic may be guilty of war crimes presidential refugees today that they will be able to go home. We will hear his comments on that subject and we'll find out why more refugees won't be coming to Minnesota. Those are some of the stories that were following during the first hour of midday as we catch up on the latest news on the war over the new now, or we'll catch up on the latest news from the legislature legislate. Leaders Steve swaggin and Rodger Mall will be joining us from the state capital and our phone lines will be open so you can talk with her legislative leaders as well first Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is welcoming the latest move by Russia in the Kosovo crisis. She says Moscow is now on board with the proposal for the deployment of an International Security force in Kosovo. There are still many details to be worked out national public radio's Julie McCarthy reports from Brussels. Effective International civil and security presence has in Kosovo that would be capable of guaranteeing the achievement of common objectives on quote a tab on news conference that assemble all a foreign secretary's leaders called the agreement a considerable step forward in order to gain Russia's approval that statement reportedly makes no mention of NATO's role in the 4th. But the alliance has been and remains committed to the proposition that it must be at the core of any International presence in Coffeyville securing Russia in an agreement increases the pressure on Yugoslav president Slobodan milosevic to settle on NATO's terms. The seven-point plan will now go to the United Nations for Security Council endorsement. This is Julie McCarthy. NPR news Brussels is the chair of the history department at Hamline University and course frequent common commentator here on Minnesota Public Radio on the Balkans and the Russian issues morning neck. Good morning. Is this the Big breakthrough everybody's been waiting for I'm afraid it's certainly a significant step carry. It's not the Final Solution by any means but in the last two weeks, we've seen one very positive diplomatic Trend that is Russia has gone from threatening that there could be a third World War II taking on the role of brokering a piece and we certainly have at least allowed between Russia nato in the United States. A the grounds for a military agreement that Russia and NATO can except of course the real problem remains is this a agreement that milazzo pitch and the serbs will accept so what's your price? Is this something that most of it you can agree to the idea of having an armed military force in Kosovo protecting the refugees I think the key phrase was capable of carrying out clothes, no objectives, which was the statement and the difficulty is Define what those common objectives Are No Agenda here is what he wants. He has basically created an internal quarter that's ethnically cleansed in Kosovo of all Albanian coast of ours is secure the road and transportation positions and Hunker Down On the Border Lines to Macedonia in Montenegro Zone along the Albanian border. So he's created his kind of course serve Kosovo and he Is created the military system that's capable of hanging on to it. Now, he wants an international Force that's incapable of reversing that we want exactly the opposite. That is we wanted military force that's capable of resettling the coast of are albanians with security to live their lives and demilitarizing the serve presents on those key areas and that's simply has not been sold yet. They're also Remains the larger question of just what is this Force weave right now had only the vaguest of agreements that is we agree that it will not be what was in the early phases of the Yugoslavia war in the early 90s a very ineffective and weak you win for us, but it will still not be what we like to call a robust NATO force capable of repelling them. So, who is it going to be Apparently one thing that almost everybody agrees on is that any kind of a force would have to include the Russian troops and probably Well are they would they be in your mind willing to fight if necessary to actually protect the ethnic albanians did participate in the United Nation forces that were present in Bosnia 1992 to 1995 in the Dayton agreement agreements and thereafter in the eyes of the locals without equivocation. The Russians are viewed as collaborators with the serbs. They are generally held in contempt and distrust it on the other hand. I think there is grounds here for really optivisum for two reasons. We won the Russian presence is actually only symbolic the real military operations are carried out by the NATO forces anyway, and everyone knows that secondly, we do have to follow that the Yeltsin government. And his personal Envoy now the former prime minister Viktor chernomyrdin have put a considerable amount of prestige on the line to show that number one. They actually can broker the peace and number two that they will be part of a long-term solution. And to be honest. I think the Russians have been burned by the service before this month's Lovett on the loss of which took Yeltsin. Let us lay it on the altar to a peace agreement in Bosnia once in 1992 and led to the humiliation of the Russians. So there is a strong gut instinct in Moscow that they must somehow make this work. Now Bosnia keeps coming up the peace agreement in Bosnia the end of the fighting that keeps coming up as a kind of model yet. Most of the refugees have not actually returned in Bosnia have they know, the reality is the Dayton Peace Accords ended the genocide and ended the expansion of War its lead to a very clear military three-part division of the country. There has been no significant resettlement. Most of the refugees of Bosnia are still refugees and various other portions of Bosnia than where they're from or there in Croatia other points around Europe now add best. What we were talking about in Kosovo is a armed partition that will look like the Dayton Peace Accords bought brought to Bosnia. However, it's even a little more tenuous there because You have no history of cooperation between the albanians and serbs in Kosovo. It's generally been a completely separate existence at least in the case of Bosnia on before the war despite all of the ethnic tensions, you had a long history of intermarriage and clothes cohabitation in the region and the longer historical grounds for optimism in Kosovo. The historical grounds lead to pessimism now I have to ask you Nick before we run out of time here about this unusual development that Ibrahim rugova a long time a snake, Albania and Kosovo War political leader. He apparently was being held under house arrest in Kosovo for some time in the capital and Christina and apparently held under house arrest and then he would appear once in a while with my loss of itch on TV. Now, he's he's in Italy well drive yesterday in an unannounced military flight by the ministry of Defence of Italy. The only public statement on of it actually came out of Belgrade. It was the Yugoslav government that announced he had been there and saying that he number one was a free man to go with his family wherever he pleased but also saying that he would be continuing to work on a peace settlement to Kosovo. Aaron rugova is promising. I believe a press conference today to my knowledge. I've heard no reference to it. But my first information on it said that he would speak today one has a sensor Weber that he's still under extreme pressure from the Belgrade side not to contradict milazzo bitches line. And then as I look over some of my notes that are coming across the email and webs seen I noticed it was an interesting interview with a series of ngos with Albanian Refugee organizations in Macedonia yesterday. And one of the themes that came across on Albanian radio is and I quote Gandhi ism is dead among the coast of ours and that's a reference to a rejection by the Albanian refugees of Abraham rugova as a credible political leader anymore. So we shouldn't read too much into rest and I have to read something else negative into the sea. Politics today just over the last hour. There has been a press release by the legendary / military leader and I wanted criminal. In fact archon in regard to Russia's diplomatic initiative. And I think I can quote him and translate real quickly. He said Rush Hour should not be helping them to kill us little by little it should Bang its fist on the table open its nuclear hangers Target them on America. Tell them to behave and I end if I may quote from Argonne, we need weapons. We need Mitchell's end of quote to boil it down Gary even the problem is ultimately this must be solved by the parties in Kosovo and what we need from Belgrade and is someone like the old South African pater to Clark who could see that apartheid had no future. I'm afraid. I don't see that coming out in a loss of itch and what we need from the Albanian does a Nelson Mandela and unfortunately, they're only hope for that was Abraham rugova who is now discredited and in Rome. Surprised that you're joining us the history Department Hamline University in st. Paul frequent commentator here on Minnesota Public Radio on the Balkans Russian issues. Well needless to say nato leaders have been under increasing pressure to reach some kind of an agreement to break the impaired unapparent impasse over the war Germany for example is one of the key members of the NATO alliance and it's been actively supporting the air campaign against Yugoslavia and is in fact is taken in more kosovar refugees and any other Nation other than the neighboring states Macedonia and Albania blood pressure has been building on German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to back off the BBC's Caroline by it reports. Bierstein I'm in the trade unions in Philly protest has Stephen Curry posters like a chunk. Look at how true. I don't play the sending in the German luftwaffe. Nazi. Germany did during the second world war this feeling in Germany, especially among women Easton Germans put the plumbing is proven counterproductive gets become small barrels the situation in possible also got the people off Tuesday via unified again, and I have no idea how they want to get out of the situation though. It sounds like a shredder the social Democrats. Approved Germany remains loyal partner in NATO but criticism of NATO from within Germany's government policies. He's growing especially among the pacifist greens helmet little discreet and pieces even his most pragmatic colleagues want a temporary home to the bombing to allow for fresh diplomatic offencive reroute very much like to have interrupted for 1/2 days so that you have the time to work out the new strategies and we are very unhappy was is intensifying of warfare against Serbia. The longer need his campaign goes on the greater. The danger is of the children Coalition of breaking up under the strain the Social Democrat MP talk of sending in German ground troops to fight in the region Remains the ultimate Tabuu, I think at the moment that cannot be any discussion of ground troops. I know that is a discussion in the UK and United. Lights and also in France, but I think in Germany we couldn't take it in the moment and I think they're a lot of things to be done beforehand, but you will the government hopes that diplomacy will prevail before too long. Otherwise, the fear is the perhaps within weeks. Maybe. Decide between loyalty to Nato or loyalty to his green Coalition allies that report from the BBC's Caroline Wyatt President Clinton this morning an interview with the BBC acknowledged of the political pressures facing NATO as it was trying to come up with a strategy to deal with a situation in Kosovo Clinton this morning in an interview with the BBC. Stephen sackur said that NATO had ultimately selected the right military strategy for the situation facing NATO. You have to understand we believe I believe this strategy will work. This is not something we're doing this because we can't do that. and there are what's the NATO powers are struggling for? Is to achieve our objective. in Kosovo to do it in a way that brings your closer together. And as I said, I think it's helpful to think makes this the last typical conflict of the 20 Century not the first representative conflict of the 21st. And that means we are trying to do it in a way that preserve our Unity to the maximum extent possible. Keep in mind. We have Grease still in night of this is a very difficult problem. It's hard and Italy but it's really hard in Greece and they are staying in NATO right there going along here and we are working with Russia to try to effect a through diplomacy these basic conditions and then something like what we had in Bosnia, so the strategy we are pursuing is not because the United States or Britain or some other country says oh and you know, we are afraid of ground forces. It's because we believe a it will work and be if it works, this is the method most likely to ensure long-term European Unity. and so again I say Be patient with your leaders and be persistent and be determined this will work and it is worth paying the price of a little time President Clinton speaking in Germany this morning with European journalists. The President also had a meeting today with some of the Albanian refugees who have been taken to Germany. He promised them that they would indeed be able to return home one day refugees trying to get out. Of course, it will continue to face many many difficulties the border between Kosovo in Macedonia was effectively closed today was thousands of ethnic albanians getting stranded in the open on the Kosovo side of the border with more on that Jennifer glass reporting from the Maine border crossing at Blatz a Macedonia. Early this morning. The border crossing was quiet and a Border guard denied. The Border was closed at all. SS right information passing, but the only people crossing were three elderly serves from Kosovo coming to Macedonian to collect their pensions. They say the refugee shouldn't be leaving at all the serbs claim. It's only propaganda that the Yugoslav Army is driving the people out ethnic albanians. They say are running only from NATO but last night more than a thousand of them. We're not allowed to flee Louis genteel a human rights lawyer spent last night on the border people were stopped in the no-man's-land under the jurisdiction of the Macedonian police. They were then forcibly removed back and turned over into the hands of the Serbian police on the other side of the border, which is a violation of international law. He had told them they were safe. Send the Serbian police came and drove them back to possible reality of people forced from their homes terrorized who arrived at a border think they're finally going to be safe. Most of them being children and then push back across the border into the hands of the very people they're fleeing from you can imagine how how terrible that situation is and how terrifying for for the children and four for all of the people who are in that situation last night was one of the coldest in recent memory to spend the night on the other side of the Border. I'm not sure what condition probably sleeping outside most of them and I hope very much for going to get those people vote today, but I'm not sure but the Macedonian government says there simply is no where to put these people stay open to Roski is the spokesman for the interior Ministry a million people sent a message, but we cannot afford a million people. Plum weeks or months and living conditions simply we are not capable to change your quarter of a million people which are now in our country settled not only to enter into Macedonia. The simplest thing to do is to enter into our country. But what after that he says this by international law the government had no choice. It needs more help. I know that every every single human Destiny uses word for considering. We are now in position not to not to consider any any single Fortune a single Destiny. We must think about this for a country which we cannot afford any single refugees without equipment and help of privately government officials say it's likely the refugees will be allowed to enter the country today, but that doesn't solve their problem Macedonia. They say it feels isolated and closing the Border. Last night was a cry for help report from national public radio's Jennifer glass check again from Blatz a Macedonia as we've been keeping track of news developments up from coast of all these last several weeks. One of the things that we've been checking regularly is the internet. This is one of the first war is where the internet cyberspace is played an important role and a joining us. Now with today's cyberspace update John Gordon today, we'll concentrate on a couple of sites from the federal government the first from the United States state department at www.state.gov. The state department has a special page devoted to the war in Yugoslavia, and it contains exhaustive remarks from every manner of official from the president to Secretary of State Albright. Turn down a transcriptions of press briefings with those and and other folks interesting lead. The state department has a new feature on its Kosovo page. It's an email discussion list on Kosovo. Basically you sign up through email and you can receive a lot of direct information from the state department. You'll get it information on the situation in Kosovo, a press statement situation reports remarks another material at this time. The state department says they don't know how many email messages per month that are going to be generated from the coast of all this but how you can sign up and this is an interesting way to get information directly from the government without the filter of of people in the media. So if you like sort of getting all of this raw data on your cell phone from the US government's point of view on the war in Yugoslavia how this would be a neat way to do it the Second Sight today. That I want to talk about is from the United States agency for International Development. You can find a link to the site from the state department page. The usaid is the foreign assistance in humanitarian relief agency of the federal government at on that page. You'll find all sorts of information about the situation for Kosovo refugees and things that you can do to help the site features a public service announcement clip from Hillary Rodham Clinton and I hear tell that sounds hello. I'm Hillary Rodham Clinton thousands of Americans are reaching out to the refugees of coast of a relief workers members of our armed forces and concerned citizens everywhere are helping people in desperate need of food shelter. And Care the best way to help is through financial contributions give life and hope to the coast of our refugees. Please call one eight hundred. Usaid relief that's 1-800 usaid release. Thank you very much and other information on the page maintained by the u.s. Agency for International Development. And those are our Highlights today from the web about the war in Yugoslavia technology knowledge reporter John Gordon checking in during his first hour of our mid-day program over the noon hour. We're Off to the state capitol or going to be talking with the legislative leader is Steve swag and Rodger Moler about all of the big issues still facing legislators as the legislative session draws to a close right now. Let's catch up on some news headlines. Thank you Gary of looking at news this hour. There's going to be a high-level review of the case of a suspected Chinese spy attorney general Janet, Reno says an independent review board will investigate what Everything was done right during the investigation of Wen Ho Lee Lee was fired from a Los Alamos National Laboratory, but has not been charged with a crime Lee has denied spying or providing secrets to China support for gun-control jumped in the week after the high school shootings in Colorado. That's according to a new AP poll respondents also said reducing violence in television and film is key to avoiding future School violence. Some people who were injured in the Oklahoma tornadoes have died and as a result, the number of dead is now up to 41 in that state in Tennessee for people have been killed by severe storms that ripped through the state last night some 30 counties are reporting property damage and tens of thousands of people remain without electrical power in the Nashville area. House Republicans are trying to preamp to the governor's criticism of their budget to house leaders held a news conference to emphasize their tax cut plans and budget proposal are balanced and sustainable. They commented before the governor was to convene a forum at the Minnesota History Center and house members walked out today on a profile of learning conference committee the walkout ended negotiations for now whether they will resume this session is an open question the house voted to abolish the profile the Senate approved only modifications Governor Ventura strongly supports keeping the system in place. Looking at weather today rain and Shadow of showers and thunderstorms are going to continue through the day and rain is likely tonight and more rain tomorrow is a matter of fact, we're looking at highs from the upper 50s to mid 60's and tomorrow highs mainly in the 50s chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday to currently in the Twin Cities. It's cloudy and 51° and that's news Gary. This is Karen Louise Booth. Alright, thank you Karen 28 minutes now before noon Minnesota Public Radio is getting questions from listeners about various proposals in the Minnesota Legislature to fund public broadcasting the house plan funds one type of public radio, but not NPR stations. The Senate plan is more inclusive other proposals reduce funding for all public broadcasting. You can learn more from the legislative update on our website where we provided an easy way for you to send email to your legislator go to npr.org or call NPR's member listener services at 802 to 87123. Welcome back to mid-day here on Minnesota Public Radio this first hour of the program. We're catching up on the latest news on the situation and Kosovo and in case you missed it, Russia and Western Powers agreed to Dan a common approach to seeking peace in Kosovo getting Russia to agree to the plan apparently increases diplomatic pressure on you cancel, a present Slobodan milosevic to settle something close to Nadeau's terms including an armed and they don't let International Force to secure the return of kosovar refugees, but exactly what the international peacekeeping force would look like that is still unclear national public radio's Julie McCarthy has more from Brussels 50 taels in such an agreement raise all kinds of questions like who would make up the force. What would the Mandate of the force be how would such a withdrawal be linked to the end of the bombing and all of those things are far from settled. The Germans have said they would like to see a un Security Council resolution under chapter 7, which me International presence could move in without the consent of Belgrade now course milosevic president of Yugoslavia would balk at that. He also box at NATO's demand at any International Force has to have NATO at its core the Allies have been I've been on vending on this point. They also wanted heavily guarded in the words of one u.s. Official. Kosovo has to be more than just k l a gorilla's toting kalashnikovs at the end of the day, they need to be able to offer people the security to return to their homes Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Albright, by the way said that after the agreement was announced today that the quote robust security force will in fact have NATO at its core adding that Russia would be part of that Force joining us now is Miller store Road senior fellow and professor at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute columnist for the Russian news service. Izvestia. Good morning, sir. Do you see this as a big breakthrough this Broad agreement that was announced today. It depends whether it's a big breakthrough or just small step toward the right direction. The point is we don't know how strong my spouse influence in Belgrade is weather Moscow can persuade mr. Milosevic to swallow their own decisions, which we are just made by the eight countries. Nobody knows exactly the decision to begin. What's real realize that Russia is now ready to accept the rest of the needs approach to previous Natasha was against any International forces impossible, especially if the code of this Open force would consist of the later. So this is just a part of the jigsaw. The main thing is to persuade them to accept this solution and I understand immediately after the results of this meeting we are. Probably repeated his demons that he would accept only the UN forces better to say not forces, but why is there so I don't know who would have no alarm 6 except some light arms for self-defense. That's right. Of course. There are two main of top sectors one is how badly is Milla Jovovich damaged by the bombardment and how strong is Moscow has influence with assuming he run again, the details are still sketchy. It's it's a little hard to speculate but assuming that that NATO and Russia having fact Agreed to to essentially the same thing here and there on the same page. Mr. Milosevic go it alone without Russian support. Of course, NATO and Moscow Joint Forces. It would be much more difficult for me lotion which to withstand this press. About to say that this is a decisive thing. I would hesitate very much depends on some details and you know that the day will give you the details. What's interesting they are now asking cuz they need two countries are asking 20,000 60000 increase the number of their prospective the peacekeeping forces in crossover. Numotion, she's asking if the removal of the Native forces for makedonija and Albania, so there are so many imponderables that to say exactly what will be the result of this decision will be very difficult. But anyway defect itself that Moscow and NATO countries found a mutual link to check the new show formula and one other question for mr. Stor-all. Do you think the fact that the that the last and Russia have been able to reach at least this broad agreement? Is this go a long way in repairing a u.s. Russian relations which had deteriorated fairly significant way early on during this war and the NATO countries. It seems to me that I shouldn't understands that if it's isolated is Russia tries to be military cheapest airline to the variance. Russiaville never saved any lawsuits will deteriorate itself in his position because we need to rest and Loans know how everything so that's right. It was a sensible decision from moscow's for interview notes to be just The Devil's Advocate and I think that expression From disease in Schroon River Road Moscow to the negotiating table and make Moscow more flexible to accept proposal might play well in Moscow or with the citizens with a Russian citizens or because they will immediately start crying and shouting that we sold out our friendship with cells that is sold out Belgrade at cetera. The other options were more realistic. They understand that being in the same boat with me lotion which drinks on the sinking of this but nothing else across the country was divided. Always good to speak with you sir. Thanks for joining us senior fellow and professor at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. He writes a column for the Russian a new service is Bastian. One of the questions that has come up during the course of the war is whether or not the West should even negotiate with Slobodan milosevic at a news conference this morning at an air base in Frankfurt Germany. BBC's Stephen sackur as President Clinton weather milosevic should be personally held responsible for the alleged atrocities in Kosovo. Full of course that ultimately is a decision to be made by the war crimes tribunal itself. It's a legal question but earlier in Bosnia. What happened was a direct result? of a carefully calculated campaign To first of all, bring the stimulus fix the power and then to enhances power. Based on an idea of Greater Serbia, which required the dehumanization of the delegitimization of the Muslim people first of March. And then of Kosovo and that following from that there are lots of records that the International Red Cross and other humanitarian agencies of the mass that the UN has amassed about the practices of Serbian troops of the paramilitaries, ultimately it lies at the doorstep of missed him a lot of each. How can they be even imagine settlement in which Mr that you lay down and it's still the president of Yugoslavia and ultimately still hold sovereignty over Kosovo. Conceivable is there is an international Force. That has NATO at its core but also has other countries. I would welcome the Russian participation there. I think it's important so that there is genuine protection for the people of Kosovo and they have the genuine autonomy that they enjoyed under the Constitution that the mr. Tito put in and it was taken away by Missy milosevic 10 years ago. I think they can plainly do that. Yes now. As long as as long as he and Serbia pursue the course, they have pursued it basically assert the right to destroy people's lives in Heritage because of their religious and ethnic background. They will never be full Partners in Europe, but we can protect the coast bars just as we have work out a solution in Bosnia and I think you know the alternative to your suggestion. So it would be something that no one has suggested that it and that is that the that the International Community in effect. Declare war on Yugoslavia and March on Belgrade the if we're not if this site is not to happen in our goals Never End tale that are goals were bring the cows of ours home. Let them live in security. Let them live with the autonomy, but clearly they deserve and have to have now to have any sense of a normal life. And then those goals can be achieved with an enforceable agreement with mr. Milosevic show in Belgrade to what extent he Bears personal responsibility. As a matter of law that has to be dealt with by the tribunal but the main thing is that I would like people to understand is that throughout history. We have had examples throughout all history of ethnic cleansing. In my own country, we we had a horrible examples of Native American tribes being moved off their land and and the killed in large numbers up with people climbing a religious mandate to over a hundred years ago, and we're still paying for it. We're still trying to overcome that we had the example slavery that we're still trying to completely overcome, but the dishes the end of the twentieth century Centre of which if we didn't learn anything we learned that we cannot tolerate this kind of behavior. We all have to learn to live together to to cherish each other's a common humanity and celebrate our differences not to use them to exterminate each other and no modern country can to find his Greatness by its ability to dehumanize a group of President Clinton speaking to European reporter is in an air base in Germany this morning Yugoslavia for its part is accusing NATO of conducting what it calls Janice idle air strikes. Against Yugoslavia in a letter to the president of the UN Security Council Yugoslavia, you and Envoy a lot of sloth Evanovich said that NATO used special bombs as he put it on May 2nd to attack power plants and transmission stations blacking out hospitals water supply systems food stores and bakeries letter says the air strikes were aimed at destroying the power grid of the country. They constitute the letter they constitute unprecedented crimes genocide in nature as they target the entire population of Yugoslavia and are aimed at promoting shortages of food and other essential Provisions, which would cause widespread famine and eventually humanitarian catastrophe of unseen proportions and yet another letter to the security Council president mainly condemning the ecological effects of the NATO bombing Yugoslavia Segar culture Minister said, his country has now been the target of 11000 tons of explosives the destructive power of about Find atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima sides of a meeting with the officials and with reporters this morning President Clinton in Germany today. Also took some time to meet with a group of a snake Albanian refugees in an Air Force Base in Germany. You listen to their stories of having to flee Kosovo and said the day of the US was doing all it could to try to help them through the crisis. I think it is very important in these days for us to do everything we can. To find out what happened to your relatives. If you have know if you don't know what's happened to other family members and they should can imagine this is difficult because the camps in Albania and Macedonia, they're growing so fast, so it's very hard to keep up with everyone and then have a registered but we we will get this done eventually. We will have records of everyone where they are and then we can check on these matters for you. And I I know that's hard and we will work on that. But I also think it's important for you to do everything. You can to support each other and to give opportunities to get your feelings out because it is easy for the spirit to be broken. In an environment like this. After all you've been through And then even if you got to go home, you would never be the same again. And you would be giving the people who have a press you a victory. And I asked him not to give him that victory. Don't let yourself be broken by this. Find a way to be glad to see the sun comes up in the morning and that you have the people around you to do and we'll look for your students and will look for your family members. But remember you cannot give a victory to the kind of Oppression. You have been subject to. We cannot see these children robbed of their childhoods. And the adults the older among you must not let the younger people lose heart. And we will stay at it until you can go home again President Clinton speaking to kosovar refugees who are staying in Germany. In the Balkans itself International relief officials say today that kosovar refugees are once again being turned away at the Yugoslav Macedonia border. They save thousands of ethnic albanians were stopped by Macedonian forces today there now stranded in a small village inside Yugoslavia macedonia's government is refusing to allow any new refugee camps to be built in Macedonia and officials have also been saying they will only allow as many refugees to enter the country as are being sent to other nations you when officials say that stopping the flow of refugees into the country violates an agreement to keep the borders open and they have been filing a formal protest to try to reopen macedonia's border crossings. Some of the refugees of course are being flowing out of Macedonia and Albania being taken to third countries. First group of ethnic Albanian refugees are spending their first full day here in the United States today. 453 clothes of ours arrived yesterday afternoon at Fort Dix army base in central New Jersey. They were met first to buy or met by first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton refugees. Mostly women and children will be staying at the military base for several weeks until host families are found twenty thousand refugees could eventually arrive in the United States most will be placed directly with sponsoring families are relatives. This group of refugees was deemed at special risk because they don't have families here or we're staying in unstable areas in the Balkans. Apparently. Most of those refugees will be going elsewhere. It is not likely that Minnesota will have many refugees arriving from Kosovo Minnesota public radio's Lynette nyman explains why so far only a few Minnesota families have filed affidavits with local resettlement agencies to get coast of our relatives from Macedonian refugee camps. Betty Hayes director of refugee services with Lutheran Social Services. Does she expect the government to place the majority within Albanian communities? Where is an existing Community for that added support? And we see it all the time with different groups. We can arrange housing and employment is really good in one area and we put them there but you know, they come to United States of freedom and they may be there a month and they hop on a bus and they go to wear their the indigenous population is that's likely to be in New York Boston Detroit or Chicago even so Hayes has been getting a lot of calls from people offering to take House of ours into their homes. She tells them sponsoring refugees isn't easy and she explains the reality of living with the refugee family not like your relatives visiting cross-cultural behaviors are different we would have to Really educate that family that was going to beat a host family on what they could expect and what intensely with a new family arriving. You know, what the boundaries would be in that household things like that refugees stay with their sponsors only for one two, three months. They need money services including medical treatment and employment opportunities much of what's needed is available in Minnesota, but a major problem is the lack of affordable housing. The rental market is tight across the entire State and there's often a years-long waiting list for public housing apartments for families with children close to a thousand kosovar refugees are expected by The Weeknd and New Jersey. I'm Lynette nyman, Minnesota Public Radio, and that does it for our news summary today in terms of the latest news developments on the coast of our situation. We did just received word. By the way that President Bill Clinton is now on his way back to the United States. He's been Running the last a couple of days in Germany a two-day trip to Europe. Where is you heard he met with the Kosovo Albanian refugees. He's been meeting with NATO leaders German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and US troops taking part in needles are campaign against Yugoslavia. If you tuned in late the big story of the day, I brought agreement has been reached. It's unclear if the tales are very very sketchy as to just how this would actually work and what it actually means weather a big breakthrough has been reached but the u.s. Britain France Germany Italy Canada, Japan and Russia. Have a greed on a common approach to peace and cause of all the agreement includes a call for an arm International Force under you and hospice has to oversee the return of the kosovar refugees seven-point plan would be endorsed by the UN Security Council. No word from Yugoslavia as to whether it would be acceptable to the yugoslavs government Secretary of State Madeleine. Albright says Russia as a result of signing on to this agreement now, except all 5 NATO principles for a solution of a conflict and end of violence in Kosovo withdrawal of serve forces from Kosovo return of Kosovo refugees introduction of an International Security force and a political settlement to the crisis Albright says the security force will have NATO at its core and it says that Russia will be part of it will have more on Kosovo couple of minutes share news headlines from national public radio and throughout the day here on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm a little pain, working moms. Stay-at-home. Mom single moms soccer moms. It's safe to say that in modern times the idea of what a mother is has become multi-faceted. Is there still Universal notion? What a mother should be. What do you think will discuss your ideas of motherhood on an open phone session next Talk of the Nation from NPR news. That would be at 1 here on Minnesota Public Radio over the noon hour. We're going off to the state capital for a conversation with legislative leader is Mo and swiggum.

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