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Hon. Madeleine K. Albright Dear Secretary Albright: As negotiations over the future of Kosovo progress outside Paris, I am writing to urge you to ensure that those responsible for war crimes during the Kosovo conflict be brought to justice. The Contact Group of nations dealing with the former Yugoslavia should ensure that a political settlement does not stand in the way of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his top military planners being held accountable for atrocities committed by government forces in Kosovo. These include attacks on civilians, the destruction of civilian property, and summary executions — all war crimes under international law. The Kosovo Liberation Army has committed serious abuses too, including the taking of hostages and extrajudicial executions, but neither side should be allowed to use the abuses of the other as justification for their own violations. I urge you, as a member of the Contact Group to make sure that any agreement reached at Rambouillet makes explicit reference to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia's right of immediate access to the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to conduct an unfettered investigation. Moreover, I urge you to increase your government's financial, logistical and political support for the war crimes tribunal, including the routine provision of relevant intelligence information to tribunal investigators. In closing, let me emphasize that no political deal will last if atrocities are left unpunished. Settlements without justice for past crimes are inherently unstable. I welcome your efforts to bring a lasting peace to Kosovo, and I hope those efforts will not be squandered through neglect of the crucial issue of accountability. Thank you very much for your attention to this important matter. Sincerely, |