Andrews points to fragile state of Kosovo agreement

Progress towards an acceptable political solution in Kosovo must be made if the vicious cycle of violence is to be broken, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, said in the Dail.

The agreement between the US envoy, Mr Richard Holbrooke, and President Slobodan Milosevic represents the demands made by the international community six months ago. The agreement came about "after six months of an indiscriminate reign of terror by the Serbian government against the civilian population".

Mr Andrews told the Dail during a debate on the Kosovo crisis that "it was ultimately the threat of force rather than the power of dialogue" that brought about the agreement.

The agreement establishes the reality that Kosovo is an international problem. "Past experience, especially in relation to Bosnia, teaches us that reaching an agreement is only the first step; full and proper implementation is crucial."

He said it was clear that many Kosovar Albanians were disappointed with the agreement. The Kosovo Liberation Army had made it clear that it will "accept nothing less than full independence".

There was thus a real danger that the political dialogue which should now be pursued with vigour "may be undermined by dissension on the Kosovo Albanian side".

Mr Andrews said he had begun consultations with the Government to see what contribution Ireland could make, particularly in relation to the 2,000 people who are to be sent to Kosovo to monitor compliance with the agreement.

Ireland would also contribute in terms of humanitarian assistance. "The needs are daunting," the Minister said. "The UN, on September 8th, launched a consolidated appeal for the more than 400,000 people affected by the conflict, and is seeking an amount of $54.3 million to help avert a humanitarian catastrophe over the coming winter."

The Government had given £50,000 to the Red Cross for Kosovar refugees and would contribute a further £150,000 in additional assistance.

He said the Government would be working "to ensure that the EU maintains maximum pressure on Belgrade, if necessary through an extension and strengthening of the sanctions that are already in effect".

He concluded that "at most we can be cautiously optimistic, knowing that success will in large part depend on the determination of the international community to see that the agreement is implemented in full".

The Democratic Left Leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, said the last seven years "have seen probably the worst ethnic and intercommunal violence Europe has experienced since the Second World War.

"We must ensure that the Holbrooke agreement works; that real and meaningful autonomy is granted; that the religious and cultural traditions of the people of Kosovo are respected; that their human rights are fully respected and that adequate resources are made available for relief and construction," he said.

The break-up of Yugoslavia had has not been a positive development for Europe or the Balkans, Mr De Rossa said, and there was a need to look at a new European collective security system "where ethnic minorities, oppressed groups, the economic dispossessed, don't feel that they have to resort to arms and fundamentalism based on culture, religion or ethnicity to have their security protected."

Mr John Gormley (Green, Dublin South-East) said it was not until evidence of massacres was found that world governments reacted. There were flaws in the agreement and the Kosovars would remain effectively under the control of Serbian police, and the OSCE monitors would be restricted. The human rights monitors needed to be adequately resourced and given free access to all areas and to political detainees.