NATO Must Confront the Milosevic Factor After Kosovo Conflict

Strategic Insights -

The recent conflict in Kosovo is a clear indication of the destructive power of Slobodan Milosevic, the indicted war criminal who has been responsible for three bloody Balkan wars over the past eight years. Despite his diminished capacity for military action, Milosevic's malevolent presence remains a major obstacle to democratic rebirth in Serbia, and thus, stability in the Balkans. The only satisfactory solution for Kosovo lies in a free negotiation between Kosovar Albanians and a new, democratic government in Belgrade. However, this is unlikely to occur without significant outside encouragement from NATO and the international community.

Key Takeaways:

  • Slobodan Milosevic, the indicted war criminal, has been responsible for three bloody Balkan wars over the past eight years and has destabilized southeastern Europe.
  • Milosevic's presence blocks democratic rebirth in Serbia and stability in the Balkans.
  • NATO must figure out how to penetrate hostility towards the West and encourage a democratic opposition to oust Milosevic.
  • Serbian-Americans like Milan Panic, a flamboyant businessman from California, are working to create democratic, multi-ethnic politics in Yugoslavia.
  • Panic urges the West to stop negotiating with Milosevic, who is an indicted war criminal, and instead, provide substantial reconstruction aid to Montenegro.
  • Montenegro, headed by a democratically elected president, Milo Djukanovic, has been invited by NATO to use their territory as a staging point to enter Kosovo.
  • NATO should take Djukanovic up on his offer to show Serbs the contrast between their economic situation and democratic Montenegro.
  • Panic suggests a mini-Marshall Plan for the Balkans to create market economies and link Balkan nations economically, reducing ethnic differences.
  • NATO must help Serbian democrats remove Milosevic from power, either through trial in the Hague or asylum in a third country.
  • Western aid could finance independent media to break through Milosevic's propaganda wall and help unite the democratic opposition.

Statistics:

  • Three bloody Balkan wars over the past eight years have destabilized southeastern Europe.
  • 5 months of Panic's tenure as Yugoslavia's prime minister in 1992 involved efforts to repair relations with Albanian Kosovar leaders and fire officials accused of "ethnic cleansing."
  • 1992 saw the rigged election in which Milosevic prevented Panic from becoming the president of Yugoslavia.
  • 1 year since the Alliance for Change, the main Serbian opposition movement, was founded by Panic.

Sources:

  • The Philadelphia Inquirer, (c) 1999.
  • "Failing peace in the Balkans," by Trudy Rubin.
  • Trudy Rubin is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Readers may write to her at: Philadelphia Inquirer, P.O. Box 8263, Philadelphia, Pa., 19101, or by e-mail at trubin(at)phillynews.com.