The Issues

WASHINGTON -- Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and Senator Dennis DeConcini (DAriz.), Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), made the following comments regarding the March 10 United States-European Community statement in Brussels on the recognition of the Yugoslav republics:

“We welcome the US-EC statement on the Yugoslav republics released yesterday in Brussels, which indicates that the United States will join the many other countries who have recognized Slovenia and Croatia, and that the European Community countries and the United States may both do the same for two other republics requesting recognition -- Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia -- in the near future. This statement indicates a U.S. policy move in the right direction, and one that, at long last, recognizes the realities of the break-up of Yugoslavia.

“From our perspective, however, there is no reason why Bosnia-Hercegovina and Macedonia should not be recognized at the same time as Slovenia and Croatia. Following the referendum in Bosnia-Hercegovina less than two weeks ago, which the Helsinki Commission observed, it can now be said that the majority of citizens of each of these republics have legitimately expressed their desire to be sovereign and independent states. Neither Bosnia-Hercegovina nor Macedonia have been responsible for the crisis and conflict in Yugoslavia, and it would be a sad mistake if they were in any way further destabilized as a result of a postponement of their recognition.

“in regard to Serbia and Montenegro, they should of course form a new, common state if that is the desire of their peoples, and we hope that all sides will be willing to negotiate in good faith a just and mutually agreed sharing of the assets and liabilities of the former Yugoslav federation.

“A continuing concern which we have is the human rights performance of governments of the Yugoslav republics, which vary considerably among them but which could all be improved. In

other CSCE commitments , with Serbian repression of the Albanian population thçre continuing with unabated severity. We urge that this issue, and other human rights problems such as limits on press freedoms in several of the republics, be given priority attention at the Brussels Conference on Yugoslavia, chaired by Lord Carrmgton, as well as at the upcoming CSCE follow- up meeting in Helsinki.

“The United States and European countries also must make human rights improvements a necessary parallel to the development of their bilateral relations with the republics. Without such improvements, the Yugoslav crisis will never he fully settled in a peaceful and democratic way.”