THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                           (Dakar, Senegal)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      April 1, 1998

Statement by the Press Secretary

Arms Embargo against Belgrade

We welcome United Nations Security Council Resolution 1160 enacting a comprehensive arms embargo of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The broad support for this measure demonstrates the determination of the international community that the dispute in Kosovo should be resolved through dialogue, not force.

This resolution bans the import into the FRY of arms, munitions or other military materiel such as military vehicles and equipment, and spare parts. Passage of the embargo follows measures recently endorsed by the six Contact Group nations - France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, and the United States. In their meetings March 9 and 23, Contact Group Ministers demanded that FRY authorities take a series of clear steps to resolve the situation or face further action, including the adoption of this arms embargo.

UNSCR 1160 calls upon FRY authorities to meet the Contact Group demands, including beginning a substantive dialogue on the status of Kosovo, withdrawing special police units and ceasing operations against the civilian population, and cooperating with international community activities in Kosovo. The embargo would be reconsidered only when the FRY has met these conditions. In the meantime, the Contact Group has pledged to maintain pressure for unconditional dialogue and consider further measures in four weeks if Belgrade prevents progress.

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