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Security Council Fifty-fourth year resort, to be sanctioned by the Security Council, which has been vested with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The ongoing conflict in Kosovo could indeed — and will — have international. repercussions, given the still volatile situation in some of the neighbouring countries. In any case, the international community cannot afford to stand idly by, given the dimension of the violence on the ground and the worsening humanitarian conditions in Kosovo in the wake of the repressive military actions carried out by the Serbian and Yugoslav authorities.

My delegation would have wished that the crisis in Kosovo could be dealt with directly by the Council. It is regrettable that, given the divisions in the Council on this subject, during the past 13 months it has not been able to address the issue in any meaningful way. It is regrettable that in the absence of a consensus in the Council — thanks, or rather, no thanks, to the irreconcilable differences among permanent members — the Council has been denied the opportunity to firmly and decisively pronounce on this issue, as expected of it by the international community. We regret that in the absence of Council action on this issue it has been necessary for action to be taken outside of the Council.

We are seriously concerned about the current situation on the ground when, with the withdrawal of international observers and the onset of military actions by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Yugoslav authorities are likely to unleash their preponderant military might upon the poorly armed Albanians in retaliation. If this happens, the humanitarian impact on the Kosovar civilian population will be enormous and tragic indeed. This aspect of the problem must be immediately addressed by the international community and this Council. My delegation joins others in calling for international readiness. to provide humanitarian assistance to the Kosovar Albanians.

Mr. Andjaba (Namibia): The current crisis in the Serbian province of Kosovo in particular and in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in general is a source of great concern to us. The degree of brutality perpetrated on the civilian population, the massacre of women, children and the elderly, the displacement of people from their homes, kidnappings and the wanton destruction of property continue to take place in Kosovo.

What we have been yearning for in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as in any crisis situation, is peace. More violence and destruction cannot salvage peace.

In numerous cases of conflict situations it has been the view of the Security Council — and rightly so — that military action is not the solution, but rather that peaceful means should be resorted to. This principle has been reaffirmed time and time again — and even recently, during the open meeting that the Council convened on Friday, 19 March 1999. It is a principle that we believe should not be used selectively.

My delegation wishes to underscore that military action against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia may not be the solution. Furthermore, the implications of this action may go beyond the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, thereby posing a serious threat to peace and security in the region.

Therefore, my delegation appeals for the immediate cessation of the ongoing military action and for the exhausting of all possible avenues for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Mr. Dangue Réwaka (Gabon) (spoke in French): The delegation of Gabon has always supported the efforts made by the Contact Group to lead the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to grant greater autonomy to its Kosovo province.

Like the members of the Contact Group, we have condemned the acts of terrorism committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army. We have also condemned the repressive measures taken against these acts. It is regrettable that all of these condemnations and these appeals aimed at achieving a political solution to the question of Kosovo were not heeded. In spite of this silence, we would have hoped that the Contact Group would continue to use all its authority to compel the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to sign the Rambouillet agreement, which gave rise to new hopes for a settlement of the situation in Kosovo.

My Government is in principle opposed to the use of force to settle local or international disputes.

Mr. Petrella (Argentina) (spoke in Spanish): The attacks by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) against Serb targets, which are taking place at this moment, are a source of great concern for Argentina. Since the peaceful settlement of disputes is one of the guiding principles of our foreign policy, we regret that 10