USA: PRESIDENT CLINTON KOSOVO CRISIS PRESS BRIEFING

(28 Apr 1999) English/Nat

President Clinton is calling on Congress to quickly approve more money for the air war against Yugoslavia.

The president met with lawmakers for nearly two hours Wednesday...

He briefed them on the status of the NATO airstrikes, and urged Republican members not to try to double his request for six billion dollars, insisting such manoeuvring would undermine the united message sent by last weekend's NATO summit.

But even as Clinton spoke, the House of Representatives was debating a challenge to Clinton's authority to widen the mission.

It was the president's fourth meeting with lawmakers since the Kosovo crisis began last month.

Clinton briefed members of Congress on the status of the bombing campaign and NATO's resolve to do whatever it takes to prevail over Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic.

But Clinton also pressed Congress to swiftly approve 6 billion dollars to pay for the conflict, urging lawmakers to resist Republican-led efforts to double that request.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Let me stress that my request fully funds our military and humanitarian needs in Kosovo. Congress should resist the temptations to add unrelated expenditures, even important ones, which could delay the process, because that would undermine the very goals
that this funding is intended to meet. We must get a Kosovo funding measure passed and to my desk now."
SUPER CAPTION: US President Bill Clinton

Republicans want to include a military pay raise and other defense spending they say Clinton should have approved earlier.

But Clinton said any attempt to add to the funding request could cause delay, and send
the wrong signal to Belgrade.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I stressed that the 19 NATO allies are speaking with a single voice. America must continue to speak with a single voice, as well. I told them we would welcome the support of the Congress so that Mr. Milosevic would have no doubt, that we have the determination and the patience to persevere until we prevail. Each day our military campaign takes a toll on Serbia's machine of oppression. The Serbian leadership has failed to divide us, and will not outlast us."
SUPER CAPTION: US President Bill Clinton

Following the meeting, lawmakers said Clinton still believes airstrikes will be sufficient to prevail.

But Massachusetts Senator John Kerry said Clinton promised if he does want ground troops, he'll seek congressional approval first.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The president said unequivocally, and repeated it several times, that if we get to the point of ground troops and he wants them, he will ask the Congress of the United States to approve that. That's as it ought to be, that's what George Bush did in desert storm, and I think the lessons of history tell us that any president is better off asking the congress for that support."
SUPER CAPTION: Senator John Kerry/Democrat, Massachusetts

Despite that promise, by mid-afternoon, a divided House of representatives voted to limit the president's ability to conduct a ground war in Yugoslavia.

The measure - backed by House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republican leaders - would require Clinton to receive congressional approval before deploying ground forces.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Representative Lloyd Doggett/Democrat, Texas

But others argued, the measure sends the wrong message to our allies and to Slobodan Milosevic...

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Representative David Dreier/Republican, California


SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Pentagon Spokesman Ken Bacon




SOUNDBITE: (English)

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