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Excerpts of speech -- March 24, 1999

... and Kosovo would be only the door for the foreign troops to enter and to endanger this higher value. These doors were selected because it was assumed that the Albanian separatists movement was the one that should be at this door and not the Yugoslav army and the citizens of this country.

And in this way, our country, step by step, rapidly would lose its independence. The only acceptable decision, the only other decision was to refuse the presence of foreign troops on our territory.

Nevertheless, despite all this, we want to continue to find -- look for peaceful solution to the problem of Kosovo. We sincerely believe that the long-term solution to the problems of Kosovo are by political mean and peaceful mean. Doing that, we insist on the key question that was underlined by our delegation in Rambouillet and all -- in all our contacts with international community, that is, the equality of all national communities in Kosovo.

The solution that will guarantee and ensure for Albanian, for Montenegran, for Serbian, for Garan (ph) and all other minorities, that solution is the one that can bring long-term peace and stability to Kosovo.

In our search for the solution, we will continue to act in that direction.

I want to underline that I give my full support to the action of the President Milutinovic and our delegation in Paris regarding this key question concerning the future of Kosovo, and I would say also of Serbia because what is in question is the whole Serbia, not only Kosovo. However, Kosovo is important for us and for our country as a whole.

In this moment when we are subjected to threats and danger of attacks from NATO, everyone should do its work. Everyone will give the best contribution if by continuing to work in production, in cultural institution, in health institution. That is the best way to help to the forces of defense of the state, the forces of internal security, the police force in the task of defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

In this way, we have two main orientation. First, to continue the political process with all the energy, because we believe that the truth and the justice in our side, and secondly to defend our country in the measure in which it is attacked.

Text of President Clinton videotaped address to the Serbian people