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NATO
German Peace Plan 'Still Alive,' Say Officials
22 April 1999
By Jack Seymour
German Embassy officers confirmed today that
the German "peace plan," is still
on the table for discussion among allies and in Moscow. Its
"main aim," according to one, is to bring Russia into the
process. Hence the idea of taking it up in the G-8 context.
The plan has received support from the EU. However, the Russians
remain "reluctant" or, at least, are still considering the
basic conditions and, presumably, whether they feel confident
about discussing them with Milosevic. The plan is meant to
be a first step to be followed by the effort described in
the "stability pact," introduced by the Germans and agreed
in principle, at least, by the EU.
The plan, which the German diplomats insisted
was a discussion paper, not a formal proposal, got a poor
reception in the US because it was "misrepresented." Its ideas
are "not unusual" and not much different from a number of
other suggestions in circulation.
The diplomats did not know whether the plan
itself would receive attention at the NATO Summit but said
that ideas to resolve the Kosovo crisis are being intensively
discussed every day. The ultimate fate of the plan, they thought,
would depend on circumstances and, in the first instance on
the Russians and, then, on Milosevic and his willingness to
accept the basic conditions, e.g. cease-fire and withdrawal,
international peace force, transitional administration, and
so forth.
Comment: The Russians will hardly act in earnest
unless they feel confident Milosevic is looking for an "out.".
The plan could also apply if, as so far seems unlikely, Milosevic
were gone and some other
Yugoslav representative came forward, but that
also seems unlikely at this point. As a general prescription,
the plan lays out a reasonable outline for resolution of the
crisis once the time is right It asserts a UN role and calls
for an "international peace force," as opposed to a NATO one,
both of which may still be hard for the US to accept, but
it generally outlines the kind of things that may have to
be undertaken to deal with Kosovo no matter how the immediate
crisis ends.
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