TEXT: G-8 FOREIGN MINISTERS PROPOSE SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO

Petersberg, Germany -- The G-8 Foreign Ministers proposed a political solution to the Kosovo crisis that calls for the "immediate and verifiable" end to violence and repression in Kosovo and the withdrawal of military, police and paramilitary forces.

A statement outlining the plan was released following a meeting of the G8 Foreign Ministers May 6 in Petersberg.

Under the plan, "effective international civil and security presences, endorsed and adopted by the United Nations," would be deployed in Kosovo to guarantee the "safe and free return of all refugees" and the "establishment of an interim administration for Kosovo to be decided by the Security Council of the United Nations."

Following is the statement of the Chairman of the G8 Foreign Ministers.

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General Principles of the Political Solution
adopted by the G8 Foreign Ministers

Petersberg

May 6, 1999

1. The G8 Foreign Ministers adopted the following general principles on the political solution to the Kosovo crisis:

• Immediate and verifiable end of violence and repression in Kosovo;
• Withdrawal from Kosovo of military, police and paramilitary forces;
• Deployment in Kosovo of effective international civil and security presences, endorsed and adopted by the United Nations, capable of guaranteeing the achievement of the common objectives;
• Establishment of an interim administration for Kosovo to be decided by the Security Council of the United Nations to ensure conditions for a peaceful and normal life for all inhabitants in Kosovo;
• The safe and free return of all refugees and displaced persons and unimpeded access to Kosovo by humanitarian aid organizations;
• A political process towards the establishment of an interim political framework agreement providing for a substantial self-government for Kosovo, taking full account of the Rambouillet accords and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the other countries of the region, and the demilitarization of the UCK;
• Comprehensive approach to the economic development and stabilization of the crisis region.

2. In order to implement these principles the G8 Foreign Ministers instructed their Political Directors to prepare elements of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

3. The Political Directors will draw up a roadmap on further concrete steps towards a political solution to the Kosovo crisis.

4. The G8 Presidency will inform the Chinese government on the results of today's meeting.

5. Foreign Ministers will reconvene in due time to review the progress which has been achieved up to that point.

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