NATO
Statement

1 April 1999

Audio file
(.MP3/623 KB)

Statement

by Jamie Shea, NATO Spokesman
on 3 Missing US Soldiers

As you know already three US soldiers serving under NATO Command as part of the NATO-led force in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which is preparing for a peacekeeping mission went missing yesterday afternoon along the border between Yugoslavia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. They were on a routine vehicle patrol in fairly rugged terrain near Kumanovo when they reported that they had come under fire. A very extensive search and rescue operation was immediately mounted and it went on for several hours. This morning we have seen the TV pictures indicating that these three soldiers have been captured by Yugoslav forces, but I have to stress that at this very moment we are still completing a positive identification procedure and I cannot give you further details until this positive identification procedure has been completed. I hope to be able to give you more details very soon but I would ask for your patience because this is a very important procedure indeed. However, what I would like to stress now initially are two things:

First of all that all NATO forces in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are there in the context of a peacekeeping mission. They pose absolutely no threat to Yugoslavia.

Secondly, any soldiers that happen under any circumstances to be captured by the Yugoslav armed forces must be treated in a humane way in accordance with international civilised norms of behaviour. NATO fully expects this to happen.

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