First of all, we would like to commend the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for the extraordinary work it has done and the visible progress it is now making. We look forward to next week’s graduation of the first class of Kosovo Police Service recruits.

We also commend the Mission’s elections staff for completing a comprehensive assessment of municipal documentation for all of Kosovo’s twenty-nine municipalities.

Mr. Chairman, reflecting on the words you just gave us, a U.S. diplomat—particularly one who has worked as closely with the press as I have—doesn’t criticize political speech lightly. As many people around this table are at least as aware as I, our Constitution clearly states that Congress shall make no law affecting the freedom of the press. Nonetheless, we, like you, find the commentary printed on October 2, by the Kosovapress news agency to be extraordinarily troubling.

This commentary referred to two of Kosovo's most respected journalists, Vetton Surroi and Baton Haxhiu, as "pro-Serbian vampires." Perhaps even worse, it stated that "it would not be surprising if they become victims of possible and understandable revenge acts" and "these ordinary Mafiosi should not remain unpunished for their criminal acts."

In our jurisprudence, the words of the late Mr. Justice Holmes are appropriate here, "the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man from falsely shouting out ‘fire!’ in a theater and causing a panic. Nor does it protect a man from an injunction against uttering words that may have all the effect of force."

These words, I’m afraid, do exactly that.

As [OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media] Mr. Freimut Duve noted in his recent statement, both the Kosovar political leadership and the international community should react vigorously and firmly condemn this threat—and make clear that it is unacceptable.

Like you, Mr. Chairman, I think we should all do that. In addition, I would urge you to instruct our Mission in Kosovo, Head of Mission, Spokesman, and the leader of our Media Unit to speak out publicly about this issue as well.

It is important to recognize and to articulate that inflammatory commentary is nothing less than an incitement to violence.

We are also deeply troubled by the death of UNMiK employee Valentin Krumov, as you were, since—as we all recognize—the only offense he apparently committed was to answer a question in Serbian.

We call upon those who aspire to political leadership in Kosovo to promptly and unmistakably condemn these words and actions. They must make clear that they support the right of all Kosovar citizens—regardless or ethnicity or political beliefs—to express their views openly and safely. This simple and straightforward position must be respected and honored by any who would assert claims to leadership in Kosovo.