Thank you, Madame Chairperson.

The U.S. is concerned that the regime of Yugoslav President Milosevic is cracking down ever more harshly on its critics and opponents. The regime is escalating its intimidation, violence and harassment of members of the media, the political opposition and NGO’s, including student groups.

Of particular concern are charges brought against the leader of the New Democracy opposition party, Dusan Mihajlovic, for expressing his political views on the independent television Studio B. Such prosecutions of political opponents have no place in modern Europe and make clear the Milosevic regime's intolerance of peaceful dissent.

We are also concerned by increased harassment of students and party activists carrying out grassroots political campaigning. Police recently forcibly detained student activists for the OTPOR, or "resistance," movement, and some were beaten. In addition, forty-two activists from the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina were detained in Novi Sad while peacefully distributing political leaflets.

Furthermore, punitive actions against the independent media continue to stifle freedom of expression and equal access to information. Studio B -- Serbia's largest non-government broadcaster -- has been singled out for particular persecution. On January 16th, unidentified burglars broke into a Studio B transmitter site on Mt. Kosmaj, stealing highly specialized equipment which cut Studio B off from half its regular viewers but leaving behind televisions, videocassette recorders, and other valuable goods. This Monday, five men in police uniforms not only stormed Studio B's transmission center in Belgrade and temporarily disabled the station, but also severely beat two employees. That same day, government authorities presented Studio B with almost $900,000 in fees fines and charges.

This blatant suppression of free speech and independent political thought clearly shows that Milosevic has lost all claims to legitimately represent the people of Yugoslavia. We call on all OSCE members to make clear the international community's opposition to the Milosevic regime's efforts to silence its political critics.