Jugoinfo
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
YUGOSLAV DAILY SURVEY
BELGRADE, 27 January 2000 No. 2861
S P E C I A L I S S U E
INTERVIEW OF FEDERAL MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ZIVADIN JOVANOVIC TO JOURNALISTS OF
THE NEWSPAPERS "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA"
D. GORNOSTAEV AND "VREMIA" Y. PETROVSKA
(Belgrade, 20 January 2000)
Q: Could you please give us your assessment of the current relations
between Yugoslavia and Russia as well as an assessment of the prospects
for
the further development of relations between the two States?
A: Yugoslavia and Russia, the Yugoslav and Russian peoples are bound by
their Slav origin, common history and culture, shared goals of peace and
stability in Europe and the world. We are also bound by the
strategically
important political, security, economic, cultural and many other
interests.
Therefore, it is no accident that Yugoslavia and Russia - the Serbian,
Montenegrin and Russian peoples - have at crucial periods of history
been
on the same side, the side of the principles of protection of values and
humanity. We jointly fought Nazis in World War Two and, thanks to that
alliance, we defeated that greatest evil in the history of our
civilization. That is why we attach strategic importance to the further
development and strengthening of the friendly and traditionally close
relations between Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation, i.e. between
the
Yugoslav and Russian peoples.
Today, we share common challenges and goals: to enhance our friendship
through the development of economic, cultural, scientific, technical and
all other co-operation. We both face positive challenges. We aspire to
contribute, through this co-operation and close mutual relationship,
towards all positive in Europe and the world at large.
However, we also face a specific challenge. That of efforts to combat
separatism and terrorism. Those efforts may only be successful if there
is
an inter-action, and if there is awareness that terrorism and separatism
today are directed, first and foremost, against the Slav peoples and
that
it also constitutes a universal threat to the world. The phenomena of
terrorism and separatism - with which Serbia, Yugoslavia and Russia are
dramatically faced - are not only related in terms of the times in which
they take place but also in terms of personalities. The terrorists move
from one region to another - from trans-Caucasus to Chechenya and Kosovo
and Metohija but also further afield - from Kashmere, Afghanistan,
Chechenya, Kosovo and further to the west, since terrorism is a
universal
evil.
The efforts to combat terrorism and separatism are all the more
difficult
today, considering that the proponents of a unipolar world order are
using
those factors of destruction for their strategic purposes. Separatism
and
terrorism in Chechenya and Kosovo and Metohija are no accidental
occurrences. Terrorism in these regions is encouraged and supported by,
and
it receives financial assistance, expertise and arms from the proponents
of
the concept of unipolarity, and that, in our view, is the current US
Administration. By encouraging separatism and offering support to
terrorists, they seek to fragment all those countries and peoples who
stand
in the way of hegemony, expansionism and neo-colonialism. In this
respect,
it is clear that such policy is directed against Yugoslavia, against its
integrity and sovereignty as well as against Russia as a great power and
factor resisting the unipolar concept of international relations.
In other words, in addition to positive approaches and our strategy to
ensure, through mutual co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia,
improved
conditions for economic, social, democratic, technological and cultural
development, we also face common threats that make us turn to each other
to
co-operate and develop closer relations.
We estimate that co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia is based on
friendship, respect, mutual confidence and on very important common
strategic interests. We have achieved positive results in this
co-operation, the results which are all the more significant because
they
have been achieved in very difficult circumstances and under stringent
restrictions.
As far as Yugoslavia is concerned, these restrictions mean sanctions,
isolation, the outer wall of sanctions. In the eight years of sanctions,
Yugoslavia has suffered losses of nearly 150 billion dollars.
Constraints
is also an enormous destruction of Yugoslavia during the NATO aggression
that has reduced our economic potential and opportunities. Losses due to
aggression are estimated at 100 billion dollars. Briefly, as a result of
the sanctions and NATO destruction, Yugoslavia has had losses of 250
billion dollars in total over the last eight years.
At the same time, we also hosted a million refugees. It is our human and
moral obligation to assist them and care for them regardless of the
sanctions, isolation and other hardship. We do not enjoy any financial
or
material support of international financial institutions and other
organizations such as the IMF or the World Bank.
New constraints on us have also been due to the imposition on our
neighbours of the will of the NATO aggressors spearheaded by the US
Administration. The American Administration, Washington ordered them to
discontinue their co-operation with Yugoslavia, to comply with the
embargo,
to suspend air links with it, not to allow deliveries of oil and other
goods to it.
Russia, on its part, has its own constraints that I would not like to
dwell on. However, it is a fact that for all the constraints on both
sides,
we have developed a successful co-operation. We very much appreciate the
credit line extended by Russia, by the Russian Government, to
Yugoslavia.
Part of this line of credit has already been drawn, while the rest will
be
put into use later on. Russia's assistance in natural gas deliveries is
also very important, especially in conditions when Western Europe and
the
United States prevent us from importing heating oil. Our trade is
successful, although very modest. In fact, we wish to develop our trade
further and, in that context, we would like to remove customs,
administrative and all other barriers to our co-operation.
Right now we are in the process of signing a Trade Liberalization
Agreement to allow free flow of goods between Yugoslavia and Russia both
ways that will substantially increase the volume of trade co-operation.
We
also maintain good cultural and scientific-technical co-operation, even
though it can be improved and upgraded in all areas. Our plan is to
establish a Cultural Centre in Moscow in order to contribute to a better
co-operation in that way too.
We have a good co-operation at the international level. In particular,
we
maintain fairly regular contacts and co-operation on the implementation
of
UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), concerning Kosovo and
Metohija.
Our demands are identical: to ensure a consistent and full
implementation
of the Resolution and to put a stop to the present dramatic
deterioration
of the overall situation in Kosovo and Metohija. We co-operate at the
United Nations and on other issues of common concern.
In our opinion, the period ahead of us will be a period of further
expansion and comprehensive development of our overall relations and
bilateral co-operation. We have adopted a very active attitude towards
the
ideas and initiatives encouraging the development of our relations and
co-operation in line with the historical achievements and future
interests
of our two countries and our two peoples. Such an all-round development
of
relations between Yugoslavia and Russia is in the joint interest, and
such
co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia is of strategic importance
for
peace and stability in South Eastern Europe, as well as for peace and
stability in Europe as a whole.
Q: As regards closer ties between our peoples, the idea of Yugoslavia
joining the parliamentary alliance of Russia and Belarus, in which
Yugoslavia now has an observer status, has been put into operation. What
turn will the development of relations in this field take in the future?
A: First of all, we are pleased that Russia and Belarus have signed an
alliance agreement. In our assessment, this event is extremely important
to
Russia and Belarus, and it has a wider positive significance in Europe.
Yugoslavia is satisfied that the alliance of Russia and Belarus is open
for
co-operation. Therefore, it is happy to have participated and to
continue
to participate in observer status in the parliamentary alliance of these
two countries.
Yugoslavia has expressed its interest in joining the Russia-Belarus
alliance. We believe that after Russia and Belarus had entered into
alliance, pre-conditions have been put in place for the consideration
and
realization of this Yugoslav initiative. We consider that Yugoslavia's
participation in the alliance of Russia and Belarus is a positive
development, not only for the peoples of Russia, Belarus and Yugoslavia,
but that it is also a contribution to the positive aspirations and
positive
developments in Europe. It is primarily beneficial to defence and
consolidation of peace and stability, as well as to prosperity in
Europe.
Q: Mister Minister, could you please tell us about your specific
position
as a diplomat and Foreign Minister in conditions where your country is
exposed to pressures from Europe and the United States?
A: Of course, that position is not simple, but I must say that it is a
special challenge to my country, to its leadership and to me as Minister
for Foreign Affairs. We are deeply convinced that the sanctions,
isolation
and pressures are directed against peace, stability, humanity and
prosperity. They are instruments of destabilization and creation of
instability. Those countries, those governments and those individuals
who
advocate sanctions are opposed to closer links between countries and
peoples; they are against the betterment of this region in South Eastern
Europe. Indeed, they are all in favour of mass violations of human
rights.
As a matter of fact, there is no such massive violation of human rights
as
the sanctions and the embargo imposed on Yugoslavia.
Actually, I think that sanctions are a remnant of an old philosophy and
that some quarters in Europe and the United States play an old record
which
is not suitable to present realities. It may be that they are powerless
to
change the tune, because they know that they are responsible for the
aggression against Yugoslavia and are unable to think differently except
as
a guilty one.
Why is this old tune not in touch any more? Because they do not see that
an overwhelming majority of mankind on this planet stands by Yugoslavia,
by
the Yugoslav people, and is on our side. Here I do not only have in mind
the fact that Russia, China as the most populated country in the world
and
India as a large country are on our side. I have in mind, for instance,
that almost all Asian countries, all African countries and the entire
Latin
America have sided with Yugoslavia.
And this is not all. More importantly, the public in the aggressor
countries like the American public, the publics in France, Spain, Italy,
Germany and intellectual, scientific and other circles, have unmasked
the
lie that initiated the concept of the aggression and that the sanctions
rely on. The rationale behind the aggression, sanctions and
destabilization
is still insisted on by the innermost circles in power, the same ones
who
have been denounced by their own public opinion and who have lost or are
losing elections.
I need not, for example, remind you of the outcome of provincial
elections
in Germany or those held in some other European countries, but the mood
of
people in the countries neighbour to Yugoslavia is also indicative
enough.
Take a look at the moods of people in Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and
finally Romania: All of them are heart and soul with Yugoslavia, aware
that
Yugoslavia's policy and positions are on the side of justice, truth,
peace
and understanding. You see, those sentiments and assessments make me, as
Minister for Foreign Affairs, persist in this foreign policy
orientation,in
the defence of freedom, independence and safeguarding of vital national
and
State interests of Yugoslavia.
Such efforts are very much rewarding for me personally. For these past
five months, for instance, I have met and discussed with about a hundred
Foreign Ministers or with other high-ranking representatives from a
hundred
world countries. No Foreign Minister of an embargoed country can pride
himself on having so many contacts and talks.
To add, Yugoslavia has 110 diplomatic and consular missions throughout
the
world. At the same time, there are some hundred foreign missions in
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, taking into account the resident offices of
international organizations. There are a few hundred foreign
correspondents
in Yugoslavia. Trade, cultural, scientific, but also Government,
delegations visit Yugoslavia every day. In short, Yugoslavia has a large
number of friends in the world and an increasing number of trading
partners.
We in the Government and in this Ministry very often receive letters
from
the United States, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, from all
these NATO countries. They express an admiration for the courage and
determination with which we resisted the NATO aggression. I think that
these letters are not merely polite and that they are not complementary
without reason. People who wrote those letters are not known to us, but
they expressed their true feelings about a small country summing up
courage
to resist the most powerful military machinery in the history of human
kind
and that it succeeded in defending its freedom.
Having said this, I would not like to pretend that we have no problems
at
all, or that our goals are less complex and difficult to accomplish. I
only
wish to say that we are fully aware where we are, who is with us, what
our
possibilities are, and we are very clear about what we aspire to. That
what
we aspire to is not egotism or autarky, but are actually the goals of
peace, co-operation, stability, solidarity - the goals that are for the
well-being of South Eastern Europe and Europe as a whole.
With regard to our goals or the goals of my Ministry and our diplomacy,
I
said that they were complex. Our foremost goal is to defend and protect
our
sovereignty and integrity. That is an extremely important task in view
of
the separatism and terrorism that are going on in Kosovo and Metohija,
but
also in view of the aggression being continued by other non-military
means.
The trade embargo imposed amounts actually to an economic aggression.
Besides, there is also a political aggression by looking for internal
enemies to destabilize Yugoslavia from within. The media aggression as a
third segment of the non-military means of aggression is being carried
out
- true, with less and less success - by spreading lies about Yugoslavia.
What is our response to this new aggression? We respond to the economic
aggression by mobilizing our own economic resources in the
reconstruction
and rebuilding of the country and by co-operating with those countries
and
partners who accept our co-operation. Such partners and such countries
are
more and more numerous. It goes without saying, that our strongest
partners
are Russia, China and some other countries, including EU countries. The
success of our response to the economic aggression is proved by the 40
reconstructed and rebuilt bridges and by the keys being given to all
those
people who had been rendered homeless by NATO.
You will remember the graphite bombs and the heavy destruction of our
power supply system. However, this harsh winter that is more severe than
some other in the past, we do not have any more serious problems with
electricity. NATO demolished the heating plant in Novi Beograd which
provides the heating for 500,000 people. This heating plant was restored
and is now fully operational. Also restored were the heating plants in
Kragujevac, Kru{evac and Ni{. They destroyed or damaged 340 schools.
Have
you heard about any school not being open or about any schoolchildren
not
attending classes! They knocked down hospitals, maternity wards and
other
health institutions. They have all been restored to their former glory
and
are operational.
The lies that they used to justify the destruction of bridges, the
killing
of children, students, refugees and the shelling of refugee centres are
a
disgrace to Europe, a disgrace to modern-day civilization. Take the most
recent example, the Grdelica gorge bridge. That bridge was bombed twice
in
broad daylight and as an international passenger trained passed through.
On
that occasion, NATO officials said that the pilot did not have time to
abort action, supporting it by video shots. Later on, the shots were
found
to be doctored. Very famous experts proved on 17 January 2000 that the
train movement on the video was accelerated 4.7 times.
Can you imagine, dear friends, what kind of democracy is offered to us
and
our neighbours by those lying to their own people and hiding from them
that
they had deliberately targeted an international train in order to scare
people in Yugoslavia. Or, say, another bridge, in Varvarin over the
Velika
Morava river, was bombed at noon on 30 May 1999, on the great Orthodox
Christian holiday of Holy Trinity. As many as 12 civilians, including a
fourteen-year old Sanja Milenkovi} who used to win many European and
regional competitions for young talents in mathemetics, were killed on
that
bridge. The pilots saw people on the bridge and targeted them and not
the
bridge!
The bridge was repaired thanks to the assistance of Serbs living in
Switzerland. It cost around 3 million Deutsche marks and is now twice as
wide as and safer than the old one.
This period of sanctions and the embargo speaks of our economic response
to aggression. Our GDP rose 5 to 8 per cent annually in the past five
years. We were under sanctions, feeling its consequences alongside the
influx of refugees and lack of access to the IMF and the World Bank. We
were barred from the Paris club of government creditors and the London
club
of commercial creditors. We had no access, either, to international
commercial capital markets. As much 400 million dollars worth of our
cash
funds held at American and other banks abroad were frozen. During all
that
time they considered us as a country lacking democracy.
Our neighbours such as Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and others like
Moldova, Ukraine and the entire Eastern Europe, all the while,
experienced
a GDP growth of 1.7 per cent. Concurrently with this, according to the
US
State Department, Bulgaria, Macedonia are democratic countries. They
are
members of the World Bank and the IMF, and they have access to
international capital markets. They enjoy full freedom and political
support. All this is self-evident. The only thing which is not clear is
where are the results of this socio-economic development?!
Even in conditions of an isolation and economic sanctions, i.e. in the
period of the economic aggression against Yugoslavia, we have managed to
get foreign loans and foreign humanitarian assistance, as well as
financial
assistance and to attack foreign investors. At the same time, the
"democratic countries" in our neighbourhood have had trouble feeding
their
nations, while we have enough food for the population. They are viewed
as
being successful transition countries and as having completed the
privatization of their economies. The only problem they have is that
there
is no output. In some of our neighbouring countries that prided
themselves
on the production and export of food and which exported cheese,
vegetables
and many other products even to Russia, now sell Dutch cheese and
vegetables from the European Union in their shops. Their domestic
production has been extinguished. In our country, on the other hand,
there
are both goods originating from the country and those imported.
In the framework of the political aggression, centres for
destabilization
of Yugoslavia have been established. Madam Albright and her associates
along with some satellites from Europe set up such centres in Timisoara,
Budapest, Szeged and Sofia. This is where they invite some individuals
from
Yugoslavia, from Belgrade, who follow their instructions for money. US
administration and European Commission say that they give money to their
collaborators in Belgrade. As a matter of fact, Mr Bzezinski wrote in
his
latest book that in their strategy towards Eastern Europe they rely on
the
elite that is financially dependent on America. This is no secret. Only
the
bribe-takers from Yugoslavia who take money do not like to be told that
they are taking money, but the facts speak that they do that. How much -
probably not a lot.
In those centres for destabilization they have seminars, where they are
assigned tasks and are supervised in their implementation. These days,
they
are having a trilateral meeting - whether it is trilateral,
quadrilateral
or multilateral - it is nevertheless the same old tune. We have been
listening to it for a long time and it is boring. We know it and pay
attention no more.
Political destabilization is a part of the concept of destabilization of
Yugoslavia. One of the elements is assistance to independent media in
Belgrade. What kind of independence is it if you have to do something
for
money? This looks more like an expression of hopelessness on the part of
those promoting the ideas of aggression and pressures on Yugoslavia than
something that has any perspective. This political aggression encourages
also separatism in Yugoslavia. They are looking for individuals,
separatists from national minorities to join them to the so called Serb
opposition.
What is our reply to the political aggression? It is - the unity of the
country, the unity of the people, the unity towards economic, cultural,
social progress, resistance to hegemonism and enslavement, unity towards
rebuilding and reconstruction of the country, the unity in achieving
greater productivity, bigger wages, a better life. The results achieved
so
far in these areas speak for themselves.
Yesterday (19 January), the production of the most popular Yugoslav
car,
JUGO, was resumed. Manufacturing a car in a destroyed economy is not a
simple task. It does not imply only the reconstruction of the factory
where
parts are assembled but many other factories as well, in which those
parts
are made. So, our Government and our leadership are acting in unison
along
this positive course.
As for media aggression, our reply is - truth. Our Government is
presenting the facts to the domestic and foreign public. The facts on
the
aggression, on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, on continued
terrorism
in Kosovo and Metohija, the facts on economic development, our open
policy
of equal cooperation with other countries. Our truth is increasingly
gaining ground in the world.
Several days ago, the representatives of the Yugoslav Ministry formally
submitted a Memorial to the International Court of Justice in The Hague
against NATO aggressors and against international representatives
responsible for the crimes in Kosovo and Metohija, now committed under
their leadership. It has been welcomed in Russia, in Moscow, in Bejing,
India and many European towns.
The day before yesterday (18 January) I received a letter from a lawyer
from the Netherlands, from The Hague, who wishes to represent free of
charge the parents of Sanja Milenkovic, killed on 30 May 1999 on the
bridge
across the Velika Morava river, near Varvarin. The world over, NATO
crimes
are being more and more condemned. The international public has
uncovered
the lies spread by NATO when they embarked upon the destruction of
Yugoslavia.
Q: This is not The Hague Tribunal?
A: No. It is the International Court of Justice in The Hague, an organ
of
the United Nations, established in 1945 by the Charter of the United
Nations. As opposed, the so called Hague Tribunal is not an instrument
for
the administration of justice but a NATO instrument. It has been
established so that the aggressors may punish the victims of aggression.
Have you ever heard that a Vietnam Tribunal has been established? Have
there been no crimes there? Or a Somalia Tribunal? The Hague Tribunal is
an
extended arm of NATO pact, fearing its own responsibility for the crimes
against peace and humanity, for the crimes of genocide in Yugoslavia,
which
is trying to defend itself by making a victim look like a culprit. This
of
course does not work, it cannot possibly work.
No aggression, no pressure or interference into internal affairs can
derail Yugoslavia from its path to freedom. Should anyone think this to
be
an exaggeration he should read history books and see what side the Serb
and
Montenegrin peoples were on in the past. Have they ever been aggressors,
have they ever been on the wrong side?
So, we and the Russians have always had the same attitude towards
history,
towards our roots, culture - and those who should understand and realize
that - it simply is not in their interest to understand that. They would
rather hold on to their aggressive position which is, in the case of
aggression and overall attitude towards Yugoslavia, also a racist
attitude.
That racism is reflected also in the current efforts of certain circles
seking to teach the Serb people democracy. Can you imagine the state of
mind of those US and European Ministers who send messages to the Serb
people - what is their mental capacity if they think that the Serb
people
is under-educated and that it needs to be taught democracy from the
outside? Who will give lessons - those who only yesterday rained death?
There are many analyses on personal responsibility for the aggression
against Yugoslavia. You have probably heard of some theories that there
was
some kind of a private aggression against Yugoslavia. Just think of
those
people who sent bombers on Serb children, Serb workers, Serb peasants
-now
they talk from the pedestal to the Serb people - we love you, it is just
that you do not understand that and that is why we came to explain it to
you in person.
That lady and those Ministers who talk to the Serb people start from a
sick premise that people are divided on the gifted and handicapped, and
that the task of the gifted is to teach the handicapped. The Serb people
has no time to listen to those lessons and sick advice. The Serb people
has
always been against patrionasing attitudes, against racism and any kind
of
discrimination. The Serb people has faith in itself in the first place
and
in its proven historical friends. It cannot trust liars, those who lie
to
their own people.
The Serb people will not trust those who are not trusted, for example,
by
the Americans or British or the people in Germany. You know for yourself
who lied and about what, in political and in private life, remember all
those indecretions. One just does not have enough time to deal with
numerous examples of corruption, aberrations and deviations of all those
alleged teachers of democracy.
Q: There is an ongoing discussion in Russia on how much Russia
contributed,
how much Yeltsin did, Igor Ivanov or the Russian Embassy, to stop NATO
aggression, i.e. whether they did all they could and later on, to
protect
the interests of Serbia. What is your view on the role of Ivanov,
Yeltsin,
and Victor Chernomyrdin in these events?
A: In the period before the NATO aggression and during the aggression
itself we had a continuous dialogue with Russian representatives. This
dialogue was useful. In the talks with the Russian representatives we
underlined in particular the fact that the aggression against Yugoslavia
was only an experiment which would later be applied to Russia.
Yugoslavia
is an important country. Throughout their history Serbian and
Montenegrin
peoples are well known for their steadfastness and courage, for their
contribution to culture, civilization and defence of the interests of
Europe.
We are quite aware that such qualities of a country and a people are not
favoured by the proponents of hegemony and occupation. It is evident
that
we have been and that we remain to be an obstacle standing in the way of
hegemony, neocolonialism, exploitation, occupation. We have always
repeated
to Russia that Yugoslavia is not the final target. The final target is
Russia, China, Europe - the big powers, while the aggression against
Yugoslavia should have been only an experiment, to feel the pulse not
only
of Russia and China, but of other countries as well.
Along these line we sought a concrete support and assistance of Russia.
We have shared identical views in respect to many issues and global
assessments. We have also agreed that the American goal was the Caspian
basin, and that the Caucasus is the so-called "south belly" of Russia.
But, differences emerged when those general assessments about all global
dangers were transferred to the field of concrete positions and
relations
in the preparatory stage of the aggression as well as during the
aggression
of NATO Alliance against Yugoslavia. We believed that it was necessary
to
achieve a higher level of agreement on concrete issues. In the
negotiations
concerning the ending of the aggression which we had with Mr.
Chernomyrdin
special attention was attached to elimination of Chapter VII of the
Charter
of the United Nations from the text of the then future Security Council
resolution 1244 (1999). However, in spite of the promise that Russia
would
not allow Chapter VII to be invoked in the resolution, that Chapter was
still mentioned in a certain form in resolution 1244.
Q: Chernomyrdin promised that to you personally?
A: Yes, he promised that Russia would not accept that. But we must turn
ourselves to the present and future. We have to turn to the things which
constitute bulwark of the protection of vital national and State
interests.
In concrete terms, we rely on the guarantees concerning the sovereignty
and
territorial integrity given in the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin document which
were reaffirmed later in Security Council resolution 1244. This is a
positive element of strategic importance that has been achieved.
The other element of strategic importance is a guarantee that the
situation in Kosovo and Metohija will be solved by political means
through
dialogue and with respect of sovereignty and integrity of Serbia and
Yugoslavia, providing an autonomy within Serbia and Yugoslavia.
The third extremely important element is the fact that the principles of
the Charter of the United Nations must be observed in the process of
finding a solution for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. that
this
problem is to be resolved through the Security Council, and not through
the
NATO Alliance. Those are crucial elements and we insist on a full
respect
for the principles from the Ahtissaari-Chernomyrdin document and
Security
Council resolution 1244.
Having in mind those three elements Yugoslavia approved the deployment
of
international civilian and security missions in Kosovo and Metohija
under
the auspices of the United Nations. The responsibility for the respect
of
these fundamental principles lies with the United Nations, i.e. the
Security Council as a body that is most responsible for peace and
security.
Within this framework, we count on and expect the support and active
involvement of Russia as a Security Council permanent member and a
factor
which directly participated in the conclusion of a peace agreement, and
understandably as a friendly country and Yugoslav ally.
The support of China as a Security Council permanent member is also very
important and we expect from other Security Council members to manifest
a
greater realism. As far as non-permanent members of the Security Council
are concerned, we have noticed that they expressed significant
understanding for our positions and interests. Positive changes in
respect
to Yugoslavia are particularly visible in the General Assembly itself,
where the majority of its 188 members share the positions and
principles
advocated by Yugoslavia.
The European Union bears great responsibility for the consistent
implementation of resolution 1244 and the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin
document
which served as a basis for the Security Council resolution, because Mr.
Ahtisaari participated in those negotiations in the capacity of the
Chairman of the Union. We think that Europe is not still aware of the
importance and significance of its responsibility for the consistent
implementation of Security Council resolution 1244. Europe has a twofold
responsibility - because it participated in the negotiations through
Ahtisaari and because Yugoslavia is an integral part of Europe.
There are certain signs of a greater realism in Europe but also of being
held hostage to the passive approach and to the pressures of the US
Administration. There is a growing concern for the continuous
deterioration
of security and the overall situation in Kosovo and Metohija. It is
clear
that European and American interests in Yugoslavia, i.e. in Kosovo and
Metohija, cannot be and are not identical. In our opinion, this
evolution
towards a greater realism and better understanding of one's own
strategic
interests in South Eastern Europe and the Balkans is highly disputable.
Europe is still seriously suffering from extensive American syndrome of
giving in to the great control and pressures of the US Administration.
This has become evident on the example of the lifting of the sanctions
against Yugoslavia. It is positive that 13 out of 15 members of the
European Union have voted for the lifting of the flights ban and the oil
embargo. It is interesting to note, however, that Britain is persistent
in
advocating American interests in the European Union and opposing the
reaching of a consensus. We are, understandably, optimistic in respect
to
the future developments because we believe that the process of
identification of Europe with its own interests is irreversible,
irrespective of its slow pace.
Kosovo and Metohija is far from a solution to the situation.
Representatives of the international civil and security presence, and
ultimately the Security Council, are accountable for the lack of a just
and
principled solution, the solution in accordance with the Security
Council
resolution.
We hope that it is still not late for the Security Council to undertake
appropriate and concrete measures to ensure the implementation of its
own
decisions:
- to stop terrorism;
- to disband and disarm the terrorist organization "KLA";
- to stop and suspend all decisions in contradiction with the
sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Serbia and Yugoslavia;
- to halt the ethnic cleansing of Serbs, Roma, Muslims, Goranci, Turks;
- to ensure conditions for a free and safe return of 350 000 expelled
Serbs and other non-Albanian population;
- to expel over 200 000 foreign citizens, mainly the citizens of Albania
who illegally entered into the Yugoslav territory with the consent of
the
international presence;
- to ensure the implementation of the provision concerning the return of
the Yugoslav army and police to Kosovo and Metohija and to Yugoslav
borders;
- to eliminate other violations of the resolution and sovereignty of
Serbia and Yugoslavia such as opening of foreign missions in Kosovo and
Metohija, banning of flights between Belgrade and Pristina;
- to restore the property rights concerning the private, public and
State
property.
We hope that it is not late for the Security Council to really undertake
an effort to have its decisions implemented, rather than to delegate
this
to NATO, which committed an aggression against Yugoslavia. We are for a
peaceful, political solution, for the full respect of the Security
Council
resolution and the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin document, irrespective of the
fact that most of their provisions are not in acordance with the Serbian
and Yugoslav principled interests and rights.
In view of the above, we shall never recognize a single decision or
state
of affairs which is contrary to the Security Council resolution, which
represents the violation of those documents, and in particular any
solution
which constitutes a violation of sovereignty and integrity of Serbia and
Yugoslavia. Neither NATO nor Clinton will stay in Kosovo for ever.
Kosovo
was under provisional occupations several times throughout its history.
Those who are counting on supporting separatism and terrorism, who are
counting on a lasting occupation of Kosovo and Metohija, are advised to
look back what happened to the former occupier of this part of Serbia
throughout the history, either in the Middle ages or in the twentieth
century. Serbia has its roots and its place in European civilization,
it
has its self-confidence and dignity. And all of this is related to
Kosovo
and Metohija. It is an illusion to make plans with criminals and
terrorists. Any solution, except the solution within Serbia, is not
realistic.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
YUGOSLAV DAILY SURVEY
BELGRADE, 27 January 2000 No. 2861
S P E C I A L I S S U E
INTERVIEW OF FEDERAL MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ZIVADIN JOVANOVIC TO JOURNALISTS OF
THE NEWSPAPERS "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA"
D. GORNOSTAEV AND "VREMIA" Y. PETROVSKA
(Belgrade, 20 January 2000)
Q: Could you please give us your assessment of the current relations
between Yugoslavia and Russia as well as an assessment of the prospects
for
the further development of relations between the two States?
A: Yugoslavia and Russia, the Yugoslav and Russian peoples are bound by
their Slav origin, common history and culture, shared goals of peace and
stability in Europe and the world. We are also bound by the
strategically
important political, security, economic, cultural and many other
interests.
Therefore, it is no accident that Yugoslavia and Russia - the Serbian,
Montenegrin and Russian peoples - have at crucial periods of history
been
on the same side, the side of the principles of protection of values and
humanity. We jointly fought Nazis in World War Two and, thanks to that
alliance, we defeated that greatest evil in the history of our
civilization. That is why we attach strategic importance to the further
development and strengthening of the friendly and traditionally close
relations between Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation, i.e. between
the
Yugoslav and Russian peoples.
Today, we share common challenges and goals: to enhance our friendship
through the development of economic, cultural, scientific, technical and
all other co-operation. We both face positive challenges. We aspire to
contribute, through this co-operation and close mutual relationship,
towards all positive in Europe and the world at large.
However, we also face a specific challenge. That of efforts to combat
separatism and terrorism. Those efforts may only be successful if there
is
an inter-action, and if there is awareness that terrorism and separatism
today are directed, first and foremost, against the Slav peoples and
that
it also constitutes a universal threat to the world. The phenomena of
terrorism and separatism - with which Serbia, Yugoslavia and Russia are
dramatically faced - are not only related in terms of the times in which
they take place but also in terms of personalities. The terrorists move
from one region to another - from trans-Caucasus to Chechenya and Kosovo
and Metohija but also further afield - from Kashmere, Afghanistan,
Chechenya, Kosovo and further to the west, since terrorism is a
universal
evil.
The efforts to combat terrorism and separatism are all the more
difficult
today, considering that the proponents of a unipolar world order are
using
those factors of destruction for their strategic purposes. Separatism
and
terrorism in Chechenya and Kosovo and Metohija are no accidental
occurrences. Terrorism in these regions is encouraged and supported by,
and
it receives financial assistance, expertise and arms from the proponents
of
the concept of unipolarity, and that, in our view, is the current US
Administration. By encouraging separatism and offering support to
terrorists, they seek to fragment all those countries and peoples who
stand
in the way of hegemony, expansionism and neo-colonialism. In this
respect,
it is clear that such policy is directed against Yugoslavia, against its
integrity and sovereignty as well as against Russia as a great power and
factor resisting the unipolar concept of international relations.
In other words, in addition to positive approaches and our strategy to
ensure, through mutual co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia,
improved
conditions for economic, social, democratic, technological and cultural
development, we also face common threats that make us turn to each other
to
co-operate and develop closer relations.
We estimate that co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia is based on
friendship, respect, mutual confidence and on very important common
strategic interests. We have achieved positive results in this
co-operation, the results which are all the more significant because
they
have been achieved in very difficult circumstances and under stringent
restrictions.
As far as Yugoslavia is concerned, these restrictions mean sanctions,
isolation, the outer wall of sanctions. In the eight years of sanctions,
Yugoslavia has suffered losses of nearly 150 billion dollars.
Constraints
is also an enormous destruction of Yugoslavia during the NATO aggression
that has reduced our economic potential and opportunities. Losses due to
aggression are estimated at 100 billion dollars. Briefly, as a result of
the sanctions and NATO destruction, Yugoslavia has had losses of 250
billion dollars in total over the last eight years.
At the same time, we also hosted a million refugees. It is our human and
moral obligation to assist them and care for them regardless of the
sanctions, isolation and other hardship. We do not enjoy any financial
or
material support of international financial institutions and other
organizations such as the IMF or the World Bank.
New constraints on us have also been due to the imposition on our
neighbours of the will of the NATO aggressors spearheaded by the US
Administration. The American Administration, Washington ordered them to
discontinue their co-operation with Yugoslavia, to comply with the
embargo,
to suspend air links with it, not to allow deliveries of oil and other
goods to it.
Russia, on its part, has its own constraints that I would not like to
dwell on. However, it is a fact that for all the constraints on both
sides,
we have developed a successful co-operation. We very much appreciate the
credit line extended by Russia, by the Russian Government, to
Yugoslavia.
Part of this line of credit has already been drawn, while the rest will
be
put into use later on. Russia's assistance in natural gas deliveries is
also very important, especially in conditions when Western Europe and
the
United States prevent us from importing heating oil. Our trade is
successful, although very modest. In fact, we wish to develop our trade
further and, in that context, we would like to remove customs,
administrative and all other barriers to our co-operation.
Right now we are in the process of signing a Trade Liberalization
Agreement to allow free flow of goods between Yugoslavia and Russia both
ways that will substantially increase the volume of trade co-operation.
We
also maintain good cultural and scientific-technical co-operation, even
though it can be improved and upgraded in all areas. Our plan is to
establish a Cultural Centre in Moscow in order to contribute to a better
co-operation in that way too.
We have a good co-operation at the international level. In particular,
we
maintain fairly regular contacts and co-operation on the implementation
of
UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), concerning Kosovo and
Metohija.
Our demands are identical: to ensure a consistent and full
implementation
of the Resolution and to put a stop to the present dramatic
deterioration
of the overall situation in Kosovo and Metohija. We co-operate at the
United Nations and on other issues of common concern.
In our opinion, the period ahead of us will be a period of further
expansion and comprehensive development of our overall relations and
bilateral co-operation. We have adopted a very active attitude towards
the
ideas and initiatives encouraging the development of our relations and
co-operation in line with the historical achievements and future
interests
of our two countries and our two peoples. Such an all-round development
of
relations between Yugoslavia and Russia is in the joint interest, and
such
co-operation between Yugoslavia and Russia is of strategic importance
for
peace and stability in South Eastern Europe, as well as for peace and
stability in Europe as a whole.
Q: As regards closer ties between our peoples, the idea of Yugoslavia
joining the parliamentary alliance of Russia and Belarus, in which
Yugoslavia now has an observer status, has been put into operation. What
turn will the development of relations in this field take in the future?
A: First of all, we are pleased that Russia and Belarus have signed an
alliance agreement. In our assessment, this event is extremely important
to
Russia and Belarus, and it has a wider positive significance in Europe.
Yugoslavia is satisfied that the alliance of Russia and Belarus is open
for
co-operation. Therefore, it is happy to have participated and to
continue
to participate in observer status in the parliamentary alliance of these
two countries.
Yugoslavia has expressed its interest in joining the Russia-Belarus
alliance. We believe that after Russia and Belarus had entered into
alliance, pre-conditions have been put in place for the consideration
and
realization of this Yugoslav initiative. We consider that Yugoslavia's
participation in the alliance of Russia and Belarus is a positive
development, not only for the peoples of Russia, Belarus and Yugoslavia,
but that it is also a contribution to the positive aspirations and
positive
developments in Europe. It is primarily beneficial to defence and
consolidation of peace and stability, as well as to prosperity in
Europe.
Q: Mister Minister, could you please tell us about your specific
position
as a diplomat and Foreign Minister in conditions where your country is
exposed to pressures from Europe and the United States?
A: Of course, that position is not simple, but I must say that it is a
special challenge to my country, to its leadership and to me as Minister
for Foreign Affairs. We are deeply convinced that the sanctions,
isolation
and pressures are directed against peace, stability, humanity and
prosperity. They are instruments of destabilization and creation of
instability. Those countries, those governments and those individuals
who
advocate sanctions are opposed to closer links between countries and
peoples; they are against the betterment of this region in South Eastern
Europe. Indeed, they are all in favour of mass violations of human
rights.
As a matter of fact, there is no such massive violation of human rights
as
the sanctions and the embargo imposed on Yugoslavia.
Actually, I think that sanctions are a remnant of an old philosophy and
that some quarters in Europe and the United States play an old record
which
is not suitable to present realities. It may be that they are powerless
to
change the tune, because they know that they are responsible for the
aggression against Yugoslavia and are unable to think differently except
as
a guilty one.
Why is this old tune not in touch any more? Because they do not see that
an overwhelming majority of mankind on this planet stands by Yugoslavia,
by
the Yugoslav people, and is on our side. Here I do not only have in mind
the fact that Russia, China as the most populated country in the world
and
India as a large country are on our side. I have in mind, for instance,
that almost all Asian countries, all African countries and the entire
Latin
America have sided with Yugoslavia.
And this is not all. More importantly, the public in the aggressor
countries like the American public, the publics in France, Spain, Italy,
Germany and intellectual, scientific and other circles, have unmasked
the
lie that initiated the concept of the aggression and that the sanctions
rely on. The rationale behind the aggression, sanctions and
destabilization
is still insisted on by the innermost circles in power, the same ones
who
have been denounced by their own public opinion and who have lost or are
losing elections.
I need not, for example, remind you of the outcome of provincial
elections
in Germany or those held in some other European countries, but the mood
of
people in the countries neighbour to Yugoslavia is also indicative
enough.
Take a look at the moods of people in Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and
finally Romania: All of them are heart and soul with Yugoslavia, aware
that
Yugoslavia's policy and positions are on the side of justice, truth,
peace
and understanding. You see, those sentiments and assessments make me, as
Minister for Foreign Affairs, persist in this foreign policy
orientation,in
the defence of freedom, independence and safeguarding of vital national
and
State interests of Yugoslavia.
Such efforts are very much rewarding for me personally. For these past
five months, for instance, I have met and discussed with about a hundred
Foreign Ministers or with other high-ranking representatives from a
hundred
world countries. No Foreign Minister of an embargoed country can pride
himself on having so many contacts and talks.
To add, Yugoslavia has 110 diplomatic and consular missions throughout
the
world. At the same time, there are some hundred foreign missions in
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, taking into account the resident offices of
international organizations. There are a few hundred foreign
correspondents
in Yugoslavia. Trade, cultural, scientific, but also Government,
delegations visit Yugoslavia every day. In short, Yugoslavia has a large
number of friends in the world and an increasing number of trading
partners.
We in the Government and in this Ministry very often receive letters
from
the United States, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, from all
these NATO countries. They express an admiration for the courage and
determination with which we resisted the NATO aggression. I think that
these letters are not merely polite and that they are not complementary
without reason. People who wrote those letters are not known to us, but
they expressed their true feelings about a small country summing up
courage
to resist the most powerful military machinery in the history of human
kind
and that it succeeded in defending its freedom.
Having said this, I would not like to pretend that we have no problems
at
all, or that our goals are less complex and difficult to accomplish. I
only
wish to say that we are fully aware where we are, who is with us, what
our
possibilities are, and we are very clear about what we aspire to. That
what
we aspire to is not egotism or autarky, but are actually the goals of
peace, co-operation, stability, solidarity - the goals that are for the
well-being of South Eastern Europe and Europe as a whole.
With regard to our goals or the goals of my Ministry and our diplomacy,
I
said that they were complex. Our foremost goal is to defend and protect
our
sovereignty and integrity. That is an extremely important task in view
of
the separatism and terrorism that are going on in Kosovo and Metohija,
but
also in view of the aggression being continued by other non-military
means.
The trade embargo imposed amounts actually to an economic aggression.
Besides, there is also a political aggression by looking for internal
enemies to destabilize Yugoslavia from within. The media aggression as a
third segment of the non-military means of aggression is being carried
out
- true, with less and less success - by spreading lies about Yugoslavia.
What is our response to this new aggression? We respond to the economic
aggression by mobilizing our own economic resources in the
reconstruction
and rebuilding of the country and by co-operating with those countries
and
partners who accept our co-operation. Such partners and such countries
are
more and more numerous. It goes without saying, that our strongest
partners
are Russia, China and some other countries, including EU countries. The
success of our response to the economic aggression is proved by the 40
reconstructed and rebuilt bridges and by the keys being given to all
those
people who had been rendered homeless by NATO.
You will remember the graphite bombs and the heavy destruction of our
power supply system. However, this harsh winter that is more severe than
some other in the past, we do not have any more serious problems with
electricity. NATO demolished the heating plant in Novi Beograd which
provides the heating for 500,000 people. This heating plant was restored
and is now fully operational. Also restored were the heating plants in
Kragujevac, Kru{evac and Ni{. They destroyed or damaged 340 schools.
Have
you heard about any school not being open or about any schoolchildren
not
attending classes! They knocked down hospitals, maternity wards and
other
health institutions. They have all been restored to their former glory
and
are operational.
The lies that they used to justify the destruction of bridges, the
killing
of children, students, refugees and the shelling of refugee centres are
a
disgrace to Europe, a disgrace to modern-day civilization. Take the most
recent example, the Grdelica gorge bridge. That bridge was bombed twice
in
broad daylight and as an international passenger trained passed through.
On
that occasion, NATO officials said that the pilot did not have time to
abort action, supporting it by video shots. Later on, the shots were
found
to be doctored. Very famous experts proved on 17 January 2000 that the
train movement on the video was accelerated 4.7 times.
Can you imagine, dear friends, what kind of democracy is offered to us
and
our neighbours by those lying to their own people and hiding from them
that
they had deliberately targeted an international train in order to scare
people in Yugoslavia. Or, say, another bridge, in Varvarin over the
Velika
Morava river, was bombed at noon on 30 May 1999, on the great Orthodox
Christian holiday of Holy Trinity. As many as 12 civilians, including a
fourteen-year old Sanja Milenkovi} who used to win many European and
regional competitions for young talents in mathemetics, were killed on
that
bridge. The pilots saw people on the bridge and targeted them and not
the
bridge!
The bridge was repaired thanks to the assistance of Serbs living in
Switzerland. It cost around 3 million Deutsche marks and is now twice as
wide as and safer than the old one.
This period of sanctions and the embargo speaks of our economic response
to aggression. Our GDP rose 5 to 8 per cent annually in the past five
years. We were under sanctions, feeling its consequences alongside the
influx of refugees and lack of access to the IMF and the World Bank. We
were barred from the Paris club of government creditors and the London
club
of commercial creditors. We had no access, either, to international
commercial capital markets. As much 400 million dollars worth of our
cash
funds held at American and other banks abroad were frozen. During all
that
time they considered us as a country lacking democracy.
Our neighbours such as Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and others like
Moldova, Ukraine and the entire Eastern Europe, all the while,
experienced
a GDP growth of 1.7 per cent. Concurrently with this, according to the
US
State Department, Bulgaria, Macedonia are democratic countries. They
are
members of the World Bank and the IMF, and they have access to
international capital markets. They enjoy full freedom and political
support. All this is self-evident. The only thing which is not clear is
where are the results of this socio-economic development?!
Even in conditions of an isolation and economic sanctions, i.e. in the
period of the economic aggression against Yugoslavia, we have managed to
get foreign loans and foreign humanitarian assistance, as well as
financial
assistance and to attack foreign investors. At the same time, the
"democratic countries" in our neighbourhood have had trouble feeding
their
nations, while we have enough food for the population. They are viewed
as
being successful transition countries and as having completed the
privatization of their economies. The only problem they have is that
there
is no output. In some of our neighbouring countries that prided
themselves
on the production and export of food and which exported cheese,
vegetables
and many other products even to Russia, now sell Dutch cheese and
vegetables from the European Union in their shops. Their domestic
production has been extinguished. In our country, on the other hand,
there
are both goods originating from the country and those imported.
In the framework of the political aggression, centres for
destabilization
of Yugoslavia have been established. Madam Albright and her associates
along with some satellites from Europe set up such centres in Timisoara,
Budapest, Szeged and Sofia. This is where they invite some individuals
from
Yugoslavia, from Belgrade, who follow their instructions for money. US
administration and European Commission say that they give money to their
collaborators in Belgrade. As a matter of fact, Mr Bzezinski wrote in
his
latest book that in their strategy towards Eastern Europe they rely on
the
elite that is financially dependent on America. This is no secret. Only
the
bribe-takers from Yugoslavia who take money do not like to be told that
they are taking money, but the facts speak that they do that. How much -
probably not a lot.
In those centres for destabilization they have seminars, where they are
assigned tasks and are supervised in their implementation. These days,
they
are having a trilateral meeting - whether it is trilateral,
quadrilateral
or multilateral - it is nevertheless the same old tune. We have been
listening to it for a long time and it is boring. We know it and pay
attention no more.
Political destabilization is a part of the concept of destabilization of
Yugoslavia. One of the elements is assistance to independent media in
Belgrade. What kind of independence is it if you have to do something
for
money? This looks more like an expression of hopelessness on the part of
those promoting the ideas of aggression and pressures on Yugoslavia than
something that has any perspective. This political aggression encourages
also separatism in Yugoslavia. They are looking for individuals,
separatists from national minorities to join them to the so called Serb
opposition.
What is our reply to the political aggression? It is - the unity of the
country, the unity of the people, the unity towards economic, cultural,
social progress, resistance to hegemonism and enslavement, unity towards
rebuilding and reconstruction of the country, the unity in achieving
greater productivity, bigger wages, a better life. The results achieved
so
far in these areas speak for themselves.
Yesterday (19 January), the production of the most popular Yugoslav
car,
JUGO, was resumed. Manufacturing a car in a destroyed economy is not a
simple task. It does not imply only the reconstruction of the factory
where
parts are assembled but many other factories as well, in which those
parts
are made. So, our Government and our leadership are acting in unison
along
this positive course.
As for media aggression, our reply is - truth. Our Government is
presenting the facts to the domestic and foreign public. The facts on
the
aggression, on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, on continued
terrorism
in Kosovo and Metohija, the facts on economic development, our open
policy
of equal cooperation with other countries. Our truth is increasingly
gaining ground in the world.
Several days ago, the representatives of the Yugoslav Ministry formally
submitted a Memorial to the International Court of Justice in The Hague
against NATO aggressors and against international representatives
responsible for the crimes in Kosovo and Metohija, now committed under
their leadership. It has been welcomed in Russia, in Moscow, in Bejing,
India and many European towns.
The day before yesterday (18 January) I received a letter from a lawyer
from the Netherlands, from The Hague, who wishes to represent free of
charge the parents of Sanja Milenkovic, killed on 30 May 1999 on the
bridge
across the Velika Morava river, near Varvarin. The world over, NATO
crimes
are being more and more condemned. The international public has
uncovered
the lies spread by NATO when they embarked upon the destruction of
Yugoslavia.
Q: This is not The Hague Tribunal?
A: No. It is the International Court of Justice in The Hague, an organ
of
the United Nations, established in 1945 by the Charter of the United
Nations. As opposed, the so called Hague Tribunal is not an instrument
for
the administration of justice but a NATO instrument. It has been
established so that the aggressors may punish the victims of aggression.
Have you ever heard that a Vietnam Tribunal has been established? Have
there been no crimes there? Or a Somalia Tribunal? The Hague Tribunal is
an
extended arm of NATO pact, fearing its own responsibility for the crimes
against peace and humanity, for the crimes of genocide in Yugoslavia,
which
is trying to defend itself by making a victim look like a culprit. This
of
course does not work, it cannot possibly work.
No aggression, no pressure or interference into internal affairs can
derail Yugoslavia from its path to freedom. Should anyone think this to
be
an exaggeration he should read history books and see what side the Serb
and
Montenegrin peoples were on in the past. Have they ever been aggressors,
have they ever been on the wrong side?
So, we and the Russians have always had the same attitude towards
history,
towards our roots, culture - and those who should understand and realize
that - it simply is not in their interest to understand that. They would
rather hold on to their aggressive position which is, in the case of
aggression and overall attitude towards Yugoslavia, also a racist
attitude.
That racism is reflected also in the current efforts of certain circles
seking to teach the Serb people democracy. Can you imagine the state of
mind of those US and European Ministers who send messages to the Serb
people - what is their mental capacity if they think that the Serb
people
is under-educated and that it needs to be taught democracy from the
outside? Who will give lessons - those who only yesterday rained death?
There are many analyses on personal responsibility for the aggression
against Yugoslavia. You have probably heard of some theories that there
was
some kind of a private aggression against Yugoslavia. Just think of
those
people who sent bombers on Serb children, Serb workers, Serb peasants
-now
they talk from the pedestal to the Serb people - we love you, it is just
that you do not understand that and that is why we came to explain it to
you in person.
That lady and those Ministers who talk to the Serb people start from a
sick premise that people are divided on the gifted and handicapped, and
that the task of the gifted is to teach the handicapped. The Serb people
has no time to listen to those lessons and sick advice. The Serb people
has
always been against patrionasing attitudes, against racism and any kind
of
discrimination. The Serb people has faith in itself in the first place
and
in its proven historical friends. It cannot trust liars, those who lie
to
their own people.
The Serb people will not trust those who are not trusted, for example,
by
the Americans or British or the people in Germany. You know for yourself
who lied and about what, in political and in private life, remember all
those indecretions. One just does not have enough time to deal with
numerous examples of corruption, aberrations and deviations of all those
alleged teachers of democracy.
Q: There is an ongoing discussion in Russia on how much Russia
contributed,
how much Yeltsin did, Igor Ivanov or the Russian Embassy, to stop NATO
aggression, i.e. whether they did all they could and later on, to
protect
the interests of Serbia. What is your view on the role of Ivanov,
Yeltsin,
and Victor Chernomyrdin in these events?
A: In the period before the NATO aggression and during the aggression
itself we had a continuous dialogue with Russian representatives. This
dialogue was useful. In the talks with the Russian representatives we
underlined in particular the fact that the aggression against Yugoslavia
was only an experiment which would later be applied to Russia.
Yugoslavia
is an important country. Throughout their history Serbian and
Montenegrin
peoples are well known for their steadfastness and courage, for their
contribution to culture, civilization and defence of the interests of
Europe.
We are quite aware that such qualities of a country and a people are not
favoured by the proponents of hegemony and occupation. It is evident
that
we have been and that we remain to be an obstacle standing in the way of
hegemony, neocolonialism, exploitation, occupation. We have always
repeated
to Russia that Yugoslavia is not the final target. The final target is
Russia, China, Europe - the big powers, while the aggression against
Yugoslavia should have been only an experiment, to feel the pulse not
only
of Russia and China, but of other countries as well.
Along these line we sought a concrete support and assistance of Russia.
We have shared identical views in respect to many issues and global
assessments. We have also agreed that the American goal was the Caspian
basin, and that the Caucasus is the so-called "south belly" of Russia.
But, differences emerged when those general assessments about all global
dangers were transferred to the field of concrete positions and
relations
in the preparatory stage of the aggression as well as during the
aggression
of NATO Alliance against Yugoslavia. We believed that it was necessary
to
achieve a higher level of agreement on concrete issues. In the
negotiations
concerning the ending of the aggression which we had with Mr.
Chernomyrdin
special attention was attached to elimination of Chapter VII of the
Charter
of the United Nations from the text of the then future Security Council
resolution 1244 (1999). However, in spite of the promise that Russia
would
not allow Chapter VII to be invoked in the resolution, that Chapter was
still mentioned in a certain form in resolution 1244.
Q: Chernomyrdin promised that to you personally?
A: Yes, he promised that Russia would not accept that. But we must turn
ourselves to the present and future. We have to turn to the things which
constitute bulwark of the protection of vital national and State
interests.
In concrete terms, we rely on the guarantees concerning the sovereignty
and
territorial integrity given in the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin document which
were reaffirmed later in Security Council resolution 1244. This is a
positive element of strategic importance that has been achieved.
The other element of strategic importance is a guarantee that the
situation in Kosovo and Metohija will be solved by political means
through
dialogue and with respect of sovereignty and integrity of Serbia and
Yugoslavia, providing an autonomy within Serbia and Yugoslavia.
The third extremely important element is the fact that the principles of
the Charter of the United Nations must be observed in the process of
finding a solution for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, i.e. that
this
problem is to be resolved through the Security Council, and not through
the
NATO Alliance. Those are crucial elements and we insist on a full
respect
for the principles from the Ahtissaari-Chernomyrdin document and
Security
Council resolution 1244.
Having in mind those three elements Yugoslavia approved the deployment
of
international civilian and security missions in Kosovo and Metohija
under
the auspices of the United Nations. The responsibility for the respect
of
these fundamental principles lies with the United Nations, i.e. the
Security Council as a body that is most responsible for peace and
security.
Within this framework, we count on and expect the support and active
involvement of Russia as a Security Council permanent member and a
factor
which directly participated in the conclusion of a peace agreement, and
understandably as a friendly country and Yugoslav ally.
The support of China as a Security Council permanent member is also very
important and we expect from other Security Council members to manifest
a
greater realism. As far as non-permanent members of the Security Council
are concerned, we have noticed that they expressed significant
understanding for our positions and interests. Positive changes in
respect
to Yugoslavia are particularly visible in the General Assembly itself,
where the majority of its 188 members share the positions and
principles
advocated by Yugoslavia.
The European Union bears great responsibility for the consistent
implementation of resolution 1244 and the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin
document
which served as a basis for the Security Council resolution, because Mr.
Ahtisaari participated in those negotiations in the capacity of the
Chairman of the Union. We think that Europe is not still aware of the
importance and significance of its responsibility for the consistent
implementation of Security Council resolution 1244. Europe has a twofold
responsibility - because it participated in the negotiations through
Ahtisaari and because Yugoslavia is an integral part of Europe.
There are certain signs of a greater realism in Europe but also of being
held hostage to the passive approach and to the pressures of the US
Administration. There is a growing concern for the continuous
deterioration
of security and the overall situation in Kosovo and Metohija. It is
clear
that European and American interests in Yugoslavia, i.e. in Kosovo and
Metohija, cannot be and are not identical. In our opinion, this
evolution
towards a greater realism and better understanding of one's own
strategic
interests in South Eastern Europe and the Balkans is highly disputable.
Europe is still seriously suffering from extensive American syndrome of
giving in to the great control and pressures of the US Administration.
This has become evident on the example of the lifting of the sanctions
against Yugoslavia. It is positive that 13 out of 15 members of the
European Union have voted for the lifting of the flights ban and the oil
embargo. It is interesting to note, however, that Britain is persistent
in
advocating American interests in the European Union and opposing the
reaching of a consensus. We are, understandably, optimistic in respect
to
the future developments because we believe that the process of
identification of Europe with its own interests is irreversible,
irrespective of its slow pace.
Kosovo and Metohija is far from a solution to the situation.
Representatives of the international civil and security presence, and
ultimately the Security Council, are accountable for the lack of a just
and
principled solution, the solution in accordance with the Security
Council
resolution.
We hope that it is still not late for the Security Council to undertake
appropriate and concrete measures to ensure the implementation of its
own
decisions:
- to stop terrorism;
- to disband and disarm the terrorist organization "KLA";
- to stop and suspend all decisions in contradiction with the
sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Serbia and Yugoslavia;
- to halt the ethnic cleansing of Serbs, Roma, Muslims, Goranci, Turks;
- to ensure conditions for a free and safe return of 350 000 expelled
Serbs and other non-Albanian population;
- to expel over 200 000 foreign citizens, mainly the citizens of Albania
who illegally entered into the Yugoslav territory with the consent of
the
international presence;
- to ensure the implementation of the provision concerning the return of
the Yugoslav army and police to Kosovo and Metohija and to Yugoslav
borders;
- to eliminate other violations of the resolution and sovereignty of
Serbia and Yugoslavia such as opening of foreign missions in Kosovo and
Metohija, banning of flights between Belgrade and Pristina;
- to restore the property rights concerning the private, public and
State
property.
We hope that it is not late for the Security Council to really undertake
an effort to have its decisions implemented, rather than to delegate
this
to NATO, which committed an aggression against Yugoslavia. We are for a
peaceful, political solution, for the full respect of the Security
Council
resolution and the Ahtisaari-Chernomyrdin document, irrespective of the
fact that most of their provisions are not in acordance with the Serbian
and Yugoslav principled interests and rights.
In view of the above, we shall never recognize a single decision or
state
of affairs which is contrary to the Security Council resolution, which
represents the violation of those documents, and in particular any
solution
which constitutes a violation of sovereignty and integrity of Serbia and
Yugoslavia. Neither NATO nor Clinton will stay in Kosovo for ever.
Kosovo
was under provisional occupations several times throughout its history.
Those who are counting on supporting separatism and terrorism, who are
counting on a lasting occupation of Kosovo and Metohija, are advised to
look back what happened to the former occupier of this part of Serbia
throughout the history, either in the Middle ages or in the twentieth
century. Serbia has its roots and its place in European civilization,
it
has its self-confidence and dignity. And all of this is related to
Kosovo
and Metohija. It is an illusion to make plans with criminals and
terrorists. Any solution, except the solution within Serbia, is not
realistic.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
B92 29/01/2000 ------------------------------------------
PERISIC CHIUSE UN OCCHIO SUL SOSTEGNO DELLA NATO ALL'UCK?
Matic accuses Perisic of turning a blind eye to the arming of Kosovo
separatists
KRUSEVAC, Saturday - The public will soon be informed about where the
Kosovo
separatists obtained their arms and who in Yugoslavia turned a blind eye
to
such activities, the Federal Minister of Information Goran Matic said in
an
interview for Krusevac TV Plus today. Matic told TV Krusevac that a
meeting
between American and French Secret Service experts had taken place in
Sarajevo in 1997 where they had decided to arm Kosovo separatists from
SFOR
bases. Matic said that the names of those whose job it was to prevent
this
taking place, above all Army Chief of Staff General Momcilo Perisic
(currently leader of the Movement for a democratic Serbia) would soon be
made
public.
VERSO LA SVENDITA DELLE TELECOMUNICAZIONI DEL MONTENEGRO
Montenegro to put Montenegrin Telecom and Electricity Company up for
sale
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - The Montenegrin Tender Commission announced today
that
they are planning to put Montenegrin Telecom and the Montenegrin
Electricity
Company up for sale. The Commission stated that they would sell off more
than
51% of the companies since foreign investors would not be interested in
anything less than a controlling share. The sale will take place under
consultation with Deloitt & Touche.
Former Montenegrin government official and member of G17, Nebojsa
Medojevic
told B2 92 of his reservations regarding this decision. Medojevic said
that
he felt this was not the right time to make such a move since due to the
current uncertain political situation in Yugoslavia, the companies would
be
sold for far less than their real market value.
CONTINUI SEGNALI DI IRREQUIETEZZA DA DJUKANOVIC
Djukanovic: clarification of relations within the Federation imminent
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - Clarification of the relations within the
Yugoslav
Federation will take place this year, Montenegrin President Milo
Djukanovic
told press in Bar today. Djukanovic said that a way out of the current
crisis
could be achieved if the Federal bodies and Serbia showed a constructive
approach towards the proposals put forward by Montenegro regarding the
redefinition of relations within the Federation and that this would
result in
a stabilisation of the situation within the Federation. Djukanovic added
that
should such an approach fail to materialise, Montenegro would finally
and
definitively go its own way.
B92 28/01/2000 ------------------------------------
ANALISTA MILITARE BRITANNICO SULLA IPOTESI DI NUOVA
AGGRESSIONE NATO IN APPOGGIO ALLA SECESSIONE MONTENEGRINA
British concern over Montenegrin crisis
BANJA LUKA, Friday - NATO would react if federal Yugoslav forces clashed
with
Montenegrin troops in Yugoslavia's southern republic, British military
analyst Paul Beaver said today. Beaver told media in Banja Luka that
another
bombing of Serbian military targets was possible, but that it would
depend on
how seriously NATO understood Belgrade's threats against the Montenegrin
government. He also expressed concern that the US could try to remove
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from power and that the Americans
could
see a Montenegrin conflict as an opportunity to implement such a plan.
ROBERTSON: PER LA SITUAZIONE ATTUALE IN KOSOVO
E' TUTTA COLPA DI MILOSEVIC
NATO "resolute" over Kosovo
BRUSSELS, Friday - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said today
that
the level of violence and bloodshed in Kosovo was still too high but
that the
Alliance was determined to change that. Robertson added that the Balkans
would have looked considerably different today had Belgrade opted for
serious
political and economic reforms ten years ago.
YDS 28/01/2000 ---------------------------------------------------
AVVIATA LA RICOSTRUZIONE DI ALTRI 21 PONTI BUTTATI GIU' DALLA NATO
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - RECONSTRUCTION
AGREEMENT SIGNED ON CONSTRUCTION OF 21 BRIDGES
BELGRADE, January 27 (Tanjug) - Director of the Directorate for the
Reconstruction of the Country Milutin Mrkonjic signed on Friday
contracts
for the construction of 21 road and railway bridges that were destroyed
in
NATO's aggression last year.
Construction works within the second phase of reconstruction are due to
be
completed by July 7 this year, and they will be realized by seven
domestic
firms - Kraljevo factory of carriages, MIN of Nis, Gosa of Smederevo,
Mostrogradnja of Belgrade, 14 oktobar of Krusevac, Novi auto put of
Belgrade and Graditelj of Leskovac.
Recalling that in NATO's aggression were destroyed and damaged 64
bridges,
Mrkonjic specified that in the first phase of reconstruction were
completed
and opened for traffic 32 bridges, and that construction works were
underway on seven other facilities.
The construction of the 21 bridges, with the exception of three bridges
in
Novi Sad, will complete the road infrastructure in Serbia, Mrkonjic
said.
NUOVO GOVERNO IN MONTENEGRO DOPO LE DIMISSIONI DEL MINISTRO
DEGLI ESTERI ACCUSATO DI LEGAMI CON LA CAMORRA
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO - GOVERNMENT
VUJANOVIC PROPOSES NEW MINISTERS
PODGORICA, January 27 (Tanjug) - A special session of the Montenegrin
Parliament, convened to review a Government reshuffle, started with
great
delay on Friday afternoon due to the need for further consultations.
Premier Filip Vujanovic nominated as the new Foreign Minister Branko
Lukovac, current representative of Montenegro in Slovenia. The former
Minister Branko Perovic resigned recently after accusations of being
linked
to illegal trade in Italy.
Instead of Predrag Goranovic, as Deputy Premier has been proposed
Ljubisa
Krgovic, who now occupies the office of member of the Monetary Council
of
Montenegro.
Rade Gregovic, current Mayor of Budva, is to replace Radovan Bakic as
Minister of urban planning and Budimir Dubak, current Minister of
Culture
is to take over the Ministry of Religion from Slobodan Tomovic.
Dubak, according to the proposal of the Premier, is to be replaced by
Radojica Luburic, current Director of the Montenegrin Institute for
Scientific-Technical and Cultural Cooperation.
Vujanovic thanked the outgoing Deputy Premier and Ministers Predrag
Goranovic, Branko Perovic, Radovan Bakic and Slobodan Tomovic.
LA LIBIA CONTESTA L'ATTIVITA' DI "MEDICI SENZA FRONTIERE"
E DI KOUCHNER IN KOSOVO E METOHIJA
JAMAHIRIYA - KOUCHNER VIOLATES EVERY DAY U.N. CHARTER
TRIPOLI, January 28 (Tanjug) - The Libyan daily Al Jamahiriya strongly
criticized the activities of the French organization Medecins Sans
Frontieres in Kosovo and Metohija and the awarding of the Nobel Peace
prize
for 1999 to that organization.
Medecins Sans Frontieres have political goals and operate under a
suspicious umbrella, the Libya daily said this week, and the activities
of
the U.N. representative in Kosovo-Metohija Bernard Kouchner support that
assessment.
"In spite of the fact that the man is a doctor, he is playing an inhuman
NATO role in dealing with the problems of the Province of Kosovo and
Metohija," Al Jamihiriya said.
"The organization Medecins Sans Frontieres has, contrary to Security
Council Resolution 1244, took part in the covering up of numerous
criminal
acts in Kosovo, such as the massacre of 14 women and children in the
village Staro Gacko near the town of Lipljan.
"The U.N. Mission conducted the forensic examination of the bodies
without
the participation of Yugoslav doctors. That means the distancing of
Yugoslav forensic experts from the investigation with a view to covering
up
the case and removing the most important traces, and in turn the
encouraging of crimes and criminals whose conduct suits the
international
forces (NATO) that make up KFOR," Al Jamahiriya said. The Libyan daily
further said that the "misfortune of ethnic cleansing was repeated also
in
the cities of Prizren, Djakovica, Istok, Klina and others, as well as
the
destruction of monuments as a monastery from 1315 in the vicinity of the
capital city of Pristina".
"In return," Al Jamahiriya said, "the organization Medecins Sans
Frontieres received all the prize and eulogies, and even the Nobel Peace
Prize."
"The conduct of the French Doctor Without Borders, Kouchner, in Kosovo,
sets an example for the daily flagrant violations of human rights and of
the U.N. Charter," Al Jamahiriya said, recalling that that was not the
first Nobel Peace Prize whose awarding has given rise to doubts.
YDS 27/01/2000 -----------------------------------------
STANZIATI 900 MILIONI DI DINARI PER I PROFUGHI IN SERBIA
900 MILLION DINARS FOR DISPLACED FROM KOSOVO AND METOHIJA - YUGOSLAV
MINISTER
KRUSEVAC, SERBIA, January 26 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Minister for Refugees,
Displaced and Exiled Persons Bratislava Morina said on Wednesday in the
city of Krusevac, central Serbia, that the Yugoslav and Serbian
Governments
have earmarked 900 million dinars as aid for refugees and temporarily
displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija.
Morina, who is also Serbian Minister for Refugees, presented the
corresponding organs in Krusevac with ten tonnes of relief aid for the
internally displaced persons who found refuge in this region.
She pointed out that the corresponding state organs are currently
registering all displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija and that this
data will be verified by the representatives of neutral Switzerland.
"This
will be yet another in the series of proof about the activities of the
ethnic Albanian terrorists who are being helped by a part of the
international community and who forced the Serbs and other non-Albanians
to
leave their homes," Morina said.
Underscoring that under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 Kosovo and
Metohija is an integral and unalienable part of the Republic of Serbia
and
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Morina stated that she expects the
annulment of all decisions by UNMIK head Bernard Kouchner which are not
in
keeping with this resolution.
ANTICOSTITUZIONALE L'USO DEL MARCO TEDESCO IN MONTENEGRO
USE OF GERMAN MARK IN MONTENEGRO NOT IN KEEPING WITH FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION
BELGRADE, January 26 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Constitutional Court ruled
on
Wednesday that the decision on the use of the German mark in Montenegro
parallel with the national currency dinar, is not in keeping with the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Law on the
National
Bank of Yugoslavia and the Law on Foreign Currency Transactions.
The Court said that the decision of the Montenegrin Government on taking
over certain competencies of the National Bank of Yugoslavia "with the
aim
of protecting the economic interests of Montenegro" is also not in
keeping
with the Federal Constitution and the Law on the National Bank of
Yugoslavia.
In November 1999, the Court set a deadline for the Montenegrin
Government
to come up with explanations regarding the initiative of the National
Bank
of Yugoslavia to begin proceedings for the assassement of the
constitutionality and legality of the controversial Montenegrin
decisions.
Montenegro, however, failed to respond.
Quoting constitutional and legal provisions, the Court set out that
under
the constitution the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is
a
single economic and market area and that only the National Bank of
Yugoslavia, as an independent institution and the only bank of issue
within
the Yugoslav monetary system, is responsible for monetary policy, the
stability of the currency and for financial discipline.
The Court also instigated proceedings to investigate the
constitutionality
of the Montenegrin Law on Amnesty which released from responsibility all
military conscripts who failed to respond to the mobilization during the
NATO aggression from March 24 - June 10, 1999.
The Court has set a two-week deadline to the Montenegrin Parliament to
take a position on this law.
According to the Court, no republican organ is authorized to release
anyone from the responsibility for the offence of draft dodging since
this
is regulated only by federal laws.
The Court said it was stopping the realization of all individual acts
adopted on the basis of the disputed law.
SI VA NORMALIZZANDO IL TRAFFICO AEREO SULLA JUGOSLAVIA?
AIR TRAFFIC OVER YUGOSLAVIA NORMALISING
BELGRADE, January 27 (Tanjug) - Air traffic over Yugoslavia has begun
returning to normal as of dawn on Thursday, according to the National
Flight Control chief.
Flight Control Administration Director Branko Bilbija told TANJUG that,
as
of 1 minute past midnight last night, the Yugoslav Flight Control was
guiding 55 percent of all flights over Bosnia- Herzegovina at altitudes
between 9,000 metres and 13,000 m.
Also, radars were guiding planes over Yugoslavia flying from central
Europe to Greece and the Middle East, and there were plans to open
corridors to Croatia and Italy.
"For the past four or five months, talks have been going on in Paris,
Brussels and Rome about normalising air traffic in Yugoslav air space,
and
the accords reached have only just begun to be implemented today," said
Bilbija.
He added that flights in Yugoslav air space had been banned since the
start of NATO's aggression on Yugoslavia on March 24, 1999.
When the air strikes ended on June 10, Yugoslav flight controllers took
over about 20 percent of flights, viz. those to Macedonia. As of today,
they were slowly resuming the guiding of planes for all foreign air
carriers.
GENERALE JUGOSLAVO PROMETTE IL RITORNO DELL'ARMATA IN KOSMET
YUGOSLAV GENERAL SAYS PRISTINA CORPS WILL RETURN TO KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
LESKOVAC, January 26 (Tanjug) - An annual analysis of the readiness for
action of the Yugoslav Army Pristina Corps was made at the Corps'
command
on Wednesday. A statement issued by the Corps press section quoted Corps
Commander Maj. Gen. Radojko Stefanovic, who supervised the proceedings,
as
saying that the Corps had been the backbone of the Yugoslav Army's and
the
Third Army's defence in Kosovo and Metohija.
Maj. Gen. Stefanovic said that Corps troops had put up a brilliant
resistance to the far superior enemy, saying that, by uniting all
defence
forces in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's southern province, the Corps
had managed to preserve its potential, troops and materiel sustaining
minimum losses.
The statement also said that, thanks to the state and economic
structures'
maximum engagement and assistance offered, the Corps had managed to
provide
new facilities made of brick for its entire personnel following NATO's
March 24-June 10 1999 aggression and to create favourable conditions for
the life and work of Corps commands and units.
Third Army commander Gen. Nebojsa Pavkovic voiced confidence that the
Corps would soon return to Kosovo and Metohija "where it will raise the
flag of freedom under which all citizens - Serbs, Montenegrins and
members
of other ethnic groups - will coexist in peace with ethnic Albanians as
before."
B92 27/01/2000 ------------------------------------
LA GERMANIA FA LA CAMPAGNA ELETTORALE IN JUGOSLAVIA
German support for Serbian opposition
BERLIN, Thursday - The German government has demanded a thorough
re-examination of sanctions against Serbia, calling for more severe
measures
directly aimed at Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his
associates.
German Foreign Minister Joscha Fischer, submitting the report on the
Pact for
Stability in the Bundestag today, gave credit to the Serbian opposition
for
its efforts in uniting and seeking replacement of the regime. Fischer
also
said that Germany supported the opposition in its demands for
parliamentary
elections by the end of April.
The political director of the British Foreign Office, Charles Crawford,
told
Radio B2 92 this afternoon that it was important to understand that
Europe
had taken a unanimous decision not to lift sanctions. Crawford denied
that
Britain and Holland had blocked an initiative to reduce the sanctions.
Asked
whether the US had pressured Britain and Holland over the issue Crawford
denied knowledge of such a move, adding however that the Americans were
very
good at applying pressure to anyone when it suited them.
Meanwhile, the director of Washington's Balkans Action Council, James
Hooper,
said today that he believed Milosevic would do anything in order to
divide
the opposition and the West, believing that the US and the EU would
finally
turn back to him. Hooper described the EU as being so exhausted that it
was
again considering backing Milosevic, adding that it was obvious that
Serbian
Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic was being used to undermine
opposition
efforts. The worst thing, said Hooper, was that Democratic Party
President
Zoran Djindjic had fallen into a well-laid trap.
Replying to Hooper's statement, Djindjic told the BBC World Service that
Hooper had demonstrated his basic lack of understanding of the internal
political situation in Serbia.
NUOVO GOVERNO IN MONTENEGRO
Montenegrin government reshuffle
PODGORICA, Thursday - The governing Democratic Party of Socialist in
Montenegro last night agreed on substantial changes to the cabinet of
Prime
Minister Filip Vujanovic. The final outcome was expected to be announced
after a scheduled meeting of parliament, which began late because of
party
consultations on the cabinet changes. Fonet reports that the new foreign
minister is expected to Branko Lukovac and that Ljubisa Krgovic would
become
deputy prime minister.
REUTERS 26/01/2000 ---------------------------------
ASPRO CONTRASTO TRA BULGARIA E RUSSIA PER IL MANCATO
INVITO DELLA RF DI JUGOSLAVIA AL SUMMIT DI SOFIA
Bulgaria rejects Russian anger over Balkan summit 09:26 a.m. Jan 26,
2000 Eastern
SOFIA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Bulgaria, facing angry complaints from Russia,
on Wednesday defended its decision not to invite Yugoslavia to a Balkan
summit last weekend.
``The aim of the meeting, which was fulfilled, had been to find a common
approach to solving regional problems,´´ said Bulgarian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Radko Vlaikov.
``At a time when cooperation with Yugoslavia is difficult, its
participation in the event would have blocked positive results of the
meeting,´´ he told a news conference.
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement denouncing the
informal meeting of prime ministers of seven countries bordering
Yugoslavia which was hosted by Bulgaria.
Representatives of Belgrade, which enjoys relatively good ties with
Moscow, had not been invited to the meeting, also attended by European
Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
``We are surprised by the absence of Yugoslavia, whose internal
situation was discussed at the meeting,´´ said Russia´s statement.
``The isolationist format of the event...could hardly be constructive,
not to mention ethical.´´
The Russian document said that a decision by the summit to continue such
consultations ``looked very similar to an attempt to create a closed
anti-Yugoslav pact with Euro-Atlantic orientation.´´
The summit was unanimous in pressing the West to do more to get off the
ground the Balkan Stability Pact, formally launched by Big Powers last
year but still lacking economic substance.
But they were divided on whether to ease international sanctions imposed
on Yugoslavia, which are hurting the economies of its neighbours.
Bulgaria said they should be revised, while Albania said any relaxation
would play into the hands of Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic.
Vlaikov said the meeting was a success as it had created a spirit of
better cooperation and made possible an honest dialogue on the problems
of the troubled Balkan region.
B92 26/01/2000 ----------------------
ANCORA UN PAIO DI CITTA' INSERITE NEL
PROGRAMMA UE "PETROLIO PER LA DEMOCRAZIA"?
Energy for Democracy extended
BELGRADE, Wednesday - The European Commission was expected today to
formalise
the extension of the Energy for Democracy program. Under the program,
the
southern Serbian cities of Pirot and Nis have been supplied with heating
oil.
The coordinator of the G17 independent economic think tank, Mladjan
Dinkic,
told B2 92 today that the project would now include the cities of
Kraguejevac, Novi Sad, Subotica, Sombor and Kraljevo.
ALTRI DUE RICERCATI PER L'OMICIDIO DI ARKAN
Police seek two more gunmen in Arkan case
BELGRADE, Wednesday - Belgrade police have appealed to the public for
assistance in locating two more men suspected of being involved in the
murder
of underworld boss Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic. A police statement names
the
two men as Dragan Nikolic of New Belgrade and Milan Djuricic of Mali
Zvornik.
Four suspects are already under arrest on charges relating to the murder
in
Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental ten days ago.
ANCORA UN SERBO-BOSNIACO ARRESTATO
Bosnian Serb arrested
VISEGRAD, Wednesday - Bosnian Serb Mitar Vasilijevic was arrested in
Visegrad
yesterday on charges of war crimes in Bosnia, the Republic of Srpska
government confirmed today. The British press writes today that
Vasilijevic
was a member of the White Eagles paramilitary unit which was allegedly
involved in the first mass murders in Bosnia. According to the reports,
Vasilijevic was involved in the murder of Muslims on the Drina bridge in
Visegrad in May 1992 and had taken part in setting fire to two buildings
housing 135 Muslims, including women and children.
B92 22/01/2000 ---------------
ARRESTATO L'ASSASSINO DI ARKAN
Police arrest Arkan's murderer
BELGRADE, Saturday - Former police officer Dobrosav Gavric has been
arrested
for the murder of underworld boss Arkan which took place at the Hotel
Intercontinental in Belgrade last Saturday, Belgrade police stated
today. At
a press conference in Belgrade today, senior police official Milenko
Ercic
said that Gavric who was injured in the incident and was currently in
hospital, was a former police officer on sick leave from June 1999 known
to
be working in the protection of well known Belgrade gangsters. The
police
have also arrested two of his accomplices one of whom was also formerly
a
police officer dismissed for his "mob" connections. Ercic said that all
three
men had confessed to their part in the triple murder and would shortly
be
brought before the Belgrade Municipal court.
I SOCIALDEMOCRATICI DEL MONTENEGRO SI SENTONO GIA'
AL DI FUORI DELLA JUGOSLAVIA
No federal elections in Montenegro this year
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - The Montenegrin Social Democrats will not take
part in
federal general elections in October, their party president Zarko
Rakcevic
said today in response to Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic's
announcement yesterday regarding such elections. Rakcevic said that
Montenegro considered Yugoslavia to be part of their past and would
therefore
not take part in any federal elections. Rakcevic also emphasisied the
need
for an improvement in the relations between Serbia and Montenegro, but
said
that such an improvement could only be reached after the formal
recognition
of Montenegro by the international community.
B92 20/01/2000 ------------------------------------
PROBLEMI NELLA COALIZIONE GOVERNATIVA IN MONTENEGRO
Trouble in Montenegrin Government coalition
PODGORICA, Thursday - The central committee of the Social Democratic
Party of
Montenegro last night gave its government coalition partners an
ultimatum to
call a referendum on secession by the end of March. The party described
the
decision on the referendum as a prerequisite for the survival of the
government coalition.
Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said today that the referendum on
secession was a real possibility and announced that the leaders of
coalition
parties would meet soon to discuss all controversial issues. Djukanovic
told
media that he was not familiar with the decision of the Social
Democratic
Party.
YDS 18/01/2000 ------------------------------------
COMITATO BULGARO CONDANNA LA AGGRESSIONE DELLA NATO
BULGARIAN COMMITTEE FOR BALKAN COOPERATION CONDEMNS NATO AGGRESSION
SOFIA, January 18 (Tanjug) - The Bulgarian Committee for Balkan
Understanding and Cooperation on Tuesday condemned last year's brutal
U.S.-led NATO aggression on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Speaking at a special session marking the 40th anniversary of the
Committee's founding, its chairman Victor Pshelarov called on the big
powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Balkan states and demanded
that the people of that region decide about their fate by themselves.
The NATO aggression on Yugoslavia has affected both the people of that
country and all the Balkan states, the vice president of the Alliance of
Balkan Women Emilia Maslovarova said.
Speaking on behalf of the 600,000 professional members of the Federation
of Bulgarian Journalists, its secretary Snezana Todorova recalled that
the
Bulgarian journalists strongly condemned the barbaric NATO bombing of
the
media centre in Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the air raids on
hospitals, maternity wards, civilian homes, etc.
Yugoslav diplomat Darinka Acimovic expressed gratitude to the members of
the Bulgarian Committee for Balkan Understanding and Cooperation for
their
support during the brutal NATO aggression. The co-chairman of the
Bulgarian-Yugoslav Friendship Society, Dimitrije Ostojic, a sculptor,
called on the Balkan nations not to allow any more wars in this always
troubled region.
PREOCCUPAZIONE IN MACEDONIA PER I CONFINI INSICURI
MACEDONIA CONCERNED OVER INSECURE BORDER WITH KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
SKOPJE, January 18 (Tanjug) - Macedonian Defence Minister Nikola Kljusev
has demanded from NATO and KFOR to help Macedonia secure its border with
Yugoslavia in the section with Kosovo and Metohija.
Kljusev conveyed this demand to NATO's Ambassador in Skopje, Hans
Juergen
Eife, and KFOR logistics commander in Macedonia, General Bob Ruth, it
was
said on Tuesday.
After the arrival of KFOR in Kosovo and Metohija, Macedonia was faced
with
great problems since part of its border with Yugoslavia remained
practically unsecured which, Skopje said, has an unfavourable effect on
this country's security.
The Macedonian border with Albania is also unsecured because the
Albanian
troops have long since been withdrawn from this region.
B92 18/01/2000 ------------------------------------------
IN PERICOLO ANCHE LA FAUNA PER I BOMBARDAMENTI DELLA NATO
Serbian fauna endangered by NATO bombing
BONN, Tuesday - Last year's bombing of Yugoslavia had catastrophic
consequences for the region's fauna, a German paper writes today,
quoting a
report from an associate of Belgrade's Museum of Natural History. Milan
Paunovic told a European Union ecology conference in Thessaloniki that
many
subspecies in Serbia and Kosovo were now endangered, following the
destruction of their habitats. Paunovic quoted reports that a large
number of
wolves had fled from Serbia to northern Greece.
B92 16/01/2000 ------------------------------------------
ARKAN ASSASSINATO NELL'HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL DI BELGRADO
Arkan murdered in Belgrade's Intercontinental hotel
BELGRADE, Sunday -- Zelko Raznjatovic, better known as Arkan, commander
of
the paramilitary Serbian Volunteer Guard active during the wars in
Bosnia and
Croatia, was shot in the lobby of Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental
sometime
around five o' clock yesterday afternoon. Arkan, who was shot in the
head,
was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed him dead. One of his body
guards, identified as Momcilo Mandic, was also killed at the scene,
while
Dragan Garic whose involvement in the incident is not clear, was also
rushed
to hospital where he later died. The group had been sitting in a
sectioned-off part of the lobby and were on their way to the hotel exit
when
they were hit by at least one round from a Heckler and Koch submachine
gun
that apparently hit Arkan in the eye. The Serbian police have released
no
details regarding the incident.
All local media in Belgrade have today reported Arkan's death with
contradictory versions of the events leading to his death. There has
been
considerable speculation as to how many assailants there were, whether
they
were hiding inside the hotel, whether they were masked as well as to the
motives for such a murder.
The Hague Tribunal indicted 47-year-old Arkan in 1997 for war crimes
carried
out by his paramilitaries in Bosnia and Croatia, but the indictment was
kept
under wraps until 31st of March last year when the tribunal made his
indictment public. Arkan and his paramilitary forces have also been
accused
by the western media of involvement in apparent atrocities in Kosovo
during
the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia, but Arkan denied any involvement in
war
crimes. In 1992 Arkan was an MP in the Serbian Parliament as independent
candidate. The following year he founded the Party of Serbian Unity
which did
not manage to win a single seat in the 1993 elections. For the past
several
years his name has been connected with the football club Obilic which
progressed from being a second division club to Yugoslav champion
straight
after Arkan purchased it.
All opposition parties in Serbia stated that this murder symbolised the
current state of affairs in the country. The Serbian Renewal Movement
linked
this murder to living with state terrorism. President of the Democratic
Party
Zoran Djindjic said that Belgrade had become a dangerous city in which
to
live, while Goran Svilanovic of the Civic Alliance party said that Arkan
was
someone who knew too much and was too deeply involved.
There has so far been no public reaction to Arkan's murder from the
regime.
ALBRIGHT E COOK DISPIACIUTI PER LA MORTE DI ARKAN
Albright and Cook: no satisfaction from Arkan's murder
US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and British Foreign Minister
Robin
Cook reacted to Arkan's death by stating that they took no satisfaction
from
his murder. Albright said that the US would have preferred him to stand
trial
in The Hague War Crimes Tribunal. Cook agreed with such sentiments
saying he
would have preferred to see Arkan taking responsibility for his crimes.
ARKAN STAVA COLLABORANDO CON IL TRIBUNALE DELL'AIA?
The Sunday Times: Arkan cooperating with the Hague Tribunal
LONDON, Sunday - A source close to Arkan has revealed that he was
supplying
the Hague Tribunal with material which could be crucial to the eventual
trial
of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, London's Sunday Times writes
today.
The same source said that Arkan had believed that if he cooperated with
the
tribunal, the case against him would be dropped.
PRESTO PUBBLICI I DETTAGLI SUL PROCEDIMENTO CONTRO ARKAN
(MA DOPO DUE SETTIMANE ANCORA NON SE NE SA NIENTE...)
Details of Arkan's indictment soon to be made public
THE HAGUE, Sunday - The details of the indictment against Arkan
regarding his
involvement in war crimes in Croatia and Bosnia could soon be made
public,
Hague Tribunal spokesman Paul Risley told Reuters today.
==================================================================
NOTA DEL CRJ: Le notizie in lingua straniera sono introdotte da un
nostro titolo in italiano per facilitarne la consultazione.
La nostra selezione di notizie contiene brani da fonti diverse:
YDS - e' la "Yugoslav Daily Survey" del Ministero degli Esteri della
RFJ (cfr. http://www.mfa.gov.yu/ ).
B92 - sono le notizie che provengono dalla mailing list di RadioB2-92,
di orientamento antigovernativo e filo-occidentale:
> freeb92-e is an open mailing list for distribution of news by Radio
> B2-92. News bulletins are updated at 19.00 CET Monday to Friday and
> at 23.00 CET on Saturday and Sunday.
> For more information on FreeB92 and Radio B2-92, visit:
> http://www.freeb92.net/
REUTERS - sono i dispacci della omonima agenzia di informazione:
>Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
>redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
>prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
>errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
>thereon.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
PERISIC CHIUSE UN OCCHIO SUL SOSTEGNO DELLA NATO ALL'UCK?
Matic accuses Perisic of turning a blind eye to the arming of Kosovo
separatists
KRUSEVAC, Saturday - The public will soon be informed about where the
Kosovo
separatists obtained their arms and who in Yugoslavia turned a blind eye
to
such activities, the Federal Minister of Information Goran Matic said in
an
interview for Krusevac TV Plus today. Matic told TV Krusevac that a
meeting
between American and French Secret Service experts had taken place in
Sarajevo in 1997 where they had decided to arm Kosovo separatists from
SFOR
bases. Matic said that the names of those whose job it was to prevent
this
taking place, above all Army Chief of Staff General Momcilo Perisic
(currently leader of the Movement for a democratic Serbia) would soon be
made
public.
VERSO LA SVENDITA DELLE TELECOMUNICAZIONI DEL MONTENEGRO
Montenegro to put Montenegrin Telecom and Electricity Company up for
sale
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - The Montenegrin Tender Commission announced today
that
they are planning to put Montenegrin Telecom and the Montenegrin
Electricity
Company up for sale. The Commission stated that they would sell off more
than
51% of the companies since foreign investors would not be interested in
anything less than a controlling share. The sale will take place under
consultation with Deloitt & Touche.
Former Montenegrin government official and member of G17, Nebojsa
Medojevic
told B2 92 of his reservations regarding this decision. Medojevic said
that
he felt this was not the right time to make such a move since due to the
current uncertain political situation in Yugoslavia, the companies would
be
sold for far less than their real market value.
CONTINUI SEGNALI DI IRREQUIETEZZA DA DJUKANOVIC
Djukanovic: clarification of relations within the Federation imminent
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - Clarification of the relations within the
Yugoslav
Federation will take place this year, Montenegrin President Milo
Djukanovic
told press in Bar today. Djukanovic said that a way out of the current
crisis
could be achieved if the Federal bodies and Serbia showed a constructive
approach towards the proposals put forward by Montenegro regarding the
redefinition of relations within the Federation and that this would
result in
a stabilisation of the situation within the Federation. Djukanovic added
that
should such an approach fail to materialise, Montenegro would finally
and
definitively go its own way.
B92 28/01/2000 ------------------------------------
ANALISTA MILITARE BRITANNICO SULLA IPOTESI DI NUOVA
AGGRESSIONE NATO IN APPOGGIO ALLA SECESSIONE MONTENEGRINA
British concern over Montenegrin crisis
BANJA LUKA, Friday - NATO would react if federal Yugoslav forces clashed
with
Montenegrin troops in Yugoslavia's southern republic, British military
analyst Paul Beaver said today. Beaver told media in Banja Luka that
another
bombing of Serbian military targets was possible, but that it would
depend on
how seriously NATO understood Belgrade's threats against the Montenegrin
government. He also expressed concern that the US could try to remove
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from power and that the Americans
could
see a Montenegrin conflict as an opportunity to implement such a plan.
ROBERTSON: PER LA SITUAZIONE ATTUALE IN KOSOVO
E' TUTTA COLPA DI MILOSEVIC
NATO "resolute" over Kosovo
BRUSSELS, Friday - NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said today
that
the level of violence and bloodshed in Kosovo was still too high but
that the
Alliance was determined to change that. Robertson added that the Balkans
would have looked considerably different today had Belgrade opted for
serious
political and economic reforms ten years ago.
YDS 28/01/2000 ---------------------------------------------------
AVVIATA LA RICOSTRUZIONE DI ALTRI 21 PONTI BUTTATI GIU' DALLA NATO
REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - RECONSTRUCTION
AGREEMENT SIGNED ON CONSTRUCTION OF 21 BRIDGES
BELGRADE, January 27 (Tanjug) - Director of the Directorate for the
Reconstruction of the Country Milutin Mrkonjic signed on Friday
contracts
for the construction of 21 road and railway bridges that were destroyed
in
NATO's aggression last year.
Construction works within the second phase of reconstruction are due to
be
completed by July 7 this year, and they will be realized by seven
domestic
firms - Kraljevo factory of carriages, MIN of Nis, Gosa of Smederevo,
Mostrogradnja of Belgrade, 14 oktobar of Krusevac, Novi auto put of
Belgrade and Graditelj of Leskovac.
Recalling that in NATO's aggression were destroyed and damaged 64
bridges,
Mrkonjic specified that in the first phase of reconstruction were
completed
and opened for traffic 32 bridges, and that construction works were
underway on seven other facilities.
The construction of the 21 bridges, with the exception of three bridges
in
Novi Sad, will complete the road infrastructure in Serbia, Mrkonjic
said.
NUOVO GOVERNO IN MONTENEGRO DOPO LE DIMISSIONI DEL MINISTRO
DEGLI ESTERI ACCUSATO DI LEGAMI CON LA CAMORRA
REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO - GOVERNMENT
VUJANOVIC PROPOSES NEW MINISTERS
PODGORICA, January 27 (Tanjug) - A special session of the Montenegrin
Parliament, convened to review a Government reshuffle, started with
great
delay on Friday afternoon due to the need for further consultations.
Premier Filip Vujanovic nominated as the new Foreign Minister Branko
Lukovac, current representative of Montenegro in Slovenia. The former
Minister Branko Perovic resigned recently after accusations of being
linked
to illegal trade in Italy.
Instead of Predrag Goranovic, as Deputy Premier has been proposed
Ljubisa
Krgovic, who now occupies the office of member of the Monetary Council
of
Montenegro.
Rade Gregovic, current Mayor of Budva, is to replace Radovan Bakic as
Minister of urban planning and Budimir Dubak, current Minister of
Culture
is to take over the Ministry of Religion from Slobodan Tomovic.
Dubak, according to the proposal of the Premier, is to be replaced by
Radojica Luburic, current Director of the Montenegrin Institute for
Scientific-Technical and Cultural Cooperation.
Vujanovic thanked the outgoing Deputy Premier and Ministers Predrag
Goranovic, Branko Perovic, Radovan Bakic and Slobodan Tomovic.
LA LIBIA CONTESTA L'ATTIVITA' DI "MEDICI SENZA FRONTIERE"
E DI KOUCHNER IN KOSOVO E METOHIJA
JAMAHIRIYA - KOUCHNER VIOLATES EVERY DAY U.N. CHARTER
TRIPOLI, January 28 (Tanjug) - The Libyan daily Al Jamahiriya strongly
criticized the activities of the French organization Medecins Sans
Frontieres in Kosovo and Metohija and the awarding of the Nobel Peace
prize
for 1999 to that organization.
Medecins Sans Frontieres have political goals and operate under a
suspicious umbrella, the Libya daily said this week, and the activities
of
the U.N. representative in Kosovo-Metohija Bernard Kouchner support that
assessment.
"In spite of the fact that the man is a doctor, he is playing an inhuman
NATO role in dealing with the problems of the Province of Kosovo and
Metohija," Al Jamihiriya said.
"The organization Medecins Sans Frontieres has, contrary to Security
Council Resolution 1244, took part in the covering up of numerous
criminal
acts in Kosovo, such as the massacre of 14 women and children in the
village Staro Gacko near the town of Lipljan.
"The U.N. Mission conducted the forensic examination of the bodies
without
the participation of Yugoslav doctors. That means the distancing of
Yugoslav forensic experts from the investigation with a view to covering
up
the case and removing the most important traces, and in turn the
encouraging of crimes and criminals whose conduct suits the
international
forces (NATO) that make up KFOR," Al Jamahiriya said. The Libyan daily
further said that the "misfortune of ethnic cleansing was repeated also
in
the cities of Prizren, Djakovica, Istok, Klina and others, as well as
the
destruction of monuments as a monastery from 1315 in the vicinity of the
capital city of Pristina".
"In return," Al Jamahiriya said, "the organization Medecins Sans
Frontieres received all the prize and eulogies, and even the Nobel Peace
Prize."
"The conduct of the French Doctor Without Borders, Kouchner, in Kosovo,
sets an example for the daily flagrant violations of human rights and of
the U.N. Charter," Al Jamahiriya said, recalling that that was not the
first Nobel Peace Prize whose awarding has given rise to doubts.
YDS 27/01/2000 -----------------------------------------
STANZIATI 900 MILIONI DI DINARI PER I PROFUGHI IN SERBIA
900 MILLION DINARS FOR DISPLACED FROM KOSOVO AND METOHIJA - YUGOSLAV
MINISTER
KRUSEVAC, SERBIA, January 26 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Minister for Refugees,
Displaced and Exiled Persons Bratislava Morina said on Wednesday in the
city of Krusevac, central Serbia, that the Yugoslav and Serbian
Governments
have earmarked 900 million dinars as aid for refugees and temporarily
displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija.
Morina, who is also Serbian Minister for Refugees, presented the
corresponding organs in Krusevac with ten tonnes of relief aid for the
internally displaced persons who found refuge in this region.
She pointed out that the corresponding state organs are currently
registering all displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija and that this
data will be verified by the representatives of neutral Switzerland.
"This
will be yet another in the series of proof about the activities of the
ethnic Albanian terrorists who are being helped by a part of the
international community and who forced the Serbs and other non-Albanians
to
leave their homes," Morina said.
Underscoring that under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 Kosovo and
Metohija is an integral and unalienable part of the Republic of Serbia
and
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Morina stated that she expects the
annulment of all decisions by UNMIK head Bernard Kouchner which are not
in
keeping with this resolution.
ANTICOSTITUZIONALE L'USO DEL MARCO TEDESCO IN MONTENEGRO
USE OF GERMAN MARK IN MONTENEGRO NOT IN KEEPING WITH FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION
BELGRADE, January 26 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Constitutional Court ruled
on
Wednesday that the decision on the use of the German mark in Montenegro
parallel with the national currency dinar, is not in keeping with the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Law on the
National
Bank of Yugoslavia and the Law on Foreign Currency Transactions.
The Court said that the decision of the Montenegrin Government on taking
over certain competencies of the National Bank of Yugoslavia "with the
aim
of protecting the economic interests of Montenegro" is also not in
keeping
with the Federal Constitution and the Law on the National Bank of
Yugoslavia.
In November 1999, the Court set a deadline for the Montenegrin
Government
to come up with explanations regarding the initiative of the National
Bank
of Yugoslavia to begin proceedings for the assassement of the
constitutionality and legality of the controversial Montenegrin
decisions.
Montenegro, however, failed to respond.
Quoting constitutional and legal provisions, the Court set out that
under
the constitution the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is
a
single economic and market area and that only the National Bank of
Yugoslavia, as an independent institution and the only bank of issue
within
the Yugoslav monetary system, is responsible for monetary policy, the
stability of the currency and for financial discipline.
The Court also instigated proceedings to investigate the
constitutionality
of the Montenegrin Law on Amnesty which released from responsibility all
military conscripts who failed to respond to the mobilization during the
NATO aggression from March 24 - June 10, 1999.
The Court has set a two-week deadline to the Montenegrin Parliament to
take a position on this law.
According to the Court, no republican organ is authorized to release
anyone from the responsibility for the offence of draft dodging since
this
is regulated only by federal laws.
The Court said it was stopping the realization of all individual acts
adopted on the basis of the disputed law.
SI VA NORMALIZZANDO IL TRAFFICO AEREO SULLA JUGOSLAVIA?
AIR TRAFFIC OVER YUGOSLAVIA NORMALISING
BELGRADE, January 27 (Tanjug) - Air traffic over Yugoslavia has begun
returning to normal as of dawn on Thursday, according to the National
Flight Control chief.
Flight Control Administration Director Branko Bilbija told TANJUG that,
as
of 1 minute past midnight last night, the Yugoslav Flight Control was
guiding 55 percent of all flights over Bosnia- Herzegovina at altitudes
between 9,000 metres and 13,000 m.
Also, radars were guiding planes over Yugoslavia flying from central
Europe to Greece and the Middle East, and there were plans to open
corridors to Croatia and Italy.
"For the past four or five months, talks have been going on in Paris,
Brussels and Rome about normalising air traffic in Yugoslav air space,
and
the accords reached have only just begun to be implemented today," said
Bilbija.
He added that flights in Yugoslav air space had been banned since the
start of NATO's aggression on Yugoslavia on March 24, 1999.
When the air strikes ended on June 10, Yugoslav flight controllers took
over about 20 percent of flights, viz. those to Macedonia. As of today,
they were slowly resuming the guiding of planes for all foreign air
carriers.
GENERALE JUGOSLAVO PROMETTE IL RITORNO DELL'ARMATA IN KOSMET
YUGOSLAV GENERAL SAYS PRISTINA CORPS WILL RETURN TO KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
LESKOVAC, January 26 (Tanjug) - An annual analysis of the readiness for
action of the Yugoslav Army Pristina Corps was made at the Corps'
command
on Wednesday. A statement issued by the Corps press section quoted Corps
Commander Maj. Gen. Radojko Stefanovic, who supervised the proceedings,
as
saying that the Corps had been the backbone of the Yugoslav Army's and
the
Third Army's defence in Kosovo and Metohija.
Maj. Gen. Stefanovic said that Corps troops had put up a brilliant
resistance to the far superior enemy, saying that, by uniting all
defence
forces in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's southern province, the Corps
had managed to preserve its potential, troops and materiel sustaining
minimum losses.
The statement also said that, thanks to the state and economic
structures'
maximum engagement and assistance offered, the Corps had managed to
provide
new facilities made of brick for its entire personnel following NATO's
March 24-June 10 1999 aggression and to create favourable conditions for
the life and work of Corps commands and units.
Third Army commander Gen. Nebojsa Pavkovic voiced confidence that the
Corps would soon return to Kosovo and Metohija "where it will raise the
flag of freedom under which all citizens - Serbs, Montenegrins and
members
of other ethnic groups - will coexist in peace with ethnic Albanians as
before."
B92 27/01/2000 ------------------------------------
LA GERMANIA FA LA CAMPAGNA ELETTORALE IN JUGOSLAVIA
German support for Serbian opposition
BERLIN, Thursday - The German government has demanded a thorough
re-examination of sanctions against Serbia, calling for more severe
measures
directly aimed at Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his
associates.
German Foreign Minister Joscha Fischer, submitting the report on the
Pact for
Stability in the Bundestag today, gave credit to the Serbian opposition
for
its efforts in uniting and seeking replacement of the regime. Fischer
also
said that Germany supported the opposition in its demands for
parliamentary
elections by the end of April.
The political director of the British Foreign Office, Charles Crawford,
told
Radio B2 92 this afternoon that it was important to understand that
Europe
had taken a unanimous decision not to lift sanctions. Crawford denied
that
Britain and Holland had blocked an initiative to reduce the sanctions.
Asked
whether the US had pressured Britain and Holland over the issue Crawford
denied knowledge of such a move, adding however that the Americans were
very
good at applying pressure to anyone when it suited them.
Meanwhile, the director of Washington's Balkans Action Council, James
Hooper,
said today that he believed Milosevic would do anything in order to
divide
the opposition and the West, believing that the US and the EU would
finally
turn back to him. Hooper described the EU as being so exhausted that it
was
again considering backing Milosevic, adding that it was obvious that
Serbian
Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic was being used to undermine
opposition
efforts. The worst thing, said Hooper, was that Democratic Party
President
Zoran Djindjic had fallen into a well-laid trap.
Replying to Hooper's statement, Djindjic told the BBC World Service that
Hooper had demonstrated his basic lack of understanding of the internal
political situation in Serbia.
NUOVO GOVERNO IN MONTENEGRO
Montenegrin government reshuffle
PODGORICA, Thursday - The governing Democratic Party of Socialist in
Montenegro last night agreed on substantial changes to the cabinet of
Prime
Minister Filip Vujanovic. The final outcome was expected to be announced
after a scheduled meeting of parliament, which began late because of
party
consultations on the cabinet changes. Fonet reports that the new foreign
minister is expected to Branko Lukovac and that Ljubisa Krgovic would
become
deputy prime minister.
REUTERS 26/01/2000 ---------------------------------
ASPRO CONTRASTO TRA BULGARIA E RUSSIA PER IL MANCATO
INVITO DELLA RF DI JUGOSLAVIA AL SUMMIT DI SOFIA
Bulgaria rejects Russian anger over Balkan summit 09:26 a.m. Jan 26,
2000 Eastern
SOFIA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Bulgaria, facing angry complaints from Russia,
on Wednesday defended its decision not to invite Yugoslavia to a Balkan
summit last weekend.
``The aim of the meeting, which was fulfilled, had been to find a common
approach to solving regional problems,´´ said Bulgarian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Radko Vlaikov.
``At a time when cooperation with Yugoslavia is difficult, its
participation in the event would have blocked positive results of the
meeting,´´ he told a news conference.
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement denouncing the
informal meeting of prime ministers of seven countries bordering
Yugoslavia which was hosted by Bulgaria.
Representatives of Belgrade, which enjoys relatively good ties with
Moscow, had not been invited to the meeting, also attended by European
Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
``We are surprised by the absence of Yugoslavia, whose internal
situation was discussed at the meeting,´´ said Russia´s statement.
``The isolationist format of the event...could hardly be constructive,
not to mention ethical.´´
The Russian document said that a decision by the summit to continue such
consultations ``looked very similar to an attempt to create a closed
anti-Yugoslav pact with Euro-Atlantic orientation.´´
The summit was unanimous in pressing the West to do more to get off the
ground the Balkan Stability Pact, formally launched by Big Powers last
year but still lacking economic substance.
But they were divided on whether to ease international sanctions imposed
on Yugoslavia, which are hurting the economies of its neighbours.
Bulgaria said they should be revised, while Albania said any relaxation
would play into the hands of Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic.
Vlaikov said the meeting was a success as it had created a spirit of
better cooperation and made possible an honest dialogue on the problems
of the troubled Balkan region.
B92 26/01/2000 ----------------------
ANCORA UN PAIO DI CITTA' INSERITE NEL
PROGRAMMA UE "PETROLIO PER LA DEMOCRAZIA"?
Energy for Democracy extended
BELGRADE, Wednesday - The European Commission was expected today to
formalise
the extension of the Energy for Democracy program. Under the program,
the
southern Serbian cities of Pirot and Nis have been supplied with heating
oil.
The coordinator of the G17 independent economic think tank, Mladjan
Dinkic,
told B2 92 today that the project would now include the cities of
Kraguejevac, Novi Sad, Subotica, Sombor and Kraljevo.
ALTRI DUE RICERCATI PER L'OMICIDIO DI ARKAN
Police seek two more gunmen in Arkan case
BELGRADE, Wednesday - Belgrade police have appealed to the public for
assistance in locating two more men suspected of being involved in the
murder
of underworld boss Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic. A police statement names
the
two men as Dragan Nikolic of New Belgrade and Milan Djuricic of Mali
Zvornik.
Four suspects are already under arrest on charges relating to the murder
in
Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental ten days ago.
ANCORA UN SERBO-BOSNIACO ARRESTATO
Bosnian Serb arrested
VISEGRAD, Wednesday - Bosnian Serb Mitar Vasilijevic was arrested in
Visegrad
yesterday on charges of war crimes in Bosnia, the Republic of Srpska
government confirmed today. The British press writes today that
Vasilijevic
was a member of the White Eagles paramilitary unit which was allegedly
involved in the first mass murders in Bosnia. According to the reports,
Vasilijevic was involved in the murder of Muslims on the Drina bridge in
Visegrad in May 1992 and had taken part in setting fire to two buildings
housing 135 Muslims, including women and children.
B92 22/01/2000 ---------------
ARRESTATO L'ASSASSINO DI ARKAN
Police arrest Arkan's murderer
BELGRADE, Saturday - Former police officer Dobrosav Gavric has been
arrested
for the murder of underworld boss Arkan which took place at the Hotel
Intercontinental in Belgrade last Saturday, Belgrade police stated
today. At
a press conference in Belgrade today, senior police official Milenko
Ercic
said that Gavric who was injured in the incident and was currently in
hospital, was a former police officer on sick leave from June 1999 known
to
be working in the protection of well known Belgrade gangsters. The
police
have also arrested two of his accomplices one of whom was also formerly
a
police officer dismissed for his "mob" connections. Ercic said that all
three
men had confessed to their part in the triple murder and would shortly
be
brought before the Belgrade Municipal court.
I SOCIALDEMOCRATICI DEL MONTENEGRO SI SENTONO GIA'
AL DI FUORI DELLA JUGOSLAVIA
No federal elections in Montenegro this year
MONTENEGRO, Saturday - The Montenegrin Social Democrats will not take
part in
federal general elections in October, their party president Zarko
Rakcevic
said today in response to Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic's
announcement yesterday regarding such elections. Rakcevic said that
Montenegro considered Yugoslavia to be part of their past and would
therefore
not take part in any federal elections. Rakcevic also emphasisied the
need
for an improvement in the relations between Serbia and Montenegro, but
said
that such an improvement could only be reached after the formal
recognition
of Montenegro by the international community.
B92 20/01/2000 ------------------------------------
PROBLEMI NELLA COALIZIONE GOVERNATIVA IN MONTENEGRO
Trouble in Montenegrin Government coalition
PODGORICA, Thursday - The central committee of the Social Democratic
Party of
Montenegro last night gave its government coalition partners an
ultimatum to
call a referendum on secession by the end of March. The party described
the
decision on the referendum as a prerequisite for the survival of the
government coalition.
Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said today that the referendum on
secession was a real possibility and announced that the leaders of
coalition
parties would meet soon to discuss all controversial issues. Djukanovic
told
media that he was not familiar with the decision of the Social
Democratic
Party.
YDS 18/01/2000 ------------------------------------
COMITATO BULGARO CONDANNA LA AGGRESSIONE DELLA NATO
BULGARIAN COMMITTEE FOR BALKAN COOPERATION CONDEMNS NATO AGGRESSION
SOFIA, January 18 (Tanjug) - The Bulgarian Committee for Balkan
Understanding and Cooperation on Tuesday condemned last year's brutal
U.S.-led NATO aggression on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Speaking at a special session marking the 40th anniversary of the
Committee's founding, its chairman Victor Pshelarov called on the big
powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Balkan states and demanded
that the people of that region decide about their fate by themselves.
The NATO aggression on Yugoslavia has affected both the people of that
country and all the Balkan states, the vice president of the Alliance of
Balkan Women Emilia Maslovarova said.
Speaking on behalf of the 600,000 professional members of the Federation
of Bulgarian Journalists, its secretary Snezana Todorova recalled that
the
Bulgarian journalists strongly condemned the barbaric NATO bombing of
the
media centre in Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the air raids on
hospitals, maternity wards, civilian homes, etc.
Yugoslav diplomat Darinka Acimovic expressed gratitude to the members of
the Bulgarian Committee for Balkan Understanding and Cooperation for
their
support during the brutal NATO aggression. The co-chairman of the
Bulgarian-Yugoslav Friendship Society, Dimitrije Ostojic, a sculptor,
called on the Balkan nations not to allow any more wars in this always
troubled region.
PREOCCUPAZIONE IN MACEDONIA PER I CONFINI INSICURI
MACEDONIA CONCERNED OVER INSECURE BORDER WITH KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
SKOPJE, January 18 (Tanjug) - Macedonian Defence Minister Nikola Kljusev
has demanded from NATO and KFOR to help Macedonia secure its border with
Yugoslavia in the section with Kosovo and Metohija.
Kljusev conveyed this demand to NATO's Ambassador in Skopje, Hans
Juergen
Eife, and KFOR logistics commander in Macedonia, General Bob Ruth, it
was
said on Tuesday.
After the arrival of KFOR in Kosovo and Metohija, Macedonia was faced
with
great problems since part of its border with Yugoslavia remained
practically unsecured which, Skopje said, has an unfavourable effect on
this country's security.
The Macedonian border with Albania is also unsecured because the
Albanian
troops have long since been withdrawn from this region.
B92 18/01/2000 ------------------------------------------
IN PERICOLO ANCHE LA FAUNA PER I BOMBARDAMENTI DELLA NATO
Serbian fauna endangered by NATO bombing
BONN, Tuesday - Last year's bombing of Yugoslavia had catastrophic
consequences for the region's fauna, a German paper writes today,
quoting a
report from an associate of Belgrade's Museum of Natural History. Milan
Paunovic told a European Union ecology conference in Thessaloniki that
many
subspecies in Serbia and Kosovo were now endangered, following the
destruction of their habitats. Paunovic quoted reports that a large
number of
wolves had fled from Serbia to northern Greece.
B92 16/01/2000 ------------------------------------------
ARKAN ASSASSINATO NELL'HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL DI BELGRADO
Arkan murdered in Belgrade's Intercontinental hotel
BELGRADE, Sunday -- Zelko Raznjatovic, better known as Arkan, commander
of
the paramilitary Serbian Volunteer Guard active during the wars in
Bosnia and
Croatia, was shot in the lobby of Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental
sometime
around five o' clock yesterday afternoon. Arkan, who was shot in the
head,
was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed him dead. One of his body
guards, identified as Momcilo Mandic, was also killed at the scene,
while
Dragan Garic whose involvement in the incident is not clear, was also
rushed
to hospital where he later died. The group had been sitting in a
sectioned-off part of the lobby and were on their way to the hotel exit
when
they were hit by at least one round from a Heckler and Koch submachine
gun
that apparently hit Arkan in the eye. The Serbian police have released
no
details regarding the incident.
All local media in Belgrade have today reported Arkan's death with
contradictory versions of the events leading to his death. There has
been
considerable speculation as to how many assailants there were, whether
they
were hiding inside the hotel, whether they were masked as well as to the
motives for such a murder.
The Hague Tribunal indicted 47-year-old Arkan in 1997 for war crimes
carried
out by his paramilitaries in Bosnia and Croatia, but the indictment was
kept
under wraps until 31st of March last year when the tribunal made his
indictment public. Arkan and his paramilitary forces have also been
accused
by the western media of involvement in apparent atrocities in Kosovo
during
the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia, but Arkan denied any involvement in
war
crimes. In 1992 Arkan was an MP in the Serbian Parliament as independent
candidate. The following year he founded the Party of Serbian Unity
which did
not manage to win a single seat in the 1993 elections. For the past
several
years his name has been connected with the football club Obilic which
progressed from being a second division club to Yugoslav champion
straight
after Arkan purchased it.
All opposition parties in Serbia stated that this murder symbolised the
current state of affairs in the country. The Serbian Renewal Movement
linked
this murder to living with state terrorism. President of the Democratic
Party
Zoran Djindjic said that Belgrade had become a dangerous city in which
to
live, while Goran Svilanovic of the Civic Alliance party said that Arkan
was
someone who knew too much and was too deeply involved.
There has so far been no public reaction to Arkan's murder from the
regime.
ALBRIGHT E COOK DISPIACIUTI PER LA MORTE DI ARKAN
Albright and Cook: no satisfaction from Arkan's murder
US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and British Foreign Minister
Robin
Cook reacted to Arkan's death by stating that they took no satisfaction
from
his murder. Albright said that the US would have preferred him to stand
trial
in The Hague War Crimes Tribunal. Cook agreed with such sentiments
saying he
would have preferred to see Arkan taking responsibility for his crimes.
ARKAN STAVA COLLABORANDO CON IL TRIBUNALE DELL'AIA?
The Sunday Times: Arkan cooperating with the Hague Tribunal
LONDON, Sunday - A source close to Arkan has revealed that he was
supplying
the Hague Tribunal with material which could be crucial to the eventual
trial
of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, London's Sunday Times writes
today.
The same source said that Arkan had believed that if he cooperated with
the
tribunal, the case against him would be dropped.
PRESTO PUBBLICI I DETTAGLI SUL PROCEDIMENTO CONTRO ARKAN
(MA DOPO DUE SETTIMANE ANCORA NON SE NE SA NIENTE...)
Details of Arkan's indictment soon to be made public
THE HAGUE, Sunday - The details of the indictment against Arkan
regarding his
involvement in war crimes in Croatia and Bosnia could soon be made
public,
Hague Tribunal spokesman Paul Risley told Reuters today.
==================================================================
NOTA DEL CRJ: Le notizie in lingua straniera sono introdotte da un
nostro titolo in italiano per facilitarne la consultazione.
La nostra selezione di notizie contiene brani da fonti diverse:
YDS - e' la "Yugoslav Daily Survey" del Ministero degli Esteri della
RFJ (cfr. http://www.mfa.gov.yu/ ).
B92 - sono le notizie che provengono dalla mailing list di RadioB2-92,
di orientamento antigovernativo e filo-occidentale:
> freeb92-e is an open mailing list for distribution of news by Radio
> B2-92. News bulletins are updated at 19.00 CET Monday to Friday and
> at 23.00 CET on Saturday and Sunday.
> For more information on FreeB92 and Radio B2-92, visit:
> http://www.freeb92.net/
REUTERS - sono i dispacci della omonima agenzia di informazione:
>Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
>redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
>prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
>errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
>thereon.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
*** GUERRA, BUGIE E VIDEOTAPE: un nuovo video dell'International Action
Center
*** Una trasmissione televisiva ed un video tra le iniziative del
Partito del Lavoro del Belgio: http://www.ptb.be/
* Gli "umanitaristi" europei estendono le sanzioni mentre i vicini serbi
muoiono di freddo (Diana Johnstone, L. Campetti, J. Israel)
* La televisione britannica mostra un documentario sulle menzogne di
guerra - naturalmente a notte fonda (F. Weston, "In defence of Marxism")
* Anche il Washington Post e' un'arma della NATO ? (FAIR)
* Un narcostato in Kosovo, tra le conseguenze del "Blair-ismo" (J.
Pilger)
===
International Action Center
39 West 14th St., #206
New York, NY 10011
212-633-6646 fax: 212-633-2889
Email: iacenter@...
Web Page: www.iacenter.org
1/28/2000
EXCITING, NEW, INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER BOOK THAT
RIPS THE MASS MEDIA. “War, Lies & Videotape: How
media monopoly stifles truth” exposes the true
character of the media today. Order a copy now with
your credit card on www.leftbooks.com.
Have you ever wondered whether the news you hear is
true? Who makes the news and how? How do mega-
mergers and the consolidation of media outlets
affect what you see on the evening news?
The International Action Center’s new book, “War,
Lies & Videotape: How media monopoly stifles truth”
is a superb new work by some of your favorite
fighters for justice and media critics. Read new
works by Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney
General; Michael Parenti, author; Nawal El Saadawi,
Novelist & Journalist; Ben Bagdikian, former editor
of the “Washington Post”; Sara Flounders & Brian
Becker, Co-Directors of the IAC; Diana Johnstone,
former European Editor of “In These Times”; Jean-
Bertrand Aristide, former President of Haiti; Scott
Armstrong, Co-Author of “The Brethren”; and others
on the very nature of the news we see and read.
RAMSEY CLARK ON MEDIA MANIPULATION OF FOREIGN
POLICY: “The means of communication are controlled
by a handful of interests. Ninety percent of all
television fare comes from six or seven companies.
A General Electric or Rupert Murdoch can
marginalize a Socrates. A cup of hemlock might seem
to so the same, but the fact of Socrates’ existence
and authenticity abides.
“This is not an easy time to be a thinker. When the
media marginalizes a Socrates of our time, if there
will be one, where will the memory of his word
abide?
“Our (the U.S. Government’s) ability to manipulate
and admit without alarming the public is
overwhelming. There was a review in the New York
Times last week of the new book called ‘To Win a
War’ by Richard Holbrooke. It’s written in the
first person, telling how he did it. He didn’t
title his narrative ‘To Establish a Peace.’ And in
his tale he reveals the horrors of ethnic cleansing.
But pride overcomes discretion, and he writes,
boastfully according to a review, of how, even as
Washington was condemning the Croatian purge of more
than a quarter million Serbs from the Krajina, he
was in Zagreb making sure that the Croatians did
exactly that, identifying the cities to be purged,
the deaths and the massive forced emigration.
“The power of the Media to demonize is perhaps its
most dangerous and vicious power.”
MICHAEL PARENTI ON MEDIA EVASION: “We often think of
the news media as sensationalist and intrusive. In
fact, the press’s basic modus operandi is evasive
rather than invasive. More important that
sensationalist hype is the artful avoidance…
“The news media’s daily performance is not a failure
but a skillfully evasive success. Their job is not
to inform but to disinform, not to advance
democratic discourse but to mute it. The media
gives every appearance of being vigorously
concerned about events of the day, saying so much,
meaning so little, offering so many calories and so
few nutrients. When we understand this, we move
from a liberal complaint about the press’s sloppy
performance to a radical analysis of how the media
serve the ruling circles with much craft and
craftiness.”
NAWAL EL SAADAWI ON NEO-COLONIALISM AND MEDIA’S DARK
AGE: “Two phrases in an African-Jamaican song
summarize the media’s dark age in which we live:
Raise the chains off the body.
Put the chains on the mind.
“…This is one of the functions of the media. To give
you the illusion that you are free to choose what
you like from the free market, that you are free to
elect your representative in Congress or
Parliament. But in media’s dark age how can anyone
be free?
“Never before in history has there been such
domination of people’s minds by the mass media.
Never before in history has thee been such a
concentration and centralization of media, capital,
and of military power in the hands of so few
people. All the countries that form the group of
seven (in the North) control almost all the
technological, economic, media, information and
military power.”
SARA FLOUNDERS ON THE ACHILLES HEEL OF MEDIA POWER:
LOSS OF CREDIBILITY: “The more absolutely
controlled and homogenized news and information
becomes the more it lacks credibility--and the more
vulnerable it is to the truth. A generation ago in
the U.S. the average person accepted or believed
what governmental officials said and what they
heard on the news.
“Now the distrust of the media goes even deeper than
the alienation from government. Today the average
person knows that the politicians lie. They lie
about their personal lives and sexual affairs, of
course. They lie about taxes and finances and they
lie about reasons for going to war. This distrust
is reflected first in apathy and alienation…
“Consider the response on issues of U.S. military
action. Historically, war is one issue where every
strata and class in society is aroused, apprehensive
and has an opinion… Wild claims of self-defense or
demonizing an opponent are hardly new tactics in the
annals of war. Great wars of conquest and plunder
have always been masked by noble appeals…
“During the 40 days of bombings when more than
110,000 aerial sorties were flown against Iraq,
under a 24-hour- a-day media barrage calling on the
public to ‘support our troops,’ approval ratings of
President Bush and the war reached 80%. But the
support was shallow and short- lived. Six months
later this approval rating for President Bush had
plummeted to 30%. It takes greater hype and in
heavier doses to achieve even temporary support.”
“War, Lies & Videotape: How media monopoly stifles
truth” is 280 pages, fully indexed, for $15.95. You
can either order it now, on-line, with your credit
card at www.leftbooks.com for 15% off or you can
send a check to the International Action Center for
$15.95 plus $4 shipping. This book is now in stock.
Buy it for a friend; use it in a discussion group,
or as a textbook. Help circulate the truth about
the corporate control of the media. And help to
support the International Action Center as it
continues uncompromising leadership against U.S.
interventions and militarism.
===
´L?écran-témoin'
Guerre 40-45, Irak, Kosovo: secrets et mensonges. Débat avec Eric
Laurent, (écrivain), Francis Balace (historien) et
Michel Collon (journaliste à Solidaire). RTBF, lundi 31 janvier, 20h10.
Une vidéo comme contrepoison
de la propagande Otan
´Sous les bombes de l?Otan.' Ce documentaire de Michel Collon et Regards
Croisés montre la face cachée de la guerre en
Yougoslavie. Les images ont été prises lors d?un voyage effectué par le
journaliste et quatorze autres Belges en mai 1999.
La vidéo dévoile aussi la stratégie de l?Otan, les intérêts stratégiques
du Caucase et la manière dont l?organisation
atlantique entend contrôler les réserves de pétrole.
t Vidéo de 45 minutes, 400 F. A verser au compte 001-3178376-53 de Fonds
de soutien tiers monde, communication
?vidéo Yougo?. Ou à la LAI, tél. 02/513.53.86, fax 02/51398.31.
http://www.ptb.be/forms/yougoform.htm
===
Succumbing to Albright -
EURO HUMANITARIANS EXTEND SANCTIONS WHILE SERBIAN NEIGHBORS FREEZE
by Diana Johnstone www.emperors-clothes.com
"BELGRADE - (Reuters) Snow-bound Serbia introduced on Tuesday sporadic
power
cuts and urged the nation to cut energy consumption to avoid a collapse
of
its strained grid as outside temperatures sank to -20 degrees Celsius.
The
freezing spell came only two days after blizzards swept across the
country
blocking roads and cutting off many villages." (Reuters 1/25/00)
On January 25, in the first month of this new humanitarian millenium,
the
inhabitants of Serbia were snowbound and freezing after blizzards swept
the
country and temperatures plunged to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Serbia's
power
grid, one third destroyed or damaged by NATO's bombing campaign, was
unable
to meet the demand for domestic heating. Repeated two-hour power cuts
were
introduced to prevent breakdown. The situation was reportedly critical
in the
central Serbian towns of Kraljevo and Kragujevac, once the site of
Yugoslavia's proud modern automobile industry, wiped out by NATO bombs,
leaving the population jobless and destitute. "There are no fuel
reserves. We
can only pray the skies have mercy on us", a senior Serbian oil company
executive told Reuters news agency. Meanwhile, nearby, on earth, mercy
was
not on the agenda. On the very same day that temperatures were plunging
to
record lows in Serbia, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels
to
decide whether to agree to a partial lifting of the sanctions, as
requested
by Italy, Germany, France and Greece. This could have allowed export to
Serbia of such necessities as heating oil, medicines and items needed to
repair vital civilian infrastructure. Most of the Europeans also wanted
to
end the ban on airline flights to Belgrade. But not all the Europeans
let
sentimental humanitarian considerations interfere with the humanitarian
necessity of keeping up the torture of the Yugoslav people. Having still
failed to practice democracy as dictated by Washington and London, the
Serbs
clearly require more lessons. The United States' most faithful European
followers, Britain and the Netherlands, kept a stiff upper lip and
vetoed the
soft-hearted proposal of their EU partners to ease sanctions. "The
sanctions
will continue", the Foreign Office declared. "We believe that there will
be
no peace in the region so long as Milosevic is still President." As for
"peace in the region", in recent days there have been mounting reports
of
armed ethnic Albanian incursions across the border from Kosovo into
Southern
Serbia. On January 18, the Muslim principal of the Muhovac village
elementary
school, near the city of Vranje in Southeastern Serbia, was assassinated
in a
hail of machinegun fire. The educator, Chemalj Mustafi, was vice
president of
the local branch of the Socialist Party of Serbia (Milosevic' party).
There
were other reports of mortars fired at police posts. The Kosovo
Liberation
Army, like other Albanian nationalists, demand the inclusion of more
parts of
Southern Serbia as well as Kosovo into a future Greater Albania.
######################################################
The independent Italian left daily newspaper "Il Manifesto" published
the
following comment on January 27, 2000:
TO DIE OF EMBARGO by Loris Campetti (Excerpts)
After the first undeclared war against the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia,
NATO with the support of the European Union and thus of Italy has
initiated a
second war, this time declared. The old peple and the children who are
dying
of cold and sickness only a short distance from our homes are not
victims of
the harshest of Balkan winters -- it is we in the West who are killing
them
with the embargo. Try to imagine what it means for a citizen of Belgrade
to
spend the night at 14 degrees below zero without heating because the
sanctions prevent deliveries of fuel oil, without light because the
electric
power plants were bombed and are still closed for lack of fuel, without
medicine because Serbia is the evil empire and its inhabitants are
demons,
their sin is deadly and deadly must be the punishment...
Serbia's roads are covered with three feet of snow, the means of
transport
are stuck in depots, stations, airports. The schools are closed. In your
opinion, how do they feel, those hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Roma
driven out of Kosovo for being Serbs or Roma, who have disappeared into
freezing refugee camps in Serbia, huddled under plastic tents or in
bombed-out factories. [...] Italy is not happy with this, but perfidious
Albion pounded its shoe on the table and then what are you to do?
patience,
and wait till the next time. The Italians are so sensitive that they
would
have liked to come to the aid of some Serbs, at least those who live in
cities administrated by the opposition (they others can be patient), but
the
English didn't want to. What can you do? patience, wait till next time.
Let's
put ourselves in the place of those old people and those children
abandoned
at 15 or 20 degrees below zero for whom there will not be a next time.
What
we are saying is that patience is at an end, and ours as well. We want
to say
to the knights of humanitarian intervention...humanitarian intervention,
today, means saving the Serbian people and the Roma people. And what
about
you, Mr. Dini?
[ Note: Lamberto Dini is Italian foreign minister. ]
***
For other articles by Diana Johnstone, please click on Articles by
Author or
go to http://emperors-clothes.com/artbyauth.html then click on "J".
To browse articles at emperors-clothes, go to www.tenc.net
For a report on how NATO forces under the command of the Dutch
government,
with which the U.S. is closely allied, treat people in occupied Kosovo,
http://emperors-clothes.com/misc/savethe.htm
NOTE: Russia has been sending fuel through Hungary. Under U.S. pressure,
the
Hungarian government has demanded Yugoslavia pay millions of dollars in
fees,
money it does not have due to the effect of the sanctions, or Hungary
will
stop transmitting Russian fuel at the end of this month.
Does the U.S. government want the world for its Empire? If not, what is
the
crime the Yugoslavs have committed, to be bombed, driven from Kosovo,
deprived of heat during winter? Is the crime of this small, brave
country,
that it refuses to crumble, to be defeated? Perhaps by not accepting
American
diktat, Yugoslavia is setting an example for all who value human
freedom, an
example that has already inspired others to resist Imperial domination.
-
Jared Israel.
===
STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG
In Defense of Marxism
January 25, 2000
British TV documentary exposes NATO lies about Kosovo
During the NATO bombings in Serbia and Kosovo the propaganda machine of
the media in the West, with a few noble exceptions, obediently put
forward the line that it was necessary to concentrate the armed might of
the nineteen most powerful nations of the world, in order to stop the
"ethnic cleansing" of the Kosovar Albanians. All the news was aimed at
justifying everything NATO was doing.
At the time we published a series of articles explaining the real
reasons for the bombing: to impose the strategic interests of Western
imperialism on the Balkans. When we wrote these articles we were "going
against the stream", especially in countries like Britain where the
barrage of propaganda was enormous. Many honest workers and youth may
have been taken in by this propaganda and may even object to us calling
it "propaganda", but propaganda it was, nevertheless.
On 16th January ITV (a British TV channel) broadcast a documentary by
Jonathan Dimbleby which confirms everything we said throughout the
bombing campaign. It is a pity it was shown late on a Sunday evening, so
we think it worthwhile to highlight the most significant parts of the
programme and to quote at length from Dimbleby himself.
His mission was to "find out if there really was a victory in Kosovo,
whether good did triumph over evil." Dimbleby shows how, in reality, the
bombing destroyed the basic infrastructures that make for a civilised
existence, both for the Albanians and the Serbs.
He describes K-for (the UN troops) as the "military wing of a colonial
governor, better known as the Security Council of the United Nations,"
and shows how it is only the presence of 50,000 NATO and UN troops from
23 different countries that is preventing a new explosion of violence.
NATO lies exposed
The most interesting parts of the documentary are those where Dimbleby
exposes the lies of NATO. We all remember how we were led to believe
that possibly hundreds of thousands of Kosovar Albanians had been
massacred by the Serb forces. In one scene we see corpses of those
killed being dug out, and Dimbleby's comment is, "In the early days of
the war, as if to justify the bombing of Belgrade, NATO fuelled
speculation that the massacres in Kosovo had been apocalyptic in scale.
But the evidence so far, with just over 2000 bodies recovered, suggests
that the final toll will be far lower than some of the wilder claims
fostered by war time propaganda."
Of course even the killing of one innocent civilian is unjustified, but
as he points out, "by comparison with atrocities committed elsewhere in
the world, the Kosovo killings, though dreadful, were clearly on a
modest scale, and, for me at least, a dubious pretext for turning most
of this region into rubble." As he points out the message that had to be
got across was: "Something must be done. Do it now!"
The Rambouillet provocation
He explains how the so-called Rambouillet Accords were worded in such a
way that no country could have accepted them. He says that at
Rambouillet, NATO delivered a "take it or leave it ultimatum" which
involved autonomy for Kosovo and a referendum three years later on
self-determination, a chance for the Albanians of Kosovo to achieve
outright independence.
But, he adds, "Any lingering chance of a deal finally collapsed when the
allies inserted a last minute clause into the Rambouillet Accords giving
NATO freedom of movement not only in Kosovo but throughout Serbia, and
complete immunity from all Yugoslav law. Serbia rejected NATO's
ultimatum as a gross violation of national sovereignty, well aware that
this would mean war."
And what about the argument, pushed so vehemently by NATO spokespersons
at the time, that it was all necessary to save lives? Dimbleby explains
that, "NATO had no mandate from the UN, a violation of international
law, which the allies justified by claiming that the purpose of the
campaign was to avert a humanitarian disaster. But so far from being
averted, the disaster was compounded. As NATO intensified its onslaught
against Serbia, Milosevic accelerated the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
This was the very opposite of what the bombing was supposed to
achieve... NATO had expected Milosevic to crumble under the aerial
onslaught. He didn't."
Dimbleby admits what we pointed out at the time. It was only thanks to
the Russian intervention that a deal was brokered. He also shows that
the withdrawal of Serb troops "was very far from that rabble which NATO
spin doctors had predicted." He also explains that Milosevic withdrew
his troops only after having "extracted two remarkable concessions":
NATO no longer insisted on the right to enter Serbia "at will", but it
also revoked the promise of a referendum on independence and confirmed
that Kosovo would remain a "constituent part of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia".
Couldn't all this have been averted?
It is on this question that Dimbleby makes the most significant
statement of his documentary: "It was a remarkable outcome, and it
surely isn't unreasonable to ask what might have happened if the same
terms had been on offer before the war as after it. If NATO had not
insisted on freedom of movement throughout Serbia, and if Milosevic had
been told that an autonomous Kosovo would remain within the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, might we have avoided all that misery, bloodshed
and destruction?"
And what about a "democratic" and "multiethnic Kosovo"? He asks the
question if Kosovo is "free" and his answer is that it clearly is not.
He visits Pristina and finds that ethnic cleansing of the Serb minority
has taken place and continues to take place on a massive scale. He
visits a hospital and finds that not only are the staff totally
Albanian, but there are also no Serb patients to be found anywhere! The
Serb population is too frightened of going to the hospital. They are
terrified of KLA intimidation. In fact those among the staff who would
be prepared to treat Serbs would be risking their lives at the hands of
the KLA.
Now the Serbs are being "ethnically cleansed"
Dimbleby goes on to explain that, "Since the end of the war there has
been ethnic cleansing in Kosovo on a monstrous scale, an outrage which
K-for failed to arrest, that the leaders of NATO's moral crusade have
ignored, and from which the Western media, for the most part, has
averted its gaze." He points out that 150,000 Serbs, 75% of the original
population, have been "cleansed". The rest live in enclaves, in theory
"protected" by K-for troops. As he says, K-for is, in reality, paralysed
and cannot stop the rape, murder and pillage. One Serb woman is shown
preparing to leave the house she had lived in for forty years, and she
expresses her anger at the West: "The world doesn't care about us!"
The aim of the UN had been to create a local police force, made up of
both Albanians and Serbs, but that is impossible in the given
conditions. At the same time, as a British Army officer explains, the
risk is that the Albanians begin to see NATO as the enemy! The Albanians
want independence, but NATO is not going to let them have it, (as we
explained in several articles at the time).
A colonial dictatorship
So what is the real role of NATO in Kosovo? Dimbleby confirms what we
always maintained, when he says that, "Instead of a government, there's
K-for and the UN. In effect, a colonial dictatorship, an administration
which is benevolent, but also invested with absolute power..." On the
"benevolence" of a force that killed some 2,000 civilians we would have
some doubts! But in the essentials what he says is absolutely true: what
we have in Kosovo is a dictatorship, a NATO protectorate, whose aim is
to defend the strategic interests of western imperialism. It is not
there to defend the interests of the ordinary people, the Serb and
Albanian workers and peasants.
The KLA have not disarmed. Only a tiny fraction of their arms have been
handed in and NATO is powerless to find all the remaining armoury. The
nationalists on both sides have committed terrible crimes against the
peoples of Kosovo. This has created mutual hatred on both sides.
At the end of the documentary Dimbleby seems to have no hope for Kosovo.
He says, "For me there has been no victory of good over evil here, and
so far there is very little to celebrate... Anyone who thinks that this
venture represents the triumph of an ethical foreign policy, or is the
blueprint for a new world order should, I believe, think again. As it
is, we, that is the Western allies, are here for a very long time to
come."
Dimbleby has all the shortcomings of a liberal bourgeois news reporter.
He cannot see the underlying causes of the conflict. But he at least
exposes a lot of the spin we had to endure during the bombing campaign.
He points to the truth. Of course all this is shown late on a Sunday
evening months after the events. When it really counted, the evening
news bombarded us with propaganda, but at least we can use this
documentary to show that the Marxists had the courage to tell the truth
in the heat of the bombing campaign, when it really counted.
We must also go beyond simply denouncing the lies of NATO. We must offer
an alternative to the peoples of the Balkans. That can only be achieved
on the basis of a struggle to unite the workers of different
nationalities in a common struggle against the real enemies, the
capitalists, the Mafia and the ex-Stalinist bureaucrats, who are all
responsible, who have all played the nationalist card to divide the
workers along ethnic lines, in order to more easily remain in power. But
for this we suggest you read, or re-read the material we published
during the bombing campaign itself.
by Fred Weston,
London, 25th January 2000
===
FAIR-L
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
Media analysis, critiques and news reports
ACTION ALERT:
Washington Post a "Useful Tool" for NATO?
Paper's coverage distorts facts about Kosovo war crimes
Jan. 28, 2000
When a group of prominent international legal scholars filed a war
crimes
complaint against NATO for its actions in Yugoslavia, the Washington
Post's
coverage (1/20/00) was dismissive--demonstrating a poor grasp of
international law and the war in Yugoslavia, and relying on an "expert"
with
a blatant and unmentioned conflict of interest.
The scholars, led by Professor Michael Mandel of York University in
Toronto,
sent a detailed legal brief to the U.N.-sponsored International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), arguing that NATO leaders
committed serious violations of international law during the 78-day
bombing
campaign against Yugoslavia last year.
The Post article, by Paris correspondent Charles Trueheart, curtly
dismissed
the legal case against NATO: "Most legal scholars say the professors
have a
pretty weak case, noting that accidental civilian deaths caused by NATO
bombs fail to meet the commonly accepted standard for war crimes. Even
so,
the legal campaign against the Western alliance has taken on a life of
its
own." The piece goes on to claim that "even the Tribunal's most ardent
champions in the human rights community and elsewhere are worried that
the
case may have damaged its reputation through an exercise in dangerous
relativism."
Yet only one such "legal scholar" or member of the "human rights
community"
is quoted by Trueheart: Professor Paul Williams of American University,
who
is identified simply as a "war crimes expert." Nowhere in the article is
it
disclosed that Williams, a former State Department lawyer, is currently
a
paid lobbyist for the "provisional government of Kosovo" in Washington.
There's no evidence in Trueheart's article that he made a genuine effort
to
determine whether, in fact, other jurists or human rights experts
support
Mandel's view that NATO violated international law during its Kosovo
campaign. Trueheart could have examined Human Rights Watch's recent
announcement that that it will send detailed reports to the Tribunal
arguing
that NATO's target selections were "disproportionate and should be found
violations of international humanitarian law." (London Guardian, 1/7/00)
Trueheart might also have noted that no less a "champion" of the
Tribunal
than its former President and presiding judge, Antonio Cassese, has
expressed the view (European Journal of International Law, #1/99) that
NATO
violated the United Nations Charter by attacking Yugoslavia without a
mandate from the U.N. Security Council: "The breach of the United
Nations
Charter occurring in this instance cannot be termed minor. The action of
NATO countries radically departs from the Charter system for collective
security." (Cassese did add that in his view a moral case could be made
for
NATO's intervention.)
In fact, judging by Trueheart's assertions--"accidental civilian deaths
caused by NATO bombs fail to meet the commonly accepted standard for war
crimes"--he appears to be ignorant of either the nature of NATO's
attacks on
Yugoslavia or of the Geneva Convention statutes which make up the
"commonly
accepted standard for war crimes." This unfamiliarity is disturbing,
since
Trueheart regularly covers the ICTY for the Post.
The Geneva Conventions would not hold a bomber pilot criminally liable
if a
missile aimed at a military installation--say, an anti-aircraft gun or a
munitions storage facility--drifted off-course and accidentally struck a
village populated by civilians. Such accidents are not war crimes. In
their
complaint, Mandel and his colleagues do not cite such accidents as
violations of the Geneva statutes. They point to other strikes that were
deliberate attacks on civilian targets.
Ironically, some of the clearest evidence that some NATO strikes
seriously
breached the Geneva Conventions can be found in the Washington Post's
own
reporting. For example, a front-page article last year by military
reporter
Dana Priest ("Bombing by Committee: France Balked at NATO Targets,"
9/20/99)
recounted the decision-making processes behind several NATO targeting
decisions. According to Priest, at one point, British "Foreign Secretary
Robin Cook questioned strikes on power lines affecting a large hospital
in
Belgrade. But the group brought him around."
In another episode, shortly before a planned missile strike on the
headquarters of Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party--which was located in
a
residential neighborhood of Belgrade--an internal memo assessing the
likely
civilian destruction was distributed among NATO leaders:
"Next to a photograph of the party headquarters, the document said:
'Collateral damage: Tier 3 -- High. Casualty Estimate: 50-100
Government/Party employees. Unintended Civ Casualty Est: 250 -- Apts in
expected blast radius.'
"In short, NATO anticipated that the attack could, in the worst case,
kill
up to 350 people, including 250 civilians living in nearby apartment
buildings.
"Washington and London approved the target, but the French were
reluctant,
noting that the party headquarters also housed Yugoslav television and
radio
studios. 'In some societies, the idea of killing journalists--well, we
were
very nervous about that,' said a French diplomat."
Ultimately, Paris went along. But in going ahead with the attack, NATO
appears to have directly breached Article 51 of the Geneva Convention
(Protocol I), which prohibits any
"attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life,
injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination
thereof,
which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military
advantage anticipated."
The Socialist Party building was itself a civilian facility located
hundreds
of miles from the site of any military conflict. Asked by a reporter at
the
next day's press briefing what military rationale lay behind the party
headquarters strike, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea could not name any
specific
military function. Instead, he declared that NATO considered "any aspect
of
the power structure" in Yugoslavia to be a legitimate target, adding
that
the party headquarters building "contains the propaganda machinery...of
the
ruling Socialist Party."
The reluctance expressed by British and French diplomats over these
strikes
apparently stemmed from their concern that the raids in question might
represent violations of the Geneva Conventions--or at least that they
would
be perceived as such. In fact, NATO leaders repeatedly admitted that
their
strategy in attacking civilian targets was to terrorize the population
in
the hope that the Serbian public would turn against its government and
pressure Milosevic to capitulate. In a May 24 interview with the
Washington
Post, U.S. Air Force Lt.-Gen. Michael Short explained the strategy:
"If you wake up in the morning and you have no power to your house and
no
gas to your stove and the bridge you take to work is down and will be
lying
in the Danube for the next 20 years, I think you begin to ask, 'Hey,
Slobo,
what's this all about? How much more of this do we have to withstand?'
And
at some point, you make the transition from applauding Serb machismo
against
the world to thinking what your country is going to look like if this
continues."
Short's rather bowlderized list of examples of civilian destruction in
Serbia does not fully explain the strategy: As the memorandum published
by
the Post showed, NATO expected its attack on Socialist Party
headquarters to
kill up to 250 neighboring residents as they slept.
In an another instance, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea declared : "If
President
Milosevic really wants all of his population to have water and
electricity,
all he has to do is accept NATO's five conditions and we will stop this
campaign." Statements like these have led Human Rights Watch executive
director Kenneth Roth to declare (Letters, London Guardian, 1/12/00) his
group's concern that
"NATO bombed the civilian infrastructure not because it was making a
significant contribution to the Yugoslav military effort but because its
destruction would squeeze Serb civilians to put pressure on Milosevic to
withdraw from Kosovo. Using military force in this fashion against
civilians
would violate the 'principle of distinction' -- a fundamental principle
of
international humanitarian law -- which requires military force to be
used
only against military targets, not against civilians or civilian
objects."
But if Trueheart and the Post appear uninterested in examining whether
NATO
violated international law during its Kosovo campaign, that does not
mean
they are uninterested in the subject of war crimes. In fact, the Post
considers the Tribunal's activities to be major news when they are
directed
against NATO's enemies.
When the Tribunal handed down its indictment of Slobodan Milosevic last
May,
Trueheart's article ran on the front page. Since then, the Post has used
the
phrase "indicted war criminal" to describe Milosevic an average of about
once a month. Yet the Post has made no serious attempt to evaluate
whether
our own government violated the laws of war in its air campaign last
year.
When the Tribunal was first established, American policymakers hoped
that
just such a double standard would prevail in media coverage. As Michael
Scharf, the State Department envoy who dealt with the Tribunal when it
was
created, wrote in the Washington Post (10/3/99) :
"America's chief Balkans negotiator at the time, Richard Holbrooke, has
acknowledged that the tribunal was widely perceived within the
government as
little more than a public relations device and as a potentially useful
policy tool.... Indictments also would serve to isolate offending
leaders
diplomatically, strengthen the hand of their domestic rivals and fortify
the
international political will to employ economic sanctions or use
force....
Indeed [the Milosevic indictment] became a useful tool in their [U.S.
and
Britain's] efforts to demonize the Serbian leader and maintain public
support for NATO's bombing campaign."
It's bad enough that the international war crimes tribunal--much of
whose
funding comes directly from the U.S., in violation of the tribunal's own
statutes (New York Press, 1/26/00)--can be described as a "useful tool"
of
Washington's foreign policy. The Washington Post should not serve the
same
function.
ACTION: Please encourage the Washington Post to fully and fairly cover
allegations of NATO war crimes.
Contact:
Robert McCartney, Foreign Editor
mailto:foreign@...
[This alert is posted on the FAIR website:
http://www.fair.org/reports/post-war-crimes.html%5d
----------
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===
STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG
Kosovo, close to being a Mafia state, is littered with unexploded bombs.
That`s the result of ethical Blairism
New Statesman (UK)
John Pilger
24th January 2000
The Blair government`s resumption of arms sales to Indonesia ends an
unreported hoax. The four- month "ban" supposedly in re-sponse to the
renewed repression in East Timor, was hardly a ban at all. Licences were
merely extended, so that no future business would be lost, and
parliament and the public were not told. Now, with 170,000 East Timorese
held hostage by the Indonesian military in camps in West Timor and
British-supplied Saladin armoured cars used in attacks on civilians
elsewhere in Indonesia, the military dictatorship that still runs the
country (regardless of its democratic trappings) will be encouraged in
its campaign against the popular resistance.
At the same time, the ethical Blairites are eager to resume arms sales
to the Pakistani military dictatorship, which three months ago crushed
an elected government.
Pakistan`s appalling human-right record makes a grim joke of the
European code of conduct on arms sales, adopted when Britain held the EU
presidency. This is unsurprising; British arms exports have long gone to
regimes with appalling human-rights records.
The ethical Blairites, however, add another dimension. Consider the
legacy of their "new moral crusade" in Kosovo last spring. Clare Short,
an avid crusader, said then "Nato is not killing civilians. The very
carefulness of our operations is to ensure that there is minimum damage
to civilians". This was manifestly false. Several thousand civilians
were killed and thousand more maimed many by cluster bombs which are, in
effect, air-dropped time-activated landmines. Those that did not explode
immediately now lie in wait for unsuspecting civilians, often children,
who pick them up; on detonation, they release dozens of "bomblets" that
cause horrific injuries.
I saw something of the human carnage they caused in Indochina following
the American bombing; 30 years later, they are still killing and
injuring. Not long ago, in tiny Laos, the British Mines Advisory Group
found 700 unexploded bomblets in one school playground. According to the
Asia correspondent of the Wall Street Journal, cluster bombs have given
Laos "an annual nationwide casualty rate of 20.000 more than half of
them deaths".
For Laos, now read Kosovo. Last April, Paul Watson of the Los Angeles
Times, who distiguished himself by remaining in Kosovo during the NATO
bombing, reported that cluster bombs had turned "parts of the province
into no-man`s land" which was "littered" with unexploded bomblets. At
Pristina Hospital, he witnessed the "horrific wounds" of Albanian
children, caused by delayed-action clusters. (It was Watson who
memorably wrote: Even in Kosovo, I couldn`t escape the sound of (Nato
spokesman Jamie) Shea`s voice… it haunted me at the strangest times,
denying things that I knew to be true, insisting on others that I had
seen were false").
With Robert Fisk`s reporting, Watson`s witness to the carnage caused by
Nato was rare. This was not so much a reporters` war as one dominated by
drum-beating lifestyle columnists who never acknowledged that British
pilots were using terror weapons against civilians, sowing Kosovo with
harvest of death and suffering that was in explicit violation of the
Ottowa Convention, which prohibits the production and use of
anti-personnel mines. Subsequent scrutiny of ministry of Defence
statistics reveals that, contrary to Clare Short`s fiction of
"carefulness" more than 75 per cent of bombs dropped by the RAF were
free-fall, including the 78,057 cluster bomblets released.
"It would be wrong to assume" said Blair last April, "that bombs and
missiles that miss their target necessarily cause collateral damage."
Read again that statement and you get a sense of the craven sophistry
with which respectable regimes cover their crimes. Blair is afraid of
the truth getting out and his ministers blocked disclosure of the
percentage of British bombs and missiles that "went astray" in Kosovo.
They justify this recourse to the Code of Practice on Access to
Government Information, a decree of state secrecy that no Soviet-era
apparatchik could better.
The ethical Blairites claim they did not use depleted uranium in Kosovo,
as John Major did in Iraq. Can se believe that? Their co-crusaders, the
Americans, used it. The physicist and chemist Professor Hari Sharma, a
world authority on depleted uranium, says: "The danger is equal to that
of a long-term weapon of mass destruction. The inhalation of even the
smallest dust particle may cause irreparable cell damage in unprotected
people, resulting in a cancer epidemic that over time could kill
thousands of the exposed" - in other words, the very people Blair
claimed to be liberating.
Also unreported is the installation in Kosovo of paramilitary regime
with links to organised crime. Indeed, Kosovo may become the world`s
first Mafia state. As they oversee the ethnic cleansing of 240,000 Serb
and Roma civilians Nato and its United Nations partners have established
a "working relationship" with the Kosovo Liberation Army, which Robin
Cook and Madeleine Albright once dismissed as a terrorist group. Much of
the KLA is criminalised, with war criminals. common murderers and drug
traders forming an "interim administration" that will implement the
"free-market reforms" required by the US and Europe. Their supervisors
are the World Bank and the European Development Bank, whose aim is to
ensure that western mining, petroleum and construction companies share
the booty of Kosovo`s extensive natural resources: a fitting finale to
the new moral crusade. Watch for others.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
Center
*** Una trasmissione televisiva ed un video tra le iniziative del
Partito del Lavoro del Belgio: http://www.ptb.be/
* Gli "umanitaristi" europei estendono le sanzioni mentre i vicini serbi
muoiono di freddo (Diana Johnstone, L. Campetti, J. Israel)
* La televisione britannica mostra un documentario sulle menzogne di
guerra - naturalmente a notte fonda (F. Weston, "In defence of Marxism")
* Anche il Washington Post e' un'arma della NATO ? (FAIR)
* Un narcostato in Kosovo, tra le conseguenze del "Blair-ismo" (J.
Pilger)
===
International Action Center
39 West 14th St., #206
New York, NY 10011
212-633-6646 fax: 212-633-2889
Email: iacenter@...
Web Page: www.iacenter.org
1/28/2000
EXCITING, NEW, INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER BOOK THAT
RIPS THE MASS MEDIA. “War, Lies & Videotape: How
media monopoly stifles truth” exposes the true
character of the media today. Order a copy now with
your credit card on www.leftbooks.com.
Have you ever wondered whether the news you hear is
true? Who makes the news and how? How do mega-
mergers and the consolidation of media outlets
affect what you see on the evening news?
The International Action Center’s new book, “War,
Lies & Videotape: How media monopoly stifles truth”
is a superb new work by some of your favorite
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Becker, Co-Directors of the IAC; Diana Johnstone,
former European Editor of “In These Times”; Jean-
Bertrand Aristide, former President of Haiti; Scott
Armstrong, Co-Author of “The Brethren”; and others
on the very nature of the news we see and read.
RAMSEY CLARK ON MEDIA MANIPULATION OF FOREIGN
POLICY: “The means of communication are controlled
by a handful of interests. Ninety percent of all
television fare comes from six or seven companies.
A General Electric or Rupert Murdoch can
marginalize a Socrates. A cup of hemlock might seem
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“This is not an easy time to be a thinker. When the
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“Our (the U.S. Government’s) ability to manipulate
and admit without alarming the public is
overwhelming. There was a review in the New York
Times last week of the new book called ‘To Win a
War’ by Richard Holbrooke. It’s written in the
first person, telling how he did it. He didn’t
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But pride overcomes discretion, and he writes,
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was in Zagreb making sure that the Croatians did
exactly that, identifying the cities to be purged,
the deaths and the massive forced emigration.
“The power of the Media to demonize is perhaps its
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MICHAEL PARENTI ON MEDIA EVASION: “We often think of
the news media as sensationalist and intrusive. In
fact, the press’s basic modus operandi is evasive
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sensationalist hype is the artful avoidance…
“The news media’s daily performance is not a failure
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meaning so little, offering so many calories and so
few nutrients. When we understand this, we move
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performance to a radical analysis of how the media
serve the ruling circles with much craft and
craftiness.”
NAWAL EL SAADAWI ON NEO-COLONIALISM AND MEDIA’S DARK
AGE: “Two phrases in an African-Jamaican song
summarize the media’s dark age in which we live:
Raise the chains off the body.
Put the chains on the mind.
“…This is one of the functions of the media. To give
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“Never before in history has there been such
domination of people’s minds by the mass media.
Never before in history has thee been such a
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seven (in the North) control almost all the
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SARA FLOUNDERS ON THE ACHILLES HEEL OF MEDIA POWER:
LOSS OF CREDIBILITY: “The more absolutely
controlled and homogenized news and information
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the U.S. the average person accepted or believed
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“Now the distrust of the media goes even deeper than
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“Consider the response on issues of U.S. military
action. Historically, war is one issue where every
strata and class in society is aroused, apprehensive
and has an opinion… Wild claims of self-defense or
demonizing an opponent are hardly new tactics in the
annals of war. Great wars of conquest and plunder
have always been masked by noble appeals…
“During the 40 days of bombings when more than
110,000 aerial sorties were flown against Iraq,
under a 24-hour- a-day media barrage calling on the
public to ‘support our troops,’ approval ratings of
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support was shallow and short- lived. Six months
later this approval rating for President Bush had
plummeted to 30%. It takes greater hype and in
heavier doses to achieve even temporary support.”
“War, Lies & Videotape: How media monopoly stifles
truth” is 280 pages, fully indexed, for $15.95. You
can either order it now, on-line, with your credit
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$15.95 plus $4 shipping. This book is now in stock.
Buy it for a friend; use it in a discussion group,
or as a textbook. Help circulate the truth about
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interventions and militarism.
===
´L?écran-témoin'
Guerre 40-45, Irak, Kosovo: secrets et mensonges. Débat avec Eric
Laurent, (écrivain), Francis Balace (historien) et
Michel Collon (journaliste à Solidaire). RTBF, lundi 31 janvier, 20h10.
Une vidéo comme contrepoison
de la propagande Otan
´Sous les bombes de l?Otan.' Ce documentaire de Michel Collon et Regards
Croisés montre la face cachée de la guerre en
Yougoslavie. Les images ont été prises lors d?un voyage effectué par le
journaliste et quatorze autres Belges en mai 1999.
La vidéo dévoile aussi la stratégie de l?Otan, les intérêts stratégiques
du Caucase et la manière dont l?organisation
atlantique entend contrôler les réserves de pétrole.
t Vidéo de 45 minutes, 400 F. A verser au compte 001-3178376-53 de Fonds
de soutien tiers monde, communication
?vidéo Yougo?. Ou à la LAI, tél. 02/513.53.86, fax 02/51398.31.
http://www.ptb.be/forms/yougoform.htm
===
Succumbing to Albright -
EURO HUMANITARIANS EXTEND SANCTIONS WHILE SERBIAN NEIGHBORS FREEZE
by Diana Johnstone www.emperors-clothes.com
"BELGRADE - (Reuters) Snow-bound Serbia introduced on Tuesday sporadic
power
cuts and urged the nation to cut energy consumption to avoid a collapse
of
its strained grid as outside temperatures sank to -20 degrees Celsius.
The
freezing spell came only two days after blizzards swept across the
country
blocking roads and cutting off many villages." (Reuters 1/25/00)
On January 25, in the first month of this new humanitarian millenium,
the
inhabitants of Serbia were snowbound and freezing after blizzards swept
the
country and temperatures plunged to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Serbia's
power
grid, one third destroyed or damaged by NATO's bombing campaign, was
unable
to meet the demand for domestic heating. Repeated two-hour power cuts
were
introduced to prevent breakdown. The situation was reportedly critical
in the
central Serbian towns of Kraljevo and Kragujevac, once the site of
Yugoslavia's proud modern automobile industry, wiped out by NATO bombs,
leaving the population jobless and destitute. "There are no fuel
reserves. We
can only pray the skies have mercy on us", a senior Serbian oil company
executive told Reuters news agency. Meanwhile, nearby, on earth, mercy
was
not on the agenda. On the very same day that temperatures were plunging
to
record lows in Serbia, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels
to
decide whether to agree to a partial lifting of the sanctions, as
requested
by Italy, Germany, France and Greece. This could have allowed export to
Serbia of such necessities as heating oil, medicines and items needed to
repair vital civilian infrastructure. Most of the Europeans also wanted
to
end the ban on airline flights to Belgrade. But not all the Europeans
let
sentimental humanitarian considerations interfere with the humanitarian
necessity of keeping up the torture of the Yugoslav people. Having still
failed to practice democracy as dictated by Washington and London, the
Serbs
clearly require more lessons. The United States' most faithful European
followers, Britain and the Netherlands, kept a stiff upper lip and
vetoed the
soft-hearted proposal of their EU partners to ease sanctions. "The
sanctions
will continue", the Foreign Office declared. "We believe that there will
be
no peace in the region so long as Milosevic is still President." As for
"peace in the region", in recent days there have been mounting reports
of
armed ethnic Albanian incursions across the border from Kosovo into
Southern
Serbia. On January 18, the Muslim principal of the Muhovac village
elementary
school, near the city of Vranje in Southeastern Serbia, was assassinated
in a
hail of machinegun fire. The educator, Chemalj Mustafi, was vice
president of
the local branch of the Socialist Party of Serbia (Milosevic' party).
There
were other reports of mortars fired at police posts. The Kosovo
Liberation
Army, like other Albanian nationalists, demand the inclusion of more
parts of
Southern Serbia as well as Kosovo into a future Greater Albania.
######################################################
The independent Italian left daily newspaper "Il Manifesto" published
the
following comment on January 27, 2000:
TO DIE OF EMBARGO by Loris Campetti (Excerpts)
After the first undeclared war against the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia,
NATO with the support of the European Union and thus of Italy has
initiated a
second war, this time declared. The old peple and the children who are
dying
of cold and sickness only a short distance from our homes are not
victims of
the harshest of Balkan winters -- it is we in the West who are killing
them
with the embargo. Try to imagine what it means for a citizen of Belgrade
to
spend the night at 14 degrees below zero without heating because the
sanctions prevent deliveries of fuel oil, without light because the
electric
power plants were bombed and are still closed for lack of fuel, without
medicine because Serbia is the evil empire and its inhabitants are
demons,
their sin is deadly and deadly must be the punishment...
Serbia's roads are covered with three feet of snow, the means of
transport
are stuck in depots, stations, airports. The schools are closed. In your
opinion, how do they feel, those hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Roma
driven out of Kosovo for being Serbs or Roma, who have disappeared into
freezing refugee camps in Serbia, huddled under plastic tents or in
bombed-out factories. [...] Italy is not happy with this, but perfidious
Albion pounded its shoe on the table and then what are you to do?
patience,
and wait till the next time. The Italians are so sensitive that they
would
have liked to come to the aid of some Serbs, at least those who live in
cities administrated by the opposition (they others can be patient), but
the
English didn't want to. What can you do? patience, wait till next time.
Let's
put ourselves in the place of those old people and those children
abandoned
at 15 or 20 degrees below zero for whom there will not be a next time.
What
we are saying is that patience is at an end, and ours as well. We want
to say
to the knights of humanitarian intervention...humanitarian intervention,
today, means saving the Serbian people and the Roma people. And what
about
you, Mr. Dini?
[ Note: Lamberto Dini is Italian foreign minister. ]
***
For other articles by Diana Johnstone, please click on Articles by
Author or
go to http://emperors-clothes.com/artbyauth.html then click on "J".
To browse articles at emperors-clothes, go to www.tenc.net
For a report on how NATO forces under the command of the Dutch
government,
with which the U.S. is closely allied, treat people in occupied Kosovo,
http://emperors-clothes.com/misc/savethe.htm
NOTE: Russia has been sending fuel through Hungary. Under U.S. pressure,
the
Hungarian government has demanded Yugoslavia pay millions of dollars in
fees,
money it does not have due to the effect of the sanctions, or Hungary
will
stop transmitting Russian fuel at the end of this month.
Does the U.S. government want the world for its Empire? If not, what is
the
crime the Yugoslavs have committed, to be bombed, driven from Kosovo,
deprived of heat during winter? Is the crime of this small, brave
country,
that it refuses to crumble, to be defeated? Perhaps by not accepting
American
diktat, Yugoslavia is setting an example for all who value human
freedom, an
example that has already inspired others to resist Imperial domination.
-
Jared Israel.
===
STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG
In Defense of Marxism
January 25, 2000
British TV documentary exposes NATO lies about Kosovo
During the NATO bombings in Serbia and Kosovo the propaganda machine of
the media in the West, with a few noble exceptions, obediently put
forward the line that it was necessary to concentrate the armed might of
the nineteen most powerful nations of the world, in order to stop the
"ethnic cleansing" of the Kosovar Albanians. All the news was aimed at
justifying everything NATO was doing.
At the time we published a series of articles explaining the real
reasons for the bombing: to impose the strategic interests of Western
imperialism on the Balkans. When we wrote these articles we were "going
against the stream", especially in countries like Britain where the
barrage of propaganda was enormous. Many honest workers and youth may
have been taken in by this propaganda and may even object to us calling
it "propaganda", but propaganda it was, nevertheless.
On 16th January ITV (a British TV channel) broadcast a documentary by
Jonathan Dimbleby which confirms everything we said throughout the
bombing campaign. It is a pity it was shown late on a Sunday evening, so
we think it worthwhile to highlight the most significant parts of the
programme and to quote at length from Dimbleby himself.
His mission was to "find out if there really was a victory in Kosovo,
whether good did triumph over evil." Dimbleby shows how, in reality, the
bombing destroyed the basic infrastructures that make for a civilised
existence, both for the Albanians and the Serbs.
He describes K-for (the UN troops) as the "military wing of a colonial
governor, better known as the Security Council of the United Nations,"
and shows how it is only the presence of 50,000 NATO and UN troops from
23 different countries that is preventing a new explosion of violence.
NATO lies exposed
The most interesting parts of the documentary are those where Dimbleby
exposes the lies of NATO. We all remember how we were led to believe
that possibly hundreds of thousands of Kosovar Albanians had been
massacred by the Serb forces. In one scene we see corpses of those
killed being dug out, and Dimbleby's comment is, "In the early days of
the war, as if to justify the bombing of Belgrade, NATO fuelled
speculation that the massacres in Kosovo had been apocalyptic in scale.
But the evidence so far, with just over 2000 bodies recovered, suggests
that the final toll will be far lower than some of the wilder claims
fostered by war time propaganda."
Of course even the killing of one innocent civilian is unjustified, but
as he points out, "by comparison with atrocities committed elsewhere in
the world, the Kosovo killings, though dreadful, were clearly on a
modest scale, and, for me at least, a dubious pretext for turning most
of this region into rubble." As he points out the message that had to be
got across was: "Something must be done. Do it now!"
The Rambouillet provocation
He explains how the so-called Rambouillet Accords were worded in such a
way that no country could have accepted them. He says that at
Rambouillet, NATO delivered a "take it or leave it ultimatum" which
involved autonomy for Kosovo and a referendum three years later on
self-determination, a chance for the Albanians of Kosovo to achieve
outright independence.
But, he adds, "Any lingering chance of a deal finally collapsed when the
allies inserted a last minute clause into the Rambouillet Accords giving
NATO freedom of movement not only in Kosovo but throughout Serbia, and
complete immunity from all Yugoslav law. Serbia rejected NATO's
ultimatum as a gross violation of national sovereignty, well aware that
this would mean war."
And what about the argument, pushed so vehemently by NATO spokespersons
at the time, that it was all necessary to save lives? Dimbleby explains
that, "NATO had no mandate from the UN, a violation of international
law, which the allies justified by claiming that the purpose of the
campaign was to avert a humanitarian disaster. But so far from being
averted, the disaster was compounded. As NATO intensified its onslaught
against Serbia, Milosevic accelerated the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
This was the very opposite of what the bombing was supposed to
achieve... NATO had expected Milosevic to crumble under the aerial
onslaught. He didn't."
Dimbleby admits what we pointed out at the time. It was only thanks to
the Russian intervention that a deal was brokered. He also shows that
the withdrawal of Serb troops "was very far from that rabble which NATO
spin doctors had predicted." He also explains that Milosevic withdrew
his troops only after having "extracted two remarkable concessions":
NATO no longer insisted on the right to enter Serbia "at will", but it
also revoked the promise of a referendum on independence and confirmed
that Kosovo would remain a "constituent part of the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia".
Couldn't all this have been averted?
It is on this question that Dimbleby makes the most significant
statement of his documentary: "It was a remarkable outcome, and it
surely isn't unreasonable to ask what might have happened if the same
terms had been on offer before the war as after it. If NATO had not
insisted on freedom of movement throughout Serbia, and if Milosevic had
been told that an autonomous Kosovo would remain within the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, might we have avoided all that misery, bloodshed
and destruction?"
And what about a "democratic" and "multiethnic Kosovo"? He asks the
question if Kosovo is "free" and his answer is that it clearly is not.
He visits Pristina and finds that ethnic cleansing of the Serb minority
has taken place and continues to take place on a massive scale. He
visits a hospital and finds that not only are the staff totally
Albanian, but there are also no Serb patients to be found anywhere! The
Serb population is too frightened of going to the hospital. They are
terrified of KLA intimidation. In fact those among the staff who would
be prepared to treat Serbs would be risking their lives at the hands of
the KLA.
Now the Serbs are being "ethnically cleansed"
Dimbleby goes on to explain that, "Since the end of the war there has
been ethnic cleansing in Kosovo on a monstrous scale, an outrage which
K-for failed to arrest, that the leaders of NATO's moral crusade have
ignored, and from which the Western media, for the most part, has
averted its gaze." He points out that 150,000 Serbs, 75% of the original
population, have been "cleansed". The rest live in enclaves, in theory
"protected" by K-for troops. As he says, K-for is, in reality, paralysed
and cannot stop the rape, murder and pillage. One Serb woman is shown
preparing to leave the house she had lived in for forty years, and she
expresses her anger at the West: "The world doesn't care about us!"
The aim of the UN had been to create a local police force, made up of
both Albanians and Serbs, but that is impossible in the given
conditions. At the same time, as a British Army officer explains, the
risk is that the Albanians begin to see NATO as the enemy! The Albanians
want independence, but NATO is not going to let them have it, (as we
explained in several articles at the time).
A colonial dictatorship
So what is the real role of NATO in Kosovo? Dimbleby confirms what we
always maintained, when he says that, "Instead of a government, there's
K-for and the UN. In effect, a colonial dictatorship, an administration
which is benevolent, but also invested with absolute power..." On the
"benevolence" of a force that killed some 2,000 civilians we would have
some doubts! But in the essentials what he says is absolutely true: what
we have in Kosovo is a dictatorship, a NATO protectorate, whose aim is
to defend the strategic interests of western imperialism. It is not
there to defend the interests of the ordinary people, the Serb and
Albanian workers and peasants.
The KLA have not disarmed. Only a tiny fraction of their arms have been
handed in and NATO is powerless to find all the remaining armoury. The
nationalists on both sides have committed terrible crimes against the
peoples of Kosovo. This has created mutual hatred on both sides.
At the end of the documentary Dimbleby seems to have no hope for Kosovo.
He says, "For me there has been no victory of good over evil here, and
so far there is very little to celebrate... Anyone who thinks that this
venture represents the triumph of an ethical foreign policy, or is the
blueprint for a new world order should, I believe, think again. As it
is, we, that is the Western allies, are here for a very long time to
come."
Dimbleby has all the shortcomings of a liberal bourgeois news reporter.
He cannot see the underlying causes of the conflict. But he at least
exposes a lot of the spin we had to endure during the bombing campaign.
He points to the truth. Of course all this is shown late on a Sunday
evening months after the events. When it really counted, the evening
news bombarded us with propaganda, but at least we can use this
documentary to show that the Marxists had the courage to tell the truth
in the heat of the bombing campaign, when it really counted.
We must also go beyond simply denouncing the lies of NATO. We must offer
an alternative to the peoples of the Balkans. That can only be achieved
on the basis of a struggle to unite the workers of different
nationalities in a common struggle against the real enemies, the
capitalists, the Mafia and the ex-Stalinist bureaucrats, who are all
responsible, who have all played the nationalist card to divide the
workers along ethnic lines, in order to more easily remain in power. But
for this we suggest you read, or re-read the material we published
during the bombing campaign itself.
by Fred Weston,
London, 25th January 2000
===
FAIR-L
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
Media analysis, critiques and news reports
ACTION ALERT:
Washington Post a "Useful Tool" for NATO?
Paper's coverage distorts facts about Kosovo war crimes
Jan. 28, 2000
When a group of prominent international legal scholars filed a war
crimes
complaint against NATO for its actions in Yugoslavia, the Washington
Post's
coverage (1/20/00) was dismissive--demonstrating a poor grasp of
international law and the war in Yugoslavia, and relying on an "expert"
with
a blatant and unmentioned conflict of interest.
The scholars, led by Professor Michael Mandel of York University in
Toronto,
sent a detailed legal brief to the U.N.-sponsored International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), arguing that NATO leaders
committed serious violations of international law during the 78-day
bombing
campaign against Yugoslavia last year.
The Post article, by Paris correspondent Charles Trueheart, curtly
dismissed
the legal case against NATO: "Most legal scholars say the professors
have a
pretty weak case, noting that accidental civilian deaths caused by NATO
bombs fail to meet the commonly accepted standard for war crimes. Even
so,
the legal campaign against the Western alliance has taken on a life of
its
own." The piece goes on to claim that "even the Tribunal's most ardent
champions in the human rights community and elsewhere are worried that
the
case may have damaged its reputation through an exercise in dangerous
relativism."
Yet only one such "legal scholar" or member of the "human rights
community"
is quoted by Trueheart: Professor Paul Williams of American University,
who
is identified simply as a "war crimes expert." Nowhere in the article is
it
disclosed that Williams, a former State Department lawyer, is currently
a
paid lobbyist for the "provisional government of Kosovo" in Washington.
There's no evidence in Trueheart's article that he made a genuine effort
to
determine whether, in fact, other jurists or human rights experts
support
Mandel's view that NATO violated international law during its Kosovo
campaign. Trueheart could have examined Human Rights Watch's recent
announcement that that it will send detailed reports to the Tribunal
arguing
that NATO's target selections were "disproportionate and should be found
violations of international humanitarian law." (London Guardian, 1/7/00)
Trueheart might also have noted that no less a "champion" of the
Tribunal
than its former President and presiding judge, Antonio Cassese, has
expressed the view (European Journal of International Law, #1/99) that
NATO
violated the United Nations Charter by attacking Yugoslavia without a
mandate from the U.N. Security Council: "The breach of the United
Nations
Charter occurring in this instance cannot be termed minor. The action of
NATO countries radically departs from the Charter system for collective
security." (Cassese did add that in his view a moral case could be made
for
NATO's intervention.)
In fact, judging by Trueheart's assertions--"accidental civilian deaths
caused by NATO bombs fail to meet the commonly accepted standard for war
crimes"--he appears to be ignorant of either the nature of NATO's
attacks on
Yugoslavia or of the Geneva Convention statutes which make up the
"commonly
accepted standard for war crimes." This unfamiliarity is disturbing,
since
Trueheart regularly covers the ICTY for the Post.
The Geneva Conventions would not hold a bomber pilot criminally liable
if a
missile aimed at a military installation--say, an anti-aircraft gun or a
munitions storage facility--drifted off-course and accidentally struck a
village populated by civilians. Such accidents are not war crimes. In
their
complaint, Mandel and his colleagues do not cite such accidents as
violations of the Geneva statutes. They point to other strikes that were
deliberate attacks on civilian targets.
Ironically, some of the clearest evidence that some NATO strikes
seriously
breached the Geneva Conventions can be found in the Washington Post's
own
reporting. For example, a front-page article last year by military
reporter
Dana Priest ("Bombing by Committee: France Balked at NATO Targets,"
9/20/99)
recounted the decision-making processes behind several NATO targeting
decisions. According to Priest, at one point, British "Foreign Secretary
Robin Cook questioned strikes on power lines affecting a large hospital
in
Belgrade. But the group brought him around."
In another episode, shortly before a planned missile strike on the
headquarters of Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party--which was located in
a
residential neighborhood of Belgrade--an internal memo assessing the
likely
civilian destruction was distributed among NATO leaders:
"Next to a photograph of the party headquarters, the document said:
'Collateral damage: Tier 3 -- High. Casualty Estimate: 50-100
Government/Party employees. Unintended Civ Casualty Est: 250 -- Apts in
expected blast radius.'
"In short, NATO anticipated that the attack could, in the worst case,
kill
up to 350 people, including 250 civilians living in nearby apartment
buildings.
"Washington and London approved the target, but the French were
reluctant,
noting that the party headquarters also housed Yugoslav television and
radio
studios. 'In some societies, the idea of killing journalists--well, we
were
very nervous about that,' said a French diplomat."
Ultimately, Paris went along. But in going ahead with the attack, NATO
appears to have directly breached Article 51 of the Geneva Convention
(Protocol I), which prohibits any
"attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life,
injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination
thereof,
which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military
advantage anticipated."
The Socialist Party building was itself a civilian facility located
hundreds
of miles from the site of any military conflict. Asked by a reporter at
the
next day's press briefing what military rationale lay behind the party
headquarters strike, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea could not name any
specific
military function. Instead, he declared that NATO considered "any aspect
of
the power structure" in Yugoslavia to be a legitimate target, adding
that
the party headquarters building "contains the propaganda machinery...of
the
ruling Socialist Party."
The reluctance expressed by British and French diplomats over these
strikes
apparently stemmed from their concern that the raids in question might
represent violations of the Geneva Conventions--or at least that they
would
be perceived as such. In fact, NATO leaders repeatedly admitted that
their
strategy in attacking civilian targets was to terrorize the population
in
the hope that the Serbian public would turn against its government and
pressure Milosevic to capitulate. In a May 24 interview with the
Washington
Post, U.S. Air Force Lt.-Gen. Michael Short explained the strategy:
"If you wake up in the morning and you have no power to your house and
no
gas to your stove and the bridge you take to work is down and will be
lying
in the Danube for the next 20 years, I think you begin to ask, 'Hey,
Slobo,
what's this all about? How much more of this do we have to withstand?'
And
at some point, you make the transition from applauding Serb machismo
against
the world to thinking what your country is going to look like if this
continues."
Short's rather bowlderized list of examples of civilian destruction in
Serbia does not fully explain the strategy: As the memorandum published
by
the Post showed, NATO expected its attack on Socialist Party
headquarters to
kill up to 250 neighboring residents as they slept.
In an another instance, NATO spokesman Jamie Shea declared : "If
President
Milosevic really wants all of his population to have water and
electricity,
all he has to do is accept NATO's five conditions and we will stop this
campaign." Statements like these have led Human Rights Watch executive
director Kenneth Roth to declare (Letters, London Guardian, 1/12/00) his
group's concern that
"NATO bombed the civilian infrastructure not because it was making a
significant contribution to the Yugoslav military effort but because its
destruction would squeeze Serb civilians to put pressure on Milosevic to
withdraw from Kosovo. Using military force in this fashion against
civilians
would violate the 'principle of distinction' -- a fundamental principle
of
international humanitarian law -- which requires military force to be
used
only against military targets, not against civilians or civilian
objects."
But if Trueheart and the Post appear uninterested in examining whether
NATO
violated international law during its Kosovo campaign, that does not
mean
they are uninterested in the subject of war crimes. In fact, the Post
considers the Tribunal's activities to be major news when they are
directed
against NATO's enemies.
When the Tribunal handed down its indictment of Slobodan Milosevic last
May,
Trueheart's article ran on the front page. Since then, the Post has used
the
phrase "indicted war criminal" to describe Milosevic an average of about
once a month. Yet the Post has made no serious attempt to evaluate
whether
our own government violated the laws of war in its air campaign last
year.
When the Tribunal was first established, American policymakers hoped
that
just such a double standard would prevail in media coverage. As Michael
Scharf, the State Department envoy who dealt with the Tribunal when it
was
created, wrote in the Washington Post (10/3/99) :
"America's chief Balkans negotiator at the time, Richard Holbrooke, has
acknowledged that the tribunal was widely perceived within the
government as
little more than a public relations device and as a potentially useful
policy tool.... Indictments also would serve to isolate offending
leaders
diplomatically, strengthen the hand of their domestic rivals and fortify
the
international political will to employ economic sanctions or use
force....
Indeed [the Milosevic indictment] became a useful tool in their [U.S.
and
Britain's] efforts to demonize the Serbian leader and maintain public
support for NATO's bombing campaign."
It's bad enough that the international war crimes tribunal--much of
whose
funding comes directly from the U.S., in violation of the tribunal's own
statutes (New York Press, 1/26/00)--can be described as a "useful tool"
of
Washington's foreign policy. The Washington Post should not serve the
same
function.
ACTION: Please encourage the Washington Post to fully and fairly cover
allegations of NATO war crimes.
Contact:
Robert McCartney, Foreign Editor
mailto:foreign@...
[This alert is posted on the FAIR website:
http://www.fair.org/reports/post-war-crimes.html%5d
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===
STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG
Kosovo, close to being a Mafia state, is littered with unexploded bombs.
That`s the result of ethical Blairism
New Statesman (UK)
John Pilger
24th January 2000
The Blair government`s resumption of arms sales to Indonesia ends an
unreported hoax. The four- month "ban" supposedly in re-sponse to the
renewed repression in East Timor, was hardly a ban at all. Licences were
merely extended, so that no future business would be lost, and
parliament and the public were not told. Now, with 170,000 East Timorese
held hostage by the Indonesian military in camps in West Timor and
British-supplied Saladin armoured cars used in attacks on civilians
elsewhere in Indonesia, the military dictatorship that still runs the
country (regardless of its democratic trappings) will be encouraged in
its campaign against the popular resistance.
At the same time, the ethical Blairites are eager to resume arms sales
to the Pakistani military dictatorship, which three months ago crushed
an elected government.
Pakistan`s appalling human-right record makes a grim joke of the
European code of conduct on arms sales, adopted when Britain held the EU
presidency. This is unsurprising; British arms exports have long gone to
regimes with appalling human-rights records.
The ethical Blairites, however, add another dimension. Consider the
legacy of their "new moral crusade" in Kosovo last spring. Clare Short,
an avid crusader, said then "Nato is not killing civilians. The very
carefulness of our operations is to ensure that there is minimum damage
to civilians". This was manifestly false. Several thousand civilians
were killed and thousand more maimed many by cluster bombs which are, in
effect, air-dropped time-activated landmines. Those that did not explode
immediately now lie in wait for unsuspecting civilians, often children,
who pick them up; on detonation, they release dozens of "bomblets" that
cause horrific injuries.
I saw something of the human carnage they caused in Indochina following
the American bombing; 30 years later, they are still killing and
injuring. Not long ago, in tiny Laos, the British Mines Advisory Group
found 700 unexploded bomblets in one school playground. According to the
Asia correspondent of the Wall Street Journal, cluster bombs have given
Laos "an annual nationwide casualty rate of 20.000 more than half of
them deaths".
For Laos, now read Kosovo. Last April, Paul Watson of the Los Angeles
Times, who distiguished himself by remaining in Kosovo during the NATO
bombing, reported that cluster bombs had turned "parts of the province
into no-man`s land" which was "littered" with unexploded bomblets. At
Pristina Hospital, he witnessed the "horrific wounds" of Albanian
children, caused by delayed-action clusters. (It was Watson who
memorably wrote: Even in Kosovo, I couldn`t escape the sound of (Nato
spokesman Jamie) Shea`s voice… it haunted me at the strangest times,
denying things that I knew to be true, insisting on others that I had
seen were false").
With Robert Fisk`s reporting, Watson`s witness to the carnage caused by
Nato was rare. This was not so much a reporters` war as one dominated by
drum-beating lifestyle columnists who never acknowledged that British
pilots were using terror weapons against civilians, sowing Kosovo with
harvest of death and suffering that was in explicit violation of the
Ottowa Convention, which prohibits the production and use of
anti-personnel mines. Subsequent scrutiny of ministry of Defence
statistics reveals that, contrary to Clare Short`s fiction of
"carefulness" more than 75 per cent of bombs dropped by the RAF were
free-fall, including the 78,057 cluster bomblets released.
"It would be wrong to assume" said Blair last April, "that bombs and
missiles that miss their target necessarily cause collateral damage."
Read again that statement and you get a sense of the craven sophistry
with which respectable regimes cover their crimes. Blair is afraid of
the truth getting out and his ministers blocked disclosure of the
percentage of British bombs and missiles that "went astray" in Kosovo.
They justify this recourse to the Code of Practice on Access to
Government Information, a decree of state secrecy that no Soviet-era
apparatchik could better.
The ethical Blairites claim they did not use depleted uranium in Kosovo,
as John Major did in Iraq. Can se believe that? Their co-crusaders, the
Americans, used it. The physicist and chemist Professor Hari Sharma, a
world authority on depleted uranium, says: "The danger is equal to that
of a long-term weapon of mass destruction. The inhalation of even the
smallest dust particle may cause irreparable cell damage in unprotected
people, resulting in a cancer epidemic that over time could kill
thousands of the exposed" - in other words, the very people Blair
claimed to be liberating.
Also unreported is the installation in Kosovo of paramilitary regime
with links to organised crime. Indeed, Kosovo may become the world`s
first Mafia state. As they oversee the ethnic cleansing of 240,000 Serb
and Roma civilians Nato and its United Nations partners have established
a "working relationship" with the Kosovo Liberation Army, which Robin
Cook and Madeleine Albright once dismissed as a terrorist group. Much of
the KLA is criminalised, with war criminals. common murderers and drug
traders forming an "interim administration" that will implement the
"free-market reforms" required by the US and Europe. Their supervisors
are the World Bank and the European Development Bank, whose aim is to
ensure that western mining, petroleum and construction companies share
the booty of Kosovo`s extensive natural resources: a fitting finale to
the new moral crusade. Watch for others.
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
"Il manifesto" del 21 Gennaio 2000:
GUERRA DELLA NATO
TROVATE IN ADRIATICO ALTRE CLUSTER BOMB
Negli ultimi giorni altri ordigni sganciati dai bombardieri Nato durante
la
guerra contro la Jugoslavia sono incappati nelle reti di due pescherecci
di
Caorle. A seguito di questo ritrovamento il ministro per l'Agricoltura
Paolo De Castro ha convocato per il 27 gennaio l'apposita Unità di
crisi,
istituita presso la Presidenza del consiglio. Sette mesi sono passati
dalla
fine della guerra, ma continuano a mancare le condizioni di sicurezza
per
la piena ripresa della pesca in Adriatico. E proprio in assenza di tali
garanzie, dallo scorso 21 novembre è stata decretata l'istituzione al
largo
delle coste romagnole di due nuove zone di "tutela biologica",
off-limits
per la pesca.
---
"Il manifesto" del 25 Gennaio 2000:
DOPOGUERRA
Cluster bomb, ancora allarme in Adriatico
- FRANCESCA LONGO - TRIESTE
S ia Lega Pesca che i comuni dell'alto Adriatico, e in particolare
quello
di Caorle, s'attendono molto dalla convocazione, giovedì prossimo,
dell'apposita Unità di crisi interministeriale istituita presso la
presidenza del Consiglio e voluta dal ministro per le politiche agricole
e
forestali, Paolo De Castro. Il ritrovamento, lo scorso giovedì, di un
ordigno della seconda guerra mondiale e di cluster bomb (neanche poche,
se
si pensa che il peschereccio "Vento dell'est" ne avrebbe ripescate
parecchie decine) ha messo in chiaro che l'allarme bombe seguito
all'aggressione Nato alla Jugoslavia è ancora tragicamente d'attualità.
Spiega il sindaco di Caorle, Luigino Moro: "Non ho motivo di mettere in
dubbio le assicurazioni che con il sindaco di Chioggia abbiamo avuto a
suo
tempo dal ministro della difesa e dal presidente del consiglio, sulla
bonifica delle aree di rilascio segnalate dagli Stati Uniti. Ma
evidentemente, le mappe fornite dalla Nato devono essere state
incomplete".
"Di fatto - prosegue - la bonifica la stanno facendo i pescatori".
Il sito in cui due pescherecci hanno rinvenuto gli ordigni, non pare
essere
compreso tra quelli indicati. Né le bombe possono esser state spostate
dalle maree. "Nei giorni precedenti al ritrovamento, si pescava in una
zona
molto vicina e nessuno ha rinvenuto bomblet. Data la conformazione dei
fondali e il movimento delle correnti, quelle bombe si possono
"spostare"
solo con la pesca a strascico. Deduco quindi che la mappatura dei luoghi
di
rilascio sia incompleta". Moro non è allarmista, tutt'altro: "Oggi i
pescatori sono in allerta, conoscono bene il decalogo divulgato dalle
capitanerie di porto e applicano alla lettera le disposizioni -
aggiunge.
Ma non è pensabile che assolvano a un ruolo che non spetta loro, compito
che, finché c'è attenzione e tensione, limita i pericoli. Se la
situazione
dovesse essere dimenticata, senza una bonifica accurata di tutte le
aree,
allora sì che la faccenda si aggraverebbe". Nessun problema per il
turismo
("A riva le bombe non arrivano"), caso mai viva preoccupazione per
l'ambiente marino. "Mi auguro non si provveda a far brillare gli ordigni
in
mare - conclude il sindaco - perché i fondali ne risenterebbero". E
sottolinea che le speranze di tutti sono concentrate nell'incontro di
giovedì, a cui ha chiesto di poter partecipare.
"La decisione di convocare l'Unità di crisi - fa eco Ettore Ianì,
presidente della Lega pesca - risponde alle preoccupazioni e alle
istanze
più volte espresse dalla nostra organizzazione in merito al ripristino
di
adeguate garanzie e condizioni di sicurezza per il lavoro di bordo alla
ripresa delle attività di pesca, dopo la conclusione del periodo di
fermo
bellico. Non dimentichiamo che proprio in assenza di tali garanzie,
dallo
scorso 21 ottobre, su sollecitazione della stessa Unità di crisi, è
stata
decretata l'istituzione - a largo delle coste emiliano-marchigiane - di
due
nuove zone, cosiddette "di tutela biologica", ad oggi ancora off-limits
per
la pesca". "Ci auguriamo - conclude Ianì - che la riunione del 27
gennaio
possa costituire l'occasione per fornire alle legittime richieste della
categoria le dovute certezze in merito alla sicurezza del lavoro in
mare,
alla durata del regime di interdizione nelle due zone di tutela, nonché
all'attuale stato di avanzamento delle operazioni di bonifica dei
fondali
in Adriatico".
---
"Il manifesto" del 29 Gennaio 2000:
CLUSTER BOMB
Quanto durerà la bonifica in Adriatico?
- FRANCESCA LONGO - TRIESTE
Ci sono ancora bombe, ma c'è anche un preciso impegno del ministro delle
politiche agricole e forestali, Paolo De Castro, a chiudere al più
presto
le operazioni di bonifica al fine di limitare il rischio per la pesca in
Adriatico. Il ministero, al termine della riunione dell'unità di crisi
del
27 gennaio, fa sapere che "a partire dall'ottobre '99, a seguito di
ulteriori rinvenimenti di ordigni da parte di pescherecci nell'alto e
medio
Adriatico, la Marina militare ha iniziato attività di ricerca anche al
di
fuori delle aree di sgancio, già oggetto di precedenti attività di
bonifica".
Tale attività ha permesso di individuare otto ordigni, di cui cinque
risalenti alla II guerra mondiale. Ciò non stupisca più di tanto: per
bonificare l'Italia dalle bombe di due conflitti mondiali si prevedono
ancora dieci anni di lavori, tra artificieri dell'esercito e una
speciale,
quanto sconosciuta, organizzazione di volontariato di civili - circa 70
persone che effettuano una media di più di duemila interventi all'anno.
"Le attività di ricerca, iniziate il 13 maggio '99 - sottolinea il
comunicato del ministero - proseguono con cinque unità cacciamine della
Marina militare permanentemente dislocate in Adriatico (...).
Relativamente
all'attività di pesca a strascico e sulla base degli elementi
disponibili
si ha motivo di ritenere che il livello di rischio sia analogo a quello
precedente la guerra in Kosovo, ma non si esclude la possibilità di
ulteriori rinvenimenti di ordigni nelle reti dei motopesca". Insomma, si
ammette implicitamente l'ipotesi che le indicazioni fornite dalla Nato
sui
luoghi di sgancio non siano state troppo precise e quindi si continuano
le
operazioni di ricerca e bonifica. E soprattutto si riaggiorna l'incontro
a
metà febbraio, per una progressiva valutazione della situazione.
"L'impegno che l'Unità di crisi dimostra nella gestione di questa nuova
emergenza - commenta Ettore Ianì, presidente di Lega Pesca - è
rassicurante. Ma è innegabile anche il perdurare di uno stato
d'incertezza,
che nessuno può sottovalutare".
"Ciò ci stimola a non abbassare la guardia - prosegue - per una piena
tutela e sicurezza dei nostri associati. E chiediamo con forza qual è la
reale situazione delle due zone di interdizione della pesca a strascico,
istituite ad ottobre e ancora vigenti a largo delle coste
marchigiano-romagnole e su cui la riunione non ha fornito significativi
elementi di novità".
Dopo aver sottolineato il senso di responsabilità che il movimento
cooperativo per la pesca ha manifestato durante la guerra e manifesta
ora
nel corso della bonifica, Ianì chiede di sapere "per quanto tempo ancora
sarà negato il diritto al lavoro, proprio in un momento, come quello
attuale, in cui le imprese si trovano schiacciate dalle pesanti
ripercussioni dei rincari del prezzo del gasolio per i motopescherecci".
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
GUERRA DELLA NATO
TROVATE IN ADRIATICO ALTRE CLUSTER BOMB
Negli ultimi giorni altri ordigni sganciati dai bombardieri Nato durante
la
guerra contro la Jugoslavia sono incappati nelle reti di due pescherecci
di
Caorle. A seguito di questo ritrovamento il ministro per l'Agricoltura
Paolo De Castro ha convocato per il 27 gennaio l'apposita Unità di
crisi,
istituita presso la Presidenza del consiglio. Sette mesi sono passati
dalla
fine della guerra, ma continuano a mancare le condizioni di sicurezza
per
la piena ripresa della pesca in Adriatico. E proprio in assenza di tali
garanzie, dallo scorso 21 novembre è stata decretata l'istituzione al
largo
delle coste romagnole di due nuove zone di "tutela biologica",
off-limits
per la pesca.
---
"Il manifesto" del 25 Gennaio 2000:
DOPOGUERRA
Cluster bomb, ancora allarme in Adriatico
- FRANCESCA LONGO - TRIESTE
S ia Lega Pesca che i comuni dell'alto Adriatico, e in particolare
quello
di Caorle, s'attendono molto dalla convocazione, giovedì prossimo,
dell'apposita Unità di crisi interministeriale istituita presso la
presidenza del Consiglio e voluta dal ministro per le politiche agricole
e
forestali, Paolo De Castro. Il ritrovamento, lo scorso giovedì, di un
ordigno della seconda guerra mondiale e di cluster bomb (neanche poche,
se
si pensa che il peschereccio "Vento dell'est" ne avrebbe ripescate
parecchie decine) ha messo in chiaro che l'allarme bombe seguito
all'aggressione Nato alla Jugoslavia è ancora tragicamente d'attualità.
Spiega il sindaco di Caorle, Luigino Moro: "Non ho motivo di mettere in
dubbio le assicurazioni che con il sindaco di Chioggia abbiamo avuto a
suo
tempo dal ministro della difesa e dal presidente del consiglio, sulla
bonifica delle aree di rilascio segnalate dagli Stati Uniti. Ma
evidentemente, le mappe fornite dalla Nato devono essere state
incomplete".
"Di fatto - prosegue - la bonifica la stanno facendo i pescatori".
Il sito in cui due pescherecci hanno rinvenuto gli ordigni, non pare
essere
compreso tra quelli indicati. Né le bombe possono esser state spostate
dalle maree. "Nei giorni precedenti al ritrovamento, si pescava in una
zona
molto vicina e nessuno ha rinvenuto bomblet. Data la conformazione dei
fondali e il movimento delle correnti, quelle bombe si possono
"spostare"
solo con la pesca a strascico. Deduco quindi che la mappatura dei luoghi
di
rilascio sia incompleta". Moro non è allarmista, tutt'altro: "Oggi i
pescatori sono in allerta, conoscono bene il decalogo divulgato dalle
capitanerie di porto e applicano alla lettera le disposizioni -
aggiunge.
Ma non è pensabile che assolvano a un ruolo che non spetta loro, compito
che, finché c'è attenzione e tensione, limita i pericoli. Se la
situazione
dovesse essere dimenticata, senza una bonifica accurata di tutte le
aree,
allora sì che la faccenda si aggraverebbe". Nessun problema per il
turismo
("A riva le bombe non arrivano"), caso mai viva preoccupazione per
l'ambiente marino. "Mi auguro non si provveda a far brillare gli ordigni
in
mare - conclude il sindaco - perché i fondali ne risenterebbero". E
sottolinea che le speranze di tutti sono concentrate nell'incontro di
giovedì, a cui ha chiesto di poter partecipare.
"La decisione di convocare l'Unità di crisi - fa eco Ettore Ianì,
presidente della Lega pesca - risponde alle preoccupazioni e alle
istanze
più volte espresse dalla nostra organizzazione in merito al ripristino
di
adeguate garanzie e condizioni di sicurezza per il lavoro di bordo alla
ripresa delle attività di pesca, dopo la conclusione del periodo di
fermo
bellico. Non dimentichiamo che proprio in assenza di tali garanzie,
dallo
scorso 21 ottobre, su sollecitazione della stessa Unità di crisi, è
stata
decretata l'istituzione - a largo delle coste emiliano-marchigiane - di
due
nuove zone, cosiddette "di tutela biologica", ad oggi ancora off-limits
per
la pesca". "Ci auguriamo - conclude Ianì - che la riunione del 27
gennaio
possa costituire l'occasione per fornire alle legittime richieste della
categoria le dovute certezze in merito alla sicurezza del lavoro in
mare,
alla durata del regime di interdizione nelle due zone di tutela, nonché
all'attuale stato di avanzamento delle operazioni di bonifica dei
fondali
in Adriatico".
---
"Il manifesto" del 29 Gennaio 2000:
CLUSTER BOMB
Quanto durerà la bonifica in Adriatico?
- FRANCESCA LONGO - TRIESTE
Ci sono ancora bombe, ma c'è anche un preciso impegno del ministro delle
politiche agricole e forestali, Paolo De Castro, a chiudere al più
presto
le operazioni di bonifica al fine di limitare il rischio per la pesca in
Adriatico. Il ministero, al termine della riunione dell'unità di crisi
del
27 gennaio, fa sapere che "a partire dall'ottobre '99, a seguito di
ulteriori rinvenimenti di ordigni da parte di pescherecci nell'alto e
medio
Adriatico, la Marina militare ha iniziato attività di ricerca anche al
di
fuori delle aree di sgancio, già oggetto di precedenti attività di
bonifica".
Tale attività ha permesso di individuare otto ordigni, di cui cinque
risalenti alla II guerra mondiale. Ciò non stupisca più di tanto: per
bonificare l'Italia dalle bombe di due conflitti mondiali si prevedono
ancora dieci anni di lavori, tra artificieri dell'esercito e una
speciale,
quanto sconosciuta, organizzazione di volontariato di civili - circa 70
persone che effettuano una media di più di duemila interventi all'anno.
"Le attività di ricerca, iniziate il 13 maggio '99 - sottolinea il
comunicato del ministero - proseguono con cinque unità cacciamine della
Marina militare permanentemente dislocate in Adriatico (...).
Relativamente
all'attività di pesca a strascico e sulla base degli elementi
disponibili
si ha motivo di ritenere che il livello di rischio sia analogo a quello
precedente la guerra in Kosovo, ma non si esclude la possibilità di
ulteriori rinvenimenti di ordigni nelle reti dei motopesca". Insomma, si
ammette implicitamente l'ipotesi che le indicazioni fornite dalla Nato
sui
luoghi di sgancio non siano state troppo precise e quindi si continuano
le
operazioni di ricerca e bonifica. E soprattutto si riaggiorna l'incontro
a
metà febbraio, per una progressiva valutazione della situazione.
"L'impegno che l'Unità di crisi dimostra nella gestione di questa nuova
emergenza - commenta Ettore Ianì, presidente di Lega Pesca - è
rassicurante. Ma è innegabile anche il perdurare di uno stato
d'incertezza,
che nessuno può sottovalutare".
"Ciò ci stimola a non abbassare la guardia - prosegue - per una piena
tutela e sicurezza dei nostri associati. E chiediamo con forza qual è la
reale situazione delle due zone di interdizione della pesca a strascico,
istituite ad ottobre e ancora vigenti a largo delle coste
marchigiano-romagnole e su cui la riunione non ha fornito significativi
elementi di novità".
Dopo aver sottolineato il senso di responsabilità che il movimento
cooperativo per la pesca ha manifestato durante la guerra e manifesta
ora
nel corso della bonifica, Ianì chiede di sapere "per quanto tempo ancora
sarà negato il diritto al lavoro, proprio in un momento, come quello
attuale, in cui le imprese si trovano schiacciate dalle pesanti
ripercussioni dei rincari del prezzo del gasolio per i motopescherecci".
--------- COORDINAMENTO ROMANO PER LA JUGOSLAVIA -----------
RIMSKI SAVEZ ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
e-mail: crj@... - URL: http://marx2001.org/crj
------------------------------------------------------------
