* 1 [Warsaw PAP] Czech, Polish, Hungarian Officials Support NATO Strike

* 2 [Vienna News] Poll Shows Majority for NATO Strikes, Austrian Neutrality

* 3 [Tirana Radio Tirana Network] Has Residents Say NATO Leaflets

Blown Into Area

* 4 [Stockholm Svenska Dagbladet (Internet version)] Ex-UN Bosnia

Chief Bildt on NATO Action

* 5 [Sarajevo Dani] General Tus Assesses NATO Air Attacks

* 6 [Rome La Repubblica (Internet version)] D'Alema: Italy Honoring

Its Commitments to NATO

* 7 [Prague Mlada Fronta Dnes] Serbian Democrat Views NATO Action

* 8 [Prague CTK] Czech Skinheads Protest Against NATO

* 9 [Prague CTK] NATO Central European Army Chiefs Prefer Airstrikes

*10 [Prague CTK] Growing Number of Czechs Opposed to NATO Airstrikes

*11 [Prague CTK] Czech, Hungarian, Polish Deputies Back NATO FRY Action

*12 [Prague CTK] Czech Parliament May Allow NATO Planes To Use Airports

*13 [Prague CTK] Weiss Praises Czechs for Support of Slovakia NATO Bid

*14 [Prague CTK] Czech Army Chief Urges 'Caution' Over NATO Strikes

*15 [Prague CTK] Czech NATO Envoy: Milosevic Waging Propaganda Campaign

*16 [Paris France-Info Radio] Chirac Proposes Summit of NATO, FRY's Neighbors

*17 [Paris France-2 Television Network] French Minister: NATO Strikes

Will Halt Serb Terrorism

*18 [Paris Europe No. 1 Radio] Richard: NATO Investigating Kosovo

Refugee Strike

*19 [Paris AFP (North European Service)] Ivanov Says NATO Has Violated

Pact With Russia

*20 [Paris AFP (North European Service)] 'Several Thousand' Attend

Anti-NATO Protest in Skopje

*21 [Paris AFP (North European Service)] NATO Commander Clark Due

in Tirana 17 Apr

*22 [Paris AFP (North European Service)] NATO's Solana Blames Milosevic

for Refugee Deaths

*23 [Paris AFP (North European Service)] Canada's Axworthy Sees NATO-Led

Force as 'Essential'

*24 [Paris AFP (Domestic Service)] France's Richard: NATO Attack on

Convoy 'Tragic'

*25 [Nicosia Kharavyi] Cypriot Daily Calls for End to NATO Bombings

*26 [Nicosia Cyprus News Agency] Cypriot Deputies Fear US, NATO To

Target Other Countries

*27 [Moscow Voice of Russia World Service] Russian Radio Claims 90

NATO Airmen Lost in Yugoslavia

*28 [Moscow Interfax] Russian Experts on NATO Steps for FRY Ground Operation

*29 [Moscow Interfax] Luzhkov Calls for end to NATO Air Strikes

*30 [Moscow Interfax] Lithuanian, Polish Support NATO Action in Yugoslavia

*31 [Moscow Interfax] Zyuganov Meets Envoys, Demands End to NATO Action

*32 [Moscow Interfax] Kuchma To Propose Kosovo Peace Plan at NATO Summit

*33 [Moscow ITAR-TASS] Russia Issues Statement on NATO Attacks, UN Stance

*34 [Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service] Kazakhstan Wants End to NATO

Bombing, Mideast Peace

*35 [Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service] Moscow Reports NATO Raids on FRY Cities

*36 [Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service] Ivanov: NATO Ground Forces Will

Not Bring Peace

*37 [Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service] Duma Member: FRY 'Training Ground'

for NATO Pilots

*38 [London Press Association] UK PA: NATO Plans 200,000 Troops Invasion

in Serbia

*39 [London Press Association] NATO Says Serbs Killed 3,200 in Kosovo

in Past 3 Weeks

*40 [London Press Association] Russia Warns NATO Against Arming KLA

*41 [London Press Association] PA: NATO Intensifies Kosovo Campaign

*42 [London Press Association] NATO Spokesman: One 'Stray Bomb' Dropped

on Refugees

*43 [London Press Association] NATO Investigating Kosovo Refugee Casualties

*44 [Kiev Ukrayina Moloda] Parliament Fails To Pass Anti-NATO Decree

*45 [Havana Radio Havana Cuba] Bolanos on NATO Bombings, Immigration

*46 [Harare Zimbabwe National Broadcasting Corporation Network] Zimbabwe:

Yugoslavs Protest NATO Raids Outside US Embassy

*47 [Budapest Nepszava] Article Mocks NATO's Reluctance To Use Ground Troops

*48 [Budapest MTI] Czech, Hungarian, Polish Support for NATO Actions

*49 [Budapest MTI] Blair, Hungary's Orban Agree To Intensify NATO Airstrikes

*50 [Budapest MTI] Britain's Blair Praises Hungarian Support for NATO

*51 [Budapest Kossuth Radio] Soros Foundation Official Views NATO Air Campaign

*52 [Brussels Le Soir] Foreign Minister Derycke on Kosovo Crisis, NATO Summit

*53 [Bratislava TASR] Kanis Visits Slovenia To Discuss NATO Summit, Kosovo

*54 [Bratislava TASR] Italian, Slovak Defense Ministers Discuss Kosovo, NATO

*55 [Berlin Die Tageszeitung (Internet version)] Commentary Criticizes

NATO Kosovo Information

*56 [Belgrade Tanjug] Official: NATO Members Cannot Implement Kosovo Agreement

*57 [Belgrade Tanjug] Tanjug: NATO Attacks Slatina Aiport 1700 GMT

*58 [Belgrade Tanjug] Tanjug: 'Over 7,000' Rally Against NATO in Madrid

*59 [Belgrade Tanjug] FRY Envoy Urges 'Immediate' Cessation of NATO Strikes

*60 [Belgrade Tanjug] Romanian Party Officials Condemns 'Barbaric' NATO Attacks

*61 [Belgrade Tanjug] Belgrade Citizens Stage 21st Concert Against NATO Strikes

*62 [Belgrade Tanjug] 'Several Thousand' Rally Against NATO in Kumanovo

*63 [Belgrade Tanjug] SPO Urges UN General Assembly Vote on NATO 'Aggression'

*64 [Belgrade Tanjug] Belgrade Demands NATO Withdrawal From FYROM, Albania

*65 [Belgrade Tanjug] Tanjug Sums Up Anti-NATO Rallies in Country 16 Apr

*66 [Belgrade Tanjug] Spokesman: NATO 'Aggression' Crime Against Peace

*67 [Belgrade Tanjug] FRY Envoy Tells Dimitrov of NATO's 'Genocidal Attitude'

*68 [Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service] Tanjug Reports Details of NATO

Aircraft's 'Ignoble' End

*69 [Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service] Ethnic Albanian Group Condemns

NATO Attacks

*70 [Belgrade Radio Beograd Network] SPS's Dacic: NATO's Crimes Show

True Motive Is Territory

*71 [Belgrade BETA] BETA Analyzes Results of NATO Raids

*72 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua Cites Blair on Options for NATO Operations

*73 [Beijing Xinhua] Li Peng Urges Security Council To Help End NATO Strikes

*74 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua: Protesters Rally Against NATO Outside White House

*75 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua: Yugoslavia Urges Annan To Act on NATO Strikes

*76 [Beijing Xinhua] Interview: NATO Bombing Only Unites Yugoslavians

*77 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua: NATO Keeps Bombing Despite 'Huge' Civilian Toll

*78 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua: NATO Expresses Regret for Killing Civilians

*79 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua Cites Cohen on Continuing Nato Air Campaign

*80 [Beijing Xinhua] Xinhua Cites Clinton on Continuing NATO Air Strikes

*81 [Beijing Xinhua] Spokesman Regrets Civilian Deaths by NATO's Bombings

*82 [Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service] Commentary: NATO Bombing of

FRY Kills 'Even Refugees'

*83 [Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service] Article on Reasons for NATO Air Strikes

*84 [Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service] Commentary Exposes NATO's 'Gross Lies'

*85 [Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service] 'News Analysis' on NATO Predicament

in War Against FRY

*86 [Baghdad Al-Thawrah] Motives for NATO 'Aggression' Against Serbia

*87 [Athens Ta Nea] Greek Poll Claims 96.2 Percent Oppose NATO Strikes

*89 [Ankara Anatolia] EKA Issues Demirel Statement on 50th NATO Anniversary

Article Id: FTS19990418000739

Document Id: 0fag5fs03sdawp

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 46

Title: Czech, Polish, Hungarian Officials Support NATO Strike

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,

Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1804201999 Warsaw PAP in English 1655 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1804201999

Citysource: Warsaw PAP

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Prague, Warsaw, 18 Apr -- Parliamentary Foreign

Affairs and Defence Committee Heads from Poland, the Czech Republic, and

Hungary in Prague Friday voiced support for NATO's intervention in

Yugoslavia.

All three countries are newly-fledged NATO members and as such should

use all accessible means to help in resolving the Kosovo crisis in accord

with conditions set by the Alliance, a joint statement read.

Meanwhile in Warsaw, 62 opposition MPs and Senators from the opposing

left-wing Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) appealed to US President Bill

Clinton to stop the Kosovo bombings and resume talks.

In their appeal the SLD deputies said the bombings had not brought

expected results. "No one doubts that NATO, the biggest military power in

the world, is able to wipe Yugoslavia off the face of the earth. We ask

you to resign from proving this ability to us," the document read.

THIS REPORT MAY CONTAIN COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. COPYING AND DISSEMINATION

IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS.

Inquiries may be directed to NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce.

Article Id: FTS19990415000208

Document Id: 0fag2uw02se1n0

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 59

Title: Poll Shows Majority for NATO Strikes, Austrian Neutrality

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Excerpt

Document Region: West Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe

Subdivision: Austria

Sourceline: AU1504075599 Vienna News in German 15 Apr 99 p 9

AFS Number: AU1504075599

Citysource: Vienna News

Language: German

N/A

Subslug: Unattributed report: "News Poll: What the Austrians Think About War

and Refugee Drama in Kosovo"

[FBIS Translated Excerpt] Neutrality: 86 % Consider It Important [subhead]

The Austrians are extremely ready to help, the majority of them

considers the NATO mission in Yugoslavia justified, but an even clearer

majority does not want to call Austria's neutrality into question. These

are the most important results of a brand new poll, which the Gallup

Institute conducted on behalf of News among 400 Austrians at the

beginning of this week. One result is explosive for the domestic debate:

only 12 % of the polled believe that neutrality has become meaningless as

a result of the events in Kosovo. And: a striking 39 % consider

neutrality particular important just now. The opinion on Austria's role

in the current situation is similarly clear. Almost three-quarters of the

polled consider it correct that Austria keeps out of all military

measures and only offers humanitarian aid. Political intervention, too,

meets with little enthusiasm: only 17 % want our politicians to play a

bigger mediating role in the Kosovo conflict.

Way Out: Talking or Bombing? [subhead]

The Austrians are for the NATO missions but against unconditional

bombings. A total of 64 % think that the actions against Milosevic are

correct but, at the same time, they think that one should now return to

the negotiating table. Only 37 % demand the deployment of ground troops.

Refugees: They Are Welcome [subhead]

The shocking pictures from Kosovo affect the Austrians. Almost 40 % are

in favor of taking in more refugees than the 5,000 that Interior Minister

Schloegl has announced. Only a few more, namely 47 %, want to stick to

the agreed number. However, 9 % are against taking in any refugees at

all. [passage omitted]

[Description of Source: Vienna News: Independent weekly]

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Article Id: FTS19990415001552

Document Id: 0fag3zp00nz08m

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/12/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 129

Title: Ex-UN Bosnia Chief Bildt on NATO Action

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 12 Apr 1999

Division: Nordic Countries, Balkan States

Subdivision: Sweden, Kosovo

Sourceline: MS1504171999 Stockholm Svenska Dagbladet (Internet version) in

Swedish 12 Apr 99

AFS Number: MS1504171999

Citysource: Stockholm Svenska Dagbladet (Internet version)

Language: Swedish

N/A

Subslug: Report on interview with Swedish Moderate Coalition Party leader Carl

Bildt by Bitte Hammargren: "Bildt Warns of the War's Repercussions"

[FBIS Translated Text] The Western powers run the risk of finding

themselves on a long-term collision course with the Serbian nation -- not

with Slobodan Milosevic -- as a result of the war over Kosovo. This is

one of the dangers seen by the former UN peace coordinator in Bosnia. His

criticism of the NATO operation against Yugoslavia is biting. There are

no political solutions in sight, only a war which goes on escalating, he

believes. The war has given Milosevic an excuse to engineer a

humanitarian catastrophe.

The NATO attack is 'not reconcilable with international law as we have

known it hitherto,' as he puts it.

He agrees that there is a desperation in NATO's actions, with

justifications for the war which are being changed as time passes. He

calls this a 'half-policy' on the part of the NATO countries' capitals.

'The political machinery within NATO needs to be extended. What is also

needed is a common political mechanism within the EU, so that Europe can

formulate a policy. At present there is the risk of being run over by

Washington.'

In spite of these reservations he still wants Sweden to join the

Atlantic pact.

'My criticism does not fall on NATO as an organization, but on the

governments which have made these decisions. Governments which for so

long have missed the chance of doing something about this conflict.

Despite warnings, despite exhortations from those who have been dealing

with it for a long time.'

The Kosovo war could lead to a dangerous collision course with Russia,

Bildt wars. There is a risk that the effects will spread: that Russia and

China take the war against Serbia which has not be sanctioned by the

United Nations as an excuse for their own military adventures. He skirted

round the question of what repercussions the war could have for

separatist movements - inspired by the UCK [Kosovo Liberation Army]

guerrillas. As he did the question of the risk that through the mass

expulsion of Kosovo Albanians Europe may now be saddled with its own

Palestinian problem: unwelcome refugees in unstable and poor neighboring

countries.

But there can be no doubt that the future prospects are gloomy.

'The more aware we are of these gloomy future prospects, the better the

chances we have of avoiding them.' Carl Bildt is on the train on his way

home from Skovde. He has devoted his day to Moderate Coalition Party

district congresses in Habo and Mariestad. His speeches have centered on

Sweden's health and care services, taxation on farmers - and Kosovo. Now

the X2000 [Sweden's highspeed train] hurtles past Sodermanland's

agricultural areas on its way toward Stockholm. Carl Bildt is drinking

coffee from a cardboard cup and devoting his attention to the misery in

the Balkans.

He has long been arguing that the humanitarian catastrophe can only be

alleviated by NATO deploying ground troops. The objective of such a

deployment should be that the Kosovo Albanians should be able to return

to their homes. But the disputed province should not be wrenched free

from the Yugoslav Federation.

'If we start talking about something like that, we are playing with

fire. The best thing would be to send the Kosovo question back to the UN

Security Council,' the Moderate Coalition Party leader believes. He

advocates a protectorate in Kosovo, sanctioned by the UN Security

Council.(more) 12 apr aw/wylie

'This is a way of bringing Russia into things.'

He describes a nightmare war which no one can win.

'NATO can never win a war against the Yugoslav Army if it limits itself to

air operations. The Yugoslav Army can never win against the UCK as long

as there is an Albanian left in Kosovo. The UCK can never win against the

Serbian Army, even if it is bombed to pieces.'

It was halfway through the Rambouillet negotiations that everything

went wrong, in Bildt's view. The Western powers allowed the Kosovo

Albanians to sign and believed that Yugoslavia's signature would be

achieved through the threat of bombardment.

'That was where people stumbled onto a dangerous path. NATO devoted itself

to driving Milosevic into a corner, at the same time as it painted itself

into a corner. No one was able to find a way out of this corner.'

Bildt does not know who was responsible for this collapse. But he noted

that Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is being pointed to in the US

debate. And he added acidly - with the US administration as his target -

that in recent years 'the clean simple wars' have become so popular.

'You launch a few cruise missiles. But how have you programmed the

political approach of which this cruise missile is a part?'

In a broader European perspective he sees the circle being closed. The

twentieth century began with war in the Balkans. He speaks of unpleasant

parallels between the ultimatum given to Belgrade in 1914 and the events

leading up to the war that is now escalating in 1999.

Building up the Serbian economy after the war will take decades. Bildt points

out bitterly that Bosnia's and Bulgaria's fragile economies are being hit

by the war. That NATO has closed the airspace over Bosnia. That Sarajevo

is once again cut off.

'All the work that we put into getting Swissair, Austrian Airlines,

Lufthansa to fly into Sarajevo. Now it is closed,' the former peace

coordinator said, sounding tired for a moment.

But when he turns to the subject of the EU's foreign policy fumblings,

his remarks are once again pointed. At prime minister level the EU 'quite

literally devotes more time to tax-free sales than the crisis in Kosovo.'

Europe's lack of direction helps to contribute to a short-sighted US

missile strategy, is how Bildt sums it up.

His replies to the question of his own personal ambitions are terse and

monosyllabic. He denies that he is attracted by the prospect of a new

international role, hinting that he does not want to become an EU

commissioner or Mr Foreign Affairs, the EU post which will be filled when

the Amsterdam Agreement comes into force soon.

[Question] Is he being honest in this rejectionist stance of his?

'Yes,' says Carl Bildt, directing an intense look at the interviewer.

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Article Id: FTS19990416001571

Document Id: 0fag4o1035loq6

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/05/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 262

Title: General Tus Assesses NATO Air Attacks

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 05 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia

Sourceline: AU1604195899 Sarajevo Dani in Serbo-Croatian 5 Apr 99 pp 18-20

AFS Number: AU1604195899

Citysource: Sarajevo Dani

Language: Serbo-Croatian

N/A

Subslug: Interview with Antun Tus by Senad Pecanin; place and date not given:

"Yugoslavia on Its Knees"

[FBIS Translated Text] Until the beginning of 1991, Antun Tus, retired

general of the Corps of the Croatian Army, commanded the JNA Air Force

and Air Defense with the rank of colonel general. He was one of the rare

pilots in the former state who flew all the types of airplanes that the

JNA had, including the MiG-29, and in the framework of an officer

exchange he also flew in modern American airplanes. At the same time, he

is one of those most knowledgeable about the situation in the sky over

the former Yugoslavia. As soon as he left the JNA (in one version, he

left on his own, in the other, he was escorted out because he is Croat),

Tudjman appointed him as the chief of the Croatian Army General Staff.

Besides conducting the war until the 1992 "Sarajevo peace" in that

position, he succeeded in laying the foundations of the Croatian Army as

it exists today. That is, from four brigades of the National Guard Corps

[ZNG] and a collection of various village/special groups, he made up

seven guard brigades and nearly 60 other brigades of the Croatian Army

[HV]. His heirs, Janko Bobetko, Zvonimir Cervenko, and Pavao Miljavac,

garnered the results. General Tus was removed from the position of

commander, officially because of his age. Unofficially, he paid the price

of suspicion in Yugo-officers in the Croatian Army and of Tudjman's idea

of reconciling Ustashas and Partisans. This soldier with an enviable

career commented for Dani on the NATO action against Yugoslavia, and its

objectives, effects, and consequences.

[Pecanin] Mr. Tus, is it possible for aviation, without ground forces, to

prevent ethnic cleansing and massacres of the Albanian civilian

population in Kosovo?

[Tus] It is difficult. This is really an objective that is unrealistic

from the air. It is not possible to neutralize men on wider territories,

but it is possible to neutralize technology of a particular type.

However, a long, long time is needed even for technology. Just remember

Desert Storm: For six weeks they acted, and devastated and destroyed the

Iraqi defense from the air, and destroyed not only the air defenses but

also the tank and the artillery and missile organizations in the southern

part. Only then did they go in with ground forces and take the territory

in five days. That means there is no full control without control on the

ground.

They Can't Do Anything to Them

[Pecanin] How do you evaluate the scale of engagement of NATO air forces in

Kosovo? Does what we have had during the past days approach NATO's

maximum possibilities with regard to destroying military objectives?

[Tus] No, it is not the maximum. The objective of NATO's first phase,

which was carried out during the first days, was logically to enable for

itself a space of free action. That means devastating, destroying, and

neutralizing the basic infrastructure of the air defense and air force.

And they did that. A few days are too short a time to achieve the

percentage of results that represents the objective. Already, a

technologically dominant air force with guided missiles and guided bombs

enables them to not enter the zone of air defense, and electronic

neutralization enables freer air force movement over the territory of

Yugoslavia. And now they [the Yugoslav Army] are in a counteraction where

it is smarter to be protected, smarter to be in shelters than to be

revealed and, then, it is clear, to be defeated and destroyed. Then,

there are too many objects for it to be possible to destroy them in a few

days. Around Belgrade alone there are around 50 missile positions, and

every larger city has 10 (Pristina, for example), so that a longer time

is necessary. However, destroying the communications structure including

centers of communications, radar systems, command places, airports, bases

for airplanes to take off from, infrastructure with shelters, and so

forth disables their functioning. NATO has stated its objective: To

neutralize air defenses so it can be free, not only over Kosovo but also

around Belgrade, and so it can have the conditions to isolate the

territory of Kosovo, in which something new will probably occur.

Therefore, the chief objective of the first phase was to reduce the

military capability of Yugoslavia so that it cannot develop the war on

other territories. That was done by destroying heavier technology,

meaning aviation and missile and air forces, since they cannot threaten

anyone out at sea. Destroying or disabling their industrial capacities

has reduced their military potential for a long time. And they did that:

They targeted airplane and weapons factories and so forth. This means

that the objective has been reached here, but still not finally, as there

have been too few days for that. Meteorological conditions have also

impeded the action, and the plan that was devised has not been wholly

carried out, especially during these last three days. But that relates

indirectly to Kosovo, not directly. In Kosovo, it is necessary to destroy

the forces that are conducting ethnic cleansing. However, that is

entirely another battle and another form of action, both from the air

and, possibly, from the ground. The first had to take place--without it,

the second part cannot be achieved.

[Pecanin] Mr. Tus, does the Yugoslav air defense system represent a serious

challenge for NATO pilots?

[Tus] No, electronically you can interfere with them, you can hit

stationary objects, and what is mobile is mainly for low altitudes, and

you must avoid low altitudes. You have missiles, you have bombs, and you

fly above the altitude of 3,000 meters and then you are much safer. NATO

has a strong electronic system that interferes with various radar

installations, and modern airplanes have their own individual protection.

As soon as it is beamed at, the system signals the pilot and he sees that

he is being targeted. For the flier that means maneuvering, if possible,

to avoid entering directly into the zone. That is, if he is beamed at by

a missile or by radar or thermally, he ejects radar or a thermal decoy

and the antiair missile that is sent at him goes for the decoy. However,

if he is very low where they can aim at him with thermals, classical

antiaircraft, artillery shells, and innumerable light missiles that

cannot always be intercepted--infrared, yes, but some cannot, since their

ray emission time is very short, and maybe he did not notice them or he

does not have that frequency, and so forth. Going into fire without being

aware of it can happen, as happened to the 117.

Fire Barrage

[Pecanin] It seems that the Yugoslav Army air defense is focused on air

defenses from the ground. If I am not mistaken, you flew the MiG-29 and

you know the capability of that aircraft. Tell us about the capability of

Yugoslav MiGs in battle against NATO airplanes.

[Tus] You see, the MiG-29 is equal to these airplanes, but it is not in a

position where it can lead the battle. Many things are necessary for

that: general commanding, a radar situation that can be aimed first in

that direction, and much more. However, that is all neutralized or

destroyed. In this situation, the MiG, which lifts up in the air and has

only its own equipment, must be subjected to attacks. If the airplane has

long-range missiles as does, let's say, an F-15 or F-16, then it can be

struck without knowing it. When the MiG-29 approaches from a distance of

less than 50 km from an airplane, when it can get a good aim at it with

its own missiles, it will have a chance since it is equal in maneuvering,

or perhaps better than, for example, the F-16. The MiG-29 is better than

most of these airplanes, especially in close combat, but it cannot get

close to them, and that is what matters.

[Pecanin] How would you comment on the F-117 being struck? Does that say that

the Yugoslav Army also possesses a refined air defense system?

[Tus] I don't know the exact cause. We can guess that what you say exists,

some antiaircraft equipment that is not known, and its frequencies are

not known, not discovered, and not intercepted. It is true that the F-117

has the ability to discover whether someone is attacking it. It cannot

discover antiaircraft artillery, since that is fire, and it can fly into

it. If that was the reason, then it flew too low, for various reasons,

above the zone or over a territory where there were such devices. If it

was caught in the beam of some device, but did not notice, there could

have been a technical defect in the self-control equipment that warns

that it is being beamed at. Or the entire structure had an error in that

he didn't pay attention to the air defense on the territory, since the

possibility of firing missiles arose through a maneuver from a mobile

missile structure, but it was not noticed. This means that there had to

be something he didn't notice. Or he flew into a fire barrage of

antiaircraft artillery.

[Pecanin] Did the action of NATO forces without any preparations to send

ground troops represent an irresponsible move from the viewpoint of the

catastrophe that Albanian civilians are now undergoing?

[Tus] NATO did not set that objective in relation to ethnic cleansing.

NATO's chief objective is to bring the military capability of Yugoslavia

to a threshold from which it cannot spread aggression against its

neighbors, but at the same time it is also directly forcing the

implementation of the political decision about the autonomy of Kosovo.

However, the Serbs have used it on the principle that "since we already

have these losses, then let's have a demographic gain." NATO did not

prepare to also carry out that task in the first phase. They assumed that

it would be resolved politically, that the political decision would be

accepted.

Ground Forces and Ethnic Cleansing

[Pecanin] May the possible operation of sending NATO ground troops to Kosovo

be assessed as an operation of the highest risk and may parallels with

Vietnam even be drawn?

[Tus] Certainly. And that is something that NATO probably will not enter

into. The Serbs know that, but it is the political moment for great

powers especially, including Russia, to use their influence and to get

points by assisting in a political resolution. Until then however, the

Serbs will conduct ethnic cleansing on a large scale.

[Pecanin] How do you assess the capability of NATO forces to protect

Yugoslavia's neighbors, especially Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, from

possible attempts of revenge by the Yugoslav Army and widening the

conflict?

[Tus] The stationary part of the forces is already here. Practically from

Hungary, Yugoslavia is encircled in a way. There is no country that would

be its ally in the sense that it could act against anyone. Therefore,

such incursions should not be expected. There could be individual

incidents that someone carries out alone. Some pilot or other person

could provoke an incident or terrorist act with some device, but anything

that would qualify as an attack does not come into consideration. That

could happen to the most extreme degree if everything comes into

question, if the regime falls, and so forth, but that is not yet the

situation.

[Pecanin] Could urgent Russian military assistance to the Yugoslav Army in

sophisticated air defense systems represent a serious obstacle to NATO

aviation?

[Tus] No. Time and training are necessary for that, but the Russians

cannot interject themselves to carry out that task. It isn't realistic.

It can be carried out, but time is necessary. For such a short time, the

inequality of relations between one side and the other is great. A great

deal would be necessary in technological devices, in radar, missiles, and

airplanes, and all that is not realistic.

[Pecanin] Do you believe in the argument that President Clinton spoke of,

whereby Kosovo is a potential casus belli for Turkey and Greece?

[Tus] In a regional sense, that relation is quite important. If it were to

spill over and, for example, Macedonia were involved, Greece would appear

as an interested party and Turkey would not be peaceful either. Also

there is Bulgaria, which is now already a good friend to Macedonia, and

we see how those relations are developing. That is the problem of the

southeast, which Clinton defined correctly. However, the encirclement of

Kosovo and Yugoslavia is already such that it is unrealistic to expect a

widening of the conflict through NATO in Macedonia, Bosnia, Albania, and

Hungary. Therefore this phase is reducing the military capability of

Yugoslavia. That is the chief objective and that is how these NATO

attacks should be viewed.

Model for the Future

[Pecanin] Does this NATO action represent a model of future modern warfare

that is much more like a video game than the conventional forms of

warfare that we knew in Bosnia-Herzegovina?

[Tus] As you know, parallel processes take place. One has very mobile

forces and strong firepower, with which it can always act. However, a

transformation is also underway within countries. Everything is moving in

a democratic direction and the very necessity for acting through combat

forces will be far rarer. Already today, global war is not realistic.

Therefore large, enormous forces are not necessary to defend Europe, or

one part of it, but smaller forcers are necessary to solve a problem on a

specific territory, on a local or even regional level. Therefore, such

forces are being developed. Normally, whoever cannot react should be in a

specific structure of democratic encirclement or an alliance of mutual

self-protection to solve the problem of security--and would not threaten

anyone. I think that all of Europe will enter into a new, more modern

security order in which Russia will also be an equal member, as well as

everyone else, and then the need for such an army will disappear. That is

already the last phase of a defensive security situation on these

territories.

[Pecanin] Have NATO's actions so far definitively cut back the aggressive

potential of the Yugoslav Army and, if the attacks end at this moment, to

what extent will the Yugoslav Army feel the losses already imposed so

far?

[Tus] With regard to the Air Force, it is incapable of leaving from where

it is located in underground or in reinforced concrete structures. The

infrastructure has been destroyed, from airports to the command and radar

network. A high percentage of the air defense has been at least

neutralized. It is not necessary to count the Navy, since exiting to the

sea would be very dangerous for those ships. The ground forces,

especially armored and artillery forces, are practically whole. They not

been destroyed, and they have a lot: All of the weaponry gathered from

the whole structure of ex-Yugoslavia is located there, and a little in

Bosnia. The ground component is very strong, as is the light air defense

connected with it: guns and small missiles. That has not been destroyed

and remains there, since it cannot carry out a task on its own outside

its own country. However, it is critical for Kosovo. And now the problem

is how to dissolve and neutralize that part on a specific territory. I

will say that the destruction of industrial capacities and the main Air

Force and air defense forces have significantly reduced Yugoslavia's

capacity to wage any conflict.

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Article Id: FTS19990416001530

Document Id: 0fag4nk03cuybw

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/12/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 139

Title: Serbian Democrat Views NATO Action

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 12 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1604193899 Prague Mlada Fronta Dnes in Czech 12 Apr 99 p 9

AFS Number: AU1604193899

Citysource: Prague Mlada Fronta Dnes

Language: Czech

N/A

Subslug: Interview with Zoran Djindjic, chairman of the Democratic Party of

Serbia, by Vaclav Stepanek; place and date not given: "The Bombs Are

Moving Us Away From Europe, Says Djindjic"

[FBIS Translated Text] Belgrade (From our correspondent) NATO bombs in

Yugoslavia are falling mostly on military targets and centers of the

power structure of Slobodan Milosevic's regime, but the seeds of

democracy are also becoming their victims.

"In those 15 days of bombing we literally lost 10 years of our strenuous

fight for the democratization of society, and not only that, we also lost

30 or 40 years of development in the direction of Europe," says Zoran

Djindjic, Democratic Party chairman. Whereas Vuk Draskovic, who only last

year was in the opposition, now sits in Milosevic's government, Djindjic

stayed in the opposition, even though his party is said to have the most

difficult position of all the political movements in Serbia today,

because it advocates pro-European politics.

"The moment Europe becomes controversial in the eyes of our citizens and

loses credibility, we lose it as well. If in the eyes of the citizens

Europe becomes identified with the NATO pact, then we become a fifth

column," explains Djindjic.

[Stepanek] Is it possible to stop the war now in a way acceptable to both

sides?

[Djindjic] NATO defined its goals very precisely--the withdrawal of both the

police and military forces, an international military presence, and the

return of the refugees--and for the time being it can hardly be expected

to end its intervention without its conditions having been met one way or

the other.

Of course, from the political point of view, any initiative is good

that signals a readiness to suspend hostilities and an effort to

establish peace and begin negotiations. It is essential to keep trying to

pursue such initiatives, even though understandably it is not possible to

expect that the very first attempt will succeed.

Of course, the fact is that at present I do not see much readiness to

try and find a compromise. So if you are asking me if there will be a

peaceful resolution of the situation in the very near future, my answer

is no.

At the beginning of the century, Serbian politicians defined their

goals, aimed at having us become actually one of the most important

European countries. And if we end the 20th century as a country that is

definitively excluded from Europe, it means that we have lost an entire

century. And that is a thought that horrifies me. The current events, the

current hardships, those we shall somehow survive. We have already

survived quite a lot in our history.

[Stepanek] In the past few days, Serbian television has been showing columns of

returning refugees. It also reported heavy bombing of Pristina. It makes

a connection between these two events...

[Djindjic] This is something that I cannot very well comment on, because I do

not have enough objective information. It is, you see, mainly a question

of the campaign and war propaganda on both sides, and this propaganda is

conducted at a "high level." The Serbian state television has lost this

media war, because those who conduct it in Serbia do not produce modern

ideas for using the media for propaganda purposes.

Instead of telling the world: "Excuse us, but is it really your objective to

destroy Serbia, to destroy all its potential which provides work and a

livelihood for 10 million people, in order to solve the problem of a

region where

5 million people live; is that balanced?"--they look inward and are

convincing the public at home that they are victims of aggression, which

is obvious anyway.

Propaganda that is aimed only at internal needs is always wrong. The goal of

any propaganda must be to win over world public opinion, on which

governments depend. And if the world public opinion is even more in favor

of intervention after two weeks of bombing, then your own propaganda is

substantially worse than the propaganda of those on the opposite side.

And that is exactly the situation of state television, which, of course,

did not surprise me, because the same people who have been conducting the

campaign on Serbia's behalf during the past 10 years, and who caused

Serbia to find itself in the worst place in world public opinion, are

also in charge of the campaign now.

[Stepanek] Many people were very surprised that NATO planes also bombed targets

in Montenegro, and that after Kosovo it is actually Vojvodina that has

suffered most from the air raids.

[Djindjic] I have no rational explanation for these facts. I don't know why the

hardest hit was Novi Sad, where two bridges and a refinery were

destroyed, and many historical treasures were damaged. In the elections,

Milosevic's Socialist Party of Serbia got only seven of the 70 municipal

representatives here. And here, besides the Serbs, as they do throughout

Vojvodina, live Hungarians, Ruthenians, Slovaks, Romanians, Croats...

NATO priorities in this case are not clear to me at all. But I tend to

lean more and more toward the opinion that this is all about some kind of

mosaic into which NATO is placing individual tiles, and which for the

time being does not mean anything to us. But when the mosaic is all

cemented together, it will obviously become clear to us that the goal of

the attacks was a total disruption of Serbia.

I think that they acceded to the version in which internal democratic

forces are no longer important at all, and it is not important whether

the bombing will increase or lessen the chances of further

democratization of Montenegro. Obviously, their thinking was--"We shall

clean it up and then we shall see what comes next."

All that is dangerous thinking, of course, because the Balkans are not

Europe in the sense that you can force people by material pressure to

behave politically the way you want them to. I believe that the West did

not understand the mentality of this nation, and is therefore pursuing

the wrong policy.

[Stepanek] How can the democratic forces in Serbia help to stop the violence

and stabilize the situation?

[Djindjic] No way at all. Nobody asked us, when all this began. Although both

Milo Djankovic (president of Montenegro) and I had many opportunities to

discuss things with Western representatives. We told them that if they

use force, they will destroy everything. We told them that if they think

they can weaken Milosevic that way, they will weaken him just as they

weakened him by using sanctions in 1992 that is, not at all. They did not

listen to us.

Every additional day of this war moves Yugoslavia another year farther

from Europe. And if today you have one Kosovo, tomorrow you will have 10

of them in Macedonia, in Bosnia, in Montenegro, in Serbia, in Sanjak. You

will have the same problems, because you will destabilize this region and

radicalize people. Nonetheless, there has been basically no reaction to

what I am saying.

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Article Id: FTS19990416001266

Document Id: 0fag4ke0066zq8

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 51

Title: Has Residents Say NATO Leaflets Blown Into Area

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Albania, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1604164099 Tirana Radio Tirana Network in Albanian 1330 GMT 16 Apr

99

AFS Number: AU1604164099

Citysource: Tirana Radio Tirana Network

Language: Albanian

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. paris afp (north european service) english 111413 -- nato drops leaflets

along with bombs

[FBIS Translated Text] In the morning hours today, leaflets were seen in

the border areas in Has and up to the town of Krume, which were seemingly

dropped by the NATO planes for the Yugoslav soldiers.

The text of these leaflets, written in Serbian, says among other things:

Announcement for the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia. Over 13,000 soldiers

have left the ranks of the Yugoslav Army for refusing to accomplish the

illegal orders of Milosevic in his war against civilians in Kosova

[Kosovo].

Further written: Stay in Kosova and leave your bones there; or abandon your

unit and the military equipment and go away from Kosova as soon as

possible. If you decide to stay, NATO will attack incessantly from all

sides. You choose you own path -- NATO.

The inhabitants of the border areas in Has have confirmed that these

leaflets were brought in by the wind in the morning hours today.

[Description of Source: Radio Tirana Network: State-supported central radio

station]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000479

Document Id: 0fag49f03a31qv

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 93

Title: D'Alema: Italy Honoring Its Commitments to NATO

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Italy, Serbia, Kosovo

Sourceline: MS1604103999 Rome La Repubblica (Internet version) in Italian 16 Apr

99

AFS Number: MS1604103999

Citysource: Rome La Repubblica (Internet version)

Language: Italian

N/A

Subslug: Report by Gianluca Luzi: "D'Alema: Loyal to Commitments"

[FBIS Translated Text] Rome -- "If there had not been very serious reasons

for doing so, someone such as myself who has the same background as you

would not have accepted the war." Having just returned from the European

summit in Brussels, [Italian Prime Minister] Massimo D'Alema chose the

platform of the Cooperatives League to explain yet again why his

government supports, and is taking part in, the military actions against

Serbia. He did so on the very day when NATO admitted the tragic error

that cost the lives of so many innocent Kosovars: "our condolences go out

to these and all civilian victims of the conflict, whatever their ethnic,

religious, or political affiliation." But D'Alema's objective remains the

same: loyalty to NATO and the quest for a diplomatic solution. "This

tragic incident reminds us of our duty to persist in the quest for a

definite solution to the crisis that will guarantee all the populations

of the area the right to coexist under conditions of security,

confidence, and peace."

However, Belgrade is not giving way, and Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini --

who rejected charges of being pro-Serbian: "Not at all!" -- urged the

quest for alternative solutions for making Milosevic yield, because "the

bombardments cannot continue indefinitely." For these reasons the Foreign

Minister reaffirmed the need for a Europe that "must provide itself with

its own security identity" in order to surmount the weakness deriving

from the absence of an autonomous defense policy. With an autonomous

defense policy, the EU could be complementary, not alternative, to NATO;

this, not in order to undermine solidarity with the United States or to

"pursue old temptations to shirk our responsibilities," but "in order to

provide a more solid foundation for the concept of the West," because "we

cannot remain dependent on the United States."

The "very serious reasons" that persuaded D'Alema are mainly linked to

the "humanitarian disaster" in Kosovo. "I remain convinced," the Prime

Minister said, "that the action was unavoidable, that we could not yet

again witness the tragedy of ethnic cleansing." Nevertheless what is

happening "is not a NATO war on Yugoslavia, but a military action

intended to create a possibility of a peaceful solution within the

framework of international law." This is confirmed by Europe's support

for the UN Secretary General and D'Alema's expression of appreciation of

the initiative taken by Yeltsin in sending former Prime Minister

Chernomyrdin to Belgrade. The Prime Minister also addressed an appeal to

Russia, which, "despite its disagreement with NATO, is making numerous

efforts to open the way to a peaceful solution." But if Moscow "wants the

United Nations to manage international crises, it must enable it to do

so, by abandoning the rationale of vetoes, which has been an obstacle to

this happening."

The end of the war seems still remote and therefore Italy, without

abandoning every attempt to achieve a negotiated solution, "must again,

in this tragic circumstance, emerge as a responsible, reliable, active

country capable of honoring its commitments." According to D'Alema, "this

is a precondition for the country's rebirth, and it is a crucial feature

of the new leadership class to which we belong." Both in the NATO

military action and in its observance of the Maastricht economic

parameters, which permitted our accession to the euro, this leadership

class "has fought to remain in the premier league, to play in what is a

difficult championship. "We want," D'Alema stressed, "to represent a

break with an earlier image of Italy." The Prime Minister voiced the

belief that "our country will certainly emerge from this affair

exhausted, but stronger and with its credibility enhanced."

[Description of source: Rome La Repubblica (Internet version) in Italian --

moderate left-of-center daily enjoying nationwide circulation, second

only to Corriere della Sera; WWW site updated throughout the day; root

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Article Id: FTS19990417000745

Document Id: 0fag53803s9yyg

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 53

Title: Czech Skinheads Protest Against NATO

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Kosovo, Serbia

Sourceline: LD1704195699 Prague CTK in English 1759 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1704195699

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Rakovnik, Central Bohemia, 17 Apr (CTK) -- The

NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic's NATO membership

were criticised by some 160 skinheads, members and supporters of the

National Alliance association today.

Their protest action culminated in Rakovnik's square where they burnt a

photograph of President Vaclav Havel whom they called a criminal because

he stands at the head of a "corrupted regime" and has personally pushed

for the country's entry into NATO.

National Alliance spokesman Miroslav Enghelthaler said this year's March 12,

when the Czech Republic aceded to NATO, was a tragic day on which "the

Zionists from NATO succeeded in dragging our nation into the pact."

He said Kosovo Albanians were an ethnic group which "has reproduced

within the Serbian state as mushrooms after a rain."

On Kosovo refugees Enghelthaler said that "they could be compared to

parasites who go on when they consume up everything."

The National Alliance's provincial head, Vladimir Skoupy, also

criticised Premier Milos Zeman saying that he criminalises young people

according to outside features.

He said the Social Democrat (CSSD) government was "the worst dirt."

Zeman called for the skinhead movement to be outlawed after the

racial-motivated murder of a Sudanese student from Prague's School of

Economics in 1997.

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Document Id: 0fag508014m2y7

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

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Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 57

Title: NATO Central European Army Chiefs Prefer Airstrikes

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland

Sourceline: LD1704162799 Prague CTK in English 1201 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1704162799

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia, 17 Apr (CTK) -- The

chiefs of staff of the Czech, Hungarian, and Polish armies said today

they preferred NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia to a ground operation.

The chiefs of staff evaluated their cooperation aimed at joining NATO

which officially took place on March 12.

Jiri Sedivy, chief of staff of the Czech army, said that the question of

whether NATO ground forces should be sent to Yugoslavia was now put on

the political, not military level.

A ground operation would be complicated in many aspects and dangerous

from the military point of view, both locally and globally, Hungarian

chief of staff Ferenc Vegh said.

He added that airstrikes would go on for a long time and that it was

necessary to prepare stabilisation of the Kosovo region both militarily

and politically after the military operations end.

Sedivy said that the Czech army was ready, if necessary and on the basis of

a political decision, to send further units to the Balkans.

He said that on the basis of a previous mandate, a carrier military

plane An-26 was operating in the Balkans. It will continue to fulfil

tasks particularly in the areas of Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and

Albania.

The army will also send to the crisis area the 6th field hospital with a

staff of about 100 as soon as the order for departure is issued.

Sedivy said that "we are sending on Monday a team of about 20 people to the

allied supreme command in Europe" which will participate in the planning

of tasks connected with the sending of the hospital. It will be probably

located in Albania within the humanitarian ground operation, Sedivy said.

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

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Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 76

Title: Growing Number of Czechs Opposed to NATO Airstrikes

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe

Subdivision: Czech Republic

Sourceline: LD1604221999 Prague CTK in English 1911 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604221999

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Prague, April 16 (CTK) -- The number of Czechs

opposed to the NATO air attacks on Yugoslavia has grown by eight percent

from 40 to 48 percent over the last two weeks, while the number of

supporters has fallen by six percent to 34 percent, according to a

lightning poll carried out today by STEM.

The poll carried out for Czech TV and Czech radio, showed a clear

difference of opinion between men and women. While men were more or less

evenly divided between those for and against, around two thirds of women

were against.

The only party amongst whose supporters there is a clear majority in

favour of the strikes is the Freedom Union. There was also a slight

majority in favour among supporters of the other Czech right wing party

represented in the Chamber of Deputies, Vaclav Klaus's Civic Democratic

Party.

Klaus in an interview last week raised doubts about the effectiveness of

the NATO air strikes, for which he has been heavily criticised by some.

Supporters of the governing Social Democrats (CSSD) and of the Christian

Democrats (KDU-CSL) were mostly against the NATO operation. In the case

of Communist Party supporters the opposition is almost unequivocal.

An operation by NATO ground forces in Kosovo would only be supported by

one third of Czechs.

Even those who support the current air strikes are not united in their

backing, with 69 percent in favour and 31 percent rejecting the entry of

NATO ground forces to Kosovo.

There was a majority in favour only among Freedom Union supporters, those

of the ODS were not united and those of all other parties were

fundamentally against such an operation.

Sixty four percent of people said that they thought that the help being

given by the Czech Republic to refugees from Kosovo was sufficient. There

was no marked difference in the opinions of supporters and opponents of

the current NATO operation on this point.

Three fifths of Czechs polled said that humanitarian aid should also be

given to Serbia. This opinion was more common among opponents of the NATO

operation (68 percent) than among its supporters (45 percent).

Twenty-two percent of Czechs polled said that they had personally given money

or gifts to the humanitarian aid to Kosovo. According to STEM, it is

alarming that only 16 percent of people under 30 said that they had

contributed to humanitarian aid. Those who are most likely to contribute

were women and people with higher education. Among supporters of

political parties Christian Democrat voters were most likely to show

solidarity.

The willingness of Czechs to provide accommodation for a refugee from

Kosovo has not changed over the last fourteen days. A quarter of those

polled said that they would be willing to do so for two to three months,

and most likely were Christian Democrats (37 percent).

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Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 75

Title: Czech Parliament May Allow NATO Planes To Use Airports

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe

Subdivision: Czech Republic

Sourceline: LD1604145899 Prague CTK in English 1446 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604145899

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] PRAGUE, April 16 (CTK) -- All parliamentary

parties, except the Communist Party (KSCM) would apparently comply with a

NATO request for NATO planes to use Czech airports in connection with

resolving the crisis in Kosovo, according to CTK survey carried out

today.

The stationing of NATO planes, which means the presence of foreign

troops on the territory of the Czech Republic, must be approved by

parliament.

The politicians addressed by CTK said that the question was premature,

since the Czech Republic had not yet been asked by NATO to make its

airports available for NATO forces, which a Defence Ministry spokesman

Milan Repka confirmed to CTK. The parties have not therefore discussed

what stand they would officially adopt towards any such request.

"At the current time I can only present my own standpoint, and I think

that it would be good to comply with such a request and enable NATO

planes to land on Czech territory," deputy chairman of the largest

opposition party, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Ivan Langer told CTK.

Petra Buzkova, deputy chairwoman of the Social Democrats (CSSD), who

currently form a minority government, said that the CSSD supports

government policy. She said that at the CSSD conference last weekend,

after Foreign Minister Jan Kavan's speech and the debate which followed

it, a "massive majority" of delegates had backed the government's

approach.

Freedom Union deputy Michal Lobkowicz told CTK that his party would support

the use of Czech airports for the needs of NATO. This would be a

practical contribution by the Czech Republic to NATO in its efforts to

solve the Kosovo crisis, said Lobkowicz, who added that it would help

make Czech airports compatible with NATO planes and other NATO equipment.

Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) deputy Miroslav Kalousek said that although the

question was currently hypothetical, he was convinced that the Christian

Democrats would support compliance with any such request from NATO.

The Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), which currently only has seats is

the upper house of the Czech parliament, the Senate, would support any

such NATO request, said ODA chairman and senator Daniel Kroupa. The ODA

is convinced that the Czech Republic should honour its commitments which

flow from its membership of NATO, said Kroupa.

The Communist Party (KSCM), however, rejects any involvement of the

Czech Republic in the conflict in Yugoslavia. The head of the KSCM

deputies group Vojtech Filip, however, said that he regards the use of

Czech airports as highly probable. If the government offers the military

airport in Ceske Budejovicke, south Bohemia, for NATO bombers to take

off, it can expect protests from local people, said Filip, who added that

as a south Bohemian himself he would certainly be actively participating

in such protests.

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Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 59

Title: Weiss Praises Czechs for Support of Slovakia NATO Bid

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Slovakia

Sourceline: LD1604130699 Prague CTK in English 1114 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604130699

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

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Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] PRAGUE, April 16 (CTK) - The chairman of the

Slovak Parliament's foreign committee Peter Weiss praised Czech support

for Slovakia's integration efforts in a meeting with Czech Deputy Premier

Egon Lansky in Prague today.

"We appreciate very much the fact that the Czech Republic has made

explicitly clear its support for Slovakia's integration ambitions," Weiss

told journalists.

Lansky said again that Slovakia's entry to NATO was in the Czech Republic's

strategic interests. "We are prepared to do our utmost for Slovakia's

admission to the alliance," he said.

Weis said he hoped that the forthcoming NATO Washington summit would send

a positive signal to Slovakia. "We are expecting Slovak efforts to

integrate with Europe-Atlantic organisations to receive a new, positive

signal," Weiss told CTK, adding that Slovakia would send an influential

delegation to Washington.

Talks between Weiss and Lansky also concerned developments on the Slovak

internal political scene. Lansky said he wanted to obtain detailed

information on Slovakia during his informal meeting with Slovak Deputy

Premier Pavol Hamzik which had been recently agreed on.

Weiss also met today deputy chairman of the Chamber of Deputies foreign

committee and Civic Democratic Party (ODS) shadow foreign minister Jan

Zahradil. Zahradil told journalists after the meeting that the situation

in Kosovo was also discussed, adding that public opinion on the Kosovo

crisis in Slovakia was more polarisied than in the Czech Republic.

"The number of opponents to Slovakia's entry to NATO is growing as the

number people who condemn the NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia is

considerably higher in Slovakia than in the Czech Republic," Zahradil

told CTK.

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Article Id: FTS19990416001324

Document Id: 0fag4l002xb0k3

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

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Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 67

Title: Czech, Hungarian, Polish Deputies Back NATO FRY Action

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1604171499 Prague CTK in English 1703 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604171499

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

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[FBIS Transcribed Text] PRAGUE, April 16 (CTK) -- The NATO military action

in Yugoslavia was supported by the defence and foreign committees of the

Czech, Hungarian and Polish parliaments in a joint statement today.

The three new NATO member countries should use all available means to

help solve the (Kosovo) crisis in line with the five demands which NATO

set on Monday, the statement says.

The Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary acceded to NATO on March 12.

In the statement the deputies expressed full support for NATO's

military actions in Yugoslavia aimed to stop ethnic cleansing and the

genocide of the Albanian population by Slobodan Milosevic's regime.

The deputies said they considered the NATO newcomers' ability to

particpate in the allied action in Kosovo to be a test of the process of

NATO enlargement.

Michael Zantovsky, Czech Senate foreign, defence and security committee

chairman, told journalists that the Kosovo conflict was likely to

influence the NATO summit in Washington in late April.

"The way of NATO coping with the Kosovo crisis will determine its role

and shape in the 21st century," Zantovsky said.

The new concept of NATO should reflect how the Alliance will behave in

handling threats similar to Kosovo, he said.

The committee chairpersons expressed solidarity with countries which

seek NATO membership. They said they believed in the Alliance's open door

policy and that there were no obstacles to Slovenia being invited to join

NATO. They also support Slovakia.

The forthcoming NATO summit should also assess the progress made by

Lithuania and the other Baltic countries, and appropriately enhance the

aspirations of Romania, Bulgaria and other countries which are directly

jeopardised by the current destabilised situation in the Balkans.

"We are afraid that if such assertion was not made, the transformation

process in these countries could be threatened or even reversed,"

Zantovsky said.

The committees stress the need for open and transparent cooperation with

Russia for the sake of European stability, and also partnership with

Ukraine. They say they believe that Russia should return to its relations

to NATO, based on the Moscow-NATO act.

The parliamentary committees are to meet again in Budapest this autumn.

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Document Id: 0fag2xd013q4j1

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 69

Title: Czech Army Chief Urges 'Caution' Over NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Kosovo, Serbia

Sourceline: LD1504164999 Prague CTK in English 1639 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504164999

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

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[FBIS Transcribed Text] BRUSSELS, April 15 (CTK) -- The air strikes

against Yugoslavia must continue, but with utmost caution in order to

prevent side effects taking civilian lives, Czech army chief-of-staff

Jiri Sedivy told CTK today.

"Unfortunately we cannot avoid them entirely and an incident can occur such as on

Wednesday in Kosovo," Sedivy said.

He took part in a meeting of the chiefs of staff from the 19 NATO

countries in Brussels. NATO planes were reported to have hit a refugee

convoy on Wednesday, claiming the lives of several dozen civilians.

According to Sedivy it was agreed that targets of the attacks must be selected

so as to prevent unnecessary damage to private property and to structures

serving civilians.

Sedivy said that the air strikes must aim at military targets and units,

and also at the infrastructure and logistic facilities in order to

prevent the movement of troops and the delivery of supplies to them and

police units in Kosovo.

The chiefs of staff stressed the need for refugees to return to their

homes because otherwise the whole operation, which was launched on March

24, would be meaningless.

Sedivy said that the field hospital which the Czech Republic had sent to

Albania is not at all a small gift in terms of the Czech army's size and

the country's population [of 10 million] and when compared with other

countries.

On the contrary, the Czech Republic in fact has provided even more than

larger states.

"Poland for instance offers a 150-member unit while the Czech Republic has

provided a hospital with a 100-member staff and a carrier aircraft An-26,

also used in the operation Eagle Eye," Sedivy said.

The size of aid ranks the Czech Republic in the first ten of states

where its size and potential are considered.

"I reject the views that the field hospital is not too much. Besides,

it is a very expensive thing," Sedivy said, adding that the Czech

Republic has earmarked about one billion crowns for humanitarian aid to

refugees.

It is also generally known that the Czech Republic has provided as a

gift hospital equipment and means to build a field hospital for one

thousand persons, Sedivy said.

($1=35.153 crowns)

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 57

Title: Czech NATO Envoy: Milosevic Waging Propaganda Campaign

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Czech Republic, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1504170999 Prague CTK in English 1054 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504170999

Citysource: Prague CTK

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BRUSSELS, April 15 (CTK) -- Yugoslav President

Slobodan Milosevic is waging a propaganda war with NATO, in which he has

been lying from the very beginning about NATO losses and mass civilian

victims which do not exist, Czech Ambassador to NATO Karel Kovanda told

CTK today.

He said that NATO was at a disadvantage in this respect because it did

not allow unverified news to be published on principle. The cost which

NATO must pay for its will to preserve credibility and only publish

transparent and verified information is that information from it came

later, Kovanda said, explaining NATO officials' unwillingness to express

a clear stance on the latest incident with the reported bombing by NATO

warplanes of a military-civilian convoy in Kosovo.

Kovanda said that it was not only the experience of the last three days but

also experience of much distant past which forced him to adopt a sober

and sceptical view on any statements coming from Belgrade. He stressed

that allied pilots were certainly not waging a "hunt for rabbits."

Kovanda made assurances that NATO was immensely interested in minimising

collateral damage, but added that it was difficult to aim strikes at

tanks which were hidden in buildings, in which it was not known whether

there were people or not.

Kovanda said that NATO was very sorry for civilian losses, that could not,

however, be avoided. "But the number of civilian victims in Yugoslavia is

not higher than during road accidents," Kovanda said.

PSD To HTML conversion is important to webmasters because they cannot use the PSD file as it is for their web pages. if you need PSD To HTML conversion service save yourself some time, effort and money and send it in to the professionals.

Kosovo Albanians, the number of dead among whom is incomparably higher,

not to mention mass graves, said Kovanda.

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Document Id: 0fag57c01nm5vv

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 41

Title: Chirac Proposes Summit of NATO, FRY's Neighbors

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: France, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1804095299 Paris France-Info Radio in French 0900 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1804095299

Citysource: Paris France-Info Radio

Language: French

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Translated Text] Jacques Chirac has proposed that a summit be held

between NATO and Yugoslavia's neighbours: the French president said that

this summit could be held in Washington at the end of next week [next

weekend is Saturday/Sunday 24th/25th April], on the sidelines of the

ceremonies for the 50th anniversary of NATO. [F2teletext notes that

Chirac put this idea to President Clinton - presumably in a telephone

conversation - on Saturday evening, 17th April, with the idea that the

summit would examine the problems caused to Yugoslavia's neighbours by

the conflict in Kosovo]

endall

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 46

Title: French Minister: NATO Strikes Will Halt Serb Terrorism

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe, West Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, West Europe

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, France, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1604193199 Paris France-2 Television Network in French 1800 GMT 16

Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604193199

Citysource: Paris France-2 Television Network

Language: French

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Translated Text] [Studio presenter] French Defence Minister Alain

Richard, who visited the Mont-de-Marsan air base [in southwest France]

today [16th April], referred to the tragic error made by NATO in Kosovo

on Wednesday [14th April], saying that any military action involved risk.

The only party deliberately killing civilians in cold blood is our enemy,

added Alain Richard. The minister also said that NATO could soon be in

control of the skies over Yugoslavia. Let us listen to him:

[Begin recording] [Richard] When we have a 24-hour a day operation, on the

one hand we shall improve the rate of destruction of these forces, which

are at the root of the problem, and on the other hand, we shall really

begin to paralyze the terrorisation operations which they are continuing

to implement.

[Reporter] And when will this 24-hour a day operation be?

[Richard] The end of next week. [end recording]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000353

Document Id: 0fag2zc022a4u9

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 73

Title: Richard: NATO Investigating Kosovo Refugee Strike

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Excerpt

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: France, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1504091399 Paris Europe No. 1 Radio in French 0620 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504091399

Citysource: Paris Europe No. 1 Radio

Language: French

N/A

Subslug: Interview With French Defense Minister Alain Richard by Jean-Pierre

Elkabbach -- live

[FBIS Translated Excerpt] [Interviewer Jean-Pierre Elkabbach] Good

morning, [Defence Minister] Alain Richard. Thank you for joining us.

[Richard] Good morning, Mr Elkabbach.

[passage omitted - Richard says NATO is determined to continue its action and

achieve its goals]

[Q] Who - intentionally or by mistake - bombarded and killed refugees

inside Kosovo? Seventy-five people have been found dead, et cetera: you

have heard it all. What is your version?

[A] The alliance is in the process of re-examining all the data which we

have - which have returned from the aeroplanes - about this episode. What

I can say is that the only one which, from the outset, has unleashed

gunfire or massacres in cold blood against the Kosovo Albanian is the

enemy.

[Q] But is that a way of you accusing it [or him - same in French]

today, this morning?

[A] I am not making an accusation - unlike them, because don't forget

that there have already been several manipulations and several attempts

to attribute a number of calamities to the allies, and each time these

propaganda bids by Yugoslavia have proved false. So today I am not

issuing any accusations. I have not got the data; we shall undoubtedly

get them in the coming hours. [passage omitted - Richard says NATO aims

to avoid civilian casualties]

[Q] Do you still think air superiority will be enough to put an end to

the Milosevic regime?

[A] What I say, and what we have been saying since the outset, which has

not changed, is that this form of action - given the obligations of

protection [of the Kosovo Albanians] which we set ourselves - was

comparatively the most rapid, and that entry into Kosovo in force, with

tens and tens of thousands of foot soldiers and tanks, with the aim of

stopping the ethnic cleansing carried out through terror, would not have

been more effective up until the stage we are at, and would have claimed

thousands of Kosovo Albanians' lives.

[passage omitted - Richard outlines diplomatic efforts to end conflict,

explains NATO role in Albania and reiterates French commitment to NATO]

[Q] How many men could the French army commit if the situation became

more serious?

[A] Several thousand more.

[Q] That is - can you be precise?

[A] No, I am not going to be precise on this subject. I have no reason

to give this information in public in advance.

[passage omitted - repetition and reiteration of commitment to NATO]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 63

Title: Ivanov Says NATO Has Violated Pact With Russia

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Russia, Balkan States

Subdivision: Russia, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1804092299 Paris AFP (North European Service) in English 0915 GMT

18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804092299

Citysource: Paris AFP (North European Service)

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MADRID, April 18 (AFP) -- Foreign Minister Igor

Ivanov accused NATO on Sunday of violating a pact with Russia when it

attacked Yugoslavia.

"We have nothing to say to NATO as a military organization as long as

the intervention against Yugoslavia continues," said Ivanov in an

interview published in the Spanish daily El Pais.

One of the precepts of the Russia-NATO accord signed in 1997 was "that

neither of the parties use force in Europe, and NATO violated that,"

Ivanov argued.

"It wasn't easy to create a new NATO image in Russia and this effort has

been reduced to nothing," he added.

The NATO air campaign in Yugoslavia which began on March 24 was not even

a success from NATO's perspective, the Russian Foreign Minister said in

the article.

"Militarily, only 40 percent of the bombs and missiles hit their targets, and 50

percent of the targets destroyed were bridges, factories, schools and

other civilian centers," said Ivanov, a former Russian ambassador to

Spain.

The "danger" of an allied military intervention in Kosovo "is greater

and greater every day," he said.

"But even the invaders understand that it (a ground war) could claim many

victims, and in order to appease public opinion they say there will not

be a ground operation. But we have very precise data indicating that

preparations for it are continuing," Ivanov said.

He reiterated that Russia would take "adequate measures" if "the

situation worsens and if Russia's security is placed in danger.

"We cannot allow this crisis to destroy the ties that have been years

building" between Russia and the West. Russia will do nothing to dammage

them."

[Description of Source: AFP (North European Service): North European Service of

the independent French press agency Agence France-Presse]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000926

Document Id: 0fag55g00x6i19

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 68

Title: 'Several Thousand' Attend Anti-NATO Protest in Skopje

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: FYROM, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1804021699 Paris AFP (North European Service) in English 0204 GMT

18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804021699

Citysource: Paris AFP (North European Service)

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. skopje radio macedonia network macedonian 172000 -- 'peace in the

balkans' concert held in skopje 17 apr

[FBIS Transcribed Text] SKOPJE, April 18 (AFP) -- Several thousand

Macedonians gathered in Skopje late Saturday [17 April] for a concert

organized in a protest against NATO troops in their country and

airstrikes against neighbouring Yugoslavia.

They held up placards in English reading "NATO go out from Macedonia",

"Yankee go home", "Stop airstrikes against Yugoslavia" and "Clinton you

murderer."

Also up front a picture of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was

noticed, while demostrators occasionally shouted "Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia"

as well as "Kosovo is Serbia".

Before the concert started, several groups were collecting money for the

"children of Yugoslavia".

"I have come here to protest against NATO airstrikes in Yugoslavia,"

said Toni, 23, a medicine student, explaining that some 30 percent of

Macedonians had relatives in Serbia.

"Our (Macedonian) government has lost many voters because they allowed

NATO troops to go inside Macedonia," he added.

More than 12,000 NATO troops are stationed in Macedonia, set to go to

Kosovo as an implementation force when a peace agreement is signed.

"There is a war wherever NATO troops are. If they hadn't started airstrikes

we wouldn't have had so many refugees in Macedonia," said Danica Mitic,

30.

Macedonians claim that the influx of ethnic Albanians expelled from Kosovo by

Serbian forces could disturb the demographic balance in Macedonia, where

Albanians, according to unofficial figures, make up 30 percent of the 2.2

million population.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees figures there are 129,800

Kosovo Albanian refugees in Macedonia, compared to 16,000 before March

24, when the airstrikes on Yugslavia started.

On March 25 several thousand people in Skopje participated in violent

demonstrations against the airstrikes, wanting to burn the US embassy.

[Description of Source: AFP (North European Service): North European Service of

the independent French press agency Agence France-Presse]

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Document Id: 0fag4ti02de4ds

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 54

Title: NATO Commander Clark Due in Tirana 17 Apr

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Albania, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1704075499 Paris AFP (North European Service) in English 0741 GMT

17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704075499

Citysource: Paris AFP (North European Service)

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] TIRANA, April 17 (AFP) -- General Wesley Clark,

NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe, was due here Saturday for

talks with Albanian leaders, the defence ministry here said.

Defence ministry spokesman Albert Mullai told AFP that the US general, who

is in charge of the air war against Yugoslavia, was to meet Prime

Minister Pandeli Majko and Defence Minister Luan Hajdaraga during his

brief visit.

To step up attacks on Serb forces on the ground in Kosovo, the United

States has been deploying 24 anti-tank Apache helicopters in Albania,

reportedly at a military base in the north of the country.

The deployment from Germany started on Wednesday and was to be completed

by Saturday, according to the Pentagon. It is up to Clark when the AH-64

Apaches start combat operations, opening a new front against Yugoslavia.

NATO is also deploying some 7,300 troops in Albania, thousands of whom

are already in place under their national flags, on a humanitarian

mission for the more than 320,000 Kosovar Albanian refugees who have

streamed over the border.

British Lieutenant General John Reith was to take command of the combined

force for Operation Allied Harbour on Saturday, a NATO spokesman in

Brussels said. [Description of Source: AFP (North European Service):

North European Service of the independent French press agency Agence

France-Presse]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 72

Title: NATO's Solana Blames Milosevic for Refugee Deaths

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1604001099 Paris AFP (North European Service) in English 2314 GMT

15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604001099

Citysource: Paris AFP (North European Service)

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MADRID, April 16 (AFP) -- North Atlantic Treaty

Organisation secretary general Javier Solana expressed his grief late

Thursday at the death of ethnic Albanians in allied bombing, but blamed

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

"A pilot from a democratic European country, believing he was attacking

a military convoy, dropped a bomb on a tractor. We don't know how many

people were aboard, but there were some dead," Solana said.

"I regret it enormously, it causes me great grief," he added in an

interview from Brussels with Spain's public television channel TVE-2.

"Those people who were in the tractor were being chased from their homes by

Milosevic's soldiers and police," Solana alleged. "The person ultimately

responsible for this tragedy has a name, he is called Milosevic."

Solana said it was "possible" that the civilians attacked could have been

used as human shields by the police and military guarding the convoy,

adding,"I would like to know the whole truth about what happened."

"The pilots have one fundamental objective, to attack military targets

only," Solana said. "They know they cannot drop bombs if they are not

absolutely sure that what they are attacking are military targets.

"Many pilots return home every evening without having dropped their bombs

because they could not see the target clearly."

Solana claimed that the current NATO air offensive against Yugoslavia had

taken more precautions than any other action in history to avoid

"collateral damage", including civilian casualties.

"But unfortunately things like this sometimes happen," he said.

Serb reports said 75 people were killed and 25 others injured when NATO

bombed a 100-vehicle column of farm tractors and other vehicles loaded

with ethnic Albanians in western Kosovo on Wednesday.

NATO spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed that the pilot of an F-16 fighter jet

had fired on a convoy of three trucks on a road near Djakovica,

destroying one of them.

The pilot had fired at "three uniformly-shaped dark green vehicles"

because he was convinced they contained Serb forces engaged in burning

villages in the region.

In reply to Yugoslav government claims that the bombing hit two refugee

convoys, NATO military spokesman Brigadier-General Giuseppe Marani said

another NATO plane had hit a separate convoy but the alliance believed

these vehicles were carrying Serb troops.

NATO said it had no way of knowing how many casualties there had been.

[Description of source: north European service of the independent French press

agency Agence France-Presse]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001296

Document Id: 0fag4kp03ipapn

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 47

Title: France's Richard: NATO Attack on Convoy 'Tragic'

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe

Subdivision: France

Sourceline: LD1604165399 Paris AFP (Domestic Service) in French 1542 GMT 16 Apr

99

AFS Number: LD1604165399

Citysource: Paris AFP (Domestic Service)

Language: French

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Translated Text] Mont-de-Marsan air base, 16th April (AFP): Defence

Minister Alain Richard today described NATO's mistake on Wednesday [14th

April] in Kosovo as "tragic", saying that "military action is necessary

and entails risks".

Mr Richard, who was visiting air base 118 in Mont-de-Marsan, was asked

about the bombing of a refugee column which caused several dozen dead.

"Only our adversary kills civilians deliberately, in cold blood," the

minister said. According to him, the Kosovars themselves say that "the

only way to be able to return home is to assert superiority over the

Yugoslav authorities".

The defence minister also said that he would be travelling to Macedonia

on Sunday [18th April] to visit the 2,600 French soldiers of K-for

[NATO-led extraction force]. This international force currently 20,000

strong is likely to be deployed in Kosovo once the Rambouillet accords

for Yugoslavia as signed.

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Article Id: FTS19990414002240

Document Id: 0fag2yw01ogcte

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 71

Title: Canada's Axworthy Sees NATO-Led Force as 'Essential'

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0414

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1504031999 Paris AFP (North European Service) in English 0311 GMT

15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504031999

Citysource: Paris AFP (North European Service)

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. belgrade tanjug english 142230 -- tanjug: nato rejects 'unacceptable'

german plan

2. london press association english 141209 -- germany urges halt of nato

strikes in fry

3. berlin ddpadn german 141612 -- bonn's ischinger: us reaction to peace

plan 'positive'

4. paris afp (domestic service) french 141724 -- vedrine: german kosovo

peace plan built around un

[FBIS Transcribed Text] OTTAWA, April 14 (AFP) -- Canada backs the German

peace plan for Kosovo, the Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said

Wednesday.

It was an important initiative which he would be discussing with his

German counterpart Joschka Fischer on Thursday, Axworthy told RDI, a

French public television channel here.

Axworthy also said he would like the G8 nations to discuss the proposal and

for the United Nations Security Council to draft a resolution on it.

Under the three-phase German peace plan, NATO would suspend air strikes on

Yugoslavia for 24 hours if President Slobodan Milosevic began to withdraw

all his military and paramilitary forces from the province.

The Serbs would have to withdraw from the province while the separatist

Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA [UCK in Albanian]) would stay on and observe

a ceasefire until the arrival of an international peace force.

A "transitional administration" would then be set up for Kosovo which

would be authorized by the United Nations.

But Axworthy insisted that a NATO-led international force would be an

essential part of the operation, regardless of Russian or Chinese

opposition.

"NATO has to be involved, it hasn't necessarily to be in command or in

control," Axworthy told Newsworld.

But there was no other organisation which could do the job, he

explained.

However the UN should be involved in the process, as it would give any

operation an added legitimacy, he said.

"If there can be a broader game, particularly with Russia, then I think

we should move ahead. No one should be afraid of using the United Nations

in this case because it can give us a mandate," he concluded.

[Description of source: north European service of the independent French press

agency Agence France-Presse]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000424

Document Id: 0fag4y9020ecqt

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 67

Title: Cypriot Deputies Fear US, NATO To Target Other Countries

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Mediterranean Sea Area, Balkan States

Subdivision: Cyprus, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: NC1704144299 Nicosia Cyprus News Agency in English 1100 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: NC1704144299

Citysource: Nicosia Cyprus News Agency

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: "AKEL Deputies - Yugoslavia"--CNA headline

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Nicosia, Apr 17 (CNA) -- Left-wing AKEL party

spokesman and deputy Nicos Katsourides expressed certainty that

Yugoslavia has captured more than three NATO soldiers and has shot down

more planes than those cases known.

Katsourides and AKEL MP Doros Christodoulides held a press conference today on

their meetings and experiences from their two-day stay in Belgrade,

Yugoslavia, earlier this week. He said that all Yugoslav parties believe

NATO's aim is to take over Kosovo and said they have enough evidence to

prove their case.

Yugoslavs support that the attack against their country is only the beginning

and that NATO will also target other countries, the AKEL deputy said.

They also believe that the US and NATO goal in the region is to create a

greater Albania from the west and a greater Turkey from the east.

According to Katsourides, the Yugoslavs believe that there are plans to

transfer Turkish troops in the Adriatic and told them that this is

something Greece and Cyprus have to evaluate. He added that the Yugoslavs

do not rule out the possibility of a NATO ground operation in their

country soon and believe that such an outcome would lead to an overall

conflict in the region.

"If a land operation begins they believe that the hostilities will last

for years and that if Vietnam came as a surprise to the Americans,

Yugoslavia will be twice such a surprise," Katsourides noted.

The AKEL spokesman said Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic,

with whom they met, expressed his government's willingness to accept a

"political, peaceful settlement by conceding Kosovo self-government that

will take into consideration the rights and interests of people from all

seven nationalities living in the region."

They are also ready to accept the presence of political observers during

the peace negotiations, on the condition that are not from NATO-member

countries, but will not accept foreign military presence in their

country. Katsourides said that AKEL is trying to help Yugoslavs have a

voice in international fora. He also expressed admiration with the way

the people of Yugoslavia are handling NATO bombings. "They are very

patriotic and there is solidarity on all levels," the AKEL deputy said.

[Description of source: Government-Affiliated

Root URL: http://www.cyna.org.cy]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000168

Document Id: 0fag46e03a6qaz

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 74

Title: Cypriot Daily Calls for End to NATO Bombings

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Mediterranean Sea Area, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: Cyprus, United States, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: NC1604075599 Nicosia Kharavyi in Greek 16 Apr 99 p 1

AFS Number: NC1604075599

Citysource: Nicosia Kharavyi

Language: Greek

N/A

Subslug: From the "Controversy" column by Akranis: "War Should Stop"

[FBIS Transcribed Text] The NATO criminals continue to bomb Yugoslavia,

spreading death and destruction.

They are cold-blooded murderers of civilians. One "mistake" follows

another and the loss of human life continues. The tragedy the day before

yesterday--the bombing of the Albanian-speaking refugees who were

returning to their homes--fully demonstrated that NATO forces are

deplorable and barbarous.

The EU continues its slumber. Being a Washington subordinate and

dependent, the EU cannot speak its own mind. It has yet to realize that

the war against Yugoslavia undermines its own interests. It has yet to

realize that this is a war in its own backyard that will soon spread to

its house with unpredictable consequences.

The United States, which is promoting its own plans for global hegemony,

is dragging it along.

The margin is desperately narrow. If there is no reaction to stop it

now, the war will certainly spread.

Europeans are again being called upon to play their own role since the

governments are unable to rise to the required level. They could not say

no to the US war plans. They could not say a European word that would

have been in line with the principles and spirit of European civilization

and human values.

The people are called upon to take their future into their own hands

because the governments are incapable of dealing with the crisis and

because the rulers are coldly calculating the interests of the higher

classes, the multinational capital, the war industries, and the value of

the Euro and the dollar. Human principles, values, and ideals are

insignificant to them. The lives of the Serbs or Kosovars who are being

murdered by smart NATO bombs are also insignificant.

There is only one way to end the war and rescue Europe and humanity from

destruction and barbarity. It is the road of the struggle against US

hegemony and the subordination of states and people to its domination

schemes. It is the road of the struggle to end the war, to peacefully

resolve the Kosovo crisis, to secure the principles of international law,

and to maintain peace, security, independence, and the freedom of states

and nations.

The people of Yugoslavia have shown that the United States and its

military instrument, NATO, are not invincible. The Yugoslav people have

proven that the United States cannot do what it wants. The Yugoslav

people's struggle and sacrifice should be an example of resistance

against US hegemony. They must be held up as an example of resistance and

struggle against imperialism and all conquerors.

[Description of source: Mouthpiece of Akel (Restorative Party of the Working

People)]

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Article Id: FTS19990418000411

Document Id: 0fag5at03f4300

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 48

Title: Russian Radio Claims 90 NATO Airmen Lost in Yugoslavia

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe, Central Eurasia

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, Russia

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Russia

Sourceline: LD1804144499 Moscow Voice of Russia World Service in English 1410 GMT

18 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1804144499

Citysource: Moscow Voice of Russia World Service

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] According to Russian and Yugoslav military

sources, NATO forces fired around 800 cruise missiles at Yugoslavia and

flew nearly 1,700 combat sorties over that country in the period between

24 March and 15 April. They hit a total of over 200 targets, including

more than 100 soft ones such as bridges, fuel depots, refineries,

manufacturing facilities, and even schools, hospitals, stadiums, and

housing estates. Over 100 Yugoslav citizens died and over 4,000 received

injuries in the attacks. The damage from the bombardments topped $200

billion.

NATO lost over 40 planes and nearly 120 cruise missiles to Yugoslav flak.

Over 90 NATO airmen died or fell into Yugoslav hands after ejecting from

their crippled planes. The alliance lists all those men as missing in

action.

The whole operation turned particularly ugly on Wednesday when NATO jets

pounded a convoy of refugees on a road in Kosovo. At least 75 people are

known to have died in the attack.

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Article Id: FTS19990417000149

Document Id: 0fag4uj0446xgy

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 63

Title: Russian Experts on NATO Steps for FRY Ground Operation

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Russia, Balkan States

Subdivision: Russia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1704094999 Moscow Interfax in English 2026 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1704094999

Citysource: Moscow Interfax

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: Diplomatic Panorama

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, April 16 (Interfax) -- Practical questions

entailed in the launch of a NATO ground operation against Yugoslavia may

be decided in the next 7-10 days, Russian military-diplomatic sources

told Interfax on Friday. If Belgrade does not demonstrate readiness for

agreement during that time, NATO will "force the option of destroying the

defensive potential and infrastructure of Yugoslavia," they said.

"In this case, the scale of destruction will be such that a ground

operation in Yugoslavia will become quite safe for the alliance," the

experts said.

"Unfortunately, reality is such that Western countries are intensifying their

demands and are determined to pressure Belgrade to the end," they said.

The number of options is shrinking and their character for Belgrade is

worsening, the experts said.

They said that Russia will soon carry out its plans to make additional

efforts to prevent such a turn of events and direct it toward a political

settlement.

The sources said that Belgrade is still able to produce a Kosovo

self-rule model acceptable to Kosovo and to reach a compromise on an

international presence in the region to ensure the fulfillment of

political agreements.

Whereas Belgrade agrees to accommodate only international civilian observers

in Kosovo, the West insists on deploying a military contingent, basically

a NATO force, in Kosovo.

Experts say that a compromise is possible by combining the military and

civilian ingredients, which would act under the auspices of the United

Nations rather than NATO. A significant part of the contingent should

include representatives of neutral states or countries friendly toward

Belgrade in order to guarantee the rights and security of various ethnic

communities, the Serbs included.

[Description of Source: Interfax -- Non-government information agency known for

its aggressive reporting, extensive economic coverage, and good coverage

of Russia's regions.]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000133

Document Id: 0fag4uc007irj6

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 52

Title: Luzhkov Calls for end to NATO Air Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Russia, Balkan States

Subdivision: Russia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1704092099 Moscow Interfax in English 0833 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1704092099

Citysource: Moscow Interfax

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, April 17 (Interfax-Moscow) - Moscow Mayor

Yuriy Luzhkov said that NATO's air strikes in Yugoslavia should be halted

immediately and negotiations should begin. He said that Russia must

participate in the negotiating process. Luzhkov, the Fatherland movement

leader, told journalists on Saturday that a formula for resolving the

crisis already exists: the Kosovo refugees must return upon the

termination of the military operation. Kosovo should be granted autonomy

gradually without seceding from Yugoslavia, he said. The Kosovo problem

cannot be settled militarily, he said. During World War II, 32 German, 40

Italian, 6 Romanian, and 8 Hungarian divisions were deployed in the

Yugoslav territory. They could not defeat Yugoslavia, because a partizan

war broke out there. "In the event that NATO and America start a ground

operation in Yugoslavia, they will face a second Vietnam but in Europe

this time," he said. Furthermore, this may make Russia withdraw from the

embargo and supply military and technical assistance to Yugoslavia. "I do

not even want to forecast what is going to start then. I cannot rule out

a third world war," he said. NATO may offer resistance to Russia's

possible military and technical help, which could trigger an armed clash

and a war, he said. [Description of Source: Interfax -- Non-government

information agency known for its aggressive reporting, extensive economic

coverage, and good coverage of Russia's regions.]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001135

Document Id: 0fag4ib03x3zkl

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 70

Title: Lithuanian, Polish Support NATO Action in Yugoslavia

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Baltic States, East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Lithuania, Poland, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1604151799 Moscow Interfax in English 1452 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604151799

Citysource: Moscow Interfax

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] The presidents of Lithuania and Poland Valdas

Adamkus and Aleksander Kwasniewski reiterated their support for the NATO

bombing campaign in Yugoslavia, which is "aimed against ethnic cleansing

in Kosovo."

Adamkus, Kwasniewski and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma gave a joint press

conference in Klaipeda on the results of the trilateral summit and of the

international conference on transportation. Kuchma condemned the attempt

at resolving the Kosovo problem using military methods. "We are prepared

to do our best as mediators to get both sides to negotiate a conflict

settlement," he said.

Kwasniewski voiced "opposition to the pan-Slavic drive, demonstrations of

dominance by a particular people and a division of the world by

linguistic, cultural and racial traits. We are presidents of three

countries with diverse roots, but we can easily find a common language.

If similar relations could be established throughout the world, no

problems would be left."

Adamkus called the Kosovo conflict "the last tragedy of the 20th century. I

oppose the military actions in Yugoslavia, but it would be a worse

tragedy if NATO did not oppose the extermination of people and justified

one of the most terrible genocides of the 20th century." Lithuania's

foreign policy toward NATO has not changed because this trans-Atlantic

organization is part of European security, he said. While Yugoslavia's

territorial integrity must be preserved, Kosovo must have broad autonomy,

Kuchma has said.

"No side can win in the Balkans, so Ukraine is prepared to take the most

active mediating steps to have them sit down at the negotiating table,"

he said at the news conference.

Kuchma said he does not support Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's

policy of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo but warned against the spread of

separatism, "the 20th century's malaise."

"Any kind of support for separatist trends may trigger and is already

triggering a chain reaction in Europe and the world," he said. "I would

not like to see a completely different map of Europe in the near future,

but separatism is leading to this."

He expressed regret that NATO spends money on the military operation in

Yugoslavia instead of supporting democratic changes in the countries of

the former Communist bloc. [Description of Source: Interfax --

Non-government information agency known for its aggressive reporting,

extensive economic coverage, and good coverage of Russia's regions.]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000473

Document Id: 0fag49c035nma9

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 56

Title: Zyuganov Meets Envoys, Demands End to NATO Action

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe, West Europe, Central Eurasia, The Americas

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, West Europe, Russia, North America

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, France, Kosovo, Russia, United

Kingdom, United States

Sourceline: LD1604103499 Moscow Interfax in English 1023 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604103499

Citysource: Moscow Interfax

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, April 16 (Interfax) -- Communist Party of

Russia leader Gennadiy Zyuganov met with the ambassadors from United

States, Britain and France in Moscow Friday and demanded an immediate

halt to NATO military operations in Yugoslavia. Zyuganov spelled out the

position of the Communists and their allies on the events in the Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia. "A military solution to the Kosovo problem does

not exist, the crisis may evolve into a huge conflict in not only Europe

but other countries as well," Zyuganov said at a press conference after

the meeting. "The Balkan crisis cannot be settled without Russia," he

added. "The Americans are following Hitler's path in the Balkans,"

Zyuganov said. "The United Nations has completely discredited itself in

connection with the full-scale aggression against Yugoslavia," he went

on. Members of the parliaments of over 40 countries will likely convene

in Cyprus next week to voice their demand for an end to the military

actions against Yugoslavia, the Communist leader said. "A decision must

be adopted immediately on accepting the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

into the Russian-Belarusian Union," he said. Newspapers will publish a

collective declaration of patriotic forces signed by famous writers,

artists and scientists, he said. Mass rallies will be held on May 1 and 9

to demand an immediate halt to the Balkan war and the admission of

Yugoslavia into the Russian-Belarusian Union, he said.

[Description of Source: Interfax -- Non-government information agency known for

its aggressive reporting, extensive economic coverage, and good coverage

of Russia's regions.]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000386

Document Id: 0fag48i03dh93e

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 65

Title: Kuchma To Propose Kosovo Peace Plan at NATO Summit

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Ukraine, East Europe, Baltic States, Balkan States

Subdivision: Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1604094899 Moscow Interfax in English 0859 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604094899

Citysource: Moscow Interfax

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] KIEV, April 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) -- Ukrainian

President Leonid Kuchma will suggest a plan for a Kosovo settlement at

the NATO summit in Washington in late April, head of the foreign policy

department of the presidential administration Vladimir Ogryzko told

Interfax-Ukraine Friday. If NATO endorses the plan, Ukraine, together

with the U.N. structures, OSCE and other interested parties, may host a

peace conference to work out concrete mechanisms for a settlement,

Ogryzko said. These proposals are "aimed at giving new impetus to the

peace process," he said. Kuchma explicated the plan to the presidents of

Lithuania and Poland Valdas Adamkus and Aleksander Kwasniewski. Adamkus

and Kwasniewski have both approved the plan and urged Ukraine to step up

its peace efforts. However, Ogryzko warned against overestimating such

Ukrainian mediation. "The question is whether Yugoslav President Slobodan

Milosevic is prepared to accept the proposals made to him," he said. The

Ukrainian plan consists of three stages, presidential spokesman Oleksandr

Martynenko had reported earlier. The first stage envisions several

synchronized steps: Yugoslavia halting its military operations in Kosovo,

withdrawing its army and security forces, and creating conditions for the

return of refugees under the observation of international peacekeepers,

while at the same time NATO halts its bombing campaign, Kuchma told the

Uryadovy Kurier newspaper. A peacekeeping contingent must be formed under

the aegis of the U.N. or OSCE, and Ukraine is prepared to take part in

this, Kuchma said. The Kosovar Albanians must also cease their operations

at the same time. The deployment of peacekeepers must coincide with the

pull-out of Yugoslav forces, he stressed. The peacekeepers must receive

the mandate of the U.N. Security Council, and be peacekeepers must be

acceptable to all conflicting parties, non-NATO and neutral countries. At

the second stage, peacekeepers are to oversee the return of refugees and

the OSCE humanitarian mission to manage their orderly return and

quartering. A peace conference on the Balkans is to be convened in the

capital of a neutral country during the final stage.

[Description of Source: Interfax -- Non-government information agency known for

its aggressive reporting, extensive economic coverage, and good coverage

of Russia's regions.]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001009

Document Id: 0fag4gn01ety08

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 47

Title: Russia Issues Statement on NATO Attacks, UN Stance

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Russia, Balkan States

Subdivision: Russia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1604142399 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1255 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604142399

Citysource: Moscow ITAR-TASS

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Sergey Rubchenko

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, April 16 (Itar-Tass) - The United Nations

solidarises with the view manifested ever clearer by the international

community, that continued NATO bombings are the main obstacle to the

resumption of the political settlement of the Kosovo problem, says a

statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry referred to Itar-Tass on

Friday.

The UN Security Council discussed on April 15 Yugoslavia's request to

condemn NATO air strikes at a column of Kosovo refugees which caused

numerous casualties.

On the results of this discussion, the Security Council, on Russia's

initiative, released a statement for the press which unambiguously

supported the attitude of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He deplored

the tragedy and stressed that what had happened is an additional argument

in favour of exerting the efforts to achieve a political settlement of

the Kosovo crisis. [Description of Source: ITAR-TASS -- Main government

information agency.]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000313

Document Id: 0fag3yr02mmbpv

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 116

Title: Moscow Reports NATO Raids on FRY Cities

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Russia

Subdivision: Russia

Sourceline: LD1504084699 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in English 0840 GMT 15

Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504084699

Citysource: Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, April 15 (Itar-Tass) -- The number of

Serbian towns and cities, which the NATO air force raided last night, is

much bigger than usual, Itar-Tass reports from Belgrade. The Yugoslavian

anti-aircraft defence continued to put up stiff resistance to the

aggressors in Belgrade. The number of bombs dropped on targets on Mt.

Strazevica in the Belgrade district of Rakovica, as well as the number of

missiles fired at them, are now being checked.

Three people were wounded during an air raid on Kurzumlija commune, where

about ten people were killed during previous attacks. The NATO aircraft

aimed overnight chiefly at a bridge spanning the Toplica River. Its

demolition has interrupted automobile traffic between the cities of Nis

and Pristina. Many dwelling houses were destroyed. The NATO aggressors

also destroyed a bridge over the Western Morava river near the village of

Jasika, not far from the town of Krusevac. As a result, fifteen nearby

villages were cut off from the town. A third air raid was launched on

Krusevac commune overnight to Thursday. Bombed for the fourth time was

Kragujevac. The air strikes were chiefly aimed at targets in the centre

of the town. Raids on Pristina are continuing round-the-clock. The city,

according to eyewitness accounts, is being turned into a desert. Other

Kosovo towns and villages are also being bombed. The population of this

Serbian province is shocked by the tragedy of the Albanian refugees on

whom NATO planes had dropped their deadly load of bombs. The Information

Service of the Yugoslavian General Staff reports that two columns of

refugees, who were returning from Albania on tractors and automobiles via

the "Graf Prusit" and "Verbinica" border checkpoints, were bombed on

Wednesday. As a result 64 people were killed and more than twenty others

were wounded. Serbian President Milan Milutinovic blamed NATO for this

deliberate massacre of Albanian refugees in Kosovo. The NATO air force,

he stressed in the statement that was released last night, launched four

attacks on the refugees, which cannot be a mistake. "This was done

deliberately," the president stated.

Different districts of Serbia are being methodically prevented from watching

the programmes of the Serbian State Television. Relaying stations in the

mountain district of Zlatibor, southern Serbia, and on mount Ovcara, not

far from Cacaka, were wiped out. A ban on the transmission of programmes

of the Serbian State Television was clamped down in the Srbska Republic

of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The so-called Independent Commission for

Television under Supreme Representative in Bosnia Carlos Westendorp has

closed down the "S" television station in the city of Pale, which used to

receive and relay programmes of the Serbian State Television.

The campaign to save bridges from NATO missiles is gaining momentum in

Yugoslavia. Not only Belgraders, but also people of Nis, Zrenjanin, Novi

Sad, and Sremska-Mitrovica stood on the local bridges throughout last

night forming "living shields".

Negotiations are the only way to achieve peace on the Balkans and to "placate the

NATO generals", not "various sanctions, deliveries of weapons to the

conflicting sides, dispatch of volunteers or outright military

intervention", Russia's Special Presidential Representative for Settling

the Yugoslavia Crisis Viktor Chernomyrdin told the newspaper

"Kommersant". His interview is published in the Thursday issue of the

daily. "There must be talks, only talks," the ex-premier of Russia

stated. "It is necessary to be patient, to control one's nerves," he

stressed.

Russia and the United States have managed to approximate their stands on

the normalisation of the situation in Kosovo, but there are still

differences between them. This is how Secretary of State Madeleine

Albright described on Wednesday the results of her meeting with Russian

Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in Oslo, Itar-Tass reports from Washington.

She highly assessed Russia's role in the search for a diplomatic

settlement of the Kosovo problem and expressed readiness to keep up

regular contacts with her Russian counterpart on this issue.

Albright said that she was now having many contacts with each of America's

allies and also with the Russian Foreign Minister. She pointed out that

the West wanted to cooperate with Russia although the latter disagrees

with and is criticising the NATO bombing raids on Yugoslavia.

The Secretary of State did not rule out the possibility of holding the

Moscow-proposed G-8 foreign ministers meeting to discuss ways to settle

the Kosovo crisis. However, she does not deem such a meeting expedient

within the foreseeable future.

An emergency summit of the European Union, which was held in Brussels

on Wednesday evening, showed that the West was trying to enhance the role

of the European Union and the United Nations in the settlement of the

Kosovo conflict and to get Russia's help in this effort, because the

settlement of the crisis is practically impossible without it, Itar-Tass

reports from the Belgian capital.

Summing up the results of the debates on Kosovo, German Chancellor Gerhard

Schroeder, who chaired the summit, told a press conference that the

meeting had confirmed the resolution of its participants "not to allow

further massacres and deportation of the population from Kosovo". The

leaders of the EU nations believe that this goal justifies "the most

severe means, including military methods". In other words, they have

fully whitewashed the NATO bombing raids on Yugoslavia.

[Description of Source: ITAR-TASS World Service - Main government information

agency.]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 57

Title: Kazakhstan Wants End to NATO Bombing, Mideast Peace

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe, Central Eurasia, Near East/South Asia

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, Russia, Near East

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Russia, West Bank & Gaza

Strip

Sourceline: LD1604204299 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in English 1708 GMT 16

Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604204299

Citysource: Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Bakhyt Zhumaliyeva

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Almaty, Apr 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Kazakhstan is for an

end to bombing strikes at Yugoslavia and solidarises [word as received]

with Russia in this answer, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on

Friday [16 April].

During a meeting with Palestinian leader Yasir 'Arafat, on a working visit

here, Nazarbayev said that, on the other hand, Belgrade led by Milosevic

should also stop bloodshed in one of Yugoslav provinces. In his turn,

'Arafat said that Palestine is for peaceful settlement of the Kosovo

conflict so that all refugees could return home.

The sides exchanged opinions about relations between Israel and the

Palestine Autonomy. 'Arafat confirmed that Palestine is ready to declare

independence on May 5, 1999.

Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan is for peaceful settlement of the Middle East

conflict. It is necessary to get down to the negotiating table and to

settle the conflict without infringing each other's interests so that the

solution of the matter should not cause a new wave of violence and

confrontation. We are also concerned over the destiny of Jerusalem, where

the third Muslim shrine, Al-Qudus mosque, is situated, Nazarbayev said.

Nazarbayev recalled that in the 1994 resolution the United Nations set a

five-year period for the preparation for declaring Palestine's

independence. An agreement on the obligations of both sides was signed in

Washington in May last year. Nazarbayev believes that the implementation

of the agreement by the states is too slow-paced. [Description of Source:

ITAR-TASS World Service - Main government information agency.]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 60

Title: Ivanov: NATO Ground Forces Will Not Bring Peace

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Russia, Balkan States

Subdivision: Russia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1504135999 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in English 1313 GMT 15

Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504135999

Citysource: Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Anatoliy Medvedenko

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MADRID, April 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign

Minister Igor Ivanov said the Yugoslav conflict can be settled only by

making NATO to stop military operations and start political talks.

In an interview with the SER radio station on Thursday, Ivanov said

that the crisis in Yugoslavia cannot be solved by military means.

"In order to discuss the political methods of the settlement of the

crisis, we should, primarily, give up bombings because it is very

difficult to hold any talks under bombs," the minister noted.

He recalled that under the norms of international law it is the U.N.

Security Council that has right to allow the use of force and that is why

NATO's intervention in Yugoslavia is illegal.

Speaking about the possible deployment of NATO ground forces in Kosovo, the

minister stressed that "this step will not lead to establishing peace in

the region, but only will complicate the situation."

Ivanov said that "the unique point on which Belgrade disagrees with other

countries is the deployment of international armed forces on the

territory of the country."

Any deployment of international forces -- civilian or military -- is

only possible with Belgrade's consent, he noted, adding that Belgrade

will disagree with the military presence, including Russian one.

At the same time, Ivanov pointed out that if Yugoslav authorities are

ready to agree on this issue, Russia is prepared to take part in it.

The minister stated that Russia opposes both ethnic cleansing and the

creation of "ethnically clear zones", as well as the expansion of the

conflict outside Yugoslavia.

Ivanov stressed that Russia will join efforts to find the peaceful solution

of the crisis. [Description of Source: ITAR-TASS World Service - Main

government information agency.]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 53

Title: Duma Member: FRY 'Training Ground' for NATO Pilots

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Russia

Subdivision: Russia

Sourceline: LD1504110099 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in English 1039 GMT 15

Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504110099

Citysource: Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Anatoly Yurkin

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Moscow, 15 Apr (ITAR-TASS) -- Colonel Sergey

Glotov, deputy to the State Duma, believes that "NATO pilots behave in

Yugoslavia, as though they were on a training ground, where tactical

methods of combat operations are drilled."

Commenting in an interview with Tass on the NATO air attack on a column of

Kosovo refugees last Wednesday, which claimed the lives of 60 people,

Colonel Glotov said that "the operation was carried out strictly in

accordance with the rules: First the pilots attacked the automobiles and

tractors, that were at the head of the column, then they set on fire the

vehicles moving the in rear, and after that they brought under fire the

refugees themselves." Glotov believes that "such consistent actions can

hardly be accidental, especially in view of the fact that modern aiming

systems permit the pilot to clearly distinguish between targets: It is

easy to distinguish between a small-capacity tractor moving in the column

and a military truck."

The Russian officer described as another case of the mastering of combat

techniques the recent air attack on a passenger train. "The pilot made

five runs over the target that time, knowing that it was a passenger

train. He saw it not only with the help of aiming instruments, but also

with his proper eyes," Colonel Glotov said. [Description of Source:

ITAR-TASS World Service - Main government information agency.]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 66

Title: UK PA: NATO Plans 200,000 Troops Invasion in Serbia

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Serbia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1804155399 London Press Association in English 1519 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1804155399

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Bob Roberts, Political Correspondent, PA News

[FBIS Transcribed Text] NATO has planned for a full-scale invasion of

Serbia with up to 200,000 troops going in, it emerged today.

The alliance's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe up until last

year, General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie, said Nato had looked at all options

for taking military action against Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

Asked on BBC1's Panorama programme, to be shown tomorrow, what would be

the extent of any possible invasion force, Gen Mackenzie said: "Very

extensive because it wasn't actually a plan to merely invade Kosovo,

although that was one of the options.

"The heaviest option was of course the entire invasion of Serbia and with

the army that they had and the air force and the armed forces that they

had, this was a serious undertaking - and, of course, it's an

extraordinarily difficult place to get to.

"So the option was the heavy end, 180,000-200,000 (troops) was the

figure you heard bandied around."

The retired general, who held his post as one of Nato's senior planners

from 1994-98, makes clear that these plans were part of looking at a

range of options which could be taken against Yugoslavia.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed an extensive study of plans

had been made.

He said: "Last year we looked at all the options as you would expect,

including a ground force invasion of up to 200,000. Following this

analysis we concluded that the air campaign was the best option."

The programme was also told US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had

badly misjudged President Milosevic's resolve in thinking he would back

down in the face of Nato bombing.

Congressman Porter Goss, chairman of the US Select Committee on Intelligence,

said: "I think she made an error of judgment about Milosevic. I think she

firmly did believe there was a possibility that he would cave in (with

bombing)."

He added: "What do we do if Milosevic doesn't roll back his forces?

What do we do then? The answer has always been a little blurred. It's

we'll see when we get there."

The Panorama programme, called War Room, will be shown on BBC1 at

10.05pm tomorrow.

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

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Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 115

Title: NATO Says Serbs Killed 3,200 in Kosovo in Past 3 Weeks

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Serbia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1704231799 London Press Association in English 1651 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1704231799

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Bob Roberts

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Serbian forces in Kosovo have killed 3,200 ethnic

Albanians over the past three weeks, NATO said today - as it also

disclosed the massive extent of Allied air strikes.

At the Ministry of Defence in London, military chiefs said NATO

aircraft have now carried out more than 300 attacks against almost 200

targets in Yugoslavia.

However, UK Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Sir Ian Garnett also

conceded that Allied planes had not been "as successful" against troops

operating on the ground in Kosovo and NATO made clear the killings were

continuing.

Alliance spokesman Jamie Shea said 3,200 Kosovar-Albanians have been

slaughtered in the past three weeks.

He added that 200 residential areas of Kosovo have been destroyed or

badly damaged and at least 18 villages burned down.

NATO also revealed photographic evidence of 150 fresh graves appearing in

the past few days.

Mr Shea said the Serbs were conducting a "no mercy" operation against

civilians.

He had no new information about the convoy incident where NATO bombed

civilian vehicles, but added: "Let us be judged by the final result and

not by a yellow card in the first half."

Meanwhile, as the killings continued so did the refugee crisis both within and

on the borders of Kosovo.

Armed Forces Minister Doug Henderson said more than a million refugees

have now been forced out of their homes by Serb troops and police in

Kosovo in the past four weeks, compared with 1.2 million in the whole of

the Bosnia conflict.

In heavy rain, about 13,000 Kosovo refugees arrived in Albania and

another 6-7,000 crossed or tried to cross into Macedonia, said the United

Nations.

They were reported to be in far worse health than earlier refugees,

having been hiding in the woods for several days without food. The

Macedonian Government said it would not allow any new camps to be built

as they could not stand a further influx of refugees.

The defence minister was quoted as saying refugees must now go to third

countries.

Meanwhile, RAF Harrier GR7s attacked an army HQ in Pristina and Sea Harriers

from HMS Invincible were in the air over Serbia for the first time.

Crew members on board the ship, however, broke ranks to speak of their

frustration about being sent into the Kosovo war zone.

The 20,000-tonne carrier was diverted to the Adriatic after Invincible

has been at sea since January 9 patrolling The Gulf as part of the

UK-American forces lining up against Saddam Husayn.

The 1,200-strong crew were due to arrive home in Portsmouth in just four

days' time and today some crew say they cannot understand why Invincible

has been diverted.

One said people were "pretty miserable" that they had no idea when they

might be returning home.

Elsewhere, the US disclosed that a Yugoslavian army officer has become NATO'S

first prisoner of war.

The young lieutenant, said by NATO to be in good health, was captured

inside Yugoslavia by the Kosovo Liberation Army and was handed over to US

forces.

A statement said he was captured on Wednesday, delivered to the

Government of Albania and then into US custody.

Yugoslav authorities are holding three Americans soldiers who were captured

along the Macedonian border.

In Albania, NATO'S supreme commander warned President Slobodan

Milosevic against new incursions into Albania after Yugoslav forces

raided border installations and shelled villages.

General Wesley Clark said: "This threat is unacceptable. It's a violation of

a sovereign territory and needs to be stopped."

British Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd again ruled out sending in ground

troops in an opposed invasion into Kosovo _ despite hints of a shift in

policy on Friday by Defence Secretary George Robertson, who is in the US

for talks.

"The Prime Minister and all Government ministers in Britain have been

saying throughout the whole of this campaign that this is an air-based

campaign," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

The Allies also renewed their warning to the Serb military that they

would be held responsible for war crimes.

Armed Forces Minister Doug Henderson said the international community had

set up a tribunal to deal with war criminals in the former Yugoslavia.

Since being established in 1993 the tribunal had indicted 84 people for

war crimes, of whom 26 were in custody and seven had already been found

guilty.

Mr Henderson said: "The young men who are committing war crimes on

behalf of the Milosevic regime should think again. They should think

about how long the Milosevic regime will last, about what will succeed

the Milosevic regime.

"They should think about the shame and disgrace that they will feel in

their fifties and sixties and what their grandchildren will think of a

grandfather indicted for war crimes and spending his last years in

prison."

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Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 52

Title: Russia Warns NATO Against Arming KLA

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Russia

Subdivision: Russia

Sourceline: LD1604193299 London Press Association in English 1837 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604193299

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Russia today warned Nato against supplying weapons

to the Kosovo Liberation Army and making "crude violations" of UN arms

sanctions.

In a statement released through their embassy in London, the Russian

foreign ministry said there had been "numerous reports" about increasing

foreign support for the KLA.

The statement said: "These acts, if they are confirmed, represent a

crude violation of prohibitions imposed by the UN security council."

It added: "Attempts to justify military assistance to the KLA gunmen by

purely political considerations do not hold water and are just another

example of trampling underfoot international legality.

"This is yet another demonstration of a double standard approach _ some

governments do not notice, in certain cases, glaring violations of UN

security council resolutions and in others display a truly unbridled

fervour barring Russian humanitarian aid to Yugoslavia."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said there was no evidence of

the arms embargo being breached.

They said: "There is an arms embargo on the supply of arms to all

involved parties. We respect that."

Nato has also issued regular denials that it is arming the KLA or that it

has any intention of doing so in breach of an UN arms embargo.

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Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 128

Title: PA: NATO Intensifies Kosovo Campaign

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Kosovo, FYROM, Albania, Serbia

Sourceline: LD1604163699 London Press Association in English 1616 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604163699

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Bob Roberts, Political Correspondent, PA News

[FBIS Transcribed Text] NATO said today it was intensifying the campaign

over Kosovo and insisted it would not be "blown off course" by the

accidental bombing of civilians.

Spokesman Jamie Shea said planes had "one of the best nights" of the campaign

hitting Yugoslav tanks, artillery sites and surface-to-air missile

installations.

There were also signs of a massive new ethnic cleansing drive by Serb

forces.

More than 12,000 ethnic Albanians poured over the borders into

neighbouring Albania, Macedonia [Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia --

FYROM] and Montenegro and the Ministry of Defence in London said it had

fresh evidence of mass grave sites.

In other developments showing an intensification of the conflict, the

guerilla Kosovo Liberation Army was said to be carrying out new attacks

and there were reports of Serbs shelling Albanian villages.

In the United States, Defence Secretary George Robertson called for

NATO to keep "under review" its plan for using ground forces in Kosovo.

However, there was still confusion over the incident which left dozens of

refugees dead on the road near Djakovica.

Serb media has shown footage of limbless bodies and destroyed tractors

south of Djakovica.

Nato, however, said it only had information about one of its planes

hitting what was "probably a tractor" north of Djakovica.

Facing persistent questioning, Mr Shea said: "There is only one instance

where we have any indication of damage to a civilian vehicle which could

have resulted in civilian lives being lost.

"As far as the rest of the operations are concerned we are satisfied

that we struck military targets."

Nato made a sustained effort today to stress the air campaign would

continue to be intensified.

Mr Shea said: "Nato puts its setbacks behind it. This is what we have

done. We are not going to be blown off course. We are keeping our eye on

the main issue, which is that Milosevic has to be stopped.

"Nato is not a perfect organisation but that does not make it any less

necessary to persevere until we have managed to bring peace to Kosovo. As

we say in football terms, we are keeping our eye on the ball."

In London, Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd told a Ministry of

Defence briefing: "Nato is still intensifying the campaign. The pressure

stays on and it gets stronger."

Mr Lloyd said RAF Harriers had flown 20 sorties in the last 24 hours

and the Allies' determination would grow with each fresh story of an

atrocity carried out by the Serbian war machine.

Chief of the defence Staff General Sir Charles Guthrie told the briefing

there were reports of thousands of young men murdered by the Serbs and

whole villages being massacred.

He said mass graves were "repeatedly being discovered" and one at Pusto

Selo, near Orahovac, had been found about a week ago.

On a visit to the United States Defence Secretary George Robertson

signalled a shift from the alliance's early position when an opposed

ground force intervention was ruled out completely.

In a speech at Harvard University, Mr Robertson said Nato must be "firm

in its resolution" to get Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to accept

alliance demands.

He said: "We continue to believe that the air campaign should force him

to meet our demands. At the same time we must keep our plans for ground

forces under review."

Pentagon officials said the United States is considering calling up about

33,000 reservists as part of its commitment to the Nato campaign.

In Yugoslavia, Kosovo ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova met

high-ranking Yugoslav officials and Serb television said they had called

jointly for an end to Nato bombing.

The provincial government declared a day of mourning for ethnic

Albanians killed by Nato.

Meanwhile on the borders of Kosovo, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski reported a

new tide of refugees.

He said: "The expulsions, which were put on hold or slowed down over

the past two weeks have now resumed with full force and the effort by the

Serbian authorities to expel the entire ethnic population of Kosovo is

again under way."

Brigadier Tim Cross, in charge of the British-run camp in Macedonia, said that

40 bus loads with around 3,500 people had arrived there overnight with

another 3,000 thought to be on the way.

He said many had been living rough for days and had finally left after

seeing their villages and homes burned and looted by the Serb

paramilitaries.

"They left because they were quite evidently scared," he said in a video

link with a Ministry of Defence briefing. "It looks as if this is

beginning to escalate again."

He said the British troops in Macedonia were ready to enter Kosovo any

time they were given their marching orders by their political masters.

"Clearly we want to enable these people to go home, the quicker we can do

that the better. There is no doubt in my mind at all," he said. "But that

is not for me to say when, except to say that we are ready to do so when

Her Majesty's Government decides that we should do so."

Nato also said the flow of refugees was bringing new recruits to the

Kosovo Liberation Army which they described as "rising like a phoenix

from the ashes".

Mr Shea said that the every Serb operation against the

Kosovar-Albanians produced thousands of fresh recruits of "embittered,

radicalised" rebels into the ranks KLA.

He added: "Life is becoming increasingly unpleasant for Serb forces

inside Kosovo. Not only do they have to contend with an increased

momentum of Nato attacks in which they are starting to sustain serious

losses, but they are also being harassed in a way they probably did not

expect by the KLA.

"The Serb armed forces are in something of a vice which will tighten as

the days progress."

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Article Id: FTS19990416000332

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 102

Title: NATO Spokesman: One 'Stray Bomb' Dropped on Refugees

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: LD1604092499 London Press Association in English 0730 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1604092499

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Gavin Cordon

[FBIS Transcribed Text] NATO today said that it dropped only one "stray

bomb" on a refugee column in Kosovo amid continuing confusion over the

deaths of dozens of ethnic Albanians apparently from air raids.

As the wrangling over the events of Wednesday continued, NATO spokesman

Jamie Shea said that Yugoslav claims that NATO warplanes had been

responsible for killing 75 civilians should be treated with "a healthy

dose of scepticism".

He said that the information that NATO had "so far" suggested that one

bomb dropped by an American F16 pilot had hit a refugee vehicle and the

alliance was not going to take responsibility for other deaths in the

area.

"There was only one stray bomb involved," Mr Shea told BBC Radio 4's Today

programme.

"Obviously NATO is not going to take responsibility for all of the accounts

coming out of Belgrade of large numbers of people who have been killed or

all these incidents having occurred in different geographical locations."

Much of the confusion over what happened in south west Kosovo on

Wednesday appears to have arisen from the fact that there was more than

one incident involved.

Yugoslav television pictures showed scenes of devastation from two locations

- one a dirt track and the other a metalled road - and yesterday the

Yugoslav authorities took Western journalists to inspect the carnage on a

stretch of road running east from the Djakovica to Prizren.

There were also eye witness accounts from ethnic Albanians of warplanes

dropping more than one bomb on the refugee column.

However Mr Shea said said that the single NATO bomb which went astray was

dropped north of Djakovica.

"I don't think this in itself is going to explain the fact that

Belgrade is taking journalists to a large number of sites up and down the

area," he said.

"I think we should treat all of this with a healthy dose of scepticism

until such time as we have been able to carry out a full investigation.

At the moment the information we have is only on that one single

incident."

Mr Shea, who yesterday expressed "deep regret" for the loss of life in

the attack, insisted that Nato would not be apologising as the bombing

campaign was justified by the Serb atrocities.

"I don't think we are going to make any apologies here, at the end of

the day we would have put a stop to one of the worst massacres and one of

the worst humanitarian tragedies in Europe since the end of the Second

World War," he told BBC1 Breakfast News.

"Nato does not have to apologise for that."

The intense controversy surrounding the incident reflects the concern

within NATO that large scale civilian deaths could undermine support for

the air war and hand a propaganda coup to Yugoslav President Slobodan

Milosevic.

Last night Nato jets pounded military targets in the Yugoslav republic of

Montenegro and hit key sites around Belgrade, while refugees arriving

from Kosovo reported an intensified push by Serb forces to empty whole

communities of ethnic Albanians.

Thousands of ethnic Albanians have been crossing over into Macedonia and

Albania in what observers believe may be a final push by Yugoslav forces

to rid Kosovo of its ethnic Albanian population.

Up to 5,000 refugees poured across Macedonia's three border posts

overnight, according to Francois Zen-Ruffinen, spokesman for the

International Committee of the Red Cross.

Refugees say Serb forces have shelled and shot at some of them as they made

their way toward the borders, and shelling was heard on the Serb side of

Macedonia's Jacinze crossing overnight.

With no let-up in its air campaign against Yugoslavia, NATO jets and

missiles hit a military airfield and airport just outside Podgorica, the

Montenegrin capital.

In Montenegro, alliance warplanes struck at an underground military

base and targeted a port where Yugoslav navy ships was anchored, local

media reported. According to witnesses, the Yugoslav navy launched

missiles at NATO jets.

Until the latest raids in Montenegro, NATO had focused attacks on Serbia,

the larger, main Yugoslav republic.

Montenegro's vice premier, Dragisa Burzan, speaking to state television, accused

Belgrade of trying to draw NATO attacks against Serb targets in his

pro-Western republic.

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Article Id: FTS19990415000668

Document Id: 0fag3ra03h2nwf

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 108

Title: NATO Investigating Kosovo Refugee Casualties

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Kosovo, Serbia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: LD1504111999 London Press Association in English 0849 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: LD1504111999

Citysource: London Press Association

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Gavin Cordon

[FBIS Transcribed Text] NATO air attacks on Yugoslavia could continue into

the summer, United States officials warned today as the alliance

continued to try to untangle the events surrounding the bombing of a

refugee convoy.

The Serbians blamed NATO warplanes for the attack yesterday on a column

of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo which reportedly left 64 dead and another

20 wounded.

NATO spokesman Jamie Shea confirmed that alliance aircraft had been

involved in operations in the area but again insisted that the pilots had

targeted only Yugoslav military vehicles.

"We don't know yet to what degree there may have been some damage to

civilians, we are still investigating that," he told BBC1 Breakfast News.

"I am not saying they were killed by NATO, I am simply saying that at

the moment we can not rule out the option that there could have been some

collateral damage following a NATO attack against military vehicles."

He added: "There has never been an accident-free conflict in the whole

of human history. When you send pilots into the air on these kinds of

missions there is always going to be a risk of that kind of collateral

damage."

NATO officials were today analysing cockpit video footage from the

aircraft involved in the raid as well as interviewing the pilots. There

may also be material from other aircraft and unmanned drones in the area.

If the Serb claims are confirmed it will be the worst case of

collateral damage so far in the three-week conflict and a major setback

for NATO which has been desperate to avoid large-scale civilian

casualties.

In the aftermath of the bombing, there were claims that the refugees

may have been killed by Serbian aircraft or artillery fire which turned

on them after the NATO attack on the military vehicles.

An international observer, part of a team monitoring the Albanian

border, said refugee accounts indicated that Serbs, using MiGs and

helicopters, had taken advantage of a NATO military strike to

deliberately target refugees.

"The Serbs can't get at NATO directly, so they are taking it out on the

refugees and making NATO look bad," said Pjarke Tharkildsen, a Danish

military officer with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in

Europe.

He added that he was "personally certain" that Serbs were responsible

for Wednesday's refugee deaths. In Washington, White House officials

indicated that NATO was set to continue the air campaign for several

weeks, possibly into midsummer if Serb forces continue fighting ethnic

Albanians in Kosovo.

Meanwhile, the first of the long-awaited US Apache attack helicopters began

arriving in Albania as part of the effort to intensify attacks on the

Serb forces on the ground in Kosovo.

President Bill Clinton was preparing to call up several thousand military

reservists and deploy 300 more warplanes to join NATO air strikes. It

would take to 1,000 the number of aircraft available to NATO commanders.

US Major General Charles Wald, a strategic planner for the Joint Chiefs

of Staff, said the massive build-up was "an indication of our resolve

that we're going to see this thing through to the end." The Prime

Minister's official spokesman said that whatever the final truth about

the attack on the refugees, the ultimate blame lay with President

Milosevic.

"The Prime Minister has got a very, very clear view that every single act

of suffering in Kosovo has been caused by Milosevic.

"The idea that suddenly Milosevic is this caring person who's worried

about the fate of Kosovar Albanian refugees, I think most people would

find revolting.

"He's been killing, shelling, raping, torturing," said the spokesman.

He warned the media against being taken in by Serb propaganda and

possible faking of casualties.

"Regardless of what the full facts are, you simply can't believe what the Serbs

say.

"They have a record of fabrication, they lie, they have been taking

lessons from Saddam in how to conduct these operations.

"Regardless of what happens, he (Milosevic) is to blame and you can't believe a

word they say," he added.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said such incidents were inevitable if

the Serbs mixed up refugees with their own forces.

"These things are going to happen.

"It's worth asking why there were refugees in a military convoy," he said.

British planes were not involved in the bombing, but the UK stood fully

behind NATO, he said.

Asked about reports that the US was planning air strikes until the summer,

the spokesman said: "We have set the objectives, we will do what has to

be done to meet them."

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Article Id: FTS19990412001681

Document Id: 0fag40800ptjx7

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/07/99

Publish Region: Central Eurasia

Lines: 132

Title: Parliament Fails To Pass Anti-NATO Decree

Document Number: FBIS-SOV-1999-0412

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: Central Eurasia, East Europe

Document Date: 07 Apr 1999

Division: Ukraine, Balkan States

Subdivision: Ukraine, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: 99R50016a Kiev Ukrayina Moloda in Ukrainian 7 Apr 99 p 3

AFS Number: 99R50016a

Citysource: Kiev Ukrayina Moloda

Language: Ukrainian

N/A

Subslug: Unattributed article: "NATO Has Proved To Be Stronger Than Our

Parliament's Leftists."

[FBIS Translated Text] Considering the wave [of agitation] whipped up by

Supreme Council Chairman Oleksandr Tkachenko (after his appeal yesterday,

our legislative deputies were close to getting recruited as Cossacks

armed with pitchforks), the parliamentary session devoted to working out

a new position of the Supreme Council on NATO promised to become a truly

big event. Yet, it has fizzled out because the completed draft of the

resolution on the relationship between Ukraine and the North Atlantic

Treaty Organization was not adopted by our legislators yesterday. Thank

God, not all of them displayed enough combative zeal. And the debate

proved to be less heated than was initially expected. The radical draft

asked for the urgent recall of Ukraine's permanent representative to NATO

Headquarters in Brussels and his staff, as well as imposing a ban on any

military exercises on Ukrainian territory attended by Army subunits of

NATO member states. The Partnership for Peace program and the "hawks"

stand no chance--the leftwingers rubbed their hands. Some of them

proposed cancelation of the entire State Program for Cooperation With

NATO by 2001, which was approved by an edict of the Ukrainian president.

Before, several other resolution drafts were proposed, some of which Heorhiy

Kryuchkov, chairman of the legislative Committee for National Security

and Defense, advised to incorporate in this resolution. The most serious

remarks were made by Serhiy Kurykin, member of the Greens' faction, who

proposed the following: "Disregarding the established norms of

international law and installing the law of force in international

relations is unacceptable for both Ukraine and the international

community." Next, "the problem of ensuring mutual understanding between

NATO and non-NATO states (Ukraine, in particular) can only be resolved in

the context of forging the European collective security system based

primarily on political, not military, factors, and on the balance of

national interests of the member states on condition of strict compliance

with international legal norms in relations with them and in relations

with non-European subjects of international law, taking into

consideration requirements and special provisions of the UN Charter."

Although the deputies rejected in a rollcall vote that resolution, the

Supreme Council chairman insisted that it be finalized and brought back

for reexamination. Although the legislators voted down this proposal as

well, one can expect that, due to Tkachenko's unpredictable behavior

recently, this issue will soon be submitted for examination. In this

context, Leonid Kravchuk said that Tkachenko's actions needed a legal

analysis because he "abuses his constitutional powers."

President Leonid Kuchma believes that the Supreme Council resolution designed

to profoundly alter Ukraine's relations with NATO would by no means

affect those relations. Before yesterday's parliamentary debate on this

issue, the president noted that he would not be surprised if the

parliament passed such a harsh resolution proposed by the speaker, which

goes as far as breaking relations with the North Atlantic bloc. However,

"this does not mean that the executive branch of power will execute it,"

Leonid Kuchma has emphasized. He has recalled that, according to the

Constitution, parliament actually determines the principles of foreign

policy, but it is the president that implements this policy. "We believe

that we are conducting a balanced policy in our relations with NATO. NATO

is currently a real force and organization on the continent and in the

world, and Ukraine would be shortsighted if it did not take this fact

into account," the head of state has said. At the same time, the

president has noted that Ukraine is obligated to voice its position on

various issues, including those on the Kosovo problem--"which is

something that we are actually doing, in spite of the fact that it (the

position) is different from that of NATO and the United States."

Kuchma again criticized a statement by some Ukrainian politicians on

possible military-technical assistance to Yugoslavia. "I would recommend

the politicians who propose this send their children and grandchildren

there rather than drag Ukraine into a military conflict," the president

said. He has called these kind of statements "speculation" and "attempts

to gain political authority." Speaker Tkachenko probably got a hiccup.

What impact will the Yugoslav events and, as a result, the negative

attitude of the Supreme Council to the present level of the Ukraine-NATO

relations have on the further relationship with the North Atlantic

Alliance? Several hours before the parliamentary debate on NATO, an

Ukrayina Moloda correspondent asked this question to Andriy Veselovskyy,

head of the department for political analysis and forecasts at the

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

"This Supreme Council debate is a planned one, and it was put on the

agenda regardless of the Yugoslav conflict," Mr. Veselovskyy said. "The

Ukrainian position on relations with NATO is firm and known. They have an

independent nature and independent dimension; those are long-term

relations, and it would be incorrect to tie them to a specific

situation." And this is how Ihor Ostash, people's deputy and member of

the parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs, commented on the

legislature's "idle running" yesterday: "It is not a coincidence that the

proposed draft got mired. This testifies to some common sense in the

Supreme Council and its moderate nature. The resolution contained very

radical positions on termination of the relationship with NATO, which

means termination of the Partnership for Peace program, activities of the

NATO Information Center in Ukraine, and all the treaties signed with

NATO. In fact, those would be steps that could provoke many diplomatic

conflicts. Given this, most deputies did not vote for the resolution.

That document also included some eclectically added provisions, which

could form a separate resolution--on the conflict in Kosovo, for example.

Deputy Zadorozhnyy and I submitted our own draft, which was balanced and

tolerant and had two provisions on strict implementation of the Supreme

Council decisions on Ukraine's defense and national security to preserve

its foreign policy concept. Also, we included a provision on the need for

a real reexamination of problems plaguing our Army and its logistic

supplies. One of the main provisions was on [Ukraine's] refusal to join

any military blocs at this difficult time. However, the issue of the

Supreme Council standing orders was raised yet another time, and our

resolution was not put to vote. This shows once again that a certain part

of parliament tries to use this issue as its groundwork for further steps

connected with moving closer to the Russian-Belarusian union and

embroiling Ukraine in the Yugoslav conflict. As we have seen, however,

only a small part of the deputies support this position."

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Article Id: FTS19990414002185

Document Id: 0fag2we03c7rqn

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: Latin America

Lines: 58

Title: Bolanos on NATO Bombings, Immigration

Document Number: FBIS-LAT-1999-0414

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Caribbean, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: Cuba, United States, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: PA1504013199 Havana Radio Havana Cuba in Spanish 0000 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: PA1504013199

Citysource: Havana Radio Havana Cuba

Language: Spanish

N/A

Subslug: From the "Evening Information Review" newscast

Reference:

1. 3.

2. havana granma (internet version) in spanish 13 apr 99 -- article on

kosovo crisis, us-nato role

3. havana radio havana cuba in spanish 0000 gmt 6 apr 99 -- commentary

questions nato attacks against yugoslavia

4. havana radio havana cuba in spanish 0000 gmt 4 apr 99 -- commentary on

us role in iraqi crisis, fry conflict

5. havana radio rebelde network in spanish 1155 gmt 12 apr 99 -- cuban

radio carries yugoslav official's statements

[FBIS Translated Text] Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Bolanos said

today in Havana that the world is witnessing the drama of thousands of

families displaced from their homes right in the heart of Europe by a war

that could have been prevented. During the inauguration of a seminar

entitled Migratory Currents and Consular Activity Facing the 21st

Century, Bolanos stressed that after NATO's bombings in Yugoslavia, more

than 500,000 persons have left Kosovo. Citing statistics from the UN High

Commissioner for Refugees, he said that excluding the growing mass of

refugees or displaced people as a result of military conflicts, social

inequality is the main cause of immigration. He said that this drama will

only be resolved with the establishment of a just international economic

order that will permit the harmonic development of societies in the

planet.

In another part of his speech Bolanos said that Havana has never

objected or prevented the legal migration of its citizens, but has

accused the United States of politically manipulating this matter as part

of its efforts to overthrow the Cuban Revolution.

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Article Id: FTS19990417000692

Document Id: 0fag52k01x4pvo

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Lines: 49

Title: Zimbabwe: Yugoslavs Protest NATO Raids Outside US Embassy

Document Number: FBIS-AFR-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: Sub-Saharan Africa, East Europe, The Americas

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Southern Africa, Balkan States, North America

Subdivision: Zimbabwe, Serbia, United States

Sourceline: MB1704191599 Harare Zimbabwe National Broadcasting Corporation

Network in English 1800 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: MB1704191599

Citysource: Harare Zimbabwe National Broadcasting Corporation Network

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] The Yugoslav community in Zimbabwe today joined

other Yugoslav communities worldwide in demonstrating against continued

attacks on Kosovo by the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization,

NATO. Several Yugoslavs assembled outside the U.S. Embassy in Harare, to

vent their anger on the air raids being conducted by NATO.

Today's demonstration was sparked by recent reports that NATO had attacked

85 refugees in its military campaign against Serbian leader Slobodan

Milosevic.

Demonstration coordinator Nikola Vukman said since the attacks on Kosovo began on

24 March, more than 600 civilians have been killed, and another 3,000

wounded.

The Yugoslavs were joined in solidarity by various organizations in

Zimbabwe, which included the war veterans' association and human rights

groups. The war veterans said many of them received military training in

Yugoslavia during the war of liberation, adding that they are prepared to

fight alongside their Yugoslav counterparts.

[Description of Source: State-owned national radio station]

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Article Id: FTS19990415001105

Document Id: 0fag3c902m6oxx

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 81

Title: Article Mocks NATO's Reluctance To Use Ground Troops

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Hungary, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1504140499 Budapest Nepszava in Hungarian 15 Apr 99 p 7

AFS Number: AU1504140499

Citysource: Budapest Nepszava

Language: Hungarian

N/A

Subslug: Commentary by Katalin Halmai: "Surprise?"

[FBIS Translated Text] NATO is not planning to use ground troops in

Kosovo. Immediately after the first NATO missiles landed on Serbian

territory, many authoritative politicians began convincing the public

that the sky war against Yugoslavia would not be followed by a ground

war. However, the longer the air strikes continue and the less

compromise-ready Milosevic's regime appears to be, the more one hears of

a possible action by NATO ground troops. The deployment of Apache combat

helicopters in Albania and the sending of 8,000 NATO troops to Albania

are strengthening the opinion of those who regard all this as the

prologue of action by ground troops.

In spite of all this, officials constantly deny such "speculations." As

if the United States -- possessing the world's most modern armed forces

at the end of the 20th century -- and its NATO allies could allow

themselves to let the war developments be directed by a series of

unpredictable events! As if the scenario of a possible confrontation in

Yugoslavia had not been drawn at planning tables long before the conflict

of October 1998! And the scenario of a thoroughly-planned ground military

action is obviously there among the other scenarios too. Among other

things, it is the task of modern military scientists to minimize the

number of possible victims and unexpected events.

Politicians and soldiers are now "suddenly" fishing out the idea of ground

attacks from their hats: According to the predetermined scenario, the

former are firmly denying this while the latter accept the possibility

and are even cautiously encouraging the start of ground operations. No

doubt, the deployment of ground forces requires a political decision and

the agreement of the relevant parliaments, and NATO is discrediting

itself if is suggests that the idea of the intervention emerged suddenly

from the NATO planners' minds. Retired US Chief of Staff John

Shalikashvili "revealed" in Budapest recently that the NATO had a

well-designed plan on how to act against the situation that has emerged

in Kosovo. Javier Solana also threatened Yugoslav President Milosevic

with this on Tuesday [13 April]

It is possible that Milosevic's resistance and the Serbs' stubbornness

and determination have indeed surprised the Western decisionmakers.

However, they were probably not completely surprised at the Serbian

forces' revenge against the Kosovar Albanians immediately after the start

of air strikes, Serbian forces waiting at Kosovo's border. Through

satellite reconnaissance and intelligence, NATO had exact information on

the troops movements directed from Belgrade and, thus, they must have

known, or at least they must have suspected what the Serbs were up to.

It is possible that the NATO decisionmakers did not want to think of

the worst scenario. They did not want to believe that the brutality and

infamy of Milosevic and his men know no bounds. These decisionmakers must

have (or should have) taken that into consideration! Bosnia is the

warning example. When they opted for starting air strikes they must have

considered the consequences.

One who fails to do that is an amateur. Or not honest. None of these

possibilities is encouraging.

[Description of Source: Nepszava: Large center-left daily; independent, but has

trade-union ties]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001454

Document Id: 0fag4mj01rrksk

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 76

Title: Czech, Hungarian, Polish Support for NATO Actions

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe

Subdivision: Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland

Sourceline: AU1604184099 Budapest MTI in English 1817 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604184099

Citysource: Budapest MTI

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Prague, 16 April (MTI) -- The chairmen of the

foreign affairs and defence committees of the Czech, Hungarian and Polish

Parliaments, meeting in Prague on Friday, ensured full support to the

NATO military action against Yugoslavia.

A joint communique on the meeting said, "We fully support NATO's

military action in the former Yugoslavia, the aim of which is to halt the

ethnic cleansing and genocide carried out against Kosovo Albanians by the

Slobodan Milosevic system."

The communique was signed on the Hungarian part by Istvan Szent-Ivanyi,

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Zsolt Lanyi, Chairman of

the Defence Committee.

Speaking to MTI, Szent-Ivanyi said: "The position approved after a lengthy

debate has made it clear that all three countries equally support NATO's

goals, and are making efforts to end the crisis as soon as possible. They

are behind NATO's actions in all respects. This is particularly important

in light of the fact that there are internal divisions in Czech home

policy as regards support for the action."

The three sides also agreed that cooperation between NATO and Russia is

an important stabilising factor in Europe, which is why it is necessary

for Moscow to renew its ties with the Alliance, Szent-Ivanyi said.

The parliamentary foreign affairs and defence committee chairmen were

unanimous that the further enlargement of NATO is necessary.

"Hungary mainly supports the membership of Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania and

Bulgaria," Szent-Ivanyi said.

According to the politician, discussions also tackled the common position to

be represented by the three sides at NATO's summit in Washington.

The parliamentary committee chairmen also took a stand for further

developing the Visegrad cooperation (between Hungary, the Czech Republic,

Poland and Slovakia), and support the most extensive involvement of

Slovakia into this framework.

"The fact that the Chairman of Slovak Parliament's Foreign Affairs

Committee, Peter Weiss, was present at the Prague conference of the three

new NATO member countries as observer, is indication of this,"

Szent-Ivanyi said.

The Chairman of Hungarian Parliament's Defence Committee, Zsolt Lanyi,

told MTI that talks were also held on how the three countries could

cooperate more closely in the fields of military industry and weapons

purchases.

Lanyi said it would be more economic if the three countries could agree on

the production of certain weapons, for instance, grenades or ammunition,

in one respective country, for all three countries.

The next conference of the foreign affairs and defence committee

chairmen of the three countries' Parliaments will be held in Budapest

this autumn.

[Description of Source: MTI: State-supported press agency]

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Article Id: FTS19990415001522

Document Id: 0fag2xr04590nd

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 65

Title: Blair, Hungary's Orban Agree To Intensify NATO Airstrikes

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Hungary, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1504175599 Budapest MTI in English 1742 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504175599

Citysource: Budapest MTI

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. budapest mti english 141531 -- prime minister orban to confer on kosovo

in london 15 apr

[FBIS Transcribed Text] London, 15 April (MTI) -- Hungarian Prime Minister

Viktor Orban said he and British Prime Minister Tony Blair had fully

agreed on the need to increase the strength of NATO air strikes, and to

significantly intensify pressure on the Serbian leadership.

Speaking at a press conference held for Hungarian journalists after a one-day

working visit to London on Thursday, Orban said that success in the

current situation is determined by the possibilities of NATO for

intensifying pressure.

During talks with the British prime minister, presenting and winning

understanding for Hungary's special situation was a central topic, Orban

said. Hungary, as a neighboring state of Yugoslavia, is in a difficult

situation: On the one hand, it is firmly committed to NATO's policy, and

agrees with the airstrikes launched against Yugoslavia, but, on the other

hand, it must take care that its policy not endanger the ethnic

Hungarians living in Vojvodina, Yugoslavia, he pointed out.

On the other major topic of discussions, the enlargement of the

European Union, Orban said he had stated that Hungary requires the EU to

evaluate all countries on the basis of their performances.

"The Hungarian Government has a preparation plan which requires

sacrifices from the Hungarian voters. If we implement the planned reforms

as quickly as planned, then there has to be a clear perspective

underlining that it is worthwhile to implement the changes. I therefore

proposed a deadline, whereby we would present all Hungarian positions

referring to all chapters of the negotiations by the end of this year to

the European Union. Although the EU has a longer time framework, the

Hungarian Government would like it to accept that we detail the Hungarian

position on all issues, based on which we could continue concrete talks,"

Orban said.

Orban also met former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher prior to

leaving London in the evening.

[Description of Source: MTI: State-supported press agency]

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 50

Title: Britain's Blair Praises Hungarian Support for NATO

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, East Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: United Kingdom, Hungary, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1504200999 Budapest MTI in English 1858 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504200999

Citysource: Budapest MTI

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. budapest mti english 151742 -- blair, hungary's orban agree to intensify

nato airstrikes

2. budapest mti english 141531 -- prime minister orban to confer on kosovo

in london 15 apr

[FBIS Transcribed Text] London, 15 April (MTI) -- British Prime Minister

Tony Blair expressed gratitude for Hungary's firm support and the manner

with which it supported the North-Atlantic Alliance in the course of

NATO's airstrikes, a spokesman of the British Prime Minister's Office

told MTI's correspondent in London on Thursday, after the

Hungarian-British prime ministerial talks.

"Hungary has a highly important role in the current situation, as it is the

only NATO state that neighbors Yugoslavia. In view of NATO's airstrikes,

it has to face several difficulties. In spite of this, Hungary firmly

supported NATO in the military action against Yugoslavia. It was this

support that Prime Minister Tony Blair was thankful for during the

meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which was useful for

both sides," the spokesman said.

[Description of Source: MTI: State-supported press agency]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001772

Document Id: 0fag4ql00zbrc3

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 72

Title: Soros Foundation Official Views NATO Air Campaign

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Excerpt

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1604235799 Budapest Kossuth Radio in Hungarian 1600 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604235799

Citysource: Budapest Kossuth Radio

Language: Hungarian

N/A

Subslug: Interview with Sonja Licht, head of the Belgrade mission of the Soros

Foundation, by Szilveszter Varga; place and date not given -- recorded

[FBIS Translated Excerpt] [Varga] Who is right in this crisis? [passage

omitted]

[Licht] That is a very difficult question to answer. It seems that, as time

goes by, no party to the conflict will have right on his side. [passage

omitted] This was described as an intervention for humanitarian reasons.

They said that they were doing it to save the Albanian population in

Kosovo from a humanitarian disaster. This has not been achieved, so the

intervention cannot be called successful, either.

By the same token, the Yugoslav side is saying that it is defending

itself -- as it is, indeed -- against NATO aggression. However, what is

the ultimate objective? A country of such a size and infrastructure

cannot win against an aggression of this kind under any circumstances.

[passage omitted] Both sides are losers as -- if you permit me to make

this comparison, but I am convinced of it -- has been everybody in the

whole of the Yugoslav catastrophe since 1991 to this day. [passage

omitted] And this is no longer true just of the peoples and citizens of

former Yugoslavia but it now is surely true for NATO, too.

[Varga] However, do you agree that the greatest victims are still the

Kosovar Albanians who fled from NATO's bombs, as is claimed in Serbia, or

were hounded out by Serbian forces, Serbian police, and the Yugoslav

Army?

[Licht] I absolutely agree with you that the Albanians and the population of

Kosovo in general are the number one victims, because not just the

Albanians fled from Kosovo, but everybody else, too. For example, just in

Belgrade proper, there are more than 5,000 gypsy refugees, and probably

at least 20,000 in Serbia as a whole. And nobody wants to mention the

following figures, either, but there are at least 50,000 Serbian and

Montenegrin refugees. I have also heard that the number of refugees is

increasing in Bosnia; from Kosovo to Montenegro, and so on.

In other words, the entire Albanian and non-Albanian population are

victim number one. [passage omitted]

Victim number two, if we can create a ranking of this kind, is surely the

democratic forces both in Kosovo and Yugoslavia. In a situation when

bombs are falling nightly on almost the entire country, it is impossible

to speak about a democratic opposition, or even a democratic movement.

[passage omitted] It may also be said that the international community is

also a very heavy loser of this whole war. [passage omitted] If there is

any force that feels itself to be victorious, it is the Yugoslav

leadership. [passage omitted]

[Description of source: state-supported central radio station]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000805

Document Id: 0fag4dx004ca7e

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 148

Title: Foreign Minister Derycke on Kosovo Crisis, NATO Summit

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Benelux Countries, Balkan States

Subdivision: Belgium, Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: BR1604130199 Brussels Le Soir in French 16 Apr 99 p 2

AFS Number: BR1604130199

Citysource: Brussels Le Soir

Language: French

N/A

Subslug: Interview with Belgian Foreign Minister Erik Derycke by Pierre

Lefevre; place and date not given: "Kosovo: Its Solutions, Implications,

and Consequences. And the Belgians' Attitude"

[FBIS Translated Text] [Lefevre] What do you think of the German

Government's proposals for resolving the Kosovo crisis?

[Derycke] This plan is the logical consequence of last week's talks at the

Luxembourg European Council and at NATO on Monday [12 April]. We tried to

reschedule the political bases, in a sense. The plan introduces a virtual

but realistic dynamic, with topics of real political significance which

may cause the Serbs to reconsider their position. It rightly restores a

place to diplomacy alongside the military action which will continue

incessantly unless Belgrade accepts the plan.

[Lefevre] Could the Russians move closer to this?

[Derycke] From what we know of the meeting between Mrs. Albright and [Russian

Foreign Minister] Mr. Ivanov, there are still differences. The main point

of difference is to know whether or not the international force will be

led by NATO or not. Most countries want it to be the Atlantic alliance.

But you could imagine the United Nations coming in as a means of better

answering the question of the legality of the future solution. The United

Nations must be present in order to fill the vacuum which still lies

behind the expression "international force," which is much more than a

"NATO force."

The Russian problem is very complicated. Politically, when they argue

with us they know very well that a compromise must be sought, in both our

interests. But there is a huge internal problem, both political and

socio-economic, which means that everything they accept or do not accept

has a double effect on their population. We still need to talk a great

deal. We need the Russians in order to consolidate a future agreement.

The UN contribution is very important in this respect, as here, as a

Security Council member, the Russians are in their normal configuration,

whereas they are at present isolated. So we will also try to bring them

back on board in the Contact Group and G-8.

[Lefevre] How do you judge the effectiveness of the NATO air strikes?

[Derycke] It is a cynical debate, but I believe they are quite decisive. We

were not able to follow the plan as anticipated. But if we compare it

with past experiences, it is taking a certain time. It was perhaps

slightly mistaken to believe that Milosevic would give way more quickly

if we simply showed our technical superiority. We awarded great

credibility to these air strikes. But as all the countries chose this

option and there is no other debate, we can only continue and at the same

time seek diplomatic avenues.

[Lefevre] Does this mean you would support opening up a debate on land

intervention?

[Derycke] I am very afraid of such a debate. After 50 years of peace, I wonder

to what point the support of public opinion will stretch, a support which

is apparently very wide. But accepting the idea that our troops should

risk their lives for the greater good of Europe poses a major ethical

problem which we have not had to raise since World War II. I could not

predict the outcome of such a debate, neither in Belgium nor in other

countries.

[Lefevre] What is the nature of the debate on the war in Belgium?

[Derycke] People have a firm belief in technology. Initially confident in our

technical superiority they were not very worried. Then the pictures of

the refugees and the suffering started to arrive. That shocked them and

generated this form of support. Public opinion has now started to become

genuinely interested in what is happening and to grow concerned. It is

discovering that Europe is not this haven of peace and prosperity as they

have always been told.

In our own region, nationalism is creating signs of a great danger for

ourselves. People are beginning to think that the problem is probably

considerable. And are starting to understand that nationalist ideologies

are genuinely destructive for their model of society.

[Lefevre] The Belgian Government is criticized for being very slow to react to

this situation.

[Derycke] I do not understand this criticism. Since the Rambouillet talks, I

have addressed parliament on three occasions, and [Defense Minister] Mr.

Poncelet twice. We had hours of discussions in the Senate. And decisions

were made immediately, at a speed which we were no longer used to in our

government on military matters. At the humanitarian level, we were ready

before all the other countries. But it is possible that at the beginning

public opinion and sections of the press had failed to see the importance

of the situation and did not really get involved.

[Lefevre] What could be the consequences of this crisis for Europe's defense

and security policy?

[Derycke] It will first have a dynamite effect on military discipline, on

diplomacy linked to military action, and even on the attitude of future

Belgian governments and parliaments. Two years ago we were spending money

on an army we no longer needed. Africa and above all the Yugoslavia

crisis have shown that it was too easy to just send all our soldiers back

home. It will change the debate on the future Belgian Army, and also

stimulate the debate on Europe's security and defense policy.

We were criticized a lot by public opinion for the fact that the

Americans always do everything, but this opinion did not seem ready to

make more efforts when it came to our own plan. We must see after the

conflict how the population reacts and if it will be in line with what it

thinks now, namely that we really need an army and that Europe must

assume its security responsibilities.

I am surprised in this respect that this war is still placed under the

aegis of great US paternalism. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We really had to drag the Americans into this war. And it was not easy.

[Lefevre] What will be at the heart of the debate on NATO's new strategic

concept at next week's Washington summit?

[Derycke] With this crisis, many elements which were in the texts but not very

clear in the minds of diplomats, ministers, or public opinion, have now

become very clear. For example, the question of NATO action outside its

zone. Until the war, many countries believed that Kosovo and anything

outside the NATO zone were not our concern.

The debate on the security interest in the name of which the alliance

can intervene has also become very clear. The full consequences of

nationalism are now being revealed. Assuming your responsibilities in the

face of extreme nationalism is a kind of interest which was not evident

four months ago.

The debate on the international legality of an intervention has also

evolved. Before the military operation, everyone believed that legality

was ours, was NATO's. With the solution we must now find, we are seeing

that legality is wider than that. The debate is not easy, but it has

become more comprehensive.

The idea of a stability pact for the region, of a major approach by the

European Union and NATO to these countries, also raises questions. Will

these countries join the European Union and NATO? The open house policy

is taking on a new meaning.

[Lefevre] Do you also see an impact on international law, in particular in the

field of humanitarian intervention?

[Derycke] Certainly. This crisis will also have consequences on international

criminal law. After this, and with all the atrocities we will still

discover, countries formerly uncertain about the idea of an ambitious

international criminal court will be more convinced.

[Description of source: Brussels Le Soir in French -- leading centrist daily]

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Article Id: FTS19990416000184

Document Id: 0fag46k007u5yw

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 55

Title: Kanis Visits Slovenia To Discuss NATO Summit, Kosovo

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, East Europe

Subdivision: Slovenia, Slovakia

Sourceline: AU1604080799 Bratislava TASR in English 1924 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604080799

Citysource: Bratislava TASR

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. bratislava tasr english 151133 -- italian, slovak defense ministers

discuss kosovo, nato

2. bratislava tasr english 141816 -- kanis in italy to discuss slovak part

in aircraft project

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Ljubljana, April 15 (SLOVAKIA) -- Slovenia and

Slovakia have ambitions to become NATO members very soon and, therefore,

are mutually supporting each other's diplomatic activities. The meeting

between Slovak Defence Minister Pavol Kanis and his Slovenian counterpart

Franci Demsar in Ljubljana on Thursday only attests to this. Kanis said

that both countries expect the confirmation of the open-door policy for

entry candidates at the forthcoming Washington NATO Summit. In connection

with the Kosovo crisis, Demsar said that as much as 70 percent of

Slovenians supported the NATO air strikes in the Federal Republic of

Yugoslavia (FRY), and that the Slovenian government, too, had approved

the use of its airspace for NATO aircraft. Apart from the 1,600 Kosovar

refugees already (officially) staying in the country, Slovenia is

planning to accept another 2,500. Kanis also spoke about Slovakia's

humanitarian help in Yugoslavia worth US$2 million earmarked by the

government, and about the fact that if the conflict settles down,

Slovakia is ready to join the peacekeeping forces with a Slovak Army

special unit. They both wish that the situation in Kosovo is resolved

peacefully -- through diplomatic talks. [Description of Source: TASR:

Government-controlled press agency]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000842

Document Id: 0fag2t103xevc8

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 53

Title: Italian, Slovak Defense Ministers Discuss Kosovo, NATO

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe, West Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: East Europe, West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Slovakia, Italy, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1504123799 Bratislava TASR in English 1133 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504123799

Citysource: Bratislava TASR

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. bratislava tasr english 141816 -- kanis in italy to discuss slovak part

in aircraft project

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Rome, April 15 (SLOVAKIA corespondent) -- Slovak

Defence Minister Pavol Kanis held discussions with his Italian

counterpart Carlo Scognamiglio regarding the current military and

political situation in the Balkans. Scognamiglio, who got back from

Albania on Wednesday, spoke about the crisis in Kosovo and Macedonia.

According to him, it is necessary to solve the situation in co-operation

with the whole international community, and not to treat it as a spat

between NATO and Yugoslavia. Kanis promised to ask the Slovak government

to intensify the humanitarian help to Kosovar refugees. He added that the

Slovak army presence, if any, will be purely humanitarian and subject to

discussion with NATO headquarters. Kanis said that Slovakia had gained

support for future joining NATO, and this was based on its recent

democratic development, and not only on geographical factors. Kanis

started the second day of his official visit to Italy by visiting the

NATO Defence College in Rome, where a number of Slovak armed forces

officers study. In the afternoon, Kanis will depart for Lubjana,

Slovenia, where he will meet his counterpart Franci Demsaro and the

Slovenian Defence Minister's state secretary Bogdan Koprivnikar.

[Description of Source: TASR: Government-controlled press agency] +

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Document Id: 0fag42d03uja1e

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 83

Title: Commentary Criticizes NATO Kosovo Information

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe, West Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, West Europe

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Germany, Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1604012399 Berlin Die Tageszeitung (Internet version) in German 16

Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604012399

Citysource: Berlin Die Tageszeitung (Internet version)

Language: German

N/A

Subslug: Commentary by Barbara Oertel: "It's Still Milosevic' Fault"

[FBIS Translated Text] To err is human -- that also applies to military

people in wartime. But in the NATO attack Wednesday evening near

Djakovica in southern Kosovo, not only the 75 innocent civilians,

according to information from Belgrade, fell by the wayside but also the

truth. After lengthy maneuvering, NATO admitted yesterday evening that a

civilian vehicle in a convoy was "accidentally" hit during air strikes

the previous day. The alliance felt compelled to remind people, however,

that the circumstances that led to this accident were totally the

responsibility of Milosevic and his policy. In other words, Yugoslavia's

president is also guilty of the death of these civilians.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair took the same line: it is certainly

regrettable that civilians were among the victims of the war but this

should not divert people away from the fact that Milosevic alone bears

responsibility for the conflict. And his Foreign Secretary Robin Cook

accused the Serbian leadership of shedding "crocodile tears." That is

something that one could better claim with respect to the attempts of the

alliance to cover up the incident. As late as Wednesday evening, Kenneth

Bacon, the spokesman of the U.S. Department of Defense, stated that there

were no indications that the civilians had died in a NATO attack. Instead

he presented the theory that possibly the civilians were attacked by Serb

aircraft or killed by Serb soldiers in retaliation for a NATO attack

against a military convoy.

Federal Minister of Defense Rudolf Scharping was also prepared with a

suitable explanation on Wednesday evening: all indications were that Serb

artillery had opened fire on the refugees and that this was then being

presented as a NATO mistake.

Yesterday morning NATO stated that it smells "like something that the Serbs

set up." The nature of the pictures as well as the degree of destruction

pointed to that. In addition, there was Yugoslav air activity in the

area. Hence it is possible that the Serb troops had attacked the convoy

themselves.

Soon after that NATO spokesman Jamie Shea suddenly no longer wanted to

rule out a responsibility of the alliance for the death of the civilians.

After all, never in the history of mankind had there been a conflict in

which no "accidents" had happened. Even while NATO representatives were

in the process of "reconstructing" the incident on the basis of video

recordings, the attacked "military convoy" first mutated into a "military

convoy in the midst of which were several civilian vehicles" and then

into a "mixed civilian-military convoy" that then even doubled in size.

Thus, NATO reported that two of its aircraft had fired on a "clearly

military" convoy and also on a "civilian-military convoy." Accordingly,

it was thereby a matter of two attacks that took place near each other.

Unfortunately, the NATO bombs hit the wrong target. These undesired secondary

effects, called "collateral damage" in the military jargon, are included

in the calculation -- despite the highly praised precision weapons. The

British Air Force Commodore David Wilby had warned even before the

beginning of the strikes: "No matter how hard we try, the laws of

statistics mean that at some point something will go wrong." Yesterday a

colonel added: "It is almost a miracle that that did not happen earlier."

And it will be just as much a miracle if the event from Wednesday would

be the last of its kind.

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Article Id: FTS19990418000821

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Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 47

Title: Official: NATO Members Cannot Implement Kosovo Agreement

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe, The Americas

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States, North America

Subdivision: Serbia, United States

Sourceline: AU1804223099 Belgrade Tanjug in English 2219 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804223099

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BELGRADE, April 18 (Tanjug) -- President of the

Assembly of Yugoslavia Chamber of Citizens Ljubisa Ristic Saturday

received a delegation of the U.S. Congress House of Representatives,

headed by Jim Saxton.

Congressman Saxton set out that the visit was a fact-finding mission which was

to enable a Congressional action aimed at finding a basis for a halt to

NATO bombardments of Yugoslavia and the resumption of the quest for a

political solution to the Kosovo and Metohija issue.

The position of the Assembly of Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav Government

is that an end to NATO aggression on Yugoslavia is a pre-condition for

any talks on a political solution to the Kosovo and Metohija crisis,

Yugoslav parliamentary official Ristic set out and said that

aggressor-countries could not participate in the implementation of a

political solution for Serbia's southern province.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 42

Title: Tanjug: NATO Attacks Slatina Aiport 1700 GMT

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1804191899 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1904 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804191899

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] PRISTINA, Serbia, April 18 (Tanjug) -- NATO planes

again targeted Slatina airport near Pristina in the Yugoslav republic of

Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province at around 1900 [1700 GMT] on Sunday [18

April].

Yugoslavia's air force and anti-aircraft defense systems reacted with strong and

efficacious fire, preventing the aggressors' planes from completing their

murderous mission.

Villagers around Pristina have confirmed that the enemy planes were forced to

retreat in the direction of Albania.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 59

Title: Tanjug: 'Over 7,000' Rally Against NATO in Madrid

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Spain, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1804183399 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1658 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804183399

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] MADRID, April 18 (Tanjug) -- Protests against the

brutal NATO aggression on Yugoslavia were held in Madrid on Sunday [18

April] for the seventh time.

The United Left rallied over 7,000 citizens of Madrid for the

demonstrations in one of Madrid's central squares, Puerta del Sol. The

protesters condemned the NATO crimes against Yugoslavia being committed

now for over three weeks.

Posters said "Yankee, go home," "Stop the bombing," "Hang on, Serbia," and

chanted slogans in support of Yugoslavia.

The protesters pointed out the bad and subservient moves and stands of

the Spanish government and insisted that the country cease further

participation in the criminal NATO actions.

The United left, a major parliamentary coalition, announced protest

rallies for next week as well.

Public opinion in Spain is meanwhile increasingly against the NATO

aggression, which is confirmed in a poll conducted by the Madrid daily El

Pais.

The poll said 56 percent of the 40,000 polled Spaniards are against all

NATO actions and the increasingly serious indications that it will also

launch ground operations against Yugoslavia.

A month ago, a similar poll showed that 54 percent Spaniards supported

NATO's planned attack on Yugoslavia.

The swaying of the public opinion in Spain toward a peaceful settlememnt

of problems in Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province is attributed to the

fear for the lives of Spanish troops and criticisms of the overall

actions of the Spanish government in the aggression on Yugoslavia.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Document Id: 0fag5c303h3q0w

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 61

Title: FRY Envoy Urges 'Immediate' Cessation of NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: Benelux Countries, Balkan States

Subdivision: Belgium, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1804162599 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1605 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1804162599

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BRUSSELS, April 18 (Tanjug) -- Yugoslavia is

advocating a peaceful resolution of the issue of Kosovo and Metohiaj and

the urgent cessation of the NATO aggression on the country which is

defending its sovereignity, Yugoslav Ambassador to Belgium Nikola

Cicanovic said.

Cicanovic, taking part in a live talk show on Belgian central television, said

that the FRY demanded the immediate cessation of NATO bombing so that

substantive talks can start about the future of Kosovo and Metohija, as a

part of Serbia and the FRY, in which all national communities will have

the same rights.

The ambassador repeated that the presence of any kind of foreign troops

was unacceptable in Kosovo and Metohija and pointed out that the

sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be resolutely

defended.

Cicanovic said that Yugoslavia was urging a peaceful solution and dialogue and

that several talks have already been held in that sense with ethnic

Albanian leader Ibrahim FRugova who is also demanding the cessation of

NATO bombing and that peaceful ways be sought out of the crisis.

In the talk show also took part the ambassador of Macedonia in

Brussels, Jovan Tegovski, who said that "the issue of Kosovo-Metohija can

be resolved only by peaceful means," demanding that western countries,

members of NATO, make good on their promise to the government in Skopje

for financial aid.

He called on European NATO governments to "take over" the refugees

because Macedonia cannot accept them for a number of reasons.

Belgian Defense Minister Jean Pol Ponselet repeated that he "supported NATO

actions of which Belgium is a member," but thinks that a durable solution

should be sought through peace talks.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Document Id: 0fag51x03qc9g5

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 53

Title: Romanian Party Officials Condemns 'Barbaric' NATO Attacks

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Romania

Sourceline: AU1704182899 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1558 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704182899

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BELGRADE, April 17 (Tanjug) -- Socialist Party of

Serbia (SPS) Main Board Executive Committee members Goran Percevic, Uros

Suvakovic, and Aleksandar Rastovic, and Vrsac SPS Municipal Board

President Ljubomir Ilkic on Saturday [17 April] received Dan Poenaru, a

member of the innermost leadership of the Romanian Party of Social

Democracy, said an SPS press service statement.

Poenaru conveyed a personal message of support and solidarity from party

President Ion Iliescu for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

The Romanian party official condemned the barbaric NATO attacks on

citizens and civilian objects in Yugoslavia, and underscored that the

heroic defense of Yugoslavia and its people was also the defense of the

right to freedom and independence of other states, a well as of the

essential principles of international law, which obliges the entire

peace-loving and freedom-loving world to stop the aggression and defend

the fundamental principles of the United Nations.

The SPS officials said Yugoslavia was lastingly and in principle devoted

to a political path for settling all problems in Serbia's Kosovo and

Metohija province, which is evident even in these times of the criminal

aggression, but Yugoslavia is also just as unwavering and united in the

defense of its freedom and integrity, the SPS statement said.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000632

Document Id: 0fag51r00hu408

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 59

Title: Belgrade Citizens Stage 21st Concert Against NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1704181399 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1618 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704181399

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

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[FBIS Transcribed Text] BELGRADE, April 17 (Tanjug) -- The 21st concert of

pride and defiance held under the motto "Songs Have Kept Us Going", was

held at Belgrade's central Republic Square, this time without the sound

of air raid sirens.

At the start, a minute of silence was observed in honour of the victims

of the NATO bombings and a small boy released a white dove bearing a

message of peace.

A popular Yugoslav singer, Zeljko Samardzic, sang his hits. Afterwards

he said that at this moment which is crucial for the survival of the Serb

nation, we must turn towards tradition, art, the orthodox faith and our

families.

Music is a powerful weapon against the NATO aggressors, Samardzic said.

The Belgrader's carried banners with messages saying that "Belgrade is

the world, Kosovo the holy land", "Serbia, Montenegro = Yugoslavia" ,

"Only Serbs can bring down the hawks" etc.

The citizens of Pristina held another peace rally before the National

Theatre in protest against the NATO air raids and as an expression of

their resolve and determination in the defence of their country from the

aggressors.

The participants carried banners with messages expressing support to the

state leadership, the Yugoslav Army and the Serbian Interior Ministry and

all who fully uphold the defence of the country's sovereignty and

integrity. They citizens of Pristina stated they are resolved to remain

in their homes in peace and freedom.

At the concert the citizens of Pristina and its vicinity demonstrated

their defiance to the NATO aggression.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Document Id: 0fag51q01d6211

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 53

Title: 'Several Thousand' Rally Against NATO in Kumanovo

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: FYROM

Sourceline: AU1704180999 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1623 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704180999

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] KUMANOVO, April 17 (Tanjug) -- Several thousand

citizens of Kumanovo rallied on Saturday [17 April] at the central town

square to protest against the aggressor NATO which is trying to secure

the secession of Kosovo and Metohija province from Serbia and Yugoslavia

with bombs and missiles, in spite of a ban on anti-NATO protests by the

Macedonian authorities.

Kumanovo citizens marked World Protest Day with their support to Yugoslavia.

Kumanovo's Cik factory worker Marjan Petrusevski addressed the rally. He said

the NATO aggression on Yugoslavia could not be justified in any way.

Advising NATO troops to leave Macedonia and finally leave the Balkans alone,

Petrusevski pointed out that bombs and killing could not achieve

anything, urging them to stop the aggression.

During the entire rally, protesters shouted slogans such as "Yugoslavia,

Yugoslavia," "NATO, get out of the Balkans," "NATO killers," carrying

Macedonian and Yugoslav flags.

The demonstrators carried posters saying "Clinton, you are a second

Hitler," "Give the child back its toy before it destroys our planet,"

"NATO virus threatens mankind," and "Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro."

The protesters ended the rally with a traditional folk dance and then

quietly broke up.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Document Id: 0fag51700c4i3i

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 49

Title: SPO Urges UN General Assembly Vote on NATO 'Aggression'

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: AU1704172799 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1439 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704172799

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BELGRADE, April 17 (Tanjug) -- More than 100

states, members of the United Nations, disagree with the NATO aggression

on Yugoslavia, which is sufficient reason to call an emergency session of

the General Assembly, said a statement by the Serbian Renewal Movement

(SPO) on Saturday [17 April].

Western countries, however, do not allow this to take place because they are

afraid of the results of the vote.

In preventing the United Nations from doing its job, those who ordered

and carried out the aggression on Yugoslavia and its people are annulling

international law itself, the SPO said.

Yugoslavia and its people will continue, in spite of everything, with resolute

defense from this aggression, to seek political solutions for the crisis

in Kosovo and Metohija province, with the firm belief that the United

Nations will nevertheless place itself in the service of its proclaimed

goals and rid itself of the dictates of the power-wielders, the SPO

statement said.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001802

Document Id: 0fag4r302no2m8

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 73

Title: Belgrade Demands NATO Withdrawal From FYROM, Albania

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1704011499 Belgrade Tanjug in English 0046 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704011499

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] NEW YORK, April 17 (Tanjug) -- A letter from

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic, relating to the continuing

NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, was delivered to UN Secretary-General Kofi

Annan by head of the Yugoslav UN Mission, ambassador Vladislav Jovanovic

Friday [16 April].

After the meeting with Secretary-General Annan, Ambassador Jovanovic told

a large group of journalists at the UN Headquarters that the letter from

the Yugoslav Foreign Minister reaffirmed Yugoslavia's position on NATO

aggression.

We are a victim of NATO aggression, ambassador Jovanovic said and set

out that Yugoslavia also faced a well-organized terrorist-separatist

organization which had external support.

Explaining his country's position, ambassador Jovanovic told the press that

Yugoslavia was open to a political solution which would mean autonomy for

all ethnic communities in Kosovo and Metohija, naturally including the

ethnic Albanian, too.

Intesive efforts are under way for finding such a political solution within

Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a solution which would

include the setting up of a transitional government, ambassador Jovanovic

said and specified that the Yugoslav leadership and ethnic-Albanian

representative Ibrahim Rugova were engaged in that process.

In reply to a posed question, ambassador Jovanovic said that the

reduction of Yugoslav forces in Kosovo and Metohija to the pre-aggression

level, i.e., the peacetime level, could be discussed only as a step

parallel with the cessation of the bombardments, end of military

aggression and withdrawal of NATO troops from Albania and Macedonia.

Asked about the deployment of the so-called international troops and the

alleged Rambouillet agreement, ambassador Jovanovic said that issue had

been imposed as a casus belli, i.e., a pretext for aggression on

Yugoslavia.

He set out that Yugoslavia had not accepted the blackmail at the time

and had no reason to do so now.

Ambassador Jovanovic repeated Yugoslavia's rejection of the deployment of any

military forces in Kosovo and Metohija but said it left room for a

discussion of an international civilian presence.

Asked to comment Secretary-General Annan's statements about the

developments in Kosovo and Metohija, ambassador Jovanovic said that, to

his knowledge, various statements on NATO aggression on Yugoslavia had

been made by US President Bill Clinton and NATO Secretary-General Javier

Solana, while Kofi Annan had only repeated those statements.

[Description of source: state-owned news agency; reflects views of Milosevic

regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001740

Document Id: 0fag4q703bs5jb

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 82

Title: Tanjug Sums Up Anti-NATO Rallies in Country 16 Apr

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1604225599 Belgrade Tanjug in English 2237 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1604225599

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] BELGRADE, April 16 (Tanjug) -- Yugoslavs again

Friday [16 April] formed human shields to protect bridges and organized

protests against NATO aggression on their sovereign country.

BELGRADE -- Belgraders again assembled on the Brankov bridge across the

Danube in the heart of the city to fight with song the murderous aircraft

of the criminal Western Alliance.

Their message late Friday was that they will defend the city squares and

bridges with love of their country.

Serbian and Yugoslav flags defiantly fluttered in the wind, despite having

been soaked by occasional rain, warning the enemy that "Serbia cannot be

silenced."

Members of a scout unit put up tents on the Brankov bridge to disperse any

doubts that the fate of the bridge can be decided outside Yugoslavia's

borders.

Participating in the protest were many distinguished cultural and other public

figures.

Residents of the Belgrade municipality Palilula, together with other

Belgraders, including students and artists, formed a human shield to

defend the Pancevo bridge, with links southern Banat in Voivodina with

the capital.

NOVI SAD -- The defenders of the Zezelj bridge in the Voivodina capital

of Novi Sad, which links the city with the Srem region, again formed a

human shield and defended the important link with their bodies against

brutal NATO aggression.

The protest at the only remaining road link between Novi Sad and Srem,

as the two other bridges have been destroyed by the enemy, was a

demonstration of indigation at the continued NATO bombardements.

Renown French champion of peace and author Patrick Desson spoke at the

protest and called on all peace-loving people in the world to speak out

against the brutal onslaught of NATO criminals who sowed death.

The French author voiced the deepest indignation over the irrational

actions of the US-led NATO, which he said were shamelessly bombarding

civilian facilities, including bridges, roads, industrial zones,

hospitals and schools on all of Yugoslav territory.

NIKSIC -- Neither the wailing sirens, which sounded the air-raid alert, nor

heavy rain stopped several thousand residents of the Montenegrin town of

Niksic from participating in a protest against criminal NATO aggression

on Yugoslavia in the centre of the town, organized by the Philosophy

Faculty under the motto "For defense of the country, for the Army of

Yugoslavia and unity in Montenegro."

Protesters again carried Yugoslav flags and chanted slogans of support to

Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Metohija, the Army of Yugoslavia and

its Supreme Commander Slobodan Milosevic.

Their message was that they would fight together with the rest of the

people of Yugoslavia and succeed in defending Serbia and Kosovo and

Metohija.

Once again, many instrumentalists, vocalists, poets and other authors

expressed in their own way revolt, disgust and protest against the

criminal Western Alliance.

[Description of source: state-owned news agency; reflects views of Milosevic

regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990415002021

Document Id: 0fag2uv01hxsju

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 61

Title: FRY Envoy Tells Dimitrov of NATO's 'Genocidal Attitude'

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: FYROM

Sourceline: AU1504225399 Belgrade Tanjug in English 2008 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504225399

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. (internet) kosovapress www english 15 apr -- kosovapress: nato admission

of bombing error 'amazing'

[FBIS Transcribed Text] SKOPJE, April 15 (Tanjug) -- Yugoslav Ambassador

in Skopje Zoran Janackovic and Macedonian Foreign Minister Aleksandar

Dimitrov on Thursday [15 April] discussed Wednesday's NATO massacre of

ethnic Albanian refugees returning home at the Yugoslav government's

invitation.

Janackovic informed Dimitrov that, by bombing the civilians in several waves,

NATO planes massacred 64 people, mostly women, children and old people,

and wounded 20, and that 3 Serbian policemen escorting the refugee convoy

were also killed.

Janackovic is quoted by the Yugoslav Embassy as saying that this latest crime,

after those in Aleksinac, Cuprija and the Grdelica Gorge, is designed to

cause a humanitarian catastrophe in Yugoslavia and prevent the return of

refugees.

The massacres come at a time when the terrorist gangs in the Yugoslav

republic of Serbia's Kosovo-Metohija province have been dispersed and the

situation has calmed down, he added.

NATO's aggression on Yugoslavia and this latest crime prove the genocidal

attitude of the western military alliance to the Kosovo-Metohija crisis

in general and to the refugees in particular, he said.

They also prove the groundlessness of the allegations that the tidal wave

of refugees has been created by the Yugoslav army and police, he added.

Janackovic and Dimitrov exchanged views and information about NATO's aggression

on Yugoslavia, urging a peaceful settlement for Kosovo-Metohija by

political methods, in the best interests of peace and security in the

region, the Embassy's statement said.

[Description of source: state-owned news agency; reflects views of Milosevic

regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000790

Document Id: 0fag2qe00189cr

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 53

Title: Ethnic Albanian Group Condemns NATO Attacks

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Kosovo

Sourceline: AU1504122099 Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service in Serbo-Croatian 1049

GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504122099

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service

Language: Serbo-Croatian

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Translated Text] Pristina, 15 Apr (Tanjug) -- The Kosovo Democratic

Initiative (KDI) has voiced its profound regret over the news about the

tragedy on the Djakovica-Prizren road, when the NATO aggressor attacked a

convoy of innocent citizens, mainly women and children, returning to

their homes.

A statement issued by the KDI condemns this impudent, cruel, and

criminal attack on the people in broad daylight in a location where there

were no military facilities.

The members of the KDI association, which rallies mainly [ethnic]

Albanians, but also members of other ethnic communities that live in

Kosovo and Metohija, are not frightened of the brutal and bestial attacks

by NATO aircraft on the sovereign state of Serbia and the FRY, and are

ready to jointly defend sovereignty and territorial integrity against the

fascist attacks.

The KDI appeals to its compatriots to return to their homes, not to

leave their homes, because the Republic of Serbia guarantees safety to

all of its citizens, regardless of their religious of ethnic affiliation.

The KDI fully supports the Federal Assembly's decision on Yugoslavia's

accession to the Russia-Belarus Union, the statement says.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990415001461

Document Id: 0fag35w01y9zem

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 76

Title: SPS's Dacic: NATO's Crimes Show True Motive Is Territory

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1504170699 Belgrade Radio Beograd Network in Serbo-Croatian 1300

GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504170699

Citysource: Belgrade Radio Beograd Network

Language: Serbo-Croatian

N/A

Subslug: Report on news conference by Socialist Party of Serbia spokesman

Ivica Dacic by unidentified reporter in Belgrade on 15 April -- recorded

[FBIS Translated Text] [Reporter] We stressed on several occasions,

particularly in the period when the international community was allegedly

attempting to find a peaceful solution to the problems in Kosmet [Kosovo

and Metohija], that no one need put our patriotism to the test. Faced

with the choice of a political solution that means capitulation and

selling out our country or the commitment to defend it, we will always

opt for defense, Socialist Party of Serbia [SPS] spokesman Ivica Dacic

said resolutely:

[Dacic] Sadly, the Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija realized yesterday, in

the most tragic circumstances imaginable, that they are just pawns in the

hands of the United States and the criminals in the NATO Alliance, forces

which never wished well to the Serbian people or the citizens and ethnic

communities that live in our country. They never wished any good to any

of the peoples in the Balkans. Their only interest is to dominate this

part of the world.

The killing of both Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, and the

horrendous crimes such as killing passengers on the train at Leskovac and

killing refugees in the refugee convoy returning to homes in Kosovo and

Metohija, show that the NATO criminals are not interested in the

population, that they kill Serbs, Albanians, and all other ethnic

communities without exception, and that they are only interested in

territory. NATO's bombing raids are the only danger today to the lives of

citizens in Kosovo and Metohija. Irrespective of the scope and magnitude

of the bombing, irrespective of the horrendous crimes he has committed,

the aggressor has not achieved his goals, he has not managed to defeat us

militarily. On the contrary, NATO's losses and the success of our state

defense are remarkable. It is obvious that Western propaganda has trouble

justifying the crimes against our country. Had the aggressor achieved his

goals, he would certainly not be coming up with peace initiatives at this

time.

[Reporter] The SPS has always been and continues to be committed to a political

process in all issues linked to Kosmet. This commitment means peace and

equality of all citizens. On the other hand, the SPS is committed to

resolutely succeed in defending the federal state, because a people who

succeed in defending their country never lose. Dacic reiterated that the

SPS supported the decision of both chambers of the Federal Assembly on

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia joining the Russia-Belarus Union. The

decision is historic in the process of integration, security,

development, and cooperation, and that is why the future of mankind is in

integrative relations and equality, Dacic said, concluding the SPS's

regular news conference.

[Description of Source: Belgrade Radio Beograd Network: Government-controlled

station; reflects views of the Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990415001427

Document Id: 0fag3ze02m0jxf

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 125

Title: Spokesman: NATO 'Aggression' Crime Against Peace

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1504164099 Belgrade Tanjug in English 1604 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504164099

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. belgrade radio beograd network serbo-croatian 151300 -- official says

all 'armed presence' 'out of the question'

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Belgrade, 15 Apr (Tanjug) -- The NATO aggression

on Yugoslavia is a crime against peace, stability, and humanity, Yugoslav

Foreign Ministry spokesman Assistant Foreign Minister Nebojsa Vujovic

said in Belgrade on Thursday [15 April]. [sentence as received]

Yugoslavia is not the only victim of this aggression. Other victims are the

U.N. Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, and the Statute of NATO, whose

members violated the article on its defensive nature with their

aggression on Yugoslavia, Vujovic told a press conference which was

attended by correspondents of major world media.

We will use all our powers to defend ourselves from the aggressor, but

we will at the same time work energetically on the political process for

Kosovo and Metohija, the ministry spokesman said.

Vujovic said it was necessary for the talks on a political settlement on

Kosovo and Metohija that the aggression cease immediately.

A political solution can be sought only in peace, Vujovic said. He

specified that Yugoslavia can accept only talks on a civilian presence in

Kosmet, and from countries which did not take part in the aggression.

Yugoslavia does not want missions like the until recent verification mission of

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which

fled from Kosmet to pave the way for the aggression, or the alleged

mission which NATO is trying to impose.

The OSCE was just a cover up for the aggression, Vujovic said.

Vujovic said the victims of the NATO bombardments were people of all

nationalities who live in Yugoslavia. He told reporters that there were

numerous victims of this aggression, 1,000 dead and 4,000 wounded, he

spoke about the destruction of civilian objects - apartment buildings,

schools, hospitals, bridges, and the vast material damages of 100 billion

dollars.

He said that in the past two days, the aggressor had committed two

crimes against humanity - the bombardment of an international passenger

train in Grdelicka Klisura gorge, where 55 bodies have been found so far,

and a multiple NATO attack on two convoys of refugees in Kosovo and

Metohija, in which 75 people were killed and 26 gravely wounded.

That is the worst picture of a humanitarian disaster inflicted by NATO

bombs, Vujovic said, alluding to NATO claims that they had begun the

aggression allegedly to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

One of the numerous questions fired at the spokesman was about possible

NATO motives to bombard refugees.

Those who caused the humanitarian disaster do not want it to end. They

want the refugees to return, but not when they themselves want, only when

NATO so wishes, Vujovic replied, once again pointing at the criminal

abuse of Kosmet Albanians for covering up the real objectives of the

aggressors.

Vujovic said Yugoslavia now had two strategic goals.

The first is to succeed in defending itself from this totally

unjustified aggression. The second goal is to continue the political

process for finding a solution for Kosovo and Metohija, which began on

April 1 with the meeting between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic

and Dr. Ibrahim Rugova.

Rugova is the leader of a political party, a party of the Albanian national

minority in Kosovo and Metohija. He voluntarily remained in Kosmet

because he feels the soul of the Albanian people in Kosmet, and he is

where he believed he would be most needed, Vujovic said.

Speaking along these lines, Vujovic mentioned also the meeting between Rugova

and Yugoslav Deputy Premier Nikola Sainovic and Serbian Deputy Premier

Ratko Markovic and the conclusions of the Yugoslav and Serbian

governments, and agreements to prepare an interim government and system

of local self-governance for the province, as well as a program for the

retrun of refugees.

That is the essential political process and it should be stepped up,

Vujovic said.

Rambouillet was not and will not be the basis for a political settlement,

Vujovic said, adding that that initiative had died before it even came to

life.

Rambouillet was bombarded before Yugoslavia because it was abused for preparing

the aggression on Yugoslavia and the introduction of some third republc,

the ministry spokesman said.

Vujovic explained that Kosovo and Metohija needs a political solution which

will guarantee equal rights to all ethnic communities, without abuse of

majority vote.

Asked by reporters to elaborate on Yugoslavia's stand on initiatives, such

as Germany's, for an alleged settlement of the Kosmet issue, Vujovic

reiterated that the aggression must first cease and that initiatives were

welcome from countries which are not taking part in the agression and

which have clearly declared themselves against it.

In answer to questions about the United Nations and the activities of

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Vujovic said Annan had not done anything to

prevent the preparations for the aggression or to stop it.

Yugoslavia had asked the U.N. Security Council and the secretary-general to act

before the aggression, but, unfortunately, they did nothing. Yugoslavia

addressed Annan on several occasions, but he failed to react, and his

stand is rather like the stand of the aggressor, the foreign ministry

spokesman said.

Vujovic regretfully stated that Italy had also joined in the bombardments of

Yugoslavia with its aircraft as of Wednesday, which he said was a step in

the wrong direction for relations between the two neighbors.

Asked to comment the possibility that NATO expand its operation with

ground forces, Vujovic resolutely told foreign correspondents that

Yugoslavia is ready to defend itself in air, on land, and at sea.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000805

Document Id: 0fag54302dmd7y

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 60

Title: Tanjug Reports Details of NATO Aircraft's 'Ignoble' End

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: FYROM

Sourceline: AU1704214899 Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service in Serbo-Croatian 2038

GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1704214899

Citysource: Belgrade Tanjug Domestic Service

Language: Serbo-Croatian

N/A

Subslug:

Reference:

1. skopje radio macedonia network macedonian 171700 -- border guards notice

fire near border with fry

[FBIS Translated Text] Skopje, 17 Apr (Tanjug) -- Yet another NATO

aircraft met with a less-than-glorious end when it finished its murderous

flight on the foothills of Skopska Crna Gora, in the district of the

Macedonian village of Tanusevci, 4 km from the border with Yugoslavia.

Police sources say that the aircraft of the Western military alliance,

instead of sowing death in Yugoslavia, was shot down over Kosmet [Kosovo

and Metohija], after which it tried, but failed, to reach Skopje Petrovec

airport.

The inhabitants of the villages at the foothills of Skopska Crna Gora

have confirmed that there was a powerful explosion as the aircraft went

down, after which a huge fire broke out in the region of Ravno village.

We have learned from reliable sources that the pilot sought safety by

ejecting, but failed and probably perished in the flames.

Immediately after the explosions, the villagers launched a search for the downed

aircraft, but strong NATO forces blocked all access routes and did not

even allow the Macedonian police to go near, which high-ranking FYROM

Interior Ministry members confirmed for the Skopje electronic media.

The Skopje electronic media, which broadcast the news of the air crash

today, tried to learn the details of the ignoble end of the killer

aircraft at the Western alliance's headquarters in Skopje, but were

stonewalled as expected.

However, NATO headquarters in Skopje did not deny the information that Bill

Clinton's pride and joy had gone down.

[Description of Source: Tanjug: State-owned news agency; reflects views of

Milosevic regime]

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Article Id: FTS19990414002183

Document Id: 0fag417030seap

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: East Europe

Lines: 219

Title: BETA Analyzes Results of NATO Raids

Document Number: FBIS-EEU-1999-0414

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: Balkan States

Subdivision: Serbia

Sourceline: AU1504013099 Belgrade BETA in English 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: AU1504013099

Citysource: Belgrade BETA

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: BETA headline: "Three Weeks of Bombing -- No Compromise"

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Though the air raids against targets in Yugoslavia

became much more intense in the past week, Belgrade is not yet showing

any signs that it is ready to accept the deployment of international

forces in Kosovo or sign the agreement on resolving the crisis in the

province in the form in which it was offered at the Paris negotiations

last month. The bombing of bridges, fuel depots, oil refineries, and

factories has increased fears and apathy among the population, and has

enabled the authorities to convince the public without much effort that

the NATO intervention is due to a desire to conquer the country, and not

to attempts to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Kosovo.

The Yugoslav and Serbian authorities, which over the past years have had

serious difficulties in securing majority backing of the population, have

no such worries at the moment. Concerts and other public gatherings held

in protest of NATO aggression throughout the country still attract a

great number of people. The ruling parties support such actions and give

them wide coverage. The country's defense efforts are still supported by

all influential political parties, which try as best as they can to play

down all their differences. In short, the authorities have no major

problems at home and their position with the voters and general

population is much better now than before the attack.

For the time being, the authorities are succeeding in preserving all

vital functions in the country. The supply of basic food and other

articles is satisfactory, while gas, whose sale has been rationed (to 40

liters per vehicle per month) can still be found at gas stations. If,

however, the attacks persist for another month or two, such conditions

would unavoidably change. In such event, the state would probably have to

switch to a rationed distribution of basic articles, introduce general

work duty, and restrict consumption in all areas. This would probably

make life more difficult, but it is highly unlikely that it would result

in any change of policy.

Policy [subhead]

The Yugoslav parliament on April 12 voted overwhelmingly in support of a

motion to join Yugoslavia to the alliance of Russia and Belarus. All

major political parties voted for this proposal, and there was not a

single vote against it. In the lower house which has 138 representatives,

110 were in favor and only five abstained. In the upper house in which

Serbia and Montenegro have 20 representatives each, 26 MPs voted in favor

and there was only one abstention. However, Montenegro does not recognize

the parliament's decision, because the republic's authorities headed by

Milo Djukanovic, were not allowed to replace their team in this

parliament's house. The new team was to have reflected the election

results of the vote held in Montenegro last May, but Belgrade still

refuses to recognize the vote. This is why Montenegrin members of the

lower house, who come from the coalition ruling in the smaller federal

unit, were not present at the session at which the joining of Yugoslavia

to the Russia-Belarus alliance was backed. At the same time, Montenegro's

officials described the motion as "irresponsible" and said that it was

"null" as far as Montenegro was concerned.

However, the decision passed by the federal parliament failed to earn the

expected approval in Moscow and Minsk. Even those Russian officials who

are strongly inclined towards Belgrade said that this idea should be

carefully analyzed before a final decision was made, and that it should

be reached once the war is over. This is not much of a comfort for

Belgrade, because one of the basic motives for initiating the motion for

joining the Russia-Belarus alliance in the first place was to secure

military support against NATO.

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic probably knew in advance that the

decision he sought to be approved by the parliament would not

materialize, at least not within the next several months. He certainly

knew that Russia and Belarus had not themselves finalized the alliance

they had proclaimed, and that Moscow fears that Yugoslavia's joining the

alliance might bring it even closer to a military conflict it is trying

to avoid at all costs. Therefore it seems that by offering to join Russia

and Belarus, Milosevic in fact only wished to demonstrate his

resoluteness to go all the way in the conflict with NATO. Belgrade

probably expects that the proclaimed unification with Russia and Belarus

will convince the population that the FRY is not alone in the policy it

pursues.

Solutions [subhead]

Most opposition parties failed to voice their views on the FRY's joining

the Russia-Belarus alliance, trying not to show too conspicuously their

disagreement with the official stand. As opposed to them, the ruling

parties gave a maximum backing to the proposal.

The Serbian Radical Party, a coalition partner of Milosevic's Socialist

Party of Serbia in the Serbian government, described the decision as "the

most significant event in the country's recent history." The Radicals

believe that the new alliance will be an "insurmountable obstacle" to the

US campaign whose objective, according to the party, is to "destroy

Orthodox Christians and enslave Slavic peoples." The Radicals themselves

launched this idea several months ago.

The Serbian Renewal Movement, Milosevic's coalition partner in the

Yugoslav government, justified its vote in favor of the alliance with the

need to defend the country. A day after the parliament adopted the

motion, the party leader, Vuk Draskovic, said that "the time for

compromise has come." His position was based on the estimate that the

international community had abandoned two of its key demands which

Belgrade could not accept and which were the reason for the beginning of

the attack. Draskovic believes that the West no longer insists on the

deployment of NATO forces in Kosovo and does not require for the province

practically to be turned into a third FRY republic.

"We were attacked because we did not want to accept NATO troops to

implement a monstrous agreement (from Rambouillet and Paris). Three weeks

after the beginning of NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, they (the

international community) no longer insist for NATO troops to monitor the

implementation of the agreement, which was the key point of dispute,"

said Draskovic. For this, of course, a precondition is that NATO air

raids stopped.

The Radicals and the Renewal Movement stand for the two basic directions

the resolution of the crisis could take in the future. The Radicals

represent that faction in the government which holds that in the conflict

with NATO the country should go all the way, as far as breaking off all

ties with the West and a full isolation. The Renewal Movement is against

the bombing and believes that the conditions set by the international

community before the bombing (arrival of NATO troops in Kosovo and

signing the agreement as offered in Rambouillet) were unacceptable, but

is of opinion that the door to compromise should not be shut. Milosevic

knows how to use the services of both factions.

Which option Belgrade will choose, that is, what form a possible

compromise will have, depends on what the West's offer will be. Up to

now, Belgrade has not offered any positive signals regarding the latest

five-point list for ending the bombing, "on the basis of the agreement

from Rambouillet." Those few diplomatic representatives of Belgrade who

are willing to comment on this proposal, continue to stress that foreign

military presence in Kosovo is out of the question. On April 14, after

meeting with Milosevic, Belarus President Alexandar Lukashenko, who was

on a one-day visit to Yugoslavia, said that Belgrade was ready to accept

international civilian presence in Kosovo under the auspices of the UN,

and under the condition that the countries participating in the attack

against FRY are not represented in these forces. Milosevic also stressed

that Yugoslavia will "be victorious in defending itself from aggression."

Casualties [subhead]

Three weeks of NATO attacks on Yugoslavia brought massive destruction and

civilian casualties, and resulted in increased bitterness of the

population. The authorities have not yet gone public with the official

data on the number of civilian casualties and their names. Politicians,

on their part, came forth with unofficial estimates only. On March 31, on

the eight day of the attack, Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev said

that "in NATO air raids against Yugoslavia over 1,000 civilians were

killed, along with 28 members of the Yugoslav Army, among whom there are

90 wounded. Five days later, on April 5, Yugoslav Ambassador to Moscow

Borislav Milosevic stated for the Russian television station Centar that

since the onset of the aggression against Yugoslavia, more than 300

civilians had been killed, some 3,000 wounded, while the damage done to

various structures amounted to some $10 billion.

The bombing of a column of Albanian refugees at the village of Meja near

Djakovica, in the afternoon of April 14, has left most casualties so far.

An AFP reporter who arrived at the site only two hours after the attack

said at least 20 people were killed, and that eight tractors used to

transport the refugees and several houses in the vicinity of the site

were destroyed. Parts of human bodies were scattered along the road.

Yugoslav military authorities announced that the column was attacked four

times, while various Serb sources said in their initial announcements

between 64 to 75 people had been killed. Military authorities insist that

the refugees who were escorted by the police on the way back to their

homes were attacked. NATO confessed to the attack, but said its

circumstances had not been clarified yet. NATO representatives claim they

hit a Yugoslav military column.

According to various media reports, several hundred civilians have been killed

so far, while the number of those wounded or injured is about several

thousand. Two persons were killed on April 2 in Vranje, and 23 were

wounded when NATO air force hit two military barracks in downtown Vranje.

On the same day, 11 Yugoslav Army members were wounded in the military

barracks in the town of Raska. A day later, in an attack on a residential

section of Aleksinac, 17 civilians were killed, and over 40 were lightly

and seriously injured. In downtown Pristina on April 7, in a series of

attacks against the town, its old central part called 'Old Pristina' was

destroyed. In these attacks more than ten civilians were killed, members

of various ethnic groups. On that same day, in a NATO attack on the

surroundings of Novi Sad, four persons were injured. April 8 attacks hit

the center of Cuprija, while attacks on the areas of Uzice and Mt.

Zlatibor left three civilians dead.

On April 9, in an attack against the Zastava car factory in Kragujevac,

124 workers were wounded, said the factory's management board director

Milan Beko. Director of the Kragujevac central hospital Slavica Djukic

Dejanovic said that in the NATO strike on the factory 70 workers were

wounded and that no one was killed. Three days later, in a renewed attack

against the same plant, 36 people were injured.

According to news media reports, on April 11, in NATO attacks on the region of

Podujevo and the neighboring municipality of Kursumlija, 10 persons were

killed and 24 wounded. During the attack on the village of Mirovac, near

Podujevo, on the same day, three people were killed, among them a

one-year old baby, and one person was seriously wounded. Another attack

on the same day left six civilians dead and 23 wounded in the village of

Merdare, half-way between Kursumlija and Podujevo, destroying some 20

homes, Serbian state television reported.

A day later, on April 12, NATO aircraft bombed a railway bridge at the

entrance to the Grdelica Gorge at a moment when a passenger train was

about to cross it. According to initial reports, at least 10 people had

been killed. However, on April 14, investigative bodies announced that a

death toll is being estimated at between 30 and 50, and that it cannot be

precisely determined. Sixteen people were wounded. The train was hit

twice, because the pilot turned the aircraft once again after failing to

destroy the bridge in his first assault. Both missiles hit directly the

train carriages. Almost at the same time, at the Pristina-Kosovo Polje

road, a projectile hit a passenger car killing two persons, while the

third one who was seriously injured, died a day later in a Pristina

hospital.

[Description of source: private news agency with independent editorial policies]

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Article Id: FTS19990418000856

Document Id: 0fag5hd04d542n

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 73

Title: Li Peng Urges Security Council To Help End NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: China, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1804234799 Beijing Xinhua in English 1531 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1804234799

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Bangkok, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Visiting top Chinese

legislator Li Peng has expressed the hope that the UN Security Council

would take effective measures to bring an end to the NATO airstrikes

against Yugoslavia.

"China has always maintained that the Kosovo issue can only be solved by

peaceful means and political negotiations," Li Peng, Chairman of the

Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, said

here late Saturday.

He urged the Security Council to help bring all parties concerned back

to the negotiating table to defuse the Kosovo crisis.

But he added that only through the acceptance and cooperation of the

Yugoslav government can all proposals for a peaceful solution be

successfully implemented.

"Of the various proposals aimed at solving the issue, we are aware of

Yugoslavia's position that calls for an end to the airstrikes prior to

the start of negotiations," Li Peng said.

Li Peng said the argument advocating "human rights over sovereignty"

was in fact providing an theoretical excuse for aggression and

interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

Such an argument was totally ridiculous, he told Chinese reporters at a

press conference before ending a four-day official goodwill visit to

Thailand.

The Kosovo issue, despite its complexity characterized by ethnic

contradictions, was an internal affair of Yugoslavia and should be left

for the Yugoslavian people to solve by themselves, he said.

While expressing sympathy with the large numbers of Kosovo people driven

from their homes by the NATO airstrikes, Li Peng reiterated China's

opposition to the NATO airstrikes.

"China staunchly opposes NATO's military interference," Li Peng said,

accusing the alliance of launching military strikes against a sovereignty

state without UN authorization, setting a very bad precedent.

Ethnic problems in some Balkan countries have been left over from history

and should be resolved on the basis of respect for each country's

sovereignty, Li Peng said, stressing that " sovereignty cannot be

violated."

Li Peng pointed to the facts that NATO, despite its strikes by

sophisticated weaponry, has failed to force Yugoslavia to submit. "This

is out of NATO's expectations," he said.

Thailand was the last leg of Li Peng's six-nation tour which also took him to

Greece, Turkey, Syria, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news

service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]

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Document Id: 0fag5hl03uhib4

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/18/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 55

Title: Xinhua Cites Blair on Options for NATO Operations

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0418

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 18 Apr 1999

Division: China, West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1904001299 Beijing Xinhua in English 1641 GMT 18 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1904001299

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] London, April 18 (Xinhua) -- British Prime

Minister Tony Blair said on Sunday that NATO had to see through its air

campaign against Yugoslavia but kept other options, including the use of

ground troops, under review.

In an interview with CBS News, Blair was asked about ground forces and

said there were dangers inherent in a land force invasion of Kosovo. But

he added: "Our task is to make sure we ... drive (Yugoslav President

Slobodan) Milosevic's forces out. Of course, as was said a few days ago,

we keep every single option under review."

"The important thing is to see the strategy we have through," Blair was

quoted by Reuters as saying of the air attacks on Yugoslavia, begun by

NATO on March 24.

"Of course we are sending additional forces to the region and additional

planes, additional weapons as well. But the dangers of a land force

invasion are those that we set out right at the very beginning," he said.

Also, Blair said that it was difficult to envisage Kosovo remaining under

the rule of Milosevic once the conflict is over, a remark apparently

echoing comments by US President Bill Clinton that the Balkans could not

be secure while Milosevic was in power.

"There's no doubt...that for people in Kosovo to return to their homes and be

expected to live in any sense under the rule of Milosevic is now

extremely difficult to contemplate," Blair said.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news

service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]

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Document Id: 0fag4r500sdwli

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 69

Title: Xinhua: Yugoslavia Urges Annan To Act on NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: China

Subdivision: China

Sourceline: OW1704012599 Beijing Xinhua in English 0039 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1704012599

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] United Nations, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Yugoslavia

Friday called upon UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan once again to "condemn

without delay the aggression of NATO, halt NATO crimes agains peace and

humanity and protect the rights and the Charter of the United Nations."

This was contained in a letter to Annan from Yugoslav Foreign Minister

Zivadin Jovanovic, who has sent a similar letter to the UN chief on March

31.

"I call on you once again to condemn without delay the aggression of

NATO, halt NATO crimes against peace and humanity and protect the rights

and the Charter of the United Nations," the foreign minister said.

"It is your bounden duty in view of the dramatic daily rise of mass

civilian casualties and the destruction of the aggressors throughout

Yugoslavia," he said.

"The failure of the Security Council to act and the blockade of its work

only encourage the proponents of aggression and contribute to the further

perilous endangering of international peace and security, bringing into

question the international legal order and the very existence of the

United Nations," he said.

"The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia continues its efforts towards finding

a peaceful, political solution through direct dialogue with the

legitimate representatives of the national communities of Kosovo," he

said.

"The State is guaranteeing security to all its citizens and is also able

to guarantee the implementation of a ratified peace agreement," he said.

"International military or police forces are not necessary and are

unacceptable on the Yugoslav territory."

In a quick response, a statement, issued here Friday evening by a UN

spokesman, said Annan "was not surprised by Yugoslavia's response to his

proposal on Kosovo. He feels that we are involved in a difficult,

dangerous and intractable situation."

"As he said in Brussels this week, do not expect quick results. We are

only at the beginning stage of our search for a diplomatic solution," the

statement added.

NATO, without the authorization of the 15-nation Security Council,

launched air strikes on Yugoslavia, violating the UN Charter and

international law.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news

service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000852

Document Id: 0fag54m03skiaf

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 73

Title: Xinhua: Protesters Rally Against NATO Outside White House

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: China, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, United States, Kosovo

Sourceline: OW1704231699 Beijing Xinhua in English 2014 GMT 17 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1704231699

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Washington, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Over 200

demonstrators rallied outside the White House Saturday, protesting NATO's

airstrikes against Yugoslavia and calling the Western media to stop

telling lies about Kosovo.

At about noon, the protesters gathered at the pavement of Pensylvania

Avenue outside the White House, raising signs "No NATO's Aggression of

Yugoslavia" and chanting slogans like "Stop the bombing now."

They then Marched onto the 14th Street, where the National Press Club

(NPC) is located.

While passing by the building of the NPC, the protesters shouted slogans

against influential TV programs in the United States. "ABC (the American

Broadcasting Company), shame on you," "Stop lies, tell the true!" they

shouted.

"Those TV programs always tell big lies on Kosovo," said a woman who

refused to be identified, adding that the refugee crisis in Kosovo was

caused by NATO's airstrikes, not by the Serb authorities.

After the US and its NATO allies started bombing Yugoslavia on March 24,

miserable images of refugees escaping from Kosovo were shown on TV

screens across the country and the Serbian authorities were blamed of

ethnic cleansing.

Sherin Cesi, who works for the International Action Center, said both the

Albanians and the Serbs were killed in NATO's bombing.

"If you go there to protect humanity, why should you (NATO) bomb the

refugees who are returning home?" she asked, referring to NATO's bombing

on a refugees convoy Friday with dozens of refugees killed.

Another angry protester, Alex Renko, told Xinhua that the American people

need know the truth of the war. "The war is against the United Nations

Charter, against international law, against NATO's charter and against

the US constitution," he said.

"What is the real purpose of NATO's bombing? NATO wants to expand eastward

and threaten Russia next. NATO needs to test its weapons. The US

military-industrial complex wants the budget surplus spent its way,

regardless of lives lost, or burden to the tax payers," Renko said.

Renko called the audience to go to the website: www:iacenter.org, to find

truth about the Kosovo crisis.

Anti-war flyers were distributed to pedestrians. One of them read: "Stop the

bombing and killing of innocents, support our troops by bringing them

home."

"Bombing is a massacre of innocent lives and a war crime! Our pilots should

not be made into cold-blooded killers!" read the flyer.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news

service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]

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Article Id: FTS19990415002063

Document Id: 0fag2vm00drugw

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 60

Title: Xinhua: NATO Expresses Regret for Killing Civilians

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China

Subdivision: China

Sourceline: OW1504234399 Beijing Xinhua in English 1601 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504234399

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: Unattributed article: "NATO Only Says Regret for Killing Civilians"

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Brussels, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A North Atlantic

Treaty Organization (NATO) spokesman said here Wednesday that "NATO

deeply regrets the loss of life to civilians from the attack" Wednesday

on a convoy "travelling between Prezren and Djakovica".

"As you all know, NATO pilots have orders to strike only at military

targets. We have taken every possible precaution to avoid causing harm to

civilians. Our Operation Allied Force was launched to save civilian

lives, not to expend them," NATO spokesman Jamie Shea told a daily news

briefing for air strikes against Yugoslavia.

"Yesterday, a NATO pilot was operating over western Kosovo,

...the pilot attacked what he believed to be military vehicles and a

convoy. He was convinced he had the right target, he dropped his bomb in

good faith, as you would expect a trained pilot from a democratic NATO

country to do," Shea said at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

"The pilot reported at the time that he was attacking a military convoy.

The NATO bomb destroyed the lead vehicle which we now believe to have

been a civilian vehicle. I again stress NATO deeply regrets the loss of

life from this tragic accident," he said.

However, the spokesman said there no conflict in human history has ever been

accident-free or will ever be. "We can reduce the risks of accidents, but

we can not eliminate them altogether," he told correspondents from all

over the world.

The so-called accident reportedly killed more than 60 civilians, causing

the largest civilian casualties so far since NATO started its air strikes

against Yugoslavia, an independent and sovereign country in Europe. But

NATO refused to acnowledged a similar "accident" in which at least six

civilians were reportedly killed at the same day.

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Lines: 56

Title: Xinhua Cites Cohen on Continuing Nato Air Campaign

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, United States, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1504234599 Beijing Xinhua in English 1628 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504234599

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Washington, April 15 (Xinhua) -- US Defense

Secretary William Cohen told Congress Thursday that the US-led NATO air

campaign in Yugoslavia "is not going to be quick or easy or neat",

signaling it could stretch into Summer.

Referring to committing ground forces to the effort, Cohen said, "The reason

that we have gone forward as we have with an air campaign is that there

was not a consensus in the NATO alliance to do anything but this."

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Cohen said he regretted

the death of civilians that resulted when a NATO bomb struck a convoy

Wednesday. "It was under extraordinary circumstances," he explained.

Cohen said, "We do value human life. We do try to reduce the risks to

innocent human beings."

In closed-door meetings this week with congressional officials, US

military leaders suggested NATO is poised to continue the 3-week-old air

campaign for several weeks longer, possibly into midsummer if Yugoslav

President Slobodan Milosevic's forces continue fighting Kosovar Albanians

in the Serbian province of Kosovo.

Gen. Henry Shelton, chairman of the Hoint Chiefs, told lawmakers that

while bombing has been frequently hampered by weather, conditions usually

improve in the Balkans in June and July, according to the officials

attending the meeting.

"This is going to be a sustained campaign," said one lawmaker who was

briefed.

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Lines: 76

Title: Interview: NATO Bombing Only Unites Yugoslavians

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: China, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1604142399 Beijing Xinhua in English 1406 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1604142399

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: By Wang Xiangjiang

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Singapore, April 16 (Xinhua) -- NATO's air attacks

against Yugoslavia has only served to get the Yugoslav people closer and

more united and people have been living normally despite the NATO

bombing, a Yugoslav diving teacher visiting in restful Singapore said.

"People just behave normally," said Ostojic Bozana Wednesday in an interview

with Xinhua. "They simply stay in their houses, watching TV and even

shopping out. But mothers and children stay in the basement."

Bozana, a resident owning a diving school in Belgrade, capital of

Yugoslavia, is now in Singapore attending a five-day international diving

event.

"If you did not hear the bombs at nights, during daytime you would think

everything was normal, people still working, market prices the same, no

panic, no war profiteers and even no criminals in the streets," said

Bozana.

Despite NATO planes roaring over their heads, 23,000 people, among them

singers and dancers, gathered in organized concerts in central Belgrade,

singing and dancing, said Bozana.

"It is true that the bombing has put us together," said Bozana.

She said the Serb people are "people of strength."

NATO began its air raid on Yugoslavia in late March under the pretext of

protecting Kosovo ethnic Albanians from Yugoslav army.

NATO had expected a big split among the Yugoslav people after the first

bombing. "But they made a big mistake, because what happened was actually

the opposite," said Bozana.

The bombing only put the Yugoslav people together and united them, just

as CNN had reported, said Bozana, adding that all Yugoslav people are

ready to die for freedom and not scared of death.

""It is the first time that NATO bombs a totally independent country.

They do not have the right to interfere in our internal problems," said

Bozana.

Kosovo ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova, who talked with President

Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade, cried in front of the TV and pleaded that

NATO stop bombing because both Serbs and also Albanians got killed, she

said.

NATO admitted on Thursday that it had mistakenly bombed a civilian

vehicle and Yugoslavia said 64 refugees were killed in the incident.

Yugoslavia said about 1,000 civilians had been killed since NATO's air

attack began last month.

Bozana said NATO should be blamed for the refugee problem, "before the

bombing, there was no refugee at all and it only started after the

bombing started."

Bozana said she would return to Yugoslavia after finishing her job here,

though some friends had advised her to stay in Singapore.

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Title: Xinhua: NATO Keeps Bombing Despite 'Huge' Civilian Toll

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: China

Subdivision: China

Sourceline: OW1604123899 Beijing Xinhua in English 1224 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1604123899

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Belgrade, April 16 (Xinhua) -- NATO continued its

bombing campaign against Yugoslavia overnight Friday despite huge

civilian deaths caused by its raids in the previous days.

In the 23rd night of attacks on the Balkan country, NATO planes and

missiles attacked Belgrade, Pancevo, Novi Sad, Smederevo, Subotica,

Paracin and Kraljevo.

In Belgrade, fierce anti-aircraft gunfire could be heard and seen from

22:45 Thursday and the capital's Rakovica municipality came under NATO

air raids for the second time in two days.

Two projectiles were dropped on the Strazevica Hill at around 02:30

Friday, the Tanjug reported, quoting the city emergency center.

Pancevo, a city about 20 kilometers northeast of Belgrade, was subject to

three waves of NATO attacks overnight. The targets hit included a

facility of the local petrochemical complex and a fuel oil depot in the

town fertilizer factory, according to the town emergency center.

Several workers of the petrochemical complex were injured, Tanjug said.

Despite the relentless bombing campaign, Yugoslavs continued their defiance

by forming "human shields" along bridges around the country.

In Novi Sad, capital of the northern Voivodina province, thousands of

people gathered at the Zezelj bridge, the city's only remaining road link

across the Danube after NATO destroyed the other two, and staged a mock

funeral of the UN Charter.

In the capital, Belgraders sang and chanted slogans on the Brankov and

Gazela bridges well after the air-raid alarm that sounded at 20:42

Thursday.

Meanwhile, NATO continued its attacks on bridges. One bridge linking Smederevo

and Kovin near Belgrade was heavily damaged after being hit by NATO bombs

shortly before 23:00 Thursday, Tanjug reported.

Amid heavy anti-aircraft gunfire from the Yugoslav air defense system,

NATO planes bombed Novi Sad's oil refinery in a raid that last about half

an hour.

Four projectiles were fired at the refinery facilities and fire broke out

shortly afterwards, Tanjug reported.

In Subotica, a city about 200 kilometers northwest of Belgrade, the

most densely populated quarters in the Mali Radanovac suburb were hit in

NATO air raids, and several people were slightly injured, Tanjug said.

A refugee settlement in the outskirts of Paracin, about 180 kilometers

southwest of Belgrade, was also targeted.

At least three bombs or missiles were fired at 02:20 Friday at the

former July 7 youth settlement, where refugees from Croatian and

Bosnia-Herzegovina are housed, Tanjug reported, quoting the Pomoravlje

district civil defense headquarters.

In another development, the death toll from NATO attacks on a train on

Monday and two refugee convoys on Wednesday rose to 130, Yugoslav

Assistant Foreign Minister Nebojsa Vujovic told a press conference

Thursday.

Vujovic said 55 bodies have been found from the site of NATO bombardment on

an international passenger train in Grdelicka Klisura gorge and that 75

people were killed and 26 gravely wounded in four waves of NATO air raids

on two convoys of refugees in Kosovo.

He said Yugoslavia will try its best to defend itself from NATO air

strikes, but it will work energetically on the political process on the

Kosovo issue at the same time.

Vujovic said the victims of the NATO bombardments were people of all

nationalities and that 1,000 have been killed and 4,000 wounded, in

addition to the destruction of civilian facilities such as apartment

buildings, schools, hospitals, and bridges.

The total material damage now stood at 100 billion US dollars, Vujovic

said.

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Title: Xinhua Cites Clinton on Continuing NATO Air Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, United States, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1504235799 Beijing Xinhua in English 2229 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504235799

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Los Angeles, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Under increasing

pressure to define the United States' mission in Yugoslavia, President

Clinton Thursday tried again to defend NATO air raids in a speech before

newspaper editors in San FrancisCo.

Clinton's speech came as NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia enter their fourth

week, and amid warnings from US military leaders that the campaign could

last into the summer.

Addressing the American Society of Newspaper Editors at the Fairmont Hotel, the

president said that NATO is determined "to maintain and intensify

attacks."

He said that the NATO air war will be waged until Slobodan Milsevic's

forces are so weakened they yield their grip on the province or permit

ethnic Albanian refugees to go home.

Outside the hotel where the president spoke, several hundred protesters

chanted "No War. No bombs. No Vietman."

Prior to Clinton's speech, NATO has acknowledged mistakenly dropping a

bomb on a civilian vehicle in a convoy in Kosovo Wednesday. Speaking of

the bombing, Clinton said that it would be wrong to change NATO's

military campaign against Yugoslavia because of such mistakes. "That is

regrettable. It is inevitable, " he said."You cannot have this kind of

conflict without some errors like this occuring. This is not a business

of perfection."

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Title: Spokesman Regrets Civilian Deaths by NATO's Bombings

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: China, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: OW1504084499 Beijing Xinhua in English 0823 GMT 15 Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504084499

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] Beijing, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China expresses its

deep concern and regret over the civilian casualties caused by NATO's air

strikes against Yugoslavia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said here

today.

He made the remark at a press conference when commenting on a report

that NATO's warplanes have bombed refugees in Kosovo.

China has always held that NATO should stop the air strikes in order to

avoid the situation there from being complicated and deteriorated, and

turn the Kosovo issue back to the track of political settlement, Sun

added.

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Lines: 80

Title: Commentary: NATO Bombing of FRY Kills 'Even Refugees'

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: China, East Europe

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China, Balkan States

Subdivision: China, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Kosovo

Sourceline: OW1604023499 Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service in Chinese 1646 GMT 15

Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1604023499

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service

Language: Chinese

N/A

Subslug: By reporter Huang Qiang

Reference:

1. beijing xinhua in english 0823 gmt 15 apr 99 -- spokesman regrets

civilian deaths by nato's bombings

[FBIS Translated Text] Beijing, 15 Apr (Xinhua) -- NATO has declared

seemingly solemnly and in all seriousness that its use of force against

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia [FRY] is to "safeguard the human

rights of local civilians" and "prevent a humanitarian catastrophe". But

an indisputable fact is that NATO has been creating humanitarian

catastrophes one after another in the FRY -- thousands of innocent

civilians and even refugees have been brutally killed by NATO's bombings.

It has been said that NATO's "humanitarian" act is to "prevent more

people in Kosovo from becoming refugees". But, on the contrary, this

"humanitarian" act has compelled hundreds of thousand civilians in Kosovo

to leave their homes and be reduced to refugees. What has angered people

more is that, following its bombing of an international train on 12

April, on 14 April NATO planes again bombed a convoy of ethnic Albanian

refugees who were on their way back to their homelands, killing at least

64 ethnic Albanian refugees and seriously injuring more than 20 people.

What is wrong with the refugees returning to their homelands? Why should

they be bombed? Was this an act to safeguard their human rights?

Flaunting the banner of "safeguarding humanitarianism," NATO has carried out

savage and indiscriminate bombings for more than 20 days on the FRY's

military and civilian installations using its advanced jet fighters and

cruise missiles, destroying bridges, railroads, highways, factories,

power stations, schools, hospitals, and civilian residences. Elderly

people, women, and children in the order of millions have hidden in

air-raid shelters for a long time and lived in terror of NATO's bombings.

What they have enjoyed is this kind of "human rights" of NATO. According

to incomplete statistics, so far more than 1,000 FRY civilians have been

killed, more than 4,000 people have been injured, half a million people

have lost their jobs, and 2 million people have lost their sources of

income.

Facts show that NATO's bombings are unable to safeguard human rights, but

are the greatest trampling on human rights. Of all human rights, the most

important ones are the right to survive and develop. NATO's savage

aggression against the FRY and its encroachment on its sovereignty have

made FRY people's survival difficult and have brutally killed them --

isn't this exactly an act to strangle the FRY's and its people's right to

survive? Is not NATO's systematic destruction of the FRY's industrial

facility exactly an act to strangle the FRY's and its people's right to

develop?

"Safeguarding human rights" in this way by NATO, headed by the United States, has

a ulterior motive -- it intends to gloss over its unjust aggression and

materialize its hegemonist dream. NATO's logic is: Let those who comply

with me thrive and those resist me perish. If NATO acts according to this

logic, then how can we talk about justice and human rights?

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Document Id: 0fag40s0385vlz

Insert Date: 04/19/99

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Publish Date: 04/14/99

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Lines: 171

Title: Article on Reasons for NATO Air Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: China

Document Date: 14 Apr 1999

Division: China

Subdivision: China

Sourceline: OW1504121999 Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service in Chinese 0152 GMT 14

Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504121999

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua Hong Kong Service

Language: Chinese

N/A

Subslug: Article by Huanqiu magazine' Paris-based reporter Yang Qi: "Reality

and Mythology"

[FBIS Translated Text] Beijing, 14 Apr (Xinhua) -- The Huanqiu magazine to

be published here on 16 April carries an article by Paris-based reporter

Yang Qi, entitled "Reality and Mythology." The article is transmitted as

follows:

Whenever mythology is mentioned, people often precede it with the word

"Greek" to show its source and to emphasize its being ancient. As a

matter of fact, there has been mythology all the time and everywhere

since ancient time. Mythology and reality are twins, just like the twins

of truth and lies.

Yugoslavia is a close neighbor of Greece. Therefore, there is naturally no lack

of myths there. Among them, the most important one is perhaps the

"humanitarian disaster" and the "powder keg." NATO politicians spoke

plausibly that the purpose of the air strikes on Yugoslavia is to compel

Yugoslavia President Slobodan Milosevic to return to the conference table

and to "smash Yugoslavia's military suppression machine" to avoid a more

serious "humanitarian disaster" in Kosovo. They like to use the killing

of 45 Racak villagers in Kosovo as an example, although international

legal medical experts refused to draw the conclusion of "mass slaughter."

Of course, they did not deny the evidence of mass slaughter either. The

reason is not here, but elsewhere.

Since humanity is emphasized, there should not be dual standards. How many

were starved to death in Somali? They did not even have accurate

statistics. The West followed the track of the mass slaughter in Rwanda.

What action did they take when the number of people killed reached 450,

4,500, 45,000, and 450,000? Is the life of a white man more valuable than

10,000 lives of black people? The reason is not here, but elsewhere.

"The Balkans is a powder keg." It is difficult to deny this. However, the

media of the West has linked the "powder keg" with regional turmoil and

world war. Of course, the incident that touched off World War I was in

Sarajevo. However, who can thus say with certainty that the Balkans is a

"household specially for" touching off world wars? Is the powder keg in

the Middle East not bigger than that in the Balkans? Why is it no air

strike has ever been launched against Israel? Was the humanitarian

disaster in Rwanda not more serious than that in Kosovo? Why is it that

no airplane was ever dispatched, not even just to make a threat?

What is crucial in attacking Yugoslavia does not lie in humanity, but in

hegemony. Two things should be noted in NATO's action. One is that it has

bypassed the UN Security Council, and the other is that it is "a matter

of necessity." The drastic changes in Eastern Europe and the

disintegration of the Soviet Union put an end to the bipolar pattern and

this changed the world situation. In a certain sense, the world underwent

a world war, but such a war was a cold one and did not give rise to the

smoke of gunpowder and bloodshed everywhere. The United States naturally

considered itself the victor, and wanted to establish a new international

order and run NATO, which it led, as an organization for safeguarding the

new order, in other words, an international gendarme. The Gulf War

occurred in January 1991, and the Soviet Union disintegrated in the

autumn of that year. When the United States fought a war then, it still

needed the authorization of the UN Security Council. In its attack on

Yugoslavia this time, NATO has ignored the Security Council, clung

obstinately to its course, and thrown away all disguise. Evidently, they

have already regarded the Security Council as a piece of worn clothing.

If necessary, they put it on. Otherwise, they cast it aside.

"A matter of necessity" takes the logic of the United States as the

basis, instead of the understanding of fair public opinion. It was also

in 1991 that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia broke up. As

incumbent French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement put it, this

means the Pandora box is opened and there will not be any more peace from

now on. The Bosnia-Herzegovina issue got worse and worse and the West had

to make tremendous efforts before it managed to suppress it. While the

West was still gasping for breadth, the Kosovo issue surfaced. It is

clear to all that the United States and Europe have a hand in the

breakdown of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo

crisis. They have all along played the dual parts of arsonist and

firefighter. On the Kosovo issue, they tried in vain to use the same

tactics as those for Bosnia-Herzegovina. After October last year, they

tried whatever way they could think of, but still they could find no way

out and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia did not give way. The only

move left for NATO was to use force and they attempted to use force to

make Yugoslavia submit after failing to do so by exerting pressure. They

said they "had no alternative." This is true because as far as the United

States is concerned, if they fail to fix even Milosevic, NATO will really

become something that looks impressive but is useless. After the drastic

changes in Eastern Europe, the overwhelming majority of the new leaders

of various countries were docile and obedient and one or two even wagged

their tail ingratiatingly. The Serbian president was the only exception,

who was bold enough to contradict and to repeatedly say "no." The West

perhaps was thinking of giving him a lesson.

When Milosevic says "no," it is also "a matter of necessity" and he "has

no alternative." The change from the Socialist Federal Republic of

Yugoslavia to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is just like a person

whose four limbs have been chopped off. Even Westerners admitted that the

Kosovo autonomy designed by NATO in the Rambouillet Agreement is not far

from independence. Besides, the Serb ethnic group regards Kosovo as its

cradle and its feeling toward Kosovo is similar to that of the Chinese

for the Huang He. Accepting the agreement put forward by the West is

tantamount to allowing it to cut off the buttocks. It would rather be

bombed than yield.

It is worth paying attention to new tendencies in West Europe in its

policy decisions and implementation of air strikes at Yugoslavia. The EU

has long been described as an "economic giant, but a political and

military dwarf." This is not a myth, but an expression universally

acknowledged. Of course, one mouthful of food cannot turn a person fat

and a person cannot grow up in one day. However, things in this world are

always changing. Some expressions are not repeated every day in the same

way as a little monk says his prayer. Although there are different views

in the press of Europe and there are different voices in the ruling

stratum there, we must be aware that the EU countries, especially the

Buddha's four warrior attendants, France, Britain, Germany, and Italy,

share the same stand on using force against Yugoslavia and are energetic

and active in doing so. German planes have taken part in the air strikes,

and this is the first time German troops have opened fire since 1945.

Loneliness is really unbearable! The first is that the Europeans do not

want the Americans to monopolize affairs in Europe. The second is they

gradually feel they have grown up. The birth of the euro is a great

historical event. Since the economic cannon has fired, the military

cannon should only follow. An official source said that Europe has

financed half the spending on using force against Yugoslavia.

That France has worked against the United States for independence is

something diplomats, researchers, and reporters take delight in talking

about. In 1966, Charles de Gaulle's announcement on the withdrawal from

NATO's integrated military system was regarded as a classical move. The

excessive praise over Charles de Gaulle in the 1930's can be said to be

"half a myth." That France worked to a certain extent for independence is

absolutely true. Likewise, it is also absolutely true that the strength

used in this respect is limited as is how such strength is used. What is

even more absolutely true is that on whatever issue that involves the

fundamental interest of the West, France has always unequivocally kept in

line with the United States. Britain has always emphasized its "special

relations" with the United States. To use a less refined expression, it

has always energetically served as a hatchet man for the United States.

On the issue of exerting pressure and using force against Yugoslavia this

time, France is no less enthusiastic than Britain and they can be said to

be on par.

When this author wrote this article, the air strikes on Yugoslavia had

been carried out for many days. The situation is that while NATO is

carrying out air strikes, Yugoslavia is conducting armed mopping-up

operations against the Albanian ethnic group in Kosovo on the ground. How

will such crossing of swords end? This is the question most frequently

asked by various circles at present. The ending is determined by the

military parity between the two sides, and is also determined by the

political wisdom of the two sides. If this cannot be ended all at once,

some delay will take place, which is not a big deal. Britain and France

once fought against each other for 100 years, and the war is called the

Hundred Years' War. Such a war was over long ago. Moreover, the two

countries have joined hands to fight against Yugoslavia.

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Publish Region: China

Lines: 85

Title: Commentary Exposes NATO's 'Gross Lies'

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: China

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: China

Subdivision: China

Sourceline: OW1704035099 Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese 1630 GMT 16

Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1704035099

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service

Language: Chinese

N/A

Subslug: Commentary by reporter Yi Gaochao: "NATO's Gross Lies"

[FBIS Translated Text] (Sterpuser [name as transliterated]) , Kosovo

(Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), 16 Apr (Xinhua) -- On 14 April, NATO

bombed a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees in Kosovo, the Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia [FRY], tragically killing 72 persons and injuring

dozens of people. To cover up the fact, NATO repeatedly fabricated lies.

The first lie was that the convoy bombed by NATO was a convoy for moving

FRY troops. But, the fact was that those people were just a few hundreds

of ethnic Albanian civilians driving agricultural use tractors and trucks

who were on their way home from places where they had escaped from NATO

bombings.

The second lie was that FRY police cars were among the civilian convoy

bombed by NATO. But, the fact was that not any traces of police cars were

found at the site of bombing. Ismail Suiya [name as transliterated], an

ethnic Albanian civilian whose two relatives were killed in the bombing,

said the refugee convoy met police cars on duty on the way but no police

cars were in the convoy, and no police cars were found at the site of the

bombing.

The third lie was that NATO planes fired only one missile; on 15 April,

NATO corrected its previous statement saying four missiles were fired at

the refugee convoy. But, what the 60 reporters from various countries,

including this reporter, saw at the bombing site was that in a section of

less than 10 km of the road, four places had been bombed by NATO, and at

least eight craters were found in three of them. And, the eight

explosives included air-to-ground missiles and bombs.

The fourth lie was that NATO said the refugee convoy was bombed by the

FRY Air Force. But, it was NATO that proclaimed with elation soon after

it started its air attacks that it has gained complete air superiority

over the border between Albania and Kosovo; therefore, it was impossible

for FRY Air Force planes to enter the airspace over the area.

The fifth lie was that NATO inadvertently bombed a civilian convoy in

another place. But, all the reporters at the site did not find any trace

of a bombing in the place claimed by NATO, but found three sites of

bombings near it. Eight craters, countless bomb fragments, and 20 bodies

of victims of the bombing were found at the three sites.

The sixth lie was that the bombing site was fabricated by the FRY and

the bomb fragments were transported there from other places by the FRY.

But, the fact was that the bomb fragments were scattered around the site

of the bombing, and some fragments had flown more than 50 meters away

from the craters and some had hit temporary cargo kiosks and trees on the

road sides. In less than a day, the FRY simply would not have been able

to create such a convincing and flawless scene of a bombing.

All these lies by NATO can only show that this bully military bloc has

been eager to cover up the atrocity of bombing a refugee convoy in broad

day light and to cover up its savage, hasty, and indiscriminate bombings

of the FRY. But, contrary to its intention, in the face of iron-clad

proof, the NATO lies collapsed without being attacked and have become

clear in people's eyes. It was under these circumstances that a NATO

spokesman was compelled to admit on 15 April that NATO had bombed a

refugee convoy in Kosovo; however, he claimed that the convoy was bombed

by mistake, in an attempt to erase NATO's crime of wantonly bombing

refugees.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese -- China's

official news service (New China News Agency)]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000203

Document Id: 0fag3zb04cy3mk

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/11/99

Publish Region: Near East & South Asia

Lines: 115

Title: Motives for NATO 'Aggression' Against Serbia

Document Number: FBIS-NES-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: Near East/South Asia, The Americas, East Europe

Document Date: 11 Apr 1999

Division: Near East, North America, Balkan States

Subdivision: Iraq, United States, Serbia

Sourceline: JN1504075499 Baghdad Al-Thawrah in Arabic 11 Apr 99 p 3

AFS Number: JN1504075499

Citysource: Baghdad Al-Thawrah

Language: Arabic

N/A

Subslug: Article by Dr. Karim Muhammad Hamzah: "Some of the Meanings of the

Aggression Against Serbia"

[FBIS Translated Text] Anyone observing the behavior of the West,

especially the United States, would notice that it has embraced slogans

with apparent humanitarian contents such as democracy, human rights, and

combating terrorism. In fact, the aim is to entrench a barbaric

philosophy for violating the sovereignty of countries and mobilize the

various groups within these countries against one another by inciting

sedition and ethnic, religious, and sectarian sensitivities. This

philosophy also endeavors to reduce the impact of national identity in

favor of secondary identities with opposing orientations and convictions

and encourage the spirit of secession and secessionist tendencies. This

is why the West has been supporting the reports by the human rights

organizations and fueling them with its intelligence reports that are

usually used for political purposes. Any one monitoring the aggressive

behavior of NATO against Yugoslavia would find that it falls within this

context. Furthermore, since most human societies have several ethnic and

religious components, then every society, regardless of the principles of

sovereignty, could be the target for such an aggression in the name of

human rights. Subsequently, the West is killing people in the name of

their rights and employs the war machine in the name of peace. In another

development, the United States, especially since 1990, had succeeded in

deceiving many by affirming its respect for international legitimacy and

the need for implementing Security Council resolutions. It insisted on

playing this game, especially in dealing with Iraq, to the point that the

expression of "urging Iraq to implement the Security Council resolutions"

to which the US media apparatuses had peddled, had become obligatory in

the statements of many. Through bribery, threats, and deception, the

United States succeeded in falsifying international legitimacy. By its

aggression against Yugoslavia, the United States is now providing clear

proof that it only behaves in accordance with its interests. This is also

clear proof that what it calls legitimacy is merely the right of the

power that has deviated from the constraints of international law and the

principles of the UN Charter, which was conceived in San Francisco after

World War II. After that, if we consider the scenario of the aggression

first against Iraq and afterward against Serbia, we would immediately

notice that the US aggressive spirit is rancorous and criminal and does

not differentiate between civilians and military personnel or between a

military camp and a bridge. This is because its aim is to paralyze the

effectiveness of the society and eliminate the minimum level of the

ability of its establishments to perform their jobs and subsequently

expose it to all kinds of anarchy, poverty, and deprivation of security

and safety.

There is another important indicator of the aggression against Serbia in

that NATO is no longer a defense pact but a tool of war whose fire could

be directed at any country that rejects subordination or agreement to

humiliation conditions or demonstrates an independent choice of its

options. We would not be exaggerating if we said that Russia in

particular is the country that feels the most threatened. This is

exacerbated by the problem of its debts amounting to nearly $200 billion

and the fact that it is forced to borrow from international lending

establishments. There is also the expansion of the NATO umbrella toward

the east and the attempts to infiltrate the central Asian republics. By

turning into a tool of war, NATO is pitting the United States, Western

Europe, and the new members from Eastern Europe against the entire world.

An important question is being asked. Would the United States, which

dominates NATO, turn a blind eye to Europe itself? Some would say that

Europe is united now in accordance with the Maastricht Treaty; it has its

own parliament, and has been able to wage the banana wars against the

United States. However, a quick revision of the not- too-distant history

would confirm that the decision of General De Gaulle to withdraw from

NATO in terms of impact and effect was in fact greater than the decision

to unite Europe. This is because by his decision, General De Gaulle was

emphasizing the free French will, not the disagreement over the

nationality of the commander of the NATO forces in Europe, which is still

teeming with US bases. In other words, the American cowboy realizes that

the European Union, which should have come into being in the early 1990s,

is an expression of caution and fear of the former Soviet Union and that

the United States had supported its emergence for the same reasons. After

the collapse of the Soviet Union, however, the unity of Europe will not

be in the interest of the United States and subsequently it will endeavor

to make the European decision under the US will. The things that are

happening in Serbia is proof of the subordination of Europe and the fact

that it is tied to US interests, especially through the British Trojan

Horse. Finally, the aggression against Serbia and Kosovo means that the

United States is no longer interested in the New World Order. It used to

advocate this order as one that would be characterized by a fair

distribution of powers in a world permeated by equitable interests and

mutual respect and these were the principles that Bush used to brag about

and Clinton has continued to mention. The world order of the United

States is the order of genocide, ethnic fragmentation, the violation of

the sovereignty of countries, the destruction of their social orders,

usurpation of their wealth, and conspiring against their national

leaderships.

[Description of source: Iraqi ruling Ba'th Party newspaper]

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Article Id: FTS19990415000498

Document Id: 0fag3y903zlpe4

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/15/99

Publish Region: China

Lines: 112

Title: 'News Analysis' on NATO Predicament in War Against FRY

Document Number: FBIS-CHI-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: China, East Europe, The Americas

Document Date: 15 Apr 1999

Division: China, Balkan States, North America

Subdivision: China, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, United States

Sourceline: OW1504102999 Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese 0637 GMT 15

Apr 99

AFS Number: OW1504102999

Citysource: Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service

Language: Chinese

N/A

Subslug: "News analysis" by Xinhua reporter Zhang Zhengdong: "How Would NATO

End Its War Against Yugoslavia?"

[FBIS Translated Text] Brussels, 14 Apr (Xinhua) -- The large-scale air

strikes, which NATO has launched against the Federal Republic of

Yugoslavia [FRY] under the pretext that NATO's harsh terms for settling

the Kosovo crisis are not met, have gone on for more than 20 days. While

the wanton bombings carried out by NATO planes in more than 6,000 sorties

have inflicted the most serious losses in lives and property on

Yugoslavia since World War II, the Yugoslav people remain unyielding.

NATO's attempt to use war as a means to achieve its strategic political

and military purposes will hardly succeed. This presents NATO a poignant

and real problem: How will it end its unjust war against an independent

and nonaligned small country?

NATO evidently is in a predicament. The waves of refugees caused by the

bombings have become a thorny problem for European states and

destabilized the Balkans situation even more seriously. If the war

continues to escalate, the serious consequences on European security will

be unthinkable. Russia's warning that this war might lead to a European

war, even another world war, may not be just alarmist talk. On the other

hand, if NATO stops its air strikes and chooses to seek a political

solution, it would mean that its air strikes against the FRY have failed.

Without a doubt, this serious "loss of face" would cast a shadow on the

forthcoming Washington summit of NATO heads of government.

Against such a background, the foreign ministers of the 19 NATO members held

an ad hoc meeting on 12 April to "pledge their determination." At the

meeting, the United States, in view of its European allies' concern about

the deterioration of the situation in Europe and their eagerness to seek

a solution to the Kosovo crisis, tried to boost their morale and asked

them to "endure" until the FRY Government meets NATO's terms. Meanwhile,

the meeting leaked the information that NATO also wanted Russia and the

United Nations to play their parts in settling the Kosovo crisis.

It appears that NATO is trying to use both military and diplomatic

measures to force the FRY to yield as quickly as possible. Militarily,

NATO is continuing to deploy more troops, warships, and airplanes to the

area. The number of combat planes deployed will soon reach 1,000, and the

air strikes against the FRY will continue to escalate. Diplomatically,

NATO has been exercising pressure on the FRY through all channels. On 13

April, US Secretary of State Albright and Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov

met in Oslo to discuss the situation. The meeting, however, ended

fruitlessly owing to the vast differences between the two sides. On 14

April, Germany, the current EU chairman, invited UN Secretary General

Annan to come to Brussels to join the 15 EU leaders attending the ad hoc

summit to discuss a solution to the Kosovo crisis. Of the nine-point

"outline of the debate," two are different from NATO's original harsh

terms. First, it stresses the EU's role in settling the Kosovo crisis and

the "essentiality of cooperating closely" with Russia; and second, it

stands for the "establishment of a provisional international organ

commissioned by the EU in Kosovo," and the "deployment of an

international military force" in Kosovo.

However, if we carefully study this "outline," and compare it with Germany's

plan as well as Annan's proposal that NATO should stop its bombings of

the FRY, we can easily see the crux of the problem, namely: It still

requires the FRY to withdraw its troops from Kosovo and agree to the

stationing of foreign troops in Kosovo. This is essentially the same as

the five terms, which the FRY firmly rejected and which NATO said that

they must be met before it stops the bombings. On 14 April, FRY President

Milosovic again indicated that the FRY would never permit foreign troops

to be stationed in its territory. As a matter of fact, the FRY will never

accept the proposal or plan because they all have the nature of brutally

interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign country and they all

have violated the objectives and principles of the UN Charter.

Analysts here are worried that NATO's recent diplomatic offensive may be just

a smokescreen for their preparations for escalating the war. Clark,

supreme commander of NATO Allied Forces, bluntly admitted at a recent

news conference that it was NATO's established policy to overthrow the

FRY Government with this war. At their ad hoc meeting, NATO foreign

ministers also discussed the feasibility of attacking the FRY from the

ground in case the FRY refuses to concede, but they could not make a

decision since most European allies were concerned about the immense

risks.

What the European people should feel sorry about is that, after the

United States involved them in this war following the failure of the

Kosovo peace talks, they are now having difficulty pulling out. Will the

United States again "mobilize" its allies to launch even greater

offensives against the FRY, thereby pulling them once again into the

quagmire of the war, under the excuse that the diplomatic efforts have

failed? If that is the case, the victim will be the European people

themselves, and the beneficiary will still be the United States on the

other side of the ocean.

[Description of source: Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese -- China's

official news service (New China News Agency)]

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IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS.

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Article Id: FTS19990415000517

Document Id: 0fag2yy008gtew

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/14/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 68

Title: US, NATO Seen Trapped in Political Dead End

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0415

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, The Americas

Document Date: 14 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, North America

Subdivision: Greece, United States

Sourceline: NC1504103399 Athens I Kathimerini in English 14 Apr 99 p 2

AFS Number: NC1504103399

Citysource: Athens I Kathimerini

Language: English

N/A

Subslug: Editorial: "The Last Chance"

[FBIS Transcribed Text] After three whole weeks of bombardments, the

Unites States and NATO have every reason to be worried about the prospect

of becoming trapped in a political dead end. The notorious Tomahawk

missiles and the smart bombs of the third generation aircraft have

certainly caused severe damage to Serbia's infrastructure, but they

cannot coerce Belgrade into a disorderly retreat. The Serbs say they are

determined to resist, because they cannot sign up to the shrinkage of

their own nation. The bombardment of civilians, like in the case of the

passenger train, reinforces their morale rather than breaks it. It also

creates divisions in the public in the West.

NATO has three options. The first is to openly retreat from its original

aims. This is out of the question, though, because it would level the

Atlantic Alliance's prestige. The second option would be to look for a

political solution that does not damage NATO's credibility. This issue is

at the center of current diplomatic developments but it is not yet clear

if there will be a final result. The third option is to insist on the

original goals without compromise, something which would inevitably lead

to ground operations against Yugoslavia. In this case, however, the cost

would be great, both in the field of battle and in the field of

diplomacy, mainly because of Moscow's reactions.

In the current situation, the West has a choice of evils. And luckily

the lesser evil for itself is also the lesser evil for Yugoslavia and the

Balkans as a whole. Finding a balanced and viable solution to the Kosovo

problem, which will be a respectable political solution for NATO and

Belgrade alike, is a realistic proposition. Unfortunately, the Americans

do not seem to be thinking in these terms at the moment.

Yesterday's incident on the Albanian-Serb border is extremely worrying because

in a way it is a presage of a deterioration that could lead to ground

operations. It is well known that NATO allows, if not encourages, the

Kosovo Liberation Army to make raids in Kosovo from Albanian soil. But

these raids create the preconditions for a direct embroilment of the

Albanian armed forces, too, which would drag in NATO forces unavoidably.

Today's EU summit is perhaps the last chance for Europe to impose limits on

the operations against Yugoslavia. Otherwise the dynamic of the conflict

is quite likely to lead to a ground war, which would have unknown

consequences for the region.

[Description of source: Independent center-right newspaper]

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Article Id: FTS19990416001195

Document Id: 0fag4j901e0s2n

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/16/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 91

Title: EKA Issues Demirel Statement on 50th NATO Anniversary

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0416

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Transcribed Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 16 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Turkey, Greece, Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Sourceline: TA1604154199 Ankara Anatolia in English 1418 GMT 16 Apr 99

AFS Number: TA1604154199

Citysource: Ankara Anatolia

Language: English

N/A

Subslug:

[FBIS Transcribed Text] ANKARA, April 16 (A.A) - President Suleyman

Demirel stressed on Friday that Turkey is proud of being a member to the

NATO that has been contributing to peace and stability in Europe for 50

years.

Before the Washington Summit which will be held between April 22 and 25

within the framework of the 50th anniversary of foundation of the NATO,

President Suleyman Demirel made a statement to the EKA International

Magazine.

Reminding that the Republic of Turkey was established on ashes of the Ottoman

Empire following great self-sacrifices and difficulties, President

Demirel underlined, ``One of the main principles of the Republic of

Turkey is Peace at Home, Peace in the World.``

Stressing that the difficult geography which Turkey takes place in, requires

to give priority to the foreign and defense policies and to the national

interests, President Demirel pointed out, ``A country should be powerful

enough in order to reach peace and such a power lies under the

self-confidence of that nation. Turkey embraces the ideals of modern

nation with her tendency towards the West. Furthermore, power comes out

with collective efforts of the nation and international community.

Turkey`s decision to join in the NATO was so natural because the NATO has

been aiming at further improving democracy and freedoms in its region.``

Noting that Turkey has been defending the modern values and pluralist

democracy in the region where she takes place since she had joined the

NATO in 1952, President Demirel remarked that Turkey has played a great

role in conveying the values between the west and the east in the wake of

the Cold War.

Stressing that the world had encountered with new threats such as terrorism,

micro-nationalism, hostility against foreigners and drug smuggling, as

nations were trying to set up a new world order following the Cold War,

Demirel emphasized that the world needs international cooperation in

order to overcome such problems. He said, ``difficult global problems

require courageous global solutions. International community should solve

these problems in greater unity and with great determination.``

Noting that Turkey has succeeded in her struggle against the PKK terrorism,

President Demirel recalled that the developments following the capture of

Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of terrorist organization, in Kenya in

February, have brought to light Greece`s support to the terrorist

organization in its terrorist campaign against Turkey. He noted that

Greece has violated all international agreements envisaging cooperation

against terrorism, by extending support to the PKK.

Referring to Yugoslavia`s ethnic cleansing campaign in Kosovo, President

Demirel stressed that the Kosovo crisis can only be solved within the

territorial integrity of the Yugoslav Federation by giving back overall

rights to Kosovar people including a strengthened autonomous

administration.

Demirel said, ``NATO`s operation does not target Yugoslav people. Yugoslav

President Slobadan Milosevic should admit solution of the crisis without

any condition.``

Meanwhile the U.S. President Bill Clinton sent an article to the EKA

International Magazine, and stressed that he will be pleased with hosting

President Suleyman Demirel in Washington D.C. once again.

Reminding that Turkey and the U.S have been maintaining a powerful cooperation

and close partnership relations for nearly five decades, President

Clinton pointed out that the U.S. has full confidence in future of Turkey

that has a strong democracy, free market economy and great potential.

Meanwhile Javier Solana, the Secretary General of the NATO, described Turkey

as a powerful member in the alliance. He stressed that Ankara has a key

role in forming a new European security architectural, adding Turkey`s

military contribution to the NATO is so important.

[Description of source: Semi-official news agency; independent in content]

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Article Id: FTS19990417000604

Document Id: 0fag51e00p0kha

Insert Date: 04/19/99

Purge Date: 05/02/99

Publish Date: 04/17/99

Publish Region: West Europe

Lines: 72

Title: Greek Poll Claims 96.2 Percent Oppose NATO Strikes

Document Number: FBIS-WEU-1999-0417

Document Type: Daily Report

Document Title: FBIS Translated Text

Document Region: West Europe, East Europe

Document Date: 17 Apr 1999

Division: West Europe, Balkan States

Subdivision: Greece, Serbia, Kosovo

Sourceline: NC1704174499 Athens Ta Nea in Greek 17 Apr 99 pp 8-9

AFS Number: NC1704174499

Citysource: Athens Ta Nea

Language: Greek

N/A

Subslug: Report: "Opinion poll conducted by V-PRC, Institute V-Project

Research Consulting, for Ta Nea among 650 people over 18, in Athens,

between 2 and 15 April"

[FBIS Translated Text] Public opinion is almost unanimously against NATO's

bombardment of Yugoslavia. An overwhelming 96.2 percent said 'no' to

NATO's option. Just 1.3 percent said they were in favor of Bill Clinton's

"bombing campaign."

Some 2.5 percent refused to take a position--unusual in opinion polls.

Public opinion against the bombings is a different reaction from other

Europeans, very few of whom oppose NATO's option.

Greek public opinion approves of the way the Simitis government has

handled the crisis thus far. This handling has even greater acceptance

than PASOK's [Panhellenic Socialist Movement] broader electoral

influence.

The government's handling--careful distancing from NATO's actions but

without opposing the Alliance, and distance from the sides in the Kosovo

crisis--is seen positively by 51.4 percent. A significant percentage,

37.4, does not support government handling.

The Greek public describes the air raids against Yugoslavia as not only

cruel but ineffective. Some 47.7 percent of the people believe that the

bombings will not force Serbia to succumb and only 26.4 percent predict

that Milosevic will retreat.

The public thinks the crisis will last "a few more weeks." Just 10

percent predict that hostilities will end in the next few days. A very

pessimistic 4.2 percent believe the crisis will last a year or longer.

The majority wants Kosovo in Serbia but with autonomy. Some 36.3 percent

want autonomy for Kosovo in Serbia, while 33.5 percent support no

autonomy. Very few support independence--just 5.3--and just as few favor

Kosovo's division between Serbs and Albanians.

Rumors that Greeks favor the Serbs in the Kosovo crisis are unfounded. Some

52.9 percent expressed the view that Milosevic and Serbia's government

"violate the human rights of Albanians in Kosovo." It is interesting that

only 21.8 percent believe that the rights of Albanian-speaking people in

Kosovo are not violated.

The mass media were seen to have covered the crisis well. According to

the opinion poll, 58.5 percent said they were "fairly satisfied" with the

media while 8.5 percent were "very satisfied". Some 31.3 percent stated

that they were "a little" or "not at all" satisfied with the way the mass

media covered the war, that is, 23.7 percent "a little" and 7.6 "not at

all". Finally, only 1.6 percent of the people asked said "they did not

know."

[Description of source: Center-Left with pro-Pasok Inclination]

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