Wednesday April 14,1999

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic saw in Belgrade on Wednesday Belarus President Alexandar Lukashenko who is paying an official visit to Yugoslavia. Following the talks, President Milosevic had this to say:

"First, allow me to say how pleased I am with the visit of Belarus President, Mr Lukashenko, whose arrival in Belgrade at the head of a Belarus state delegation we see as a sign of great solidarity of the Belarus nation and leadership with the people of Yugoslavia at a time when Yugoslavia, the entire country, is exposed to Nato's criminal aggression. The aggression is being justified with concern over human rights, whereas all human rights and norms of the international legal order are being violated. The irony is all the greater since one speaks of justifying the escalating aggression for the sake of, as they put it, Nato's credibility. I do not believe that there is a single honourable man on the globe who believes that credibility is acquired by killing. It is only the credibility of murderers that can be acquired by killings. As far as a political solution to Kosovo-Metohija is concerned, we believe that a political solution is the only possible way to emerge from the crisis there, he said. It is our stand that stable and just peace and just and humane solutions for all national communities and all the citizens in Kosovo-Metohija can be secured only through a political process. You are well-aware of the fact that our principled approach is based on the principle of equality of national communities. This means that our approach is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-confessional. Consequently, it is the approach which equally takes care of all the citizens and national communities in Kosovo-Metohija regardless of their national or religious affiliation or any other ethnic orientation. It is on this basis that we are conducting the political process and it is on this basis that talks between representatives of the Serbian and Yugoslav governments and those of Kosmet Albanians are being conducted. We believe that these talks should be direct. As you may know, they are already being conducted directly and we believe that only this way, that is, through direct talks can problems in Kosovo-Metohija be resolved in the right manner. The problems should be resolved by the people living in that province, and not by someone from the outside with any kind of imposition of solutions, President Milosevic stressed. Our orientation is peace, our orientation is the equality of people and of national communities. We will persevere in this orientation. I today presented President Lukashenko with official letters for himself, in his capacity as the president of Belarus, but also as the chairman of the Council of the Alliance of Russia and Belarus, and for the president of the Russian Federation, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin. I expect President Lukashenko and President Yeltsin to carry out the procedure for realizing this alliance in accordance with the interests of the three country's nations and in line with the orientations stemming from this. We both assess this to be a great historical step in the interest of integration, in the interest of developing stability, security, economic, cultural, technological and every other development on the threshold of the new century.

***

After the talks between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarus president also gave a statement in Belgrade on Wednesday which, among other things, says:

We have arrived in Yugoslavia with only one goal - to bring peace closer, even for a few inches,to a Slavic country, a country in which there live not only Slavs, but also members of 26 other nationalities, as well as different religious communities. Our aim was to contribute to a peaceful resolution of this conflict, in accordance with the goals of President Milosevic and the desires of the Yugoslav peoples. I have absolutely assured myself of the fact that President Milosevic wishes to resolve all the problems only by peaceful means. In this regard, we reviewed a whole series of issues, from humanitarian assistance to political problems. The most important result of today's meeting is that I have learned below which limit Yugoslavia would never go in the search for a compromise solution for the Yugoslav crisis. This means that, in their further actions, not only Russia and Belarus, but other states as well, including NATO member countries, must bear in mind the fact that this is Yugoslavia's final stand and that there will be no deviation from it. I can openly say that this stand of Yugoslavia's consists of the following: Yugoslavia is ready to accept on the territory of Kosovo United Nations civilian observers from states that did not take part in the aggression against Yugoslavia, which means, civilians, and not members of military, police or semi-military formations from the NATO states that are today taking part in the bombardment of Yugoslavia. It is not important for President Milosevic who the refugees, which the state of Yugoslavia is calling on to return to their homes, are, or which nationality or religion they belong to. We also discussed the issue of Yugoslavia's alliance with Russia and Belarus. I am the chairman of the Higher Council of the Alliance of Russia and Belarus, precisely the body that is to take the final decision on Yugoslavia's inclusion into this alliance, The letter, forwarded through myself by President Milosevic to the Russian president, will immediately be delivered and placed on the agenda of the Higher Council, said the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. President Lukashenko left Belgrade on Wednesday afternoon.

***

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on Wednesday received Gregor Gizi, leader of the German Party of Democratic Socialism.

President Milosevic expressed the conviction that our people's struggle for freedom, the truth and justice would win over the forces that not only wish to occupy the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but also to impose a dictate and to submit free peoples and countries, said President Milosevic. Reputable German politician Gregor Gizi has condemned the NATO aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and acquainted President Milosevic with his party's strong opposition to NATO's attacks against the people of Yugoslavia. Despite unprecedented media manipulation, the citizens of Germany oppose this most serious vandalism ever committed against a sovereign country since World War II, Gizi said.

***

The information service of the Supreme Command Headquarters stated on Wednesday that the chronicle of the war and conquering crime was getting a more and more sinister contents by the day.

After the bombing massacre of the passengers in the international train on the Beograd-Saloniki railway two days ago, NATO on Wednesday carried out the most serious crime in Kosovo-Metohija in the course of this aggressive war. NATO planes raided Albanian refugee columns returning home on the Djakovica-Prizren road under the protection of the Yugoslav security forces. The exact list of the killed and wounded is yet to be determined.

***

At least 64 Albanians who were returning to their homes were killed and over 20 seriously wounded in aggressor NATO planes' attack on Wednesday on the Djakovica-Prizren road, Tanjug has learned from police sources in Pristina.

Several groups of Albanians who, after being assured by state bodies of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that they would be safe in their homes, were returning from the border crossings of Vrbnica and Cafa Prusit on the Yugoslav-Albanian border. NATO planes acted a number of times, veritably massacring the refugees. According to the first information, at issue are Albanians, mostly women and children, from two Djakovica and one Prizren village, who were returning home from the border. The aggressors obviously knew well who was at issue, since civilian vehicles could in no way be "mistaken" for military ones. It is clear that at issue is yet another attempt at preventing the return home of those forcibly expelled by NATO in cooperation with the terrorists.

NATO military sources in Brussels on Wednesday confirmed that this alliance's planes attacked a column of vehicles on the Prizren-Djakovica road, but they avoided giving the number of casualties of this criminal act. They say at NATO that the attack will be spoken of in greater detail only when the video tape made from the plane's cockpit is analyzed. And again, at NATO headquarters in Brussels they are using a lack information as an excuse when it comes to explaining their crimes.

***

Nato warplanes struck at targets in FR Yugoslavia on Wednesday as well.

A strong blast was heard in Belgrade earlier in the day and somewhat later another one in Novi Sad where Yugoslav air defences were again in action. During an attack on Pacevo and an oil refinery in this town, the monastery of Vojlovica dating back from the 14th century was massively damaged. Nato keeps striking at civilian targets and churches in Kosovo-Metohija, near Surdulica, Sombor and Rakovica. Overnight strikes at targets in Bair near Kosovska Mitrovica and the region of Pristina were launched. More than 30 missiles were fired, the Pristina Media Center announced. Slatina airfield was hit anew as well as a bus station and nearby villages south of Pristina. Two missiles slammed into the area of the monastery of Gracanica and the residential district of Ajvalija. First reports say there were no casualties.

On Wednesday morning, five missiles attacked the Krusik holding company, the largest firm in the Valjevo district. Six workers were inyured, two of whom seriously, and material damage is huge. The District Civil Defence Headquarters in Pristina announced that on Wednesday morning, targets in the municipality of Pirot were hit for the first time. Shortly before midnight, Nato warplanes fired two missiles on the Bistrica hydro-electric power plant near Nova Varos and damaged a large railway bridge on the Belgrade-Bar railway in the immediate vicinity of the plant. Nato aircraft launched four missiles on Pozega overnight. Tanjug reports that the massive fire which then broke out was soon put out.

In the NATO aviation's barbaric attack on Wednesday around 4:30 p.m. south of Vranje, two civilians were killed, one of whom seriously, and enormous material damage was inflicted. The killed include a 14 year-old girl. Tanjug has learned from the civil defense district headquarters in Vranje that one missile fell on a Romany settlement in the nearby village of Pavlovac, where there are no specific-purpose facilities, causing enormous material damage. One of the several launched missiles also fell on the highway between Vranje and Bujanovac, another one near the village of Rataje and the third in the vicinity of the village of Levosoje, where there are also no military facilities.

***

Following the shelling of a refugee column on the Djakovica-Prizren road, Serbian President Milan Milutinovic gave the following statement:

"With today's massacre over Albanian refugees who were returning home in broad daylight, NATO has shown its most brutal face. To shell a refugee column four times cannot be explained as a mistake. This was done on purpose. Serbia and all its citizens are horrified by this terrible massacre carried out by NATO aviation against innocent civilians. With loathing for the perpetrator and sadness for the several tens of innocent victims, I point to the fact that the affected citizens of Albanian nationality were only guilty of belonging to our joint homeland Yugoslavia. The crimes without precedent in more recent world history, are the work of those who are publicly advocating the respect of human rights and freedoms, and are especially engaged in, as they say, the protection of the members of the Albanian national minority. After the terrible crime committed by NATO's aviation, Serbia's fight for freedom, for life and equal rights of all citizens, regardless of their national or religious affiliation, acquires its real name and real meaning. Out country and all its citizens are bravely opposing those who think that it is possible to arrange the world by carrying out cold-blooded and most horrible crimes. Regardless of all their attacks and crimes, we will secure joint life, equality for all the citizens of Kosovo-Metohija and the Republic of Serbia", said Serbian President Milan Milutinovic.

***

The NATO spokesmen admitted at Wednesday's press conference in Brussels that a number of minor incidents had been registered on the Yugoslav-Albanian border on Tuesday, indirectly warning the terrorists of the KLA to refrain from provocations which could lead to a larger-scale conflict.

NATO Commander, General Wesley Clark, admitted he was not in possession of proof about the alleged infiltration of Yugoslav forces into Albania. However, NATO Spokesman James Shea emphasized that "there will be no compromise" with Belgrade. This, nevertheless, did not prevent him from speaking at the Brussels conference on Wednesday, in favour of a political solution, although bombs have been falling on the heads of the Yugoslavs for twenty days, taking many lives.

***

The spokesman for the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry, Nebojsa Vujovic, told the Russian state-run television that any kind of international military presence in the territory of sovereign FR of Yugoslavia was out of the question.

Following the request for the deployment of NATO troops in Kosmet, Vujovic said that the Yugoslav stance on this issue was absolutely crystal clear. "Our state bodies, army and police have strong political will and means to realize every political solution which could be implemented in Kosovo=-Metohija", Spokesman Vujovic said.

***

The UN Security Council is reticent about terrorist attacks launched from Albania against FR Yugoslavia on April 9 on which Yugoslav ambassador to the UN Vladislav Jovanovic has filed a written report to the Security Council, Tanjug reports.

The chair of the Security Council, French ambassador Alain Dejaman, was informed that this attack was in breach of international law and the two counties Tirana agreement on deterring and resolving incidents on the joint border. Jovanovic said that between 800 and 1,000 terrorists from the ranks of the Kosmet Albanians and some 100 Mujahedin backed by Albania's armed forces, took part in the aggression. The terrorists used heavy artillery and NATO contributed air support to them from helicopters. The Yugoslav Army repelled the aggression and pushed enemy forces back to Albania on April 10. However, hostile fire against this country from Albania's territory continued. FR Yugoslavia called on the Security Council to condemn the act which, in effect, represented a neighbouring country's involvement in Nato's aggression against Yugoslavia, Ambassador Jovanovic said in his letter.

***

At Wednesday's session presided over by Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic, the Serbian government reviewed the results of the measures undertaken to repair and remove the consequences of the bombing of economic facilities, infrastructure plants, communications, residential and other facilities carried out by the NATO aggressor, in which there were many civilian casualties.

The government particularly reviewed the activities aimed at the realization of the comprehensive economic and social programme for taking care of the workers of factories severely damaged in NATO raids. The urgently undertaken measures provide intervention aid for the employees of industrial plants in which production cannot be continued.

***

The European Union countries' heads of state and government are discussing, in Brussels on Wednesday, the overall crisis in the Balkans caused by NATO's aggression against Yugoslavia.

At the summit, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, is expected to launch a new initiative for resolving the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija by peaceful means and to open a chance for halting the brutal bombardment of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

***.

Spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry Martin Erdmann has confirmed Germany has worked out a new draft plan for resolving the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija and ending NATO's aggression on Yugoslavia.

The draft plan has been submitted to the partners in the European Union for coordination, prior to Wednesday's Brussels meeting, said Erdmann, adding that it should be the basis for the diplomatic action of Group Eight foreign ministers being prepared by Russia.

***

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is prepared to co-ordinate international presence in Kosovo-Metohija, the organization's chair, Knut Vollebaek, said in Oslo.

Itar-TASS quoted Vollebaek as saying that he had discussed the Kosovo problem with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Oslo. At the meeting, Ivanov said no foreign presence in FR Yugoslavia was acceptable without Yugoslavia's consent.

***

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has appointed former Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin special representative for Yugoslavia.

As announced by the Russian president's press secretary, Dmitri Yakushkin, Chernomyrdin will start performing his duty immediately. Yakushkin also stressed that President Yeltsin's stand remains unchanged in that a solution must be found exclusively by peaceful means.

***

Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Zoran Novakovic received, in Belgrade on Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador Pan Janlin.

Due to the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia and the suffering of civilians, through its Red Cross, the Chinese government will send the Yugoslav Red Cross humanitarian assistance worth 2 million German marks, said the Chinese ambassador.

***

Accusations of an alleged violation of the territory of Albania by Yugoslav forces is a pure lie, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic said in the Evening News broadcast of the American CBS TV network.

According to him, the truth is that Yugoslavia has been exposed for four days to aggression from the Albanian territory and that there is no justification for the destruction of the country and the killing of people. Asked by the host how he sees the end to all that is happening, Minister Jovanovic said the question should be put to those who decided to embark upon the aggression against Yugoslavia in which all that was built and made for centuries was destroyed in several days.

***

The remaining Albanian terrorist groups set ablaze tens of houses belonging to their fellow-nationals who refused to join them in the fight against members of the Yugoslav Army and Interior Ministry or to flee their homes despite Nato bombing, Tanjug reports.

In Kosovska Mitrovica, Srbica and Vucitrn, the terrorists even clashed with the Albanian population which publicly sought help from members of the Interior Ministry.

***

The International Peace Bureau in Vienna has raised alarmed voices due to the ecological hazard of NATO's strikes against Yugoslavia. According to the reports of the pacifist movement, NATO is using radio-active missiles in the aggression against Yugoslavia, which could lead to radio-active pollution and the jeopardizing of the population's health. NATO is aware that the use of these missiles will have long-standing negative repercussions on the population and soil in Yugoslavia and the wider region of the Balkans, emphasizes the Austrian organization, recalling that the UN Human Rights Commission has condemned the use of such missiles.

***

A NATO aggressor plane fell in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, between the municipalities of Lopare in Repubika Srpska (RS) and Tuzla in the Moslem-Croat Federation.

The NATO plane discharged a number of missiles which did not explode. The missiles were found on Crveno hill in the municipality of Ugljevik in RS. According to Tanjug, the plane was shot by the Yugoslav Army anti-aircraft defence, and the pilot tried to land on Tuzla airport under SFOR command. The site where the plane crashed is overflown by other NATO planes, probably in search of the pilot, Tanjug reports.

DROPPING BOMBS ON THE HOSPITALS

Not even a distinctive Red Cross or Crescent, a sign which marks protected areas throughout the entire world, did prevent the NATO criminals from dropping their deadly missiles in a bloody feast during the night on April 12, only 30 metres from a Belgrade hospital, while the patients were sleeping.

Several missiles hit makeshift hangars in the immediate vicinity of the Military Medical Academy's building. Great damage made in the wards, especially on higher floors, also implies that this medical institution was the real target of NATO's monstrous attack, said Aco Jovicic, head of the Military Medical Academy. 20 patients were injured because of the detonation, which caused enormous material damage. Shell fragments on the patients' beds, broken glass at every step and damaged ceilings are unfortunately the sight of the Military Medical Academy after the barbarian bombing of this part of Belgrade. The shameful attack on the hospital has disturbed around a thousand patients and contributed to an aggravation of their condition. Among them there are more than 200 civilians from the entire country, victims of the attacks of perverted aggressor so far. One of the patients is a boy hurt in the bombardment of Pristina. The doctors of the Military Medical Academy have been fighting for his life for five days already, with small chances of saving him, Dr Jovicic said. In the brutal attack by those who equate their so-called democracy with bombs, the patients accommodated in beds by the windows had the worst fate. Mostly paralyzed and seriously ill, they silently listened to one detonation after another. In a clinic for internal diseases, patients with serious heart conditions were awakened by a strong detonation. Fragments of metal ceiling construction and broken windows were falling on the beds. Radosav Milosavljevic, a serious heart patient lying by a window, was seriously injured in the head and underwent an operation immediately. Part of the ceiling and fragments of glass fell on Bogdan Stupar, a patient whose bed was also close to a window in the neurology clinic, so that he received serious head injuries. Despite surgery, his condition remains serious. The most seriously injured patient, Vladimir Debeljakovic, was operated on after a part of the ceiling fell on his head causing brain injury and bleeding. All remaining patients experienced enormous stress, their general condition is aggravated, and three of them suffered new heart attacks. The patients from the orthopedic department sustaining serious injuries, and spinal and hip disease, among whom there are many children, spent Tuesday night, like previous ones, in an air shelter. The director of the Institute for orthopedics and surgery, Slobodan Slavkovic, said that it was unbelievable that this worldly renowned institution, whose successes are well known in America as well, would suffer such hardships. The evil done by twisted NATO minds is unprecedented in the history of civilization and can be compared only to the vandalism of Jenghiz Khan's hordes, said the head of the Military Medical Academy, Aco Jovicic.

22nd DAY OF THE AGGRESSION

For four weeks now the sovereign FR Yugoslavia has been a target of the barbaric US-led Nato aggression. Most of world public opinion condemns this language of bombs in international relations. More and more statesmen, politicians, artists and public figures are voicing their outrage at the sufferings of Yugoslav women, children, the elderly; destruction of their homes, bridges and passenger trains. Awareness is growing by the day that what is currently taking place in Yugoslavia could happen to any country in case the world powers-that-be happen to dislike the manner in which it is managing its internal affairs. Also, moral anxiety is spreading throughout the world at the thought that the Europe-supported Nato planes are shredding European sky, and killing people in a sovereign country which had not violated any norm or regulation of international law.

This is the first time that a state - FR Yugoslavia this time, has been attacked by an armed force on its own territory without previously violating the rights and boundaries of another state, says Mari France Garot, Director of the Geographic and Political Studies Institute of Paris, raising her voice against the criminal act committed by Nato. For the first time, the western alliance, an extended arm of the US Armed Force, has engaged itself in a military conflict without previous authorization by the United Nations. Also, this is the first time that a war has been declared in the name of what is sarcastically known as 'the right of intervening', and which is taking place right here in Europe. This action is not only legally unfounded, it is equally absurd and dangerous, - concludes Mary France Garot adding that Nato is bombing Belgrade and Pristina for the sole reason that Serbia does not accept the indefinite presence of Nato troops with a policing mandate on its territory, since it is very well known that the moment the Albanian terrorists have gained autonomy, they will ask for an independent state.

'Under current circumstances, what could possibly be the outcome of the military operation which is underway? Does anybody need to be reminded', - asks the Director of the Geographic and Political Studies Institute of Paris, 'that the decision to engage Nato forces has been made despite the official disagreement of Russia and China, two permanent members of the Security Council. At issue is an unprecedented act whose negative consequences for the security of international relations seem to cast an immeasurably long shadow on the period ahead. 'Europe to which a firm federation has been promised as a means of securing the dominant position when compared to the United States, is now kneeling before the Americans', Mari France Garrot concludes.

Time is passing by and the monstrous Nato war-machine is persisting in its criminal intention of annihilating Yugoslavia from the face of the Earth. However, words of support and encouragement, come to the Serbian people from all over the world. The director of the world-renowned publishing house Valiza of Bari, Daniel Tiancane, who is also a famous Italian author, addressing what he described as his dear Serbian fellow-writers and the whole Serbian nation, says: 'I believe these monstrosities do not happen by accident. The world emperors do not allow anybody to have a different opinion, and wish to turn all their opponents from all other cultures who do not share their views into a 'tabula rasa'. This time they have made a mistake, says Daniel Tiancane, since he said Nato air-strikes attest to a total lack of knowledge about the roots of the Serbian nation and its moral strength. 'Remember', the Italians have a gift of foresight. It is no accident that our ambassador is still in Belgrade. This is not a chance. This is an omen.

The Yugoslavs standing on the Belgrade bridges as a live shield recite the lines from the poems by Desanka Maksimovic and the works of Ivo Andric. This author wrote: 'Building a bridge is the second best thing to do aftre building a drinking-fountain and I may add that razing a bridge is the greatest crime possible', - wrote Italian author Daniel Tiancane to his literati friends and the people of Serbia.

Copyright (C.) Radio Yugoslavia