Informazione
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ITALIJANSKA KOORDINACIJA ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
COORDINAMENTO NAZIONALE PER LA JUGOSLAVIA
Trst 16.11.2002., u 10,30 sati
(Drustvena Gostilna Kontovel-Trst, Kontovel/Contovello 152)
*** SKUP ***
Na rusevinama Berlinskog zida govorilo se o miru i prosperitetu. Tokom
svih tih godina, naprotiv, vidjeli smo samo rasplamsavanje ratova i
sve vise bijede: Od Iraka do Afganistana i Palestine, da bi se vratilo
Iraku
... prolazeci uvijek preko Jugoslavije...
Agresija na Jugoslaviju, u centru Evrope, je neprekidna, njen grabez
se nastavlja naveliko. Koja je njena danasnja prava ekonomska i
socijalna situacija, mimo dizinformacija i ucesca velikih medija u
tome? Kako nastavljati mnogim inicijativama solidarnosti tom ugrozenom
narodu?
Program:
* Igor Canciani (PRC Trst): Predlog
* Andrea Catone (IKJ / Most za Beograd, Bari): "Imperializam i
ratovi: agresija protiv SRJ-e"
* Gordana Pavlovic (Drustvo "Decja Istina", Beograd): "Socijalna
situacija u FR Jugoslaviji 2 godine poslije 5.10.2000."
* Vladimir Kapuralin (Socijalisticka Radnicka Partija Hrvatske - SRP,
Pula): "Ekonomska i socijalna situacija u bivsim jugoslavenskim
republikama danas. Slucaj Hrvatske"
* Lino Anelli (CGIL, radnicki sindikat, u Lombardiji): "Slucaj
Zastave"
* Fabio Sebastiani ("Liberazione", Rim): "Inicijative solidarnosti"
* Renato Kneipp (CGIL u Trstu): "Jugoslavenska imigracija u Trstu"
* Ivan Pavicevac (IKJ / "Jugoslavenski glas" na Radio Città Aperta,
Rim): "Ratna (i ne samo) dizinformacija: Slucaj Jugoslavije"
Predsjedavajuci: Gilberto Vlaic (IKJ / ZASTAVA Trst)
Organizira: Italijanska Koordinacija za Jugoslaviju i grupa "Zastava"
Trst
Sudjeluje: PRC (Partito Rifondazione Comunista), federacija Trsta
Inicijativa ce trajati cijeli dan. Za informacije, predbroj za poziv
van Italije 0039: 339 6587490 (na italijanskom), 349 4555344 (na
srpskohrvatskom), 040 225168 (slovenscina i Restoran), ili preko
elektronske poste: <jugocoord@...>
Coordinamento Nazionale per la Jugoslavia - https://www.cnj.it/
Gruppo ZASTAVA Trieste - http://digilander.libero.it/zastavatrieste/
*** Logisticka podrska ***
Za one koji putuju kolima:
Sa auto-puta skrenite kroz naplatnu rampu sa naznakom: Monfalkone,
nastavite pravcem za Trst jos nekih 6-7 km. Na raskrsnici za Sgonik
skrenite levo, pravac Trst, posle jednog kilometra, put ce vas dovesti
u Prosek; u samom centru grada skrenite desno, pravac Trst, i vec
nakon 500 metara, stigli ste u Kontovel (Contovello), pred samu
Drustvenu Gostilnu . Svaki mestanin ce umeti da vas uputi.
Za vas koji stizete iz Fernetica: skrenite u Proseku, a zatim se
drzite gore navedenih upustava.
Za one koji putuju vozom:
Gradski autobusi za Kontovel su 42 e il 44 sa polaznom stanicom na
Trgu Oberdan, nekih 300 metara od Zeleznicke stanice. Voznja traje
15-ak minuta. Zamolite sofera da vam kaze koja je stanica najbliza
Drustvenoj Gostilni u Kontovelu.
Red voznje autobusa 42 sa Trga Oberdan:
8.25, 8.40, 9.05, 9.50, 10.30, 11.10, 11.50
Red voznje autobusa 44 sa Trga Oberdan:
8.45, 9.25, 10.05, 10.45, 11.25
Rezervacija nocnog smestaja:
U nastavku lista pansiona gde bi se moglo prenociti 15. i 16. ali
treba sto pre rezervisati. Svi su locirani u neposrednoj blizini
zeleznicke ili autobuske stanice.
Nuovo Albergo Centro - Via Roma 11, tel. 040-3478790
(iskljucivo dvokrevetne sobe: 42 evra soba bez kupatila, 62 sa
kupatilom)
Rittmeyer - Via de Rittmeyer 2, tel. 040-762233
(24 e. jednokrevetna bez kupatila, 40 dvokrevetna bez kupatila, 55
dvokrevetna sa kupatilom)
Sobe - Via Roma 13, tel. 040-636249
(26 e. jednokrev. bez kupatila, 40 e. dvokrev. bez kupatila)
Postoji jos i smestaj u Studenskom hotelu koji se nalazi na pola sata
voznje autobusom od Glavne stanice. Obratite, medjutim, paznju na to
da hotel zatvaraju vec u 23h30, a da posle 21h vise nijedan autobus
ne vozi u njegovom pravcu.
Studentski hotel: Ostello Tergeste
Viale Miramare 331, tel. 040-567722.
Cena nocenja :12 evra (+ 5.5 za legitimaciju)
https://www.cnj.it/trieste.htm
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http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/files/vola_16_11.html
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ITALIJANSKA KOORDINACIJA ZA JUGOSLAVIJU
COORDINAMENTO NAZIONALE PER LA JUGOSLAVIA
Trst 16.11.2002., u 10,30 sati
(Drustvena Gostilna Kontovel-Trst, Kontovel/Contovello 152)
*** SKUP ***
Na rusevinama Berlinskog zida govorilo se o miru i prosperitetu. Tokom
svih tih godina, naprotiv, vidjeli smo samo rasplamsavanje ratova i
sve vise bijede: Od Iraka do Afganistana i Palestine, da bi se vratilo
Iraku
... prolazeci uvijek preko Jugoslavije...
Agresija na Jugoslaviju, u centru Evrope, je neprekidna, njen grabez
se nastavlja naveliko. Koja je njena danasnja prava ekonomska i
socijalna situacija, mimo dizinformacija i ucesca velikih medija u
tome? Kako nastavljati mnogim inicijativama solidarnosti tom ugrozenom
narodu?
Program:
* Igor Canciani (PRC Trst): Predlog
* Andrea Catone (IKJ / Most za Beograd, Bari): "Imperializam i
ratovi: agresija protiv SRJ-e"
* Gordana Pavlovic (Drustvo "Decja Istina", Beograd): "Socijalna
situacija u FR Jugoslaviji 2 godine poslije 5.10.2000."
* Vladimir Kapuralin (Socijalisticka Radnicka Partija Hrvatske - SRP,
Pula): "Ekonomska i socijalna situacija u bivsim jugoslavenskim
republikama danas. Slucaj Hrvatske"
* Lino Anelli (CGIL, radnicki sindikat, u Lombardiji): "Slucaj
Zastave"
* Fabio Sebastiani ("Liberazione", Rim): "Inicijative solidarnosti"
* Renato Kneipp (CGIL u Trstu): "Jugoslavenska imigracija u Trstu"
* Ivan Pavicevac (IKJ / "Jugoslavenski glas" na Radio Città Aperta,
Rim): "Ratna (i ne samo) dizinformacija: Slucaj Jugoslavije"
Predsjedavajuci: Gilberto Vlaic (IKJ / ZASTAVA Trst)
Organizira: Italijanska Koordinacija za Jugoslaviju i grupa "Zastava"
Trst
Sudjeluje: PRC (Partito Rifondazione Comunista), federacija Trsta
Inicijativa ce trajati cijeli dan. Za informacije, predbroj za poziv
van Italije 0039: 339 6587490 (na italijanskom), 349 4555344 (na
srpskohrvatskom), 040 225168 (slovenscina i Restoran), ili preko
elektronske poste: <jugocoord@...>
Coordinamento Nazionale per la Jugoslavia - https://www.cnj.it/
Gruppo ZASTAVA Trieste - http://digilander.libero.it/zastavatrieste/
*** Logisticka podrska ***
Za one koji putuju kolima:
Sa auto-puta skrenite kroz naplatnu rampu sa naznakom: Monfalkone,
nastavite pravcem za Trst jos nekih 6-7 km. Na raskrsnici za Sgonik
skrenite levo, pravac Trst, posle jednog kilometra, put ce vas dovesti
u Prosek; u samom centru grada skrenite desno, pravac Trst, i vec
nakon 500 metara, stigli ste u Kontovel (Contovello), pred samu
Drustvenu Gostilnu . Svaki mestanin ce umeti da vas uputi.
Za vas koji stizete iz Fernetica: skrenite u Proseku, a zatim se
drzite gore navedenih upustava.
Za one koji putuju vozom:
Gradski autobusi za Kontovel su 42 e il 44 sa polaznom stanicom na
Trgu Oberdan, nekih 300 metara od Zeleznicke stanice. Voznja traje
15-ak minuta. Zamolite sofera da vam kaze koja je stanica najbliza
Drustvenoj Gostilni u Kontovelu.
Red voznje autobusa 42 sa Trga Oberdan:
8.25, 8.40, 9.05, 9.50, 10.30, 11.10, 11.50
Red voznje autobusa 44 sa Trga Oberdan:
8.45, 9.25, 10.05, 10.45, 11.25
Rezervacija nocnog smestaja:
U nastavku lista pansiona gde bi se moglo prenociti 15. i 16. ali
treba sto pre rezervisati. Svi su locirani u neposrednoj blizini
zeleznicke ili autobuske stanice.
Nuovo Albergo Centro - Via Roma 11, tel. 040-3478790
(iskljucivo dvokrevetne sobe: 42 evra soba bez kupatila, 62 sa
kupatilom)
Rittmeyer - Via de Rittmeyer 2, tel. 040-762233
(24 e. jednokrevetna bez kupatila, 40 dvokrevetna bez kupatila, 55
dvokrevetna sa kupatilom)
Sobe - Via Roma 13, tel. 040-636249
(26 e. jednokrev. bez kupatila, 40 e. dvokrev. bez kupatila)
Postoji jos i smestaj u Studenskom hotelu koji se nalazi na pola sata
voznje autobusom od Glavne stanice. Obratite, medjutim, paznju na to
da hotel zatvaraju vec u 23h30, a da posle 21h vise nijedan autobus
ne vozi u njegovom pravcu.
Studentski hotel: Ostello Tergeste
Viale Miramare 331, tel. 040-567722.
Cena nocenja :12 evra (+ 5.5 za legitimaciju)
[Le elezioni nella Republika Srpska non hanno avuto l'esito desiderato
e la Cia si sforza di rovesciare la situazione, e di imporre una
"propria" gestione unificata per entrambe le "entita'" della
Bosnia-Erzegovina...
I dispacci ANSA - tratti dalla URL
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/jugoslavia/jugoslavia.shtml -
sono qui riportati in ordine cronologico inverso.]
JUGOSLAVIA: VENDITA ARMI A IRAQ, NUOVO DIRETTORE JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 5 NOV - Stevan Nikcevic, viceministro degli interni
jugoslavo, e' stato nominato oggi a capo della societa' a
partecipazione statale Jugoimport, recentemente implicata in un grave
scandalo per esportazione illegale di armi verso l'Iraq.
Nikcevic sostituisce il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, silurato
proprio a causa dello scandalo. La vicenda continua a crescere nel
paese, con nuove rivelazioni che appaiono ormai quasi quotidianamente
sulla stampa.
Stasera e' atteso a Belgrado il ministro degli esteri britannico Jack
Strow. Il tema delle esportazioni illegali di armi via Belgrado verso
paesi interdetti da embargo dovrebbe essere il tema centrale dei suoi
previsti incontri con il presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica, il
ministro degli esteri Goran Svilanovic, il vicepremier serbo Neobojsa
Covic e altri esponenti governativi. (ANSA). 05/11/2002 16:35
BOSNIA: NATO, ISPEZIONE CASERMA E AEROPORTO DI BANJA LUKA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 05 NOV - La Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato
(Sfor) ha ispezionato oggi la caserma di Zaluzani e l'aeroporto
militare Mahovljani, nei pressi di Banja Luka, capoluogo della
Republika Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia). Lo ha reso noto la
televisione di Sarajevo. La Sfor non ha voluto commentare le ipotesi
che l'ispezione di oggi, definita di routine, sia collegata a quella
fatta il 12 ottobre nella societa' militare Orao di Bijeljina, quando
furono trovate prove sulle forniture, tramite l'agenzia governativa di
Belgrado Jugoimport, di pezzi di ricambio e assistenza tecnica
all'aeronautica di Baghdad. Mentre i militari della Nato controllavano
la caserma e l'aeroporto dell'esercito serbo bosniaco, un'altra
ispezione si e' svolta, con un'imponente dispiegamento delle unita'
di polizia militare, nella societa' Kosmos, sempre a Banja Luka. Il
direttore della Kosmos, generale Cvijetko Savic, ha dichiarato che
gli ispettori, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa
della Rs, hanno controllato tutti i contratti della societa' sulle
forniture di materiali militari. Dopo lo scandalo della violazione
dell'embargo contro l'Iraq, oltre ai dirigenti della Orao, il governo
della Rs ha silurato il ministro della difesa Slobodan Bilic e il
capo di stato maggiore dell'esercito Rs Novica Simic, ma la comunita'
internazionale insiste perche' sia condotta un'inchiesta dettagliata e
trasparente per individuare tutti i responsabili, senza escludere
''ripercussioni'' contro i leader politici se sara' accertato che sono
implicati nella vendita di materiali militari all'Iraq. Il
viceministro della difesa della Federazione Bh (croato musulmana)
Ferid Buljubasic ha annunciato oggi che anche in questa entita'
saranno effettuati dettagliati controlli delle nove aziende di
produzione militare. Il governo centrale bosniaco ha vietato intanto
ogni commercio di armamenti ed equipaggiamenti militari fino a che non
sara' definito un nuovo sistema di controllo dell'industria militare a
livello dello Stato di Bosnia Erzegovina, che non ha un ministero
della difesa. Sono le due entita' in cui e' divisa la Bosnia
dall'accordo di pace di Dayton, la Rs e la Federazione Bh (croato
musulmana), ad avere invece ciascuna un esercito e un ministero della
difesa. Ora la comunita' internazionale insiste perche' siano creati
strumenti di controllo e istituzioni a livello dello Stato. Un unico
comando delle forze armate e un ministero della difesa e' anche la
condizione prima per l'entrata della Bosnia nel partenariato per la
pace della Nato. (ANSA). COR*VD 05/11/2002 19:45
IRAQ: TARGATO BELGRADO IL BUNKER D'ORO DI SADDAM / ANSA
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 5 NOV - Maniglie, rubinetteria e decorazioni in oro
massiccio, pavimenti e pareti ricoperti dei marmi piu' pregiati
provenienti da ogni angolo del mondo: sembra uscito da una favola
delle 'Mille e una notte' il bunker segreto del presidente iracheno
Saddam Hussein, nel racconto che ne ha fatto alla stampa serba il
supervisore dei lavori, l'ex generale jugoslavo Sreten Cupic. Cupic,
ingegnere militare ormai in pensione, e' ancora molto reticente in
proposito: ''Non posso descrivere tutto - dice in una intervista al
quotidiano Blic - perche' esistono vincoli contrattuali tuttora in
vigore. Non chiedetemi quindi se sotto quel bunker, progettato per
resistere a un attacco atomico, ci sia una vera e propria citta' di
fedelissimi, come vorrebbero le voci. Ma una cosa ve la dico per
certa: quando abbiamo iniziato la costruzione, nel 1981, quello
era il progetto piu' costoso dell'anno in tutto il mondo. Pensate, un
miliardo e cento milioni di dollari, a quell'epoca''. Del lusso
sfrenato di quel rifugio pero' l'ingegner Cupic non fa mistero:
''Vedevo arrivare carichi e carichi degli arredi piu' costosi, di
marmi, legni pregiati e oro, tantissimo oro. Panorama a parte, quel
bunker non ha nulla da invidiare alle ville piu' sontuose del globo,
tranne forse il buon gusto''. La reggia sotterranea di Saddam, per
quanto suggestiva (progetto segreto codice 1100, costruito da operai
militari) non e' la sola opera monumentale, ne' certamente la piu'
pericolosa costruita da Belgrado in Iraq fra gli anni '70 e gli anni
'80. ''Dal 1976 al 1982 ero capo dei nostri progetti commerciali
militari per gli iracheni - racconta Cupic - e abbiamo fatto affari
d'oro. Le commesse raggiungevano cifre di 600-800 milioni di
dollari l'anno, con una punta di 2,5 miliardi di anticipi nell' '81,
l'anno di avvio dei lavori del bunker''. Fra le decine di opere -
''avevamo 70 cantieri aperti, un numero di operai jugoslavi attorno
alle 20.000 unita', con punte di 26.000 in alcuni momenti'' - la piu'
inquietante e' il gigantesco complesso chimico etichettato in codice
Kol1: 17 fabbriche di esplosivi, gas e quant'altro sparse su un'area
di 70 chilometri quadrati, ''che per essere visitata interamente
richiede almeno quattro giorni. E' la base della loro industria
militare'', afferma l'ingegnere. E ancora: tre fabbriche di armi -
soprattutto fucili a ripetizione e kalashnikov - e una di munizioni,
tre grandi basi aeronautiche e una piu' piccola, tutte dotate di
hangar sotterranei ''grandi come citta''', il tutto concentrato in
una regione di 500 chilometri attorno a Baghdad. Nonche' fabbriche per
la riparazione di carri armati, postazioni militari di comando sparse
un po' in tutto il paese, i quartier generali dello stato maggiore e
dell'aeronautica.
''Tutte le societa' jugoslave in quegli anni - ricorda Cupic - erano
coinvolte e facevano grandi affari con l'Iraq, era il periodo d'oro
dei paesi non allineati. Oltre a Jugoimport, che come e' stato
dimostrato ha continuato a lavorare in Iraq anche dopo l'avvento
della democrazia in Serbia, operavano a Baghdad le maggiori imprese
costruttrici jugoslave, come Energoproject e Rad, le fabbriche di
esplosivi come la Prva Iskra di Baric o la Zastava di Kragujevac''.
Ora, con lo scandalo Jugoimport che sembra allargarsi a macchia
d'olio, Washington potrebbe presentare a Belgrado un conto salato per
quella collaborazione mai interrotta: ''Penso - afferma il navigato
ingegnere - che ci sia un fondamento di verita' nelle voci che
ho sentito di una consegna dei nostri progetti iracheni agli Stati
Uniti, per uscire fuori da questa situazione''. (ANSA). OT 05/11/2002
20:04
IRAQ: GB CHIEDE A JUGOSLAVIA DI CESSARE VENDITA ARMI
(ANSA-AFP) - LONDRA, 31 OTT - Il ministro degli Esteri britannico Jack
Straw ha chiesto alla Jugoslavia di cessare le vendite di armi
all'Iraq e alla Liberia, in violazione delle sanzioni imposte
dall'Onu, in occasione di un incontro, ieri a Londra, con il collega
jugoslavo Goran Svilanovic.
In un comunicato, Straw afferma di aver espresso la sua ''seria
preoccupazione riguardo a informazioni su vendite d'armi dalla
Repubblica federale jugoslava all'Iraq''. ''Ho anche evocato altre
violazioni di sanzioni dell'Onu'', ha aggiunto il segretario al
Foreign Office, menzionando forniture d'armi alla Liberia. ''Ho
sollecitato Svilanovic ad assicurarsi che codeste vendite d'armi
siano oggetto di un'inchiesta approfondita, che porti se necessario a
procedimenti giudiziari'', ha proseguito Straw. Il ministro ha
altresi' espresso preoccupazione per la mancanza di una cooperazione
piena di Belgrado con il Tribunale penale internazionale sulla ex
Jugoslavia (Tpi), annunciando di aver chiesto un ''accesso completo ai
documenti e ai testimoni, compresi gli ufficiali e il personale
militare'' e il trasferimento all'Aja di ''tutti gli imputati che si
trovano sul territorio'' jugoslavo. La compagnia statale jugoslava
Jugoimport e' stata chiamata in causa dalle autorita' della Republika
Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia) in relazione a forniture a
Baghdad di pezzi di ricambio per aerei militari prodotti dalla ditta
serbo-bosniaca Orao. Belgrado ha licenziato due persone sospettate di
coinvolgimento in vendite d'armi illegali e ordinato un' inchiesta
sulle attivita' di Jugoimport. (ANSA-AFP). DIG
31/10/2002 02:19
JUGOSLAVIA: LIBIA, GRUPPO IMPRESE AIUTO' A PRODURRE MISSILI
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 30 OTT - Un gruppo di imprese jugoslave avrebbe
aiutato in passato la Libia a sviluppare un programma missilistico a
lungo raggio, vettori capaci di raggiungere Israele e di trasportare
anche armi di distruzione di massa. Lo rivela il settimanale 'Nedeljni
Telegraf', che pubblica un documento di protesta degli Stati Uniti nei
confronti di Belgrado. ''Gli Stati Uniti - si legge nel documento
pubblicato - si oppongono a qualsiasi cooperazione di tipo
missilistico con la Libia e l'Iraq e lavora attivamente per impedire
l'acceso (di Libia e Iraq) a tecnologie ed equipaggiamento
missilistici''. Secondo quanto sostenuto nel documento Usa, il
missile libico in questione e' capace di trasportare una testata di
500 chili ad una distanza di 1.500 chilometri, includendo dunque fra
i propri obiettivi Israele, tutto il Medio Oriente e anche il sud
d'Europa, Italia compresa. Nei confronti della Libia le sanzioni Onu
sono state sospese alcuni anni fa quando Tripoli consegno' i suoi
agenti sospettati della strage di Lockerbie. Ma la diffusione delle
tecnologie di supporto alle armi di distruzione di massa e' messa al
bando dal Regime di controllo sulla tecnologia missilistica, del
1987. (ANSA). COR-GV 30/10/2002 19:39
IRAQ: ARMI BOSNIA, DIMISSIONI MINISTRO DIFESA ENTITA' SERBA
(ANSA-AFP) - BANJA LUKA (BOSNIA ERZEGOVINA), 29 OTT - Il ministro
della difesa della Republika Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di
Bosnia) Slobodan Bilic, e il capo di stato maggiore dell'esercito,
Novica Simic, si sono dimessi in seguito allo scandalo delle forniture
di armi all'Iraq in violazione dell'embargo imposto dall'Onu. Lo ha
annunciato ieri un comunicato del Consiglio superiore di Difesa della
Rs. Il comunicato e' stato diramato al termine di una riunione durata
diverse ore del Consiglio superiore, che include il presidente della
Rs Mirko Sarovic e il premier Mladen Ivanic, e precisa che le
dimissioni dei due sono state accettate. Il Consiglio superiore
''ritiene che tale atto contribuisca a migliorare la posizione
internazionale delle Republika Srpska e della Bosnia, malgrado il
fatto che non vi sia una responsabilita' diretta'' dei due
dimissionari nella vicenda. Il 23 ottobre scorso la Rs aveva ammesso
che la societa' Orao (aquila), azienda serbo bosniaca che lavora per
l'esercito della Rs, aveva fabbricato componenti destinate ad aerei
caccia iracheni e che tali pezzi erano stati consegnati tramite la
compagnia jugoslava Jugoimport. Il 23 e 24 ottobre erano stati
silurati il direttore generale della Jugoimport, il generale in
pensione Jovan Cekovic, il direttore della Orao Milan Prica, il
comandante dell'Aeronautica col. Milan Vlacic e il capo della
Direzione del ministero della difesa per il traffico di materiali
militari e armamenti, Spasoje Orasanin.(ANSA-AFP). MC 29/10/2002
08:03
IRAQ: EMBARGO ARMI, SILURATI TRE FUNZIONARI SERBO-BOSNIACI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 24 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha deciso oggi la destituzione di tre persone
responsabili delle forniture di materiale militare all'Iraq da parte
dell'istituto dell'aeronautica militare 'Orao' di Bijeljina, in
violazione dell'embargo dell'Onu. Lo ha reso noto l'agenzia di stampa
Fena citando un comunicato diffuso questo pomeriggio a Banja Luka.
Nel corso di una riunione straordinaria del governo, alla quale ha
presenziato anche il presidente uscente della Rs Mirko Sarovic, sono
stati rimossi il direttore della Orao Milan Prica, il comandante
dell'Aeronautica col. Milan Vlacic e il capo della Direzione del
ministero della difesa per il traffico di materiali militari e
armamenti, Spasoje Orasanin.
''Il governo ha anche ordinato al ministero della difesa - si dice nel
comunicato - di condurre dettagliate indagini per accertare eventuali
responsabilita' dirette di altri funzionari e ufficiali''.
I documenti sequestrati il 12 ottobre dalla Forza di stabilizzazione
della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) presso la Orao, hanno confermato le accuse
degli Usa, che risalgono ai primi di settembre, secondo cui la Orao
ha fornito a Baghdad, tramite l'agenzia governativa Jugoimport di
Belgrado, materiali per la manutenzione e la revisione dei motori di
aerei Mig-21 e Mig-29 e l'assistenza tecnica.
Martedi' sera il governo jugoslavo ha destituito il direttore della
Jugoimport, il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e il viceministro
della difesa per le questioni economiche Ivan Djokic, ordinando la
chiusura dell'ufficio della societa' a Baghdad.
Accusato dagli Usa di lungaggini nell'inchiesta, il governo
serbo-bosniaco ieri ha ammesso la violazione dell'embargo contro
l'Iraq ed ha promesso sanzioni contro i responsabili.
Secondo quanto scrive oggi il quotidiano di Banja Luka Nezavisne
novine, tra le prove schiaccianti ritrovate dalla Sfor ci sarebbe
anche il contratto della Jugoimport con la 'Al bashair trade company'
di Baghdad, che prevede, oltre la fornitura di pezzi di ricambio, la
revisione da parte dei tecnici della Orao dei motori dei Mig21 e
Mig29 dall'ottobre 2000 all'ottobre 2005, per un ammontare di 8,5
milioni di dollari all'anno. (ANSA).
COR*VD 24-OTT-02 19:27 NNNN 24/10/2002 20:22
IRAQ: GOVERNO SERBOBOSNIACO AMMETTE VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 23 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha ammesso oggi la violazione dell'embargo
sulla vendita di armi all'Iraq. Lo ha reso noto la televisione
bosniaca. In una conferenza stampa Cvijeta Kovacevic, la portavoce del
governo ha ammesso che ''le informazioni mostrano l'esistenza di una
violazione dell'embargo''. ''Il governo ritiene necessarie le
sanzioni - ha aggiunto la portavoce - contro i dirigenti dell'azienda
Orao, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa della Rs''. La
Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) ha raccolto le
prove dell'esportazione in Iraq di materiale militare da parte
dell'azienda militare Orao di Bijeljina, nella Rs, tramite la
Jugoimport di Belgrado. (ANSA) COR-VD 23/10/2002 16:17
IRAQ: VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI, DJINDJIC CRITICA KOSTUNICA
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 23 OTT - Il primo ministro serbo Zoran Djindjic ha
accusato il presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica di ''mancanza di
professionalita''' per lo scandalo delle forniture di materiale
bellico bosniaco all'Iraq tramite la societa' di Belgrado
'Jugoimport', in violazione dell'embargo di armi contro Baghdad. La
vicenda, ha sottolineato Djindjic, ''danneggia seriamente la nostra
immagine all'estero. Credo che il presidente jugoslavo, come
comandante in capo dell'esercito, debba occuparsi di tali questioni, e
il non averlo fatto e' indice di mancanza di professionalita' ''. Lo
scandalo, ieri discusso dal governo federale in una riunione di
emergenza, ha gia' portato al siluramento del direttore di
'Jugoimport', il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e del
viceministro della difesa incaricato delle quetioni economiche Ivan
Djokic, nonche' all'ordine di chiudere l'ufficio di Baghdad della
societa'. (ANSA). OT 23/10/2002 17:02
IRAQ: GOVERNO SERBOBOSNIACO AMMETTE VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 23 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha ammesso oggi la violazione dell'embargo
sulla vendita di armi all'Iraq. Lo ha reso noto la televisione
bosniaca. In una conferenza stampa Cvijeta Kovacevic, la portavoce del
governo ha ammesso che ''le informazioni mostrano l'esistenza di una
violazione dell'embargo''. ''Il governo ritiene necessarie le
sanzioni - ha aggiunto la portavoce - contro i dirigenti dell'azienda
Orao, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa della Rs''.
La Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) ha raccolto
le prove dell'esportazione in Iraq di materiale militare da parte
dell'azienda militare Orao di Bijeljina, nella Rs, tramite la
Jugoimport di Belgrado. (ANSA) COR-VD 23/10/2002 16:17
IRAQ: FORNITURE BOSNIA, SILURATO CAPO JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 22 OTT - Il direttore generale della societa'
Jugoimport, il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e' stato silurato
per decisione del governo federale jugoslavo al termine di una
riunione di emergenza dedicata allo scandalo della fornitura di
assistenza militare all'Iraq. Lo riferisce la televisione di stato
Rts. Jugoimport, stando alla stampa balcanica, aveva funto da tramite
fra Baghdad e la fabbrica serbo-bosniaca di aeroplani Orao (aquila)
per la manutenzione e riparazione dei motori dei Mig-21 e Mig-29 in
dotazione alle forze armate irachene. Stando alle rivelazioni dei
quotidiani, che citavano materiale sequestrato a Bijeljina
(Repubblica Srpska, l'entita' serba bosniaca) dai soldati della Sfor
(la forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia), Orao e Jugoimport
avrebbero fornito a Baghdad ricambi e personale specializzato, nonche'
dettagliate istruzioni su come smontare varie componenti in modo da
superare eventuali controlli da parte degli ispettori dell'Onu.
Jugoimport aveva oggi smentito coinvolgimenti nella vicenda,
affermando di non avere rapporti d'affari con l'Iraq dagli anni '90 e
di avere tenuto aperto il suo ufficio di Baghdad solo per recuperare
crediti per 1,3 miliardi di dollari risalenti agli anni '70-80.
(ANSA). OT 22/10/2002 20:47
IRAQ: FORNITURE BOSNIA, RIUNIONE A BELGRADO SU JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 22 OTT - Il governo federale jugoslavo ha indetto
una riunione di emergenza per fare luce sulle notizie di stampa che
riguardano il coinvolgimento della societa' Jugoimport nella
fornitura all'Iraq di tecnici e materiale della fabbrica
serbo-bosniaca Orao per la manutenzione di aerei militari Mig-21 e
Mig-29. Alla riunione partecipano il premier federale Dragisa Pesic,
il vicepremier Miroljub Labus, il ministro degli interni Zoran
Zivkovic e il ministro degli interni serbo Dusan Mihajlovic,
quest'ultimo presidente del comitato di controllo sulle attivita'
della Jugoimport. ''Ne' io, ne' il comitato eravamo stati informati
della vicenda'', ha dichiarato Mihajlovic ai giornalisti sottolineando
che la Serbia ''e' schierata col fronte internazionale per la lotta
al terrorismo e rispetta i regimi di sanzioni'' e che una
''approfondita indagine'' e' stata ordinata non solo nei confronti
della Jugoimport, ma anche delle altre aziende produttrici di
armamenti del paese. La Jugoimport, un tempo interamente controllata
dalle forze armate jugoslave, ha tutt'ora al vertice un generale,
Jovan Cekovic, e il capo del suo ufficio di Baghdad, Krsto Grujovic,
e' un colonnello. Alla riunione del governo federale non prende parte
il capo di stato maggiore ad interim Branko Krga, impegnato in
una visita in Repubblica ceca, ne' si ha notizia della presenza di
altri rappresentanti delle forze armate. (ANSA) OT 22/10/2002 18:02
IRAQ: DA BOSNIA VIA SERBIA MATERIALE E TECNICI, STAMPA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 22 OTT - I documenti sequestrati dalla Forza di
stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) presso l'istituto
dell'aeronautica Orao di Bijeljina, confermano le accuse degli Usa
secondo cui la Orao ha fornito a Baghdad, tramite Belgrado, materiali
per la manutenzione e la revisione dei motori di aerei Mig-21 e
Mig-29, in violazione delle risoluzioni del Consiglio di sicurezza
dell'Onu. Lo scrive oggi il quotidiano di Sarajevo Oslobodjenje
richiamandosi a fonti che hanno chiesto l'anonimato. Secondo le fonti,
i tecnici della Orao, rimasti a tutt'oggi in Iraq, stanno febbrilmente
cercando, prima dell'arrivo degli ispettori dell'Onu, di nascondere
le tracce da documenti, impianti e pezzi di ricambio, numeri di serie,
insegne e marchi della Orao, libretti di istruzioni in serbo-croato.
Prima della ispezione della Sfor il 12 ottobre scorso, Washington
aveva protestato con il governo centrale di Sarajevo per la fornitura
di materiali militari da parte ''di un'impresa della Republika
Srpska'' (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia) ed e' stata avviata un'indagine
dal ministero di difesa della Rs. Ma, secondo gli americani, scrive
ancora il giornale, l'inchiesta non viene condotta seriamente,
nonostante alla commissione ministeriale siano stati messi a
disposizioni alcuni documenti ritrovati dalla Sfor. La Bosnia ora,
secondo Oslobojenje, rischia sanzioni. ''I rappresentanti degli Usa
hanno offerto alle autorita' della Rs l'opportunita' di condurre
un'inchiesta autonoma - ha detto la fonte - e di intraprendere le
misure contro i responsabili, ma ora stanno perdendo la pazienza''.
''Sono possibili - ha aggiunto - vari tipi di sanzioni contro la
Bosnia, la Rs, le singole imprese come la Orao, ma anche singoli
individui''. In sanzioni potrebbe incorrere anche la Jugoslavia,
scrive oggi dal suo canto il quotidiano di Belgrado 'Blic' rivelando
che e' la societa' 'Jugoimport' di Belgrado che da tempo esporta in
Iraq il materiale militare della Orao. La Jugoimport ha anche un
ufficio di rappresentanza a Baghdad, il direttore del quale, Krsto
Grujovic, ha firmato una lettera - datata 25 settembre e ritrovata
dalla Sfor a Bijeljina, in cui si danno istruzioni agli iracheni su
come deve essere mascherata la provenienza degli impianti e dei
ricambi forniti. I tecnici presenti in Iraq, che secondo
Blic sono jugoslavi, si dice ancora nella lettera, potranno
smantellare alcuni impianti in dieci giorni e rimontarli di nuovo,
sempre in dieci giorni, dopo il passaggio degli ispettori dell'Onu.
Buone relazioni commerciali in campo militare tra Belgrado e Baghdad
risalgono ancora all'epoca della Jugoslavia di Tito e secondo fonti
bene informate, Belgrado le ha mantenute anche dopo la dissoluzione
dell'ex Jugoslavia. L'istituto dell'aeronautica Orao (Aquila),
situato prima della guerra (1992-95) a Rajlovac, alla periferia di
Sarajevo, e' stato trasferito dall'esercito federale jugoslavo durante
l'assedio della capitale bosniaca nel nord-est della Bosnia, vicino al
confine jugoslavo, a Bijeljina, citta' che oggi fa parte della
Rs. La Rs e la Federazione Bh (croato musulmana), le due entita' che
compongono la Bosnia secondo l'accordo di pace di Dayton (1995), hanno
ciascuna un proprio esercito e ministero della difesa e le forze
armate e l'industria militare della Rs sono rimaste anche dopo la
guerra fortemente legate con la Jugoslavia: fino al marzo scorso gli
alti ufficiali dell' esercito della Rs sono stati sul libro paga di
Belgrado. (ANSA) COR*VD 22/10/2002 16:15
e la Cia si sforza di rovesciare la situazione, e di imporre una
"propria" gestione unificata per entrambe le "entita'" della
Bosnia-Erzegovina...
I dispacci ANSA - tratti dalla URL
http://www.ansa.it/balcani/jugoslavia/jugoslavia.shtml -
sono qui riportati in ordine cronologico inverso.]
JUGOSLAVIA: VENDITA ARMI A IRAQ, NUOVO DIRETTORE JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 5 NOV - Stevan Nikcevic, viceministro degli interni
jugoslavo, e' stato nominato oggi a capo della societa' a
partecipazione statale Jugoimport, recentemente implicata in un grave
scandalo per esportazione illegale di armi verso l'Iraq.
Nikcevic sostituisce il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, silurato
proprio a causa dello scandalo. La vicenda continua a crescere nel
paese, con nuove rivelazioni che appaiono ormai quasi quotidianamente
sulla stampa.
Stasera e' atteso a Belgrado il ministro degli esteri britannico Jack
Strow. Il tema delle esportazioni illegali di armi via Belgrado verso
paesi interdetti da embargo dovrebbe essere il tema centrale dei suoi
previsti incontri con il presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica, il
ministro degli esteri Goran Svilanovic, il vicepremier serbo Neobojsa
Covic e altri esponenti governativi. (ANSA). 05/11/2002 16:35
BOSNIA: NATO, ISPEZIONE CASERMA E AEROPORTO DI BANJA LUKA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 05 NOV - La Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato
(Sfor) ha ispezionato oggi la caserma di Zaluzani e l'aeroporto
militare Mahovljani, nei pressi di Banja Luka, capoluogo della
Republika Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia). Lo ha reso noto la
televisione di Sarajevo. La Sfor non ha voluto commentare le ipotesi
che l'ispezione di oggi, definita di routine, sia collegata a quella
fatta il 12 ottobre nella societa' militare Orao di Bijeljina, quando
furono trovate prove sulle forniture, tramite l'agenzia governativa di
Belgrado Jugoimport, di pezzi di ricambio e assistenza tecnica
all'aeronautica di Baghdad. Mentre i militari della Nato controllavano
la caserma e l'aeroporto dell'esercito serbo bosniaco, un'altra
ispezione si e' svolta, con un'imponente dispiegamento delle unita'
di polizia militare, nella societa' Kosmos, sempre a Banja Luka. Il
direttore della Kosmos, generale Cvijetko Savic, ha dichiarato che
gli ispettori, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa
della Rs, hanno controllato tutti i contratti della societa' sulle
forniture di materiali militari. Dopo lo scandalo della violazione
dell'embargo contro l'Iraq, oltre ai dirigenti della Orao, il governo
della Rs ha silurato il ministro della difesa Slobodan Bilic e il
capo di stato maggiore dell'esercito Rs Novica Simic, ma la comunita'
internazionale insiste perche' sia condotta un'inchiesta dettagliata e
trasparente per individuare tutti i responsabili, senza escludere
''ripercussioni'' contro i leader politici se sara' accertato che sono
implicati nella vendita di materiali militari all'Iraq. Il
viceministro della difesa della Federazione Bh (croato musulmana)
Ferid Buljubasic ha annunciato oggi che anche in questa entita'
saranno effettuati dettagliati controlli delle nove aziende di
produzione militare. Il governo centrale bosniaco ha vietato intanto
ogni commercio di armamenti ed equipaggiamenti militari fino a che non
sara' definito un nuovo sistema di controllo dell'industria militare a
livello dello Stato di Bosnia Erzegovina, che non ha un ministero
della difesa. Sono le due entita' in cui e' divisa la Bosnia
dall'accordo di pace di Dayton, la Rs e la Federazione Bh (croato
musulmana), ad avere invece ciascuna un esercito e un ministero della
difesa. Ora la comunita' internazionale insiste perche' siano creati
strumenti di controllo e istituzioni a livello dello Stato. Un unico
comando delle forze armate e un ministero della difesa e' anche la
condizione prima per l'entrata della Bosnia nel partenariato per la
pace della Nato. (ANSA). COR*VD 05/11/2002 19:45
IRAQ: TARGATO BELGRADO IL BUNKER D'ORO DI SADDAM / ANSA
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 5 NOV - Maniglie, rubinetteria e decorazioni in oro
massiccio, pavimenti e pareti ricoperti dei marmi piu' pregiati
provenienti da ogni angolo del mondo: sembra uscito da una favola
delle 'Mille e una notte' il bunker segreto del presidente iracheno
Saddam Hussein, nel racconto che ne ha fatto alla stampa serba il
supervisore dei lavori, l'ex generale jugoslavo Sreten Cupic. Cupic,
ingegnere militare ormai in pensione, e' ancora molto reticente in
proposito: ''Non posso descrivere tutto - dice in una intervista al
quotidiano Blic - perche' esistono vincoli contrattuali tuttora in
vigore. Non chiedetemi quindi se sotto quel bunker, progettato per
resistere a un attacco atomico, ci sia una vera e propria citta' di
fedelissimi, come vorrebbero le voci. Ma una cosa ve la dico per
certa: quando abbiamo iniziato la costruzione, nel 1981, quello
era il progetto piu' costoso dell'anno in tutto il mondo. Pensate, un
miliardo e cento milioni di dollari, a quell'epoca''. Del lusso
sfrenato di quel rifugio pero' l'ingegner Cupic non fa mistero:
''Vedevo arrivare carichi e carichi degli arredi piu' costosi, di
marmi, legni pregiati e oro, tantissimo oro. Panorama a parte, quel
bunker non ha nulla da invidiare alle ville piu' sontuose del globo,
tranne forse il buon gusto''. La reggia sotterranea di Saddam, per
quanto suggestiva (progetto segreto codice 1100, costruito da operai
militari) non e' la sola opera monumentale, ne' certamente la piu'
pericolosa costruita da Belgrado in Iraq fra gli anni '70 e gli anni
'80. ''Dal 1976 al 1982 ero capo dei nostri progetti commerciali
militari per gli iracheni - racconta Cupic - e abbiamo fatto affari
d'oro. Le commesse raggiungevano cifre di 600-800 milioni di
dollari l'anno, con una punta di 2,5 miliardi di anticipi nell' '81,
l'anno di avvio dei lavori del bunker''. Fra le decine di opere -
''avevamo 70 cantieri aperti, un numero di operai jugoslavi attorno
alle 20.000 unita', con punte di 26.000 in alcuni momenti'' - la piu'
inquietante e' il gigantesco complesso chimico etichettato in codice
Kol1: 17 fabbriche di esplosivi, gas e quant'altro sparse su un'area
di 70 chilometri quadrati, ''che per essere visitata interamente
richiede almeno quattro giorni. E' la base della loro industria
militare'', afferma l'ingegnere. E ancora: tre fabbriche di armi -
soprattutto fucili a ripetizione e kalashnikov - e una di munizioni,
tre grandi basi aeronautiche e una piu' piccola, tutte dotate di
hangar sotterranei ''grandi come citta''', il tutto concentrato in
una regione di 500 chilometri attorno a Baghdad. Nonche' fabbriche per
la riparazione di carri armati, postazioni militari di comando sparse
un po' in tutto il paese, i quartier generali dello stato maggiore e
dell'aeronautica.
''Tutte le societa' jugoslave in quegli anni - ricorda Cupic - erano
coinvolte e facevano grandi affari con l'Iraq, era il periodo d'oro
dei paesi non allineati. Oltre a Jugoimport, che come e' stato
dimostrato ha continuato a lavorare in Iraq anche dopo l'avvento
della democrazia in Serbia, operavano a Baghdad le maggiori imprese
costruttrici jugoslave, come Energoproject e Rad, le fabbriche di
esplosivi come la Prva Iskra di Baric o la Zastava di Kragujevac''.
Ora, con lo scandalo Jugoimport che sembra allargarsi a macchia
d'olio, Washington potrebbe presentare a Belgrado un conto salato per
quella collaborazione mai interrotta: ''Penso - afferma il navigato
ingegnere - che ci sia un fondamento di verita' nelle voci che
ho sentito di una consegna dei nostri progetti iracheni agli Stati
Uniti, per uscire fuori da questa situazione''. (ANSA). OT 05/11/2002
20:04
IRAQ: GB CHIEDE A JUGOSLAVIA DI CESSARE VENDITA ARMI
(ANSA-AFP) - LONDRA, 31 OTT - Il ministro degli Esteri britannico Jack
Straw ha chiesto alla Jugoslavia di cessare le vendite di armi
all'Iraq e alla Liberia, in violazione delle sanzioni imposte
dall'Onu, in occasione di un incontro, ieri a Londra, con il collega
jugoslavo Goran Svilanovic.
In un comunicato, Straw afferma di aver espresso la sua ''seria
preoccupazione riguardo a informazioni su vendite d'armi dalla
Repubblica federale jugoslava all'Iraq''. ''Ho anche evocato altre
violazioni di sanzioni dell'Onu'', ha aggiunto il segretario al
Foreign Office, menzionando forniture d'armi alla Liberia. ''Ho
sollecitato Svilanovic ad assicurarsi che codeste vendite d'armi
siano oggetto di un'inchiesta approfondita, che porti se necessario a
procedimenti giudiziari'', ha proseguito Straw. Il ministro ha
altresi' espresso preoccupazione per la mancanza di una cooperazione
piena di Belgrado con il Tribunale penale internazionale sulla ex
Jugoslavia (Tpi), annunciando di aver chiesto un ''accesso completo ai
documenti e ai testimoni, compresi gli ufficiali e il personale
militare'' e il trasferimento all'Aja di ''tutti gli imputati che si
trovano sul territorio'' jugoslavo. La compagnia statale jugoslava
Jugoimport e' stata chiamata in causa dalle autorita' della Republika
Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia) in relazione a forniture a
Baghdad di pezzi di ricambio per aerei militari prodotti dalla ditta
serbo-bosniaca Orao. Belgrado ha licenziato due persone sospettate di
coinvolgimento in vendite d'armi illegali e ordinato un' inchiesta
sulle attivita' di Jugoimport. (ANSA-AFP). DIG
31/10/2002 02:19
JUGOSLAVIA: LIBIA, GRUPPO IMPRESE AIUTO' A PRODURRE MISSILI
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 30 OTT - Un gruppo di imprese jugoslave avrebbe
aiutato in passato la Libia a sviluppare un programma missilistico a
lungo raggio, vettori capaci di raggiungere Israele e di trasportare
anche armi di distruzione di massa. Lo rivela il settimanale 'Nedeljni
Telegraf', che pubblica un documento di protesta degli Stati Uniti nei
confronti di Belgrado. ''Gli Stati Uniti - si legge nel documento
pubblicato - si oppongono a qualsiasi cooperazione di tipo
missilistico con la Libia e l'Iraq e lavora attivamente per impedire
l'acceso (di Libia e Iraq) a tecnologie ed equipaggiamento
missilistici''. Secondo quanto sostenuto nel documento Usa, il
missile libico in questione e' capace di trasportare una testata di
500 chili ad una distanza di 1.500 chilometri, includendo dunque fra
i propri obiettivi Israele, tutto il Medio Oriente e anche il sud
d'Europa, Italia compresa. Nei confronti della Libia le sanzioni Onu
sono state sospese alcuni anni fa quando Tripoli consegno' i suoi
agenti sospettati della strage di Lockerbie. Ma la diffusione delle
tecnologie di supporto alle armi di distruzione di massa e' messa al
bando dal Regime di controllo sulla tecnologia missilistica, del
1987. (ANSA). COR-GV 30/10/2002 19:39
IRAQ: ARMI BOSNIA, DIMISSIONI MINISTRO DIFESA ENTITA' SERBA
(ANSA-AFP) - BANJA LUKA (BOSNIA ERZEGOVINA), 29 OTT - Il ministro
della difesa della Republika Srpska (Rs, entita' serba di
Bosnia) Slobodan Bilic, e il capo di stato maggiore dell'esercito,
Novica Simic, si sono dimessi in seguito allo scandalo delle forniture
di armi all'Iraq in violazione dell'embargo imposto dall'Onu. Lo ha
annunciato ieri un comunicato del Consiglio superiore di Difesa della
Rs. Il comunicato e' stato diramato al termine di una riunione durata
diverse ore del Consiglio superiore, che include il presidente della
Rs Mirko Sarovic e il premier Mladen Ivanic, e precisa che le
dimissioni dei due sono state accettate. Il Consiglio superiore
''ritiene che tale atto contribuisca a migliorare la posizione
internazionale delle Republika Srpska e della Bosnia, malgrado il
fatto che non vi sia una responsabilita' diretta'' dei due
dimissionari nella vicenda. Il 23 ottobre scorso la Rs aveva ammesso
che la societa' Orao (aquila), azienda serbo bosniaca che lavora per
l'esercito della Rs, aveva fabbricato componenti destinate ad aerei
caccia iracheni e che tali pezzi erano stati consegnati tramite la
compagnia jugoslava Jugoimport. Il 23 e 24 ottobre erano stati
silurati il direttore generale della Jugoimport, il generale in
pensione Jovan Cekovic, il direttore della Orao Milan Prica, il
comandante dell'Aeronautica col. Milan Vlacic e il capo della
Direzione del ministero della difesa per il traffico di materiali
militari e armamenti, Spasoje Orasanin.(ANSA-AFP). MC 29/10/2002
08:03
IRAQ: EMBARGO ARMI, SILURATI TRE FUNZIONARI SERBO-BOSNIACI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 24 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha deciso oggi la destituzione di tre persone
responsabili delle forniture di materiale militare all'Iraq da parte
dell'istituto dell'aeronautica militare 'Orao' di Bijeljina, in
violazione dell'embargo dell'Onu. Lo ha reso noto l'agenzia di stampa
Fena citando un comunicato diffuso questo pomeriggio a Banja Luka.
Nel corso di una riunione straordinaria del governo, alla quale ha
presenziato anche il presidente uscente della Rs Mirko Sarovic, sono
stati rimossi il direttore della Orao Milan Prica, il comandante
dell'Aeronautica col. Milan Vlacic e il capo della Direzione del
ministero della difesa per il traffico di materiali militari e
armamenti, Spasoje Orasanin.
''Il governo ha anche ordinato al ministero della difesa - si dice nel
comunicato - di condurre dettagliate indagini per accertare eventuali
responsabilita' dirette di altri funzionari e ufficiali''.
I documenti sequestrati il 12 ottobre dalla Forza di stabilizzazione
della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) presso la Orao, hanno confermato le accuse
degli Usa, che risalgono ai primi di settembre, secondo cui la Orao
ha fornito a Baghdad, tramite l'agenzia governativa Jugoimport di
Belgrado, materiali per la manutenzione e la revisione dei motori di
aerei Mig-21 e Mig-29 e l'assistenza tecnica.
Martedi' sera il governo jugoslavo ha destituito il direttore della
Jugoimport, il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e il viceministro
della difesa per le questioni economiche Ivan Djokic, ordinando la
chiusura dell'ufficio della societa' a Baghdad.
Accusato dagli Usa di lungaggini nell'inchiesta, il governo
serbo-bosniaco ieri ha ammesso la violazione dell'embargo contro
l'Iraq ed ha promesso sanzioni contro i responsabili.
Secondo quanto scrive oggi il quotidiano di Banja Luka Nezavisne
novine, tra le prove schiaccianti ritrovate dalla Sfor ci sarebbe
anche il contratto della Jugoimport con la 'Al bashair trade company'
di Baghdad, che prevede, oltre la fornitura di pezzi di ricambio, la
revisione da parte dei tecnici della Orao dei motori dei Mig21 e
Mig29 dall'ottobre 2000 all'ottobre 2005, per un ammontare di 8,5
milioni di dollari all'anno. (ANSA).
COR*VD 24-OTT-02 19:27 NNNN 24/10/2002 20:22
IRAQ: GOVERNO SERBOBOSNIACO AMMETTE VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 23 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha ammesso oggi la violazione dell'embargo
sulla vendita di armi all'Iraq. Lo ha reso noto la televisione
bosniaca. In una conferenza stampa Cvijeta Kovacevic, la portavoce del
governo ha ammesso che ''le informazioni mostrano l'esistenza di una
violazione dell'embargo''. ''Il governo ritiene necessarie le
sanzioni - ha aggiunto la portavoce - contro i dirigenti dell'azienda
Orao, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa della Rs''. La
Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) ha raccolto le
prove dell'esportazione in Iraq di materiale militare da parte
dell'azienda militare Orao di Bijeljina, nella Rs, tramite la
Jugoimport di Belgrado. (ANSA) COR-VD 23/10/2002 16:17
IRAQ: VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI, DJINDJIC CRITICA KOSTUNICA
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 23 OTT - Il primo ministro serbo Zoran Djindjic ha
accusato il presidente jugoslavo Vojislav Kostunica di ''mancanza di
professionalita''' per lo scandalo delle forniture di materiale
bellico bosniaco all'Iraq tramite la societa' di Belgrado
'Jugoimport', in violazione dell'embargo di armi contro Baghdad. La
vicenda, ha sottolineato Djindjic, ''danneggia seriamente la nostra
immagine all'estero. Credo che il presidente jugoslavo, come
comandante in capo dell'esercito, debba occuparsi di tali questioni, e
il non averlo fatto e' indice di mancanza di professionalita' ''. Lo
scandalo, ieri discusso dal governo federale in una riunione di
emergenza, ha gia' portato al siluramento del direttore di
'Jugoimport', il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e del
viceministro della difesa incaricato delle quetioni economiche Ivan
Djokic, nonche' all'ordine di chiudere l'ufficio di Baghdad della
societa'. (ANSA). OT 23/10/2002 17:02
IRAQ: GOVERNO SERBOBOSNIACO AMMETTE VIOLAZIONE EMBARGO ARMI
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 23 OTT - Il governo della Republika Srpska (Rs,
entita' serba di Bosnia) ha ammesso oggi la violazione dell'embargo
sulla vendita di armi all'Iraq. Lo ha reso noto la televisione
bosniaca. In una conferenza stampa Cvijeta Kovacevic, la portavoce del
governo ha ammesso che ''le informazioni mostrano l'esistenza di una
violazione dell'embargo''. ''Il governo ritiene necessarie le
sanzioni - ha aggiunto la portavoce - contro i dirigenti dell'azienda
Orao, dello stato maggiore e del ministero della difesa della Rs''.
La Forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) ha raccolto
le prove dell'esportazione in Iraq di materiale militare da parte
dell'azienda militare Orao di Bijeljina, nella Rs, tramite la
Jugoimport di Belgrado. (ANSA) COR-VD 23/10/2002 16:17
IRAQ: FORNITURE BOSNIA, SILURATO CAPO JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 22 OTT - Il direttore generale della societa'
Jugoimport, il generale in pensione Jovan Cekovic, e' stato silurato
per decisione del governo federale jugoslavo al termine di una
riunione di emergenza dedicata allo scandalo della fornitura di
assistenza militare all'Iraq. Lo riferisce la televisione di stato
Rts. Jugoimport, stando alla stampa balcanica, aveva funto da tramite
fra Baghdad e la fabbrica serbo-bosniaca di aeroplani Orao (aquila)
per la manutenzione e riparazione dei motori dei Mig-21 e Mig-29 in
dotazione alle forze armate irachene. Stando alle rivelazioni dei
quotidiani, che citavano materiale sequestrato a Bijeljina
(Repubblica Srpska, l'entita' serba bosniaca) dai soldati della Sfor
(la forza di stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia), Orao e Jugoimport
avrebbero fornito a Baghdad ricambi e personale specializzato, nonche'
dettagliate istruzioni su come smontare varie componenti in modo da
superare eventuali controlli da parte degli ispettori dell'Onu.
Jugoimport aveva oggi smentito coinvolgimenti nella vicenda,
affermando di non avere rapporti d'affari con l'Iraq dagli anni '90 e
di avere tenuto aperto il suo ufficio di Baghdad solo per recuperare
crediti per 1,3 miliardi di dollari risalenti agli anni '70-80.
(ANSA). OT 22/10/2002 20:47
IRAQ: FORNITURE BOSNIA, RIUNIONE A BELGRADO SU JUGOIMPORT
(ANSA) - BELGRADO, 22 OTT - Il governo federale jugoslavo ha indetto
una riunione di emergenza per fare luce sulle notizie di stampa che
riguardano il coinvolgimento della societa' Jugoimport nella
fornitura all'Iraq di tecnici e materiale della fabbrica
serbo-bosniaca Orao per la manutenzione di aerei militari Mig-21 e
Mig-29. Alla riunione partecipano il premier federale Dragisa Pesic,
il vicepremier Miroljub Labus, il ministro degli interni Zoran
Zivkovic e il ministro degli interni serbo Dusan Mihajlovic,
quest'ultimo presidente del comitato di controllo sulle attivita'
della Jugoimport. ''Ne' io, ne' il comitato eravamo stati informati
della vicenda'', ha dichiarato Mihajlovic ai giornalisti sottolineando
che la Serbia ''e' schierata col fronte internazionale per la lotta
al terrorismo e rispetta i regimi di sanzioni'' e che una
''approfondita indagine'' e' stata ordinata non solo nei confronti
della Jugoimport, ma anche delle altre aziende produttrici di
armamenti del paese. La Jugoimport, un tempo interamente controllata
dalle forze armate jugoslave, ha tutt'ora al vertice un generale,
Jovan Cekovic, e il capo del suo ufficio di Baghdad, Krsto Grujovic,
e' un colonnello. Alla riunione del governo federale non prende parte
il capo di stato maggiore ad interim Branko Krga, impegnato in
una visita in Repubblica ceca, ne' si ha notizia della presenza di
altri rappresentanti delle forze armate. (ANSA) OT 22/10/2002 18:02
IRAQ: DA BOSNIA VIA SERBIA MATERIALE E TECNICI, STAMPA
(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, 22 OTT - I documenti sequestrati dalla Forza di
stabilizzazione della Nato in Bosnia (Sfor) presso l'istituto
dell'aeronautica Orao di Bijeljina, confermano le accuse degli Usa
secondo cui la Orao ha fornito a Baghdad, tramite Belgrado, materiali
per la manutenzione e la revisione dei motori di aerei Mig-21 e
Mig-29, in violazione delle risoluzioni del Consiglio di sicurezza
dell'Onu. Lo scrive oggi il quotidiano di Sarajevo Oslobodjenje
richiamandosi a fonti che hanno chiesto l'anonimato. Secondo le fonti,
i tecnici della Orao, rimasti a tutt'oggi in Iraq, stanno febbrilmente
cercando, prima dell'arrivo degli ispettori dell'Onu, di nascondere
le tracce da documenti, impianti e pezzi di ricambio, numeri di serie,
insegne e marchi della Orao, libretti di istruzioni in serbo-croato.
Prima della ispezione della Sfor il 12 ottobre scorso, Washington
aveva protestato con il governo centrale di Sarajevo per la fornitura
di materiali militari da parte ''di un'impresa della Republika
Srpska'' (Rs, entita' serba di Bosnia) ed e' stata avviata un'indagine
dal ministero di difesa della Rs. Ma, secondo gli americani, scrive
ancora il giornale, l'inchiesta non viene condotta seriamente,
nonostante alla commissione ministeriale siano stati messi a
disposizioni alcuni documenti ritrovati dalla Sfor. La Bosnia ora,
secondo Oslobojenje, rischia sanzioni. ''I rappresentanti degli Usa
hanno offerto alle autorita' della Rs l'opportunita' di condurre
un'inchiesta autonoma - ha detto la fonte - e di intraprendere le
misure contro i responsabili, ma ora stanno perdendo la pazienza''.
''Sono possibili - ha aggiunto - vari tipi di sanzioni contro la
Bosnia, la Rs, le singole imprese come la Orao, ma anche singoli
individui''. In sanzioni potrebbe incorrere anche la Jugoslavia,
scrive oggi dal suo canto il quotidiano di Belgrado 'Blic' rivelando
che e' la societa' 'Jugoimport' di Belgrado che da tempo esporta in
Iraq il materiale militare della Orao. La Jugoimport ha anche un
ufficio di rappresentanza a Baghdad, il direttore del quale, Krsto
Grujovic, ha firmato una lettera - datata 25 settembre e ritrovata
dalla Sfor a Bijeljina, in cui si danno istruzioni agli iracheni su
come deve essere mascherata la provenienza degli impianti e dei
ricambi forniti. I tecnici presenti in Iraq, che secondo
Blic sono jugoslavi, si dice ancora nella lettera, potranno
smantellare alcuni impianti in dieci giorni e rimontarli di nuovo,
sempre in dieci giorni, dopo il passaggio degli ispettori dell'Onu.
Buone relazioni commerciali in campo militare tra Belgrado e Baghdad
risalgono ancora all'epoca della Jugoslavia di Tito e secondo fonti
bene informate, Belgrado le ha mantenute anche dopo la dissoluzione
dell'ex Jugoslavia. L'istituto dell'aeronautica Orao (Aquila),
situato prima della guerra (1992-95) a Rajlovac, alla periferia di
Sarajevo, e' stato trasferito dall'esercito federale jugoslavo durante
l'assedio della capitale bosniaca nel nord-est della Bosnia, vicino al
confine jugoslavo, a Bijeljina, citta' che oggi fa parte della
Rs. La Rs e la Federazione Bh (croato musulmana), le due entita' che
compongono la Bosnia secondo l'accordo di pace di Dayton (1995), hanno
ciascuna un proprio esercito e ministero della difesa e le forze
armate e l'industria militare della Rs sono rimaste anche dopo la
guerra fortemente legate con la Jugoslavia: fino al marzo scorso gli
alti ufficiali dell' esercito della Rs sono stati sul libro paga di
Belgrado. (ANSA) COR*VD 22/10/2002 16:15
1. Kosovo, elezioni farsa (27/10/02)
2. Kosovo, voto e strage (29/10/02)
3. Alcuni reportages sulla situazione in Kosovo-Metohija:
- Responding to the UN and UNESCO on the Continuing Destruction of
Churches in Kosovo and Metohija (OEA, September 2002)
- Council of Europe Human Rights Report (October 2002)
- European Agency for Reconstruction, Community Stabilisation
Initiatives, Jennifer Zimmermann's Report (August 2002)
4. Fondato il "Fronte Unito Nazionale Albanese" (Makfax 31/10/02)
5. Dientsbier says terrorism is with international blessing (Makfax
30/10/02)
6. Kosovo Serb refugees afraid they will never see their home again
(AFP 30/10/02)
7. PRISTINE: CENTER OF ETHNIC HATRED - NATO and the UNO, shame on you!
(PRAVDA 26/9/02)
=== 1 ===
http://www.ilmanifesto.it/Quotidiano-archivio/
27-Ottobre-2002/art49.html
il manifesto - 27 Ottobre 2002
Kosovo, elezioni farsa
Dalla contropulizia etnica, le amministrative. I serbi rimasti nel
terrore, non votano
TOMMASO DI FRANCESCO
Si chiamava Svetlana Stankova, la donna serba di 43 anni, madre di due
figli, uccisa il 14 ottobre scorso con una mina piazzata nelle
adiacenze di casa sua da estremisti nazionalisti albanesi nel
villaggio di Klokot (Gjilane), lo stesso dove un mese fa sono state
fatte saltare in aria 4 abitazioni di serbi. Svetlana ieri non è
potuta andare a votare alle elezioni amministrative farsa. Formalmente
a votare sarebbero dovuti andare in un milione e 300mila. Ma con
Svetlana - ultima vittima di una litania di morti che non hanno mai
fatto notizia - non hanno potuto votare i più di mille serbi,
rom, goranci e albanesi moderati, uccisi dai miliziani ex Uck a
partire dall'ingresso delle truppe Nato in Kosovo, dall'estate del
1999. Né hanno potuto votare i 1300 desaparecidos, serbi, rom e
albanesi moderati, rapiti e fatti sparire chissà dove. Così come non
hanno votato i 250.000 serbi e rom fuggiti nel terrore grazie alla
contropulizia etnica avviata sotto gli occhi dei contingenti «di pace»
della Kfor-Nato (35mila uomini).
Questi sono i «risultati» della guerra rivendicata da D'Alema. Hanno
però votato solo i kosovaro-albanesi. Per la terza volta dalla fine
dei bombardamenti «umanitari» della Nato contro la Jugoslavia nel `99.
Era considerato come l'ultimo banco di prova per le future possibilità
di coesistenza pacifica tra le due etnie della regione amministrata
dall'Onu, la maggioranza albanese e la minoranza serba. Ma i serbi
rimasti però ieri non sono andati a votare, determinati a boicottare
il voto, in segno di protesta contro le tragiche condizioni in cui
sono costretti adesso a vivere.
L'Occidente che con le Amministrazioni Onu (Unmik) ha di fatto avviato
l'indipendenza della regione, in aperto dispregio degli accordi di
Kumanovo, a questo punto spinge il piede sull'acceleratore, forte
anche del caos in Jugoslavia. Punta al fatto compiuto per nascondere
la verità: che per la legalità internazionale lo status del Kosovo è
quello di regione autonoma della Serbia e quindi della Federazione
jugoslava (verso la Serbia-Montenegro). Le elezioni amministrative
servono per consolidare la finta pace interna. In questi giorni il
governatore Onu per il Kosovo, Michael Steiner, per convincere i
pochi serbi rimasti a votare - ma dove potevano votare i profughi, non
l'ha detto -, ha proposto la nascita di «municipalità serbe»: una
sorta di bantustan che nemmeno Milosevic ha mai pensato per gli
albanesi.
Intanto tra un voto e l'altro, con candidati in guerra fra di loro per
spartirsi la torta kosovara (v. i cosiddetti aiuti internazionali e i
corridoi strategici), ma sempre d'accordo per l'indipendenza,
crescono depositi di armi, santuari della guerriglia che opera in
Macedonia, uccisioni di serbi e albanesi moderati. Al voto di ieri 68
formazioni. I principali partiti, entrambi albanesi, sono la Lega
Democratica del Kosovo (Ldk) guidata da Ibrahim Rugova, e il Partito
Democratico del Kosovo (Pdk), guidato da Hashim Thaci, ex leader
dell'Uck. Entrambi vogliono l'indipendenza del Kosovo. Ma in questi
tre anni l'ex Uck ha decimato con uccisioni la leadership de Ldk di
Rugova.
Ma davvero vanno così le cose in Kosovo? Peggio. Spesso c'è la farsa:
arriva anche il procuratore Carla Del Ponte a promettere, come ha
fatto il 21 ottobre scorso che «entro la fine dell'anno sarà
incriminato all'Aja il primo albanese del Kosovo». Lo fa da tre anni,
ma non accade mai. Eppure la cronaca di questi giorni dice che ce ne
sarebbero gli estremi. Il 10 ottobre i militari italiani sono dovuti
intervenire a Pec (Peja) contro una manifestazione di mille albanesi
scesi in piazza con sassi e molotov per cacciare un pullman di 50
anziani serbi, fatti rientrare dall'Onu in un villaggio adiacente.
In piazza c'erano leader locali che facevano un comizio per le
elezioni di ieri, e che aizzavano a cacciare i serbi. Sempre a Pec
(Peja) il contingente italiano ha scoperto un deposito di armi e
materiale di contrabbando: in carcere è finito il cugino del generale
Agim Ceku, ex capo militare dell'Uck, e ora capo del Tmk , la polizia
del Kosovo pagata dall'Onu, insieme ad Ekrem Lluka, proprietario della
«Dukagjini», il più grosso gruppo imprenditoriale del Kosovo-ovest.
Giustizia fatta? Poche ore dopo erano tutti in libertà. Per andare a
votare ieri.
L'Osce ha monitorato il voto: è la stessa organizzazione che il 24
marzo 1999, guidata dall'americano William Walker, abbandonò la sua
missione internazionale autorizzando di fatto i bombardamenti Nato.
E' iniziato lo spoglio delle schede. I primi risultati oggi, quelli
definitivi a dicembre.
Va tutto bene.
=== 2 ===
il manifesto - 29 Ottobre 2002
KOSOVO
Voto e strage
T. D. F.
Il giorno dopo le elezioni amministrative in Kosovo, il sindaco della
città di Suva Reka, nel sud, e due delle sue guardie del corpo sono
rimaste uccise in una sparatoria, secondo l'Osce che monitorava le
amministrative. Il sindaco, Uke Bytyci, è deceduto una mezz'ora dopo
la sparatoria nell'ospedale di Prizren. Esponente di spicco della
Lega Democratica del Kosovo (Ldk), di Ibrahim Rugova il maggior
partito della maggioranza kosovaro-albanese, Bytyci sarabbe stato
colpito in uno scontro tra suoi simpatizzanti e un altro gruppo
kosovaro-albanese in un villaggio presso Suva Reka, ha raccontato il
capo degli osservatori della Azione Kosovara d'Iniziativa Civica
(Kaci). Sarebbero - secondo fonti da noi ascoltate direttamente -
sempre uomini dell'ex Uck che in questi due anni dall'ingreso delle
truppe Nato in Kosovo, hanno decimato la leadership di Rugova.
Nonostante la strage, l'Ldk ha avuto la maggioranza assoluta in 11
delle 30 municipalità in cui si è votato (tra cui Pristina), ma in
altre 8 ha la maggioranza relativa. Una calo rispetto al Pdk dell'ex
comandante dell'Uck, Hashim Thaqi, che ha avuto la maggioranza
assoluta in 4 municipalità, ma in altre 3 è in forte crescita.
=== 3 ===
REPORT SULLA CONTINUA DISTRUZIONE DEI MONUMENTI RELIGIOSI IN
KOSOVO-METOHIJA
http://oea.serbian-church.net/info/908.html
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada Office of External
Affairs - Washington D.C. 202 463 8643
OEA News Briefs: September 2002
Responding to the UN and UNESCO on the Continuing Destruction of
Churches in Kosovo and Metohija
Washington, DC (OEA) September 2002 - In response to recent
desecrations, vandalism, and continuing patterns of violence facing
Serbian inhabitants, and churches, cemeteries and cultural properties
in Kosovo and Metohija, the Office of External Affairs (OEA)
working with the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, has raised the issue to
the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Kofi
Annan on behalf of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox
Church in USA and Canada; as well as to the Director of the World
Heritage Centre, UNESCO, Mr. Francesco Bandarin.
In two separate letters, the OEA cited these ongoing hostilities with
detailed reports indicating to the leaders of the UN and UNESCO, that
a great number of these treasures date back to the 13th century and
not only provide a historical account of Serbian culture and
spirituality, but are of great significance to world heritage at
large.
The loss of such precious frescoes, mosaics, and many more of the
finest examples of artwork from Byzantine and successive eras
underscores the need for international organizations to implement
effective means of safeguarding and preserving the treasures of Kosovo
and Metohija so as to avert the type of cultural eradication that the
world witnessed with the Taliban's dynamiting of centuries old
Buddhist statues in Afghanistan.
Beta News Agency, Belgrade
October 22, 2002 22:17
---
REPORT DEL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA SUI DIRITTI UMANI
Subject: [yugoslaviainfo] CoE Human Rights Report Criticizes
UNMIK-NATO For Plight Of Serbs, Others
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 03:16:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rick Rozoff <r_rozoff@...>
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=33405&LangID=1
For full report see:
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=33399&LangID=1
-Of the 250,000 Serbian, Roma and other minority
internally displaced persons (IDPs) officially
registered in Serbia and Montenegro and the 3,300,
predominantly Roma, refugees in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, the vast majority of whom fled
after the arrival of KFOR ground troops, only a few
thousand have so far returned.
-The security situation for Serbs, and to a lesser
extent, Roma, Egyptians and Ashkalies remains
difficult. Indeed, except for returning to established
Serb enclaves, returnees effectively require round the
clock KFOR protection and are barely able to travel
without escort.
Seeurope.net
Saturday, October 26, 2002
YUGOSLAVIA: Report On The Human Rights Situation In Kosovo
2002-10-25 14:24:14
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of
Europe, Mr. Alvaro Gil-Robles wrote a report, entitled
"Kosovo: the human rights situation and the fate of
persons displaced from their homes".
The report was prepared in response to a request by
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to
examine these issues in the context of the adhesion of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Council of
Europe.
It contains considerable criticism of the performance
of the international presence in certain areas.
The report highlights a number of special powers
enjoyed by the international community, which pose
serious problems from a human rights perspective.
---
REPORT SULLE CONDIZIONI DI VITA DEI NON-ALBANESI
SERBIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF RASKA AND PRIZREN
KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
Information Service
Newsletter, October 25, 2002
LIFE AT THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY
We would like to present the following report which deals with the
situation in which Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities in
Kosovo live today. The report explores ecconomic aspects of the life
of these vulnerable communities in the pervading atmosphere of
insecurity and lack of basic human rights and freedoms. Full
text in PDF is available at our Web-site (
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.pdf ),
Executive summary and conclusions are available in html format on:
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.html
THE UNSUSTAINABLE MINORITY LIVELIHOOD
Justifying the Need for Greater Economic Assistance
The European Agency for Reconstruction
Community Stabilisation Initiatives
Jennifer Zimmermann
August 2002
Full Text in PDF
161 pages in A4 format, 470 KB
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.pdf
Detailed overview of the situation in which non-majority communities
in Kosovo live (figures, tables)
This report was prepared with financial assistance from the European
Commission. The views expressed are those of the consultant and do not
necessarily represent any official view of the Commission.
Previous report by Jennifer Zimmerman, 2001
Why minority rights go unprotected- the international community's
tacit approval of reverse-ethnic cleansing in Kosovo
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm.html
=== 4 ===
FONDATA NUOVA ORGANIZZAZIONE GRANDE-ALBANESE
http://news.serbianunity.net/bydate/2002/October_31/3.html
Albania: New organization to unite Albanian territories, Makfax,
October 31st 2002
TIRANA, Albania (Makfax) - The United Albanian National Front is the
name of the new organization founded by the Albanian diaspora, mainly
in Europe. This organization aims to unite "all Albanian territories",
said Tirana's daily newspaper Balkan.
The newly founded organization shares the position with the so-called
Albanian National Army (ANA) regarding the unification of "Albanian
lands". This organization is likely to provide a military back-up to
the so-called ANA. This organization will expand its operations in the
Greek northern district of Chameria.
"The stabilization of Kosovo and the Albanian part of Macedonia are
not the only goals of the pan-Albanian movement, it also includes the
Chameria issue," Tirana's daily says.
The same source says the new organization has already made contacts
with the Albanian diaspora in Switzerland, Denmark and Germany. This
organization is headquartered in Tirana and it is fully supported by
the state and the ruling Socialists.
On the other hand, intelligence sources say the Albanian secret
service SHIK is dealing with this organization amid fears that this
organization could affect Albania-Greece relations.
=== 5 ===
http://news.serbianunity.net/bydate/2002/October_30/4.html
Dientsbier says terrorism is with international blessing
Makfax, October 30th 2002
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (Makfax) - Terrorism, including
the latest terrorist act in Moscow, did not break out
last September when the United States was under
attack, it started much earlier in Bosnia, Albania and
Kosovo, said the former Czech Minister of Foreign
Affairs Jiri Dientsbier, who was also the U.N. human
rights special envoy.
In Friday's interview with the Prague newspaper Pravo,
Dientsbier said not only the media but also the
politicians, who divided the terrorists into 'good
ones' and 'bad ones', were doing service to terrorism.
This is the case with the Chechens and the Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA) as well.
"When Osama bin Laden founded his own humanitarian
organizations in Bosnia and Hercegovina and Albania,
and later on he entered into arrangements with
Algerian terrorists in Albania (1994), nobody could
assume the eventual link to terrorism. During the
NATO-led bombardment on Yugoslavia, the Kosovo
Liberation Army was used as a ground force. The KLA
engagement during the NATO-led air strikes on
Yugoslavia enabled this organization to rule in Kosovo
and mastermind and carry out attacks in Macedonia,
southern Serbia and Montenegro", Dientsbier said.
Dientsbier underlines that U.S. President George Bush
had added a number of KLA members under the Executive
Order on Extremism in the Western Balkans, including
the leader of the National Liberation Army (NLA) Ali
Ahmeti, who won some 70 percent of the Albanian vote
in Macedonia's parliamentary elections.
Dientsbier says the Albanian extremists had also
killed thousands of Albanians, adding that ongoing
efforts to arrest those responsible turned
inconsequent.
"The international representatives in Kosovo fear that
the former KLA members could resort to violence
against the U.N. representatives and KFOR soldiers",
Dientsbier said in an interview with the Prague
newspaper Pravo.
=== 6 ===
From: Rick Rozoff
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bv/Qyugo-kosovo-serbs.R-yQ_COU.html
[Pardon the heavy-handed editorializing - standard in
all establishment press wire reports on Kosovo and the
Balkans in general.
For example, the inevitable mantra applied to the
murder and ethnic cleansing of over a third of a
million Serbian and other civilians: 'Revenge
attacks.']
Kosovo Serb refugees afraid they will never see their home again
Jean-Eudes Barbier
MATARUSKA BANJA, Yugoslavia, Oct 30 (AFP) - Not far
from their homeland in Kosovo that they left three
years ago under pressure from ethnic Albanian
guerrillas, thousands of Serbs fear they will never
see their homes again.
In the pretty spa of Mataruska Banja, near the
southern Serbian town of Kraljevo, a former hospital
was transformed into a "collective center," sheltering
dozens of Serb families who fled Kosovo following the
withdrawal of Belgrade troops in 1999.
The building hosts more than 200 men, women and
children who, ever since they fled their homes in the
western Kosovo region of Pec, have known only
idleness, but also feel totally abandoned.
"We are getting some supplies from the international
community. Nothing else. It's worse here than in
prison. There, the inmates have at least three meals
per day!" complained Milan, a man in his thirties.
Full of anger and impatience, Milan vows to find
something to do, to try to make money to survive. But
he said he was happy to find a week-long job at the
construction site, nothing longer.
"I spend my time biting my nails," he said.
Kosovo Serbs, most without work, gathered in a big
park in the spa, enjoying the mild sun in late
October. Two men were playing chess, hidden in the
shadow of a big tree.
"It's only when the weather is nice that we can enjoy
playing chess. Inside, there is only one big room
where everyone gathers, it's impossible to
concentrate," one of the players, Radovan, said.
This old man already fears the coming winter.
"It's terrible in winter. We see only each other, each
curled into his own glum thoughts. Not to mention
hygenic standards! Only seven bathrooms for all of us.
It's been like this for three years now," he
complained.
Radovan remembered how he and his neighbours had left
their homes in Klina, east of Pec, leaving their
belongings, land and animals, as quickly as they
could, although Yugoslav troops had still been present
in the area that summer of 1999.
The clashes between ethnic Albanian guerrillas of the
Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Belgrade troops ended
in June, in the aftermath of the NATO bombing campaign
on Yugoslavia. But Yugoslav troops had to withdraw
from the Albanian-dominated Kosovo.
"They did not have means to protect us any more. The
soldiers were only thinking of leaving. And the KLA
fighters were everywhere, approaching," Radovan said.
Several families have briefly returned to Klina to
check what happened with their property.
"My farm was ransacked. Nothing was left. My four
hectares of land are now cultivated by Albanian
peasants. Fortunately, I have my property papers, so
one day, I would be able to get compensation for what
I have lost: a lifetime work," said 53-year-old farmer
Miroslav.
This father of three said living conditions for his
family were "deplorable. "
"Thank God my children go to school. I have to hope
there is still hope for them," Miroslav said.
And those who live in this collective center
complained that no state official has visited them so
far.
"It was the same during the times of (former president
Slobodan) Milosevic as it is now with (President
Vojislav) Kostunica! They act as if we do not exist!"
said Branka, a young woman from Klina.
"My family lived there, in Kosovo, for centuries, what
can we do here?" she asked.
For them, the first step for a return to Kosovo would
be a change of the attitude of the UN administration,
which has run the southern Yugoslav province since
1999, towards ethnic Albanians.
"As long as they are supported as they are now, we
Serbs will never be able to return," one of the Kosovo
Serb refugees insisted.
More than 200,000 Serbs fled Kosovo in 1999 for other
parts of Serbia or neighbouring Montenegro, fearing
revenge attacks by ethnic Albanians after Belgrade's
troops pulled out.
The Serbs complain that both the UN and NATO
peacekeepers have failed to protect their communities
from ethnic Albanian reprisals or create the security
conditions necessary for the return of refugees.
=== 7 ===
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/09/26/37324.html
2002.09.26/20:21
PRISTINE: CENTER OF ETHNIC HATRED
NATO and the UNO, shame on you!
Protosyncellus of the Serbian Orthodox Church Sava Janic (the Diocese
of Raska and Prizren) describes the situation in Pristine, the
capital Kosovo, the autonomous Serbian region.
The number of Serbs living in Pristine before NATO started bombing in
1999 made up over 20,000 people. Currently, Serb population of
Pristine, a real Serb ghetto, makes up only 200 people. After the
ethnic cleansing operations held by militants of the allegedly
disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army, in the presence of KFOR and the UN
Civil Mission, hundreds of Pristine Serbs were killed; kidnapped on
the streets, hospitals, schools; and thousands were forced to leave
their homes for central Serbia.
Pristine is Europe's only large city where the freedom and rights of
any particular person depend exclusively upon his ethnic and religious
belonging. The events we currently witness in Pristine are happening
not in war time or under the totalitarian authority of some
nationalist leader.
Everything is going on in presence of well-armed NATO soldiers and
thousands of UN peacemakers. For three years after the armed conflict
in Kosovo, Serbs are still denied free access to schools,
universities, and other institutions everywhere in Kosovo and Metohja
where Albanians dominate.
Sometimes, some brave young Serbs dare to walk Pristine's streets
completely unprotected, with the a disdain for the ethnic hatred and
intolerance that Albanians have for anything of Serbian and Slavic
origin. At the same time, these young Serbs are really very cautious
and speak only English in crowded places. Some of them have forged
passports alleging that they are guests in the Kosovo capital; the
documents are issued by international organizations for the sake of
saving people?s lives amidst the hatred and intolerance.
Foreigners visiting Pristine usually don?t feel the atmosphere of
ethnic hatred in the streets. They don?t understand that the people
who innocently smile in the streets, restaurants, and shops are
Kosovo Albanians, for whom the noisy public life in Pristine means the
success of the mission to establish a multi-ethic community there. At
the same time, only a second, a closer glance reveals that the city
sticks to its own law, radically differing from habitual human laws.
Even deputies of a so-called multi-ethnic Kosovo parliament
"protecting" the interests of the Serb community, leave the Skupstine
building for a cafe or somewhere else only in armored police vehicles.
We won?t reconcile to the fact that the majority of international
representatives get used to this situation and do nothing at all to
change it for the better. Albanian politicians and the "intellectual
elite" are satisfied with the situation.
Under the "totalitarian" regimes of Milosevic and Tudjman in Serbia
and Croatia, many public and political organizations and students
openly protested against the terror in Pristine and in the Kosovo
region on the whole. Unfortunately, currently, there is no power to
openly oppose the discrimination of Serbs and other non-Albanians in
Kosovo.
Against this unfavorable background, the Albanian media in Kosovo
continues to "cleanse" everything of Serbian origin. The OSCE and UN
peacemaking missions call it "freedom of press." In the meantime, life
for the handful of Serbs still living in Pristine is becoming more and
more unbearable.
Compiled by Sergey Stefanov
PRAVDA.Ru
Father Sava Janic is one of Kosovo.com editors
Translated by Maria Gousseva
©1999 "Pravda.RU". When reproducing our materials in whole or in part,
reference to Pravda.RU should be made.
2. Kosovo, voto e strage (29/10/02)
3. Alcuni reportages sulla situazione in Kosovo-Metohija:
- Responding to the UN and UNESCO on the Continuing Destruction of
Churches in Kosovo and Metohija (OEA, September 2002)
- Council of Europe Human Rights Report (October 2002)
- European Agency for Reconstruction, Community Stabilisation
Initiatives, Jennifer Zimmermann's Report (August 2002)
4. Fondato il "Fronte Unito Nazionale Albanese" (Makfax 31/10/02)
5. Dientsbier says terrorism is with international blessing (Makfax
30/10/02)
6. Kosovo Serb refugees afraid they will never see their home again
(AFP 30/10/02)
7. PRISTINE: CENTER OF ETHNIC HATRED - NATO and the UNO, shame on you!
(PRAVDA 26/9/02)
=== 1 ===
http://www.ilmanifesto.it/Quotidiano-archivio/
27-Ottobre-2002/art49.html
il manifesto - 27 Ottobre 2002
Kosovo, elezioni farsa
Dalla contropulizia etnica, le amministrative. I serbi rimasti nel
terrore, non votano
TOMMASO DI FRANCESCO
Si chiamava Svetlana Stankova, la donna serba di 43 anni, madre di due
figli, uccisa il 14 ottobre scorso con una mina piazzata nelle
adiacenze di casa sua da estremisti nazionalisti albanesi nel
villaggio di Klokot (Gjilane), lo stesso dove un mese fa sono state
fatte saltare in aria 4 abitazioni di serbi. Svetlana ieri non è
potuta andare a votare alle elezioni amministrative farsa. Formalmente
a votare sarebbero dovuti andare in un milione e 300mila. Ma con
Svetlana - ultima vittima di una litania di morti che non hanno mai
fatto notizia - non hanno potuto votare i più di mille serbi,
rom, goranci e albanesi moderati, uccisi dai miliziani ex Uck a
partire dall'ingresso delle truppe Nato in Kosovo, dall'estate del
1999. Né hanno potuto votare i 1300 desaparecidos, serbi, rom e
albanesi moderati, rapiti e fatti sparire chissà dove. Così come non
hanno votato i 250.000 serbi e rom fuggiti nel terrore grazie alla
contropulizia etnica avviata sotto gli occhi dei contingenti «di pace»
della Kfor-Nato (35mila uomini).
Questi sono i «risultati» della guerra rivendicata da D'Alema. Hanno
però votato solo i kosovaro-albanesi. Per la terza volta dalla fine
dei bombardamenti «umanitari» della Nato contro la Jugoslavia nel `99.
Era considerato come l'ultimo banco di prova per le future possibilità
di coesistenza pacifica tra le due etnie della regione amministrata
dall'Onu, la maggioranza albanese e la minoranza serba. Ma i serbi
rimasti però ieri non sono andati a votare, determinati a boicottare
il voto, in segno di protesta contro le tragiche condizioni in cui
sono costretti adesso a vivere.
L'Occidente che con le Amministrazioni Onu (Unmik) ha di fatto avviato
l'indipendenza della regione, in aperto dispregio degli accordi di
Kumanovo, a questo punto spinge il piede sull'acceleratore, forte
anche del caos in Jugoslavia. Punta al fatto compiuto per nascondere
la verità: che per la legalità internazionale lo status del Kosovo è
quello di regione autonoma della Serbia e quindi della Federazione
jugoslava (verso la Serbia-Montenegro). Le elezioni amministrative
servono per consolidare la finta pace interna. In questi giorni il
governatore Onu per il Kosovo, Michael Steiner, per convincere i
pochi serbi rimasti a votare - ma dove potevano votare i profughi, non
l'ha detto -, ha proposto la nascita di «municipalità serbe»: una
sorta di bantustan che nemmeno Milosevic ha mai pensato per gli
albanesi.
Intanto tra un voto e l'altro, con candidati in guerra fra di loro per
spartirsi la torta kosovara (v. i cosiddetti aiuti internazionali e i
corridoi strategici), ma sempre d'accordo per l'indipendenza,
crescono depositi di armi, santuari della guerriglia che opera in
Macedonia, uccisioni di serbi e albanesi moderati. Al voto di ieri 68
formazioni. I principali partiti, entrambi albanesi, sono la Lega
Democratica del Kosovo (Ldk) guidata da Ibrahim Rugova, e il Partito
Democratico del Kosovo (Pdk), guidato da Hashim Thaci, ex leader
dell'Uck. Entrambi vogliono l'indipendenza del Kosovo. Ma in questi
tre anni l'ex Uck ha decimato con uccisioni la leadership de Ldk di
Rugova.
Ma davvero vanno così le cose in Kosovo? Peggio. Spesso c'è la farsa:
arriva anche il procuratore Carla Del Ponte a promettere, come ha
fatto il 21 ottobre scorso che «entro la fine dell'anno sarà
incriminato all'Aja il primo albanese del Kosovo». Lo fa da tre anni,
ma non accade mai. Eppure la cronaca di questi giorni dice che ce ne
sarebbero gli estremi. Il 10 ottobre i militari italiani sono dovuti
intervenire a Pec (Peja) contro una manifestazione di mille albanesi
scesi in piazza con sassi e molotov per cacciare un pullman di 50
anziani serbi, fatti rientrare dall'Onu in un villaggio adiacente.
In piazza c'erano leader locali che facevano un comizio per le
elezioni di ieri, e che aizzavano a cacciare i serbi. Sempre a Pec
(Peja) il contingente italiano ha scoperto un deposito di armi e
materiale di contrabbando: in carcere è finito il cugino del generale
Agim Ceku, ex capo militare dell'Uck, e ora capo del Tmk , la polizia
del Kosovo pagata dall'Onu, insieme ad Ekrem Lluka, proprietario della
«Dukagjini», il più grosso gruppo imprenditoriale del Kosovo-ovest.
Giustizia fatta? Poche ore dopo erano tutti in libertà. Per andare a
votare ieri.
L'Osce ha monitorato il voto: è la stessa organizzazione che il 24
marzo 1999, guidata dall'americano William Walker, abbandonò la sua
missione internazionale autorizzando di fatto i bombardamenti Nato.
E' iniziato lo spoglio delle schede. I primi risultati oggi, quelli
definitivi a dicembre.
Va tutto bene.
=== 2 ===
il manifesto - 29 Ottobre 2002
KOSOVO
Voto e strage
T. D. F.
Il giorno dopo le elezioni amministrative in Kosovo, il sindaco della
città di Suva Reka, nel sud, e due delle sue guardie del corpo sono
rimaste uccise in una sparatoria, secondo l'Osce che monitorava le
amministrative. Il sindaco, Uke Bytyci, è deceduto una mezz'ora dopo
la sparatoria nell'ospedale di Prizren. Esponente di spicco della
Lega Democratica del Kosovo (Ldk), di Ibrahim Rugova il maggior
partito della maggioranza kosovaro-albanese, Bytyci sarabbe stato
colpito in uno scontro tra suoi simpatizzanti e un altro gruppo
kosovaro-albanese in un villaggio presso Suva Reka, ha raccontato il
capo degli osservatori della Azione Kosovara d'Iniziativa Civica
(Kaci). Sarebbero - secondo fonti da noi ascoltate direttamente -
sempre uomini dell'ex Uck che in questi due anni dall'ingreso delle
truppe Nato in Kosovo, hanno decimato la leadership di Rugova.
Nonostante la strage, l'Ldk ha avuto la maggioranza assoluta in 11
delle 30 municipalità in cui si è votato (tra cui Pristina), ma in
altre 8 ha la maggioranza relativa. Una calo rispetto al Pdk dell'ex
comandante dell'Uck, Hashim Thaqi, che ha avuto la maggioranza
assoluta in 4 municipalità, ma in altre 3 è in forte crescita.
=== 3 ===
REPORT SULLA CONTINUA DISTRUZIONE DEI MONUMENTI RELIGIOSI IN
KOSOVO-METOHIJA
http://oea.serbian-church.net/info/908.html
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada Office of External
Affairs - Washington D.C. 202 463 8643
OEA News Briefs: September 2002
Responding to the UN and UNESCO on the Continuing Destruction of
Churches in Kosovo and Metohija
Washington, DC (OEA) September 2002 - In response to recent
desecrations, vandalism, and continuing patterns of violence facing
Serbian inhabitants, and churches, cemeteries and cultural properties
in Kosovo and Metohija, the Office of External Affairs (OEA)
working with the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, has raised the issue to
the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Kofi
Annan on behalf of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox
Church in USA and Canada; as well as to the Director of the World
Heritage Centre, UNESCO, Mr. Francesco Bandarin.
In two separate letters, the OEA cited these ongoing hostilities with
detailed reports indicating to the leaders of the UN and UNESCO, that
a great number of these treasures date back to the 13th century and
not only provide a historical account of Serbian culture and
spirituality, but are of great significance to world heritage at
large.
The loss of such precious frescoes, mosaics, and many more of the
finest examples of artwork from Byzantine and successive eras
underscores the need for international organizations to implement
effective means of safeguarding and preserving the treasures of Kosovo
and Metohija so as to avert the type of cultural eradication that the
world witnessed with the Taliban's dynamiting of centuries old
Buddhist statues in Afghanistan.
Beta News Agency, Belgrade
October 22, 2002 22:17
---
REPORT DEL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA SUI DIRITTI UMANI
Subject: [yugoslaviainfo] CoE Human Rights Report Criticizes
UNMIK-NATO For Plight Of Serbs, Others
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 03:16:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rick Rozoff <r_rozoff@...>
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=33405&LangID=1
For full report see:
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=33399&LangID=1
-Of the 250,000 Serbian, Roma and other minority
internally displaced persons (IDPs) officially
registered in Serbia and Montenegro and the 3,300,
predominantly Roma, refugees in the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, the vast majority of whom fled
after the arrival of KFOR ground troops, only a few
thousand have so far returned.
-The security situation for Serbs, and to a lesser
extent, Roma, Egyptians and Ashkalies remains
difficult. Indeed, except for returning to established
Serb enclaves, returnees effectively require round the
clock KFOR protection and are barely able to travel
without escort.
Seeurope.net
Saturday, October 26, 2002
YUGOSLAVIA: Report On The Human Rights Situation In Kosovo
2002-10-25 14:24:14
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of
Europe, Mr. Alvaro Gil-Robles wrote a report, entitled
"Kosovo: the human rights situation and the fate of
persons displaced from their homes".
The report was prepared in response to a request by
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to
examine these issues in the context of the adhesion of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Council of
Europe.
It contains considerable criticism of the performance
of the international presence in certain areas.
The report highlights a number of special powers
enjoyed by the international community, which pose
serious problems from a human rights perspective.
---
REPORT SULLE CONDIZIONI DI VITA DEI NON-ALBANESI
SERBIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF RASKA AND PRIZREN
KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
Information Service
Newsletter, October 25, 2002
LIFE AT THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY
We would like to present the following report which deals with the
situation in which Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities in
Kosovo live today. The report explores ecconomic aspects of the life
of these vulnerable communities in the pervading atmosphere of
insecurity and lack of basic human rights and freedoms. Full
text in PDF is available at our Web-site (
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.pdf ),
Executive summary and conclusions are available in html format on:
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.html
THE UNSUSTAINABLE MINORITY LIVELIHOOD
Justifying the Need for Greater Economic Assistance
The European Agency for Reconstruction
Community Stabilisation Initiatives
Jennifer Zimmermann
August 2002
Full Text in PDF
161 pages in A4 format, 470 KB
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm2.pdf
Detailed overview of the situation in which non-majority communities
in Kosovo live (figures, tables)
This report was prepared with financial assistance from the European
Commission. The views expressed are those of the consultant and do not
necessarily represent any official view of the Commission.
Previous report by Jennifer Zimmerman, 2001
Why minority rights go unprotected- the international community's
tacit approval of reverse-ethnic cleansing in Kosovo
http://www.kosovo.com/jzimm.html
=== 4 ===
FONDATA NUOVA ORGANIZZAZIONE GRANDE-ALBANESE
http://news.serbianunity.net/bydate/2002/October_31/3.html
Albania: New organization to unite Albanian territories, Makfax,
October 31st 2002
TIRANA, Albania (Makfax) - The United Albanian National Front is the
name of the new organization founded by the Albanian diaspora, mainly
in Europe. This organization aims to unite "all Albanian territories",
said Tirana's daily newspaper Balkan.
The newly founded organization shares the position with the so-called
Albanian National Army (ANA) regarding the unification of "Albanian
lands". This organization is likely to provide a military back-up to
the so-called ANA. This organization will expand its operations in the
Greek northern district of Chameria.
"The stabilization of Kosovo and the Albanian part of Macedonia are
not the only goals of the pan-Albanian movement, it also includes the
Chameria issue," Tirana's daily says.
The same source says the new organization has already made contacts
with the Albanian diaspora in Switzerland, Denmark and Germany. This
organization is headquartered in Tirana and it is fully supported by
the state and the ruling Socialists.
On the other hand, intelligence sources say the Albanian secret
service SHIK is dealing with this organization amid fears that this
organization could affect Albania-Greece relations.
=== 5 ===
http://news.serbianunity.net/bydate/2002/October_30/4.html
Dientsbier says terrorism is with international blessing
Makfax, October 30th 2002
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (Makfax) - Terrorism, including
the latest terrorist act in Moscow, did not break out
last September when the United States was under
attack, it started much earlier in Bosnia, Albania and
Kosovo, said the former Czech Minister of Foreign
Affairs Jiri Dientsbier, who was also the U.N. human
rights special envoy.
In Friday's interview with the Prague newspaper Pravo,
Dientsbier said not only the media but also the
politicians, who divided the terrorists into 'good
ones' and 'bad ones', were doing service to terrorism.
This is the case with the Chechens and the Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA) as well.
"When Osama bin Laden founded his own humanitarian
organizations in Bosnia and Hercegovina and Albania,
and later on he entered into arrangements with
Algerian terrorists in Albania (1994), nobody could
assume the eventual link to terrorism. During the
NATO-led bombardment on Yugoslavia, the Kosovo
Liberation Army was used as a ground force. The KLA
engagement during the NATO-led air strikes on
Yugoslavia enabled this organization to rule in Kosovo
and mastermind and carry out attacks in Macedonia,
southern Serbia and Montenegro", Dientsbier said.
Dientsbier underlines that U.S. President George Bush
had added a number of KLA members under the Executive
Order on Extremism in the Western Balkans, including
the leader of the National Liberation Army (NLA) Ali
Ahmeti, who won some 70 percent of the Albanian vote
in Macedonia's parliamentary elections.
Dientsbier says the Albanian extremists had also
killed thousands of Albanians, adding that ongoing
efforts to arrest those responsible turned
inconsequent.
"The international representatives in Kosovo fear that
the former KLA members could resort to violence
against the U.N. representatives and KFOR soldiers",
Dientsbier said in an interview with the Prague
newspaper Pravo.
=== 6 ===
From: Rick Rozoff
http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bv/Qyugo-kosovo-serbs.R-yQ_COU.html
[Pardon the heavy-handed editorializing - standard in
all establishment press wire reports on Kosovo and the
Balkans in general.
For example, the inevitable mantra applied to the
murder and ethnic cleansing of over a third of a
million Serbian and other civilians: 'Revenge
attacks.']
Kosovo Serb refugees afraid they will never see their home again
Jean-Eudes Barbier
MATARUSKA BANJA, Yugoslavia, Oct 30 (AFP) - Not far
from their homeland in Kosovo that they left three
years ago under pressure from ethnic Albanian
guerrillas, thousands of Serbs fear they will never
see their homes again.
In the pretty spa of Mataruska Banja, near the
southern Serbian town of Kraljevo, a former hospital
was transformed into a "collective center," sheltering
dozens of Serb families who fled Kosovo following the
withdrawal of Belgrade troops in 1999.
The building hosts more than 200 men, women and
children who, ever since they fled their homes in the
western Kosovo region of Pec, have known only
idleness, but also feel totally abandoned.
"We are getting some supplies from the international
community. Nothing else. It's worse here than in
prison. There, the inmates have at least three meals
per day!" complained Milan, a man in his thirties.
Full of anger and impatience, Milan vows to find
something to do, to try to make money to survive. But
he said he was happy to find a week-long job at the
construction site, nothing longer.
"I spend my time biting my nails," he said.
Kosovo Serbs, most without work, gathered in a big
park in the spa, enjoying the mild sun in late
October. Two men were playing chess, hidden in the
shadow of a big tree.
"It's only when the weather is nice that we can enjoy
playing chess. Inside, there is only one big room
where everyone gathers, it's impossible to
concentrate," one of the players, Radovan, said.
This old man already fears the coming winter.
"It's terrible in winter. We see only each other, each
curled into his own glum thoughts. Not to mention
hygenic standards! Only seven bathrooms for all of us.
It's been like this for three years now," he
complained.
Radovan remembered how he and his neighbours had left
their homes in Klina, east of Pec, leaving their
belongings, land and animals, as quickly as they
could, although Yugoslav troops had still been present
in the area that summer of 1999.
The clashes between ethnic Albanian guerrillas of the
Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Belgrade troops ended
in June, in the aftermath of the NATO bombing campaign
on Yugoslavia. But Yugoslav troops had to withdraw
from the Albanian-dominated Kosovo.
"They did not have means to protect us any more. The
soldiers were only thinking of leaving. And the KLA
fighters were everywhere, approaching," Radovan said.
Several families have briefly returned to Klina to
check what happened with their property.
"My farm was ransacked. Nothing was left. My four
hectares of land are now cultivated by Albanian
peasants. Fortunately, I have my property papers, so
one day, I would be able to get compensation for what
I have lost: a lifetime work," said 53-year-old farmer
Miroslav.
This father of three said living conditions for his
family were "deplorable. "
"Thank God my children go to school. I have to hope
there is still hope for them," Miroslav said.
And those who live in this collective center
complained that no state official has visited them so
far.
"It was the same during the times of (former president
Slobodan) Milosevic as it is now with (President
Vojislav) Kostunica! They act as if we do not exist!"
said Branka, a young woman from Klina.
"My family lived there, in Kosovo, for centuries, what
can we do here?" she asked.
For them, the first step for a return to Kosovo would
be a change of the attitude of the UN administration,
which has run the southern Yugoslav province since
1999, towards ethnic Albanians.
"As long as they are supported as they are now, we
Serbs will never be able to return," one of the Kosovo
Serb refugees insisted.
More than 200,000 Serbs fled Kosovo in 1999 for other
parts of Serbia or neighbouring Montenegro, fearing
revenge attacks by ethnic Albanians after Belgrade's
troops pulled out.
The Serbs complain that both the UN and NATO
peacekeepers have failed to protect their communities
from ethnic Albanian reprisals or create the security
conditions necessary for the return of refugees.
=== 7 ===
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/09/26/37324.html
2002.09.26/20:21
PRISTINE: CENTER OF ETHNIC HATRED
NATO and the UNO, shame on you!
Protosyncellus of the Serbian Orthodox Church Sava Janic (the Diocese
of Raska and Prizren) describes the situation in Pristine, the
capital Kosovo, the autonomous Serbian region.
The number of Serbs living in Pristine before NATO started bombing in
1999 made up over 20,000 people. Currently, Serb population of
Pristine, a real Serb ghetto, makes up only 200 people. After the
ethnic cleansing operations held by militants of the allegedly
disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army, in the presence of KFOR and the UN
Civil Mission, hundreds of Pristine Serbs were killed; kidnapped on
the streets, hospitals, schools; and thousands were forced to leave
their homes for central Serbia.
Pristine is Europe's only large city where the freedom and rights of
any particular person depend exclusively upon his ethnic and religious
belonging. The events we currently witness in Pristine are happening
not in war time or under the totalitarian authority of some
nationalist leader.
Everything is going on in presence of well-armed NATO soldiers and
thousands of UN peacemakers. For three years after the armed conflict
in Kosovo, Serbs are still denied free access to schools,
universities, and other institutions everywhere in Kosovo and Metohja
where Albanians dominate.
Sometimes, some brave young Serbs dare to walk Pristine's streets
completely unprotected, with the a disdain for the ethnic hatred and
intolerance that Albanians have for anything of Serbian and Slavic
origin. At the same time, these young Serbs are really very cautious
and speak only English in crowded places. Some of them have forged
passports alleging that they are guests in the Kosovo capital; the
documents are issued by international organizations for the sake of
saving people?s lives amidst the hatred and intolerance.
Foreigners visiting Pristine usually don?t feel the atmosphere of
ethnic hatred in the streets. They don?t understand that the people
who innocently smile in the streets, restaurants, and shops are
Kosovo Albanians, for whom the noisy public life in Pristine means the
success of the mission to establish a multi-ethic community there. At
the same time, only a second, a closer glance reveals that the city
sticks to its own law, radically differing from habitual human laws.
Even deputies of a so-called multi-ethnic Kosovo parliament
"protecting" the interests of the Serb community, leave the Skupstine
building for a cafe or somewhere else only in armored police vehicles.
We won?t reconcile to the fact that the majority of international
representatives get used to this situation and do nothing at all to
change it for the better. Albanian politicians and the "intellectual
elite" are satisfied with the situation.
Under the "totalitarian" regimes of Milosevic and Tudjman in Serbia
and Croatia, many public and political organizations and students
openly protested against the terror in Pristine and in the Kosovo
region on the whole. Unfortunately, currently, there is no power to
openly oppose the discrimination of Serbs and other non-Albanians in
Kosovo.
Against this unfavorable background, the Albanian media in Kosovo
continues to "cleanse" everything of Serbian origin. The OSCE and UN
peacemaking missions call it "freedom of press." In the meantime, life
for the handful of Serbs still living in Pristine is becoming more and
more unbearable.
Compiled by Sergey Stefanov
PRAVDA.Ru
Father Sava Janic is one of Kosovo.com editors
Translated by Maria Gousseva
©1999 "Pravda.RU". When reproducing our materials in whole or in part,
reference to Pravda.RU should be made.
1. Links
2. Offensive of Lies against RS: Media War against Orao Aeronautics
(RS News)
3. Empire's Playground. Balkans Scandals Are Deadly Experiments
(Nebojsa Malic)
4. Tanjug and Beta dispatches
5. AFP dispatches
=== 1 ===
COMMENTARY AND GENERAL:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DJ26Ak01.html
Saddam and the Yugoslav link (by David Isenberg)
http://www.vj.yu/english/index.htm
YUGOSLAV ARMY WEB SITE
NEWS:
>
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021024/ap_wo_en_po/yugoslavia_helping_iraq_24
Yugoslav arms dealer violating U.N. arms embargo was target of NATO
missiles in 1999
Thu Oct 24,12:35 PM ET
By MISHA SAVIC, Associated Press Writer - BELGRADE, Yugoslavia
> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/24/international/europe/24BOSN.html
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Thursday, October 24, 2002
Yugoslav Aides Are Fired for Sales of Fighter-Jet Parts to Iraq
By DANIEL SIMPSON - BELGRADE, Serbia, Oct. 23
>
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-arms23oct23.story
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Balkan Firm Is Supplying Iraq, U.S. Says
Weapons factory has been exporting military equipment, officials
contend. Leaders in
Yugoslavia and Bosnia pledge to investigate.
By Alissa J. Rubin and Zoran Cirjanovic Special to The Times
October 23 2002 - BELGRADE, Yugoslavia
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24696-2002Oct26.html
THE WASHINGTON POST: New Yugoslav-Iraqi Ties Alleged
U.S. Says Defense Firms Developing Cruise Missile for Baghdad
By Nicholas Wood - Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, October 27, 2002; Page A18
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,820369,00.html
Serbs helping Iraq build cruise missile, US says
Washington's claims follow raid on aviation plant in Bosnia
Nicholas Wood in Belgrade - Monday October 28, 2002 - The Guardian
(London)
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2373781.stm
Tuesday, 29 October, 2002, 21:28 GMT
Bosnia bans all arms exports
The claims centre on spare parts for Mig planes
By Matthew Price, Belgrade
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2370505.stm
Tuesday, 29 October, 2002, 02:10 GMT
Bosnian officials quit over Iraq sales
Spare parts for Mig fighters were sold to Iraq
>
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1652218
Bosnia Bans Arms Exports, Sacks Officials over Iraq
Last Updated: October 29, 2002 07:03 PM ET
By Daria Sito-Sucic - SARAJEVO, Bosnia (Reuters)
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021029/
ap_wo_en_po/bosnia_weapons_iraq_6
Bosnian Serb top military officials resign over scandal
involving exports to Iraq - Tue Oct 29, 1:28 PM ET
By IRENA GAJIC, Associated Press Writer
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2381095.stm
Thursday, 31 October, 2002, 18:21 GMT
Bosnia mired in arms scandal
There may be a Balkan-wide network of arms traders
By Alix Kroeger, BBC regional analyst
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021031/
ap_wo_en_po/yugoslavia_helping_iraq_1
Yugoslavia cuts all military, economic ties with countries
under U.N. embargo
Thu Oct 31,12:14 PM ET - By KATARINA KRATOVAC, Associated Press Writer
> http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20021031-015437-8058r.htm
THE WASHINGTON TIMES - October 31, 2002
Croatis says it is not arms trafficking
ZAGREB, Croatia, Oct. 31 (UPI)
> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/31/international/31BELG.html
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Thursday, October 31, 2002
Belgrade Accused of Involvement in Arms Sales to Baghdad
By DANIEL SIMPSON
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,822827,00.htmlA
Ashdown says arms row may hit Bosnia
Ian Black in Brussels
Thursday October 31, 2002 - The Guardian (London)
> http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/304/nation/
US_reportedly_ties_Libya_missiles_to_Serbia+.shtml
THE BOSTON GLOBE
US reportedly ties Libya missiles to Serbia
By Reuters, 10/31/2002
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49272-2002Oct31.html
THE WASHINGTON POST
Yugoslavia's Arms Ties to Iraq Draw U.S. Scrutiny
By Daniel Williams and Nicholas Wood
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, November 1, 2002; Page A26
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-4064-466876,00.
THE TIMES (London) - November 02, 2002
Belgrade told to stop arms sales to Saddam
By Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor, and Zoran
Kusovac in Belgrade
>
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1676751
Straw to press Yugoslavia over Iraq arms
Last Updated: November 04, 2002 12:58 PM ET
LONDON (Reuters)
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,830067,00.html
Straw to tackle Belgrade on arms to Africa
Ewen MacAskill, and Nicholas Wood in Belgrade
Tuesday November 5, 2002 - The Guardian (London)
=== 2 ===
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srpska/message/13477
REPUBLIKA SRPSKA NEWS
OFFENSIVE OF LIES AGAINST REPUBLIKA SRPSKA MEDIA WAR AND EVERY OTHER
FORM OF WAR AGAINST "ORAO" AERONAUTICS
INSTITUTE
By Gostimir T. Popovic
prota49@...
Since the end of September 2002 and the beginning of the media war
against "Orao" Aeronautics Institute, a manufacturing and maintenance
facility in Republika Srpska, the media has provided us with daily
information regarding the supposed violation of a Security Council
resolution on supplying Iraq with arms - without presenting the public
with a single shred of authentic evidence.
The unfolding of this as yet unprecedented campaign and the production
of lies demonstrates that the key actors involved are people for whom
truth, law and justice are completely foreign categories while the
so-called "evidence" provided thus far is comprised of blatant
falsifications which even a layman can debunk (if he so desires).
First, officials of the BH Ministry of Foreign Affairs released
information that "someone from Republika Srpska" was exporting weapons
and military equipment to Iraq. They were immediately joined by a
chorus of officials from the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo who confirmed
this, indirectly revealing that they were the
source of the original information.
Second, members of the multinational forces, completely overstepping
their mandate and standard procedures, illegally broke into "Orao"
Aeronautics Institute and removed whatever they saw fit - without
receipts, due process or any legal justification whatsoever.
Third, alleged evidence, that is, copies of supposed contracts began
to appear in much of the media. Representatives of stabilization
forces then announced the unveiling of new documents in the near
future, as if they had removed at least five tons of incriminating
evidence from "Orao".
Fourth, yet unnamed RS government officials began replacing everyone
holding any position from director to office clerk in both the RS
Government and RS Army General Staff.
Fifth, intensive psychological preparation of the RS population is
being carried out to get it to accept that "there must be some truth
to this" while some politicians are beginning their customary
flirtation with their U.S. mentors, positing their demands for
initiating a concrete investigation without knowing why or against
whom.
Brief commentary on these events:
The initiation of the campaign against "Orao" lies in Sarajevo but the
threads are being manipulated from a much greater distance. The
original information was only the fiery prologue to see how the RS
public will react. Since no political or legal reaction was
forthcoming, the creators of the offensive will go further.
By illegally breaking into "Orao" the so-called stabilization forces
have reminded us that they remain an uncouth and unbridled force; and
they have also informed us that they are quite skillful in the
collection of data which no one controls and in its subsequent misuse.
Details regarding the confiscation of remote
access computers, diskettes and notebooks, intentionally leaked,
served only to further fan doubt and prepare for the presentation of
the falsified copies.
The copies of the alleged documents which are being published are
blatant falsifications; however, the RS Government has not reacted at
all to this.
The staff changes which have been carried out are also illegal and
unjustified - yet another response by the RS Government to its own
detriment.
Confusion is already present among the residents of RS regarding who
to believe; although the director of "Orao" has clearly and
unambiguously stated the facts, no one is listening to him.
On top of everything else, who should appear but the High
Representative who, in keeping with old habits, longs to punish
someone or something; and it goes almost without saying that the
targets are the Serb people and Serb institutions.
In this difficult situation, when much time has already been lost, it
is extremely difficult to draw conclusions regarding necessary
measures; nevertheless, truth will still stand a chance if RS
officials undertake at least some of these steps:
1. "Orao" Aeronautics Institute should IMMEDIATELY initiate legal
proceedings in the appropriate courts against the BH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and other officials who
are damaging its professional reputation by false statements;
2. The Republika Srpska Government not only should but MUST stand
behind its company and its workers, who are a group of the best
experts in their field and in the region and of incalculable value to
Republika Srpska.
3. Working together, the RS Government and "Orao" need to create an
intensive media "anti-campaign" to inform representatives of the
press; after all, they hold the aces in their hands - the truth and
the documents to support it.
If the RS Government and other high officials of Republika Srpska do
not engage all available resources to defend themselves from this
unprecedented campaign of lies, it is not difficult to imagine the
ramifications and what is yet to come upon our society as a whole.
=== 3 ===
http://www.antiwar.com/malic/m-col.html
ANTIWAR, Thursday, October 31, 2002
Balkan Express
by Nebojsa Malic
Antiwar.com
Empire's Playground
Balkans Scandals Are Deadly Experiments
The Serbs are arming Saddam Hussein's drive for world domination.
Huh?
If it sounds like a plot of a pathetic spy caper, that's because it
does.
But even Hollywood flacks, who habitually insult the intelligence of
American moviegoers, would never dare stoop this low. It just wouldn't
sell. Unsurprisingly, this particular plot was written in Washington,
where no one cares a whit about the audience. After all, they have no
choice but to listen and obey.
Imperial potentates greatly respect the power of human gullibility,
but they also know its limitations. Once in the right frame of mind,
people will believe the most outrageous things - but only up to a
point. Rabid warmongering propaganda may have succeeded in confusing
Americans to the point where most of their opposition to invading Iraq
- or conquering the world, for that matter - is technical in nature,
but it still exists. Lo and behold, to carry them over that threshold
of disbelief comes a scandal: "Iraq-Serbia."
Bombs And Missiles Imaginary
Having hit a snag in their efforts to resurrect Saddam Hussein's
nefarious reputation they'd crafted in the early 1990s, Imperial City
producers decided to bring in a 'supporting villain' that might still
be fresh in people's minds.
"US Says Two Serb Firms Are Helping Iraqis," declares the Washington
Post, adding four days later, "New Yugoslav-Iraqi Ties Alleged: U.S.
Says Defense Firms Developing Cruise Missile for Baghdad." The
Guardian, always eager to score a few Serb scalps, chimed in: "Serbs
Helping Iraq Build Cruise Missile, US Says," announced an October 28
headline.
The best lies always contain a kernel of truth. It is entirely
plausible and probably true that both the Bosnian Serbs and Belgrade
had done business with Iraq at the time when they were both under a
US-sponsored UN blockade, and maybe even after that. The old
Yugoslavia had traded with Iraq a lot. So did Britain, France, China,
Russia, and not the least of all, the US. But spare parts for aircraft
engines don't make a good plot point, especially since the Iraqi air
force hasn't flown in years.
Enter a ship full of powder, originating in Montenegro and impounded
by Croatian authorities. The mysterious powder, US officials claim, is
fuel for cruise missiles the Wicked Serbs have been developing for
Evil Saddam!
Of course, there is a theoretical possibility that the charge might be
true. But it makes no sense. If the Serbs had the technology to build
cruise missiles, wouldn't they have used it by now? Some such missiles
could have definitely come in handy during the NATO attack in 1999,
for instance. Just as, if that uranium fuel seized from Vinca Labs a
few months back really had been bomb-worthy, Serbia could have joined
the nuclear club years ago - and NATO would have found someone else to
occupy and abuse.
Curiously, the New York Times - usually a rabid Serb-baiter - took a
decidedly low-key approach to the matter. "Yugoslav Aides Are Fired
for Sale of Fighter-Jet Parts to Iraq," avers an October 24 article,
noting that the case "appears to focus on the violation of the United
Nations arms embargo rather than the military significance of any
sales."
Maybe those were hypothetical missiles Saddam "might" use one day??
Uncontrollable Fallout
More instructive is the way the charges have been met in Bosnia and
Serbia. The government in Belgrade, always overeager to please its
masters, has sacked several high-ranking officials in charge of the
defense industry, and promised "full cooperation" - whatever that
means. Tuesday's Belgrade daily Glas Javnosti reported an optimistic
prediction by one Prvoslav Davinic, Serbian coordinator for the
Balkans Stability Pact, that the scandal would accelerate Serbia's
entry into NATO's Partnership for Peace program, because
a crackdown on arms dealers would demonstrate its commitment to NATO.
The Pact was established after the Kosovo War, to bring all the
Balkans vassals into Empire's fold. Obviously, anyone associated with
it would lead in the worship of Imperial overlords - but Davinic's
attitude is reflected by most Serbian government officials. They know
which side their bread is buttered on, and it's not the side of the
Serbian people?
In Bosnia, where the entire sordid affair started, Muslim politicians
are using the affair to again call for abolition of the Serb Republic.
A commentator for Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje minced no words in
calling the Serb Republic "a paradigm (sic) of aggression, genocide,
war profiteering and plunder."
Even though Viceroy Ashdown shares their desire for a unified Bosnian
State, he apparently decided to curb their enthusiasm, by reportedly
suggesting that some Muslim and Croat factories have engaged in
not-so-legal arms trade as well.
The intensity of the fallout comes as a surprise to the Imperials
themselves, then. They forgot that, in the Balkans, nothing is simple.
Even the tiniest attempts at manipulation create unexpected
shockwaves.
Our Arms Traders, And Theirs
Take, for example, the infamous "Washington sniper," who killed ten
people in the Imperial City just this month. On October 20, days
before the arrest of a Gulf veteran suspected of the spree, Stacy
Sullivan penned a paean to gun control for the New York Times,
illustrating the ease of purchasing sniper rifles in the US by
describing in great detail - and sympathetically - how Albanian
expatriates armed the terrorist KLA in Kosovo and Macedonia. This is
why NATO couldn't stop the smugglers, just as it had said back in
2001. It couldn't have deployed troops in New Jersey.
Isn't it ironic that the Empire is now in furor over alleged Serb arms
trade with Iraq, though its own citizens were arming terrorists in the
Balkans?
But of course, the KLA were our terrorists?
The Future Is Now
This entire cheap melodrama about alleged arms smuggling diverts
attention from other experiments in the Balkans Laboratory. For
instance, expect new Imperial conquests to be treated with a heavy
dose of democracy- a religious practice brimming with mysticism but
utterly devoid of meaning - and elections, the main ritual of this
strange religion. Bosnia has had seven, Kosovo three; one for every
year they've been occupied.
And even if the ritual does not unfold exactly as planned, the Empire
always makes sure it fits the predetermined outcome, even if some of
the results need to be adjusted, as it is currently happening in
Bosnia. Praising the elections, the outgoing head of the UN mission,
Jacques Klein, shared this cheerful prediction with his bosses the
Security Council last week:
"the nationalists' strong showing created 'a more challenging
political environment that will require strong intervention and
continued commitment' on the international community's part."
(Reuters)
Strong intervention and continued commitment. Music to Empire's ears.
The Fate of Heretics
So important is the ballot religion, that anyone refusing to
participate is deemed a heretic, persecuted and punished. Such is the
fate of Kosovo Serbs, who boycotted last weekend's municipal election,
having realized - albeit belatedly - that it would only legitimize
Albanian domination of the NATO-occupied province. Refusing to go
along with their captors is just about the only recourse they still
have, since appeals to NATO's humanity, international law, UN
resolutions, and common sense have all failed. But
don't expect the Empire to understand.
A glimpse of its rage was apparent in a recent Reuters report about a
political murder perpetrated by Albanians. Even though the elections
serve to justify their claims for independence, some Albanians still
honor the gods of violence when the ballot gods fail them. A former
KLA leader was killed by his comrades a day after the vote, presumably
for daring to represent a rival party. Yet somehow it's the Serbs'
fault. Well, isn't everything?
The Serbs who did vote thus supported "hardliners skeptical of
Serb-Albanian coexistence," while the boycott hurt "U.N. efforts to
integrate Serbs into the political scene and overcome ethnic divisions
threatening further violence." These are mere prevarications, of
course. The real bald-faced lies go something like this:
"Ethnically motivated killings have diminished since the United
Nations and NATO took control of the Yugoslav province three years
ago."
Yes, that's exactly what the Reuters article said. No wonder it ended
with a despicable comment that US bombing "ended a near century of
Serbian dominance," lifted straight out of the KLA manifesto.
Today The Balkans, Tomorrow The World
Intoxicated by their apparent successes in the Balkans, Empire's mad
scientists - social managers, to be precise - plot on, convinced
somehow that they will succeed where everyone before has failed. Iraq
is just the first step, the "cruise missile" affair just a casus
belli. The Balkans, having served as a laboratory for experiments in
Imperial intervention, will now become a template for the world.
For the unconvinced, there is Viceroy Ashdown's own confession, on the
pages of the New York Times this past Monday:
"History will look back on our engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina as
the first faltering step toward a doctrine of international community.
Bosnia will be seen as a new model for international intervention -
one designed not to pursue narrow national interests but to prevent
conflict, to promote human rights and to rebuild war-torn societies.
We are already applying the lessons of Bosnia in Kosovo, East Timor
and Afghanistan. Perhaps they will be applied in Iraq as well."
It almost makes this column seem superfluous.
=== 4 ===
Yugoslav government commission to investigate DEFENSE ministry's work
BELGRADE, Oct 25 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav government has set up a
three-member commission that should investigate whether there were any
irregularities in the Yugoslav Defense Ministry's license for the
export
of arms and military equipment and the operation of Jugoimport SDPR,
the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti reported on Friday.
The commission will be headed by Yugoslav Interior Minister Zoran
Zivkovic and the other members are Yugoslav Defense Minister Velimir
Radojevic and acting Yugoslav Finance Minister Veroljub Dugalic.
"I can't say anything at this moment. An investigation is under way
and as soon as it is completed, the public will be informed about its
results.
At this point, I can only promise that our work will not last long and
that we will try to complete our work as soon as possible. We are well
under way," Zivkovic said.
DAVINIC: YUGOSLAVIA HAS NOT BEEN ISSUING PERMITS FOR ARMS EXPORTS TO
IRAQ
Belgrade, Oct 24 (Beta) - Yugoslav ambassador and national coordinator
in charge of the army, police and judiciary in the Stability Pact,
Prvoslav Davinic, said on Oct 24 that the Yugoslav authorities had not
been issuing permits for the export of military equipment to Iraq.
Davinic told Radio B92 that according to the documents he had had the
chance to review, "it is certain that Yugoslavia has not willingly or
knowingly issued any permits for the export of arms to the countries
under an embargo."
"The question remains about whether these things have been done
illegally.
The inquiry launched to investigate it shows that the country is ready
to initiate criminal proceedings against those who have violated such
an embargo," said Davinic.
The director of the Federal Customs Authority, Vladan Begovic, said in
the evening of Oct. 24 that the Jugoimport company had not exported
weapons and military equipment to Iraq in the past two years.
Yugoslav customs authority director says Jugoimport did not export
weapons to Iraq
BELGRADE, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - No weapons or military equipment have been
exported from Yugoslavia to Iraq, as had there been an attempt to do
so, the Federal Customs Authority (SUC) would not have allowed it in
compliance with relevant UN resolutions, SUC Director Vladan Begovic
said Thursday evening.
The Jugoimport SDPR company has been exporting weapons and military
equipment over the past two years, but according to SUC knowledge,
none of the exports were made to Iraq but only to several countries in
its
neighborhood, Begovic told Serbian TV.
UN coordinator says Jugoimport affair will not affect Yugoslav-UN
relations
BELGRADE, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - The UN Coordinator for Yugoslavia Francis
O'Donnell said Thursday in Belgrade that the Jugoimport affair of arms
sales to Iraq in violation of US sanctions will not affect
Yugoslavia's
relations with the UN.
He welcomed the measures taken by the Yugoslav government, which has
relieved of office the Jugoimport general director and undertaken an
investigation of the company's activities.
USA offers cooperation to Yugoslav authorities
SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - The United States has offered full support
and cooperation to the Yugoslav authorities in the investigation and
is offering technical and expert aid in the implementation of
appropriate measures and mechanisms for the control of arms transfers,
the US Embassy in Sarajevo said in relation to the affair of military
equipment exports from Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia to Iraq.
The statement recalled that the United States welcomed steps taken by
the Yugoslav government following the revelation that the air force
institute Orao of Bijeljina and the Belgrade company Jugoimport were
implicated in the transfer of military technology and cooperation with
Iraq.
The Embassy statement also said that the authorities of Bosnia and
Herzegovina are expected to take appropriate steps to end immediately
any kind of cooperation with Iraq and to conduct an investigation and
find out who is responsible for the violation of the UN Security
Council resolution on an arms embargo.
YUGOSLAV ARMY NOT INVOLVED IN WEAPONS TRADE - STAFF
BELGRADE, Oct 25 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Army (VJ) is not empowered to
trade in weapons or military equipment, and is not involved in any way
in any such trade with Iraq, the VJ General Staff said in a statement
Friday. The VJ reiterates that it is open and ready for full
implementation of civilian control
of the army by relevant state institutions in line with the
Constitution and their law, and this also
applies to this case, the statement says.
KOSTUNICA ON JUGOIMPORT AFFAIR
BELGRADE, Oct. 27 (Beta) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has
said that he will meet with top federal government officials on Oct.28
over the Jugoimport affair.
At a Oct. 25 news conference, Kostunica said that Jugoimport's
business dealings were no matter to be dismissed, and that it could
cost Yugoslavia dearly. He said that the whole matter was an
irresponsible
business undertaking, but that the repair of outdated aircraft was
still of a much more benevolent scope than the alleged sale of weapons
in violation of the Iraq arms embargo and that it could not be
identified with the country's political orientation.
The Yugoslav president said that the affair could be solved by police
investigation, through the formation of a federal commission or
through a debate in federal parliament, with the prior formation of a
investigative committee.
BETA has learned that Yugoslav, Bosnian, RS and U.S. embassy
representatives in Sarajevo and Belgrade met on Oct. 25 on the affair.
One of the participants, who declined to be named, told BETA that
"information was exchanged and further investigation was agreed."
Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic announced that his cabinet would insist
on bringing those responsible to account. Djindjic said that he had
confidence in the federal government to investigate the case.
Serbian Interior Minister and chairman of the Jugoimport weapon
dealer's executive board Dusan Mihajlovic said that his position did
not involve knowing about the company's business arrangements in
particular
and denied any knowledge of such undertakings.
"According to the law, the executive board is charged with reviewing a
company's business dealings in general, and not contracts in
particular. This is the job of the management and the GM alone. I was
not
informed of any concrete arrangement, because it was not in my
jurisdiction," Mihajlovic said in an interview with the Oct. 26 issue
of Vecernje Novosti.
Yugoslav Defense Minister Velimir Radojevic said that no permits were
issued for arms or military equipment exports to countries under U.N.
or U.S. weapons embargoes while he was in office. He added that new
legislation was in preparation and that it would change how the field
was regulated.
Radojevic added that "contracts and possible permits in regard to the
affair," would have to date from the time when he and Yugoslav Prime
Minister were not in office.
The Yugoslav army also denied involvement in the affair. A statement
said that the army was not authorized to trade in weapons and military
equipment.
Statement following meeting on Jugoimport company affair
BELGRADE, Oct 29 (Tanjug) - Top state officials met at the office of
Yugolav President Vojislav Kostunica late Monday to discuss the
Jugoimport-SDPR affair and concluded a state commission should be
formed. The commission will "professionally deal with the issue of
economic cooperation in the area of special-purpose production, having
in mind the mutual obligations which our country is determined to
honor in full, as well as the requirements and position of the
military-economic department in Yugoslavia," said a statement from
Kostunica's office received by Tanjug.
The meeting was devoted to measures taken so far to establish the
facts on business operations of the public company Jugoimport-SDPR,
which, according to available information, violated the UN embargo on
arms sales and military-technical assistance to Iraq. In addition to
the Yugoslav president, the meeting was attended by Yugoslav Prime
Minister Dragisa Pesic, Deputy Premier and Foreign Trade Minister
Miroljub Labus, Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic, and federal and
republican interior ministers Zoran Zivkovic and Dusan Mihajlovic.
Evidence about Orao, Jugoimport sent to Belgrade, Sarajevo by United
States
WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Tanjug) -State Department spokesman Richard
Baucher has confirmed that the US government sent firm evidence to the
governments of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina about the
transactions of the Belgrade Jugoimport and the military plant Orao
from Bjeljina with Baghdad,
in direct violation of the UN resolution banning exports of weapons
and equipment to Iraq.
At a press briefing in the State Department Baucher did not wish to
comment Monday on a Washington Post story in its Sunday edition
according to which Yugoslav experts were helping the Iraqis build a
cruise missile. He just repeated that Washington welcomes the steps
taken by Yugoslavia that include dismissing of those responsible for
the transactions, launching a full investigation, and committing
itself to take appropriate measures for regulating the transfer of
military technology and weapons. Washington,
Baucher said, welcomes the closing down of Jugoimport's office in
Baghdad and offers full support to the Yugoslav authorities in
conducting the investigation and the development of legal and police
measures and
mechanisms for the control of exports of military and other sensitive
materials.
NATO: BELGRADE SHOULD CLEAR UP ORAO AFFAIR
BRUSSELS, Oct. 31 (Beta) - NATO spokesman Yves Brodeur said on Oct. 31
that the Alliance expected the
Belgrade authorities "to swiftly and completely clear up the Orao
affair" regarding military equipment
exports to Iraq.
He emphasized that it would not affect the rapprochement between
Yugoslavia and NATO in any way, including Belgrade's desire to enter
the Partnership for Peace.
Brodeur confirmed to BETA that the discovery that the Orao company
from Republika Srpska was exporting
military equipment to Iraq through a military company in Belgrade,
thus violating the UN embargo, has
commanded "attention and concern" in NATO circles.
He said that Orao company from Republika Srpska was delivering
"components for rocket engines."
MINISTER ZIVKOVIC ON JUGOIMPORT SCANDAL
BELGRADE, Nov 4 (Tanjug) - The Jugoimport scandal is over, Yugoslav
Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic has said and added that a Yugoslav
government commission had determined that there had been cases of
violation of a UN Security Council resolution banning the export of
arms and military equipment to Iraq, primarily because of regulations
that allowed different interpretations.
Zivkovic told the Monday issue of the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti
that all measures had been taken aimed at preventing the repetition
of such as case not only with Iraq, but also with all other countries
under sanctions. He said that competent organs, primarily the Serbian
police, would continue doing their job and that those for whom there
is proof they had been violating the law, would bear legal
consequences. Asked about the possibility of production of cruising
missiles in the country, Zivkovic said that this was high technology
and that he was certain that they could not have been made in the
country. We do not have cruising missiles, Zivkovic said.
SVILANOVIC SAYS MILITARY COOPERATION WITH IRAQ HAS CEASED
BELGRADE,Nov5 (Beta)-Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said
on Nov. 5 that Yugoslavia had stopped military hardware exports to
Iraq and emphasized that the authorities were keenly monitoring and
controlling the entire sector.
"A state commission has been established to investigate not only
Jugoimport, but the entire military trade sector, which includes a
number of other private companies. We want to find out whether any
U.N. arms
embargoes were violated. The state commission will take charge of the
process so that the country's military industry can get back to
business and we do not want to breach our international obligations at
any moment," Svilanovic said.
=== 5 ===
US demands more action against Bosnian firm that dealt with Iraq
WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (AFP) - The United States on Monday demanded Bosnia
take further action against a firm it claims sold military equipment
and sensitive technology to Iraq while welcoming Belgrade's steps
against a Yugoslav company accused of assisting in the transfers.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said moves by the Bosnian
Serb entity Republika Srpska against the Orao company -- firing the
general manager and removing a military officer and a senior
government official affiliated with the firm -- were insufficient.
"This is a good start, but more needs to be done," he told reporters,
noting that the company had close ties with the government and
military.
"Orao's illegal activities would have required extensive coordination
with the ministry of defense and possibly other parts of the Bosnian
government," Boucher said.
"The United States expects the relevant authorities in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, and particularly the Republika Srpska, to conduct
a thorough investigation and to hold accountable those responsible
regardless of the seniority or position."
Orao is one of two firms in the former Yugoslavia that Washington has
publicly accused of transferring military parts and technology --
specifically airplane parts and mechanics -- to Iraq in violation of
UN sanctions.
Officials in Belgrade have punished the other company, Jugoimport,
taking action against company officials as well as military officers
as well as launching an investigation into the defense ministry and
moving to
tighten its export control regime.
Boucher called these moves, in addition to the closure of the
Jugoimport office in Baghdad, "significant and serious actions."
"We welcome these steps," he said, repeating Washington's offer to
assist Yugoslav authorities in their investigation and help revamp
the export rules.
The Yugoslav government has admitted that Jugoimport had acted as a
middleman in the supply of aviation parts and equipment from Orao.
Boucher declined to comment on reports that other companies in the
former Yugoslavia had also been supplying Iraq and Libya with missile
technology, a far more serious contravention of the UN sanctions that
spare aircraft parts.
However, one senior State Department official said the firms were
selling "far more than just aviation parts and training" to Iraq.
Earlier Monday, the Yugoslav newspaper Blic reported that Washington
had told Belgrade five months ago that a number of companies were
helping Iraq and Libya develop their missile programs.
In addition to Jugoimport, the daily also listed the Infinity, Bruner
Ede-pro firms as having ties with Baghdad and Tripoli and said that
experts from those firms had traveled to Iraq and Libya over the past
two years to assist in the development of cruise missiles.
That report followed one in Sunday's Washington Post that said the
United States had presented a document to Yugoslav government
officials outlining work done by firms in the country to develop a
turbo-jet engine for Iraq's cruise missile program.
AFP Bosnia bans military exports amid arms-to-Iraq scandal
SARAJEVO, Oct 29 (AFP) - Bosnia has banned all military exports
following the recent discovery that a Bosnian Serb defense firm made
secret military sales to Iraq, officials said Tuesday.
"The ban has been imposed for an indefinite period of time, depending
on the speed with which control procedures will be set up at the
state level," said Azra Hadziahmetovic, Bosnia's minister for foreign
trade and economic relations.
The move was the latest measure by the country's authorities to
prevent possible UN and US sanctions over the scandal.
The government of the Serb-run side has sacked five officials over
the affair, including its defense minister and army chief-of-staff,
following sharp warnings from the West.
The NATO-led force in Bosnia discovered earlier this month that a
defense company in the country's Serb-run part had been secretly
selling military material to Baghdad in violation of an UN arms
embargo on Iraq.
Production and sale of military materials has so far come under the
authority of Bosnia's two entities, the Serb-run Republika Srpska (RS)
and the Musleim-Croat federation.
After the secret sales by the Bosnian Serb firm Orao were discovered,
international officials demanded that control procedures to be set up
at the state level.
The 1995 peace deal that ended Bosnia's 1992-95 war split the country
into the two entities, which are linked by weak central institutions,
have separate governments, parliaments, police and armed forces.
Hadziahmetovic, whose ministry will take over control for the
weapons' trade, said it was uncertain how quickly the new procedures
could be set up as they depended on various state-level institutions.
He spoke after meeting with international representatives in Bosnia,
including the chief aide to Bosnia's top international envoy Paddy
Ashdown.
"We totally support the current ban on exports of weapons and other
facilities that would eventually be part of the (state-level) export
regime," said aide Donald Hays.
He said Ashdown would travel to Brussels Thursday to brief NATO and
the European Union on situation in Bosnia, and specifically on the
Orao affair.
Robert Beecroft, head of the mission here of the pan-European security
and cooperation body (OSCE), said experts would be assigned to work
with Bosnian authorities to set up the new control procedures.
AFP More sackings expected over Bosnia's arms-to-Iraq scandal
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Oct 30 (AFP) - An ongoing probe into
a Bosnian Serb firm which sold arms to Iraq in violation of the
United Nations arms embargo will result in more sackings, a senior
international official in Bosnia said on Wednesday.
"I made it clear... that the investigation that is being undertaken
will result in further dismissals," said Donald Hays, chief aide to
Bosnia's top international envoy, Paddy Ashdown.
"If there is political involvement, regardless of where that
political involvement stems from, there will be repercussions on
those involved, however high," Hays said adding that the scandal
"probably involves more than just one company."
He said there was a need for a comprehensive review, not only in the
Serb-run entity of Republika Srpska (RS) but also in the Muslim-Croat
Federation.
Post-war Bosnia is composed of two entities -- the Serb-run RS and
the Muslim-Croat Federation -- which have separate governments,
parliaments, police and armed forces and are linked by weak central
institutions.
The government of the Serb-run side has sacked five officials over
the affair, including its defense minister and army chief-of-staff,
following sharp warnings from the West.
The scandal emerged earlier this month after the NATO-led
peacekeeping force in Bosnia discovered that defence firm Orao had
been refurbishing military aircrafts for Iraq via a state-owned
Yugoslav company,
Jugoimport.
Bosnian Serb outgoing Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic agreed after
meeting Hays in Banja Luka that it was in the interest of the RS "to
have the whole truth" on the scandal discovered.
The investigation is to be wrapped up by November 27.
The US ambassador to Bosnia, Clifford Bond, said Washington was not
convinced the dismissal of the officials satisfied US demands for the
culprits to be punished.
"I think it is too early to say whether the dismissals so far are
sufficient," Bond told AFP.
"The investigation has to be completed before we determine who should
be accountable and on what level."
In a speech to EU and NATO leaders in Brussels, Ashdown warned the
Bosnian Serb authorities would have to choose "whether to take the
road to Brussels or to Baghdad".
NATO forces raided Orao following US allegations in September that
the company had breached the UN arms embargo on Iraq.
In an additional effort to avert possible UN and US sanctions over
the scandal, Bosnia's central authorities on Tuesday banned all arms
exports for an indefinite period of time.
The Bosnian Serb tax department said Wednesday it had also launched
an investigation of Orao, an aviation company operating under the
authority of Bosnian Serb military headquarters.
AFP Britain urges Yugoslavia to halt arms sales to Iraq, Liberia
LONDON, Oct 30 (AFP) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called
Wednesday on Yugoslavia to halt the sale of arms to Iraq and Liberia,
in breach of UN sanctions, after a meeting with his Yugoslav
counterpart Goran Svilanovic.
Straw welcomed steps Belgrade had taken to deal with the issue but
expressed "serious concern at recent reports concerning the sale of
arms from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) to Iraq."
"I also raised other violations of UN sanctions including reports of
FRY involvement in arms sales to Liberia in contravention of the UN
sanctions regime," Straw said in a press release.
"I urged Dr. Svilanovic to ensure a thorough investigation into these
arms sales, leading to prosecutions as necessary," the statement
added.
The British foreign secretary said he was also deeply concerned by
the failure of the FRY to fully co-operate with the International
Criminal Tribunal in The Hague (ICTY).
"I urge the FRY authorities to take immediate steps to settle this
matter once and for all, with full access to documents, witnesses,
including officials and military personnel, and the transfer of all
remaining ICTY indictees on FRY territory to The Hague," Straw said.
"Failure to do so," said the foreign secretary, "would undermine the
excellent progress made by Yugoslav authorities since October 2000."
The Iraqi arms scandal broke last week when Washington went public
with allegations that a state-run trading company, Jugoimport, had
acted as a middleman in the supply of spare parts for Iraqi fighter
jets.
The State Department said a state-owned Bosnian firm, Orao, was
manufacturing the parts and selling them through Jugoimport to Saddam
Hussein's regime in breach of UN sanctions.
Belgrade reacted swiftly by sacking the chief of Jugoimport and a
deputy defence minister.
Jugoimport's office in Baghdad was closed and a special committee was
established to investigate both the company and the defence ministry.
According to the British foreign office press release, a UN report
dated October 7 stated that six cargo aircraft in June, July and
August 2002 delivered 200 tons of Yugoslav weapons to Liberia.
AFP Yugoslav minister confirms one arms delivery to Liberia
BELGRADE, Nov 1 (AFP) - Yugoslavia's interior minister confirmed
Friday that at least one illegal delivery of weapons had been made to
Liberia in August in breach of United Nations sanctions.
Minister Zoran Zivkovic told AFP he was aware that a local private
company had sent one plane-load of weapons to Liberia, but he could
not confirm UN allegations that six shipments of weapons had been made
between June and August.
"I am aware of only one ... That aircraft had papers for Nigeria as
well as a certificate from the Nigerian defense ministry or
government that the weapons would go there," he said.
"Later on it was found out that it had gone to Liberia."
Zivkovic said an investigation was underway into the company, Temex,
amid damaging revelations that Yugoslav state-run and private firms
also have been selling military equipment to Iraq and Libya.
"An investigation has been launched into Temex, a dealer company that
exported weapons on the aircraft," he said.
A deputy Yugoslav defence minister and a director of the state-run
Jugoimport company were sacked last week after Washington went public
with allegations the company was helping to supply parts for Iraqi
fighter jets.
The government also closed Jugoimport's office in Baghdad, suspended
all military sales to countries under UN sanctions and launched a
wider probe of military-related businesses as well as the defence
ministry.
"Inspections have entered all companies that have done weapons sales,
those are 32 or 33 private companies and one state-owned --
Jugoimport," Zivkovic said.
2. Offensive of Lies against RS: Media War against Orao Aeronautics
(RS News)
3. Empire's Playground. Balkans Scandals Are Deadly Experiments
(Nebojsa Malic)
4. Tanjug and Beta dispatches
5. AFP dispatches
=== 1 ===
COMMENTARY AND GENERAL:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/DJ26Ak01.html
Saddam and the Yugoslav link (by David Isenberg)
http://www.vj.yu/english/index.htm
YUGOSLAV ARMY WEB SITE
NEWS:
>
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021024/ap_wo_en_po/yugoslavia_helping_iraq_24
Yugoslav arms dealer violating U.N. arms embargo was target of NATO
missiles in 1999
Thu Oct 24,12:35 PM ET
By MISHA SAVIC, Associated Press Writer - BELGRADE, Yugoslavia
> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/24/international/europe/24BOSN.html
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Thursday, October 24, 2002
Yugoslav Aides Are Fired for Sales of Fighter-Jet Parts to Iraq
By DANIEL SIMPSON - BELGRADE, Serbia, Oct. 23
>
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-arms23oct23.story
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Balkan Firm Is Supplying Iraq, U.S. Says
Weapons factory has been exporting military equipment, officials
contend. Leaders in
Yugoslavia and Bosnia pledge to investigate.
By Alissa J. Rubin and Zoran Cirjanovic Special to The Times
October 23 2002 - BELGRADE, Yugoslavia
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24696-2002Oct26.html
THE WASHINGTON POST: New Yugoslav-Iraqi Ties Alleged
U.S. Says Defense Firms Developing Cruise Missile for Baghdad
By Nicholas Wood - Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, October 27, 2002; Page A18
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,820369,00.html
Serbs helping Iraq build cruise missile, US says
Washington's claims follow raid on aviation plant in Bosnia
Nicholas Wood in Belgrade - Monday October 28, 2002 - The Guardian
(London)
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2373781.stm
Tuesday, 29 October, 2002, 21:28 GMT
Bosnia bans all arms exports
The claims centre on spare parts for Mig planes
By Matthew Price, Belgrade
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2370505.stm
Tuesday, 29 October, 2002, 02:10 GMT
Bosnian officials quit over Iraq sales
Spare parts for Mig fighters were sold to Iraq
>
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1652218
Bosnia Bans Arms Exports, Sacks Officials over Iraq
Last Updated: October 29, 2002 07:03 PM ET
By Daria Sito-Sucic - SARAJEVO, Bosnia (Reuters)
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021029/
ap_wo_en_po/bosnia_weapons_iraq_6
Bosnian Serb top military officials resign over scandal
involving exports to Iraq - Tue Oct 29, 1:28 PM ET
By IRENA GAJIC, Associated Press Writer
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/2381095.stm
Thursday, 31 October, 2002, 18:21 GMT
Bosnia mired in arms scandal
There may be a Balkan-wide network of arms traders
By Alix Kroeger, BBC regional analyst
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021031/
ap_wo_en_po/yugoslavia_helping_iraq_1
Yugoslavia cuts all military, economic ties with countries
under U.N. embargo
Thu Oct 31,12:14 PM ET - By KATARINA KRATOVAC, Associated Press Writer
> http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20021031-015437-8058r.htm
THE WASHINGTON TIMES - October 31, 2002
Croatis says it is not arms trafficking
ZAGREB, Croatia, Oct. 31 (UPI)
> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/31/international/31BELG.html
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Thursday, October 31, 2002
Belgrade Accused of Involvement in Arms Sales to Baghdad
By DANIEL SIMPSON
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,822827,00.htmlA
Ashdown says arms row may hit Bosnia
Ian Black in Brussels
Thursday October 31, 2002 - The Guardian (London)
> http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/304/nation/
US_reportedly_ties_Libya_missiles_to_Serbia+.shtml
THE BOSTON GLOBE
US reportedly ties Libya missiles to Serbia
By Reuters, 10/31/2002
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49272-2002Oct31.html
THE WASHINGTON POST
Yugoslavia's Arms Ties to Iraq Draw U.S. Scrutiny
By Daniel Williams and Nicholas Wood
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, November 1, 2002; Page A26
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-4064-466876,00.
THE TIMES (London) - November 02, 2002
Belgrade told to stop arms sales to Saddam
By Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor, and Zoran
Kusovac in Belgrade
>
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1676751
Straw to press Yugoslavia over Iraq arms
Last Updated: November 04, 2002 12:58 PM ET
LONDON (Reuters)
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,830067,00.html
Straw to tackle Belgrade on arms to Africa
Ewen MacAskill, and Nicholas Wood in Belgrade
Tuesday November 5, 2002 - The Guardian (London)
=== 2 ===
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srpska/message/13477
REPUBLIKA SRPSKA NEWS
OFFENSIVE OF LIES AGAINST REPUBLIKA SRPSKA MEDIA WAR AND EVERY OTHER
FORM OF WAR AGAINST "ORAO" AERONAUTICS
INSTITUTE
By Gostimir T. Popovic
prota49@...
Since the end of September 2002 and the beginning of the media war
against "Orao" Aeronautics Institute, a manufacturing and maintenance
facility in Republika Srpska, the media has provided us with daily
information regarding the supposed violation of a Security Council
resolution on supplying Iraq with arms - without presenting the public
with a single shred of authentic evidence.
The unfolding of this as yet unprecedented campaign and the production
of lies demonstrates that the key actors involved are people for whom
truth, law and justice are completely foreign categories while the
so-called "evidence" provided thus far is comprised of blatant
falsifications which even a layman can debunk (if he so desires).
First, officials of the BH Ministry of Foreign Affairs released
information that "someone from Republika Srpska" was exporting weapons
and military equipment to Iraq. They were immediately joined by a
chorus of officials from the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo who confirmed
this, indirectly revealing that they were the
source of the original information.
Second, members of the multinational forces, completely overstepping
their mandate and standard procedures, illegally broke into "Orao"
Aeronautics Institute and removed whatever they saw fit - without
receipts, due process or any legal justification whatsoever.
Third, alleged evidence, that is, copies of supposed contracts began
to appear in much of the media. Representatives of stabilization
forces then announced the unveiling of new documents in the near
future, as if they had removed at least five tons of incriminating
evidence from "Orao".
Fourth, yet unnamed RS government officials began replacing everyone
holding any position from director to office clerk in both the RS
Government and RS Army General Staff.
Fifth, intensive psychological preparation of the RS population is
being carried out to get it to accept that "there must be some truth
to this" while some politicians are beginning their customary
flirtation with their U.S. mentors, positing their demands for
initiating a concrete investigation without knowing why or against
whom.
Brief commentary on these events:
The initiation of the campaign against "Orao" lies in Sarajevo but the
threads are being manipulated from a much greater distance. The
original information was only the fiery prologue to see how the RS
public will react. Since no political or legal reaction was
forthcoming, the creators of the offensive will go further.
By illegally breaking into "Orao" the so-called stabilization forces
have reminded us that they remain an uncouth and unbridled force; and
they have also informed us that they are quite skillful in the
collection of data which no one controls and in its subsequent misuse.
Details regarding the confiscation of remote
access computers, diskettes and notebooks, intentionally leaked,
served only to further fan doubt and prepare for the presentation of
the falsified copies.
The copies of the alleged documents which are being published are
blatant falsifications; however, the RS Government has not reacted at
all to this.
The staff changes which have been carried out are also illegal and
unjustified - yet another response by the RS Government to its own
detriment.
Confusion is already present among the residents of RS regarding who
to believe; although the director of "Orao" has clearly and
unambiguously stated the facts, no one is listening to him.
On top of everything else, who should appear but the High
Representative who, in keeping with old habits, longs to punish
someone or something; and it goes almost without saying that the
targets are the Serb people and Serb institutions.
In this difficult situation, when much time has already been lost, it
is extremely difficult to draw conclusions regarding necessary
measures; nevertheless, truth will still stand a chance if RS
officials undertake at least some of these steps:
1. "Orao" Aeronautics Institute should IMMEDIATELY initiate legal
proceedings in the appropriate courts against the BH Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and other officials who
are damaging its professional reputation by false statements;
2. The Republika Srpska Government not only should but MUST stand
behind its company and its workers, who are a group of the best
experts in their field and in the region and of incalculable value to
Republika Srpska.
3. Working together, the RS Government and "Orao" need to create an
intensive media "anti-campaign" to inform representatives of the
press; after all, they hold the aces in their hands - the truth and
the documents to support it.
If the RS Government and other high officials of Republika Srpska do
not engage all available resources to defend themselves from this
unprecedented campaign of lies, it is not difficult to imagine the
ramifications and what is yet to come upon our society as a whole.
=== 3 ===
http://www.antiwar.com/malic/m-col.html
ANTIWAR, Thursday, October 31, 2002
Balkan Express
by Nebojsa Malic
Antiwar.com
Empire's Playground
Balkans Scandals Are Deadly Experiments
The Serbs are arming Saddam Hussein's drive for world domination.
Huh?
If it sounds like a plot of a pathetic spy caper, that's because it
does.
But even Hollywood flacks, who habitually insult the intelligence of
American moviegoers, would never dare stoop this low. It just wouldn't
sell. Unsurprisingly, this particular plot was written in Washington,
where no one cares a whit about the audience. After all, they have no
choice but to listen and obey.
Imperial potentates greatly respect the power of human gullibility,
but they also know its limitations. Once in the right frame of mind,
people will believe the most outrageous things - but only up to a
point. Rabid warmongering propaganda may have succeeded in confusing
Americans to the point where most of their opposition to invading Iraq
- or conquering the world, for that matter - is technical in nature,
but it still exists. Lo and behold, to carry them over that threshold
of disbelief comes a scandal: "Iraq-Serbia."
Bombs And Missiles Imaginary
Having hit a snag in their efforts to resurrect Saddam Hussein's
nefarious reputation they'd crafted in the early 1990s, Imperial City
producers decided to bring in a 'supporting villain' that might still
be fresh in people's minds.
"US Says Two Serb Firms Are Helping Iraqis," declares the Washington
Post, adding four days later, "New Yugoslav-Iraqi Ties Alleged: U.S.
Says Defense Firms Developing Cruise Missile for Baghdad." The
Guardian, always eager to score a few Serb scalps, chimed in: "Serbs
Helping Iraq Build Cruise Missile, US Says," announced an October 28
headline.
The best lies always contain a kernel of truth. It is entirely
plausible and probably true that both the Bosnian Serbs and Belgrade
had done business with Iraq at the time when they were both under a
US-sponsored UN blockade, and maybe even after that. The old
Yugoslavia had traded with Iraq a lot. So did Britain, France, China,
Russia, and not the least of all, the US. But spare parts for aircraft
engines don't make a good plot point, especially since the Iraqi air
force hasn't flown in years.
Enter a ship full of powder, originating in Montenegro and impounded
by Croatian authorities. The mysterious powder, US officials claim, is
fuel for cruise missiles the Wicked Serbs have been developing for
Evil Saddam!
Of course, there is a theoretical possibility that the charge might be
true. But it makes no sense. If the Serbs had the technology to build
cruise missiles, wouldn't they have used it by now? Some such missiles
could have definitely come in handy during the NATO attack in 1999,
for instance. Just as, if that uranium fuel seized from Vinca Labs a
few months back really had been bomb-worthy, Serbia could have joined
the nuclear club years ago - and NATO would have found someone else to
occupy and abuse.
Curiously, the New York Times - usually a rabid Serb-baiter - took a
decidedly low-key approach to the matter. "Yugoslav Aides Are Fired
for Sale of Fighter-Jet Parts to Iraq," avers an October 24 article,
noting that the case "appears to focus on the violation of the United
Nations arms embargo rather than the military significance of any
sales."
Maybe those were hypothetical missiles Saddam "might" use one day??
Uncontrollable Fallout
More instructive is the way the charges have been met in Bosnia and
Serbia. The government in Belgrade, always overeager to please its
masters, has sacked several high-ranking officials in charge of the
defense industry, and promised "full cooperation" - whatever that
means. Tuesday's Belgrade daily Glas Javnosti reported an optimistic
prediction by one Prvoslav Davinic, Serbian coordinator for the
Balkans Stability Pact, that the scandal would accelerate Serbia's
entry into NATO's Partnership for Peace program, because
a crackdown on arms dealers would demonstrate its commitment to NATO.
The Pact was established after the Kosovo War, to bring all the
Balkans vassals into Empire's fold. Obviously, anyone associated with
it would lead in the worship of Imperial overlords - but Davinic's
attitude is reflected by most Serbian government officials. They know
which side their bread is buttered on, and it's not the side of the
Serbian people?
In Bosnia, where the entire sordid affair started, Muslim politicians
are using the affair to again call for abolition of the Serb Republic.
A commentator for Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje minced no words in
calling the Serb Republic "a paradigm (sic) of aggression, genocide,
war profiteering and plunder."
Even though Viceroy Ashdown shares their desire for a unified Bosnian
State, he apparently decided to curb their enthusiasm, by reportedly
suggesting that some Muslim and Croat factories have engaged in
not-so-legal arms trade as well.
The intensity of the fallout comes as a surprise to the Imperials
themselves, then. They forgot that, in the Balkans, nothing is simple.
Even the tiniest attempts at manipulation create unexpected
shockwaves.
Our Arms Traders, And Theirs
Take, for example, the infamous "Washington sniper," who killed ten
people in the Imperial City just this month. On October 20, days
before the arrest of a Gulf veteran suspected of the spree, Stacy
Sullivan penned a paean to gun control for the New York Times,
illustrating the ease of purchasing sniper rifles in the US by
describing in great detail - and sympathetically - how Albanian
expatriates armed the terrorist KLA in Kosovo and Macedonia. This is
why NATO couldn't stop the smugglers, just as it had said back in
2001. It couldn't have deployed troops in New Jersey.
Isn't it ironic that the Empire is now in furor over alleged Serb arms
trade with Iraq, though its own citizens were arming terrorists in the
Balkans?
But of course, the KLA were our terrorists?
The Future Is Now
This entire cheap melodrama about alleged arms smuggling diverts
attention from other experiments in the Balkans Laboratory. For
instance, expect new Imperial conquests to be treated with a heavy
dose of democracy- a religious practice brimming with mysticism but
utterly devoid of meaning - and elections, the main ritual of this
strange religion. Bosnia has had seven, Kosovo three; one for every
year they've been occupied.
And even if the ritual does not unfold exactly as planned, the Empire
always makes sure it fits the predetermined outcome, even if some of
the results need to be adjusted, as it is currently happening in
Bosnia. Praising the elections, the outgoing head of the UN mission,
Jacques Klein, shared this cheerful prediction with his bosses the
Security Council last week:
"the nationalists' strong showing created 'a more challenging
political environment that will require strong intervention and
continued commitment' on the international community's part."
(Reuters)
Strong intervention and continued commitment. Music to Empire's ears.
The Fate of Heretics
So important is the ballot religion, that anyone refusing to
participate is deemed a heretic, persecuted and punished. Such is the
fate of Kosovo Serbs, who boycotted last weekend's municipal election,
having realized - albeit belatedly - that it would only legitimize
Albanian domination of the NATO-occupied province. Refusing to go
along with their captors is just about the only recourse they still
have, since appeals to NATO's humanity, international law, UN
resolutions, and common sense have all failed. But
don't expect the Empire to understand.
A glimpse of its rage was apparent in a recent Reuters report about a
political murder perpetrated by Albanians. Even though the elections
serve to justify their claims for independence, some Albanians still
honor the gods of violence when the ballot gods fail them. A former
KLA leader was killed by his comrades a day after the vote, presumably
for daring to represent a rival party. Yet somehow it's the Serbs'
fault. Well, isn't everything?
The Serbs who did vote thus supported "hardliners skeptical of
Serb-Albanian coexistence," while the boycott hurt "U.N. efforts to
integrate Serbs into the political scene and overcome ethnic divisions
threatening further violence." These are mere prevarications, of
course. The real bald-faced lies go something like this:
"Ethnically motivated killings have diminished since the United
Nations and NATO took control of the Yugoslav province three years
ago."
Yes, that's exactly what the Reuters article said. No wonder it ended
with a despicable comment that US bombing "ended a near century of
Serbian dominance," lifted straight out of the KLA manifesto.
Today The Balkans, Tomorrow The World
Intoxicated by their apparent successes in the Balkans, Empire's mad
scientists - social managers, to be precise - plot on, convinced
somehow that they will succeed where everyone before has failed. Iraq
is just the first step, the "cruise missile" affair just a casus
belli. The Balkans, having served as a laboratory for experiments in
Imperial intervention, will now become a template for the world.
For the unconvinced, there is Viceroy Ashdown's own confession, on the
pages of the New York Times this past Monday:
"History will look back on our engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina as
the first faltering step toward a doctrine of international community.
Bosnia will be seen as a new model for international intervention -
one designed not to pursue narrow national interests but to prevent
conflict, to promote human rights and to rebuild war-torn societies.
We are already applying the lessons of Bosnia in Kosovo, East Timor
and Afghanistan. Perhaps they will be applied in Iraq as well."
It almost makes this column seem superfluous.
=== 4 ===
Yugoslav government commission to investigate DEFENSE ministry's work
BELGRADE, Oct 25 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav government has set up a
three-member commission that should investigate whether there were any
irregularities in the Yugoslav Defense Ministry's license for the
export
of arms and military equipment and the operation of Jugoimport SDPR,
the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti reported on Friday.
The commission will be headed by Yugoslav Interior Minister Zoran
Zivkovic and the other members are Yugoslav Defense Minister Velimir
Radojevic and acting Yugoslav Finance Minister Veroljub Dugalic.
"I can't say anything at this moment. An investigation is under way
and as soon as it is completed, the public will be informed about its
results.
At this point, I can only promise that our work will not last long and
that we will try to complete our work as soon as possible. We are well
under way," Zivkovic said.
DAVINIC: YUGOSLAVIA HAS NOT BEEN ISSUING PERMITS FOR ARMS EXPORTS TO
IRAQ
Belgrade, Oct 24 (Beta) - Yugoslav ambassador and national coordinator
in charge of the army, police and judiciary in the Stability Pact,
Prvoslav Davinic, said on Oct 24 that the Yugoslav authorities had not
been issuing permits for the export of military equipment to Iraq.
Davinic told Radio B92 that according to the documents he had had the
chance to review, "it is certain that Yugoslavia has not willingly or
knowingly issued any permits for the export of arms to the countries
under an embargo."
"The question remains about whether these things have been done
illegally.
The inquiry launched to investigate it shows that the country is ready
to initiate criminal proceedings against those who have violated such
an embargo," said Davinic.
The director of the Federal Customs Authority, Vladan Begovic, said in
the evening of Oct. 24 that the Jugoimport company had not exported
weapons and military equipment to Iraq in the past two years.
Yugoslav customs authority director says Jugoimport did not export
weapons to Iraq
BELGRADE, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - No weapons or military equipment have been
exported from Yugoslavia to Iraq, as had there been an attempt to do
so, the Federal Customs Authority (SUC) would not have allowed it in
compliance with relevant UN resolutions, SUC Director Vladan Begovic
said Thursday evening.
The Jugoimport SDPR company has been exporting weapons and military
equipment over the past two years, but according to SUC knowledge,
none of the exports were made to Iraq but only to several countries in
its
neighborhood, Begovic told Serbian TV.
UN coordinator says Jugoimport affair will not affect Yugoslav-UN
relations
BELGRADE, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - The UN Coordinator for Yugoslavia Francis
O'Donnell said Thursday in Belgrade that the Jugoimport affair of arms
sales to Iraq in violation of US sanctions will not affect
Yugoslavia's
relations with the UN.
He welcomed the measures taken by the Yugoslav government, which has
relieved of office the Jugoimport general director and undertaken an
investigation of the company's activities.
USA offers cooperation to Yugoslav authorities
SARAJEVO, Oct 24 (Tanjug) - The United States has offered full support
and cooperation to the Yugoslav authorities in the investigation and
is offering technical and expert aid in the implementation of
appropriate measures and mechanisms for the control of arms transfers,
the US Embassy in Sarajevo said in relation to the affair of military
equipment exports from Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia to Iraq.
The statement recalled that the United States welcomed steps taken by
the Yugoslav government following the revelation that the air force
institute Orao of Bijeljina and the Belgrade company Jugoimport were
implicated in the transfer of military technology and cooperation with
Iraq.
The Embassy statement also said that the authorities of Bosnia and
Herzegovina are expected to take appropriate steps to end immediately
any kind of cooperation with Iraq and to conduct an investigation and
find out who is responsible for the violation of the UN Security
Council resolution on an arms embargo.
YUGOSLAV ARMY NOT INVOLVED IN WEAPONS TRADE - STAFF
BELGRADE, Oct 25 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav Army (VJ) is not empowered to
trade in weapons or military equipment, and is not involved in any way
in any such trade with Iraq, the VJ General Staff said in a statement
Friday. The VJ reiterates that it is open and ready for full
implementation of civilian control
of the army by relevant state institutions in line with the
Constitution and their law, and this also
applies to this case, the statement says.
KOSTUNICA ON JUGOIMPORT AFFAIR
BELGRADE, Oct. 27 (Beta) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has
said that he will meet with top federal government officials on Oct.28
over the Jugoimport affair.
At a Oct. 25 news conference, Kostunica said that Jugoimport's
business dealings were no matter to be dismissed, and that it could
cost Yugoslavia dearly. He said that the whole matter was an
irresponsible
business undertaking, but that the repair of outdated aircraft was
still of a much more benevolent scope than the alleged sale of weapons
in violation of the Iraq arms embargo and that it could not be
identified with the country's political orientation.
The Yugoslav president said that the affair could be solved by police
investigation, through the formation of a federal commission or
through a debate in federal parliament, with the prior formation of a
investigative committee.
BETA has learned that Yugoslav, Bosnian, RS and U.S. embassy
representatives in Sarajevo and Belgrade met on Oct. 25 on the affair.
One of the participants, who declined to be named, told BETA that
"information was exchanged and further investigation was agreed."
Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic announced that his cabinet would insist
on bringing those responsible to account. Djindjic said that he had
confidence in the federal government to investigate the case.
Serbian Interior Minister and chairman of the Jugoimport weapon
dealer's executive board Dusan Mihajlovic said that his position did
not involve knowing about the company's business arrangements in
particular
and denied any knowledge of such undertakings.
"According to the law, the executive board is charged with reviewing a
company's business dealings in general, and not contracts in
particular. This is the job of the management and the GM alone. I was
not
informed of any concrete arrangement, because it was not in my
jurisdiction," Mihajlovic said in an interview with the Oct. 26 issue
of Vecernje Novosti.
Yugoslav Defense Minister Velimir Radojevic said that no permits were
issued for arms or military equipment exports to countries under U.N.
or U.S. weapons embargoes while he was in office. He added that new
legislation was in preparation and that it would change how the field
was regulated.
Radojevic added that "contracts and possible permits in regard to the
affair," would have to date from the time when he and Yugoslav Prime
Minister were not in office.
The Yugoslav army also denied involvement in the affair. A statement
said that the army was not authorized to trade in weapons and military
equipment.
Statement following meeting on Jugoimport company affair
BELGRADE, Oct 29 (Tanjug) - Top state officials met at the office of
Yugolav President Vojislav Kostunica late Monday to discuss the
Jugoimport-SDPR affair and concluded a state commission should be
formed. The commission will "professionally deal with the issue of
economic cooperation in the area of special-purpose production, having
in mind the mutual obligations which our country is determined to
honor in full, as well as the requirements and position of the
military-economic department in Yugoslavia," said a statement from
Kostunica's office received by Tanjug.
The meeting was devoted to measures taken so far to establish the
facts on business operations of the public company Jugoimport-SDPR,
which, according to available information, violated the UN embargo on
arms sales and military-technical assistance to Iraq. In addition to
the Yugoslav president, the meeting was attended by Yugoslav Prime
Minister Dragisa Pesic, Deputy Premier and Foreign Trade Minister
Miroljub Labus, Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic, and federal and
republican interior ministers Zoran Zivkovic and Dusan Mihajlovic.
Evidence about Orao, Jugoimport sent to Belgrade, Sarajevo by United
States
WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Tanjug) -State Department spokesman Richard
Baucher has confirmed that the US government sent firm evidence to the
governments of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina about the
transactions of the Belgrade Jugoimport and the military plant Orao
from Bjeljina with Baghdad,
in direct violation of the UN resolution banning exports of weapons
and equipment to Iraq.
At a press briefing in the State Department Baucher did not wish to
comment Monday on a Washington Post story in its Sunday edition
according to which Yugoslav experts were helping the Iraqis build a
cruise missile. He just repeated that Washington welcomes the steps
taken by Yugoslavia that include dismissing of those responsible for
the transactions, launching a full investigation, and committing
itself to take appropriate measures for regulating the transfer of
military technology and weapons. Washington,
Baucher said, welcomes the closing down of Jugoimport's office in
Baghdad and offers full support to the Yugoslav authorities in
conducting the investigation and the development of legal and police
measures and
mechanisms for the control of exports of military and other sensitive
materials.
NATO: BELGRADE SHOULD CLEAR UP ORAO AFFAIR
BRUSSELS, Oct. 31 (Beta) - NATO spokesman Yves Brodeur said on Oct. 31
that the Alliance expected the
Belgrade authorities "to swiftly and completely clear up the Orao
affair" regarding military equipment
exports to Iraq.
He emphasized that it would not affect the rapprochement between
Yugoslavia and NATO in any way, including Belgrade's desire to enter
the Partnership for Peace.
Brodeur confirmed to BETA that the discovery that the Orao company
from Republika Srpska was exporting
military equipment to Iraq through a military company in Belgrade,
thus violating the UN embargo, has
commanded "attention and concern" in NATO circles.
He said that Orao company from Republika Srpska was delivering
"components for rocket engines."
MINISTER ZIVKOVIC ON JUGOIMPORT SCANDAL
BELGRADE, Nov 4 (Tanjug) - The Jugoimport scandal is over, Yugoslav
Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic has said and added that a Yugoslav
government commission had determined that there had been cases of
violation of a UN Security Council resolution banning the export of
arms and military equipment to Iraq, primarily because of regulations
that allowed different interpretations.
Zivkovic told the Monday issue of the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti
that all measures had been taken aimed at preventing the repetition
of such as case not only with Iraq, but also with all other countries
under sanctions. He said that competent organs, primarily the Serbian
police, would continue doing their job and that those for whom there
is proof they had been violating the law, would bear legal
consequences. Asked about the possibility of production of cruising
missiles in the country, Zivkovic said that this was high technology
and that he was certain that they could not have been made in the
country. We do not have cruising missiles, Zivkovic said.
SVILANOVIC SAYS MILITARY COOPERATION WITH IRAQ HAS CEASED
BELGRADE,Nov5 (Beta)-Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said
on Nov. 5 that Yugoslavia had stopped military hardware exports to
Iraq and emphasized that the authorities were keenly monitoring and
controlling the entire sector.
"A state commission has been established to investigate not only
Jugoimport, but the entire military trade sector, which includes a
number of other private companies. We want to find out whether any
U.N. arms
embargoes were violated. The state commission will take charge of the
process so that the country's military industry can get back to
business and we do not want to breach our international obligations at
any moment," Svilanovic said.
=== 5 ===
US demands more action against Bosnian firm that dealt with Iraq
WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (AFP) - The United States on Monday demanded Bosnia
take further action against a firm it claims sold military equipment
and sensitive technology to Iraq while welcoming Belgrade's steps
against a Yugoslav company accused of assisting in the transfers.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said moves by the Bosnian
Serb entity Republika Srpska against the Orao company -- firing the
general manager and removing a military officer and a senior
government official affiliated with the firm -- were insufficient.
"This is a good start, but more needs to be done," he told reporters,
noting that the company had close ties with the government and
military.
"Orao's illegal activities would have required extensive coordination
with the ministry of defense and possibly other parts of the Bosnian
government," Boucher said.
"The United States expects the relevant authorities in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, and particularly the Republika Srpska, to conduct
a thorough investigation and to hold accountable those responsible
regardless of the seniority or position."
Orao is one of two firms in the former Yugoslavia that Washington has
publicly accused of transferring military parts and technology --
specifically airplane parts and mechanics -- to Iraq in violation of
UN sanctions.
Officials in Belgrade have punished the other company, Jugoimport,
taking action against company officials as well as military officers
as well as launching an investigation into the defense ministry and
moving to
tighten its export control regime.
Boucher called these moves, in addition to the closure of the
Jugoimport office in Baghdad, "significant and serious actions."
"We welcome these steps," he said, repeating Washington's offer to
assist Yugoslav authorities in their investigation and help revamp
the export rules.
The Yugoslav government has admitted that Jugoimport had acted as a
middleman in the supply of aviation parts and equipment from Orao.
Boucher declined to comment on reports that other companies in the
former Yugoslavia had also been supplying Iraq and Libya with missile
technology, a far more serious contravention of the UN sanctions that
spare aircraft parts.
However, one senior State Department official said the firms were
selling "far more than just aviation parts and training" to Iraq.
Earlier Monday, the Yugoslav newspaper Blic reported that Washington
had told Belgrade five months ago that a number of companies were
helping Iraq and Libya develop their missile programs.
In addition to Jugoimport, the daily also listed the Infinity, Bruner
Ede-pro firms as having ties with Baghdad and Tripoli and said that
experts from those firms had traveled to Iraq and Libya over the past
two years to assist in the development of cruise missiles.
That report followed one in Sunday's Washington Post that said the
United States had presented a document to Yugoslav government
officials outlining work done by firms in the country to develop a
turbo-jet engine for Iraq's cruise missile program.
AFP Bosnia bans military exports amid arms-to-Iraq scandal
SARAJEVO, Oct 29 (AFP) - Bosnia has banned all military exports
following the recent discovery that a Bosnian Serb defense firm made
secret military sales to Iraq, officials said Tuesday.
"The ban has been imposed for an indefinite period of time, depending
on the speed with which control procedures will be set up at the
state level," said Azra Hadziahmetovic, Bosnia's minister for foreign
trade and economic relations.
The move was the latest measure by the country's authorities to
prevent possible UN and US sanctions over the scandal.
The government of the Serb-run side has sacked five officials over
the affair, including its defense minister and army chief-of-staff,
following sharp warnings from the West.
The NATO-led force in Bosnia discovered earlier this month that a
defense company in the country's Serb-run part had been secretly
selling military material to Baghdad in violation of an UN arms
embargo on Iraq.
Production and sale of military materials has so far come under the
authority of Bosnia's two entities, the Serb-run Republika Srpska (RS)
and the Musleim-Croat federation.
After the secret sales by the Bosnian Serb firm Orao were discovered,
international officials demanded that control procedures to be set up
at the state level.
The 1995 peace deal that ended Bosnia's 1992-95 war split the country
into the two entities, which are linked by weak central institutions,
have separate governments, parliaments, police and armed forces.
Hadziahmetovic, whose ministry will take over control for the
weapons' trade, said it was uncertain how quickly the new procedures
could be set up as they depended on various state-level institutions.
He spoke after meeting with international representatives in Bosnia,
including the chief aide to Bosnia's top international envoy Paddy
Ashdown.
"We totally support the current ban on exports of weapons and other
facilities that would eventually be part of the (state-level) export
regime," said aide Donald Hays.
He said Ashdown would travel to Brussels Thursday to brief NATO and
the European Union on situation in Bosnia, and specifically on the
Orao affair.
Robert Beecroft, head of the mission here of the pan-European security
and cooperation body (OSCE), said experts would be assigned to work
with Bosnian authorities to set up the new control procedures.
AFP More sackings expected over Bosnia's arms-to-Iraq scandal
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Oct 30 (AFP) - An ongoing probe into
a Bosnian Serb firm which sold arms to Iraq in violation of the
United Nations arms embargo will result in more sackings, a senior
international official in Bosnia said on Wednesday.
"I made it clear... that the investigation that is being undertaken
will result in further dismissals," said Donald Hays, chief aide to
Bosnia's top international envoy, Paddy Ashdown.
"If there is political involvement, regardless of where that
political involvement stems from, there will be repercussions on
those involved, however high," Hays said adding that the scandal
"probably involves more than just one company."
He said there was a need for a comprehensive review, not only in the
Serb-run entity of Republika Srpska (RS) but also in the Muslim-Croat
Federation.
Post-war Bosnia is composed of two entities -- the Serb-run RS and
the Muslim-Croat Federation -- which have separate governments,
parliaments, police and armed forces and are linked by weak central
institutions.
The government of the Serb-run side has sacked five officials over
the affair, including its defense minister and army chief-of-staff,
following sharp warnings from the West.
The scandal emerged earlier this month after the NATO-led
peacekeeping force in Bosnia discovered that defence firm Orao had
been refurbishing military aircrafts for Iraq via a state-owned
Yugoslav company,
Jugoimport.
Bosnian Serb outgoing Prime Minister Mladen Ivanic agreed after
meeting Hays in Banja Luka that it was in the interest of the RS "to
have the whole truth" on the scandal discovered.
The investigation is to be wrapped up by November 27.
The US ambassador to Bosnia, Clifford Bond, said Washington was not
convinced the dismissal of the officials satisfied US demands for the
culprits to be punished.
"I think it is too early to say whether the dismissals so far are
sufficient," Bond told AFP.
"The investigation has to be completed before we determine who should
be accountable and on what level."
In a speech to EU and NATO leaders in Brussels, Ashdown warned the
Bosnian Serb authorities would have to choose "whether to take the
road to Brussels or to Baghdad".
NATO forces raided Orao following US allegations in September that
the company had breached the UN arms embargo on Iraq.
In an additional effort to avert possible UN and US sanctions over
the scandal, Bosnia's central authorities on Tuesday banned all arms
exports for an indefinite period of time.
The Bosnian Serb tax department said Wednesday it had also launched
an investigation of Orao, an aviation company operating under the
authority of Bosnian Serb military headquarters.
AFP Britain urges Yugoslavia to halt arms sales to Iraq, Liberia
LONDON, Oct 30 (AFP) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called
Wednesday on Yugoslavia to halt the sale of arms to Iraq and Liberia,
in breach of UN sanctions, after a meeting with his Yugoslav
counterpart Goran Svilanovic.
Straw welcomed steps Belgrade had taken to deal with the issue but
expressed "serious concern at recent reports concerning the sale of
arms from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) to Iraq."
"I also raised other violations of UN sanctions including reports of
FRY involvement in arms sales to Liberia in contravention of the UN
sanctions regime," Straw said in a press release.
"I urged Dr. Svilanovic to ensure a thorough investigation into these
arms sales, leading to prosecutions as necessary," the statement
added.
The British foreign secretary said he was also deeply concerned by
the failure of the FRY to fully co-operate with the International
Criminal Tribunal in The Hague (ICTY).
"I urge the FRY authorities to take immediate steps to settle this
matter once and for all, with full access to documents, witnesses,
including officials and military personnel, and the transfer of all
remaining ICTY indictees on FRY territory to The Hague," Straw said.
"Failure to do so," said the foreign secretary, "would undermine the
excellent progress made by Yugoslav authorities since October 2000."
The Iraqi arms scandal broke last week when Washington went public
with allegations that a state-run trading company, Jugoimport, had
acted as a middleman in the supply of spare parts for Iraqi fighter
jets.
The State Department said a state-owned Bosnian firm, Orao, was
manufacturing the parts and selling them through Jugoimport to Saddam
Hussein's regime in breach of UN sanctions.
Belgrade reacted swiftly by sacking the chief of Jugoimport and a
deputy defence minister.
Jugoimport's office in Baghdad was closed and a special committee was
established to investigate both the company and the defence ministry.
According to the British foreign office press release, a UN report
dated October 7 stated that six cargo aircraft in June, July and
August 2002 delivered 200 tons of Yugoslav weapons to Liberia.
AFP Yugoslav minister confirms one arms delivery to Liberia
BELGRADE, Nov 1 (AFP) - Yugoslavia's interior minister confirmed
Friday that at least one illegal delivery of weapons had been made to
Liberia in August in breach of United Nations sanctions.
Minister Zoran Zivkovic told AFP he was aware that a local private
company had sent one plane-load of weapons to Liberia, but he could
not confirm UN allegations that six shipments of weapons had been made
between June and August.
"I am aware of only one ... That aircraft had papers for Nigeria as
well as a certificate from the Nigerian defense ministry or
government that the weapons would go there," he said.
"Later on it was found out that it had gone to Liberia."
Zivkovic said an investigation was underway into the company, Temex,
amid damaging revelations that Yugoslav state-run and private firms
also have been selling military equipment to Iraq and Libya.
"An investigation has been launched into Temex, a dealer company that
exported weapons on the aircraft," he said.
A deputy Yugoslav defence minister and a director of the state-run
Jugoimport company were sacked last week after Washington went public
with allegations the company was helping to supply parts for Iraqi
fighter jets.
The government also closed Jugoimport's office in Baghdad, suspended
all military sales to countries under UN sanctions and launched a
wider probe of military-related businesses as well as the defence
ministry.
"Inspections have entered all companies that have done weapons sales,
those are 32 or 33 private companies and one state-owned --
Jugoimport," Zivkovic said.