Informazione
"Il Manifesto", 22 Agosto 2001
Macedonia, l'oleodotto va alla guerra
Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania. Tra Mar Nero e
Adriatico, il famoso "corridoio 8", l'oleodotto
petrolifero che fa gola alle compagnie
americane. Che, alleate con la Gran Bretagna,
intendono escludere il resto dell'Europa dalla
joint venture che lo controller�. Anche a
costo - com'� gi� avvenuto nei Balcani, in Albania
- di guerre sanguinose. Ecco gli affari e gli
affaristi che covano sotto il conflitto
armato in Macedonia
MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY *
La guerra nascosta di Washington in Macedonia mira
a consolidare la sfera di influenza americana
nell'Europa sud-orientale. La posta in
gioco � il "corridoio" strategico per i trasporti,
le comunicazioni e gli oleodotti che attraversa
Bulgaria, Macedonia e Albania collegando
il Mar Nero alla costa adriatica. La Macedonia si
trova a uno snodo strategico di tale corridoio.
Al fine di proteggere queste rotte petrolifere,
l'obiettivo di Washington � installare un "patchwork
di protettorati" lungo i corridoi strategici nei
Balcani. La promessa della "Grande Albania" usata
da Washington per fomentare il nazionalismo albanese
fa parte della manovra militare e di intelligence.
Questa manovra, come ampiamente documentato,
consiste nel finanziare ed equipaggiare l'Esercito di
liberazione (Uck) - prima del Kosovo poi "nazionale"
- e tutte le sue propaggini, incaricato di portare
a termine offensive di destabilizzazione terroristica
in Macedonia.
Lo sviluppo della sfera di influenza americana
nell'Europa sud-orientale - complice la Gran Bretagna
- favorisce gli interessi dei giganti petroliferi tra
cui la BP-Amoco-ARCO, la Chevron e la Texaco.
"Proteggere" le rotte degli oleodotti e assicurarne
il controllo � fondamentale per il successo di queste
ventures multimiliardarie.
Un regime petrolifero internazionale di successo
� una combinazione di accordi economici, politici
e militari per sostenere la produzione
petrolifera e il trasporto ai mercati. (1. Robert
V. Baryiski, The Caspian Oil Regime: military
Dimensions, Caspian Crossroads Magazine,
Volume 1, No. 2, Primavera 1995).
Il consorzio anglo-americano che controlla il
progetto Ambo per un oleodotto trans-balcanico che
colleghi il porto bulgaro di Burgas a Valona, sulla
costa adriatica albanese, esclude in larga misura
la partecipazione del gigante petrolifero europeo
concorrente Total-Fina-Elf. (2. Il riferimento
all'Unione Europea in questo articolo va
interpretato come "l'Unione Europea meno la Gran
Bretagna"). In altre parole, il controllo strategico
Usa sul corridoio dell'oleodotto � finalizzato
a indebolire il ruolo dell'Unione Europea e a
tenere a distanza gli interessi commerciali europei
concorrenti.
Chi c'� dietro l'oleodotto
Il consorzio per l'oleodotto Ambo, con sede negli
Stati Uniti, � direttamente collegato alla sede
del potere politico e militare negli Stati
Uniti e alla societ� del vice presidente Dick
Cheney, Halliburton Energy. (3. Vedi Agenzia
telegrafica albanese, Tirana, 28 luglio 1998 e
Milsnews, Skopje, 23 gennaio 1997, disponibile
all'indirizzo
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a379fb721329c.htm)
In base allo studio di fattibilit� per l'oleodotto
trans-balcanico Ambo, condotto dalla societ�
internazionale di progettazione della Brown & Root
Ltd. (consociata britannica della Halliburton),
questo oleodotto... diventer� parte della
infrastruttura - comprendente autostrade, ferrovie,
gasdotti e linee di telecomunicazione a fibre
ottiche - del cruciale corridoio est-ovest. (4.
Milsnews, op. cit.)
Inoltre, completato lo studio di fattibilit� da
parte della Halliburton, un alto dirigente della
Halliburton � stato nominato "chief executive
officer" dell'Ambo. La Halliburton ha anche
ottenuto un contratto per rifornire le truppe
americane nei Balcani e costruire in Kosovo
"Bondsteel", che oggi costituisce "la pi� grande
base militare americana all'estero costruita dai
tempi del Vietnam". (5. Vedi l'incisiva analisi
di Karen Talbot: "Former Yogoslavia: The Name of
the Game is Oil", People's Weekly World, maggio
2001,
http://www.ecadre.net/pages/news/stories/990197752.shtml.
Vedi anche Marjorie Cohn, "Pacification for a
pipeline: explaining the US Military presence in
the Balkans, The Jurist, Legal Education Network,
giugno 2001, http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumnew22.htm).
Per inciso, la White and Case Llt - lo studio legale
di New York in cui il presidente William J. Clinton
� entrato quando ha lasciato la Casa Bianca - ha
anch'essa degli interessi nell'affare dell'oleodotto
Ambo.
Corridoi militarizzati
Il progetto per l'oleodotto trans-balcanico Ambo
andrebbe a collegarsi agli oleodotti tra il Mar
Nero e il bacino del Mar Caspio, che si trova al
centro delle pi� grandi riserve petrolifere
inesplorate del mondo. (Vedi la mappa:
http://www.bsrec.bg/taskforce/SYNERGY/oilprojects2.html).
La militarizzazione di questi vari corridoi
costituisce parte integrante del disegno di Washington.
La politica Usa di "proteggere le rotte degli
oleodotti" provenienti dal bacino del Mar Caspio
(e che attraversano i Balcani) era stata
espressa dal Segretario all'Energia di Clinton,
Bill Richardson, appena pochi mesi prima dei
bombardamenti sulla Jugoslavia del 1999:
"Qui si tratta della sicurezza energetica
dell'America... Si tratta anche di prevenire
incursioni strategiche da parte di coloro che
non condividono i nostri valori. Stiamo cercando
di spostare questi paesi, da poco indipendenti,
verso l'occidente... Vorremmo vederli fare
affidamento sugli interessi commerciali e politici
occidentali, piuttosto che prendere un'altra
strada. Nella regione del Mar Caspio
abbiamo fatto un investimento politico
consistente, ed � molto importante per noi
che la mappa degli oleodotti e la politica abbiano
esito positivo". (6. George Monbiot, "A Discreet
Deal in the Pipeline", The Guardian, 15 febbraio
2001).
I giganti petroliferi anglo-americani, tra cui
BP-Amoco-Arco, Texaco e Chevron - sostenuti dalla
potenza militare statunitense - sono in
competizione con il gigante petrolifero europeo
Total-Fina-Elf (associati con l'italiana Eni),
che � un importante attore nei ricchi giacimenti
di Kashagan nella regione del Caspio nord-orientale
in Kazakistan. Gli interessi in gioco sono
grandi: i giacimenti di Kashagan sarebbero "cos�
grandi da superare perfino le dimensioni delle
riserve petrolifere del Mare del Nord". (7.
Richard Giragosian, "Massive Kashagan Oil Strike
Renews Geopolitical Offensive In Caspian", The
Analyst, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Johns
Hopkins University-Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced
International Studies, 7 giugno 2000,
http://www.soros.org/caucasus/0059.html).
Il concorrente consorzio dell'Unione Europea,
comunque, non controlla in modo significativo le
principali rotte degli oleodotti dal
bacino del Mar Caspio fino in Europa occidentale
(attraverso il Mar Nero e i Balcani). I pi�
importanti progetti di oleodotti - compreso
il progetto Ambo e il progetto Baku-Cehyan
che attraverserebbe la Turchia fino al Mediterraneo
- sono ampiamente in mano ai loro rivali anglo-
americani, che fanno fortemente affidamento sulla
presenza politica e militare Usa nel bacino del
Caspio e nei Balcani.
Il disegno di Washington � riuscire a distanziare
tutti e tre i paesi Ambo - ossia Bulgaria, Macedonia
e Albania - dall'influenza euro-tedesca attraverso
l'installazione di protettorati Usa creati a bella
posta. In altre parole, la militarizzazione e il
controllo geopolitico da parte degli Usa
sull'oleodotto che dovrebbe collegare Burgas in
Bulgaria al porto adriatico di Valona in Albania
mirano a minare l'influenza dell'Unione Europea
e a indebolire gli interessi petroliferi contrapposti
di Francia, Belgio e Italia.
Negoziazioni concernenti l'oleodotto Ambo hanno
ricevuto l'appoggio di funzionari governativi
americani attraverso la South Balkan
Development Initiative (Sbdi) della Trade and
Development Agency (Tda). La South Balkan
Development Initiative � "finalizzata ad
aiutare Albania, Bulgaria e Macedonia a sviluppare
e integrare ulteriormente la loro infrastruttura
di trasposti lungo il corridoio est-ovest che
le connette". (8. Vedi la Trade and Development
Agency (Tda) per regione all'indirizzo
http://www.tda.gov/region/sbdi.html).
La Trade and Development Agency esprime l'esigenza
che i tre paesi "utilizzino sinergie regionali per
ottenere nuovo capitale pubblico e privato [dalle
compagnie statunitensi] sottolineando allo stesso
tempo il ruolo del governo Usa "per avere
implementato l'iniziativa".
Per quanto riguarda l'oleodotto Ambo, apparirebbe
che l'Ue sia stata ampiamente esclusa dalla
programmazione e dalle negoziazioni. Con
i governi di Albania, Bulgaria e Macedonia
sono stati gi� firmati "Memorandum d'intesa"
che spogliano quei paesi della sovranit�
nazionale sui corridoi dell'oleodotto e dei
trasporti fornendo "diritti esclusivi" al
consorzio anglo-americano:
"...Il memorandum afferma che l'Ambo sar� il
solo soggetto autorizzato a costruire il
programmato oleodotto Burgas-Valona. Pi�
specificatamente, esso conferisce all'Ambo il
diritto esclusivo di negoziare con gli investitori
e i creditori del progetto. Esso impegna
inoltre [i governi di Bulgaria, Macedonia e
Albania] a non svelare certe informazioni
confidenziali sul progetto dell'oleodotto". (9.
Alexander, Gas and Oil Connections,
http://wwwgasandoil.com/goc/news/nte04224.htm,
ottobre 2000)
Il corridoio est-ovest 8
Il progetto per l'oleodotto Ambo � collegato
a un altro progetto strategico denominato
"Corridoio 8", inizialmente proposto
dall'amministrazione Clinton nel contesto
del "Patto di stabilit� nei Balcani". Di
importanza strategica sia per gli Usa che
per l'Unione Europea, il "Corridoio 8" include
infrastrutture autostradali, ferroviarie, per
l'elettricit� e le telecomunicazioni. Dal
canto loro, le infrastrutture esistenti in
questi settori sono candidate alla deregulation
e alla privatizzazione (a prezzi stracciati)
sotto la supervisione del Fondo monetario
internazionale-Banca mondiale.
Anche se approvato a occhi chiusi dai ministri
dei trasporti dell'Unione europea come parte
del processo dell'integrazione economica
europea, gli studi di fattibilit� del "Corridoio
8" sono stati condotti dalle compagnie Usa
finanziate direttamente dalla Trade and
Development Agency. In altre parole, Washington
sembra aver preparato il terreno per prendere
il sopravvento nell'infrastruttura dei
trasporti e delle telecomunicazioni di questi
paesi. Le corporation americane - tra cui
Bechtel, Enron e General Electric (con il sostegno
finanziario del governo Usa) - fanno concorrenza
alle compagnie dell'Unione europea.
Il disegno di Washington � di aprire l'intero
corridoio alle multinazionali americane in una
regione situata nel "cortile dietro casa", in
termini economici, dell'Unione Europea, in cui
il potere del marco tedesco tende a dominare
su quello del dollaro Usa.
L'allargamento dell'Ue
All'inizio del 2000, la Commissione Europea ha
avviato con la Macedonia, la Bulgaria e l'Albania
le negoziazioni sull'ingresso nell'Eu.
E nell'aprile 2001, nel pieno degli assalti
terroristici, la Macedonia � diventata il
primo paese nei Balcani a firmare un cosiddetto
"accordo di stabilizzazione e associazione" che
costituisce un passo importante verso la piena
appartenenza all'Ue. L'accordo fornisce la base
per la "liberalizzazione del commercio, la
cooperazione politica, la riforma economica e
istituzionale e il recepimento della legislazione
Ue". In base all'"accordo di stabilizzazione e
associazione", la Macedonia sarebbe (di fatto)
integrata nel sistema monetario europeo, con
libero accesso al mercato dell'Unione europea.
(10. In base alle cosiddette "asymmetric trade
preferences" con l'Ue).
Gli attentati terroristici hanno coinciso
cronologicamente con il processo di "allargamento
dell'Ue", acquistando impeto appena poche
settimane prima della firma dello storico
"accordo di associazione" con la Macedonia. Come
ampiamente documentato, gli Usa hanno
consiglieri militari che lavorano con i terroristi.
Una mera coincidenza?
Inoltre Robert Frowick, "un ex diplomatico Usa",
� stato nominato capo della missione Osce in
Macedonia a met� marzo, anche in questo
caso appena poche settimane prima della firma
dell'"accordo di associazione". In stretto
collegamento con Washington e l'ambasciata Usa
a Skopje, Frowick ha avviato un "dialogo" con il
leader ribelle dell'Uck in Macedonia, Ali Ahmeti.
Egli ha anche fatto da mediatore a un
accordo fra Ahmeti e i leader dei partiti
albanesi, che fanno parte della coalizione di
governo.
Questo accordo negoziato da Frowick ha ampiamente
contribuito a destabilizzare le istituzioni
politiche, mettendo allo stesso tempo a
repentaglio il processo di allargamento dell'Ue.
(11. Per ulteriori dettagli sul ruolo di Robert
Frowick, vedi Michel Chossudovsky, Macedonia:
Washington's Military-Intelligence Ploy, giugno
2001). Inoltre il deteriorarsi della situazione
di sicurezza in Macedonia ha fornito un pretesto
per l'accresciuta interferenza politica,
"umanitaria" e militare da parte degli Usa,
contribuendo allo stesso tempo a indebolire i
legami economici e politici di Skopje con la
Germania e la Ue. Sotto questo aspetto, una delle
"condizioni vincolanti" dell'"accordo di
associazione" � che la Macedonia si conformi
agli "standard dell'Ue sulla democrazia".
(12. Vedi Afp, 10 aprile 2001).
Non c'� bisogno di dire che, senza un "governo
funzionante" in Macedonia, il processo di
associazione all'Ue e a Bruxelles non pu�
procedere.
I governi fantoccio installati a Tirana, Skopje
e Sofia, mentre rispondono largamente ai diktat
americani, vengono attualmente sospinti in
direzione dell'Ue. L'intento ultimo di Washington
� di tenere a freno il "Lebensraum" ("spazio
vitale", ndt) della Germania nell'Europa
sudorientale. Mentre, a parole, si dichiarano
favorevoli all'"allargamento dell'Ue", gli Usa
favoriscono in modo consistente
l'"allargamento della Nato" come mezzo per
perseguire i loro interessi strategici nell'Europa
orientale e nei Balcani, mentre la Germania
e la Francia si sono opposte ad esso.
Mentre il tono della diplomazia internazionale
rimane gentile ed educato, la politica estera
americana sotto l'amministrazione Bush �
diventata chiaramente "anti-europea". Secondo
un osservatore: Nel cuore del team Bush, Colin
Powell � (considerato) l'amico degli
europei, mentre gli altri ministri e consiglieri
sono considerati arroganti, duri e riluttanti
ad ascoltare gli europei o a dare loro un posto".
(13. Secondo Pascal Boniface, direttore
dell'Istituto per le relazioni internazionali
e strategiche di Parigi, Upi, 11 aprile 2001).
* docente di economia, Universit� di Ottawa.
Traduzione di Marina Impallomeni (1. continua)
"Il Manifesto" del 24 Agosto 2001
Oro giallo e nero nell'oleodotto
Le nuove alleanze mondiali attraversano il
conflitto nei Balcani e lo fomentano. Insieme al
famigerato "Corridoio 8", che consentirebbe il
passaggio del mega oleodotto tra Mar Nero e
Adriatico
MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY *
Come ampiamente documentato, c'� la Cia dietro
i ribelli dell'Uck che stanno conducendo gli
assalti terroristici contro le forze di
sicurezza macedoni. Mentre l'omologo tedesco
della Cia - il Bundes Nachrichten Dienst (Bnd) -
ha collaborato con la Cia nel sorvegliare
e finanziare il Kla prima della guerra del 1999,
sviluppi recenti suggeriscono che il Bundes
Nachrichten Dienst non � coinvolto nella
manovra militare e di intelligence di Washington
in Macedonia. (14. Per ulteriori dettagli
sull'appoggio da parte della Cia-Bnd all'Uck
vedi Michael Chossudovsky, "Kosovo Freedom
Fighters Financed by Organised Crime", Covert
Action Quarterly, autunno 1999,
disponibile anche all'indirizzo
http://www.heise.de/tp/english/inhalt/co/2743/1.html).
Appena poche settimane prima della firma
dell'"accordo di associazione" con l'Unione
Europea (met� marzo 2001), le truppe tedesche di
stanza in Macedonia nella regione di Tetovo
sono state "accidentalmente" bersagliate dall'Uck.
Mentre i media occidentali, echeggiando in
coro le dichiarazioni ufficiali, sostengono che
le truppe tedesche sono state "prese nel fuoco
incrociato", resoconti provenienti da Tetovo
suggeriscono che il bombardamento da parte
dell'Uck "� stato deliberato". In ogni caso,
l'incidente non sarebbe accaduto se il Bnd tedesco
avesse lavorato con l'esercito ribelle: "Fino a
600 militari tedeschi sono stati costretti a
lasciare Tetovo durante la notte dopo che la loro
caserma... era stata colpita dal fuoco
incrociato... Erano armati in modo troppo leggero
per difendersi dagli albanesi. I tedeschi
rimpiazzeranno i militari in partenza con una
squadra di tank Leopard [appartenente alla
divisione panzer-artiglieria-batteria di stanza
nel Nordrein-Westphalen]. ... La nuova potenza
di fuoco (tedesca) pu� essere usata per fare
fuori le postazioni albanesi che ora si trovano
intorno a Tetevo..." (15. Tom Walker, "Nato
Troops caught in a Balkan Ulster", Sunday Times,
Londra, 18 marzo 2001).
Per una amara ironia, due dei comandanti
responsabili degli attacchi terroristici nella
regione di Tetovo erano stati addestrati dalle
forze speciali britanniche: "Tra l'imbarazzo
della Kfor, � emerso che due dei comandanti di
stanza in Kosovo che guidavano l'offensiva albanese
(nella regione di Tetovo) erano stati addestrati
da ex ufficiali del reggimento paracadutisti e
della Sas britannici nei giorni in cui la Nato
era pi� a suo agio con il nascente Uck. Un ex
membro di una unit� europea di forze speciali,
che accompagnava l'Uck durante il conflitto in
Kosovo, ha riferito che un comandante col nome
di battaglia di Bilal organizzava il flusso di
armi e uomini verso la Macedonia e che il
comandante dell'Uck, il veterano Adem Bajrami,
aiutava a coordinare l'assalto su Tetovo.
Entrambi erano stati preparati dai soldati
britannici nei campi di addestramento segreti
che operavano sopra Bajram Curri, nel nord
dell'Albania, durante il 1998 e il 1999" (16.
ancora Tom Walker, "Nato Troops caught in a
Balkan Ulster").
Strane coincidenze
Questi stessi britannici hanno addestrato i
comandanti ribelli a vedere la Germania come
il "nemico" perch� le truppe della Bundeswehr
stanziate in Macedonia e Kosovo - piuttosto che
fornire "protezione" ai "combattenti per la
libert�" dell'Uck allo stesso modo delle loro
controparti Kfor britanniche e americane -
detengono frequentemente "sospetti terroristi"
al confine: "Un portavoce dell'Esercito di
liberazione nazionale albanese a Pristina ha
messo in guardia la Bundeswehr che il suo
coinvolgimento avrebbe costituito "una
dichiarazione di guerra da parte della Repubblica
Federale di Germania"". [17. ancora Tom Walker,
"Nato Troops caught in a Balkan Ulster").
In risposta alle minacce dell'Uck, la Bundeswehr
ha inviato le sue Forze Speciali, i
Fallschirmj�ger (paracadutisti) a lavorare con
la sua squadra panzer-artiglieria-batteria.
(18. Vedi "Deutsche Fallschirmj�ger nach Tetovo",
Spiegel Online, 24 marzo 2001. Vedi anche
"Bundeswehr verlegt Soldaten ins Kosovo", Spiegel
Online, 23 marzo 2001).
Il ministro della difesa tedesco Rudolf Scharping
ha confermato che era "pronto a inviare pi� tank
e uomini per sostenere le forze della
Bundeswehr". (19. Deutsche Press Agentur, 19 marzo
2001). Tuttavia, recentemente, Berlino ha deciso
di ritirare la maggior parte delle sue truppe
dalla regione di Tetovo senza sfidare in alcun
modo la manovra militare e di intelligence
americana in sostegno dei ribelli dell'Uck.
Alcune di queste truppe tedesche sono attualmente
stanziate sul lato kosovaro del confine.
La Germania in Macedonia
Mentre l'Esercito di liberazione nazionale ha
ricevuto una fornitura di armi nuove e avanzate
"made in America", la Germania (a met� giugno) ha
donato alle forze di sicurezza macedoni tutti i
veicoli di terra nonch� armi "per sofisticati
tracciati a raggi infrarossi nel campo
di battaglia". Secondo un resoconto proveniente
dalla Macedonia, il piccolo contingente di truppe
tedesche che ancora resta nella regione di
Tetovo "ha sub�to pesanti attacchi dai terroristi
che li bersagliavano con i mortai dai monti
sopra Tetovo. Questa � probabilmente la
risposta alla donazione, avvenuta il 14 giugno
2001, al nostro esercito fatta dal governo
tedesco" (20. Informazione trasmessa all'autore
da Skopje, giugno 2001).
Mentre le divisioni fra gli "alleati Nato" non
vengono mai rese pubbliche, il ministro degli
esteri tedesco Joschka Fisher - in una
dichiarazione dai toni decisi al Bundestag
diretta contro "gli estremisti albanesi in
Macedonia" - ha auspicato un "accordo a lungo
termine, finalizzato ad avvicinare l'intera
regione all'Europa" (cio� a liberarla dalle
violazioni degli Usa). La posizione tedesca �
fortemente in contrasto con quella degli Stati
Uniti. Che invece richiedono che il governo di
Skopje garantisca l'amnistia ai terroristi,
modifichi la costituzione del paese e incorpori
i ribelli dell'Uck nella vita politica civile:
"Il patto avrebbe previsto che i ribelli
smettessero di combattere in cambio di garanzie
sull'amnistia. I ribelli avrebbero anche avuto il
diritto di porre il veto su future decisioni
politiche riguardanti i diritti dei cittadini di
etnia albanese. L'accordo sarebbe stato mediato
da Robert Frowick, un ex diplomatico americano,
che in quel momento prestava servizio come
rappresentante dei Balcani per l'Organizzazione
per la Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa".
(21. Facts on File, World News Digest, 30 maggio 2001).
L'asse anglo americano
Lo scontro fra Germania e America nei Balcani
� parte di un processo molto pi� ampio che tocca
il cuore del complesso militare-industriale
occidentale e dell'establishment difensivo.
Dall'inizio degli anni '90, gli Usa e la Germania
hanno agito uniti in quanto partner della Nato nei
Balcani, coordinando le loro rispettive iniziative
militari, di intelligence e di politica estera. Pur
mantenendo nelle loro dichiarazioni pubbliche un
sembiante di unit� politica, serie divisioni sono
cominciate a emergere dopo gli accordi di Dayton
(1995), quando le banche tedesche si sono date da
fare per imporre il marco tedesco e prendere il
controllo del sistema monetario degli stati eredi
della Jugoslavia.
Inoltre, dopo la guerra in Jugoslavia del 1999, gli
Usa hanno rafforzato i loro legami strategici,
militari e di intelligence con la Gran Bretagna,
mentre quest'ultima ha tranciato molti dei suoi
legami (particolarmente nell'area della produzione
aerospaziale e della difesa) con la Germania e la
Francia.
L'ex segretario alla Difesa americano William
Cohen e il suo omologo britannico, Geoff Hoon,
hanno firmato una "Dichiarazione di princ�pi per
l'equipaggiamento difensivo e la cooperazione
industriale" lanciata all'inizio del 2000. (22.
Reuters, 5 febbraio 2000).
L'obiettivo di Washington era incoraggiare la
formazione di un "ponte transatlantico attraverso
cui il Dipartimento della difesa americano
potesse portare in Europa la sua politica di
globalizzazione". (23. L'accordo � stato firmato
- secondo un funzionario del Pentagono citato
in Muradian - poco dopo la creazione di British
Aerospace Systems, risultata dalla fusione di Bae,
British Aerospace, con Gec Marconi.
British Aerospace era gi� saldamente alleata ai
maggiori produttori del settore della difesa in
America, Lockheed Martin e Boeing. Per
ulteriori dettaglia vedi Vago Muradian, "Pentagon
Sees Bridge to Europe", Defense Daily, volume
204, n. 40, 1 dicembre 1999).
Armi, oro nero, conflitti armati
L'industria difensiva americana - che ora include
British Aerospace Systems - � in competizione con
il consorzio difensivo franco-tedesco Eads, un
conglomerato composto da France's Aerospatiale
Matra, Deutsche Aerospace (che fa parte del potente
gruppo Daimler), e la spagnola Casa. In altre
parole, nel complesso militare-industriale
occidentale � avvenuta una grossa frattura, con
Usa e Gran Bretagna da una parte e Germania e Francia
dall'altra.
Petrolio, armi e l'alleanza militare occidentale
sono processi intimamente correlati. Washington
mira ad assicurarsi, alla fine, il dominio
del complesso militare-industriale in alleanza
con i giganti petroliferi anglo-americani e i
maggiori produttori di armi britannici. Come
� evidente, questi sviluppi hanno anche una
relazione con il controllo sui corridoi strategici
di oleodotti, trasporti e comunicazioni nei
Balcani, nell'Europa orientale e nell'ex Unione
Sovietica.
A sua volta, questo asse anglo-americano �
accompagnato anche da una maggiore cooperazione
tra la Cia e l'Mi5 britannico nella sfera
dell'intelligence e delle operazioni coperte, come
evidenziato dal ruolo svolto dalle Forze Speciali
britanniche Sas nell'addestramento dei
ribelli dell'Uck.
Il nuovo ordine mondiale
"Protezione" degli oleodotti, attivit� coperte
e riciclaggio dei soldi provenienti dal narcotraffico
in sostegno di insurrezioni armate,
militarizzazione di corridoi strategici,
approvvigionamento di armi ai paesi della
"Partnership for Peace" sono tutti elementi integranti
dell'asse anglo-americano e del suo tentativo
di dominare le rotte degli oleodotti e dei gasdotti
e i corridoi dei trasporti che dal bacino del
Mar Caspio e dal Mar Nero attraversano i Balcani.
Pi� in generale, quanto sta accadendo nell'ampia
regione che collega l'Europa orientale e i Balcani
alle ex repubbliche sovietiche � un
instancabile tentativo di controllare le economie
nazionali mediante conglomerati d'affari. E dietro
questo processo c'� il tentativo da parte
dell'establishment finanziario di Wall Street -
d'intesa con i giganti petroliferi e della difesa
- di destabilizzare e screditare il marco tedesco
(e l'Euro) con l'intenzione di imporre il dollaro
Usa come unica valuta per la regione.
Controllare la "creazione di denaro" - imponendo
il potere del Federal Reserve system americano
in tutto il mondo - � diventato un obiettivo
centrale dell'espansionismo americano. Sotto
questo aspetto, la manovra militare e di
intelligence di Washington non consiste
solo nel minare "l'allargamento dell'Ue", ma �
anche tesa a indebolire e spiazzare il dominio
delle pi� grandi istituzioni bancarie tedesche
(come Deutsche Bank, Commerbank e WestDeutsche
Landesbank) nei Balcani.
In altre parole, il Nuovo ordine mondiale � segnato
dallo scontro fra Europa e America per il
"controllo coloniale" sulle valute nazionali.
E questo conflitto tra "blocchi capitalistici in
competizione" diventer� ancora pi� acuto quando
molte centinaia di milioni di persone,
dall'Europa orientale e i Balcani all'Asia centrale,
cominceranno a usare l'Euro come loro valuta
nazionale "di fatto" il 1 gennaio 2002.
* docente di economia, Universit� di Ottawa.
Traduzione di Marina Impallomeni (2. fine)
(La prima parte dell'articolo � stata pubblicata
mercoled� 22 agosto)
-
Rigraziamo Olga per la segnalazione!
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Macedonia, l'oleodotto va alla guerra
Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania. Tra Mar Nero e
Adriatico, il famoso "corridoio 8", l'oleodotto
petrolifero che fa gola alle compagnie
americane. Che, alleate con la Gran Bretagna,
intendono escludere il resto dell'Europa dalla
joint venture che lo controller�. Anche a
costo - com'� gi� avvenuto nei Balcani, in Albania
- di guerre sanguinose. Ecco gli affari e gli
affaristi che covano sotto il conflitto
armato in Macedonia
MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY *
La guerra nascosta di Washington in Macedonia mira
a consolidare la sfera di influenza americana
nell'Europa sud-orientale. La posta in
gioco � il "corridoio" strategico per i trasporti,
le comunicazioni e gli oleodotti che attraversa
Bulgaria, Macedonia e Albania collegando
il Mar Nero alla costa adriatica. La Macedonia si
trova a uno snodo strategico di tale corridoio.
Al fine di proteggere queste rotte petrolifere,
l'obiettivo di Washington � installare un "patchwork
di protettorati" lungo i corridoi strategici nei
Balcani. La promessa della "Grande Albania" usata
da Washington per fomentare il nazionalismo albanese
fa parte della manovra militare e di intelligence.
Questa manovra, come ampiamente documentato,
consiste nel finanziare ed equipaggiare l'Esercito di
liberazione (Uck) - prima del Kosovo poi "nazionale"
- e tutte le sue propaggini, incaricato di portare
a termine offensive di destabilizzazione terroristica
in Macedonia.
Lo sviluppo della sfera di influenza americana
nell'Europa sud-orientale - complice la Gran Bretagna
- favorisce gli interessi dei giganti petroliferi tra
cui la BP-Amoco-ARCO, la Chevron e la Texaco.
"Proteggere" le rotte degli oleodotti e assicurarne
il controllo � fondamentale per il successo di queste
ventures multimiliardarie.
Un regime petrolifero internazionale di successo
� una combinazione di accordi economici, politici
e militari per sostenere la produzione
petrolifera e il trasporto ai mercati. (1. Robert
V. Baryiski, The Caspian Oil Regime: military
Dimensions, Caspian Crossroads Magazine,
Volume 1, No. 2, Primavera 1995).
Il consorzio anglo-americano che controlla il
progetto Ambo per un oleodotto trans-balcanico che
colleghi il porto bulgaro di Burgas a Valona, sulla
costa adriatica albanese, esclude in larga misura
la partecipazione del gigante petrolifero europeo
concorrente Total-Fina-Elf. (2. Il riferimento
all'Unione Europea in questo articolo va
interpretato come "l'Unione Europea meno la Gran
Bretagna"). In altre parole, il controllo strategico
Usa sul corridoio dell'oleodotto � finalizzato
a indebolire il ruolo dell'Unione Europea e a
tenere a distanza gli interessi commerciali europei
concorrenti.
Chi c'� dietro l'oleodotto
Il consorzio per l'oleodotto Ambo, con sede negli
Stati Uniti, � direttamente collegato alla sede
del potere politico e militare negli Stati
Uniti e alla societ� del vice presidente Dick
Cheney, Halliburton Energy. (3. Vedi Agenzia
telegrafica albanese, Tirana, 28 luglio 1998 e
Milsnews, Skopje, 23 gennaio 1997, disponibile
all'indirizzo
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a379fb721329c.htm)
In base allo studio di fattibilit� per l'oleodotto
trans-balcanico Ambo, condotto dalla societ�
internazionale di progettazione della Brown & Root
Ltd. (consociata britannica della Halliburton),
questo oleodotto... diventer� parte della
infrastruttura - comprendente autostrade, ferrovie,
gasdotti e linee di telecomunicazione a fibre
ottiche - del cruciale corridoio est-ovest. (4.
Milsnews, op. cit.)
Inoltre, completato lo studio di fattibilit� da
parte della Halliburton, un alto dirigente della
Halliburton � stato nominato "chief executive
officer" dell'Ambo. La Halliburton ha anche
ottenuto un contratto per rifornire le truppe
americane nei Balcani e costruire in Kosovo
"Bondsteel", che oggi costituisce "la pi� grande
base militare americana all'estero costruita dai
tempi del Vietnam". (5. Vedi l'incisiva analisi
di Karen Talbot: "Former Yogoslavia: The Name of
the Game is Oil", People's Weekly World, maggio
2001,
http://www.ecadre.net/pages/news/stories/990197752.shtml.
Vedi anche Marjorie Cohn, "Pacification for a
pipeline: explaining the US Military presence in
the Balkans, The Jurist, Legal Education Network,
giugno 2001, http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumnew22.htm).
Per inciso, la White and Case Llt - lo studio legale
di New York in cui il presidente William J. Clinton
� entrato quando ha lasciato la Casa Bianca - ha
anch'essa degli interessi nell'affare dell'oleodotto
Ambo.
Corridoi militarizzati
Il progetto per l'oleodotto trans-balcanico Ambo
andrebbe a collegarsi agli oleodotti tra il Mar
Nero e il bacino del Mar Caspio, che si trova al
centro delle pi� grandi riserve petrolifere
inesplorate del mondo. (Vedi la mappa:
http://www.bsrec.bg/taskforce/SYNERGY/oilprojects2.html).
La militarizzazione di questi vari corridoi
costituisce parte integrante del disegno di Washington.
La politica Usa di "proteggere le rotte degli
oleodotti" provenienti dal bacino del Mar Caspio
(e che attraversano i Balcani) era stata
espressa dal Segretario all'Energia di Clinton,
Bill Richardson, appena pochi mesi prima dei
bombardamenti sulla Jugoslavia del 1999:
"Qui si tratta della sicurezza energetica
dell'America... Si tratta anche di prevenire
incursioni strategiche da parte di coloro che
non condividono i nostri valori. Stiamo cercando
di spostare questi paesi, da poco indipendenti,
verso l'occidente... Vorremmo vederli fare
affidamento sugli interessi commerciali e politici
occidentali, piuttosto che prendere un'altra
strada. Nella regione del Mar Caspio
abbiamo fatto un investimento politico
consistente, ed � molto importante per noi
che la mappa degli oleodotti e la politica abbiano
esito positivo". (6. George Monbiot, "A Discreet
Deal in the Pipeline", The Guardian, 15 febbraio
2001).
I giganti petroliferi anglo-americani, tra cui
BP-Amoco-Arco, Texaco e Chevron - sostenuti dalla
potenza militare statunitense - sono in
competizione con il gigante petrolifero europeo
Total-Fina-Elf (associati con l'italiana Eni),
che � un importante attore nei ricchi giacimenti
di Kashagan nella regione del Caspio nord-orientale
in Kazakistan. Gli interessi in gioco sono
grandi: i giacimenti di Kashagan sarebbero "cos�
grandi da superare perfino le dimensioni delle
riserve petrolifere del Mare del Nord". (7.
Richard Giragosian, "Massive Kashagan Oil Strike
Renews Geopolitical Offensive In Caspian", The
Analyst, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Johns
Hopkins University-Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced
International Studies, 7 giugno 2000,
http://www.soros.org/caucasus/0059.html).
Il concorrente consorzio dell'Unione Europea,
comunque, non controlla in modo significativo le
principali rotte degli oleodotti dal
bacino del Mar Caspio fino in Europa occidentale
(attraverso il Mar Nero e i Balcani). I pi�
importanti progetti di oleodotti - compreso
il progetto Ambo e il progetto Baku-Cehyan
che attraverserebbe la Turchia fino al Mediterraneo
- sono ampiamente in mano ai loro rivali anglo-
americani, che fanno fortemente affidamento sulla
presenza politica e militare Usa nel bacino del
Caspio e nei Balcani.
Il disegno di Washington � riuscire a distanziare
tutti e tre i paesi Ambo - ossia Bulgaria, Macedonia
e Albania - dall'influenza euro-tedesca attraverso
l'installazione di protettorati Usa creati a bella
posta. In altre parole, la militarizzazione e il
controllo geopolitico da parte degli Usa
sull'oleodotto che dovrebbe collegare Burgas in
Bulgaria al porto adriatico di Valona in Albania
mirano a minare l'influenza dell'Unione Europea
e a indebolire gli interessi petroliferi contrapposti
di Francia, Belgio e Italia.
Negoziazioni concernenti l'oleodotto Ambo hanno
ricevuto l'appoggio di funzionari governativi
americani attraverso la South Balkan
Development Initiative (Sbdi) della Trade and
Development Agency (Tda). La South Balkan
Development Initiative � "finalizzata ad
aiutare Albania, Bulgaria e Macedonia a sviluppare
e integrare ulteriormente la loro infrastruttura
di trasposti lungo il corridoio est-ovest che
le connette". (8. Vedi la Trade and Development
Agency (Tda) per regione all'indirizzo
http://www.tda.gov/region/sbdi.html).
La Trade and Development Agency esprime l'esigenza
che i tre paesi "utilizzino sinergie regionali per
ottenere nuovo capitale pubblico e privato [dalle
compagnie statunitensi] sottolineando allo stesso
tempo il ruolo del governo Usa "per avere
implementato l'iniziativa".
Per quanto riguarda l'oleodotto Ambo, apparirebbe
che l'Ue sia stata ampiamente esclusa dalla
programmazione e dalle negoziazioni. Con
i governi di Albania, Bulgaria e Macedonia
sono stati gi� firmati "Memorandum d'intesa"
che spogliano quei paesi della sovranit�
nazionale sui corridoi dell'oleodotto e dei
trasporti fornendo "diritti esclusivi" al
consorzio anglo-americano:
"...Il memorandum afferma che l'Ambo sar� il
solo soggetto autorizzato a costruire il
programmato oleodotto Burgas-Valona. Pi�
specificatamente, esso conferisce all'Ambo il
diritto esclusivo di negoziare con gli investitori
e i creditori del progetto. Esso impegna
inoltre [i governi di Bulgaria, Macedonia e
Albania] a non svelare certe informazioni
confidenziali sul progetto dell'oleodotto". (9.
Alexander, Gas and Oil Connections,
http://wwwgasandoil.com/goc/news/nte04224.htm,
ottobre 2000)
Il corridoio est-ovest 8
Il progetto per l'oleodotto Ambo � collegato
a un altro progetto strategico denominato
"Corridoio 8", inizialmente proposto
dall'amministrazione Clinton nel contesto
del "Patto di stabilit� nei Balcani". Di
importanza strategica sia per gli Usa che
per l'Unione Europea, il "Corridoio 8" include
infrastrutture autostradali, ferroviarie, per
l'elettricit� e le telecomunicazioni. Dal
canto loro, le infrastrutture esistenti in
questi settori sono candidate alla deregulation
e alla privatizzazione (a prezzi stracciati)
sotto la supervisione del Fondo monetario
internazionale-Banca mondiale.
Anche se approvato a occhi chiusi dai ministri
dei trasporti dell'Unione europea come parte
del processo dell'integrazione economica
europea, gli studi di fattibilit� del "Corridoio
8" sono stati condotti dalle compagnie Usa
finanziate direttamente dalla Trade and
Development Agency. In altre parole, Washington
sembra aver preparato il terreno per prendere
il sopravvento nell'infrastruttura dei
trasporti e delle telecomunicazioni di questi
paesi. Le corporation americane - tra cui
Bechtel, Enron e General Electric (con il sostegno
finanziario del governo Usa) - fanno concorrenza
alle compagnie dell'Unione europea.
Il disegno di Washington � di aprire l'intero
corridoio alle multinazionali americane in una
regione situata nel "cortile dietro casa", in
termini economici, dell'Unione Europea, in cui
il potere del marco tedesco tende a dominare
su quello del dollaro Usa.
L'allargamento dell'Ue
All'inizio del 2000, la Commissione Europea ha
avviato con la Macedonia, la Bulgaria e l'Albania
le negoziazioni sull'ingresso nell'Eu.
E nell'aprile 2001, nel pieno degli assalti
terroristici, la Macedonia � diventata il
primo paese nei Balcani a firmare un cosiddetto
"accordo di stabilizzazione e associazione" che
costituisce un passo importante verso la piena
appartenenza all'Ue. L'accordo fornisce la base
per la "liberalizzazione del commercio, la
cooperazione politica, la riforma economica e
istituzionale e il recepimento della legislazione
Ue". In base all'"accordo di stabilizzazione e
associazione", la Macedonia sarebbe (di fatto)
integrata nel sistema monetario europeo, con
libero accesso al mercato dell'Unione europea.
(10. In base alle cosiddette "asymmetric trade
preferences" con l'Ue).
Gli attentati terroristici hanno coinciso
cronologicamente con il processo di "allargamento
dell'Ue", acquistando impeto appena poche
settimane prima della firma dello storico
"accordo di associazione" con la Macedonia. Come
ampiamente documentato, gli Usa hanno
consiglieri militari che lavorano con i terroristi.
Una mera coincidenza?
Inoltre Robert Frowick, "un ex diplomatico Usa",
� stato nominato capo della missione Osce in
Macedonia a met� marzo, anche in questo
caso appena poche settimane prima della firma
dell'"accordo di associazione". In stretto
collegamento con Washington e l'ambasciata Usa
a Skopje, Frowick ha avviato un "dialogo" con il
leader ribelle dell'Uck in Macedonia, Ali Ahmeti.
Egli ha anche fatto da mediatore a un
accordo fra Ahmeti e i leader dei partiti
albanesi, che fanno parte della coalizione di
governo.
Questo accordo negoziato da Frowick ha ampiamente
contribuito a destabilizzare le istituzioni
politiche, mettendo allo stesso tempo a
repentaglio il processo di allargamento dell'Ue.
(11. Per ulteriori dettagli sul ruolo di Robert
Frowick, vedi Michel Chossudovsky, Macedonia:
Washington's Military-Intelligence Ploy, giugno
2001). Inoltre il deteriorarsi della situazione
di sicurezza in Macedonia ha fornito un pretesto
per l'accresciuta interferenza politica,
"umanitaria" e militare da parte degli Usa,
contribuendo allo stesso tempo a indebolire i
legami economici e politici di Skopje con la
Germania e la Ue. Sotto questo aspetto, una delle
"condizioni vincolanti" dell'"accordo di
associazione" � che la Macedonia si conformi
agli "standard dell'Ue sulla democrazia".
(12. Vedi Afp, 10 aprile 2001).
Non c'� bisogno di dire che, senza un "governo
funzionante" in Macedonia, il processo di
associazione all'Ue e a Bruxelles non pu�
procedere.
I governi fantoccio installati a Tirana, Skopje
e Sofia, mentre rispondono largamente ai diktat
americani, vengono attualmente sospinti in
direzione dell'Ue. L'intento ultimo di Washington
� di tenere a freno il "Lebensraum" ("spazio
vitale", ndt) della Germania nell'Europa
sudorientale. Mentre, a parole, si dichiarano
favorevoli all'"allargamento dell'Ue", gli Usa
favoriscono in modo consistente
l'"allargamento della Nato" come mezzo per
perseguire i loro interessi strategici nell'Europa
orientale e nei Balcani, mentre la Germania
e la Francia si sono opposte ad esso.
Mentre il tono della diplomazia internazionale
rimane gentile ed educato, la politica estera
americana sotto l'amministrazione Bush �
diventata chiaramente "anti-europea". Secondo
un osservatore: Nel cuore del team Bush, Colin
Powell � (considerato) l'amico degli
europei, mentre gli altri ministri e consiglieri
sono considerati arroganti, duri e riluttanti
ad ascoltare gli europei o a dare loro un posto".
(13. Secondo Pascal Boniface, direttore
dell'Istituto per le relazioni internazionali
e strategiche di Parigi, Upi, 11 aprile 2001).
* docente di economia, Universit� di Ottawa.
Traduzione di Marina Impallomeni (1. continua)
"Il Manifesto" del 24 Agosto 2001
Oro giallo e nero nell'oleodotto
Le nuove alleanze mondiali attraversano il
conflitto nei Balcani e lo fomentano. Insieme al
famigerato "Corridoio 8", che consentirebbe il
passaggio del mega oleodotto tra Mar Nero e
Adriatico
MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY *
Come ampiamente documentato, c'� la Cia dietro
i ribelli dell'Uck che stanno conducendo gli
assalti terroristici contro le forze di
sicurezza macedoni. Mentre l'omologo tedesco
della Cia - il Bundes Nachrichten Dienst (Bnd) -
ha collaborato con la Cia nel sorvegliare
e finanziare il Kla prima della guerra del 1999,
sviluppi recenti suggeriscono che il Bundes
Nachrichten Dienst non � coinvolto nella
manovra militare e di intelligence di Washington
in Macedonia. (14. Per ulteriori dettagli
sull'appoggio da parte della Cia-Bnd all'Uck
vedi Michael Chossudovsky, "Kosovo Freedom
Fighters Financed by Organised Crime", Covert
Action Quarterly, autunno 1999,
disponibile anche all'indirizzo
http://www.heise.de/tp/english/inhalt/co/2743/1.html).
Appena poche settimane prima della firma
dell'"accordo di associazione" con l'Unione
Europea (met� marzo 2001), le truppe tedesche di
stanza in Macedonia nella regione di Tetovo
sono state "accidentalmente" bersagliate dall'Uck.
Mentre i media occidentali, echeggiando in
coro le dichiarazioni ufficiali, sostengono che
le truppe tedesche sono state "prese nel fuoco
incrociato", resoconti provenienti da Tetovo
suggeriscono che il bombardamento da parte
dell'Uck "� stato deliberato". In ogni caso,
l'incidente non sarebbe accaduto se il Bnd tedesco
avesse lavorato con l'esercito ribelle: "Fino a
600 militari tedeschi sono stati costretti a
lasciare Tetovo durante la notte dopo che la loro
caserma... era stata colpita dal fuoco
incrociato... Erano armati in modo troppo leggero
per difendersi dagli albanesi. I tedeschi
rimpiazzeranno i militari in partenza con una
squadra di tank Leopard [appartenente alla
divisione panzer-artiglieria-batteria di stanza
nel Nordrein-Westphalen]. ... La nuova potenza
di fuoco (tedesca) pu� essere usata per fare
fuori le postazioni albanesi che ora si trovano
intorno a Tetevo..." (15. Tom Walker, "Nato
Troops caught in a Balkan Ulster", Sunday Times,
Londra, 18 marzo 2001).
Per una amara ironia, due dei comandanti
responsabili degli attacchi terroristici nella
regione di Tetovo erano stati addestrati dalle
forze speciali britanniche: "Tra l'imbarazzo
della Kfor, � emerso che due dei comandanti di
stanza in Kosovo che guidavano l'offensiva albanese
(nella regione di Tetovo) erano stati addestrati
da ex ufficiali del reggimento paracadutisti e
della Sas britannici nei giorni in cui la Nato
era pi� a suo agio con il nascente Uck. Un ex
membro di una unit� europea di forze speciali,
che accompagnava l'Uck durante il conflitto in
Kosovo, ha riferito che un comandante col nome
di battaglia di Bilal organizzava il flusso di
armi e uomini verso la Macedonia e che il
comandante dell'Uck, il veterano Adem Bajrami,
aiutava a coordinare l'assalto su Tetovo.
Entrambi erano stati preparati dai soldati
britannici nei campi di addestramento segreti
che operavano sopra Bajram Curri, nel nord
dell'Albania, durante il 1998 e il 1999" (16.
ancora Tom Walker, "Nato Troops caught in a
Balkan Ulster").
Strane coincidenze
Questi stessi britannici hanno addestrato i
comandanti ribelli a vedere la Germania come
il "nemico" perch� le truppe della Bundeswehr
stanziate in Macedonia e Kosovo - piuttosto che
fornire "protezione" ai "combattenti per la
libert�" dell'Uck allo stesso modo delle loro
controparti Kfor britanniche e americane -
detengono frequentemente "sospetti terroristi"
al confine: "Un portavoce dell'Esercito di
liberazione nazionale albanese a Pristina ha
messo in guardia la Bundeswehr che il suo
coinvolgimento avrebbe costituito "una
dichiarazione di guerra da parte della Repubblica
Federale di Germania"". [17. ancora Tom Walker,
"Nato Troops caught in a Balkan Ulster").
In risposta alle minacce dell'Uck, la Bundeswehr
ha inviato le sue Forze Speciali, i
Fallschirmj�ger (paracadutisti) a lavorare con
la sua squadra panzer-artiglieria-batteria.
(18. Vedi "Deutsche Fallschirmj�ger nach Tetovo",
Spiegel Online, 24 marzo 2001. Vedi anche
"Bundeswehr verlegt Soldaten ins Kosovo", Spiegel
Online, 23 marzo 2001).
Il ministro della difesa tedesco Rudolf Scharping
ha confermato che era "pronto a inviare pi� tank
e uomini per sostenere le forze della
Bundeswehr". (19. Deutsche Press Agentur, 19 marzo
2001). Tuttavia, recentemente, Berlino ha deciso
di ritirare la maggior parte delle sue truppe
dalla regione di Tetovo senza sfidare in alcun
modo la manovra militare e di intelligence
americana in sostegno dei ribelli dell'Uck.
Alcune di queste truppe tedesche sono attualmente
stanziate sul lato kosovaro del confine.
La Germania in Macedonia
Mentre l'Esercito di liberazione nazionale ha
ricevuto una fornitura di armi nuove e avanzate
"made in America", la Germania (a met� giugno) ha
donato alle forze di sicurezza macedoni tutti i
veicoli di terra nonch� armi "per sofisticati
tracciati a raggi infrarossi nel campo
di battaglia". Secondo un resoconto proveniente
dalla Macedonia, il piccolo contingente di truppe
tedesche che ancora resta nella regione di
Tetovo "ha sub�to pesanti attacchi dai terroristi
che li bersagliavano con i mortai dai monti
sopra Tetovo. Questa � probabilmente la
risposta alla donazione, avvenuta il 14 giugno
2001, al nostro esercito fatta dal governo
tedesco" (20. Informazione trasmessa all'autore
da Skopje, giugno 2001).
Mentre le divisioni fra gli "alleati Nato" non
vengono mai rese pubbliche, il ministro degli
esteri tedesco Joschka Fisher - in una
dichiarazione dai toni decisi al Bundestag
diretta contro "gli estremisti albanesi in
Macedonia" - ha auspicato un "accordo a lungo
termine, finalizzato ad avvicinare l'intera
regione all'Europa" (cio� a liberarla dalle
violazioni degli Usa). La posizione tedesca �
fortemente in contrasto con quella degli Stati
Uniti. Che invece richiedono che il governo di
Skopje garantisca l'amnistia ai terroristi,
modifichi la costituzione del paese e incorpori
i ribelli dell'Uck nella vita politica civile:
"Il patto avrebbe previsto che i ribelli
smettessero di combattere in cambio di garanzie
sull'amnistia. I ribelli avrebbero anche avuto il
diritto di porre il veto su future decisioni
politiche riguardanti i diritti dei cittadini di
etnia albanese. L'accordo sarebbe stato mediato
da Robert Frowick, un ex diplomatico americano,
che in quel momento prestava servizio come
rappresentante dei Balcani per l'Organizzazione
per la Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa".
(21. Facts on File, World News Digest, 30 maggio 2001).
L'asse anglo americano
Lo scontro fra Germania e America nei Balcani
� parte di un processo molto pi� ampio che tocca
il cuore del complesso militare-industriale
occidentale e dell'establishment difensivo.
Dall'inizio degli anni '90, gli Usa e la Germania
hanno agito uniti in quanto partner della Nato nei
Balcani, coordinando le loro rispettive iniziative
militari, di intelligence e di politica estera. Pur
mantenendo nelle loro dichiarazioni pubbliche un
sembiante di unit� politica, serie divisioni sono
cominciate a emergere dopo gli accordi di Dayton
(1995), quando le banche tedesche si sono date da
fare per imporre il marco tedesco e prendere il
controllo del sistema monetario degli stati eredi
della Jugoslavia.
Inoltre, dopo la guerra in Jugoslavia del 1999, gli
Usa hanno rafforzato i loro legami strategici,
militari e di intelligence con la Gran Bretagna,
mentre quest'ultima ha tranciato molti dei suoi
legami (particolarmente nell'area della produzione
aerospaziale e della difesa) con la Germania e la
Francia.
L'ex segretario alla Difesa americano William
Cohen e il suo omologo britannico, Geoff Hoon,
hanno firmato una "Dichiarazione di princ�pi per
l'equipaggiamento difensivo e la cooperazione
industriale" lanciata all'inizio del 2000. (22.
Reuters, 5 febbraio 2000).
L'obiettivo di Washington era incoraggiare la
formazione di un "ponte transatlantico attraverso
cui il Dipartimento della difesa americano
potesse portare in Europa la sua politica di
globalizzazione". (23. L'accordo � stato firmato
- secondo un funzionario del Pentagono citato
in Muradian - poco dopo la creazione di British
Aerospace Systems, risultata dalla fusione di Bae,
British Aerospace, con Gec Marconi.
British Aerospace era gi� saldamente alleata ai
maggiori produttori del settore della difesa in
America, Lockheed Martin e Boeing. Per
ulteriori dettaglia vedi Vago Muradian, "Pentagon
Sees Bridge to Europe", Defense Daily, volume
204, n. 40, 1 dicembre 1999).
Armi, oro nero, conflitti armati
L'industria difensiva americana - che ora include
British Aerospace Systems - � in competizione con
il consorzio difensivo franco-tedesco Eads, un
conglomerato composto da France's Aerospatiale
Matra, Deutsche Aerospace (che fa parte del potente
gruppo Daimler), e la spagnola Casa. In altre
parole, nel complesso militare-industriale
occidentale � avvenuta una grossa frattura, con
Usa e Gran Bretagna da una parte e Germania e Francia
dall'altra.
Petrolio, armi e l'alleanza militare occidentale
sono processi intimamente correlati. Washington
mira ad assicurarsi, alla fine, il dominio
del complesso militare-industriale in alleanza
con i giganti petroliferi anglo-americani e i
maggiori produttori di armi britannici. Come
� evidente, questi sviluppi hanno anche una
relazione con il controllo sui corridoi strategici
di oleodotti, trasporti e comunicazioni nei
Balcani, nell'Europa orientale e nell'ex Unione
Sovietica.
A sua volta, questo asse anglo-americano �
accompagnato anche da una maggiore cooperazione
tra la Cia e l'Mi5 britannico nella sfera
dell'intelligence e delle operazioni coperte, come
evidenziato dal ruolo svolto dalle Forze Speciali
britanniche Sas nell'addestramento dei
ribelli dell'Uck.
Il nuovo ordine mondiale
"Protezione" degli oleodotti, attivit� coperte
e riciclaggio dei soldi provenienti dal narcotraffico
in sostegno di insurrezioni armate,
militarizzazione di corridoi strategici,
approvvigionamento di armi ai paesi della
"Partnership for Peace" sono tutti elementi integranti
dell'asse anglo-americano e del suo tentativo
di dominare le rotte degli oleodotti e dei gasdotti
e i corridoi dei trasporti che dal bacino del
Mar Caspio e dal Mar Nero attraversano i Balcani.
Pi� in generale, quanto sta accadendo nell'ampia
regione che collega l'Europa orientale e i Balcani
alle ex repubbliche sovietiche � un
instancabile tentativo di controllare le economie
nazionali mediante conglomerati d'affari. E dietro
questo processo c'� il tentativo da parte
dell'establishment finanziario di Wall Street -
d'intesa con i giganti petroliferi e della difesa
- di destabilizzare e screditare il marco tedesco
(e l'Euro) con l'intenzione di imporre il dollaro
Usa come unica valuta per la regione.
Controllare la "creazione di denaro" - imponendo
il potere del Federal Reserve system americano
in tutto il mondo - � diventato un obiettivo
centrale dell'espansionismo americano. Sotto
questo aspetto, la manovra militare e di
intelligence di Washington non consiste
solo nel minare "l'allargamento dell'Ue", ma �
anche tesa a indebolire e spiazzare il dominio
delle pi� grandi istituzioni bancarie tedesche
(come Deutsche Bank, Commerbank e WestDeutsche
Landesbank) nei Balcani.
In altre parole, il Nuovo ordine mondiale � segnato
dallo scontro fra Europa e America per il
"controllo coloniale" sulle valute nazionali.
E questo conflitto tra "blocchi capitalistici in
competizione" diventer� ancora pi� acuto quando
molte centinaia di milioni di persone,
dall'Europa orientale e i Balcani all'Asia centrale,
cominceranno a usare l'Euro come loro valuta
nazionale "di fatto" il 1 gennaio 2002.
* docente di economia, Universit� di Ottawa.
Traduzione di Marina Impallomeni (2. fine)
(La prima parte dell'articolo � stata pubblicata
mercoled� 22 agosto)
-
Rigraziamo Olga per la segnalazione!
---
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ULTERIORI PROVE DEL FATTO CHE DIETRO GLI
ATTACCHI TERRORISTICI IN MACEDONIA SI NASCONDE LA NATO
> http://www.mediamonitors.net/gowans23.html
Media Monitors
August 23, 2001
More signs NATO is behind ethnic Albanian attacks on
Macedonia
by Stephen Gowans
A Canadian journalist has evidence that NATO is arming
and equipping the ethnic Albanian guerillas who have
waged a five-month long insurgency against the
Macedonian government in Skopje.
Scott Taylor, editor of Espirit de Corps magazine,
says that on a visit to guerilla bunkers overlooking
the besieged Macedonian city of Tetovo he was welcomed
with shouts of, "God bless America and Canada too for
all they have provided to us." Canada is a member of
the US-led NATO coalition.
Taylor says guerrilla commanders showed off their
arsenal, which included side arms, sniper rifles and
grenade launchers, all marked "Made in the USA." Says
Taylor, one commander remarked that, "thanks to Uncle
Sam, the Macedonians are no match for us."
Taylor isn't the first to charge that Washington is
aiding the guerillas. The Macedonian government
alleged that US helicopters were delivering supplies
to guerillas in the mountains above Tetovo. US
officials don't deny that airdrops were made, but say
helicopters were transporting vital humanitarian aid.
But Taylor says the local guerilla commander told him
that the helicopters were delivering heavy mortars and
ammunition. The guerillas have bombarded Tetovo with
artillery.
Taylor says ethnic Albanian villagers cheer at the
sight of US helicopters, while guerillas at brigade
headquarters wear Nike-style T-shirts bearing the
phrase, "NATO Air - Just do it!" Meanwhile, one
Macedonian police officer lamented to Taylor that "if
NATO hadn't been arming and equipping the (KLA) in
Kosovo there would be no need for them to disarm these
guerillas now."
This isn't the first time complaints about the US and
NATO arming ethnic Albanian guerillas have been made.
In March, a European K-For battalion commander told
the London Observer that, "the CIA has been allowed to
run riot in Kosovo with a private army designed to
overthrow Slobodan Milosevic...Most of last year,
there was a growing frustration with US support for
the radical Albanians." And in January the BBC
reported that Western forces were training guerillas,
then opening a new front in southern Serbia and
Macedonia.
In June, when Macedonian forces were closing in on
guerillas in the town of Aracinovo, NATO intervened,
transporting ethnic Albanian rebels out of the
besieged town in air-conditioned busses. According to
the German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt, 17 US
advisors, belonging to an American mercenary firm
involved in other Balkan conflicts, were among the
guerillas. And the newspaper pointed out that 70
percent of the equipment carried away by the guerillas
was US made.
Days earlier, a American diplomat was slightly wounded
by Macedonian gunfire as he emerged from the woods
(around Aracinovo) with two other Americans,"
according to the International Herald Tribune. The
diplomats were emerging from rebel-held territory.
Two months ago, the London Sunday Times reported that
at least 800 ethnic Albanian guerillas fighting in
Macedonia are members of the Kosovo Protection Corps,
a paramilitary police unit created by the UN from the
KLA. The Times says, "Hundreds of KPC reservists were
called up by their Albanian commander Agim Ceku, in
March. They subsequently disappeared to former KLA
training camps in Albania and are now re-emerging in
Macedonia."
Ceku, one of the top leaders of the KLA, along with
Hacim Thaci, was artillery chief of the Croatian army
when it launched a war in the Krajina region of
Croatia, which led to 250,000 Serbs being driven from
their homes. Under the KPC, 250,000 Serbs, and another
100,000 Roma, Gorani, Turks and Jews have been driven
from Kosovo. Now, the KLA offshoot in Macedonia, the
NLA, seems intent on ethnically cleansing the largely
Albanian Tetovo region. Over 120,000 Macedonians have
fled or have been driven from their Tetovo area homes
by guerillas. Ilir Hoxha, a 25-year old ethnic
Albanian said, "Let them leave. They should never
return. Tetovo is Albanian and it will remain
Albanian."
For years, many Albanians have dreamed of resurrecting
the greater Albania established under the Italian
fascists, and then under the Nazis. It incorporated
parts of Macedonia and Greece, southern Serbia, and
Kosovo into Albania proper. Some reports say an ethnic
Albanian Liberation Army of Chameria will open a new
front in Greece soon.
Skopje has been hampered in its response to the
guerillas. NATO and the EU have warned Macedonia not
to crack down on the guerillas, and Ukraine, which was
providing equipment to the under-equipped Macedonian
army, was warned to stop shipments of materiel.
Meanwhile, press reports in the West describe NATO and
EU diplomatic efforts as aimed at preventing a civil
war, though the intention appears to be to prevent a
strong Macedonian response.
The guerillas say they're fighting to win language
rights, but critics point out that an armed attack is
highly disproportional to the NLA's stated aims.
Moreover, the fact that the guerillas have been
recruited from Kosovo, pass freely over a
Kosovo-Macedonia border presumably patrolled by NATO
K-For forces, and have driven non-Albanians from their
homes in an apparent effort to ethnically cleanse the
Tetovo region, points to the pursuit of other goals,
fully backed by NATO.
Taylor, who served in the Canadian Armed Forces, says
NATO's support of the guerillas is so blatant "it is
little wonder that the Macedonian majority have staged
violent anti-NATO riots."
Mr. Steve Gowans is a writer and political activist
who lives in Ottawa, Canada.
---
NUOVI LEADER ATLANTICI:
RITRATTO DEL TERRORISTA PAN-ALBANESE ALI AHMETI
> http://www.ekathimerini.com/news/content.asp?aid=96757
On the road to power
Ali Ahmeti, Albanian rebel leader in FYROM, cannot be
ignored
By Stavros Tzimas
Kathimerini
August 23, 2001
Ali Ahmeti has been denounced as a criminal by the
FYROM government. Hardline Interior Minister Ljube
Boshkovski wants Ahmeti arrested and then brought
before what he calls "independent Macedonian courts."
But this has not prevented the hunted political leader
of the Albanian rebels from traveling unhindered from
Kosovo to the village of Sivkovica, north of Tetovo,
for an interview. He went through the Slav-Macedonian
checkpoints, and in a state-owned vehicle his fellow
Albanians had put at his disposal. The armed Albanian
rebel movement he represents has become a powerful
political force which is soon expected to demand legal
participation in the political life of FYROM and
possibly form a party.
In the future the rebels, in or out of uniform, will
be the ones to make decisions about developments on
behalf of the ethnic Albanians, whose traditional
leadership is on the brink of political disappearance.
The Albanians of Tetovo and the other western regions
of FYROM are on the side of the rebels who have become
heroes in their eyes.
A Western diplomat who recently visited the so-called
liberated zones told Kathimerini that the young boys
and girls there wear ribbons bearing the initials of
the National Liberation Army (NLA), and that the walls
in all the villages are covered with slogans
supporting the NLA.
Arben Xhaferi and Imer Imeri have signed an agreement
in which the Albanians have registered their historic
claims, but in fact it is Ali Ahmeti and his armed men
who have dictated the stance of the leaders of the two
legal political parties. Without the consent of the
rebels, no agreement would have been signed, nor
indeed could the peace process have made any progress.
Now that their armed struggle has succeeded, Ali
Ahmeti and the other rebel commanders will want to
make political capital from their military action, as
did Hakim Thaci and the other captains in Kosovo. The
amnesty granted by President Boris Trajkovski allows
the rebels to participate unimpeded in society, and
this will happen, says their leader, after they have
attended social reintegration seminars.
Ali Ahmeti is waiting it out at Prizren in Kosovo,
directing political developments from there. His
triumphant appearance in Tetovo is considered only a
matter of time. Similarly, as the new situation
demands, it won't be long until he is no longer
branded a war criminal and common murderer.
---
LA RUSSIA CONTRARIA ALLE OPERAZIONI DELLA NATO IN MACEDONIA
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=800265427
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2001
THE TIMES OF INDIA
Russia warns against NATO operation in Macedonia
MOSCOW (AFP): Russia issued a thinly veiled warning on
Wednesday that a NATO operation to collect arms from
ethnic Albanian rebels in the former Yugoslav republic
of Macedonia could act as an incitement to armed
actions by Albanian extremists.
The alliance has "undoubtedly assumed a great
responsibility for what is happening in Macedonia and
for the perspectives of ending the crisis" there, the
foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to
recent incidents involving Albanian rebels.
Citing the destruction Monday of a 14th-century
Orthodox church at Lesok, the ministry said that
international actions such as the Essential Harvest
arms collection operation "must not appear as an
encouragement of extremism and a de facto
legitimisation of separatism."
Peace and stability "can only be achieved by means of
strengthening a multi-ethnic democratic society in a
united and sovereign Macedonia," the statement said.
Russia has expressed serious reservations about the
NATO operation, describing it as a palliative move
unlikely to resolve the crisis in the region.
Russian troops would not take part in the NATO
operation, as it had not been approved by the UN
Security Council, defense ministry officials said as
quoted by the RIA-Novosti news agency.
"NATO and the US leaders will bear full responsibility
for the negative consequences NATO's military
intervention in Macedonia may have," the officials
said.
---
LA DESTABILIZZAZIONE DELLA FYROM E' PREPARATA IN KOSOVO
Macedonian Sources Say Albanian Rebels Regroup in
Kosovo
SKOPJE, Aug 20, 2001 -- (dpa) Macedonian army sources
were reported Monday as saying that 700 Albanian
rebels were poised in Kosovo to enter Macedonia.
In addition, some 2,000 Albanian troops could join
them at "any time", the newspaper Dnevnik quoted the
sources as saying.
Albanian rebels were regrouping near the village of
Radusha, on Kosovo side of the Macedonian-Yugoslav
border, the report said. The watchtower in the village
was "in the hands" of the rebels.
"No one from KFOR (Kosovo peacekeeping) units does
anything to stop rebels from entering in the village
of Radusha from the Kosovo side. The Polish soldiers
from KFOR sit like on picnic", army sources were
quoted as saying.
The paper also said Macedonian soldiers in the border
area were angered by the failure of the Macedonian
command to send any reinforcements for a week.
The situation in the crisis areas in Macedonia was
calm on Monday morning after rebels had stopped their
attacks on security forces in the villages above
Tetovo after midnight Sunday, police sources said.
There were no injured on the Macedonian side, the
sources said.
The NATO commander for Europe, U.S. General Joseph W.
Ralston, was due to arrive in the Macedonian capital
on Monday ahead of the planned deployment of 3,500
troops to collect arms from ethnic Albanian rebels.
His assessment of the stability of the ceasefire would
be crucial in deciding whether to go forward with
operation Essential Harvest, officials in Brussels
said.
The NATO alliance was expected to reach a decision on
the disarmament mission this week.
Several hundred advance troops have arrived in
Macedonia since Friday. If the mission goes ahead, the
soldiers would be tasked with collecting the rebels'
weapons within 30 days.
(C)2001. dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur
> http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010812/1/1bej4.html
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration
of war by the international protectorate of Kosovo and
by the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), which is
unfortunately part of the UN civil administration in
Kosovo.
"This is an unprecented event in international
politics, in which a sovereign and democratic country
has been the object of aggression from an
international protectorate of the United Nations."
Monday August 13, 3:46 AM
Macedonian PM accuses UN-run Kosovo of waging war
SKOPJE, Aug 12 (AFP) -
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski accused
the United Nations protectorate of Kosovo of waging
war against his country, in a letter to UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan made public Sunday.
Georgievski said in a message read in Macedonian on
state television that 600 members of a militia
supported by Kosovo's international administration had
crossed into Macedonia on Saturday and attacked
government forces.
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration
of war by the international protectorate of Kosovo and
by the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), which is
unfortunately part of the UN civil administration in
Kosovo," Georgievski said.
"This is an unprecedented event in international
politics, in which a sovereign and democratic country
has been the object of aggression from an
international protectorate of the United Nations," the
letter to Annan said.
The hardline Macedonian leader repeated Skopje's
longstanding criticism of Kosovo's NATO-led
peacekeeping force, accusing it of allowing ethnic
Albanian fighters to cross the border with impunity.
Both Georgievski and President Boris Trajkovski, who
wrote separately to NATO Secretary General George
Robertson to complain about the incursion, accused the
rebels of firing shells from bases within the UN-run
province. The guerrilla's military leader, Gezim
Ostreni denied that the KPC was helping its fellow
ethnic Albanians south of the border.
"The KPC is not involved in Macedonia and has not
fired from Kosovo ... in Macedonia there is only one
Albanian armed force, and that's the National
Liberation Army (NLA)," Ostreni told Kosovo
television.
Ostreni was himself a high-ranking member of the KPC
until March this year, when he was sacked after taking
leave and returning to his home town of Debar, in
Macedonia, to join the NLA.
Georgievski also attacked Kosovo's chief UN
administrator, Hans Haekkerup, urging Annan to "think
about releasing him from his duties".
Macedonian forces on Saturday exchanged fire with a
group of ethnic Albanian rebels near the village of
Radusa, two kilometres (one mile) south of the
republic's frontier with Kosovo.
Government officials said that the rebels had crossed
from Kosovo 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest of
Skopje and surrounded a police unit.
The KPC was set up by NATO and the United Nations in
1999 to provide employment for former guerrillas of
the officially disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army.
The unit -- which receives funding, training and
equipment from Western countries -- was supposed to be
an unarmed civil defence militia, but its members have
frequently been implicated in criminal activity inside
and outside the province.
KPC leaders make no secret of their ambition to one
day form the basis for the army of an independent
Kosovo, but have denied involvement in the six-month
ethnic Albanian uprising in Macedonia.
Trajkovski called on NATO and the United Nations to
shut down the KPC's training camps, state television
reported.
Georgievski and his nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party are
due to sign a peace accord Monday with the leaders of
Macedonia's three other main democratic parties --
including two representing ethnic Albanians.
The government in Skopje on Sunday called a unilateral
ceasefire to prepare the ground for the signing, but
Georgievski warned that the rebels were not ready to
make peace.
"Today when the political parties in Macedonia are one
step towards signing the peace agreement, the Albanian
paramilitary groups organised by the KPC continue with
their aggression," the letter said.
"That confirms that they don't want any kind of
agreement and it shows that they are not interested in
peace," he said.
---
UN NUOVO NOME PER LO STESSO PROGETTO DELLA GRANDE ALBANIA
Albanian Group Wants Slav Troops out of Kosovo
PRISTINA, Aug 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) The
Albanian National Army (ANA), a rebel group opposed to
the Macedonian peace accord, on Thursday demanded the
pullout of troops from Slavic countries serving in the
NATO-led Kosovo force.
"The ANA demands that KFOR withdraw its Slavic
soldiers from the zones where there are ANA units, in
particular Ukrainians," said a statement sent to AFP
signed by ANA leaders Alban Berisha and general
Shqiponja e Sharrit I.
"ANA considers that KFOR soldiers from Slavic
countries intentionally provoke these units," it said.
The ethnic Albanian rebels are worried about Ukrainian
arms deals with Macedonia and maintain that many
Ukrainian mercenaries are fighting in the ranks of the
Macedonian army.
ANA, a little-known rebel group fighting to create a
Greater Albania in the Balkans, on Tuesday rejected a
peace accord signed in Skopje to end the ethnic
Albanian insurgency.
It claims to have bases in Kosovo, Macedonia,
Montenegro, Albania proper and Greece from which it
plans to launch attacks as part of its campaign.
ANA claimed responsibility for the murder of two
Serbian policeman in southern Serbia earlier this
month and the deaths of 18 Macedonian soldiers in
attacks this month. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)
---
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ATTACCHI TERRORISTICI IN MACEDONIA SI NASCONDE LA NATO
> http://www.mediamonitors.net/gowans23.html
Media Monitors
August 23, 2001
More signs NATO is behind ethnic Albanian attacks on
Macedonia
by Stephen Gowans
A Canadian journalist has evidence that NATO is arming
and equipping the ethnic Albanian guerillas who have
waged a five-month long insurgency against the
Macedonian government in Skopje.
Scott Taylor, editor of Espirit de Corps magazine,
says that on a visit to guerilla bunkers overlooking
the besieged Macedonian city of Tetovo he was welcomed
with shouts of, "God bless America and Canada too for
all they have provided to us." Canada is a member of
the US-led NATO coalition.
Taylor says guerrilla commanders showed off their
arsenal, which included side arms, sniper rifles and
grenade launchers, all marked "Made in the USA." Says
Taylor, one commander remarked that, "thanks to Uncle
Sam, the Macedonians are no match for us."
Taylor isn't the first to charge that Washington is
aiding the guerillas. The Macedonian government
alleged that US helicopters were delivering supplies
to guerillas in the mountains above Tetovo. US
officials don't deny that airdrops were made, but say
helicopters were transporting vital humanitarian aid.
But Taylor says the local guerilla commander told him
that the helicopters were delivering heavy mortars and
ammunition. The guerillas have bombarded Tetovo with
artillery.
Taylor says ethnic Albanian villagers cheer at the
sight of US helicopters, while guerillas at brigade
headquarters wear Nike-style T-shirts bearing the
phrase, "NATO Air - Just do it!" Meanwhile, one
Macedonian police officer lamented to Taylor that "if
NATO hadn't been arming and equipping the (KLA) in
Kosovo there would be no need for them to disarm these
guerillas now."
This isn't the first time complaints about the US and
NATO arming ethnic Albanian guerillas have been made.
In March, a European K-For battalion commander told
the London Observer that, "the CIA has been allowed to
run riot in Kosovo with a private army designed to
overthrow Slobodan Milosevic...Most of last year,
there was a growing frustration with US support for
the radical Albanians." And in January the BBC
reported that Western forces were training guerillas,
then opening a new front in southern Serbia and
Macedonia.
In June, when Macedonian forces were closing in on
guerillas in the town of Aracinovo, NATO intervened,
transporting ethnic Albanian rebels out of the
besieged town in air-conditioned busses. According to
the German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt, 17 US
advisors, belonging to an American mercenary firm
involved in other Balkan conflicts, were among the
guerillas. And the newspaper pointed out that 70
percent of the equipment carried away by the guerillas
was US made.
Days earlier, a American diplomat was slightly wounded
by Macedonian gunfire as he emerged from the woods
(around Aracinovo) with two other Americans,"
according to the International Herald Tribune. The
diplomats were emerging from rebel-held territory.
Two months ago, the London Sunday Times reported that
at least 800 ethnic Albanian guerillas fighting in
Macedonia are members of the Kosovo Protection Corps,
a paramilitary police unit created by the UN from the
KLA. The Times says, "Hundreds of KPC reservists were
called up by their Albanian commander Agim Ceku, in
March. They subsequently disappeared to former KLA
training camps in Albania and are now re-emerging in
Macedonia."
Ceku, one of the top leaders of the KLA, along with
Hacim Thaci, was artillery chief of the Croatian army
when it launched a war in the Krajina region of
Croatia, which led to 250,000 Serbs being driven from
their homes. Under the KPC, 250,000 Serbs, and another
100,000 Roma, Gorani, Turks and Jews have been driven
from Kosovo. Now, the KLA offshoot in Macedonia, the
NLA, seems intent on ethnically cleansing the largely
Albanian Tetovo region. Over 120,000 Macedonians have
fled or have been driven from their Tetovo area homes
by guerillas. Ilir Hoxha, a 25-year old ethnic
Albanian said, "Let them leave. They should never
return. Tetovo is Albanian and it will remain
Albanian."
For years, many Albanians have dreamed of resurrecting
the greater Albania established under the Italian
fascists, and then under the Nazis. It incorporated
parts of Macedonia and Greece, southern Serbia, and
Kosovo into Albania proper. Some reports say an ethnic
Albanian Liberation Army of Chameria will open a new
front in Greece soon.
Skopje has been hampered in its response to the
guerillas. NATO and the EU have warned Macedonia not
to crack down on the guerillas, and Ukraine, which was
providing equipment to the under-equipped Macedonian
army, was warned to stop shipments of materiel.
Meanwhile, press reports in the West describe NATO and
EU diplomatic efforts as aimed at preventing a civil
war, though the intention appears to be to prevent a
strong Macedonian response.
The guerillas say they're fighting to win language
rights, but critics point out that an armed attack is
highly disproportional to the NLA's stated aims.
Moreover, the fact that the guerillas have been
recruited from Kosovo, pass freely over a
Kosovo-Macedonia border presumably patrolled by NATO
K-For forces, and have driven non-Albanians from their
homes in an apparent effort to ethnically cleanse the
Tetovo region, points to the pursuit of other goals,
fully backed by NATO.
Taylor, who served in the Canadian Armed Forces, says
NATO's support of the guerillas is so blatant "it is
little wonder that the Macedonian majority have staged
violent anti-NATO riots."
Mr. Steve Gowans is a writer and political activist
who lives in Ottawa, Canada.
---
NUOVI LEADER ATLANTICI:
RITRATTO DEL TERRORISTA PAN-ALBANESE ALI AHMETI
> http://www.ekathimerini.com/news/content.asp?aid=96757
On the road to power
Ali Ahmeti, Albanian rebel leader in FYROM, cannot be
ignored
By Stavros Tzimas
Kathimerini
August 23, 2001
Ali Ahmeti has been denounced as a criminal by the
FYROM government. Hardline Interior Minister Ljube
Boshkovski wants Ahmeti arrested and then brought
before what he calls "independent Macedonian courts."
But this has not prevented the hunted political leader
of the Albanian rebels from traveling unhindered from
Kosovo to the village of Sivkovica, north of Tetovo,
for an interview. He went through the Slav-Macedonian
checkpoints, and in a state-owned vehicle his fellow
Albanians had put at his disposal. The armed Albanian
rebel movement he represents has become a powerful
political force which is soon expected to demand legal
participation in the political life of FYROM and
possibly form a party.
In the future the rebels, in or out of uniform, will
be the ones to make decisions about developments on
behalf of the ethnic Albanians, whose traditional
leadership is on the brink of political disappearance.
The Albanians of Tetovo and the other western regions
of FYROM are on the side of the rebels who have become
heroes in their eyes.
A Western diplomat who recently visited the so-called
liberated zones told Kathimerini that the young boys
and girls there wear ribbons bearing the initials of
the National Liberation Army (NLA), and that the walls
in all the villages are covered with slogans
supporting the NLA.
Arben Xhaferi and Imer Imeri have signed an agreement
in which the Albanians have registered their historic
claims, but in fact it is Ali Ahmeti and his armed men
who have dictated the stance of the leaders of the two
legal political parties. Without the consent of the
rebels, no agreement would have been signed, nor
indeed could the peace process have made any progress.
Now that their armed struggle has succeeded, Ali
Ahmeti and the other rebel commanders will want to
make political capital from their military action, as
did Hakim Thaci and the other captains in Kosovo. The
amnesty granted by President Boris Trajkovski allows
the rebels to participate unimpeded in society, and
this will happen, says their leader, after they have
attended social reintegration seminars.
Ali Ahmeti is waiting it out at Prizren in Kosovo,
directing political developments from there. His
triumphant appearance in Tetovo is considered only a
matter of time. Similarly, as the new situation
demands, it won't be long until he is no longer
branded a war criminal and common murderer.
---
LA RUSSIA CONTRARIA ALLE OPERAZIONI DELLA NATO IN MACEDONIA
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=800265427
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2001
THE TIMES OF INDIA
Russia warns against NATO operation in Macedonia
MOSCOW (AFP): Russia issued a thinly veiled warning on
Wednesday that a NATO operation to collect arms from
ethnic Albanian rebels in the former Yugoslav republic
of Macedonia could act as an incitement to armed
actions by Albanian extremists.
The alliance has "undoubtedly assumed a great
responsibility for what is happening in Macedonia and
for the perspectives of ending the crisis" there, the
foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to
recent incidents involving Albanian rebels.
Citing the destruction Monday of a 14th-century
Orthodox church at Lesok, the ministry said that
international actions such as the Essential Harvest
arms collection operation "must not appear as an
encouragement of extremism and a de facto
legitimisation of separatism."
Peace and stability "can only be achieved by means of
strengthening a multi-ethnic democratic society in a
united and sovereign Macedonia," the statement said.
Russia has expressed serious reservations about the
NATO operation, describing it as a palliative move
unlikely to resolve the crisis in the region.
Russian troops would not take part in the NATO
operation, as it had not been approved by the UN
Security Council, defense ministry officials said as
quoted by the RIA-Novosti news agency.
"NATO and the US leaders will bear full responsibility
for the negative consequences NATO's military
intervention in Macedonia may have," the officials
said.
---
LA DESTABILIZZAZIONE DELLA FYROM E' PREPARATA IN KOSOVO
Macedonian Sources Say Albanian Rebels Regroup in
Kosovo
SKOPJE, Aug 20, 2001 -- (dpa) Macedonian army sources
were reported Monday as saying that 700 Albanian
rebels were poised in Kosovo to enter Macedonia.
In addition, some 2,000 Albanian troops could join
them at "any time", the newspaper Dnevnik quoted the
sources as saying.
Albanian rebels were regrouping near the village of
Radusha, on Kosovo side of the Macedonian-Yugoslav
border, the report said. The watchtower in the village
was "in the hands" of the rebels.
"No one from KFOR (Kosovo peacekeeping) units does
anything to stop rebels from entering in the village
of Radusha from the Kosovo side. The Polish soldiers
from KFOR sit like on picnic", army sources were
quoted as saying.
The paper also said Macedonian soldiers in the border
area were angered by the failure of the Macedonian
command to send any reinforcements for a week.
The situation in the crisis areas in Macedonia was
calm on Monday morning after rebels had stopped their
attacks on security forces in the villages above
Tetovo after midnight Sunday, police sources said.
There were no injured on the Macedonian side, the
sources said.
The NATO commander for Europe, U.S. General Joseph W.
Ralston, was due to arrive in the Macedonian capital
on Monday ahead of the planned deployment of 3,500
troops to collect arms from ethnic Albanian rebels.
His assessment of the stability of the ceasefire would
be crucial in deciding whether to go forward with
operation Essential Harvest, officials in Brussels
said.
The NATO alliance was expected to reach a decision on
the disarmament mission this week.
Several hundred advance troops have arrived in
Macedonia since Friday. If the mission goes ahead, the
soldiers would be tasked with collecting the rebels'
weapons within 30 days.
(C)2001. dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur
> http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010812/1/1bej4.html
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration
of war by the international protectorate of Kosovo and
by the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), which is
unfortunately part of the UN civil administration in
Kosovo.
"This is an unprecented event in international
politics, in which a sovereign and democratic country
has been the object of aggression from an
international protectorate of the United Nations."
Monday August 13, 3:46 AM
Macedonian PM accuses UN-run Kosovo of waging war
SKOPJE, Aug 12 (AFP) -
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski accused
the United Nations protectorate of Kosovo of waging
war against his country, in a letter to UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan made public Sunday.
Georgievski said in a message read in Macedonian on
state television that 600 members of a militia
supported by Kosovo's international administration had
crossed into Macedonia on Saturday and attacked
government forces.
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration
of war by the international protectorate of Kosovo and
by the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), which is
unfortunately part of the UN civil administration in
Kosovo," Georgievski said.
"This is an unprecedented event in international
politics, in which a sovereign and democratic country
has been the object of aggression from an
international protectorate of the United Nations," the
letter to Annan said.
The hardline Macedonian leader repeated Skopje's
longstanding criticism of Kosovo's NATO-led
peacekeeping force, accusing it of allowing ethnic
Albanian fighters to cross the border with impunity.
Both Georgievski and President Boris Trajkovski, who
wrote separately to NATO Secretary General George
Robertson to complain about the incursion, accused the
rebels of firing shells from bases within the UN-run
province. The guerrilla's military leader, Gezim
Ostreni denied that the KPC was helping its fellow
ethnic Albanians south of the border.
"The KPC is not involved in Macedonia and has not
fired from Kosovo ... in Macedonia there is only one
Albanian armed force, and that's the National
Liberation Army (NLA)," Ostreni told Kosovo
television.
Ostreni was himself a high-ranking member of the KPC
until March this year, when he was sacked after taking
leave and returning to his home town of Debar, in
Macedonia, to join the NLA.
Georgievski also attacked Kosovo's chief UN
administrator, Hans Haekkerup, urging Annan to "think
about releasing him from his duties".
Macedonian forces on Saturday exchanged fire with a
group of ethnic Albanian rebels near the village of
Radusa, two kilometres (one mile) south of the
republic's frontier with Kosovo.
Government officials said that the rebels had crossed
from Kosovo 15 kilometres (nine miles) northwest of
Skopje and surrounded a police unit.
The KPC was set up by NATO and the United Nations in
1999 to provide employment for former guerrillas of
the officially disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army.
The unit -- which receives funding, training and
equipment from Western countries -- was supposed to be
an unarmed civil defence militia, but its members have
frequently been implicated in criminal activity inside
and outside the province.
KPC leaders make no secret of their ambition to one
day form the basis for the army of an independent
Kosovo, but have denied involvement in the six-month
ethnic Albanian uprising in Macedonia.
Trajkovski called on NATO and the United Nations to
shut down the KPC's training camps, state television
reported.
Georgievski and his nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party are
due to sign a peace accord Monday with the leaders of
Macedonia's three other main democratic parties --
including two representing ethnic Albanians.
The government in Skopje on Sunday called a unilateral
ceasefire to prepare the ground for the signing, but
Georgievski warned that the rebels were not ready to
make peace.
"Today when the political parties in Macedonia are one
step towards signing the peace agreement, the Albanian
paramilitary groups organised by the KPC continue with
their aggression," the letter said.
"That confirms that they don't want any kind of
agreement and it shows that they are not interested in
peace," he said.
---
UN NUOVO NOME PER LO STESSO PROGETTO DELLA GRANDE ALBANIA
Albanian Group Wants Slav Troops out of Kosovo
PRISTINA, Aug 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) The
Albanian National Army (ANA), a rebel group opposed to
the Macedonian peace accord, on Thursday demanded the
pullout of troops from Slavic countries serving in the
NATO-led Kosovo force.
"The ANA demands that KFOR withdraw its Slavic
soldiers from the zones where there are ANA units, in
particular Ukrainians," said a statement sent to AFP
signed by ANA leaders Alban Berisha and general
Shqiponja e Sharrit I.
"ANA considers that KFOR soldiers from Slavic
countries intentionally provoke these units," it said.
The ethnic Albanian rebels are worried about Ukrainian
arms deals with Macedonia and maintain that many
Ukrainian mercenaries are fighting in the ranks of the
Macedonian army.
ANA, a little-known rebel group fighting to create a
Greater Albania in the Balkans, on Tuesday rejected a
peace accord signed in Skopje to end the ethnic
Albanian insurgency.
It claims to have bases in Kosovo, Macedonia,
Montenegro, Albania proper and Greece from which it
plans to launch attacks as part of its campaign.
ANA claimed responsibility for the murder of two
Serbian policeman in southern Serbia earlier this
month and the deaths of 18 Macedonian soldiers in
attacks this month. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)
---
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NEW ALBANIAN REBEL GROUP SURFACES IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
PRISTINA, Aug 7 ( AFP) A hitherto unknown organization, the
Albanian National Army (ANA), has claimed responsibility for the killing
of two policemen in southern Serbia on Friday.
"A special unit of the Albanian National Army successfully
staged an operation against enemy forces August 3, 2001 in Muhovac," the
group said in a statement received by AFP today in Pristina.
Muhovac was the stomping ground of Muhamet Xhemaili, one of the
most radical members of the Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and
Bujanovac, which was disbanded in late May.
The rebel group said Friday's attack was a "warning to the
occupier of the Albanian territory of Anamorava and its international
and Albanian-speaking allies." Anamorava is the Albanian name for the
Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac areas of southern Serbia.
"The war is not over, any more than it is in Macedonia," the
statement said. It vowed a war "even more violent and better organized"
for "the national reunification of Albanians in a unified Albania."
Conflicts in Kosovo, southern Serbia and Macedonia were merely
a "training ground for the fighters of the ANA for an overall Albanian
rebellion," the statement ended. It was signed by the "ANA high
command."
PRISTINA, Aug 7 ( AFP) A hitherto unknown organization, the
Albanian National Army (ANA), has claimed responsibility for the killing
of two policemen in southern Serbia on Friday.
"A special unit of the Albanian National Army successfully
staged an operation against enemy forces August 3, 2001 in Muhovac," the
group said in a statement received by AFP today in Pristina.
Muhovac was the stomping ground of Muhamet Xhemaili, one of the
most radical members of the Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and
Bujanovac, which was disbanded in late May.
The rebel group said Friday's attack was a "warning to the
occupier of the Albanian territory of Anamorava and its international
and Albanian-speaking allies." Anamorava is the Albanian name for the
Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac areas of southern Serbia.
"The war is not over, any more than it is in Macedonia," the
statement said. It vowed a war "even more violent and better organized"
for "the national reunification of Albanians in a unified Albania."
Conflicts in Kosovo, southern Serbia and Macedonia were merely
a "training ground for the fighters of the ANA for an overall Albanian
rebellion," the statement ended. It was signed by the "ANA high
command."
In fondo a questo messaggio:
LA NATO INVADE LA MACEDONIA - di M. Chossudovsky
(22 agosto 2001)
> http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.htm
---
Altri dispacci in inglese / more agencies on the issue:
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1251
ULTERIORI PROVE DEL FATTO CHE DIETRO GLI
ATTACCHI TERRORISTICI IN MACEDONIA SI NASCONDE LA NATO
> http://www.mediamonitors.net/gowans23.html
Media Monitors, August 23, 2001
More signs NATO is behind ethnic Albanian attacks on
Macedonia - by Stephen Gowans
NUOVI LEADER ATLANTICI:
RITRATTO DEL TERRORISTA PAN-ALBANESE ALI AHMETI
> http://www.ekathimerini.com/news/content.asp?aid%ef%bf%bd757
On the road to power
Ali Ahmeti, Albanian rebel leader in FYROM, cannot be ignored
By Stavros Tzimas - Kathimerini, August 23, 2001
LA RUSSIA CONTRARIA ALLE OPERAZIONI DELLA NATO IN MACEDONIA
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id%ef%bf%bd0265427
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2001 - THE TIMES OF INDIA
Russia warns against NATO operation in Macedonia
LA DESTABILIZZAZIONE DELLA FYROM E' PREPARATA IN KOSOVO
Macedonian Sources Say Albanian Rebels Regroup in Kosovo
SKOPJE, Aug 20, 2001 (dpa)
> http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010812/1/1bej4.html
Monday August 13, 3:46 AM
Macedonian PM accuses UN-run Kosovo of waging war
SKOPJE, Aug 12 (AFP)
"TUTTE LE TRUPPE KFOR DI RAZZA SLAVA FUORI DALLA KOSSOVA!"
Albanian Group Wants Slav Troops out of Kosovo
PRISTINA, Aug 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse)
tutti i documenti citati si trovano alla URL:
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1251
Inoltre:
UN NUOVO NOME PER LO STESSO PROGETTO DELLA GRANDE ALBANIA
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1252
NEW ALBANIAN REBEL GROUP SURFACES IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
PRISTINA, Aug 7 ( AFP)
--
NATO INVADES MACEDONIA
by
Michel Chossudovsky
Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa
22 August 2001
The URL for this article is:
http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.html
Some 3500 heavily armed NATO troops have entered Macedonia
with a mandate to "disarm the Albanian rebels". Whereas a token
collection and destruction of obsolete weapons is envisaged, the
evidence amply confirms that the "National Liberation Army" has
been armed, equipped and financed by Washington. NATO's
ultimate goal is to protect rather than disarm the terrorists, weaken
and disable the Macedonian Security Forces and install a
protectorate under direct military rule. The US-EU brokered
"peace" agreement constitutes an act of surrender and submission
to the NATO aggressor.
________________________________________________________________
In the hours preceding the "initialing" of the Ohrid "peace"
agreement on August 8th, the terrorists renewed their assaults
leading to the death of ten Macedonian soldiers in an ambush in
Prilep. On the next day, a major KLA-NLA military offensive
directed against the Macedonian Security forces was launched.
And two days later, several hundred troops belonging to the United
Nations Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) stationed in Kosovo
crossed the border and attacked the Macedonian Security Forces
(ARM) in the Radusha area.1 These carefully planned military
actions were also accompanied by violent assaults directed against
civilians.
In an atmosphere of public protests and renewed terrorist assaults,
the "framework peace agreement" was signed on the 13th of
August, allowing NATO to deploy troops throughout Macedonia
with a mandate to "disarm the Albanian rebels".
The Western media mantra --parroting NATO's official
statements-- concluded without further examination that the
"Albanian rebels" were attempting to stall the ratification and
implementation of the "framework document" (yet to be approved
by the Macedonian parliament), undermining "the painstaking
efforts of the international community": "We have unequivocally
stood against all acts of violence in Macedonia and all breaches of
the cease-fire?" said US State Department spokesperson Richard
Boucher?".2 Meanwhile, Yugoslav President Voijislav Kostunica
accused the American and European mediators of "having been
duped by the Albanian rebels."3
Pentagon and US State department planners (from the most
powerful nation on earth) "duped" by "Albanian rebels"? According
to the Western media, the military alliance had no prior knowledge
of these terrorist assaults launched at the time of crucial "peace"
negotiations. The enemy is presented, as a peace "facilitor", the
identity of the NATO aggressor and its relationship to the
terrorists, are not mentioned.
WHO ORDERED THE TERRORIST ASSAULTS?
The so-called "Albanian rebels" do not make key military decisions
on their own. Amply documented, the KLA-NLA and its various
affiliated factions constitute America's proxy army integrated by
US military advisers, trained by British Special Forces, financed
and equipped by Washington. War is always waged in terms of
carefully designed political objectives; military operations
--including covert activities in support of "freedom fighters"-- are
never haphazard. The terrorist assaults are part of Washington's
military-intelligence agenda in Macedonia.
Senior US military advisers detached from private mercenary
companies are working with KLA-NLA commanders. NLA
Commander Gezim Ostremi, was trained by British Special Forces
to head the UN sponsored Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC).4
Confirmed by British military sources, the task of arming and
training of the KLA had been entrusted in 1998 to the US Defence
Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Britain's Secret Intelligence
Services MI6, together with "former and serving members of 22
SAS [Britain's 22nd Special Air Services Regiment], as well as
three British and American private security companies".5:
"'The US DIA approached MI6 to arrange a training
programme for the KLA,' said a senior British military
source. `MI6 then sub-contracted the operation to two
British security companies, who in turn approached a
number of former members of the (22 SAS) regiment. Lists
were then drawn up of weapons and equipment needed by
the KLA.' While these covert operations were continuing,
serving members of 22 SAS Regiment, mostly from the
unit's D Squadron, were first deployed in Kosovo before the
beginning of the bombing campaign in March. 6
OPERATION "ESSENTIAL HARVEST": REPLICATING
KOSOVO
The First and Third Parachute battalions ("1 PARA" and "3
PARA") detached to Macedonia under Operation "Essential
Harvest" have a history of active collaboration with the KLA. The
British Paras led the invasion into Kosovo in June 1999 in liaison
with KLA forces.7 The evidence amply confirms that the US and
British military-intelligence establishment has continued to support
the KLA in its terrorist operations in Macedonia:
"two of the Kosovo-based commanders leading the
Albanian push [into the Tetovo region] were trained by
former British SAS and Parachute Regiment officers? [A]
commander with the nom de guerre of Bilal was organising
the flow of arms and men into Macedonia, and ? veteran
KLA commander Adem Bajrami was helping to co-ordinate
the assault on Tetovo. Both were taught by British soldiers
in the secretive training camps that operated above Bajram
Curri in northern Albania during 1998 and 1999. "8
In a bitter irony, the officers of the British parachute regiment
dispatched under Operation "Essential Harvest" had previously
collaborated and forged personal ties with KLA-NLA commanders
now in charge of military operations in Macedonia. The evidence
would suggest that the British Para battalions were sent in "to
assist" rather than "'disarm" the KLA-NLA. 9
Moreover, US military advisers --on assignment to the KLA-NLA
(through private mercenary companies)-- remain in contact with
NATO and US military and intelligence planners, who are in turn in
liaison with the US State Department. Ultimately, Washington and
London decide on the broad direction of KLA-NLA military
operations in Macedonia. What this means is that while the
Washington call for a cease-fire a diplomatic level, it also decides
when "to breach" the cease-fire, and when to actually implement
the cease-fire.
In other words, the so-called "breaches of the cease-fire"
--marked by a renewed wave of terrorist attacks-- during the final
stages of the US-EU sponsored "peace negotiations"-- were not
decided by the "Albanian rebel" commanders without consulting
Washington.
What this means is that by allowing the "National Liberation
Army", America's proxy military force in Macedonia, to launch a
new wave of terrorist assaults at the time of crucial negotiations,
Washington had consciously and deliberately stalled its own bogus
"peace" initiative, while precipitating the country to the brink of
civil war.
NATO controls the cease-fire because NATO controls the
terrorists!
NATO has stated that they will only intervene and "disarm the
rebels" if there is a cease-fire. But what NATO really wants is that
the Macedonian ARM remain in the barracks under a unilateral
cease-fire, while their proxy forces continue to make further
territorial gains.
Already, the unilateral cease-fire ordered by President Trajkovski
in the wake of the Ohrid peace agreement has enabled the
KLA-NLA terrorists to take up strategic positions in the Crna
Gora mountain range near Skopje while also reinforcing their control
in the Tetovo region.10 These NLA territorial advances at the time
of crucial negotiations are part and parcel of NATO planning.
Following the visit to Skopje of General Joseph Ralston, NATO's
supreme allied commander in Europe (20 August) the President
ordered (under a new unilateral cease-fire) the Macedonian
Security Forces to remain in the barracks. The ARM has been
instructed:
"?to carry out a withdrawal of troops as a contribution
towards de-escalation in advance of a planned NATO
mission to the country? the [defence] ministry in Skopje
said warplanes and helicopters would accordingly not be
used in crisis areas and the army was to withdraw heavy
weapons from combat positions".11
In other words, the invading army imposes a unilateral cease-fire to
facilitate the process of territorial conquest.
INVADING A MEMBER COUNTRY OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
The command structures of the KLA, the NLA and the United
Nations sponsored Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) overlap and
coincide. The so-called Albanian National Army (AKSh) (a
paramilitary group linked to the KLA-NLA) which claimed
responsibility for the Prelic killings was formed by members of the
United Nations KPC. These killings coincided (almost like
clockwork) with the final stages of the "peace" negotiations at
Ohrid. Everything suggests that this action had been carefully
planned in advance and was known to Western intelligence
agencies.12
Moreover, the decision to dispatch several hundred KPC troops
across the border from Kosovo in the days following the conclusion
of the Ohrid negotations, could not have been taken without the
acquiescence of NATO and UN military personnel stationed in
Kosovo.
What this means is that a UN sponsored military force (using UN
equipment and resources) has invaded a member country of the
United Nations, with the knowledge and approval of NATO forces
in Kosovo.
To say that this constitutes "a violation of the UN charter" would
be a gross understatement. In the words of Macedonia's Prime
Minister Ljubo Georgevski in a letter to addressed to the Secretary
General of the United Nations Kofi Annan:
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration of war by
the international protectorate of Kosovo and by the Kosovo
Protection Corps (KPC), which is unfortunately part of the
UN civil administration in Kosovo."13
While representing a dissenting political voice, Prime Minister
Georgevski, nonetheless signed the "framework document" opening
the door to the invasion of his country by NATO troops.
"DISARMING THE REBELS"
The disarmament process is totally fictitious. Why would NATO
disarm its own proxy force, which has been re-equipped in the last
few months with brand new weapons "Made in America".
Following the signing of the framework document, NATO
announced it had agreed "with the NLA on terms and procedures
for an eventual arms turnover". In this regard, NATO plans to
replicate the token "disarmament" of the KLA implemented in the
wake of the 1999 bombing campaign in Kosovo, where small arms
and AK-47s were handed in on a "voluntary" basis. This process
was then followed by the arming and equipping of the KLA with
advanced weaponry leading into the terrorist attacks in Southern
Serbia and Macedonia.
The whole disarmament process is an obvious hoax. In fact, the
terms of the "disarmament" are being negotiated with the terrorists
rather than with the Macedonian authorities:
"the rebels will collect their own weapons and deposit
them at pre-arranged collection sites. NATO troops will
then move in, seal the area, pick up the guns for destruction
in a third country and leave."14
While NATO "weapons collection teams" have been deployed,
NATO has clarified that the handing in of weapons will be entirely
"voluntary": "what we prefer from a NATO force point of view is
that the insurgents collect the weapons on our behalf?"15
But if the handing in of the weapons is "voluntary", then why does
NATO need to bring in large amounts of heavy military equipment in
British military transport planes? There is reason to believe that one
of the objectives of Operation "Essential Harvest" is to channel
arms and supplies to the terrorists inside their territorial enclaves,
while at the same time disarming all forms of armed resistance,
including the civilian defense groups which have developed in
opposition to the terrorists and the NATO led invasion.
While the Western media is spreading rumours that the rebels are
"armed with assault rifles and knives" 16 (Associated Press, 20
August 2001), the evidence confirms that the US is continuing to
equip the terrorists with advanced weaponry:
"In the well-built guerrilla bunkers overlooking the besieged
city of Tetovo, there is ample evidence of U.S. military
hardware ? An abundant stock of sophisticated night-vision
goggles provide the guerrillas with a tremendous tactical
advantage over the Macedonian security forces? Snake
Arifaj, a 22-year-old guerrilla platoon commander, proudly
displayed his unit's impressive arsenal and said, 'Thanks to
Uncle Sam, the Macedonians are no match for us.'?
Commander "Mouse," a 47-year-old UCK officer in the
Tetovo sector? confirmed that two US Chinook Heavy
Transport Helicopters had in fact delivered "heavy mortars
and ammunition" [in early August] to the guerrillas?
[A]mmunition supply is not a problem for the guerrillas. 'We
have all the equipment and men we need to capture Skopje
in 24 hours,' said Commander "Jimmy", a 22-year-old
Albanian guerrilla who is already a veteran of Chechnya,
Kosovo, and south Serbia. "Militarily, the Macedonians are
no match for our soldiers."17
HIDDEN AGENDA
While paying lip service to the social rights of ethnic Albanians,
Washington has no interest in the process of constitutional reform
as contained in the "framework document". Washington's objective
is not to "disarm the rebels" but to disable the Macedonian Security
Forces (ARM) and dismantle State institutions. In this regard,
NATO forces are working hand in glove with the KLA-NLA.
Moreover, once the so-called "disarmament" process has been
completed, "unarmed observers" from the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the EU Monitoring Mission
(EUMM) are slated to enter "NLA enclaves to begin
confidence-building measures before the return of Macedonian
police."18
MEDIA FALSEHOODS
All the appearances of an "internal conflict" are retained. The links
of NATO to the terrorists are never mentioned by the Western
media. The confrontation between Macedonians and ethnic
Albanians is the cornerstone of most news stories, logically
providing a justification for a "peacekeeping" intervention.
With a shaky framework agreement on constitutional reform and
the country on the brink of civil war, the main players retain their
full legitimacy. In the eyes of public opinion, they are not
"aggressors", they are peace-keepers intervening on
"humanitarian ground".
While the media upholds the NLA as a liberation army fighting for
the social rights of an oppressed minority, the process of
"demonisation" of the Macedonians has commenced with
one-sided news stories relating to presumed war crimes and
alleged atrocities committed by the Macedonian police and security
forces.
Meanwhile, everything indicates that ethnic tensions have been
further heightened with the entry of NATO troops. Terrorist gangs
linked to the KLA-NLA are assaulting Macedonian civilians as
occurred in Kosovo in 1999.
INSTALLING A NATO PROTECTORATE
Washington has pushed Macedonia to the brink of civil war with a
view to justifying a NATO led intervention "on humanitarian
grounds".
Deliberately jeopardised as a result of the terrorist assaults and the
NATO invasion, Washington is fully aware that the "peace"
agreement (including the constitutional amendments) has little
chance of becoming operational under a "functioning democracy". In
this regard, NATO has already hinted that it "has contingency
plans" if it is unable to accomplish its mission under the framework
"peace" agreement.19
In the days following the signing of the framework agreement, the
International Crisis Group (ICG), a "Non-governmental
Organisation" (funded by George Soros') with links to US State
department pointed to the need to "changing the mandate" of the
NATO led "Operation Essential Harvest":
"NATO cannot limit its mission to 30 days. It must be
prepared to do more than collect arms that are voluntarily
given to it. It must seal the border with Kosovo and should
provide the security assurance required to see the 13
August agreement through to parliamentary ratification and
implementation. And it must be prepared to use all
necessary force to make that assurance real?
Unfortunately, despite the agreement, there is little trust or
even expectation of peace among either ethnic Albanians or
Macedonians. That puts a heavy burden on the international
community, which will need to decide? whether the mission
should have a more open-ended time frame and a more
vigorous, traditional peacekeeping role?"20
In turn, the US media has already started to build a "justification"
for a more permanent NATO presence as a means to guaranteeing
the social rights of ethnic Albanians. An Associate Press report,
for instance, quotes:
"Mustafa Arifi, 26, sitting with his uncle in the cool shadow
of the local mosque? Not only does he want NATO troops
to come, he wants them to stay far longer than the 30 days
envisioned by the alliance. 'I know the big powers are on
our side,'' he said with certainty. 'I would love for them to
be here for 20 years.''' 21
And no doubt once the NATO mandate has been redefined --using
a "humanitarian" or "peacekeeping" pretext-- the next stage will
be to extend NATO's "mission" beyond the agreed 30 days, leading
to a more permanent military presence of NATO troops, as a
stepping stone towards the installation of a full-fledged NATO
protectorate on the Kosovo-Bosnia model.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that Bosnia-Herzegovina was
carved up "along ethnic lines" under the 1995 Dayton Agreement.
Similarly, Under Operation "Essential Harvest", the arrangement
imposed by NATO on the Macedonian government, is that the
terrorists will remain in the territories they occupy and NATO will
ensure that Macedonian troops will not enter rebel controlled
territory. This also means that Macedonians who were expulsed by
the terrorists will not be able to return to their homes. And NATO
has confirmed, in this regard, that it will not assist in the return of
"internally displaced persons".22
In other words, by firmly protecting the KLA-NLA in their
territorial enclaves and allowing the process of ethnic cleansing to
proceed, NATO has deliberately created conditions which favour
the partition of Macedonia, opening the door to "the detachment" of
the so-called "Albanian regions" occupied by KLA-NLA forces
and their (possible) annexation to a so-called "free Kosovo".
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Military Alliance --while paying lip
service to the territorial integrity of the Yugoslav federation-- is
also promoting the secession of a "free Kosovo" from Yugoslavia,
which would lead to a fracture of Yugoslavia as well as much
broader conflagration in the Balkans.
ENDNOTES
1, Macedonia Information Agency (MIA), Skopje, 11 August 2001.
2. US State Department Briefing, Washington, 9 August 2001.
3. Interview with Belgrade's Politika, quoted in the Nouvel
Observateur, Paris, 11 August 2001 at
http://quotidien.nouvelobs.com/etranger/20010810.OBS7336.html.
4. UPI, 1 July 2001.
5. The Scotesman, Glasgow, 29 August 1999.
6. Ibid.
7. See the webpage of the Parachute Regiment at
http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/para/make_up.htm).
8. Sunday Times, London, 18 March 2001. See also The Observer,
London, 11 March 2001.
9. From their experience in Northern Ireland, the British Paras have
also developed techniques of dealing with civilians going back to
the 1971 "Bloody Sunday Massacre" in Derry, Northern Ireland. In
a bitter irony, General Michael Jackson who led the Allied Forces
invasion into Kosovo in 1999, was Second in Command in the
"Bloody Sunday Massacre".
10. Krasnaya Zvezda, Moscow, 16 August 2001, BBC Monitoring
Service, London, 18 August 2001.
11. Deutsche Press Agentur, 20 August 2001.
12. On the origins of the AKSh, see Nedelnik Start's report on an
intelligence document submitted to the Prime Minister in 2000
which confirms AKSh links to the KPC, Skopje, 2 June 2000.
13. MIA, Skopje, 13 August 2001.
14. BBC, 18 August 2001.
15. See Transcript of NATO Press Conference, Skopje 15 and 17
August, at
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/operations/skopje/APICSKOPJE.htm#STARTNATO)
16. Associated Press, 20 August 2001,
17. Scott Taylor, "Thanks to Uncle Sam, Macedonians are no match
for us!", 20 August 2001, at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/taylor.htm).
18. Jane Defence Weekly, 15 August 2001.
19. Washington Post, 18 August.
20. See International Crisis Center (ICG) web page at
http://www.crisisweb.org/.
21. Associated Press, 18 August 2001.
22. See NATO Press Conference, Skopje, 20 August 2001, at
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/operations/skopje/TRANSCRIPT-20AUG.htm)
ARTICLES BY THE AUTHOR ON MACEDONIA:
"The Military Occupation of Macedonia", August 2001, at
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/chossudovsky/macedonia-occupation.html
"Washington Behind Terrorist Assaults in Macedonia", Ottawa,
July 2001, at
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/washbe.htm also at
"America at War in Macedonia", June 2001,
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/pipe.htm
"Macedonia: Washington's Military Intelligence Ploy", June 2001,
http://www.transnational.org/forum/meet/2001/Chossudov_WashingtPloy.html
"Washington Finances Ethnic Warfare in the Balkans", Ottawa,
April 2001, http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/fin.htm
C Copyright by Michel Chossudovsky, August, 2001. All rights
reserved.
Permission is granted to post this text on non-commercial
community internet sites, provided the essay remains intact and the
copyright note is displayed. To publish this text in printed and/or
other forms, including commercial internet sites and excerpts,
contact the author at chossudovsky@..., fax:
1-514-4256224.
The URL for this article is:
http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.htm.
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LA NATO INVADE LA MACEDONIA - di M. Chossudovsky
(22 agosto 2001)
> http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.htm
---
Altri dispacci in inglese / more agencies on the issue:
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1251
ULTERIORI PROVE DEL FATTO CHE DIETRO GLI
ATTACCHI TERRORISTICI IN MACEDONIA SI NASCONDE LA NATO
> http://www.mediamonitors.net/gowans23.html
Media Monitors, August 23, 2001
More signs NATO is behind ethnic Albanian attacks on
Macedonia - by Stephen Gowans
NUOVI LEADER ATLANTICI:
RITRATTO DEL TERRORISTA PAN-ALBANESE ALI AHMETI
> http://www.ekathimerini.com/news/content.asp?aid%ef%bf%bd757
On the road to power
Ali Ahmeti, Albanian rebel leader in FYROM, cannot be ignored
By Stavros Tzimas - Kathimerini, August 23, 2001
LA RUSSIA CONTRARIA ALLE OPERAZIONI DELLA NATO IN MACEDONIA
> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id%ef%bf%bd0265427
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2001 - THE TIMES OF INDIA
Russia warns against NATO operation in Macedonia
LA DESTABILIZZAZIONE DELLA FYROM E' PREPARATA IN KOSOVO
Macedonian Sources Say Albanian Rebels Regroup in Kosovo
SKOPJE, Aug 20, 2001 (dpa)
> http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010812/1/1bej4.html
Monday August 13, 3:46 AM
Macedonian PM accuses UN-run Kosovo of waging war
SKOPJE, Aug 12 (AFP)
"TUTTE LE TRUPPE KFOR DI RAZZA SLAVA FUORI DALLA KOSSOVA!"
Albanian Group Wants Slav Troops out of Kosovo
PRISTINA, Aug 17, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse)
tutti i documenti citati si trovano alla URL:
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1251
Inoltre:
UN NUOVO NOME PER LO STESSO PROGETTO DELLA GRANDE ALBANIA
> http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/1252
NEW ALBANIAN REBEL GROUP SURFACES IN SOUTHERN SERBIA
PRISTINA, Aug 7 ( AFP)
--
NATO INVADES MACEDONIA
by
Michel Chossudovsky
Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa
22 August 2001
The URL for this article is:
http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.html
Some 3500 heavily armed NATO troops have entered Macedonia
with a mandate to "disarm the Albanian rebels". Whereas a token
collection and destruction of obsolete weapons is envisaged, the
evidence amply confirms that the "National Liberation Army" has
been armed, equipped and financed by Washington. NATO's
ultimate goal is to protect rather than disarm the terrorists, weaken
and disable the Macedonian Security Forces and install a
protectorate under direct military rule. The US-EU brokered
"peace" agreement constitutes an act of surrender and submission
to the NATO aggressor.
________________________________________________________________
In the hours preceding the "initialing" of the Ohrid "peace"
agreement on August 8th, the terrorists renewed their assaults
leading to the death of ten Macedonian soldiers in an ambush in
Prilep. On the next day, a major KLA-NLA military offensive
directed against the Macedonian Security forces was launched.
And two days later, several hundred troops belonging to the United
Nations Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) stationed in Kosovo
crossed the border and attacked the Macedonian Security Forces
(ARM) in the Radusha area.1 These carefully planned military
actions were also accompanied by violent assaults directed against
civilians.
In an atmosphere of public protests and renewed terrorist assaults,
the "framework peace agreement" was signed on the 13th of
August, allowing NATO to deploy troops throughout Macedonia
with a mandate to "disarm the Albanian rebels".
The Western media mantra --parroting NATO's official
statements-- concluded without further examination that the
"Albanian rebels" were attempting to stall the ratification and
implementation of the "framework document" (yet to be approved
by the Macedonian parliament), undermining "the painstaking
efforts of the international community": "We have unequivocally
stood against all acts of violence in Macedonia and all breaches of
the cease-fire?" said US State Department spokesperson Richard
Boucher?".2 Meanwhile, Yugoslav President Voijislav Kostunica
accused the American and European mediators of "having been
duped by the Albanian rebels."3
Pentagon and US State department planners (from the most
powerful nation on earth) "duped" by "Albanian rebels"? According
to the Western media, the military alliance had no prior knowledge
of these terrorist assaults launched at the time of crucial "peace"
negotiations. The enemy is presented, as a peace "facilitor", the
identity of the NATO aggressor and its relationship to the
terrorists, are not mentioned.
WHO ORDERED THE TERRORIST ASSAULTS?
The so-called "Albanian rebels" do not make key military decisions
on their own. Amply documented, the KLA-NLA and its various
affiliated factions constitute America's proxy army integrated by
US military advisers, trained by British Special Forces, financed
and equipped by Washington. War is always waged in terms of
carefully designed political objectives; military operations
--including covert activities in support of "freedom fighters"-- are
never haphazard. The terrorist assaults are part of Washington's
military-intelligence agenda in Macedonia.
Senior US military advisers detached from private mercenary
companies are working with KLA-NLA commanders. NLA
Commander Gezim Ostremi, was trained by British Special Forces
to head the UN sponsored Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC).4
Confirmed by British military sources, the task of arming and
training of the KLA had been entrusted in 1998 to the US Defence
Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Britain's Secret Intelligence
Services MI6, together with "former and serving members of 22
SAS [Britain's 22nd Special Air Services Regiment], as well as
three British and American private security companies".5:
"'The US DIA approached MI6 to arrange a training
programme for the KLA,' said a senior British military
source. `MI6 then sub-contracted the operation to two
British security companies, who in turn approached a
number of former members of the (22 SAS) regiment. Lists
were then drawn up of weapons and equipment needed by
the KLA.' While these covert operations were continuing,
serving members of 22 SAS Regiment, mostly from the
unit's D Squadron, were first deployed in Kosovo before the
beginning of the bombing campaign in March. 6
OPERATION "ESSENTIAL HARVEST": REPLICATING
KOSOVO
The First and Third Parachute battalions ("1 PARA" and "3
PARA") detached to Macedonia under Operation "Essential
Harvest" have a history of active collaboration with the KLA. The
British Paras led the invasion into Kosovo in June 1999 in liaison
with KLA forces.7 The evidence amply confirms that the US and
British military-intelligence establishment has continued to support
the KLA in its terrorist operations in Macedonia:
"two of the Kosovo-based commanders leading the
Albanian push [into the Tetovo region] were trained by
former British SAS and Parachute Regiment officers? [A]
commander with the nom de guerre of Bilal was organising
the flow of arms and men into Macedonia, and ? veteran
KLA commander Adem Bajrami was helping to co-ordinate
the assault on Tetovo. Both were taught by British soldiers
in the secretive training camps that operated above Bajram
Curri in northern Albania during 1998 and 1999. "8
In a bitter irony, the officers of the British parachute regiment
dispatched under Operation "Essential Harvest" had previously
collaborated and forged personal ties with KLA-NLA commanders
now in charge of military operations in Macedonia. The evidence
would suggest that the British Para battalions were sent in "to
assist" rather than "'disarm" the KLA-NLA. 9
Moreover, US military advisers --on assignment to the KLA-NLA
(through private mercenary companies)-- remain in contact with
NATO and US military and intelligence planners, who are in turn in
liaison with the US State Department. Ultimately, Washington and
London decide on the broad direction of KLA-NLA military
operations in Macedonia. What this means is that while the
Washington call for a cease-fire a diplomatic level, it also decides
when "to breach" the cease-fire, and when to actually implement
the cease-fire.
In other words, the so-called "breaches of the cease-fire"
--marked by a renewed wave of terrorist attacks-- during the final
stages of the US-EU sponsored "peace negotiations"-- were not
decided by the "Albanian rebel" commanders without consulting
Washington.
What this means is that by allowing the "National Liberation
Army", America's proxy military force in Macedonia, to launch a
new wave of terrorist assaults at the time of crucial negotiations,
Washington had consciously and deliberately stalled its own bogus
"peace" initiative, while precipitating the country to the brink of
civil war.
NATO controls the cease-fire because NATO controls the
terrorists!
NATO has stated that they will only intervene and "disarm the
rebels" if there is a cease-fire. But what NATO really wants is that
the Macedonian ARM remain in the barracks under a unilateral
cease-fire, while their proxy forces continue to make further
territorial gains.
Already, the unilateral cease-fire ordered by President Trajkovski
in the wake of the Ohrid peace agreement has enabled the
KLA-NLA terrorists to take up strategic positions in the Crna
Gora mountain range near Skopje while also reinforcing their control
in the Tetovo region.10 These NLA territorial advances at the time
of crucial negotiations are part and parcel of NATO planning.
Following the visit to Skopje of General Joseph Ralston, NATO's
supreme allied commander in Europe (20 August) the President
ordered (under a new unilateral cease-fire) the Macedonian
Security Forces to remain in the barracks. The ARM has been
instructed:
"?to carry out a withdrawal of troops as a contribution
towards de-escalation in advance of a planned NATO
mission to the country? the [defence] ministry in Skopje
said warplanes and helicopters would accordingly not be
used in crisis areas and the army was to withdraw heavy
weapons from combat positions".11
In other words, the invading army imposes a unilateral cease-fire to
facilitate the process of territorial conquest.
INVADING A MEMBER COUNTRY OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
The command structures of the KLA, the NLA and the United
Nations sponsored Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) overlap and
coincide. The so-called Albanian National Army (AKSh) (a
paramilitary group linked to the KLA-NLA) which claimed
responsibility for the Prelic killings was formed by members of the
United Nations KPC. These killings coincided (almost like
clockwork) with the final stages of the "peace" negotiations at
Ohrid. Everything suggests that this action had been carefully
planned in advance and was known to Western intelligence
agencies.12
Moreover, the decision to dispatch several hundred KPC troops
across the border from Kosovo in the days following the conclusion
of the Ohrid negotations, could not have been taken without the
acquiescence of NATO and UN military personnel stationed in
Kosovo.
What this means is that a UN sponsored military force (using UN
equipment and resources) has invaded a member country of the
United Nations, with the knowledge and approval of NATO forces
in Kosovo.
To say that this constitutes "a violation of the UN charter" would
be a gross understatement. In the words of Macedonia's Prime
Minister Ljubo Georgevski in a letter to addressed to the Secretary
General of the United Nations Kofi Annan:
"I, personally, consider this an official declaration of war by
the international protectorate of Kosovo and by the Kosovo
Protection Corps (KPC), which is unfortunately part of the
UN civil administration in Kosovo."13
While representing a dissenting political voice, Prime Minister
Georgevski, nonetheless signed the "framework document" opening
the door to the invasion of his country by NATO troops.
"DISARMING THE REBELS"
The disarmament process is totally fictitious. Why would NATO
disarm its own proxy force, which has been re-equipped in the last
few months with brand new weapons "Made in America".
Following the signing of the framework document, NATO
announced it had agreed "with the NLA on terms and procedures
for an eventual arms turnover". In this regard, NATO plans to
replicate the token "disarmament" of the KLA implemented in the
wake of the 1999 bombing campaign in Kosovo, where small arms
and AK-47s were handed in on a "voluntary" basis. This process
was then followed by the arming and equipping of the KLA with
advanced weaponry leading into the terrorist attacks in Southern
Serbia and Macedonia.
The whole disarmament process is an obvious hoax. In fact, the
terms of the "disarmament" are being negotiated with the terrorists
rather than with the Macedonian authorities:
"the rebels will collect their own weapons and deposit
them at pre-arranged collection sites. NATO troops will
then move in, seal the area, pick up the guns for destruction
in a third country and leave."14
While NATO "weapons collection teams" have been deployed,
NATO has clarified that the handing in of weapons will be entirely
"voluntary": "what we prefer from a NATO force point of view is
that the insurgents collect the weapons on our behalf?"15
But if the handing in of the weapons is "voluntary", then why does
NATO need to bring in large amounts of heavy military equipment in
British military transport planes? There is reason to believe that one
of the objectives of Operation "Essential Harvest" is to channel
arms and supplies to the terrorists inside their territorial enclaves,
while at the same time disarming all forms of armed resistance,
including the civilian defense groups which have developed in
opposition to the terrorists and the NATO led invasion.
While the Western media is spreading rumours that the rebels are
"armed with assault rifles and knives" 16 (Associated Press, 20
August 2001), the evidence confirms that the US is continuing to
equip the terrorists with advanced weaponry:
"In the well-built guerrilla bunkers overlooking the besieged
city of Tetovo, there is ample evidence of U.S. military
hardware ? An abundant stock of sophisticated night-vision
goggles provide the guerrillas with a tremendous tactical
advantage over the Macedonian security forces? Snake
Arifaj, a 22-year-old guerrilla platoon commander, proudly
displayed his unit's impressive arsenal and said, 'Thanks to
Uncle Sam, the Macedonians are no match for us.'?
Commander "Mouse," a 47-year-old UCK officer in the
Tetovo sector? confirmed that two US Chinook Heavy
Transport Helicopters had in fact delivered "heavy mortars
and ammunition" [in early August] to the guerrillas?
[A]mmunition supply is not a problem for the guerrillas. 'We
have all the equipment and men we need to capture Skopje
in 24 hours,' said Commander "Jimmy", a 22-year-old
Albanian guerrilla who is already a veteran of Chechnya,
Kosovo, and south Serbia. "Militarily, the Macedonians are
no match for our soldiers."17
HIDDEN AGENDA
While paying lip service to the social rights of ethnic Albanians,
Washington has no interest in the process of constitutional reform
as contained in the "framework document". Washington's objective
is not to "disarm the rebels" but to disable the Macedonian Security
Forces (ARM) and dismantle State institutions. In this regard,
NATO forces are working hand in glove with the KLA-NLA.
Moreover, once the so-called "disarmament" process has been
completed, "unarmed observers" from the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the EU Monitoring Mission
(EUMM) are slated to enter "NLA enclaves to begin
confidence-building measures before the return of Macedonian
police."18
MEDIA FALSEHOODS
All the appearances of an "internal conflict" are retained. The links
of NATO to the terrorists are never mentioned by the Western
media. The confrontation between Macedonians and ethnic
Albanians is the cornerstone of most news stories, logically
providing a justification for a "peacekeeping" intervention.
With a shaky framework agreement on constitutional reform and
the country on the brink of civil war, the main players retain their
full legitimacy. In the eyes of public opinion, they are not
"aggressors", they are peace-keepers intervening on
"humanitarian ground".
While the media upholds the NLA as a liberation army fighting for
the social rights of an oppressed minority, the process of
"demonisation" of the Macedonians has commenced with
one-sided news stories relating to presumed war crimes and
alleged atrocities committed by the Macedonian police and security
forces.
Meanwhile, everything indicates that ethnic tensions have been
further heightened with the entry of NATO troops. Terrorist gangs
linked to the KLA-NLA are assaulting Macedonian civilians as
occurred in Kosovo in 1999.
INSTALLING A NATO PROTECTORATE
Washington has pushed Macedonia to the brink of civil war with a
view to justifying a NATO led intervention "on humanitarian
grounds".
Deliberately jeopardised as a result of the terrorist assaults and the
NATO invasion, Washington is fully aware that the "peace"
agreement (including the constitutional amendments) has little
chance of becoming operational under a "functioning democracy". In
this regard, NATO has already hinted that it "has contingency
plans" if it is unable to accomplish its mission under the framework
"peace" agreement.19
In the days following the signing of the framework agreement, the
International Crisis Group (ICG), a "Non-governmental
Organisation" (funded by George Soros') with links to US State
department pointed to the need to "changing the mandate" of the
NATO led "Operation Essential Harvest":
"NATO cannot limit its mission to 30 days. It must be
prepared to do more than collect arms that are voluntarily
given to it. It must seal the border with Kosovo and should
provide the security assurance required to see the 13
August agreement through to parliamentary ratification and
implementation. And it must be prepared to use all
necessary force to make that assurance real?
Unfortunately, despite the agreement, there is little trust or
even expectation of peace among either ethnic Albanians or
Macedonians. That puts a heavy burden on the international
community, which will need to decide? whether the mission
should have a more open-ended time frame and a more
vigorous, traditional peacekeeping role?"20
In turn, the US media has already started to build a "justification"
for a more permanent NATO presence as a means to guaranteeing
the social rights of ethnic Albanians. An Associate Press report,
for instance, quotes:
"Mustafa Arifi, 26, sitting with his uncle in the cool shadow
of the local mosque? Not only does he want NATO troops
to come, he wants them to stay far longer than the 30 days
envisioned by the alliance. 'I know the big powers are on
our side,'' he said with certainty. 'I would love for them to
be here for 20 years.''' 21
And no doubt once the NATO mandate has been redefined --using
a "humanitarian" or "peacekeeping" pretext-- the next stage will
be to extend NATO's "mission" beyond the agreed 30 days, leading
to a more permanent military presence of NATO troops, as a
stepping stone towards the installation of a full-fledged NATO
protectorate on the Kosovo-Bosnia model.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that Bosnia-Herzegovina was
carved up "along ethnic lines" under the 1995 Dayton Agreement.
Similarly, Under Operation "Essential Harvest", the arrangement
imposed by NATO on the Macedonian government, is that the
terrorists will remain in the territories they occupy and NATO will
ensure that Macedonian troops will not enter rebel controlled
territory. This also means that Macedonians who were expulsed by
the terrorists will not be able to return to their homes. And NATO
has confirmed, in this regard, that it will not assist in the return of
"internally displaced persons".22
In other words, by firmly protecting the KLA-NLA in their
territorial enclaves and allowing the process of ethnic cleansing to
proceed, NATO has deliberately created conditions which favour
the partition of Macedonia, opening the door to "the detachment" of
the so-called "Albanian regions" occupied by KLA-NLA forces
and their (possible) annexation to a so-called "free Kosovo".
Meanwhile, the Atlantic Military Alliance --while paying lip
service to the territorial integrity of the Yugoslav federation-- is
also promoting the secession of a "free Kosovo" from Yugoslavia,
which would lead to a fracture of Yugoslavia as well as much
broader conflagration in the Balkans.
ENDNOTES
1, Macedonia Information Agency (MIA), Skopje, 11 August 2001.
2. US State Department Briefing, Washington, 9 August 2001.
3. Interview with Belgrade's Politika, quoted in the Nouvel
Observateur, Paris, 11 August 2001 at
http://quotidien.nouvelobs.com/etranger/20010810.OBS7336.html.
4. UPI, 1 July 2001.
5. The Scotesman, Glasgow, 29 August 1999.
6. Ibid.
7. See the webpage of the Parachute Regiment at
http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/para/make_up.htm).
8. Sunday Times, London, 18 March 2001. See also The Observer,
London, 11 March 2001.
9. From their experience in Northern Ireland, the British Paras have
also developed techniques of dealing with civilians going back to
the 1971 "Bloody Sunday Massacre" in Derry, Northern Ireland. In
a bitter irony, General Michael Jackson who led the Allied Forces
invasion into Kosovo in 1999, was Second in Command in the
"Bloody Sunday Massacre".
10. Krasnaya Zvezda, Moscow, 16 August 2001, BBC Monitoring
Service, London, 18 August 2001.
11. Deutsche Press Agentur, 20 August 2001.
12. On the origins of the AKSh, see Nedelnik Start's report on an
intelligence document submitted to the Prime Minister in 2000
which confirms AKSh links to the KPC, Skopje, 2 June 2000.
13. MIA, Skopje, 13 August 2001.
14. BBC, 18 August 2001.
15. See Transcript of NATO Press Conference, Skopje 15 and 17
August, at
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/operations/skopje/APICSKOPJE.htm#STARTNATO)
16. Associated Press, 20 August 2001,
17. Scott Taylor, "Thanks to Uncle Sam, Macedonians are no match
for us!", 20 August 2001, at
http://emperors-clothes.com/analysis/taylor.htm).
18. Jane Defence Weekly, 15 August 2001.
19. Washington Post, 18 August.
20. See International Crisis Center (ICG) web page at
http://www.crisisweb.org/.
21. Associated Press, 18 August 2001.
22. See NATO Press Conference, Skopje, 20 August 2001, at
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/operations/skopje/TRANSCRIPT-20AUG.htm)
ARTICLES BY THE AUTHOR ON MACEDONIA:
"The Military Occupation of Macedonia", August 2001, at
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/chossudovsky/macedonia-occupation.html
"Washington Behind Terrorist Assaults in Macedonia", Ottawa,
July 2001, at
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/washbe.htm also at
"America at War in Macedonia", June 2001,
http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/pipe.htm
"Macedonia: Washington's Military Intelligence Ploy", June 2001,
http://www.transnational.org/forum/meet/2001/Chossudov_WashingtPloy.html
"Washington Finances Ethnic Warfare in the Balkans", Ottawa,
April 2001, http://emperors-clothes.com/articles/choss/fin.htm
C Copyright by Michel Chossudovsky, August, 2001. All rights
reserved.
Permission is granted to post this text on non-commercial
community internet sites, provided the essay remains intact and the
copyright note is displayed. To publish this text in printed and/or
other forms, including commercial internet sites and excerpts,
contact the author at chossudovsky@..., fax:
1-514-4256224.
The URL for this article is:
http://globalresearch.ca/cho/natoinvades.htm.
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