(srpskohrvatski / italiano / english)

13th Anniversary of NATO aggression marked

1) L'ambasciatore tedesco Wolfram Maas ha paura che il popolo ricordi i crimini NATO / Немаčки амбасадор у Србији Волфрам Мас: Срби морају својој деци да објасне да је бомбардовање НАТО 1999. било исправно / LICEMJERJE BEZ GRANICA (V. Kapuralin / SRP, 21. mart 2012.)
2) Serbia: Marzo 1999 - Marzo 2012. Per non dimenticare / LINKS: Комеморативне активности поводом 13 година агресије НАТО - COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS ON THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATO AGGRESSION / 
Излагања на конференцији: Да се не заборави агресија НАТО - Косово и Метохија 13 година после (LINKS TO VIDEOS)
3) COMMENTS AND NEWS
Does Serbia remember NATO bombings? (Yelena Guskova)
Serbia Marks 13th Anniversary of NATO Agression, DU Bombs Still Claim Lives
Thirteenth Anniversary Of NATO As Global War Machine
"NATO's military intervention paved way for separatism"
13 years later, effects of NATO’s bombing of Serbia still linger


=== 1 ===

(english translation: 

Alla vigilia del 13mo anniversario dell'inizio dell'aggressione della NATO contro la Serbia (RFJ)...

Le parole dell'Ambasciatore tedesco in Serbia, Wolfram Maas:
"I Serbi devono spiegare ai loro figli che il bombardamento NATO del 1999 era giustificato"

L'Ambasciatore tedesco in Serbia, Wolfram Maas, ha affermato in una conferenza sulla NATO a Belgrado che i Serbi devono spiegare ai loro figli che il bombardamento era giustificato, affinché nel futuro non odino l'Alleanza Atlantica. 
"Devo criticare le autorità in Serbia che, dal canto loro, usano ancora espressioni del tipo: 'I bombardamenti della NATO'. 
Immaginate di camminare per la Via Knez Milos e che il vostro bambino vi domandi: 'Papà, chi ha fatto questo?'.  Voi gli risponderete: 'La NATO'.  E cosa poi vi aspettate che il bambino pensi della NATO? Al contrario, io quando ero giovane in Germania, guardavo le rovine della mia città, ma non odiavo quelli che l'avevano distrutta, perché c'era chi poteva spiegarmi le cause di tutto ciò", ha detto Maas.
Ciononostante, egli ha sottolineato che "questo paese ora è molto diverso da quello di tre anni fa, quando i teppisti attaccavano la mia ambasciata".
 "Mi si è riscaldato il cuore quando ho notato che i partiti DS, SNS, SPS, LDP e G17, durante l'incontro con Guido Westerwelle, all'unanimità hanno dichiarato che, per loro, l'integrazione nell'Unione Europea rappresenta l'assoluta priorità. Si tratta di un fantastico miglioramento rispetto alla situazione di tre anni fa", ha detto Maas.
Egli ha insistito sul fatto che le questioni relative all'UE ed alla NATO sono interconnesse.
 "Nel caso della Serbia è logico che essa dapprima diventi membro dell'UE e poi, nel medio e lungo termine, diventi membro della NATO.  E' logico che uno Stato membro dell'Unione Europea, dopo un certo tempo, diventi membro della NATO. La adesione della Serbia alla NATO non è questione di 'se' ma di 'quando'," sostiene l'ambasciatore tedesco.
Maas ha partecipato alla conferenza "Serbia, Balcani occidentali e NATO - verso l'anno 2020", che radunava le forze principali pro-NATO in Serbia, gli ambasciatori di Stati Uniti e Germania e il capo della missione EU nella Serbia, Vincent Degert. (28 ottobre 2011)


--- originalni tekst na srpskohrvatskom:


Уочи 13-е годишњице почетка агресије НАТО против Србије (СРЈ)!!!
среда, 15 фебруар 2012

Немаčки амбасадор у Србији Волфрам Мас:
Срби морају својој деци да објасне да је бомбардовање НАТО 1999. било исправно

Немачки амбасадор у Србији Волфрам Мас изјавио је на конференцији о НАТО у Београду да Срби морају својој деци да објасне да је бомбардовање било исправно, како она у будућности не би мрзела Атлантску алијансу.

“Морам да критикујем власти у Србији што и саме још увек користе термине попут “НАТО бомбардовања”. Замислите да шетате улицом Кнеза Милоша и да вас ваше дете упита: “Тата, ко је ово урадио?”. Ви ћете му одговорити: “НАТО”. И шта онда очекујете од тог детета да мисли о НАТО? За разлику од тога, ја сам као младић у Немачкој гледао рушевине у мом граду, али ја нисам мрзео оног ко је ту учинио јер је било оних који су могли да ми кажу засшо је то учинио”, изјавио је Мас.

Он је истакао да је, и поред тога, “ова земља много другачија него пре три године, када су хулигани напали моју амбасаду”.

“Било ми је топло око срца када сам видео ДС, СНС, СПС, Г17 и ЛДП на састанку са Гвидом Вестервелеом како сложно изјављују да им је интеграција у Европску унију приоритет број један. То је фантастичан напредак у односу на пре три године”, истакао је Мас.

Он је инсистирао на томе да су питања ЕУ и НАТО повезана.

“У случају Србије, логично је да прво постане чланица ЕУ, па тек онда на средње и дуже стазе постане чланица НАТО. Логично је да једна чланица ЕУ после одређеног времена постане чланица НАТО. Питање чланства Србије у НАТО није “да ли” него “када”, оценио је немачки амбасадор.

Мас је учествовао на конференцији “Србија, Западни Балкан и НАТО – ка 2020. години” која је окупила водеће про-НАТО снаге у Србији, амбасадоре САД и Немачке и шефа делегације ЕУ у Србији Венсана Дежера. (28. октобар 2011.)


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LICEMJERJE BEZ GRANICA


Imajući u vidu široki spektar metoda, koje se koriste u međunarodnim odnosima, koje imaju za cilj dominaciju i nametanje svoje volje drugima, radi ostvarivanja vlastitog interesa, ne iznenađuje što ti postupci vrlo često nisu ni dobronamjerni ni pravedni. Ne iznenađuje ni licemjerje koje postaje prateća pojava na tim relacijama, mada to saznanje ne umanjuje degutantnost licemjerja.

Ali kada se takve poruke ne upućuju drugoj strani preko granice, već one bivaju izrečene u vlastitom «dvorištu» te strane onda one mogu drastično povrijedit osjećaje i dignitet domicilnog stanovništva.

Njemački ambasador u Beogradu Wolfram Mass, svojom je izjavom na konferenciji «Srbija, Zapadni balkan i NATO-ka 2020. godini» koja je održana 26-27. oktobra 2010. godine u Beogradu, prevazišao sve do tada rečeno na tom području. Njegova izjava u dubokoj je suprotnosti sa aktualnim humanim civilizacijskim dosegom i njena je dijabolika racionalno nepojmljiva.

Wolfram Mass je tom prilikom kritizirao tadašnju vlast u Srbiji što za događaje iz 1999. godine koriste termin «NATO bombardiranje», jer bi to kod mladih naraštaja moglo izazvat negativne konotacije prema NATO-u. On smatra, da bi u Srbiji djeci kad pitaju o tim događajima trebalo objasnit «da je bombardiranje bilo ispravno». Ambasador taj satav potkrepljuje, valjda samo njemu razumljivom usporedbom da kada je on kao mladić gledao ruševine po Njemačkoj poslije rata «nije mrzio one koji su to počinili, jer je bilo onih koji su mogli da mu kažu zašto je to učinjeno»

E sad ono čega je previše ni sa kruhom nije dobro.

Polemizirat sa ambasadorom Massom, po tom pitanju bilo bi bespredmetno, on ima svoj stav, on sprovodi dosljedno politiku svoje vlade i imperijalnog kruga kojemu ta vlada pripada. Tako da nema nikakve sumnje da je to ujedno i stav njegove vlade, koja je tada aktivno učestvovala u agresiji.

Sasvim je razumljivo da bi takva diplomatska izjava u normalnim okolnostima izazvala burnu reakciju. Međutim prešavši preko te izjave domaćini su pokazali zavidau stabilnost probavnog sistema, što samo potvrđuje da je agresor postigao svoj cilj.

Ono što međutim treba istaknuti je činjenica da agresija na SR Jugoslaviju i moguća odmazda kojom bi se mogle objasniti neke aktivnosti saveznika protiv civilnih ciljeva u Njemačkoj potkraj II sv. rata nemaju nikakvih zajedničkih vojnih, niti političkih poveznica.

Između SR Jugoslavije i udruženih sila koje su izvršile agresiju nije bilo objave rata, niti su njene oružane snage u to vrijeme na bilo koji način ugrožavale teritorijalni integritet zemalja agresora.

U slučaju SR Jugoslavije, bila je to akcija poduzeta radi kažnjavanja onih koji su predstavljali posljednju i jedinu prepreku osvajanja prostora u Jugoistočnoj Evropi, kojeg su imperijalistički moćnici pokrenuli nakon pada Berlinskog zida. Dočim razaranje NJemačke spada u dio vojnih operacija za vrijeme rata, protiv protivnika koji je pokrenuo dva svjetska rata, u kojima je živote izgubilo 70-etak milijuna ljudi, kojom prilikom su počinjeni stravični zločini prema ljudskom biču, kakve povjest do tada nije zabilježila. I u tim razaranjima je sasvim izvjesno osim slamanja moral i motivacije za otpor njemačkog stanovništva bio prisutan i element odmazde.

Razlika između razaranja njemačkih gradova u II sv. ratu i civilnih i infrasrtrukturnih ciljeva u SR Jugoslaviji ogleda se i u još jednom bitnom segmentu, a to je upotreba bojnih sredstava. Prilikom NATO agresije upotrebljavana je i municija sa osiromašenim uranom, što stvar dovodi do apsurda, jer kao posljedica ostaje trajno kontaminirano tlo koje ugrožava život i zdravlje budučih generacija, dok prilikom operacija u Njemačkoj, naglašavam to srećom nije korišteno.

Jedina možebitna sličnost između Njemačke nakon II sv. rata i Srbije nakon agresije je taj da je obima oduzet po dio teritorija, Srbiji mimo svih međunarodnih pravnih normativa.

Bez obzira na visoki stupanj «razumijevanja» kojeg ambasador iskazuje kad su u pitanju posljedice rata u njegovoj zemlji, vjerujem da postoji vrlo veliki broj ljudi a tu ubrajam i sebe, koji se ne raduju uništenju Drezdena i pomoru oko 130.000 ljudi civila kao posljedice nekoliko dana uzastopnog bombardiranja. Ne radujem se ni potpunom uništenju Benediktinskog samostana na Monte Cassinu, a još manje od svega me raduje bacanje atomskih bombi na Hirošimu i Nagasaki, akcije do tada bez presedana.

No vratimo se ambasadoru Massu.i njegovoj tezi koja implicira nekoliko vrlo intrigantnih pitanja. Ako u vezi njegove teze primjenimo analogiju, znači li to da bi i kineske vlasti trebale tumačit svojim građanima, kako je bombardiranje njihove ambasade 1999. godine u Beogradu, prilikom čega je bilo i ljudskih žrtava bilo ispravno. Dalje, dali bi i japanske vlasti trebale objašnjavat mladim generaciojama stasalim nakon rata, da je bacanje atomskih bombi na Hirošimu i Nagasaki bilo ispravno. A zašto ne reći, dali bi preostalo autohtono domorodačko stanovništvo Amerike trebalo poučavati svoje naraštaje da je istrebljenje njihovog naroda, kao i 60-ak miliona bizona koji su predstavljali njihovu ekonomsku bazu opstanka bilo ispravno.

Svijesno izostavljajući ono gospodin, mišljenja sam da bi se Wolfram Mass trebao stidit zbog spomenute izjave.


Vladimir Kapuralin

Odgovoran za odnose Socijalističke radničke partije Hrvatske sa inozemnim subjektima.


Srijeda, 21. mart 2012. 



=== 2 ===


Танјуг: Тринаеста годишњица НАТО агресије на Србију
Articolo della Tanjug e fotografie nel 13.mo anniversario dei bombardamenti

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Serbia: Marzo 1999 - Marzo 2012
 
Per non dimenticare
 
A cura del Forum Belgrado Italia
 
Il Forum Belgrado per un Mondo di Eguali, la Lega dei Veterani della Lotta di Liberazione della Serbia ed l'Associazione dei Generali e Ammiragli di Serbia, hanno organizzato una serie di iniziative per commemorare il 13° anniversario dell'aggressione della NATO contro la Serbia (RF Jugoslavia).
 
Un aggressione costata oltre 3500 morti, oltre 10.000 feriti, due terzi di essi civili e oltre 100 miliardi di dollari in danni economici.
 
Durante i 78 giorni di bombardamenti continui la NATO ha usato missili e proiettili all'uranio impoverito, provocando un avvelenamento e inquinamento per decine di anni del suolo, dell'acqua, del cibo e uno spaventoso aumento di decessi per tumori e leucemie, nella popolazione civile.
 
Indipendenti, le associazioni senza partito civiche - Il Forum di Belgrado per un Mondo di Eguali, La Lega dei veterani della lotta di liberazione popolare della Serbia e del Club di generali e ammiragli di Serbia stanno organizzando le tradizionali attività commemorative in occasione del 13° anniversario della NATO 1999 aggressione contro la Serbia (RF Yugoslavia). L'aggressione ha causato oltre 3.500 morti, oltre 10.000 feriti, due terzi dei quali erano civili e oltre 100 miliardi di dollari danni economici. Durante 78 giorni di continui bombardamenti NATO ha usato missili con l'uranio impoverito provoca inquinamento duratura dei decessi suolo, acqua e cibo e maligne e morti.
 
- Venerdì 23 Marzo si è svolta presso il Sava Centar di Belgrado, una tavola rotonda con tema:
Kosovo Metohija 13 anni dopo l'aggressione della NATO". Alla conferenza è seguita la proiezione del film documentario "da Belgrado a Baghdad" degli autori canadesi R. Ognjenovic e S. Taylor.
 
I relatori sono stati:
Prof. Miodrag Zecevic, Presidente della Lega dei Veterani
Ljubisa Stojimirovic, Presidente dell'Associazione dei Generali e Ammiragli
Zivadin Jovanovic, Presidente del Forum Belgrado
 
- Sabato 24 Marzo, una delegazione ha portato delle corone di fiori presso il Monumento ai bambini,  vittime dei bombardamenti NATO nel Parco Tasmajdan, e alle ore 12, si è recata al Monumento della Fiamma Eterna dei caduti a Usce, Novi Beograd.
 
I partecipanti hanno voluto così testimoniare la non dimenticanza di quanto accaduto, e rendere così un omaggio alle vittime e inviare un messaggio comune di pace.

(sulle iniziative organizzate a Belgrado dal Beogradski Forum per il 13.mo dell'aggressione NАТО:
https://www.cnj.it/24MARZO99/2012/index.htm )

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Комеморативне активности поводом 13 година агресије НАТО / 
COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS ON THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATO AGGRESSION


Љубиша Стојимировић, председник Скупштине Клуба генерала и адмирала Србије - говор на полагању цвећа


Излагања на конференцији: Да се не заборави агресија НАТО - Косово и Метохија 13 година после

Јутјуб плејлиста (15 излагања):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE6PccdVVi8&;feature=share&list=PL4B614D6D8D3D436B

Одржан округли сто

Сећање на жртве агресије НАТО
Саопштења, 27. март 2012.


Живадин Јовановић - Реч на отварању конференције

Александар Конузин, амбасадор Руске федерације у Србији 

Срђа Поповић 

Срђа Трифковић 

Владислав Јовановић 

Наташа Шћепановић, председница Удружења продица киднапованих и убијених на Косову и Метохији 

Јиржи Биреш, председник удружења “Војници против рата”, Чешка Република 

Слободан Петковић, генерал - мајор у пензији, бивши помоћник Министра одбране СРЈ 

Златоје Терзић, генерал - потпуковник у пензији, ратни помоћник Начелника штаба Врховне команде ОС СРЈ 

Биргит Малзан, председница Форума за мир, Касел, Немачка

Проф. др Миодраг Зечевић, завршна реч, председник СУБНОР-а Србије

Др Станислав Стојановић, амбасадор у пензији - Излагање на конференцији

Др Мирољуб Васић, историчар из Београда, СУБНОР Србије - Излагање на конференцији

Милена Парлић, Удружење породица киднапованих и убијених на КиМ

Бранка Митровић - чита поруку на конференцији

Владимир Капуралин - Лицемерје без граница

Комнен Бећировић - Порука учесницима Округлог стола Косово 13 година после

Salute of EEDYE


=== 3 ===


Voice of Russia - March 24, 2012

Does Serbia remember NATO bombings?

Yelena Guskova
PhD (history), the head of the Centre for Analysing Contemporary Balkan Crisis at the Institute of Slavonic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

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... Serbia remained the only Balkan country which did not seek to join NATO.
The Americans allocate money to train journalists, offer special grants for the radio and TV, write articles for major national newspapers and pay for creating a positive image of NATO in the media.
Their main aim is to estrange Serbia and Montenegro from Russia, to guarantee the inviolability of all existing and potential military bases in the Balkans and to acquire brave and disciplined soldiers for the alliance’s dirtiest and most dangerous operations all over the world.
[I]f Balkan countries join NATO, all of them, including Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Republica Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina, will have to take an anti-Russian position ...
-

On the 24th of March 13 years ago, a spate of NATO  bombs was dropped on a peaceful European country. The March-June 1999 aggression against Yugoslavia, which was justified by the alliance's concern for the plight of the allegedly deprived Albanian population of Kosovo and Metohija, lasted for 78 days.

Taking care of Albanians was only a pretext. In reality, it was a cruel punishment of Belgrade which refused to cooperate with NATO, waive its sovereignty and replace long-term leader Slobodan Milosevic.

The NATO aggression did not succeed in overthrowing Slobodan Milosevic and the Yugoslavian army also remained intact. The US had to develop a new strategy which worked excellently. In October 2000, the US and Germany carried out a special operation, later used in other countries and named a ‘colour revolution’. 

As a result, power went to the hands of people who began to actively cooperate with NATO. However, Yugoslavia had no plans of joining NATO at that time. Moreover, speaking in Munich in 2010, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic declared that Serbia would remain neutral and would not join any military or defence unions. Thus, Serbia remained the only Balkan country which did not seek to join NATO.

On the whole, the Serbian people do not support the idea of joining the alliance and Montenegro shares this opinion. However, the government of Montenegro, which seceded from Serbia in 2006, openly says that there is no alternative to joining NATO.

Serbia is still keeping its own counsel on this issue, even though US ambassador to Belgrade Mary Warlick declared as early as 2010 that NATO always kept an open door for Serbia. What will Serbia decide to do?

A propaganda campaign for joining NATO has been launched in the country. Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac has begun army reforms based on NATO standards with the aim of subsequent joining that organisation.

The US is sparing no effort in helping to build a different image of NATO in Serbian society. The Americans allocate money to train journalists, offer special grants for the radio and TV, write articles for major national newspapers and pay for creating a positive image of NATO in the media.

Why are they doing it? Their main aim is to estrange Serbia and Montenegro from Russia, to guarantee the inviolability of all existing and potential military bases in the Balkans and to acquire brave and disciplined soldiers for the alliance’s dirtiest and most dangerous operations all over the world.

For Russia, NATO is a potentially dangerous organization which threatens the country’s national interests. Speaking about the main external dangers, President Dmitry Medvedev mentioned the ‘striving to combine the NATO military potential with global functions carried out with the violation of the international law and to bring the military infrastructure of NATO member-states nearer to Russian frontiers by way of expanding the bloc.’

For this reason, if Balkan countries join NATO, all of them, including Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Republica Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina, will have to take an anti-Russian position.


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http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/11781787-serbia-marks-13th-anniversary-of-nato-agression-du-bombs-still-claim-lives-video

Allvoices - March 24, 2012

Serbia Marks 13th Anniversary of NATO Agression, DU Bombs Still Claim Lives

By Ljubica Vujadinovic  


Belgrade: Today marks 13th anniversary of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. In the 78-day long aggression, which involved 19 NATO states, 3,500 people were killed and more than 12,500 injured.

The operation, led by the US and UK, which was conducted without UN Security Council approval, was meant to force Serbian forces out of Kosovo and protect Albanian civilians in the province. However, the bombing of the whole Serbian territory, especially intensive in Kosovo, resulted in 2,500 civilians deaths, including 79 children. Kosovo Albanians accounted more than half of the casualties.

Infrastructure, schools, institutions buildings, and many residential areas were destroyed all over the country. The material damage of the NATO campaign has been assessed between $30 million and $100 million.

The NATO campaign ended in June 1999 when Serbian forces withdrew from Kosovo, and the province was put under interim UN administration. Nine years later, in February 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. 

Meanwhile, around 1,500 Serbs in the province were killed, more than 1,500 were kidnapped or went missing, and 250,000 Serbs were forced to leave.

Depleted Uranium: NATO Bombs Remain Deadly

Meanwhile, 13 years after the bombing Serbia still struggles with the contamination from ammunitions containing depleted uranium.

In the Vranje area, which is surrounded by four known DU contaminated locations, there has been an enormous increase in cancer rates – from 185 in the year 2000 to 398 new diagnosis in 2006, and a large number of newborns with genetic malformations.

“In 1998, 21 children were born with deformities. In 2008 there were 73,” Nela Cvetkovic, a Member of the Vranje City Council, said. The number of newborn didn't change, it is about 800-1000 babies per year, she added.

At the same time in Kosovo, Doctor Nebojsa Srbljak, who researches the health consequences of the bombing on civil population, accused NATO of using so-called dirty bombs.

“We first started researching when we found traces of Iodine 131 in the tissue extracted from one patient,” he said, adding that Iodine 131, also known as radio iodine, is well known as a major factor in the negative health consequences of the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl.

In Kosovo, foreign personnel has been warned to stay clear of those areas unless equipped with full radiological protective clothing. But no one warned civilians.

“We, the doctors know what it is; politicians are silent to please their mentors. But the people are in the worst position as there are new cancer cases among young persons every day,” said doctor Srbljak, adding that the data on health statistics of Albanian population is completely unavailable.


Ljubica Vujadinovic is based in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.


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Thirteenth Anniversary Of NATO As Global War Machine

Emg.rs - March 24, 2012

Nis pays tribute to bombing victims
NATO victim in Nis (Reuters)
NATO bombing victim in Nis

NATO cluster bomb victim in NisWreaths were laid at memorials Saturday as a tribute paid to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing in the city of Nis, southern Serbia, where 56 people were killed and over 200 were injured in 78 days of NATO air raids.Wreaths were laid at memorials Saturday as a tribute paid to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing in the city of Nis, southern Serbia, where 56 people were killed and over 200 were injured in 78 days of NATO air raids.The wreaths were laid at the monument in front of the Nis University building by families of the victims, city officials, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces, delegations of war veterans’ associations, and organizations for preserving the tradition of liberation wars.A commemoration was also held in Mija Stanimirovic barracks at the monument to fallen soldiers.The sirens marking the approaching of NATO aircrafts went off a total of 129 times from March 24 until the end of the bombing,
and Nis inhabitants spent 52 days in shelters. In 78 days, Nis was bombed 40 times, 28 times at night and 12 during the day.A total of 324 missiles were fired on the city, including 161 aerial bombs, 36 containers of cluster bombs, 71 cruise missiles and 8 graphite bombs.
About 120 buildings were razed to the ground, while 3,400 housing, business and military facilities were damaged.On May 7, 1999 only, 15 Nis citizens were killed and several dozens were injured. The target was the city market place.Nis was again under cluster bomb attack on May 12, 1999, when no one was injured, but people were later killed from unexploded bombs.—————————————————————————-Tanjug News Agency
March 24, 2012“Bombing was aimed at creating independent Kosovo”BELGRADE: Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić stated Saturday that it was now clear that the NATO bombing in 1999 was aimed at creating an independent state of Kosovo.At the marking of the anniversary of the bombing at the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) base, he said that 2,500 people were killed during the intervention, including more than 1,000 members of the police and military.“Had it not been for ‘Merciful Angel’, Serbia would have been richer by 2,500 citizens. This location, as well as many others, was constantly bombed. A total of 162 families lost their dearest ones who died as police officers: 38 police officers were killed in the bombing, and 131 of them in terrorist attacks by Albanian separatists,” Dačić underlined.The interior minster laid a wreath as a tribute to the fallen SAJ members.He pointed out that the state’s obligation was to determine as soon
as possible the exact number of victims during the three-month attack.Dačić noted added that 484 police members were severely or slightly injured in terrorist operations and another 171 in the NATO bombing.


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http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2012&mm=03&dd=23&nav_id=79419

Tanjug News Agency - March 23, 2012

"NATO's military intervention paved way for separatism"

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... "The Kosovo issue is still open, and Kosovo has become a testing range for illegal political meddling in internal affairs of sovereign countries with the use of force," [Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin] pointed out. 
The meeting was organized by the Belgrade Forum for the World of Equals, SUBNOR and the Club of Generals and Admirals. The speakers included former high-level officials of the SRJ Vladislav Jovanović and Živadin Jovanović. 
Belarus Ambassador to Serbia Vladimir Gusev and representatives of the Chinese and Iranian embassies also attended.
The 13th night of air strikes left Aleksinac downtown ruined, with severe damages on 35 family homes, 125 apartments, a number of businesses, health care center, the local bus station, and other facilities. 
NATO's 78-day war against Serbia, launched on March 24, 1999, resulted in the deaths of 2,500 civilians, 89 of whom were children ...
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BELGRADE: A gathering dedicated to the 13th anniversary of the start of NATO aerial war against the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) was held in Belgrade.

The gathering heard today that the campaign had been conducted against all provisions of international law and UN Security Council resolutions.

NATO's military aggression against the SRJ paved the way for separatism in Kosovo, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin said during the even dubbed, "Kosovo and Metohija - 13 Years after NATO Aggression". 

"It was no coincidence that members of the (ethnic Albanian) Kosovo Liberation Army at the time, who are today high-ranking officials in Kosovo, spoke openly how NATO was fighting on their side," Konuzin stated. 

It is obvious today that the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo was part of the Euro-Atlantic plan to partition Serbia, Konuzin noted. 

"The Kosovo issue is still open, and Kosovo has become a testing range for illegal political meddling in internal affairs of sovereign countries with the use of force," he pointed out. 

The meeting was organized by the Belgrade Forum for the World of Equals, SUBNOR and the Club of Generals and Admirals. The speakers included former high-level officials of the SRJ Vladislav Jovanović and Živadin Jovanović. 

Belarus Ambassador to Serbia Vladimir Gusev and representatives of the Chinese and Iranian embassies also attended.

Victims to be honored in southeastern town

A day of mourning for the victims of the 1999 war will be marked on Saturday in Aleksinac, a town in southeastern Serbia which suffered one of the most brutal NATO attacks during the 11-week air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) 13 years ago. 

Wreaths will be placed at a memorial site by Serbian President Boris Tadić, Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac, and Chief-of-Staff of the Serbian Army Gen. Ljubiša Diković. 

Aleksinac, a town with a population of 17,000 located in the valley of the Južna Morava River, was targeted with six powerful missiles striking a residential area on April 5, 1999, at 21:35 CET. 

The attack killed 11 people, at the same time injuring 50 citizens. 

The 13th night of air strikes left Aleksinac downtown ruined, with severe damages on 35 family homes, 125 apartments, a number of businesses, health care center, the local bus station, and other facilities. 

NATO representatives in Brussels claimed that the missiles had "gone off course due to a technical error", adding that "the real target" were army barracks located near the town. 

Upon visiting the ruins in Aleksinac, retired Canadian Maj. Gen. Lewis MacKenzie - who in the early 1990s commanded UN peacekeepers in Bosnia - stated that it was "a crime against civilians - peaceful citizens in their family homes, in the area with absolutely no military facility". 

In the spring of 1999, Aleksinac was attacked on a number of occasions, with the total death toll of 24 residents. 

NATO's 78-day war against Serbia, launched on March 24, 1999, resulted in the deaths of 2,500 civilians, 89 of whom were children, Tanjug news agency is reporting.


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http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/thirteen-years-later-effects-of-nato-bombing-of-serbia-still-linger/
 
Edmonton Journal - March 26, 2012
 
13 years later, effects of NATO’s bombing of Serbia still linger

Liz Milanovich 
 
March 24, 2012 marked the 13th anniversary of the start of the U.S.-led NATO bombing of Serbia. That war lasted 78 days. It is now almost totally forgotten as NATO’s focus turns to the Middle East.
Yet those who care about the poisoning of our planet should know that NATO’s 1999 bombing escapade resulted in contamination in Serbia and throughout the Balkans from an assorted arsenal of ammunitions containing depleted uranium, dumped on that region on a daily basis.
NATO’s bombing of Serbia was especially intense in Kosovo, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths, including children. Yet, to hear NATO’s spin about its dalliance in the Balkans, one is led to believe that it was a humanitarian bombing. Humanitarian?
What happened in 1999 was solely the U.S. and NATO could gain a foothold in the Balkans. The U.S. quickly set up a huge military base, Camp Bondsteel, on confiscated farmland near Urosevac, in Kosovo.
Also, that war of convenience came about due to NATO rapidly becoming irrelevant after the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Thus, a new, reinvented and invigorated NATO was reborn, ready and willing to attack all over the planet and ask questions later.
Serbia was NATO’s guinea pig and it was bombed simply because NATO knew it could get away with it, using phoney pretexts.
A very dangerous game is being played out and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Former U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower wisely warned of the dangers of the military-industrial complex. It’s best that his warning be heeded sooner rather than later.