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A Few More Articles on Kosovo
1. Clinton: The First American President to Commit Genocide in Europe
(by Mary Mostert, May 2000)
2. Albanian Fascists On The Rampage – Again
(The Guardian, newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia, in its
issue of March 24th, 2004)
3. Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
(Die Presse, Vienna, May 18, 2004)
Colonel Chris Platzer, commander of the Austrian KFOR contingent, on
the problems of the Kosovo peacekeeping force.
Interview: "Liegen neben schlafendem Löwen"
Oberst Chris Platzer, Kommandant des österreichischen
Kosovo-Kontingents, über die Probleme der Friedenstruppe Kfor (Mai 2004)
=== 1 ===
http://www.artel.co.yu/en/izbor/yu_kriza/2004-06-10.html
Clinton: The First American President to Commit Genocide in Europe
Tuesday, May 30, 2000
By: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Original Sources, www.originalsources.com
Serbs are being systematically exterminated in Kosovo
As usual, it was not even reported in the American media, but in the
Serbian Press the picture showing dead bodies, including the body of a
four year old Serbian child, being placed in body bags was titled:
"Serbs are being systematically exterminated in Kosovo".
Is it just Serb melodrama, or is there, perhaps, a concern that the
American media is just systematically ignoring during this election
year? Would it be just too painful for Al Gorees candidacy to point out
that exterminating Serbs is the major Foreign Policy legacy of the
Clinton-Gore era?
As it turns out neither NATO nor the United Nations appears to be able
to keep their Albanian allies from killing United Nations employees -
if they happen to be Serbs. While I did not see the report anywhere
else, the United Nations website reported United Nations Secretary Kofi
Annanes message to the family members of a Serb UN staff member, Petar
Topoljski, as "a dark day for Kosovo."
There have been no arrests, and even if there were, of course, there is
no real judicial system in Kosovo, one year after the so-called KFOR
victory over Slobodan Milosevic. If there were arrests, according to a
report of a United Nations investigation headed by Ambassador Anwarul
Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh on the United Nations own website
security in Kosovo is still a "major and continuing challenge." Even
when arrested, killers are quickly freed by the KLA controlled "civil
government" and judicial system of Kosovo. Ambassador Chowdhury said
that some violent incidents during the mission made the group
"comprehend better the reality of the situation."
One year into the United Nations and KFOR control over Kosovo the
Ambassador noted that while the "international community had invested
heavily in Kosovo and could not afford to fail" there was an urgent
need to address "ongoing staff shortages for both civil administration
and police" which "constrained UN operations." Introducing the
missiones report, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh,
said the Council "could not have envisaged" the enormity of the UNes
tasks in Kosovo when it adopted resolution 1244 (1999), which sets out
the tasks for the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
The fact of the matter is that KFOR and UNMIK actually HAVE allowed the
"systematic extermination" of Serbs in Kosovo. The number of Serbs in
the area of Gnjilane has shrunk from 12,000 to 800 since the end of the
war in June of 1999 according to the Security Council delegationes
report. Gnjilane is under the auspices of the U.S. military, sent by
Clinton without Congressional approval, and was immediately occupied by
the US Marines after the bombing was halted. The movement of those few
Serbs who remain is possible only with an escort of international
peacekeepers or police, according to UNMIK.
What that indicates is that the situation is far worse now than when
the bombing stopped. Last June I received an e-mail from a Marine
stationed with the KFOR troops in the area of Gnjilane. The first
e-mail reported that the Albanians were burning down the homes of the
Serbs, who had fled when it became obvious to them that there would be
no security for them.
His second e-mail reported:
Dear Mary,
Took a security patrol out a couple of days ago. Didnet run across any
bad guys. The little village we went through was interesting. Through
an interpreter, I found out that it had been occupied by regular VJ
(Yugoslavian) troops until a couple of weeks ago. The old man I spoke
with said that the Serb troops didnet steal or destroy anything in the
village and left everything as they had found it. Asked him about mines
and he said that they removed all of them and took them with them when
they left. Obviously very disciplined regular army troops.
The people in the village were ethnic Albanian but didnet seem to
harbor a lot of resentment toward the Serbs, I suppose having the
regular VJ in their village kept the MUP and paramilitary away. The old
man ended up guiding us through the fields and trails in the area.
(Good patrol tip, walk only where the locals walk.) He also went into
his house and gave us some smoked sausage, tomatoes, bread, and peppers.
Very poor people, so this really meant a lot. Weeve had nothing but
MREs for three weeks so the feast we had when we returned to our lines
was the highlight of the day. Anyhow, this was just one small village
and in no way can it be construed to represent what is going on or
happened in the rest of the country. Just some simple farmers who would
be glad just to be left alone to work the soil and live their lives.
Mostly old folks, women, and children. And the little ones just about
broke my heart. They have a healthy fear of men with guns. Ainet a
Marine here doesnet have a soft spot for the kids. This mess over here
isnet their fault. Ites a side of this hell hole that isnet glamorous
enough to make the evening news.
So, what, do you suppose, caused these simple Albanian farmers who had
no bad experiences with the Serb army, to drive out 99.4% of their Serb
neighbors, AFTER the Americans arrived to protect them? And, why has
the Clinton Administration not risen up in arms over this "genocide" of
Serbs?
It was only one year ago that every Clinton spokesman was talking about
stopping the "genocide" of Albanians. Undersecretary of State James
Rubin said on CNN March 29, 1999, that the Serbs were " ecommitting
genocidee by driving Albanians out of their homes and telling them to
leave the province, when there was a total of 77,000 Albanian refugees
after 6 days of bombing. The Albanian population is said to have been
1,800,000 and the Serb population of Kosovo 200,000. However, at the
borders on March 30, 1999, CNN reported a etricklee of refugees -
guessing that the Albanians were "too terrified to leave their homes."
If 4% of the Ethnic Albanians leaving Kosovo during the first week of
being bombed is "genocide" that needed to be stopped by 79 days of
bombing and the expenditure of, to date, $21 billion of American Tax
funds, what is the appropriate response of 99.4% of the Serbs being
either killed or driven out of Gniljane while under American military
occupation? Not surprisingly, the Serbs believe genocide is the goal of
the Clinton administration.
That leaves us Americans with two choices: Either Clinton was lying
about the Serbs committing genocide when 4% of the Albanians had fled
the province in late March 1999 or he and the U.S. media are covering
up a massive genocide against the Serbs who have either been killed or
have fled Gniljane while ites been under American military "protection."
After that statement by James Rubin was made, when United Nations
reported that 77,000 Albanians, 4% of the Ethnic Albanian population
were refugees from Kosovo, that "genocide" was used to justify the
continued bombing of Yugoslavia for an additional two and a half months.
Today, only 6% of the ethnic Serbs in American occupied Gnjilane
remain, and the situation is not even MENTIONED on CNN.
So, using James Rubines definition of "genocide" when a mere 4% of the
ethnic Albanian population had fled Kosovo, the Serbs certainly are on
solid semantic ground in accusing Bill Clinton of genocide against the
Serbs when 96.4% of the ethnic Serb population has been driven out of
the American protected section of Gnjilane.
Clinton has a unique legacy he can point to. He can rightfully claim to
be the first American president, at least since Andrew Jackson did
nothing while the Cherokees were driven en-masse out of Georgia, to
preside over a genocide of a minority group.
Note of ARTEL: The situation of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija in today
much worse than in 2000 when the piece of Mary Mostert was written
=== 2 ===
From: The Guardian, Tuesday, March 23, 2004
http://www.cpa.org.au
The following articles were published by The Guardian, newspaper of the
Communist Party of Australia, in its issue of March 24th, 2004.
Reproduction of articles, together with acknowledgement if appropriate,
is welcome.
The Guardian,
65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010 Australia.
Editor: Anna Pha
Communist Party of Australia,
65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia.
General Secretary: Peter Symon
Phone (02) 9212 6855 Fax: (02) 9281 5795
Subscription rates are available on requests.
**************************************************
(...)
Albanian Fascists On The Rampage – Again
The ethnically charged demonstrations, killings and burnings of Serbian
homes and churches by Albanian extremists in the Serbian province of
Kosovo have led to over 30 deaths and many more injured. The dead and
injured include some UN (KFOR) troops.
The renewed violence is a further step in the attempt of the Albanian
terrorists (KLA) to achieve their objective of forcing the separation
of Kosovo from Serbia and creating an “ethnically pure” greater
Albania. Kosovo’s Albanian leaders do not accept UN Security Council
Resolution 1244 which declared Kosovo to be an inalienable part of
Serbia.
Following the 1999 NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, Kosovo was de
facto taken out of Serbian territory and power. Control of the province
passed to Albanian extremists. At least 200,000 Serbs, as well as
Gypsies, Jews and representatives of other ethnic groups, have been
expelled from Kosovo over the past few years.
A Greater Albania, in addition to Kosovo, would include areas of
Macedonia, Montenegro and parts of Northern Greece populated by
Albanians.
These mad plans would lead to a serious revision of national borders
and the explosion of the situation in the Balkans, which are called the
“powder keg of Europe.”
Return Serbian troops to Kosovo
Last week the Russian parliament unanimously passed a resolution saying
that Serbian-Montenegrin military forces should be allowed to help
defend the Kosovo Serbs.
The resolution condemned the failure of international organisations
[the UN and NATO] to stem the ethnic violence.
The Russian Duma, said a new UN resolution on Kosovo should be passed
to reaffirm the Serbian Government’s sovereignty over Kosovo and that
“the military units of Serbia-Montenegro should take part in defence of
the Serb population of the region, of Orthodox churches and guarding
borders.”
Serbia’s Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica stated that “events in the
northern part of Kosovo-Metohija reveal the true nature of Albanian
separatism, its violent and terrorist character”. The terrorist actions
of the Albanians are aimed at forcing out the remaining Serbs and the
UN so that the core business of the KLA – drugs, arms and human
trafficking – can proceed without disturbance.
=== 3 ===
http://www.kosovo.net/node/view/237
Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
Submitted by admin on Sat, 22/05/2004 - 14:25. Press articles
Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
Die Presse, Vienna
May 18, 2004
Colonel Chris Platzer, commander of the Austrian KFOR contingent, on
the problems of the Kosovo peacekeeping force.
Die Presse: What errors did KFOR peacekeeping forces make during the
March unrest?
Chris Platzer: We have problems at the operational level: there are too
few peacekeepers in the province. Before March there were about 17,500
men. During the unrest KFOR was reinforced by around 2,000 soldiers.
With that number of people we could not deal with the demonstrators.
The opposition was so organized that the situation could have escalated
everywhere at the same time and they were able to block our reserves.
It was also established that there were very strong limits within some
national contingents. Some countries prohibit the use of teargas while
others prohibit their contingents from going outside their zone of
engagement.
How was it possible that the situation was assessed so incorrectly?
Platzer: The organizers of the unrest kept it perfectly secret. It is
completely obvious that a single organization whose members have
military training is behind everything.
According to UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri, the intelligence services of
the NATO countries failed.
Platzer: I cannot agree with that. It is true that the services did not
cooperate sufficiently. But that would not have helped at all because
nobody knew anything. Now information exchange has been intensified.
How adequate it is I cannot judge. Every country has its national
secrets.
The Americans use mainly technical means to arrive at information. We
Europeans use sources in the country. However, we can only work in
uniform, not in civilian clothes. Naturally there are limits.
Do you fear that the violence may also be directed against the KFOR
peacekeeping forces?
Platzer: I believe that it is very improbable that it will be turned
against KFOR. As long as the status question is unresolved, the
situation will remain unbalanced.
But if KFOR ever finds itself in the position of having to make the
decision for or against independence, then the situation will have to
be reviewed again. It’s like lying next to a sleeping lion. As long as
it's sleeping, everything is fine.
What are the lessons from the events in March?
Platzer: A detailed analysis is in progress. We have intensified
training for handling demonstrators. We flew in additional equipment
and improved cooperation between military police and civilian police.
We also tactically analyzed how new threats might look.
And how might they look?
Platzer: We are afraid that guerrilla war tactics may be used against
the Serbian enclaves, for example, by planting explosives or grenade
launch attacks.
-----
http://www.diepresse.com/
Artikel.aspx?channel=p&ressort=a&id=422439&archiv=false
18.05.2004 - Politik / International
Interview: "Liegen neben schlafendem Löwen"
Oberst Chris Platzer, Kommandant des österreichischen
Kosovo-Kontingents, über die Probleme der Friedenstruppe Kfor.
Die Presse: Welche Fehler hat die Kosovo-Friedenstruppe Kfor bei den
Unruhen im März gemacht?
Chris Platzer: Wir haben Probleme auf der operativen Ebene: Es sind zu
wenig Kräfte im Land. Vor März waren es etwa 17.500 Mann. Während der
Unruhen wurde die Truppe um 2000 Soldaten verstärkt. Wir sind mit der
Menge an Demonstranten nicht zu Rande gekommen. Die Organisation des
Gegners war so, dass sie die Situation überall gleichzeitig eskalieren
ließen und sie so in der Lage waren, unsere Reserven zu blockieren.
Es wurde auch festgestellt, dass es teilweise sehr starke
Einschränkungen bei den nationalen Kontingenten gibt: Manche dürfen
kein Tränengas verschießen, andere dürfen nicht aus ihrem Einsatzraum
raus. Das behindert.
Wie war es möglich, die Situation so falsch einzuschätzen?
Platzer: Die Organisatoren der Unruhen haben das perfekt geheim
gehalten. Ganz offensichtlich steckt eine Organisation dahinter, deren
Mitglieder militärisch ausgebildet sind.
Laut Harri Holkeri, dem Chef der UN-Mission, versagten die
Aufklärungsdienste der Nato-Länder.
Platzer: Dem kann ich nicht zustimmen. Es ist richtig, dass die Dienste
nicht ausreichend miteinander gesprochen haben. Aber das hätte auch
nichts genützt, weil niemand etwas wusste. Jetzt wurde der
Informationsaustausch verstärkt. Wie ausreichend er ist, kann ich nicht
beurteilen. Jeder hat seine nationalen Geheimnisse.
Die Amerikaner verwenden hauptsächlich technische Mittel, um
Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. Wir Europäer verwenden Quellen im Lande. Wir
dürfen aber nur in Uniform ermitteln, nicht in Zivil. Da gibt es
natürliche Grenzen.
Befürchten Sie, dass sich die Gewalt auch gegen die Friedenstruppe Kfor
richten könnte?
Platzer: Dass man gegen Kfor als solche losgeht, halte ich für sehr
unwahrscheinlich. Solange die Statusfrage ungelöst ist, wird die Lage
in der Waage bleiben.
Aber wenn Kfor einmal dafür sorgen muss, eine Entscheidung für oder
gegen die Selbstständigkeit durchzusetzen, dann muss man das neu
betrachten. Es ist, wie neben einem schlafenden Löwen zu liegen.
Solange er schläft, ist alles in Ordnung.
Welche Lehren wurden aus den Ereignissen vom März gezogen?
Platzer: Es geschieht eine intensive Aufarbeitung. Wir haben die
Ausbildung für den Umgang mit Demonstranten intensiviert. Wir haben
zusätzliches Gerät eingeflogen und das Zusammenwirken zwischen
Militärpolizei und ziviler Polizei verbessert. Wir haben auch taktisch
analysiert, wie neue Bedrohungen aussehen könnten.
Und wie könnten die aussehen?
Platzer: Wir müssen fürchten, dass man auch mit Kleinkriegstaktiken
gegen die serbischen Enklaven vorgeht, zum Beispiel mit
Sprengstoffanschlägen oder Granatwerfer-Angriffen.
A Few More Articles on Kosovo
1. Clinton: The First American President to Commit Genocide in Europe
(by Mary Mostert, May 2000)
2. Albanian Fascists On The Rampage – Again
(The Guardian, newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia, in its
issue of March 24th, 2004)
3. Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
(Die Presse, Vienna, May 18, 2004)
Colonel Chris Platzer, commander of the Austrian KFOR contingent, on
the problems of the Kosovo peacekeeping force.
Interview: "Liegen neben schlafendem Löwen"
Oberst Chris Platzer, Kommandant des österreichischen
Kosovo-Kontingents, über die Probleme der Friedenstruppe Kfor (Mai 2004)
=== 1 ===
http://www.artel.co.yu/en/izbor/yu_kriza/2004-06-10.html
Clinton: The First American President to Commit Genocide in Europe
Tuesday, May 30, 2000
By: Mary Mostert, Analyst, Original Sources, www.originalsources.com
Serbs are being systematically exterminated in Kosovo
As usual, it was not even reported in the American media, but in the
Serbian Press the picture showing dead bodies, including the body of a
four year old Serbian child, being placed in body bags was titled:
"Serbs are being systematically exterminated in Kosovo".
Is it just Serb melodrama, or is there, perhaps, a concern that the
American media is just systematically ignoring during this election
year? Would it be just too painful for Al Gorees candidacy to point out
that exterminating Serbs is the major Foreign Policy legacy of the
Clinton-Gore era?
As it turns out neither NATO nor the United Nations appears to be able
to keep their Albanian allies from killing United Nations employees -
if they happen to be Serbs. While I did not see the report anywhere
else, the United Nations website reported United Nations Secretary Kofi
Annanes message to the family members of a Serb UN staff member, Petar
Topoljski, as "a dark day for Kosovo."
There have been no arrests, and even if there were, of course, there is
no real judicial system in Kosovo, one year after the so-called KFOR
victory over Slobodan Milosevic. If there were arrests, according to a
report of a United Nations investigation headed by Ambassador Anwarul
Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh on the United Nations own website
security in Kosovo is still a "major and continuing challenge." Even
when arrested, killers are quickly freed by the KLA controlled "civil
government" and judicial system of Kosovo. Ambassador Chowdhury said
that some violent incidents during the mission made the group
"comprehend better the reality of the situation."
One year into the United Nations and KFOR control over Kosovo the
Ambassador noted that while the "international community had invested
heavily in Kosovo and could not afford to fail" there was an urgent
need to address "ongoing staff shortages for both civil administration
and police" which "constrained UN operations." Introducing the
missiones report, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh,
said the Council "could not have envisaged" the enormity of the UNes
tasks in Kosovo when it adopted resolution 1244 (1999), which sets out
the tasks for the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
The fact of the matter is that KFOR and UNMIK actually HAVE allowed the
"systematic extermination" of Serbs in Kosovo. The number of Serbs in
the area of Gnjilane has shrunk from 12,000 to 800 since the end of the
war in June of 1999 according to the Security Council delegationes
report. Gnjilane is under the auspices of the U.S. military, sent by
Clinton without Congressional approval, and was immediately occupied by
the US Marines after the bombing was halted. The movement of those few
Serbs who remain is possible only with an escort of international
peacekeepers or police, according to UNMIK.
What that indicates is that the situation is far worse now than when
the bombing stopped. Last June I received an e-mail from a Marine
stationed with the KFOR troops in the area of Gnjilane. The first
e-mail reported that the Albanians were burning down the homes of the
Serbs, who had fled when it became obvious to them that there would be
no security for them.
His second e-mail reported:
Dear Mary,
Took a security patrol out a couple of days ago. Didnet run across any
bad guys. The little village we went through was interesting. Through
an interpreter, I found out that it had been occupied by regular VJ
(Yugoslavian) troops until a couple of weeks ago. The old man I spoke
with said that the Serb troops didnet steal or destroy anything in the
village and left everything as they had found it. Asked him about mines
and he said that they removed all of them and took them with them when
they left. Obviously very disciplined regular army troops.
The people in the village were ethnic Albanian but didnet seem to
harbor a lot of resentment toward the Serbs, I suppose having the
regular VJ in their village kept the MUP and paramilitary away. The old
man ended up guiding us through the fields and trails in the area.
(Good patrol tip, walk only where the locals walk.) He also went into
his house and gave us some smoked sausage, tomatoes, bread, and peppers.
Very poor people, so this really meant a lot. Weeve had nothing but
MREs for three weeks so the feast we had when we returned to our lines
was the highlight of the day. Anyhow, this was just one small village
and in no way can it be construed to represent what is going on or
happened in the rest of the country. Just some simple farmers who would
be glad just to be left alone to work the soil and live their lives.
Mostly old folks, women, and children. And the little ones just about
broke my heart. They have a healthy fear of men with guns. Ainet a
Marine here doesnet have a soft spot for the kids. This mess over here
isnet their fault. Ites a side of this hell hole that isnet glamorous
enough to make the evening news.
So, what, do you suppose, caused these simple Albanian farmers who had
no bad experiences with the Serb army, to drive out 99.4% of their Serb
neighbors, AFTER the Americans arrived to protect them? And, why has
the Clinton Administration not risen up in arms over this "genocide" of
Serbs?
It was only one year ago that every Clinton spokesman was talking about
stopping the "genocide" of Albanians. Undersecretary of State James
Rubin said on CNN March 29, 1999, that the Serbs were " ecommitting
genocidee by driving Albanians out of their homes and telling them to
leave the province, when there was a total of 77,000 Albanian refugees
after 6 days of bombing. The Albanian population is said to have been
1,800,000 and the Serb population of Kosovo 200,000. However, at the
borders on March 30, 1999, CNN reported a etricklee of refugees -
guessing that the Albanians were "too terrified to leave their homes."
If 4% of the Ethnic Albanians leaving Kosovo during the first week of
being bombed is "genocide" that needed to be stopped by 79 days of
bombing and the expenditure of, to date, $21 billion of American Tax
funds, what is the appropriate response of 99.4% of the Serbs being
either killed or driven out of Gniljane while under American military
occupation? Not surprisingly, the Serbs believe genocide is the goal of
the Clinton administration.
That leaves us Americans with two choices: Either Clinton was lying
about the Serbs committing genocide when 4% of the Albanians had fled
the province in late March 1999 or he and the U.S. media are covering
up a massive genocide against the Serbs who have either been killed or
have fled Gniljane while ites been under American military "protection."
After that statement by James Rubin was made, when United Nations
reported that 77,000 Albanians, 4% of the Ethnic Albanian population
were refugees from Kosovo, that "genocide" was used to justify the
continued bombing of Yugoslavia for an additional two and a half months.
Today, only 6% of the ethnic Serbs in American occupied Gnjilane
remain, and the situation is not even MENTIONED on CNN.
So, using James Rubines definition of "genocide" when a mere 4% of the
ethnic Albanian population had fled Kosovo, the Serbs certainly are on
solid semantic ground in accusing Bill Clinton of genocide against the
Serbs when 96.4% of the ethnic Serb population has been driven out of
the American protected section of Gnjilane.
Clinton has a unique legacy he can point to. He can rightfully claim to
be the first American president, at least since Andrew Jackson did
nothing while the Cherokees were driven en-masse out of Georgia, to
preside over a genocide of a minority group.
Note of ARTEL: The situation of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija in today
much worse than in 2000 when the piece of Mary Mostert was written
=== 2 ===
From: The Guardian, Tuesday, March 23, 2004
http://www.cpa.org.au
The following articles were published by The Guardian, newspaper of the
Communist Party of Australia, in its issue of March 24th, 2004.
Reproduction of articles, together with acknowledgement if appropriate,
is welcome.
The Guardian,
65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010 Australia.
Editor: Anna Pha
Communist Party of Australia,
65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia.
General Secretary: Peter Symon
Phone (02) 9212 6855 Fax: (02) 9281 5795
Subscription rates are available on requests.
**************************************************
(...)
Albanian Fascists On The Rampage – Again
The ethnically charged demonstrations, killings and burnings of Serbian
homes and churches by Albanian extremists in the Serbian province of
Kosovo have led to over 30 deaths and many more injured. The dead and
injured include some UN (KFOR) troops.
The renewed violence is a further step in the attempt of the Albanian
terrorists (KLA) to achieve their objective of forcing the separation
of Kosovo from Serbia and creating an “ethnically pure” greater
Albania. Kosovo’s Albanian leaders do not accept UN Security Council
Resolution 1244 which declared Kosovo to be an inalienable part of
Serbia.
Following the 1999 NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, Kosovo was de
facto taken out of Serbian territory and power. Control of the province
passed to Albanian extremists. At least 200,000 Serbs, as well as
Gypsies, Jews and representatives of other ethnic groups, have been
expelled from Kosovo over the past few years.
A Greater Albania, in addition to Kosovo, would include areas of
Macedonia, Montenegro and parts of Northern Greece populated by
Albanians.
These mad plans would lead to a serious revision of national borders
and the explosion of the situation in the Balkans, which are called the
“powder keg of Europe.”
Return Serbian troops to Kosovo
Last week the Russian parliament unanimously passed a resolution saying
that Serbian-Montenegrin military forces should be allowed to help
defend the Kosovo Serbs.
The resolution condemned the failure of international organisations
[the UN and NATO] to stem the ethnic violence.
The Russian Duma, said a new UN resolution on Kosovo should be passed
to reaffirm the Serbian Government’s sovereignty over Kosovo and that
“the military units of Serbia-Montenegro should take part in defence of
the Serb population of the region, of Orthodox churches and guarding
borders.”
Serbia’s Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica stated that “events in the
northern part of Kosovo-Metohija reveal the true nature of Albanian
separatism, its violent and terrorist character”. The terrorist actions
of the Albanians are aimed at forcing out the remaining Serbs and the
UN so that the core business of the KLA – drugs, arms and human
trafficking – can proceed without disturbance.
=== 3 ===
http://www.kosovo.net/node/view/237
Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
Submitted by admin on Sat, 22/05/2004 - 14:25. Press articles
Interview: "Lying next to a sleeping lion"
Die Presse, Vienna
May 18, 2004
Colonel Chris Platzer, commander of the Austrian KFOR contingent, on
the problems of the Kosovo peacekeeping force.
Die Presse: What errors did KFOR peacekeeping forces make during the
March unrest?
Chris Platzer: We have problems at the operational level: there are too
few peacekeepers in the province. Before March there were about 17,500
men. During the unrest KFOR was reinforced by around 2,000 soldiers.
With that number of people we could not deal with the demonstrators.
The opposition was so organized that the situation could have escalated
everywhere at the same time and they were able to block our reserves.
It was also established that there were very strong limits within some
national contingents. Some countries prohibit the use of teargas while
others prohibit their contingents from going outside their zone of
engagement.
How was it possible that the situation was assessed so incorrectly?
Platzer: The organizers of the unrest kept it perfectly secret. It is
completely obvious that a single organization whose members have
military training is behind everything.
According to UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri, the intelligence services of
the NATO countries failed.
Platzer: I cannot agree with that. It is true that the services did not
cooperate sufficiently. But that would not have helped at all because
nobody knew anything. Now information exchange has been intensified.
How adequate it is I cannot judge. Every country has its national
secrets.
The Americans use mainly technical means to arrive at information. We
Europeans use sources in the country. However, we can only work in
uniform, not in civilian clothes. Naturally there are limits.
Do you fear that the violence may also be directed against the KFOR
peacekeeping forces?
Platzer: I believe that it is very improbable that it will be turned
against KFOR. As long as the status question is unresolved, the
situation will remain unbalanced.
But if KFOR ever finds itself in the position of having to make the
decision for or against independence, then the situation will have to
be reviewed again. It’s like lying next to a sleeping lion. As long as
it's sleeping, everything is fine.
What are the lessons from the events in March?
Platzer: A detailed analysis is in progress. We have intensified
training for handling demonstrators. We flew in additional equipment
and improved cooperation between military police and civilian police.
We also tactically analyzed how new threats might look.
And how might they look?
Platzer: We are afraid that guerrilla war tactics may be used against
the Serbian enclaves, for example, by planting explosives or grenade
launch attacks.
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http://www.diepresse.com/
Artikel.aspx?channel=p&ressort=a&id=422439&archiv=false
18.05.2004 - Politik / International
Interview: "Liegen neben schlafendem Löwen"
Oberst Chris Platzer, Kommandant des österreichischen
Kosovo-Kontingents, über die Probleme der Friedenstruppe Kfor.
Die Presse: Welche Fehler hat die Kosovo-Friedenstruppe Kfor bei den
Unruhen im März gemacht?
Chris Platzer: Wir haben Probleme auf der operativen Ebene: Es sind zu
wenig Kräfte im Land. Vor März waren es etwa 17.500 Mann. Während der
Unruhen wurde die Truppe um 2000 Soldaten verstärkt. Wir sind mit der
Menge an Demonstranten nicht zu Rande gekommen. Die Organisation des
Gegners war so, dass sie die Situation überall gleichzeitig eskalieren
ließen und sie so in der Lage waren, unsere Reserven zu blockieren.
Es wurde auch festgestellt, dass es teilweise sehr starke
Einschränkungen bei den nationalen Kontingenten gibt: Manche dürfen
kein Tränengas verschießen, andere dürfen nicht aus ihrem Einsatzraum
raus. Das behindert.
Wie war es möglich, die Situation so falsch einzuschätzen?
Platzer: Die Organisatoren der Unruhen haben das perfekt geheim
gehalten. Ganz offensichtlich steckt eine Organisation dahinter, deren
Mitglieder militärisch ausgebildet sind.
Laut Harri Holkeri, dem Chef der UN-Mission, versagten die
Aufklärungsdienste der Nato-Länder.
Platzer: Dem kann ich nicht zustimmen. Es ist richtig, dass die Dienste
nicht ausreichend miteinander gesprochen haben. Aber das hätte auch
nichts genützt, weil niemand etwas wusste. Jetzt wurde der
Informationsaustausch verstärkt. Wie ausreichend er ist, kann ich nicht
beurteilen. Jeder hat seine nationalen Geheimnisse.
Die Amerikaner verwenden hauptsächlich technische Mittel, um
Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. Wir Europäer verwenden Quellen im Lande. Wir
dürfen aber nur in Uniform ermitteln, nicht in Zivil. Da gibt es
natürliche Grenzen.
Befürchten Sie, dass sich die Gewalt auch gegen die Friedenstruppe Kfor
richten könnte?
Platzer: Dass man gegen Kfor als solche losgeht, halte ich für sehr
unwahrscheinlich. Solange die Statusfrage ungelöst ist, wird die Lage
in der Waage bleiben.
Aber wenn Kfor einmal dafür sorgen muss, eine Entscheidung für oder
gegen die Selbstständigkeit durchzusetzen, dann muss man das neu
betrachten. Es ist, wie neben einem schlafenden Löwen zu liegen.
Solange er schläft, ist alles in Ordnung.
Welche Lehren wurden aus den Ereignissen vom März gezogen?
Platzer: Es geschieht eine intensive Aufarbeitung. Wir haben die
Ausbildung für den Umgang mit Demonstranten intensiviert. Wir haben
zusätzliches Gerät eingeflogen und das Zusammenwirken zwischen
Militärpolizei und ziviler Polizei verbessert. Wir haben auch taktisch
analysiert, wie neue Bedrohungen aussehen könnten.
Und wie könnten die aussehen?
Platzer: Wir müssen fürchten, dass man auch mit Kleinkriegstaktiken
gegen die serbischen Enklaven vorgeht, zum Beispiel mit
Sprengstoffanschlägen oder Granatwerfer-Angriffen.