A Criticism of the European Union and Vojislav
Kostunica
by William Spring (10-17-2000)
This Biarritz gathering of loathed leaders of the new Europe, got a much
needed boost by the appearance in their midst of the
representative of the country they had most recently bombed.
If there is a place for reconciliation, this wasn't it.
It was insensitive to the highest degree for Dr Kostunica to field
questions about the possibility of handing over Mr Milosevic
to Carla del Ponte's so called Court at The Hague, without at the same
time referring to indictments issued by the Serbian
Public Prosecutor's Office of 29th August 2000 (ref: KT - 420/99)
against NATO leaders, nor to the application made by the
Yugoslav Government to the International Court at The Hague for
condemnation of the NATO aggression, nor to the
proceedings of the Association for Legal Theory and Practice at Novi Sad
last year, where NATO was condemned by
internationally eminent lawyers, and to the many other initiatives aimed
at getting NATO into the dock.
NATO and the EU want the discussion dominated by Milosevic: but this is
not the question Dr Kostunica should address.
NATO has no locus standi to ask for Mr Milosevic to be handed over to US
lawyers; NATO itself is a criminal organization.
"Confronted with the enemies of Yugoslavia gathered in conclave he
should not have given them absolution quite so readily.
The ball should be on the other foot. It shouldn't be the Yugoslav
President (or Serbia-Montenegro, as Dr Kostunica suggests
we call the FRY) being pursued by journalists but Dr. Kostunica should
instead be demanding NATO war criminals be
handed over to the FRY.
Why do the Yugoslavs let themselves be pushed around? Kostunica should
turn on the media pack, suggest they go after
Albright instead.
But perhaps he had to go to Biarritz and say what he said, and the
paymasters wanted their reward; the German Government
has admitted in the last few days that it channeled £6 million to the
Serbian Opposition, a large proportion through the
International Red Cross, and other NGOs (which makes me wonder what
happens to charitable donations these days. Next
time the Red Cross shake their can ask where the money's going. The
International Red Cross in Geneva must address this
point, otherwise face a complete loss of confidence by donors. Money
given to the Red Cross shouldn't go to Zoran Djindjic.
Is he a cripple?)
It's sad indeed to see the desperate straits to which EU sanctions and
bombing and the subversion of the electoral process has
reduced the Yugoslav state, the last independent country in Europe. That
may also be an explanation for the Biarritz visit; the
desperate need to get foreign investment.
But it gives a bad impression, for Dr Kostunica to be so pally with the
EU. Couldn't he have insisted at least upon one
expression of regret by someone at the Conference, as a pre-condition
for attending?
One understands the need for normalization of relations between
Yugoslavia and the rest of the world, but this behaviour is
negative in terms of Serbia's image: it makes people think that the
Serbs who couldn't be bombed into acquiescence can be
bought instead. Perhaps they have already been, but they should have
held out for a higher price.
As for EU leaders they must answer this question: if, all along, as it
now appears, bribes could have had the same effect as
bombing, then why was the bombing necessary?
Couldn't the UK Government have used the £1 billion spent on the NATO
bombing on less destructive activities? If the EU
had dispersed its funds earlier, most people in Belgrade by now would be
driving Mercedes, and casualties and deaths
avoided. "
Can one assume all this is perfectly legal: is it legal for Tony Blair
to take taxpayers money to subsidize opposition parties in
Serbia. Or, did he use the National Lottery instead?
end
Arrest of Hubert Vedrine! French Foreign Minister and EU envoy due in
Belgrade today
Tuesday 10th October
To the Yugoslav Government
The CANA hereby issues an urgent appeal to the Yugoslav Government for
the arrest of Hubert Vedrine, French Foreign
Minister and EU envoy due in Belgrade today, to begin talks about
normalizing relations between Belgrade and Paris.
CANA also asks for the arrest of Paddy Ashdown MP, former leader of the
Liberal Democrats [travelling in Montenegro]
and Prime Mover and Architect of the Kosovo War.
This is not an unserious idea. I am amazed how supposedly liberal
politicians, like Messers Blair and Ashdown, while 'meaning
well' nevertheless create such mayhem and suffering in Europe. The
political legacy of Mr Ashdown and Mr Blair is a half life
of 4.5 billion years of DU and innumerable cripples.
Regarding the arrest of Mr. Vedrine, he is after all mentioned in the
indictment prepared by the Serbian Public Prosecutor's
Office. Vedrine failed to attend the Court to answer the indictment of
August 29th.
The NATO leaders prepared and executed aggressive war, the supreme war
crime.
As for the demand the EU and US make that Dr Kostunica hands over Mr
Milosevic over to the War Crimes Tribunal at the
Hague, this is quite impertinent. As the NATO leaders are themselves war
criminals they can hardly sit in judgement on Mr
Milosevic.
To quote scripture (King James version), it's a case of 'beams and
motes'.
In any case Dr Kostunica gave election pledges to the Yugoslav people
that he would not hand over Mr Milosevic to a foreign
Court.
Messers Blair and Cook may regard their election pledges with levity -
to be torn up at will- but they should not seek to
impose their contorted New Labour morality on others.
William Spring
Director, CANA
for further information telephone 0208 802 2144
cana@...
CANA is an ecumenical group of Christians who came together during the
NATO air war against Yugoslavia.
Although we have differences on matters of Christian doctrine, being
from different denominations, (some of us Orthodox,
some Catholic, others Evangelical, Unitarian, Baptist, Quaker and
Pentecostal etc), we are united in a conviction that the
attack on Yugoslavia by NATO was and is morally and legally
indefensible.
The war on Yugoslavia and NATO's frantic efforts to blame Mr Milosevic
for it, must be seen only as another indication of the
almost terminal illness afflicting western society, which involves the
end of thought.
***
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[Emperor's Clothes]
Kostunica
by William Spring (10-17-2000)
This Biarritz gathering of loathed leaders of the new Europe, got a much
needed boost by the appearance in their midst of the
representative of the country they had most recently bombed.
If there is a place for reconciliation, this wasn't it.
It was insensitive to the highest degree for Dr Kostunica to field
questions about the possibility of handing over Mr Milosevic
to Carla del Ponte's so called Court at The Hague, without at the same
time referring to indictments issued by the Serbian
Public Prosecutor's Office of 29th August 2000 (ref: KT - 420/99)
against NATO leaders, nor to the application made by the
Yugoslav Government to the International Court at The Hague for
condemnation of the NATO aggression, nor to the
proceedings of the Association for Legal Theory and Practice at Novi Sad
last year, where NATO was condemned by
internationally eminent lawyers, and to the many other initiatives aimed
at getting NATO into the dock.
NATO and the EU want the discussion dominated by Milosevic: but this is
not the question Dr Kostunica should address.
NATO has no locus standi to ask for Mr Milosevic to be handed over to US
lawyers; NATO itself is a criminal organization.
"Confronted with the enemies of Yugoslavia gathered in conclave he
should not have given them absolution quite so readily.
The ball should be on the other foot. It shouldn't be the Yugoslav
President (or Serbia-Montenegro, as Dr Kostunica suggests
we call the FRY) being pursued by journalists but Dr. Kostunica should
instead be demanding NATO war criminals be
handed over to the FRY.
Why do the Yugoslavs let themselves be pushed around? Kostunica should
turn on the media pack, suggest they go after
Albright instead.
But perhaps he had to go to Biarritz and say what he said, and the
paymasters wanted their reward; the German Government
has admitted in the last few days that it channeled £6 million to the
Serbian Opposition, a large proportion through the
International Red Cross, and other NGOs (which makes me wonder what
happens to charitable donations these days. Next
time the Red Cross shake their can ask where the money's going. The
International Red Cross in Geneva must address this
point, otherwise face a complete loss of confidence by donors. Money
given to the Red Cross shouldn't go to Zoran Djindjic.
Is he a cripple?)
It's sad indeed to see the desperate straits to which EU sanctions and
bombing and the subversion of the electoral process has
reduced the Yugoslav state, the last independent country in Europe. That
may also be an explanation for the Biarritz visit; the
desperate need to get foreign investment.
But it gives a bad impression, for Dr Kostunica to be so pally with the
EU. Couldn't he have insisted at least upon one
expression of regret by someone at the Conference, as a pre-condition
for attending?
One understands the need for normalization of relations between
Yugoslavia and the rest of the world, but this behaviour is
negative in terms of Serbia's image: it makes people think that the
Serbs who couldn't be bombed into acquiescence can be
bought instead. Perhaps they have already been, but they should have
held out for a higher price.
As for EU leaders they must answer this question: if, all along, as it
now appears, bribes could have had the same effect as
bombing, then why was the bombing necessary?
Couldn't the UK Government have used the £1 billion spent on the NATO
bombing on less destructive activities? If the EU
had dispersed its funds earlier, most people in Belgrade by now would be
driving Mercedes, and casualties and deaths
avoided. "
Can one assume all this is perfectly legal: is it legal for Tony Blair
to take taxpayers money to subsidize opposition parties in
Serbia. Or, did he use the National Lottery instead?
end
Arrest of Hubert Vedrine! French Foreign Minister and EU envoy due in
Belgrade today
Tuesday 10th October
To the Yugoslav Government
The CANA hereby issues an urgent appeal to the Yugoslav Government for
the arrest of Hubert Vedrine, French Foreign
Minister and EU envoy due in Belgrade today, to begin talks about
normalizing relations between Belgrade and Paris.
CANA also asks for the arrest of Paddy Ashdown MP, former leader of the
Liberal Democrats [travelling in Montenegro]
and Prime Mover and Architect of the Kosovo War.
This is not an unserious idea. I am amazed how supposedly liberal
politicians, like Messers Blair and Ashdown, while 'meaning
well' nevertheless create such mayhem and suffering in Europe. The
political legacy of Mr Ashdown and Mr Blair is a half life
of 4.5 billion years of DU and innumerable cripples.
Regarding the arrest of Mr. Vedrine, he is after all mentioned in the
indictment prepared by the Serbian Public Prosecutor's
Office. Vedrine failed to attend the Court to answer the indictment of
August 29th.
The NATO leaders prepared and executed aggressive war, the supreme war
crime.
As for the demand the EU and US make that Dr Kostunica hands over Mr
Milosevic over to the War Crimes Tribunal at the
Hague, this is quite impertinent. As the NATO leaders are themselves war
criminals they can hardly sit in judgement on Mr
Milosevic.
To quote scripture (King James version), it's a case of 'beams and
motes'.
In any case Dr Kostunica gave election pledges to the Yugoslav people
that he would not hand over Mr Milosevic to a foreign
Court.
Messers Blair and Cook may regard their election pledges with levity -
to be torn up at will- but they should not seek to
impose their contorted New Labour morality on others.
William Spring
Director, CANA
for further information telephone 0208 802 2144
cana@...
CANA is an ecumenical group of Christians who came together during the
NATO air war against Yugoslavia.
Although we have differences on matters of Christian doctrine, being
from different denominations, (some of us Orthodox,
some Catholic, others Evangelical, Unitarian, Baptist, Quaker and
Pentecostal etc), we are united in a conviction that the
attack on Yugoslavia by NATO was and is morally and legally
indefensible.
The war on Yugoslavia and NATO's frantic efforts to blame Mr Milosevic
for it, must be seen only as another indication of the
almost terminal illness afflicting western society, which involves the
end of thought.
***
We get by with a little help from our friends...
We receive all our funding from individuals like you. We want everyone
to read our articles whether they can afford to
contribute financially or not, but if you are able to contribute, please
do. Recently we were shut down for almost a week by a
hacker. We are taking steps to improve our security and also to increase
the number of people who hear about Emperor's
Clothes. These improvements cost money.
Small contributions help and so do big ones.We can't do it without your
help.
Please make a donation by mailing a check to Emperor's Clothes, P.O. Box
610-321, Newton, MA 02461-0321. (USA)
Or call 617 916-1705 between 9:30 AM and 5:30 PM, Eastern Time (USA) and
we will take your credit card information
over the phone.
Thanks for reading Emperor's Clothes. And thanks for helping. It's a
joint effort, isn't it?
www.tenc.net
[Emperor's Clothes]