(english / francais.
Voir aussi / read also / sullo stesso argomento:
http://tv.repubblica.it/copertina/clinton-eroe-del-kosovo/38586?video&ref=hpmm
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/6554 )
Bill Clinton inaugure sa propre statue à Pristina
1) Clinton unveils statue to (guess who?) in Kosovo
2) Kosovo : Bill Clinton inaugure sa propre statue à Pristina
3) Former President Clinton unveils statue in Kosovo
4) Bill Clinton in Kosovo to unveil statue
=== 1 ===
http://russiatoday.com/Politics/2009-11-02/clinton-unveils-statue-kosovo.html/print
Russia Today - November 2, 2009
Clinton unveils statue to (guess who?) in Kosovo
Russia Today - November 2, 2009
Clinton unveils statue to (guess who?) in Kosovo
Robert Bridge
Albanians on Sunday jammed into Pristina’s main square to welcome Bill Clinton, the guest of honor at his statue-unveiling ceremony commemorating the former US president's role in the Yugoslavian war of 1999.
“I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me,” Clinton told the cheering crowd after removing a red cover over the monument, revealing a bronze likeness of himself, thus proving that not all commissioned works of art are awarded posthumously.
Clinton’s live appearance next to his larger-than-life metal replica is the latest effort by Kosovo – which is commemorating the 10-year anniversary of NATO’s war against Yugoslavia – to attract international attention to its quest for formal independence.
Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia last year, but Serbia has vowed never to recognize the statehood of the breakaway territory. Meanwhile, the province continues to be administered by NATO forces.
The visiting former US president then drew attention to his wife Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State.
“This morning when I talked to my wife, she said I had to make a photograph in front of it [the statue] and send it to her to make sure it was true and I didn’t make the whole thing up.”
The bronze statue, which stands 3.5 meters (11 feet), depicts the former American president with his left arm raised while holding documents bearing the date when NATO launched its aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia – 24 March, 1999 – a date that lives in infamy for some and in victory for others.
The statue sits in front of an unremarkable apartment complex on, you guessed it, Bill Clinton Boulevard.
Not everybody jubilant
On March 24, 1999, NATO – and without full consent of the UN Security Council – launched an attack on the government of Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic over claims of heavy-handedness against Kosovo’s majority Albanians.
In the moments leading up to the NATO attack, Bill Clinton was fighting for his political life amidst an embarrassing sex scandal involving a young intern named Monica Lewinsky; scoring an easy victory in Yugoslavia was one way to divert public attention away from the scorching issue. Thus, Clinton's refusal to authorize ground troops in and around Kosovo.
In other words, by relying solely on an aerial bombardment to “liberate” Kosovo, the US president was guaranteed a big political win with minimal losses for US troops.
Over the course of the 10-week conflict, NATO aircraft flew over 38,000 combat missions; even the German Luftwaffe had its first taste of combat over the skies of Yugoslavia since having its wings clipped in World War II.
The ensuing 78-day aerial bombardment campaign, which grew continuously more aggressive and reckless, spared little infrastructure: factories, bridges, roads and power stations were all bombed with deadly accuracy. As a result, thousands of innocent civilians suffered great deprivation on both sides of the battle.
The Cold War military bloc even knocked out Serbia’s state television broadcasting tower, which observers point to as a direct breach of Geneva Convention rules, which provides for the ability of combatants to have the freedom to “express themselves” in wartime.
Despite NATO pledges that the war would be “a clean one,” the aerial campaign proved that a military strategy of “surgical strikes” can never be implemented without fatal flaws.
In perhaps the worst public relations disaster for NATO during the conflict, five US “smart” bombs severely damaged the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists. NATO officials, in an effort to cool Chinese outrage, blamed the error on outdated maps. Chinese officials rejected both the apologies and explanations.
About the same time, a NATO fighter jet, believing it had discovered a Yugoslav military convoy, hit a bus carrying Albanian refuges instead, killing 50 civilians.
It has been estimated that about 200 Kosovo civilians were indiscriminately killed by NATO forces, while Human Rights Watch was able to verify 500 civilian deaths in Yugoslavia (that is, outside Kosovo).
The hostilities came to an end on June 10, 1999 when Milosevic accepted the conditions of surrender.
Needless to say, NATO's “illegal” bombing campaign – the first military conflict in its history – sparked an outpouring of international criticism, and was especially unpopular in Russia where talk of defending the “Slavic brotherhood” filled the air.
The tension spilled over at the end of March 1999 when a gunman driving a stolen vehicle attempted to fire a grenade launcher at the US embassy in Moscow during a public protest of the facility. Then-president Boris Yeltsin ordered an investigation into the incident and three men were later arrested.
What next for Kosovo?
Some people are wondering why Kosovo chose this particular moment to dedicate a public memorial to a still living, breathing, former American president. After all, such honors are usually paid posthumously.
One good reason is that Kosovo is presently fighting something of a public relations war against Serbia in its bid for independence.
The United States and a number of other western countries have supported Kosovo’s claims to independence, whereas other countries, including China, India and Russia, continue to regard Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia.
Russia announced that it will support Serbia’s case in an upcoming UN court hearing on the legitimacy of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced last month.
“We will insist that international law and UN Security Council decisions be respected and any unilateral decisions running counter to the UN Charter and OSCE principles be avoided,” Lavrov said following talks with his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.
Belgrade brought Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence to the UN’s International Court of Justice in The Hague where a case will open on Dec. 1.
Remembering the Pristina dash
In the context of the Yugoslavian war, Russians will always remember Pristina for something else besides a bronze tribute to the former American president Bill Clinton, for Pristina is the place where Russia staked everything on securing a peacekeeping sector for itself outside of NATO command.
On June 11-12, about 200 Russian SFOR troops stationed in Bosnia made a spectacular dash through Belgrade into Kosovo after Serbian troops began their withdrawal and, more importantly, after Russia got the word that it would not receive its own peacekeeping sector.
The result was that Russia, much to the consternation of NATO leaders (most notably, US General Wesley Clark who, upon ordering the British to block the approaching Russian tanks, was told by British General Michael Jackson, "I will not start World War III for you.") became the first official peacekeeping force in Kosovo – ahead of advancing NATO troops. The audacious gesture reinforced Russia’s image as Serbia’s “blood ally” that will always be there through good or bad.
And perhaps even longer than a bronze statue in the public sqaure.
Albanians on Sunday jammed into Pristina’s main square to welcome Bill Clinton, the guest of honor at his statue-unveiling ceremony commemorating the former US president's role in the Yugoslavian war of 1999.
“I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me,” Clinton told the cheering crowd after removing a red cover over the monument, revealing a bronze likeness of himself, thus proving that not all commissioned works of art are awarded posthumously.
Clinton’s live appearance next to his larger-than-life metal replica is the latest effort by Kosovo – which is commemorating the 10-year anniversary of NATO’s war against Yugoslavia – to attract international attention to its quest for formal independence.
Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia last year, but Serbia has vowed never to recognize the statehood of the breakaway territory. Meanwhile, the province continues to be administered by NATO forces.
The visiting former US president then drew attention to his wife Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State.
“This morning when I talked to my wife, she said I had to make a photograph in front of it [the statue] and send it to her to make sure it was true and I didn’t make the whole thing up.”
The bronze statue, which stands 3.5 meters (11 feet), depicts the former American president with his left arm raised while holding documents bearing the date when NATO launched its aerial bombardment of Yugoslavia – 24 March, 1999 – a date that lives in infamy for some and in victory for others.
The statue sits in front of an unremarkable apartment complex on, you guessed it, Bill Clinton Boulevard.
Not everybody jubilant
On March 24, 1999, NATO – and without full consent of the UN Security Council – launched an attack on the government of Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic over claims of heavy-handedness against Kosovo’s majority Albanians.
In the moments leading up to the NATO attack, Bill Clinton was fighting for his political life amidst an embarrassing sex scandal involving a young intern named Monica Lewinsky; scoring an easy victory in Yugoslavia was one way to divert public attention away from the scorching issue. Thus, Clinton's refusal to authorize ground troops in and around Kosovo.
In other words, by relying solely on an aerial bombardment to “liberate” Kosovo, the US president was guaranteed a big political win with minimal losses for US troops.
Over the course of the 10-week conflict, NATO aircraft flew over 38,000 combat missions; even the German Luftwaffe had its first taste of combat over the skies of Yugoslavia since having its wings clipped in World War II.
The ensuing 78-day aerial bombardment campaign, which grew continuously more aggressive and reckless, spared little infrastructure: factories, bridges, roads and power stations were all bombed with deadly accuracy. As a result, thousands of innocent civilians suffered great deprivation on both sides of the battle.
The Cold War military bloc even knocked out Serbia’s state television broadcasting tower, which observers point to as a direct breach of Geneva Convention rules, which provides for the ability of combatants to have the freedom to “express themselves” in wartime.
Despite NATO pledges that the war would be “a clean one,” the aerial campaign proved that a military strategy of “surgical strikes” can never be implemented without fatal flaws.
In perhaps the worst public relations disaster for NATO during the conflict, five US “smart” bombs severely damaged the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists. NATO officials, in an effort to cool Chinese outrage, blamed the error on outdated maps. Chinese officials rejected both the apologies and explanations.
About the same time, a NATO fighter jet, believing it had discovered a Yugoslav military convoy, hit a bus carrying Albanian refuges instead, killing 50 civilians.
It has been estimated that about 200 Kosovo civilians were indiscriminately killed by NATO forces, while Human Rights Watch was able to verify 500 civilian deaths in Yugoslavia (that is, outside Kosovo).
The hostilities came to an end on June 10, 1999 when Milosevic accepted the conditions of surrender.
Needless to say, NATO's “illegal” bombing campaign – the first military conflict in its history – sparked an outpouring of international criticism, and was especially unpopular in Russia where talk of defending the “Slavic brotherhood” filled the air.
The tension spilled over at the end of March 1999 when a gunman driving a stolen vehicle attempted to fire a grenade launcher at the US embassy in Moscow during a public protest of the facility. Then-president Boris Yeltsin ordered an investigation into the incident and three men were later arrested.
What next for Kosovo?
Some people are wondering why Kosovo chose this particular moment to dedicate a public memorial to a still living, breathing, former American president. After all, such honors are usually paid posthumously.
One good reason is that Kosovo is presently fighting something of a public relations war against Serbia in its bid for independence.
The United States and a number of other western countries have supported Kosovo’s claims to independence, whereas other countries, including China, India and Russia, continue to regard Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia.
Russia announced that it will support Serbia’s case in an upcoming UN court hearing on the legitimacy of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced last month.
“We will insist that international law and UN Security Council decisions be respected and any unilateral decisions running counter to the UN Charter and OSCE principles be avoided,” Lavrov said following talks with his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.
Belgrade brought Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence to the UN’s International Court of Justice in The Hague where a case will open on Dec. 1.
Remembering the Pristina dash
In the context of the Yugoslavian war, Russians will always remember Pristina for something else besides a bronze tribute to the former American president Bill Clinton, for Pristina is the place where Russia staked everything on securing a peacekeeping sector for itself outside of NATO command.
On June 11-12, about 200 Russian SFOR troops stationed in Bosnia made a spectacular dash through Belgrade into Kosovo after Serbian troops began their withdrawal and, more importantly, after Russia got the word that it would not receive its own peacekeeping sector.
The result was that Russia, much to the consternation of NATO leaders (most notably, US General Wesley Clark who, upon ordering the British to block the approaching Russian tanks, was told by British General Michael Jackson, "I will not start World War III for you.") became the first official peacekeeping force in Kosovo – ahead of advancing NATO troops. The audacious gesture reinforced Russia’s image as Serbia’s “blood ally” that will always be there through good or bad.
And perhaps even longer than a bronze statue in the public sqaure.
=== 2 ===
BIRN
Kosovo : Bill Clinton inaugure sa propre statue à Pristina
Traduit par Philippe Bertinchamps
Mise en ligne : dimanche 1er novembre 2009
En visite ce dimanche à Pristina pour l’inauguration d’une statue en son honneur, le Président Bill Clinton a déclaré que son échec au Rwanda l’avait conduit à une intervention rapide au Kosovo.
Par Lawrence Marzou
Le Président Bill Clinton a déclaré que le sentiment de culpabilité dû à son échec à stopper le génocide au Rwanda a conduit les USA à une intervention rapide au Kosovo.
L’ancien Président américain a fait cette déclaration lors d’un discours devant le Parlement du Kosovo ce dimanche. Il s’était déplacé au Kosovo pour l’inauguration d’une statue en son honneur.
Il s’est dit être tellement préoccupé par la Bosnie qu’il a « manqué » le massacre des Tutsis par leurs voisins hutus en 1994 : « J’ai manqué le génocide du Rwanda. En 90 jours, c’était fini ».
« Cela explique pourquoi nous avons été si prompts à intervenir ici », a-t-il ajouté.
Il a également affirmé que les progrès du Kosovo étaient au-delà de toute attente : « Vous avez fait mieux que ce à quoi vos ennemis s’attendaient. Mais vous avez aussi fait mieux que ce à quoi vos amis s’attendaient ».
Une statue de l’ancien président Bill Clinton a été inaugurée en sa présence ce dimanche à Pristina.
Bill Clinton est considéré comme un héros parmi les Albanais du Kosovo en raison de son soutien à l’intervention militaire de l’OTAN en 1999.
=== 3 ===
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ha8MuMrIGkjBIisRvRF45wyT4DGQD9BMPOPO2
Associated Press - November 1, 2009
Former President Clinton unveils statue in Kosovo
Associated Press - November 1, 2009
Former President Clinton unveils statue in Kosovo
By NEBI QENA
PRISTINA, Kosovo: Thousands of ethnic Albanians braved low temperatures and a cold wind in Kosovo's capital Pristina to welcome former President Bill Clinton on Sunday as he attended the unveiling of an 11-foot (3.5-meter) statue of himself on a key boulevard that also bears his name.
Clinton is celebrated as a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority for launching NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999....
This is his first visit to Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia last year.
Many waved American, Albanian and Kosovo flags and chanted "USA!" as the former president climbed on top of a podium with his poster in the background reading "Kosovo honors a hero."
Some peeked out of balconies and leaned on window sills to get a better view of Clinton from their apartment blocks.
To thunderous applause Clinton waved to the crowd as the red cover was pulled off from the statue.
The statue is placed on top of a white-tiled base, in the middle of a tiny square, surrounded by communist-era buildings.
"I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me," Clinton said of the gold-sprayed statue weighing a ton (900 kilograms).
He also addressed Kosovo's 120-seat assembly, encouraging them to forgive and move on from the violence of the past.
The statue portrays Clinton with his left arm raised and holding a portfolio bearing his name and the date when NATO started bombing Yugoslavia, on March 24, 1999.
An estimated 10,000 ethnic Albanians were killed during the Kosovo crackdown and about 800,000 were forced out of their homes. They returned home after NATO-led peacekeepers moved in following 78 days of bombing.
Leta Krasniqi, an ethnic Albanian, said the statue was the best way to express the ethnic Albanians' gratitude for Clinton's role in making Kosovo a state.
"This is a big day," Krasniqi, 25 said. "I live nearby and I'm really excited that I will be able to see the statue of such a big friend of ours every day."
Clinton last visited Kosovo in 2003 when he received an honorary university degree. His first visit was in 1999 — months after some 6,000 U.S. troops were deployed in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission here.
Some 1,000 American soldiers are still based in Kosovo as part of NATO's 14,000-strong peacekeeping force.
Police in Kosovo upped security measures ahead of Bill Clinton's arrival by adding deploying more traffic police and special police.
NATO officials said the peacekeepers were also on alert, although no additional security measures were taken.
PRISTINA, Kosovo: Thousands of ethnic Albanians braved low temperatures and a cold wind in Kosovo's capital Pristina to welcome former President Bill Clinton on Sunday as he attended the unveiling of an 11-foot (3.5-meter) statue of himself on a key boulevard that also bears his name.
Clinton is celebrated as a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority for launching NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999....
This is his first visit to Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia last year.
Many waved American, Albanian and Kosovo flags and chanted "USA!" as the former president climbed on top of a podium with his poster in the background reading "Kosovo honors a hero."
Some peeked out of balconies and leaned on window sills to get a better view of Clinton from their apartment blocks.
To thunderous applause Clinton waved to the crowd as the red cover was pulled off from the statue.
The statue is placed on top of a white-tiled base, in the middle of a tiny square, surrounded by communist-era buildings.
"I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me," Clinton said of the gold-sprayed statue weighing a ton (900 kilograms).
He also addressed Kosovo's 120-seat assembly, encouraging them to forgive and move on from the violence of the past.
The statue portrays Clinton with his left arm raised and holding a portfolio bearing his name and the date when NATO started bombing Yugoslavia, on March 24, 1999.
An estimated 10,000 ethnic Albanians were killed during the Kosovo crackdown and about 800,000 were forced out of their homes. They returned home after NATO-led peacekeepers moved in following 78 days of bombing.
Leta Krasniqi, an ethnic Albanian, said the statue was the best way to express the ethnic Albanians' gratitude for Clinton's role in making Kosovo a state.
"This is a big day," Krasniqi, 25 said. "I live nearby and I'm really excited that I will be able to see the statue of such a big friend of ours every day."
Clinton last visited Kosovo in 2003 when he received an honorary university degree. His first visit was in 1999 — months after some 6,000 U.S. troops were deployed in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission here.
Some 1,000 American soldiers are still based in Kosovo as part of NATO's 14,000-strong peacekeeping force.
Police in Kosovo upped security measures ahead of Bill Clinton's arrival by adding deploying more traffic police and special police.
NATO officials said the peacekeepers were also on alert, although no additional security measures were taken.
=== 4 ===
http://www.euronews.net/2009/11/01/bill-clinton-in-kosovo-to-unveil-statue/
Euronews - November 1, 2009
Bill Clinton in Kosovo to unveil statue
Link: http://www.euronews.net/2009/11/01/bill-clinton-in-kosovo-to-unveil-statue
A statue of Bill Clinton has been unveiled in Kosovo in the presence of the former US President himself.
Clinton is considered a hero by Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian majority for launching the NATO airstrikes that stopped a Serb crackdown, 10 years ago.
He told the thousands who braved bitter temperatures in Pristina to see him:
“I never expected that anywhere someone would make such a big statue of me. And this morning, when I talked to my wife who said to tell you ‘hello’, she said I had to make a photograph in front of this and send it to her to make sure it was true and I did not make this whole thing up.”
The US is one of dozens of countries to have recognised Kosovo’s self-declared independence. Some other nations including Russia still see it as a province of Serbia.
That argument aside, the statue means Bill Clinton’s contribution to Kosovo’s history will never be forgotten.
http://www.euronews.net/2009/11/01/bill-clinton-in-kosovo-to-unveil-statue/
Euronews - November 1, 2009
Bill Clinton in Kosovo to unveil statue
Link: http://www.euronews.net/2009/11/01/bill-clinton-in-kosovo-to-unveil-statue
A statue of Bill Clinton has been unveiled in Kosovo in the presence of the former US President himself.
Clinton is considered a hero by Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian majority for launching the NATO airstrikes that stopped a Serb crackdown, 10 years ago.
He told the thousands who braved bitter temperatures in Pristina to see him:
“I never expected that anywhere someone would make such a big statue of me. And this morning, when I talked to my wife who said to tell you ‘hello’, she said I had to make a photograph in front of this and send it to her to make sure it was true and I did not make this whole thing up.”
The US is one of dozens of countries to have recognised Kosovo’s self-declared independence. Some other nations including Russia still see it as a province of Serbia.
That argument aside, the statue means Bill Clinton’s contribution to Kosovo’s history will never be forgotten.