TARGET YUGOSLAVIA: NATO's WAR OF AGGRESSION / Thursday, 17 June 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org TARGET YUGOSLAVIA: NATO's WAR OF AGGRESSION Thursday, 17 June 1999 Radio Havana Cuba presents its coverage of the U.S.-led NATO aggression against Yugoslavia. ----------------------------------------------------------- DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW OVER RUSSIAN PEACE- KEEPING ROLE IN KOSOVO The dispute between NATO and Moscow over Russia's role in the peace-keeping force in Kosovo continued on Thursday, with both sides apparently diametrically opposed. Shortly before heading to Helsinki for a continuation of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said that Washington will not back down in its opposition to granting an independent sector to Russian troops in the Yugoslav province. At the same time, Russian President Boris Yeltsin stated Thursday that he is totally opposed to NATO's lack of concessions in this regard, ordering Defense Minister Igor Sergueiev to express -- in Yeltsin's words -- "the Kremlin's categorical disagreement with an eventual refusal to grant Russia an independent sector." Meanwhile, the issue of disarming the Kosovo Liberation Army has also taken center stage in the Russia-NATO dispute. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that without the demilitarization of the separatist militia, it is not possible to talk about a serious solution in Kosovo. NATO spokesman Jamie Shea, however, stated Thursday that the total disarming of the Kosovo Liberation Army is impossible, and that the demilitarization of the separatists is only -- in his words -- "a very long-term objective." U.S. Army General John Craddock, head of the U.S. contingent in Kosovo, admitted Wednesday that NATO lacks a precise plan to disarm the Kosovo Liberation Army -- which Belgrade and Russia consider terrorists financed by drug money. In other news, Russia's Lower House of Parliament, the Duma, has unanimously approved a resolution insisting that NATO Secretary General Javier Solana be tried as a war criminal. The resolution expresses its support of a similar demand issued by the Cuban government on June 1st. BEIJING REFUSES TO ACCEPT WASHINGTON'S EXCUSE China has refused to accept the U.S. government's explanation concerning the May 7th NATO bombardment of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. This week, Washington sent U.S. Assistant Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering to Beijing in an attempt to ease tensions between the two nations. But Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said Pickering's explanations were "not convincing," insisting that it was impossible for NATO to have made a simple mistake. Pickering reiterated Washington's claim that the bombing -- which claimed the lives of three Chinese journalists and wounded another 20 officials at the embassy -- was due to outdated maps. But according to Chinese authorities, an investigation carried out by Beijing concluded that five missiles hit the embassy with 100 percent accuracy, demonstrating that Washington had exact knowledge of the building's structure. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that before the beginning of NATO airstrikes against Yugoslavia, the military alliance took numerous aerial photos of the country -- particularly Belgrade -- using state-of-the-art technology. Beijing also deplored Pickering's lack of any reference to the Chinese civilians killed and wounded during the attack. China continues to demand that those responsible for the attack be punished, also insisting that adequate compensation be given to those wounded and the family members of those killed. -30- [c] 1999, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nyteeu-06.17.99-22:17:12-16923