William Walker, American boss for OSCEs Kosovo Verification Mission was US ambassador in El Salvador during the time when the USA supported contras operating from El Salvador against the Nicaraguan sandinistas (Sunday Times 12 March 2000).
On the NATO aggression against Serbia, quotation from a statement by the permanent representative of India to the UN Security Council on 24 March 1999:
"The attacks now taking place on Yugoslavia have not been authorised by the Council, acting under Chapter VII, and are therefore completely illegal....What NATO has tried to do is to intimidate a government through the threat of attack, and now through direct and unprovoked aggression, to accept foreign military forces on its territory....There are several traditional descriptions for this kind of coercion; peacekeeping is not one of them."
Chapter VII, article 39 states: "The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with articles 41 and 42, to maintain or restore peace and security."
NATO actions violates Chapter I, article 2 (4) of the UN Charter, which states: "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state..."
The bombing of Yugoslavia is also a violation of Nato's own charter, which claims NATO to be a defensive organisation. No member of NATO was attacked.
The Rambouillet agreement is void according to article 52 of the 1980 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which reads "A treaty is void if its conclusion has been procured by the threat or use of force in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations".
The military annex to this Rambouillet diktat was far reaching requiring that Yugoslavia allow NATO forces unhindered access to all of its territory at no cost to NATO. This annex was sneaked in on last day without the Russian representative's knowledge. No state could have accepted these terms. Mrs. Albright has also later (10th May 2000 speech at the University of California's Berkeley Campus) confessed that it was a deliberate set-up to invite rejection.
Nato's creation of a Kosova independent of Serbia is a violation of clause IV of the Helsinki Accords of 1975 stating: "The participating states will respect the territorial integrity of each of the participating states. Accordingly, they will refrain from any action... against the territorial integrity, political independence, or the unity of any participating state..."
The juridical questions are treated in a number of documents:
The indictment of NATO to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Raju G C Thomas: NATO and international law
Raymond K. Kent , Professor Emeritus, History Department, University of California, Berkeley
Even though Kosova is now occupied by more than 40.000 KFOR soldiers and NATO, UN and OSCE as well as hundreds of NGOs 250.000 Serbs, Romas, Turks, Gorani, Bosnians, Croats and Jews have been ethnically cleansed from Kosovo.
The Mafia is stronger than ever, because of war, sanctions, trade in weapons and drugs - as always in the CIA supported subversive activities, the UCK was partly financed by drug trade.
Macedonia was the last miracle on the territory of former Yugoslavia (Biljana Vankovska).
The UNPREDEP Mission in Macedonia was one of the best in the history of the UN. It was the most cherished example ever of preventive diplomacy. The military and civilian UN staff provided more stability than any other single actor. (Jan Øberg, TFF PressInfo 119, www.transnational.org).
UN peacekeepers respected and listened to all sides as a matter of professionalism.
They did not see the world in black-and-white terms. They did not occupy territories or
bomb their way through. They tried to be role models of more civilised behaviour.
UNPREDEP's leadership repeatedly warned that if NATO bombed Yugoslavia, they could not
guarantee the lives of UN personnel just at the other side of the Yugoslav-Macedonian
border.
During ten years Macedonia was perceived as a successful case of conflict (violence)
prevention in the midst of a very turbulent region facing ethnic cleansing, massacres,
refugees, destruction, etc. (Biljana
Vankovska).
Mr. Vasil Turpokovski had been Macedonia's member of the last Yugoslav collective Presidency and afterwards lived in the United States. He suddenly went home to Macedonia's Presidential election and promised that he could get US$ 1 000 million as a gift for Macedonia, that was what Taiwan had promised in exchange for Macedonia recognising Taiwan. Macedonia's government at the time recognised Taiwan and China, predictably, became furious. On February 25, 1999 China vetoed a renewal of UNPREDEP's mandate at the UN Security Council and, thus, its mandate terminated on February 28. In this way NATO and USA conveniently got UNPREDEP out in time for the bombings (Jan Øberg, TFF PressInfo 119, www.transnational.org).
The USA is creating war in Macedonia by financing, delivering weapons and training to the Macedonian Security Forces and Ushtira Clirimtare Komtare a subsidiary of Kosovo Protection Force, the NATO/UN/USA assisted successor to the UCK/KLA of Kosovo, see Michel Chossudovsky .
Military Professional Resources Inc . on contract to the Pentagon, delivers weapons and training on both sides.
See Jan Øberg: Macedonia - Victim of Western Conflict Mismanagement.
UCK/KLA passed to Macedonia through the American sector of Kosovo.
The leader of UCK Agim Ceku worked in 1995 with MPRI in the planning of "Operation Storm" in Croatia - expelling more than 200.000 Serbs from Krajina, see Chossudovsky.
As usual when the CIA is supporting a foreign terrorist organisation the operation is partially financed through drug trading.
The USA (and Germany ?) have - at least since 1991 - been working on the abolition of socialist Yugoslavia. On the economic side of this, see Michel Chossudovsky, Economic Terrorism. It may someday dawn upon the deceived citizens of the West, that the Balkans are used as a pawn in the larger game: NATO expansion, containment of Russia, Caspian Sea oil, and the military industrial complex. (Jan Øberg, opinion in CNN, some time in 2000).
". International mediators have always become an active party in the conflict, thus changing the original matrix and dynamics and, unfortunately, mostly achieving quick fixes and contributing to long-term worsening of the regional conflict puzzle (Biljana Vankovska).
[T]he international actors have started to openly interfere in the internal political processes of the country, while the memory of the intervention and, not the least, its use of depleted uranium will be remembered by generations in the region (Biljana Vankovska).
Unfortunately here the mediators "are great powers or organisations of them, keep a high profile, try to push the parties, threaten them (or worse) with economic or even military sanctions and try to get very quick results by "high pressure diplomacy"...[in such cases] it is difficult to find a single example of - at least apparently - successful conflict resolution that did not involve the outsider also taking up the role as occupying power (usually under nicer-sounding names) for en indefinite future (Håkan Wiberg).
Since then it has never been important what actually has been done, how and with what effect. The point was always to be seen to do something, and with more concerns about Western public that should have been kept satisfied and with a sense of self-righteousness. Nobody really cared about the "locals", the "natives" - allegedly, everything has been done in their best interest, in a way the West saw it, of course (Biljana Vankovska).
When the conflict erupted in March, the stated objective of the Albanian minority leaders was to achieve "increased autonomy" through "revisions to the Macedonian constitution". Now after they with American help have taken control of about 30 % of Macedonian territory, the hard-liners speak of independence (Scott Taylor).
The government has been trying to bolster its fighting forces through leasing modern equipment and hiring mercenaries in a desperate attempt to keep up with UCK's mobilisation. The EU, NATO, USA have put pressure on the government to desist from this upgrading. Most equipment was delivered by Ukraine, and the West has also made direct interventions to Ukraine to stop it.
In late June government security forces had one of their seldom victories in enclosing a group of UCK guerrillas in Aracinovo. EU pressure forced the government to allow American troops evacuate the guerillas, with their weapons and American advisers.
"The UCK are quick to acknowledge the US military support that they receive. Commander "Mouce", a 47-year-old UCK officer in the Tetovo sector shouted "God bless America and Canada too for what they have given us ! While he would not elaborate on Canada's contribution, "Mouse" confirmed that 2 US Chinook heavy transport helicopters had delivered weapons to the UCK, in the hills above Tetovo.
When the Macedonian government first protested this action, the US official statement was that only humanitarian aid had been airlifted to a remote Albanian village. Commander "Mouse" contradicted the US explanation by admitting that "heavy mortars and munitions" had in fact been supplied by the Chinooks." (Scott Taylor).
The Parliament of Republic of Macedonia did not even discuss the situation in Macedonia because of obstructions by Parliament's Chairman. On the other hand, the President formed a "Secretariat", which can not be anchored in the Constitution nor in any existent law.
This "Secretariat" functioned as group of seven people who negotiated the future of all the citizens of Republic of Macedonia. Four of them are party leaders - - two of them are supposed to be the "Albanian" representatives and two "Slav Macedonian" representatives; then there is the President and the two facilitators, one from US one from EU. Even if what they agreed on would pass in the parliament, there will certainly not be support for it among the citizens, simply because the people were never consulted, directly or indirectly.
Another paradox in the international community's stated support for Republic of Macedonia is found in the oral support for the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic while simultaneously pushing the "proportional use of force" principle. What does this principle mean?
If the UCK/NLA shoots twice, the security forces should do the same? Don't fall on the provocations! But what are the provocations? Shooting and killing of selected targets! But what are the selected targets?
In this case, it looks as if the security forces were prevented from handling the problem in time, in order to have international forces deployed which serve some lobby groups interest and those of the EU, NATO and/or the United States rather than those of Macedonia. The situation is getting more complex every moment (Vasko Karangeleski).
Macedonia is much more diverse in ethnical origin, much more multicultural than shown in any media or/and seen by the "international community". Except the eleven major ethnic groups that live in Republic of Macedonia, even the people that stated to be members of some at the 1994 census are not "clear or pure blooded" (Vasko Karangeleski).
That is why the author of this article shares the opinion that only a politically defined nation in which there are mechanisms that guarantee the fundamental equality of all citizens will be appropriate in Macedonia.
Let me finally quote a "westerner" active in conflict-resolution in South-Eastern Europe: "From the recent wars in ex-Yugoslavia have emerged politicians and NGO activists who have learned a lot on how to prevent violent conflict and find the best mechanisms for sustaining peace. But there have also emerged "war dogs" who have learned how to create a conflict and make it escalate to a massive movement." Indeed! (Vasko Karangeleski).
The Framework Agreement on the Macedonian crisis deserves attention by its content because in some respect it addresses some of the justifiable grievances of the Albanian population in the country. However, the "methodology" of its preparation, its undemocratic manner of creation and signing (behind the back of the public and the citizens), the social atmosphere in which it was done, and many other elements give solid ground for scepticism about the chances that it will ever be implemented.
Western "facilitators" have been more sensitive about the reaction from their own public than concerned with the way Macedonian citizens will perceive it. But it is their lives that will be directly influenced by the document's provisions.
To put it simply, the game is about restoring NATO and EU credibility and not about conflict resolution. (Biljana Vankovska).
Here we see "that Constitutions can be changed by force, if the international community thinks it is needed (Vasko Karangeleski).
The most important issue for Macedonian citizens will be how to disregard and forget all they have been taught about democratic decision-making, legitimacy, constitutionalism, transparency and accountability and democratic procedures. They will have to forget what they have learnt in the last ten years (if not longer, since 1944) about statehood, sovereignty, and dignity. They will have to face the truth that what applies to any normal state in the international system does not apply to Macedonia. Even the bizarre name FYROM reminds them of a time in the past when Macedonia and Macedonians enjoyed a kind of political identity. When it comes to peace, probably one should keep in mind that every historical lesson (no matter how bitter and painful) is useful and worthwhile. (Biljana Vankovska).
Now Macedonia boils - but there is still after that space for troubles around Voivodina. The plot of supporting both sides gives a unique opportunity to sell (obsolete) weapons and other supplies ("Look they have got this smart new weapon - then You must have that"). This kind of covert financing and triggering of civil conflict is not limited to former Yugoslavia, it works in Central Asia, Caucasus, Congo, etc. Supplying both sides gives good opportunities to control the outcome of the war ! And everywhere it also serves the Mafia (and naturally the military industrial complex and the intelligence services), it can never serve the people.
Don't forget, that when the Badinter commission surveyed Macedonia on the extent to which the country's constitution and legislation was in accordance with European norms of minority protection and human rights, it got a clean bill of health (Håkan Wiberg).
From the beginning of the violence in February 2001 until today (September 2001), the gap between the views of the decision - makers and the common citizens is becoming wider and wider. In addition the fact that more than 90 % of the citizens in the Republic of Macedonia did/do not want violence and war as a means to solve their differences, the political level had shown group separatism - mainly ethnic - from the very beginning. No matter if we speak of Macedonian politicians of Albanian culture or of "Slav orthodox" culture, it is clear that there is not even one political leader who can be seen as a real representative of the interests of those he or she officially represents (Vasko Karangeleski).
What the international community has done to bring peace has basically made everything worse. It suggested - and local politicians accepted it right away - that the conflict is "inter-ethnic" but it never was (Vasko Karangeleski).
Let's look at a few arguments in support of the statement just made. The first Communiqué of UCK/NLA after the violence started in Tanusevci, at the border of Republic of Macedonia with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia i.e. in [a] part of Kosovo. The shooting started moments after the bilateral agreement of Republic of Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia on the demarking the border - line which Milosevic successfully delayed for 10 years.
The NLA Communiqué stated that the shooting in Tanusevci started because "the Government of Republic of Macedonia should have negotiated the demarking of the border - line in ... Kosovo with the authorities in Pristina and not in Belgrade". (Vasko Karangeleski).
Those able to read Norwegian should read Johan Galtungs: Velkommen til Kald Krig II , this grand old man of peace research has been one great inspiration for me.
140707, New York Times, U.S. May Bypass the U.N. for Kosovo Independence.
180707, ICH, Mike Whitney, Kissinger's Secret Meeting With Putin. "Russia and the US are bitterly divided on the issue of Kosovo independence. "Kosovo independence" is a nothing more than a catchy moniker that was cooked up in a far-right think tank to express the geopolitical objectives of its advocates. It's also a way of minimizing the US-generated ethnic cleansing which has made "partition" seem palatable. Its supporters are the usual assortment of western busybodies, neocons and globalists. Their dream is to weaken Serbia by splitting it up and making it more accessible to foreign interests."
The main problem is that its main sponsor is USA. For which reason it has declined to treat Nato's war crimes.
A more descriptive name would be The International tribunal against Serb war crimes. The few Croat and Muslim criminals treated have been accused of doing harm against one another's civilians but not to Serb civilians. A few specimens that I happen to know about:
Agim Ceku, planner of Operation Storm, which cleaned Krajina of about 150.000 to 200.000 Serbs living there for centuries. Later as leader of UCK/KLA he has been terrorising Serbs in Kosovo/a, especially after the NATO bombings, when he became leader of TMK/KPF
Nasir Oric, Muslim commander in Srebrenica. He admits himself, that for nearly a year he and his elite corps raided Serb countryside, destroyed 48 Serb villages, killed about 1800, from his safe home of UN-protected Srebrenica.
*****
2001, Orla Jordal
I stole ideas - and bits of text - from all those mentioned as sources. The way they are presented here are however entirely my responsibility.
You are free to quote, I would appreciate to get credit by a link.
Dokumentet er sidst redigeret: