The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 99-04-13

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <ert.ntua.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Developments in Yugoslavia</strong>

Several explosions as well as firing by the Yugoslav air defence were heard in Belgrade early this morning.

According to the Citizens' Information Center, a military camp was hit by a missile, 4 km away from the center of Belgrade. As the person in charge of the Center stated, ambulances and firemen arrived in the scene. However, there are no reports for casualties or damages.

NATO missiles hit a passenger train while it was crossing a bridge in the region Girdeliska Klisoura, near Leskovic killing at least ten people and injuring dozens of others. NATO confirmed the attack, clarifying however that there was no intention of hitting the train, while the Serb authorities estimate that only Serb citizens were on board the train.

The air strikes in the weekend have caused extensive damage to Yugoslavia's largest oil-refinery and as the Tanjung news agency has reported it will take a long time before the oil-refinery starts operating again.

A top official of the American pentagon has stated that the Nato strikes have completely destroyed the oil-refinery's operations in Yugoslavia, but this country still has a great deal of supplies.

The car manufacturing plant Zastava where 18,000 people were working was hit again and was completely destroyed.

Meanwhile, clashes at the Albanian-Yugoslav border between ethnic Albanians and the Yugoslav army continue, while Belgrade has accused Nato of offering its helicopters to carry Albanian guerillas to the borders and effect attacks against Yugoslavia.

The foreign ministers of NATO member states issued a joint communique after their meeting yesterday, promoting diplomatic solutions for achieving peace in Kosovo with the contribution of Russia.

In Brussels, the Greek foreign minister Yorgos Papandreou has said that according to his estimations, the possibility of the deployment of ground forces for military or humanitarian reasons is narrowing. Mr Papandreou made special mention of the Balkan initiative for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the region.

The UN secretary general Koffi Anan who is in Madrid yesterday stated that he was ready to meet with the Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, in order to start a new peace initiative.

The American secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who will meet in Oslo today with her Russian counterpart Igor Ivanof, yesterday said that a formula should be found so that Russia may participate in the process for finding a solution to the Kosovo crisis.

German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has claimed that the Russian troops could join the Nato forces and form a force that will maintain peace in Kosovo when the war ends, as it happened in the neighboring Bosnia.

The parliaments of Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have approved the country's accession to the Russia-Bellorussia Confederation and Moscow welcomed the decision.

After a meeting at the White House with the American president Bill Clinton yesterday, the leadership of the American congress officially expressed its support to the military operations against Yugoslavia.

Different views prevail within the Italian government as regards the war in Yugoslavia.

Four different views have been expressed on the Kosovo crisis mainly by D'Alema, Dini, Sconiamilio and Kosuta - the greatest divergence being between the prime minister and the foreign minister.

The Italian public opinion however, is mostly against the war, as shown by the participation of a great number of Italian citizens in protest demonstrations.

[02] Reactions in Greece on the Nato strikes against Yugoslavia

The Coalition of the Left Wing and Progress, the Democratic Social Movement and the Political Spring Party said that appeals for peace were neither sincere nor credible, for as long as the Nato raids against civilians continued.

[03] The ruling Pasok party's plans for Euroelections

The Pasok executive office is expected to prepare the meeting of the party's central committee due on Saturday on the object of the ruling party's policy in view of the forthcoming Euroelections.

[04] The residents of major cities return from Easter holidays

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article