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Voice of America, 99-05-23Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] NATO/KOSOVO (L) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)DATE=5/23/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249688 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATO REPORTS IT HAS KEPT UP THE PRESSURE ON SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO, MARKING THE 60TH DAY OF ITS AIR CAMPAIGN WITH A SERIES OF STRIKES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS ON HOW NATO SAYS THE OPERATION IS GOING AFTER TWO-MONTHS. TEXT: NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA SAYS ALLIANCE PLANES FLEW MORE THAN 25-THOUSAND SORTIES IN THE FIRST 60-DAYS OF THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN, AND THE AERIAL PRESSURE ON YUGOSLAV FORCES WILL CONTINUE. IN THE LATEST 24-HOURS, NATO REPORTS AIRCRAFT HAVE STRUCK AT LEAST NINE ARMORED VEHICLES, 10-ARTILLERY POSITIONS, TANKS AND OTHER MILITARY VEHICLES. NATO OFFICIALS SAY THREE SERB MILITARY PLANES WERE HIT ON THE GROUND, AND TWO SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE TRANSPORTER LAUNCHERS HAVE BEEN STRUCK. ATTACKS ACROSS SERBIA HAVE INCLUDED HITS ON AN ELECTRICITY TRANSFORMER, WHICH MR. SHEA SAYS WAS DESIGNED TO DISRUPT POWER SUPPLIES TO THE YUGOSLAV ARMY'S COMMAND AND CONTROL NETWORK. HE ADDS THE SERBS ARE BEING FORCED TO USE DWINDLING FUEL SUPPLIES IN TEMPORARY GENERATORS BECAUSE CENTRAL POWER SUPPLIES ARE CUT OFF. OTHER TARGETS IN SERBIA IN THE LATEST SERIES OF AIR STRIKES INCLUDED A COMMAND POST, AMMUNITION STORAGE SITES, A SPECIAL POLICE DEPOT IN BELGRADE, FUEL STORAGE SITES, AND TELEVISION AND RADIO TRANSMITTERS. MR. SHEA REPORTS GOOD WEATHER HAS ALLOWED NATO TO KEEP UP THE PACE OF ITS BOMBING CAMPAIGN, AND ADDS THIS WAS CONTINUING SUNDAY. HE ALSO SAYS NATO HAS CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE THE WAY IN WHICH IT MISTAKENLY TARGETED A KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY COMMAND POST IN KOSOVO, WHICH HAD BEEN CAPTURED LAST MONTH FROM THE SERBS. MR. SHEA SAYS THE POST AT GLAVA, NEAR KOSARE, WAS TARGETED BECAUSE NATO HAD NOT BEEN AWARE IT HAD BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THE KOSOVAR GUERRILLAS. HE CONCEDES THERE WAS AN ERROR IN NATO'S TARGETING, BUT SAYS IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ENTIRELY PREVENT SUCH ERRORS IN SUCH AN INTENSIVE MILITARY OPERATION. BUT MR SHEA ALSO SAYS THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY'S COMMANDERS
HAVE INSISTED THAT DESPITE THE NATO ERROR, THE AIR CAMPAIGN
SHOULD BE INTENSIFIED. (SIGNED)
[02] NATO/KOSOVO UPDATE (L) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)DATE=5/23/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249696 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE NATO ALLIANCE MARKED THE END OF THE FIRST TWO-MONTHS OF ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA BY INSISTING THAT THE BOMBS AND MISSILES ARE HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO. AS JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS, THERE IS NO LET-UP. TEXT: NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA SAYS THE ALLIANCE IS WELL PLEASED BY THE IMPACT ITS AIR CAMPAIGN IS HAVING. AFTER TWO MONTHS, NATO PLANES HAVE FLOWN MORE THAN 25-HUNDRED SORTIES. INSIDE KOSOVO, SOME 558 PIECES OF MAJOR MILITARY EQUIPMENT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, INCLUDING ONE-THIRD OF ALL THE SERB HEAVY EQUIPMENT. ACCORDING TO NATO, MORE THAN 100 AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, REPRESENTING MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF ALL SERBIAN FRONTLINE COMBAT AIRCRAFT. NATO SAYS IT HAS DESTROYED THREE-QUARTERS OF SERBIA'S FIXED SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SITES, AND HALF OF THE AMMUNITION STORES IN KOSOVO. ELEVEN COMMAND POSTS HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN BEEN HIT, AND THE MAJOR ROAD AND RAIL LINKS BETWEEN KOSOVO AND THE REST OF SERBIA HAVE BEEN CUT. ALL BRIDGES OVER THE DANUBE, EXCEPT THOSE IN BELGRADE HAVE BEEN CUT, ALL OF SERBIA'S OIL REFINERIES HAVE BEEN CRIPPLED, AND IMPORTANT ARMY HEADQUARTERS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. MR. SHEA ADDS THAT NATO HAS ALSO PLAYED A MAJOR PART IN HELPING REFUGEES WHO HAVE FLED TO ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA, DELIVERING SUPPLIES TO THEM AND CONSTRUCTING CAMPS. HE SAYS NATO IS NOW CLOSE TO ITS AIM OF FORCING AN END TO THE ETHNIC CLEANSING AND TO THE WITHDRAWAL OF SERB FORCES FROM KOSOVO. /// SHEA ACK ///THIS ALLIANCE OF 19 COUNTRIES HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL OVER TWO-MONTHS IN PURSUING AND INTENSIFYING ITS AIR CAMPAIGN, WITH A VIEW TO STOPPING AND REVERSING THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE KOSOVAR ALBANIAN PEOPLE. WE HAVE STAYED UNITED, EVEN DURING DIFFICULT TIMES, AND THAT UNITY IS STILL THERE TODAY, AS STRONG AS IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING. /// END ACK ///MR. SHEA SAYS NATO HAS NOT LOST SIGHT OF ITS OBJECTIVES, AND HE BELIEVES THE ALLIANCE IS CLOSE TO ACHIEVING THEM. HE INSISTS THAT OPPOSITION TO THE WAR WILL GROW IN SERBIA WHEN IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT THE BOYS WHO ARE COMING HOME FROM THE FRONT IN KOSOVO, BUT THE COFFINS. MR. SHEA SAYS THAT WHEREAS THE POPULATION OF SERBIA HAS AN
APPETITE FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION, PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS AN
INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR SOLDIERS. (SIGNED)
[03] KOSOVO / GROUND TROOPS (L-ONLY) BY COLIN LOVETT (WASHINGTON)DATE=5/23/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249695 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS WASHINGTON'S CALL FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF 50-THOUSAND TROOPS TO THE REGION AROUND KOSOVO IS NOT AIMED AT PREPARING TO FIGHT A GROUND WAR AGAINST THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY. AS V-O-A'S COLIN LOVETT REPORTS, THE SECRETARY SAYS NATO'S AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE. TEXT: MS. ALBRIGHT SAYS NATO MILITARY PLANNERS ARE ASSESSING TWO PLANS FOR GROUND TROOPS TO ENTER KOSOVO, ONE IN A PEACEKEEPING ROLE AND THE OTHER IN WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT SERB MILITARY FORCES. BUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TOLD THE C-B-S TELEVISION PROGRAM "FACE THE NATION" (SUNDAY) THAT CURRENT EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON ENTERING KOSOVO IN A SO-CALLED -- PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT -- AFTER YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC GIVES IN TO NATO DEMANDS. // ALBRIGHT ACT //WE ARE SAYING TO HIM THAT THE AIR CAMPAIGN IS INTENSIFYING -- YOU ARE LOSING, WE ARE WINNING. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO ACCEPT (NATO'S) THE CONDITIONS. // END ACT //BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK ECHOED MS. ALBRIGHT'S OPTIMISM THAT THE AIR ATTACKS WILL OBTAIN NATO'S OBJECTIVES. ON THE N-B-C NEWS PROGRAM "MEET THE PRESS", MR. COOK SAID THE AIR WAR HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR MR. MILOSEVIC INSIDE SERBIA. // COOK ACT //THIS PAST WEEK, THERE HAS BEEN SIX DIFFERENT TOWNS AND CITIES IN SERBIA IN WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND IN A COUPLE OF CASES RIOTS OF PEOPLE PROTESTING AT THE CONTINUING OF THE CONFLICT AND DEMANDING THAT THEIR SONS COME HOME FROM KOSOVO. // END ACT //U-S DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY GOOD WEATHER IN RECENT DAYS HAS HELPED
NATO AIR PILOTS INTENSIFY THEIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY
FORCES INSIDE SERBIA AND KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
[04] KOSOVAR MEN RELEASED (L) BY NICK SIMEONE (TIRANA)DATE=5/23/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249694 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: HUNDREDS OF KOSOVAR MEN WHO HAD BEEN DETAINED BY SERB FORCES SINCE EARLY IN THE NATO WAR OVER YUGOSLAVIA HAVE BEEN RELEASED. THEY WERE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO ALBANIA WHERE V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE REPORTS THEY TOLD OF BEING BEATEN AND HELD AS HUMAN SHIELDS. TEXT: THIS GROUP OF MORE THAN 500 MEN HAD BEEN MISSING SINCE EARLY IN THE WAR, AFTER BEING FORCIBLY SEPARATED FROM THEIR FLEEING FAMILIES. U-N-H-C-R SPOKESWOMAN MELITA SUNJIC DESCRIBES THEIR CONDITION. [SOON' YICH] // SUNJIC ACT //THEY WERE EXAMINED BY MEDICAL DOCTORS WHO FOUND THAT THEY HAD BEEN BEATEN AND OBVIOUSLY HAD SOME UNHEALED BROKEN BONES. SOME OF THEM HAD BEEN USED AS HUMAN SHIELDS, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THEM WERE FORCED TO LOOT HOUSES, TO BURN DOWN KOSOVAR HOUSES. // END ACT //THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS THESE KOSOVAR MEN ARRIVED VERY WEAK AND IN TERRIBLE PSYCHOLOGICAL SHAPE, HOPING THAT SOMEWHERE IN ALBANIA THEY MIGHT FIND THE RELATIVES THEY WERE SEPARATED FROM. THEY CROSSED THE ALBANIAN BORDER WITH LITTLE MORE THAN THE CLOTHES THEY WERE WEARING AND WITH NO EXPLANATION ABOUT WHAT MAY HAVE LED TO THEIR SUDDEN RELEASE. BUT THEIR ACCOUNTS PROVIDE ANOTHER INDICATION THE SERBS MAY BE FORCING CIVILIANS TO SERVE AS HUMAN SHIELDS AND TO TAKE PART IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN PROVINCE. TWO-MONTHS INTO THE NATO AIR WAR, THE U-N-H-C-R'S MELITA SUNJIC IS AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHY THE EXODUS OF REFUGEES ARRIVING IN ALBANIA AND NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA APPEARS TO EBB AND FLOW. // SUNJIC ACT //IT ALWAYS COMES AS A SURPRISE WHETHER THE TAP (THE FLOW) IS ON OR OFF. WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE LAST WEEK WHEN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WEEK A TOTAL OF 63 PEOPLE CAME AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD NEARLY THREE-THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED ON FRIDAY AND MORE THAN 600 ON SATURDAY. SO NOBODY KNOWS. // END ACT //NATO IS PLANNING ON BUILDING AT LEAST TWO MORE CAMPS IN MACEDONIA
TO KEEP UP WITH NEW ARRIVALS. SOME REFUGEES ARE BEING EVACUATED
TO OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT NATO IS PREPARING FOR THE POSSIBILITY
THAT SHELTERS WILL HAVE TO BE BUILT TO HOUSE PEOPLE THROUGH THE
UPCOMING WINTER. (SIGNED)
[05] MACEDONIA/REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY SUZANNE KELLY (SKOPJE, MACEDONIA)DATE=5/23/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249691 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BUSES AND TRAINS FILLED WITH REFUGEES CONTINUE TO FLOW THROUGH THE BLACE BORDER CROSSING INTO MACEDONIA. AS SUZANNE KELLY REPORTS, THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF REFUGEES HAS HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS WORRIED ABOUT WHERE THEY WILL GO. TEXT: MORE THAN SIX-THOUSAND REFUGEES CROSSED INTO MACEDONIA SATURDAY, AND HUMANITARIAN AID AGENCIES SAID SIMILAR NUMBERS CROSSED SUNDAY. AID WORKERS SAY THE LATEST REFUGEES ARE IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION, BUT CONTINUE TO BRING WITH THEM STORIES OF ATROCITIES THEY SAY WERE COMMITTED BY SERB POLICE. THE REFUGEES HAVE BEEN ARRIVING BY BUSSES AND TRAINS AT THE BLACE BORDER, BRINGING WITH THEM WHAT FEW POSSESSIONS THEY COULD CARRY. BUT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOW OUT OF KOSOVO, THEIR FUTURE IS STILL UNCERTAIN. THE HIGH NUMBERS OF REFUGEES HAS AID WORKERS CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE TO PUT THEM. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE U-N-H-C-R SAYS THAT IF THE HIGH NUMBERS CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS -- AS IS EXPECTED -- THE CURRENT REFUGEE CAMPS WILL QUICKLY BE FILLED TO CAPACITY. THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT, ONCE RELUCTANT TO ALLOW THE BUILDING OF ANY ADDITIONAL CAMPS, HAS NOW IDENTIFIED A FEW AREAS FOR POTENTIAL CAMPS, WHICH THE U-N-H-C-R WILL INSPECT LATER THIS WEEK BUT OFFICIALS SAY TIME MAY NOT BE ON THEIR SIDE, SINCE AS MANY AS
20-THOUSAND REFUGEES COULD CROSS INTO MACEDONIA IN THE NEXT TWO
TO THREE DAYS -- AND IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO
GET A NEW CAMP READY TO HOUSE THEM. (SIGNED)
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