-Caveat Lector- NATO Defends Strikes to World Court By MIKE CORDER .c The Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- Stopping NATO airstrikes before there is peace in Kosovo would allow Yugoslavia to complete ``ethnic cleansing'' in the southern Serb province, alliance members told the World Court on Tuesday. Belgrade claims the airstrikes that began March 24 breach the U.N. charter and other international treaties, including the 1948 Genocide Convention. It wants the U.N.'s highest judicial body to order the bombing stopped while the court decides on the legality of the air campaign, a process that could take years. Any ruling by the court would likely have little effect. If the court orders a halt to airstrikes and NATO keeps bombing, Yugoslavia can only report the alliance to the U.N. Security Council -- which is dominated by NATO members. The 10 NATO members involved in the bombing insist their air campaign is a legally justified intervention aimed at ending a humanitarian catastrophe -- Yugoslavia's forced eviction of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. ``NATO refused to stand idly by to watch yet another campaign of ethnic cleansing unfold in the heart of Europe,'' U.S. State Department legal adviser David Andrews told the court. Seven allies -- Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Britain and the United States presented their cases Tuesday. Belgium, Canada and France addressed the court Monday after Yugoslavia outlined its case. The NATO allies argued that the court, formally known as the International Court of Justice, has no jurisdiction because Yugoslavia is not a United Nations member. They said Belgrade's genocide claims are a ploy to underpin its weak case. A clause in the genocide convention names the World Court as the venue to resolve disputes arising from the convention. Yugoslavia accused the allies of genocide against the Yugoslav people, claiming NATO is endangering the entire population with pollution caused by attacks on oil refineries and chemical plants. Andrews called the Yugoslav claims of genocide ``a feat of hypocrisy and cynicism of Orwellian proportions.'' Both sides will be given time to reply. The court was expected to rule within weeks. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
