http://www6.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=03&dd=24&nav_id=58041
FoNet/Beta News Agency
March 24, 2009
Tenth anniversary of NATO attack
BELGRADE - Today is the tenth anniversary of the NATO air strikes on Serbia and
then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ).
At midday, air raid sirens sounded throughout the country in a mark of
remembrance for the victims.
The government, which has decided to build a memorial center dedicated to the
victims of the air strikes, called on all citizens to suspend their activities
and respect the minute’s silence for the victims.
Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said that the air strikes had been an illegal
act that could have been avoided.
"Could the bombing have been avoided? We know the answer. Only reason can
prevail over evil," he told a special cabinet meeting today.
Cvetković said that 1,002 soldiers and police officers had perished during the
bombing, as well as around 2,500 civilians, including 89 children, while 12,500
people had been injured.
He underlined that the air strikes had not solved the problems in Kosovo, nor
had they established the rule of law or peace in the province.
He said that Serbia had elected to resolve the problem using peaceful and
democratic means, but that it would never recognize Kosovo's unilateral
independence.
"The bombing led to long-term detrimental repercussions for Serbia. For the
future of our children, we must not let this happen again," the prime minister
stressed.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that the bombing had been carried out
without the UN’s authorization and that its result had been Kosovo’s
declaration of independence.
"Whatever the cause was, that campaign should not have been carried out in a
democratic, civilized world. That was a crime against our people,“ said Dacic.
He added that in the same way as the air strikes had been launched against
Serbia, certain countries had recognized Kosovo’s independence in contravention
of the principles of international law.
The anniversary of the bombing was also marked at the Russian House in a
ceremony attended by representatives of the government, the Russian Duma,
businessmen and politicians.
Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin said that now, instead of military bombs,
bombs of a political nature were falling on Serbia.
“No-one had any illusion as to the intention of taking Kosovo from Serbia,
while even now there are no illusions that the wish of the European presence in
Kosovo, which is squeezing out the UN, is to implement the Ahtisaari plan. But
even that’s not the last political bomb. From The Hague they’re bombing you
with harsh condemnations of Serbs,” Konuzin stressed.
During the 78 days of the air strikes, in a campaign titled Operation Allied
Force, over 3,000 people perished, while civilian and military infrastructure
suffered severe damage. Economists have estimated the vale of the damage at USD
29.6bn.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
