-Caveat Lector-
________________________________________________
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
http://www.ainfos.ca/
________________________________________________
Montenegran port tells
Yugoslav navy to leave
09:45 a.m. Apr 13, 1999 Eastern
By Crispian Balmer
BAR, Montenegro, April 13 (Reuters) - Workers at Montenegrois largest
commercial port demanded on Tuesday that the Yugoslav Navy pull out after a
moored military vessel opened fire on NATO warplanes.
Fearful that the action could provoke a retaliatory attack by NATO, the
portis managing director Petrasin Kasalica sent a furious letter to the
head of the small navy saying he had abused their hospitality.
``You must urgently remove your
ships from the port,ii he told Admiral
Milan Zec. ``In these circumstances,
the port of Bar does not require or
need the protection of the navy,
especially when it is acting in such a
provocative manner.ii
The open letter contained a veiled warning that if the boats did not put to
sea, dockers might storm them to halt further attacks.
Montenegro forms part of the Yugoslav Federation, but its reform-minded
government has distanced itself from Belgrade and sought to maintain ties
with the West, denouncing Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic as a
warmonger.
Several hundred dockers gathered in a cavernous waterside warehouse in Bar
on Tuesday to protest against Mondayis action, when a small naval vessel
fired anti-aircraft canons at NATO warplanes.
The managing director of port handling, Dragan Nikezic, told the men that
the canons did not have the range to hit the high-flying aircraft, which
regularly pass through Montenegrin airspace on their way to sorties in
neighbouring Serbia.
``By doing this, our port, our
dockers and the citizens of Bar have
become a potential target,ii Nikezic
said. ``You will endanger both our
lives and your own...deprive
Yugoslavia of its largest link with the
outside world and cause a
humanitarian catastropheii
The southern Adriatic port of Bar employs some 1,800 people and has carried
on operating, albeit at a reduced rate, despite the NATO air strikes on
Yugoslavia.
The Yugoslav Navy spread its ageing flotilla around Montenegrin harbours
before the start of the Westis bombardment and NATO has warned that if any
of the ships put to sea they will be destroyed.
Officials said four or five military boats were anchored in Bar. The Monday
morning salvo was the first time the navy had opened fire on NATO.
``These ships are toys compared to what NATO has,ii Nikezic said.
NATO warplanes hit military sites within Montenegro at the start of their
air campaign, but the alliance has not targeted the small coastal republic
for more than two weeks for fear of destabilising the government.
Senior government officials have accused the Yugolsav army of trying to
draw NATO fire to whip up anti-Western feeling and undermine President Milo
Djukanovic.
The dockers applauded loudly as
Kasalicis letter was read out at their
assembly. ``The workers are deeply
embittered,ii the letter said, adding
that action had to be taken to avoid
``self-organised groups of workers
from taking over your (navy)
objects.ii
Union leader Zoran Ostojic, speaking in front of a mountainous pile of
humanitarian food aid sent by the United States, condemned the NATO air
strikes, but said he was determined to save the port.
``The workers of Bar refuse to be mobile targets and the victims of the
political games of other people,ii he told the workers.
The port, which has a storage capacity of five million tonnes, had to be
completely rebuilt following an earthquake in 1979.
``We know what it means to have our port destroyed and how much effort is
needed to rebuild it,ii a port spokeswoman said.
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior
written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or
delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Free thought, neccessarily involving freedom of
speech and press, I may tersely define thus:no
opinion a law-no opinion a crime.
Alexander Berkman
********
The A-Infos News Service
********
COMMANDS: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
REPLIES: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
HELP: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WWW: http://www.ainfos.ca/
INFO: http://www.ainfos.ca/org
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
