STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Get a low APR NextCard Visa in 30 seconds! 1. Fill in the brief application 2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds 3. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro or 9.99% Ongoing APR and no annual fee! Apply NOW! http://www.bcentral.com/listbot/NextCard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- June 25, 2001 Alexander Yakovenko, the Official Spokesman of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Answers a Question from RIA Novosti News Agency About the Role of NATO in Macedonia 1198-23-06-2001 Question: How would you comment on yesterday's statement by the NATO Secretary General, George Robertson, about the parameters of the Alliance's possible operation in Macedonia? Answer: We have carefully looked through that statement, containing quite unbiased assessments of what is happening in Macedonia. We also took due note of the words that "NATO troops will not participate in the establishment or police patrolling of any form separation or demarcation lines within that country," and that "NATO will not be a party to its division along ethnic lines." At the same time George Robertson confirmed the readiness of the Alliance to carry out an operation of assistance in the receipt and destruction of arms voluntarily turned in by groups of armed Albanian extremists. >From this it is becoming clear that the determination of the North Atlantic Alliance manifests itself only up to the moment a real threat of losses among the servicemen of the NATO countries arises. In other words, NATO is prepared to act only in the conditions of a total absence of risk. It's another matter - how much this is possible in the real situation in the Balkans. As to the plans of participation in the "voluntary" disarmament of Albanian gunmen, the world has already seen what the so called "demilitarization" of the formally disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army has ended in. In the conditions of the continuing reign of terrorism and extremism in Kosovo and support from the province's territory of the gunmen operating in Macedonia, one can hardly expect that the "voluntary surrender of arms" venture will by itself lead to a normalization of the situation. Miroslav Antic, http://www.antic.org/ ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
