"NATO's military intervention paved way for separatism"

A gathering dedicated to the 13th anniversary of the start of NATO aerial war against the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) was held in Belgrade. The gathering heard today that the campaign had been conducted against all provisions of international law and UN Security Council resolutions. "NATO's military intervention paved way for separatism" NATO's military aggression against the SRJ paved the way for separatism in Kosovo, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin said during the even dubbed, "Kosovo and Metohija - 13 Years after NATO Aggression". "It was no coincidence that members of the (ethnic Albanian) Kosovo Liberation Army at the time, who are today high-ranking officials in Kosovo, spoke openly how NATO was fighting on their side," Konuzin stated. It is obvious today that the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo was part of the Euro-Atlantic plan to partition Serbia, Konuzin noted. "The Kosovo issue is still open, and Kosovo has become a testing range for illegal political meddling in internal affairs of sovereign countries with the use of force," he pointed out. The meeting was organized by the Belgrade Forum for the World of Equals, SUBNOR and the Club of Generals and Admirals. The speakers included former high-level officials of the SRJ Vladislav Jovanovic and Zivadin Jovanovic. Belarus Ambassador to Serbia Vladimir Gusev and representatives of the Chinese and Iranian embassies also attended. Ambassador Konuzin addresses the gathering (Tanjug) Victims to be honored in southeastern town A day of mourning for the victims of the 1999 war will be marked on Saturday in Aleksinac, a town in southeastern Serbia which suffered one of the most brutal NATO attacks during the 11-week air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) 13 years ago. Wreaths will be placed at a memorial site by Serbian President Boris Tadic, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac, and Chief-of-Staff of the Serbian Army Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic. Aleksinac, a town with a population of 17,000 located in the valley of the Juzna Morava River, was targeted with six powerful missiles striking a residential area on April 5, 1999, at 21:35 CET. The attack killed 11 people, at the same time injuring 50 citizens. The 13th night of air strikes left Aleksinac downtown ruined, with severe damages on 35 family homes, 125 apartments, a number of businesses, health care center, the local bus station, and other facilities. NATO representatives in Brussels claimed that the missiles had "gone off course due to a technical error", adding that "the real target" were army barracks located near the town. Upon visiting the ruins in Aleksinac, retired Canadian Maj. Gen. Lewis MacKenzie - who in the early 1990s commanded UN peacekeepers in Bosnia - stated that it was "a crime against civilians - peaceful citizens in their family homes, in the area with absolutely no military facility". In the spring of 1999, Aleksinac was attacked on a number of occasions, with the total death toll of 24 residents. NATO's 78-day war against Serbia, launched on March 24, 1999, resulted in the deaths of 2,500 civilians, 89 of whom were children, Tanjug news agency is reporting. Tanjug

"NATO's military intervention paved way for separatism"

NATO's military aggression against the SRJ paved the way for separatism in Kosovo, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin said during the even dubbed, "Kosovo and Metohija - 13 Years after NATO Aggression".

"It was no coincidence that members of the (ethnic Albanian) Kosovo Liberation Army at the time, who are today high-ranking officials in Kosovo, spoke openly how NATO was fighting on their side," Konuzin stated.

It is obvious today that the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo was part of the Euro-Atlantic plan to partition Serbia, Konuzin noted.

"The Kosovo issue is still open, and Kosovo has become a testing range for illegal political meddling in internal affairs of sovereign countries with the use of force," he pointed out.

The meeting was organized by the Belgrade Forum for the World of Equals, SUBNOR and the Club of Generals and Admirals. The speakers included former high-level officials of the SRJ Vladislav Jovanović and Živadin Jovanović.

Belarus Ambassador to Serbia Vladimir Gusev and representatives of the Chinese and Iranian embassies also attended.

Victims to be honored in southeastern town

A day of mourning for the victims of the 1999 war will be marked on Saturday in Aleksinac, a town in southeastern Serbia which suffered one of the most brutal NATO attacks during the 11-week air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) 13 years ago.

Wreaths will be placed at a memorial site by Serbian President Boris Tadić, Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac, and Chief-of-Staff of the Serbian Army Gen. Ljubiša Diković.

Aleksinac, a town with a population of 17,000 located in the valley of the Južna Morava River, was targeted with six powerful missiles striking a residential area on April 5, 1999, at 21:35 CET.

The attack killed 11 people, at the same time injuring 50 citizens.

The 13th night of air strikes left Aleksinac downtown ruined, with severe damages on 35 family homes, 125 apartments, a number of businesses, health care center, the local bus station, and other facilities.

NATO representatives in Brussels claimed that the missiles had "gone off course due to a technical error", adding that "the real target" were army barracks located near the town.

Upon visiting the ruins in Aleksinac, retired Canadian Maj. Gen. Lewis MacKenzie - who in the early 1990s commanded UN peacekeepers in Bosnia - stated that it was "a crime against civilians - peaceful citizens in their family homes, in the area with absolutely no military facility".

In the spring of 1999, Aleksinac was attacked on a number of occasions, with the total death toll of 24 residents.

NATO's 78-day war against Serbia, launched on March 24, 1999, resulted in the deaths of 2,500 civilians, 89 of whom were children, Tanjug news agency is reporting.