Headlines
- Orthodox Christians Worldwide Celebrating Holiday of Resurrection of Jesus Christ Today
- NATO Air Attacks on Kosovo Strengthened Last Night and Today – At Least 6 People Killed in Attacks, 11-month old Baby Among Them
- NATO Taking Control of Albanian Airports, Harbours and Military Facilities
- British Defence Committee Condemns Politics of PM Blair – Aggression on Yugoslavia is Catastrophic Mistake
- US Lifted Embargo on Delivery of American Weapons to Croatia
- India Released Information on Its Successful Test of Ballistic Missile With 2,200 km Range
Easter celebrations throughout the RS and Yugoslavia.
Patriarch of Rumanian Orthodox Church, Teoktis, stated in Bucharest that his people cannot feel sincere joy of resurrection while a brotherly orthodox country, historically related, is jeopardized by the force of weapons. Patriarch of Moscow and Russia, Alexey II on Friday condemned the shelling of Yugoslavia and called on leaders of NATO countries to cease the attacks at least during the Easter holidays. Reports on Easter services in Istanbul, Jerusalem, Australia, Zagreb, Slovakia, Hungary.
In attacks on civilian targets in the area of Kursumlija, 6 people were killed and 23 wounded. An 11-month old baby is among the dead. Wider area of Belgrade, Avala, was shelled during the night. According to the informative centre of the city, there was fighting between NATO aircraft and air-defence of the Yugoslav Army, but the results are still unknown. The wider area of Srbobran and Sombor was also shelled during the night and Yugoslav air-defence shot down another NATO aircraft above the village of Backi Brestovac, but this information has not been confirmed by the Yugoslav army yet. According to the Intelligence Service of Yugoslav Army, schools, health institutions and Serb monasteries were shelled in the Ibar region. The whole of Kosovo was under 24-hour attack by NATO bombers, while 10 missiles hit civilian facilities in Podujevo, and 3 civilians were killed.
President of the FRY and the Supreme Commander of the Yugoslav Army, Slobodan Milosevic decorated two pilots with medals.
Voice of protest against aggression on the FRY and against the Brcko Arbitration Award were causes for today’s protest in Brcko, organised by the Board for Protection of the DA and the RS. Despite the ban placed by the Macedonian authorities on the holding of anti-NATO and anti-American protests, the signing of a petition against the NATO aggression on the FRY has been going on for the last few days in orthodox temples throughout Macedonia. Demonstrations in Macedonia continue.
Several thousand Serbs protested quietly with candles and icons in the centre of Vienna last night and this continues today, as well as in Graz and Klagenfurt. The protest in London, which has been going on since the beginning of the aggression against the FRY, continues, as organised by the British Committee for Protection of Peace in the Balkans led by members of the British Parliament. Demonstrators gathered today in front of the Palace of Justice in the Dutch city Dan Bosche. More than 5,000 demonstrators protested today in the centre of Sidney. About 100,000 citizens of Rome and other Italian cities expressed their protest against NATO aggression on the FRY at a big event in Rome. A protest rally was also held in Stuttgart by several thousands of demonstrators. Several thousands of peace supporters gathered in Hamburg, Strasbourg and Bilbao.
Agencies today report the arrival of UN SG, Kofi Annan to Madrid, as well as the arrival of US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright to Europe. At the same time, Russian Minister for Extraordinary Situations today urgently departed for Hungary, where a convoy of Russian trucks with humanitarian assistance for the FRY was held up.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov called again on cessation of NATO aggression on the FRY. He stated that he believes that his meeting with the US Secretary of State, which should be held in Oslo on Tuesday, will bring a political resolution of the conflict in Yugoslavia. German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joschka Fischer decisively rejected the offer of the left wing of the ruling coalition, to put an end to participation of Germany in NATO attacks on Yugoslavia. Former President of Austria, Rudolf Kirschneger, expressed his doubts about results of NATO aggression on the FRY. Pope John Paul II called on the people at today’s service in Lucienca, Rome, not to lose hope for peace in Kosovo. Macedonian Minister of Defence, Nikola Kljusev, stated that a war cannot solve the Kosovo crisis. The London “Observer” claims today that the terrorists of the so-called OVK (KLA) are the main ally of NATO in its aggression on Yugoslavia. According to the “Sunday Telegraph”, discussions started in the British Parliamentary Defence Committee on mistakes in politics of the British PM Tony Blair and the general assessment is that the NATO aggression on Yugoslavia has been the biggest disaster since the invasion of Suez. A Leading Chinese daily newspaper today quotes a statement of the FRY President, Milosevic, that Yugoslavia is not only defending itself from attacks by aggressors, but also the right of other states and peoples for freedom, independence and development.
Radio Television of Serbia today reported that the FRY Security Bodies cut a spy network led by Major Steve Pratt, an Australian citizen who was collecting intelligence information on movements of the FRY Army and Police as an employee of Care International.
NATO Secretary General, Javier Solana stated that there are signals from Belgrade that the FRY President is starting to ease up in his standpoints on Kosovo, giving hope for positive diplomatic development.
Spokesman of NATO, Jamie Shea, stated at a press conference in Brussels that NATO reduced its attacks on Yugoslavia last night and today, due to the Easter holiday.
British Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robin Cook, showed his close relation with Kosovo Albanians at today’s press conference, as his Albanian counterpart, Paskal Milo was directly included by satellite connection in the conference.
Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mate Granic stated that decision of the US President, Clinton, on lifting the embargo on delivery of American weapons to Croatia, is directly linked to the Kosovo crisis.
The HSP organised a celebration in Western Mostar yesterday, on the occasion of the anniversary of the so-called NDH (Independent State of Croatia), causing tempestuous reactions of their Federal partners, the Bosniaks.
The standpoint of member of BiH Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, is that the statement of Envoy of Croatian President, Vladimir Seks, saying that Croatian component of the Federal Army has to stay closely linked to Army of Croatia, is absolutely unacceptable.
DHR, Jacques Klein yesterday announced that the Croatian request for extending of Zepca borders will be accepted.
The HDZ requested the OHR to pass an arbitration decision on new territorial-administrative structure of Travnik.