30.05.1999

OHR SRT News Summary, 30 May 1999

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More than 10 people were killed in NATO bombing of a bridge near Varvarin European members of NATO support, with obvious restraint, Chernomyrdin’s peace initiative Holly Spirit holiday in the RS today and tomorrow New Slovakia president Rudolf Schuster

Detailed reports about bombing throughout Serbia. One person was killed and one wounded in the bombing of Vranje. 15 bombs were aimed at Belgrade. One surface-to-surface missile was fired at Vucak village, north east of Smederevo. Nis was also bombed.

European Foreign Affairs Ministers are to convene tomorrow in Brussels in preparation for the European summit in Cologne scheduled for June 3 and 4. Special attention will be paid to the solution of the Kosovo crisis. Germany and France suggested a G8 meeting in order to discuss the agreement reached between Milosevic and Chernomyrdin.

European members of NATO, TANJUG reports, support Chernomyrdin’s peace initiative but the United States and Britain are noticeably restrained. British diplomatic circles assess that the faith of that initiative will depend on the opinion of the States.

New Russian PM, Stepashin talked with Chernomyrdin on the Kosovo crisis.- Reuters report.

Massimo d’Alema, Italian PM, assessed that the next few days would be decisive for a peaceful solution.

British PM, Tony Blair said that raising the indictment against Milosevic was not a political act. He said that the indictment would help in justifying the bombing of Yugoslavia.- Beta reports

16 people were killed and material damage amounted to $1 billion in the NATO bombing of Serbian media.- Serbia Ministry of Information- Beta reports.

Milo Djukanovic expressed moderate optimism regarding agreement that was reached between Milosevic and Chernomyrdin.

Serbian Deputy PM, Vojislav Seselj said that Yugoslavia’s acceptance of solving the crisis on G8 principles contained some risk but that Yugoslavia could give in here if the price is the cessation of war-Beta reports. Talking about NATO deployment on FRY territory, he said this was unacceptable as it would be capitulation.

SPO considers that the acceptance of G8 principles must be answered with the cessation of bombing.

Albanian refugees are refusing to leave overburdened Macedonian refugee camps and be transported to Albania- UNHCR. NATO General Walter Jertz informed the press that two incidents occurred in the last 24 hours during bombing actions. One incident occurred in Pirot in an attack on an ammunition depot when one bomb went astray because the target was covered with smoke. The second incident occurred near Nis when NATO pilots launched two bombs at the river because the military target was hidden in the forest. He did not say if there were casualties in these two incidents and reiterated that the air campaign would intensify. According to him there were 697 flights yesterday. During the past 24 hours NATO has hit artillery, ground troops, tanks, arms depots, radar and missile posts, command centres and a wide range of, as he said, strategic targets. General Jertz said that Serbian forces were using temporary bridges in Kosovo and amassing new weapons instead of destroyed ones. He also said that the KLA was trying to maintain the supply corridor in the west of Kosovo towards the Albanian border. Jamie Shea said that the job of NATO pilots was dangerous but they were trained and professional. He said that pilots fly in 12-hour shifts and that they are very motivated. Pilots prepare for 4 hours before the flight, then fly for 6 hours and then spend 2 hours briefing on the action. Commenting on speculation that if NATO does not win until June 8 it would mean the failure of the air campaign, Shea said that air campaign was successful and there was no change of strategy. Responding to a question on reports about environmental pollution because of the bombing, he said that that NATO was selective regarding choosing targets and that there were no long-term consequences for the environment.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister said that the conviction of the CARE workers was unacceptable and would be appealed against.

A protest demonstration took place in Brussels against NATO action and the Belgrade authorities’ treatment towards Albanians.

The first mobile telephones will be operational in the RS next week. The subscription fee will be 700KM.- Telekom Srpske.