April 9, 1999

WORLD CONTINUES TO WATCH CRISIS IN KOSOVO

The unprecedented high daily volume of commentaries on developments in Kosovo continued to appear today in media outlets in every region of the world. Views were wide-ranging on the propriety and efficacy of the NATO air strikes, with the general breakdown remaining the same: a majority of analysts in NATO capitals remained very supportive of Operation Allied Force, while media voices in Russia, Bulgaria and China were among the most stridently critical of the action. Opinion in the Arab and Muslim world continued to be mixed. Regional themes follow:

EUROPE: Most analysts in London, France and Germany repeated their contention that the Alliance had no choice--and was right--to resort to the use of force to deal with "this kind of regime" in Belgrade. Paris's right-of-center Le Figaro made this point: "Violation of international law was highly and rightly criticized. But Milosevic's atrocities have conveyed legitimacy to NATO's operation." A number of commentators believed that Operation Allied Force's air strike strategy has made progress and that there is "an impetus building to NATO's advantage." These observers further agreed with the judgment that it is imperative that Mr. Milosevic "surrender." Many also held that unless the Alliance wants to "settle for a partial victory," ground troops will ultimately have to be introduced. Notably, a number of commentators in the Western European press believed that NATO strategists did not plan their mission well, and should have foreseen the humanitarian crisis that developed with the flood of refugees. A large segment of commentary stressed that it behooves the Allies to do all in their power to take care of the refugees, and many asserted that that would entail protecting them in the years to come when the refugees return to Kosovo. A few dailies in Western Europe were joined by others in Russia and Sofia in expressing some concern about NATO's perceived "ferocious opposition" to any "compromise." They urged that the door for negotiations with Belgrade remain open. Some writers--particularly in France--held that Russia would, sooner or later, have to play a major role in any solution to the crisis. Detractors inveighed against NATO's "aggression" against a sovereign country and blamed Alliance decisionmakers for contributing to the "humanitarian catastrophe that they claim they sought to avert." In Moscow, a few reformist papers, again noting that the "hysteria" in Russia over the bombing campaign "has begun to subside," determined that the public view of events in Kosovo has "noticeably changed"--a result, Segodnya suggested--of images shown on Russian TV of the exodus of Kosovo Albanians.

ELSEWHERE: Opinon in the Arab/Muslim press was broadly divergent. Critics in the West Bank and Pakistan argued that the U.S. has taken action, not to protect the Muslim Kosovars, but to "unleash its new policy...to rule the world." Others complained that the role of the UN has been "canceled" by the NATO decision to intervene. Islamabad's pro-Muslim League Pakistan, however, deemed NATO's performance "laudable." There were a number of complaints that the Muslim world itself has made little effort to help solve the situation in Kosovo. Meanwhile, official media in Beijing has been unswerving in its criticism of the NATO operation, maintaining that the U.S. has become "increasingly assertive in the international arena."

This survey is basedon 69 reports from 44 countries, April 6-9.

EDITOR: Diana McCaffrey

To Go Directly To Quotes By Region, Click Below

|  EUROPE  |     |  MIDDLE EAST  |    |  EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC  |    |   SOUTH ASIA  |    |  AFRICA  |

 |  WESTERN HEMISPHERE   |

FORMER YUGOSLAVIA

CROATIA: "A Kosovo Dead-End?"

Government-controlled Vjesnik ran this comment by Nenad Ivankovic (4/8): "NATO started to bomb Serbia without a clear and realistic geopolitical blueprint for the entire region, and that is basically the source of the deepest uncertainty and risk.... There is an abundance of questions, yet no answers. And that is the key problem. Hence, it seems urgent to create a realistic plan for resolving territorial-ethnic conflicts, guaranteed by major world powers, that would somewhat satisfy this region's key players and sides. Only then would the bombing of Serbia make rational sense, and we would know what is to be achieved through it."

SLOVENIA: "How To Sell A War"

Left-of-center Delo concluded (4/9): "Information is the first victim of a war. Traditionally, governments limit, control, and direct reporting of the media.... America knows best that a war is as much a matter of TV screens as it is of bombs.... The United States has not shined in 'the selling' of the war in Kosovo recently.... In the media field, Serbia is utterly controlled. ... Besides the [media] manipulation of the domestic public, public relations skill, which Belgrade has demonstrated, is [great.] The United States with its media machine was able to shine during air strikes against Baghdad because it was dealing with an undeveloped and controllable country. In the case of Yugoslavia, (the United States) was mistaken. This is an encounter with a cultural and civilized sphere, which is technically on a European level, and an environment which accepts information in the American way."

"Power Of Morality, And The Morality Of Power"

Independent, left-of-center Dnevnik judged (4/9): "If the president of the strongest country in the world uses the language of philosophers and theologians, this has to be understood as a sign of changed rules.... [President Clinton's] speech before [Easter]...has revealed that principle of sovereignty that had been followed in the past, contradicts political morality.... [But] what if the norm was violated by a big country, or a country possessing nuclear weapons? And who is authorized to decide when a country's sovereignty may be violated? These questions indicate that the power principle is very important in this context and that a formula will have to be found according to which the principle of 'relative sovereignty' will become the basis for the new world order. It is true that the West had a number of excuses for its intervention in Kosovo.... But great danger exists that this one-time action will become a precedent for the 'morality of power' in international relations."

EUROPE

BRITAIN: "Send In The Troops"

The lead editorial in the conservative Daily Telegraph held (4/9): "Western political goals have shifted. After the events of the past fortnight, it is difficult to imagine for NATO, let alone the wretched Kosovars, anything less than a complete severing of ties between the province and the rest of the federation.... The air war is entering its third, tactical phase, targeting those in Kosovo carrying out the ethnic cleansing.... Public support for the war remains high. In short, there is an impetus building to NATO's advantage. The Alliance should seize this moment to announce a new goal and new means to achieve it. The first is the independence of Kosovo; the second is the commitment of ground forces. Tony Blair has a key role in effecting this transition. He is close to Bill Clinton, on whom the success of Allied operation depends. If he can persuade the president to will the means for victory, just as Margaret Thatcher stiffened George Bush's resolve after Iraq had invaded Kuwait in 1990, then Milosevic's cause is lost.

"The longer the air war continues without such a commitment, the more vulnerable will the Alliance become to Belgrade's wiles.... There is a tide in the affairs of men. Now is the time to take it."

"Don't Let The Endgame Be His"

The independent weekly Economist had this lead editorial (4/9): "The hope must be that NATO will still be able to inflict enough damage from the air to make Mr. Milosevic yield. The likelihood, however, is still that it won't. Unless the West is ready to use ground troops, and accept casualties, it may have to settle for a partial victory, which is a way of saying a partial defeat. Call it what you will, it will mean concessions.... That will be the price of going to war without the will to do the job properly."

FRANCE: "Kremlingate And Kosovo"

Left-of-center Le Monde's editorial judged (4/9): "In the coming days, the West might very well need a strong Russia.... Unfortunately, Moscow is in the grips of several scandals.... Moscow could play an important role in the Balkan crisis if it chose to, but instead, there are too many Russian officials eager to side with Milosevic's regime.... The Russian in-fighting should alert the West not to pin all its hopes on Primakov and a negotiated solution with Milosevic. Those who want to 'help' the Russian prime minister should never lose sight of the risks involved in high-profile Western support.... Primakov may be the lesser evil...but to date he has done nothing to break with an almost rhetorical anti-West Russian attitude. And in the Kosovo crisis, this has had terrible results: Fault lines from the Cold War era are back."

"Nations And Passions"

Claude Imbert held in right-of-center weekly Le Point (4/9): "It is hard to put a label on the Kosovo conflict for various reasons.... Even more so because NATO has approached it the wrong way. Still, a war must be judged on its final outcome. Much is riding on that outcome.... After this conflict, Europe will not be the same.... Because of its lack of credible European defense, the military operation underway is under U.S. leadership.... As we stand today, both the United States and Europe must obtain Milosevic's surrender.... NATO and Europe would have much to lose if this were not the case. And a political solution cannot leave Russia outside the game, because Russia is a necessary player on the European chess board.... Contrary to what many are saying, this war is more European than American."

"Watchfulness"

Pierre Rousselin opined in right-of-center Le Figaro (4/9): "We must remain on our guard and avoid every sign of excessive optimism.... Faced with Milosevic's escalation, NATO answered with new challenges.... Violation of international law was highly and rightly criticized. But Milosevic's atrocities have conveyed legitimacy to NATO's operation.... Transatlantic divisions have taken a backseat to other more pressing priorities.... The Atlantic Alliance has shown extraordinary unity.... NATO can, after the Cold War era, hope to fight for common values.... But for the Alliance, the hardest is still to come. It must show the same capacity to master its power as it did in the face of adversity."

"Avoiding The Baghdad Syndrome"

Yves Therard contended in right-of-center France Soir (4/9): "A ground intervention appears inevitable. The question is how big will it be? Will it be to restore peace, or just defend the Kosovars? This will require the elimination of Milosevic...and an all-out war. A war liberated from the Baghdad syndrome and the famous 'surgical strikes' which have never kept Saddam from killing."

GERMANY: "Refugees At Milosevic's Disposal"

Peter Muench maintained in an editorial in centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (4/9): "When we now hear reports that thousands of refugees were driven back to Kosovo by the Serbian military, this is alarming. Irrespective of speculation about Milosevic's reasons, he has demonstrated one thing to the world: Whether the Kosovo-Albanians are expelled or whether they remain dependent solely on the leader in Belgrade. In Serbian calculations, the Albanian refugees are no more than a mass of humanity that can be moved back and forth according to his will."

"Milosevic Must Be Stopped"

Regional radio station Sender Freies Berlin broadcast the following commentary by P. Giersberg (4/9): "Serbia may...realize that propaganda ruses such as the cease-fire will have no effect. In this situation, Defense Minister Scharping is acting very seriously and brilliantly. We believe him when he says that he is very worried about the fate of the Kosovo-Albanians and that he, against this background, will do everything to prevent Milosevic from realizing his aims.... Chancellor Schroeder, Foreign Minister Fischer, and Scharping have demonstrated that Germany will not accept the cynicism of the persecution and expulsion of Albanians. This shows that Germany has learned its lesson from history calling for full adherence to the Human Rights Convention of the UN, which bans a policy of destruction such as the one being carried out by the Serbs. This tyrant must be stopped. And this resoluteness seems to be successful despite all those who have doubts about it."

"Responsibility Of The Military"

Paul Georg Hefty had this to say in an editorial in right-of-center Frankfurter Allgemeine (4/9): "Why do we know so little about the situation in Kosovo? In the past, the military argued that it helps the enemy to know what others know about military operations. But this argumentation is out-of-date. Now that computer-based pictures made by satellites and unmanned aircraft are common, every state realizes that its sophisticated opponents know almost everything about it. In this situation, it would not be detrimental for NATO to present pictures showing that a great mass of people has been rounded up at Site A, or that women and children are being forced into camps near military objects at Site B.... But NATO is not making a great effort to inform the people in the member countries of what is going on or to present evidence of horror stories.... In a democracy it is not the responsibility of the people to seek out information, it is the responsibility of the military to provide it to them."

ITALY: "The Eternal Balkan Problem"

A front-page commentary by Sandro Viola in left-leaning, influential La Repubblica stressed (4/9): "The only certain thing is that there will be another little state--Kosovo.... It is very likely that, with Montenegro's separation from Serbia, there will be nine states in the former Yugoslavia. In sum, pure Balkanization, the biggest mess ever made by a single generation of government leaders and diplomats. A series of horrors that would have terrified the leaders and diplomats at the beginning of this century.... And the Serbian people will be the pariah of Europe in the year 2000. But the day the war is over...the Serbs will become a huge, festering lump of resentment and desperation.... Either the Serbs will realize that Milosevic is mainly responsible for their dramatic situation and will manage to recover in 10 or 20 years; or, as has always been the case in the Balkans before, they will feel they are victims of a plot against the Serbian nation.... In the latter case, we will see additional turbulence and a new instability emerge from that lump of resentment.... Considering possible post-war scenarios does not mean to question the reasons that have led to the war.... What else could we have done if not resort to the use of force with this kind of regime?... The fact remains, however, that this story will not be over with the end of NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia."

"Signals Of Truce And Otherwise"

Arturo Guatelli emphasized in Rome's centrist Il Messaggero (4/9): "They are very small, perhaps insignificant, but the signals of a possible truce exist at least: Germany's plan for stability in the Balkans; Dini's hope for a 'negotiated solution' of the crisis; Russia's extreme caution; the continuing initiatives of Vatican diplomacy; the ballet of hypotheses about the release of the three U.S. soldiers; Belgrade's announcement that it will stop chasing UCK terrorists." Guatelli, however, also lists the "negative signals: U.S. intransigence; Albright's and Cohen's bellicose intentions; NATO's intention to drag Milosevic before The Hague Court on War Crimes; the still dramatic situation of the refugees; the West's belief that the Rambouillet accords are not obsolete. Enough to realize that the truce is still far away, perhaps only a hope without the necessary political support.... Albright and Cohen do not seem to think about the future. They are determined to destroy Milosevic's regime.... Why are they so ferociously opposed to any hypothesis for a compromise?... One thing to keep in mind is that they are American Jews, and that, in their memories, the shame of Nazism has not yet been erased."

"A Cynical Chess Game"

On the front page of leading, rightist opposition Il Giornale (4/9), Edgardo Bartoli opined: "The political offensive with which Milosevic responded to the intensification of the military offensive...shows with sufficient clarity at least two things: that NATO is leading, but that the dictator is far from the idea of surrendering. After all, the only defeat he has suffered so far comes from the images and the news from Kosovo.... The repression of Kosovo, the most atrocious event since the beginning of the conflict, is a fait accompli at this point. It is now up to Western nations to draw the necessary conclusions.... The longer the war lasts, the more complicated it becomes to achieve its objectives, and the vision of possible post-war scenarios becomes increasingly confused.... If Western nations did not mean, and do not mean, to dismantle Yugoslavia, there is a limit to what they can possibly achieve. And since today's Yugoslavia is, de facto, Serbia; they cannot demonize it since it will remain a necessary firm point in any future configuration of that area. Without Milosevic, of course (a detail neglected by Dini when, in Luxembourg, he speeded things up, taking up the defense of tomorrow's Serbia already.)"

"Madeleine Defends Herself: 'This Is Not My Personal War'"

Andrea di Robilant commented in centrist, influential La Stampa (4/9) on Secretary Albright's interview on the Larry King Show: "Albright's reaction reflects the 'passing the buck' atmosphere that has developed in Washington since the beginning of the NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia. President Clinton said yesterday that he believes the air strikes will work and that there will be no need for ground troops. But American newspapers are full of anonymous statements by military and strategic experts--at the Pentagon, the CIA and other centers of power--expressing their dissatisfaction and criticism of the political leaders."

RUSSIA: "Serbs, NATO To Blame For Catastrophe"

Teimuraz Mamaldze stated in reformist Noviye Izvestiya (4/9): "There isn't, and there can't be, a simple answer to why Kosovars leave en masse, no matter how the antagonists try to justify their actions. They flee destruction and death, whoever is responsible--the Serbian police, 'their' KLA, or an American F-117A pilot. In that sense, NATO strategists may well list themselves among 'the co-authors' of the humanitarian catastrophe that they claim they sought to avert."

"Communists Want Censorship On TV"

Reformist Segodnya (4/9) published a comment by Aleksandr Koretsky: "The Duma's communists have never been known for objectivity. Afraid that they may lose a propaganda war over the Balkans, they demand that the government introduce military censorship on television. The military-political hysteria of the early weeks of the Balkan campaign has begun to subside. Russia, so Yeltsin assures, has finally given up the idea of military-technical aid to Belgrade. Apparently, the exodus of Kosovo Albanians to Macedonia, shown on TV over the past few days, has contributed to that decision. The detailed coverage of that tragedy by the Russian media, primarily television, has noticeably changed the public view of events in Kosovo."

"West Lies About Cleansing"

Yuri Panov stated in centrist, army Krasnaya Zvezda (4/9): "Belgrade's proposals attest to its good will and belie Western propaganda charges concerning ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Plans to expand military aggression against Yugoslavia in response to its peace initiatives make the situation even more absurd. NATO finds it increasingly hard to camouflage its aggressive plans."

"Foreign Policy Not Clinton's Forte"

Yevgeny Bai filed from Washington for reformist weekly Obshchaya Gazeta (4/9): "Foreign policy is not among Clinton's fortes. For a while he managed to avoid the fate of Lyndon Johnson and that of George Bush. The former lost the war in Vietnam and never recovered from that knockout. The latter won the Iraq campaign but had to step down because of his failed economic policy. Clinton faces a third, the worst, option. 'Vietnam in the Balkans' can kill him as a public politician and remove the Democratic Party from power for a long time."

ALBANIA: "FYROM And The Slav Mentality"

Top-circulation, sensationalist, centrist Shekulli ran this front-page editorial (4/8): "This arrogant behavior [toward Kosovar refugees] by a state [Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia] which is not yet even eight years old, and which remains viable in part because of the political will of its Albanian citizens, is a result of a barbaric Slav mentality."

BELGIUM: "Refugees Need Help Now; Tackle Milosevic Later"

Chief commentator Paul Geudens stressed in independent Catholic De Standaard (4/9): "Of course, it is above all Milosevic who is responsible for the tragedy in the Balkans--it is not NATO with its bombings. However, given the situation as it is today, Europe and the UN cannot withdraw from their humanitarian duties by shoving responsibility to the Serbian dictator. Deeds are required now. The lives of the people in the field count now. Later, after the madness of war, there will be sufficient time to tackle Milosevic."

"Rambouillet In Ruins, Political Future Unclear"

Edouard Van Velthem argued in independent Le Soir (4/9): "Actually, and Western chanceries are saying it increasingly bluntly, no lasting solution to the conflict can be found without a preliminary defeat and the political removal of the ultra-nationalist regime in Belgrade. The democratization of Serbia would then allow to take the 'model' imagined for Bosnia in Dayton as a reference, with its complex control and protection mechanisms."

BULGARIA: "Empathy"

Ruling party Demokratsia (4/9) commented: "Even though Bulgaria is operating under the conditions of a currency board and must somehow overcome the economic consequences of the war, it is still trying to help the refugees. Does the West realize that Bulgaria's financial stability is at risk?"

"The Dayton Agreement Reconstructed"

Georgui Apostolov wrote in top-circulation Trud (4/9) commented: "NATO made a mistake in planning operation Allied Force, and this mistake may turn into the reason for Yugoslavia's ultimate disintegration. In theory, the strikes were meant to weaken Milosevic's pressure on the Albanians in Kosovo. In practice, exactly the opposite has occurred. Talks with Milosevic are no longer a possibility--not to mention the Rambouillet process and the push for Kosovo's autonomy."

DENMARK: "No Half Measures"

Center-right BerlingkseTidende editorialized (4/9): "We must remain united during the coming days. Even though the air campaign does not yet appear to have stopped Milosevic's brutal actions in Kosovo, Yugoslavia's military and industrial infrastructure is in the process of being destroyed. New peace negotiations are inevitable, as sooner or later Milosevic will he realize that he is bound to lose. NATO's hard-line military policy must not rule out the possibility of a diplomatic solution. The Alliance must be ready to negotiate with Milosevic if he is willing to make real concessions. Milosevic must meet two important conditions: Troops must be withdrawn from Kosovo and peace keeping forces permitted to enter the province. Nothing less will do."

HUNGARY: "Relentlessness"

Top-circulation Nepszabadsag featured this op piece by Endre Aczel (4/9): "Like it or not, there is no alternative to Milosevic at the moment.... A less relentless line against the Yugoslav president would be more productive than the current one which, in spite of massive use of military force, does not seem to lead anywhere.... In view of the fact that there is not the least readiness for the Serbian and Albanian communities of Kosovo to live together, the 'Bosnia road' seems to be viable for Kosovo, too. At least they are not shooting each other there--that seems to be the most one can hope for these days."

"Burden Of Hatred"

Top-circulation Nepszabadsag also had this op-ed piece (4/9) by Bucharest University Professor Bela Bir: "Violence breeds violence. In such cases, decisions should be taken out of the authority of the states in question, and be taken over by the international community. However, these requirements can only be enforced within the framework of some sort of a global state.... NATO's assuming an international role and its actions in Yugoslavia are preparing the...inevitable setting up of such a state, that is the radical reform of the UN's institutional structure. In the Yugoslav conflict, the United States is most certainly not pursuing its own interests, but rather, is obviously representing global interests."

KAZAKHSTAN: "The Face Of The New World Order"

Independent weekly Novoye Pokoleniye (4/9) concluded: "It is clear that we face the creation of an absolutely new...world order that hides the dangerous seeds of new conflicts that may arise in the next century....

"As a superstate and having considerable military power and an influential military lobby, the United States needs an external enemy whose existence could not only realize Washington's ambitions with regard to democratic leadership but also help Clinton, during the final phase of his presidency, to cover the stain of 'Monicagate' and remain in recent memory as the winner over the 'last communist dictators.'... Events in Yugoslavia reveal that the UN, as one of the regulators of international relations and guarantors of international rights protection, has practically ceased to exist."

LATVIA: "Quo Vadis, NATO?"

Latvian-languge morning dailies Neatkariga Rita Avize and Jauna Avize and Russian-language retro-communist Panorama Latvii all published this opinion piece by Mavriks Vulfons (4/7): "More and more military specialists now believe that NATO's decision to attack Yugoslavia was made irresponsibly and in a hurry..... The international community is waiting to see whether NATO and the United States will listen to Kissinger, Gorbachev's and other polititians' advice--to stop warfare and together with Russia work out an agreement that would be attractive to Milosevic." Vulfsons also wrote that while NATO wanted to do good, it has committed a "mistake that not only brings misery to many innocent people, but can become a precedent for something else entirely that can painfully touch the Baltic region as well."

"Latvia Forced To Become 'Neutral'"

Russian-language Chas's columnist Leonid Fedoseyev editorialized (4/7): "Exiting the conflict without the help of Russia will be hard for NATO. As a result Latvia can again fall into the position of 'small change in the political game between the West and the East, in which much will depend on the final result of Balkan conflict. This does not mean the end of Latvia's independence, but rather possible serious rearrangements, among which: who in the future is going to want to be involved with Latvia? After Kosovo it will be difficult for the West to pretend that it does not notice the ethnic schisms in Latvian society, too, which right-wing parties...provoke. Most likely, one result of the Balkan conflict will be that Latvia is forced to become 'neutral' in spite of itself: The ruling coalition will not be able to establish friendly relations with Russia, nor with NATO and the West, lest it draw them into our local squabbles."

LITHUANIA: "Aggressive NATO"

Left-leaning Respublika ran this editorial commentary (4/8) by Egidijus Klumbys: "During the very important Christian week of Easter, NATO began to bomb civilian targets, such as electric plants and bridges. Countries proclaiming Christian values such as the United States, Great Britain and other Western country leaders did not pay heed to Pope John Paul's request to cease-fire on at least Easter Day. By contrast, the United States and other Western countries stopped bombing in Iraq before Ramadan for fear of angering the all Arabs.... It is unfortunate that NATO is meeting its 50th anniversary, not as an organization of defense, but as one of aggression. It is even more unfortunate that in her glory, NATO has forgotten to learn from the lessons of the past 30 years.... The Iraqi war with the West only strengthened Hussein's position as a leader. In the same way, NATO and the Western nations are only fortifying Milosevic's position.... NATO should seriously consider how to move forward and whether it is worthwhile to escalate a war in the already troubled region."

MOLDOVA: "We Should Be On NATO's Side"

Petru Bogatu wrote in Popular Front's Tara (4/9): "The war led by NATO against the Yugoslavia of Milosevic did nothing more than point out the new Russia's tendency..... Russia had to take the measure of precaution towards the free world and to move towards creation of its own political international alliance. The confrontation between NATO and Belgrade should be viewed from this point of view.

"We are very sorry for the hostilities in Balkans. But does this mean that we must accept the 'strategy of the ostrich?' No. Today no country, especially a small one, can be neutral on its own account. And as we choose the European integration we should be on NATO's side."

THE NETHERLANDS: "The Logic Of War"

Influential, liberal De Volkskrant's foreign editor Rob Vreeken reasoned (4/9): "The goals of the NATO operations were to protect the citizens of Kosovo and to force a compromise about the province of Kosovo, to prevent the crisis from spreading all over the Balkans. So far, the opposite of these goals has been achieved.... However this does not mean that NATO should be blamed for the suffering of the Kosovars. The guilty ones are the leaders in Belgrade, and hopefully they will be brought to trial in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the ethnic cleansing is a direct consequence of the bombings.... Now what? The West should use every serious opportunity for diplomacy; should be prepared to cease or postpone military actions; should take seriously the Russian offer to play a role; should try to make the UN play a permanent role; should form an armed buffer between Kosovars and Serbs."

NORWAY: "Russia's Big Chance"

Conservative Aftenposten emphasized (4/9): "Russia hasn't exactly taken on an easy job in trying to act as a negotiator between Yugoslavia and NATO to put an end to the air strikes and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Russia does not want a confrontation with NATO, and regards the Kosovo situation as an opportunity to increase its influence in European and international politics.... Unfortunately, the tendency has been to ignore Russia's views and arguments ever since Russia fell into deep domestic political and financial trouble. However, Russia is and will always remain a European superpower...[and] stability and predictability is equally important to Russia as to any other country.... Russia has been Serbia's main supplier of oil. It would be far less destructive, but a lot more effective, if Russia simply turned off the tap. Empty pipelines can be far more effective than full canon barrels. Russia has influence in Yugoslavia, and the means to exercise it. The political challenge for us is to ensure that Russia uses its influence to establish peace in Kosovo."

POLAND: "Under Moral Pressure"

Janusz Reiter pointed out in centrist Rzeczpospolita (4/9): "The developments of the past two weeks do not fit any scenario over the past 50 years. It sparks almost no interest that NATO for the first time used force against a sovereign country. An opinion that rightly prevails in Europe is that moral reasons calling for protection of the helpless Kosovar population have priority over a Security Council mandate, which is the instrument of a political game."

PORTUGAL: "Just In Time"

Deputy director Francisco Azevedo e Silva editorialized in Diario de Noticias (4/6): "The country spent a dozen days waiting for a formal clarification from the prime minister, and Antonio Guterres seems to have spent the same number of days waiting for something good--since success always comes late--that could fortify him to justify the 'good will' of the bombs against Serbia. From the interventions of the minister of foreign affairs and, on Sunday, of the prime minister, there is lukewarm support on the part of the government to NATO actions in Yugoslavia. Portuguese participation is on behalf of solidarity with the Alliance and only after that the Albanians of Kosovo. There remains the sense of [the Portuguese] having given a blank check to NATO, despite the best efforts of Antonio Guterres to provide a historical context for the conflict."

ROMANIA: "Going Toward The West, On Our Knees"

Under the above headline, leading, independent Adevarul had this view by chief editor Cristian Tudor Popescu (4/9): "Talbott said that 'Belgrade no longer has the authority to rule in Kosovo after all the massacres and crimes they committed.' Incredible. So, because at present Yugoslavia is run by a temporary national-communist dictator who, without NATO's precious help would have been soon gotten rid of by history, the White House wants to separate Kosovo from Serbia... It is obvious that the West no longer cares about God, people, or the law, and wants to turn what is left of the East into a ghetto. Hitler dreamed of transforming these territories into the Reich's 'bloody border,' a sort of wild reserve where young Aryans could pass the test of manhood by killing a flock of subhumans. Today the West has more refined tastes: Before killing these subhumans, it wants to bring them to their knees and humiliate them forever as a people and as a state.... Romania's problem is not that it doesn't belong to NATO or the EU.... We don't inspire anyone's respect.... The stupid hope of today's government is that if we were to be accepted into NATO, all the vileness and nonsense we have done would be wiped away. The Americans would help us restructure the country.... NATO is nothing but a desperate excuse. Nobody is willing to solve what we ourselves cannot."

"Terrible Shock"

Ion Cristoiu editorialized in opposition Cotidianul (4/8): "For many Romanians, this cruel image of the Westerners (NATO bombing campaign) was a terrible shock. Who would have imagined several decades ago, when we were waiting for the Americans to come and free us, that they would come to Europe not to help the Eastern European countries, but only to bomb them the minute we dare say anything else than: Yes, sir!"

SPAIN: "Hidden Drama"

Liberal El Pais opined (4/9): "The human tragedy represented by the Kosovar diaspora has been complicated by another: the forcible return by Milosevic's regime of tens of thousands from the borders, which it has not hesitated in mining, and towards which they had been expelled only days earlier. This new twist in his strategy has nothing to do with a sudden humanitarian impulse; rather, it presages the refugees' conversion into human shields against the Allied bombing. Thousands of persons are being treated as so much military materiel being moved from place to place. With its frontiers sealed, no one knows what is happening in Kosovo."

SWITZERLAND: "Kosovo As Zone Protected By UN Forces"

Ariane Dayer wrote in leading Swiss-Franch language weekly L'Hebdo (4/9): "History has shown that, once displaced, wounded populations are difficult to be brought back to their homes. However, the lesson has little to do with geography and more with political will. The return of Kosovars will only be guaranteed by converting the swift, international movement to start the war, into a common action to create in Kosovo a zone protected by UN forces."

TURKEY: "Balkans And The Future"

Server Tanilli argued in intellectual/opinion-maker Cumhuriyet (4/9): "Unfortunately, fascists like Milosevic can only understand the language of force. And it seems there is no other option than going all the way. As we are about to enter into a new millennium, nobody should tolerate the violation of basic principles, such as freedom, supremacy of law and multi-culturalism. The ongoing situation is very critical in terms of the world's future, which is already under threat of nationalistic, communal, ethnical or religious rivalries. A victory in the Balkans will reinforce freedom and law."

"The New NATO Tuning"

Sami Kohen commented in mass-appeal Milliyet (4/9): "NATO is doing fine-tuning in its strategy based on the new conditions.... There are some indications that Milosevic is not in a comfortable position, despite the fact that he still seems to be defying NATO. He can have some tactical advantages, but he cannot sustain it in the long run, as long as NATO remains determined.... In any case, it is for sure that currently we are far away from a ceasefire."

UKRAINE: "Tell Me Whom You Want To Help"

Centrist Den held (4/7): "The conflict around Kosovo is becoming more and more a factor in Ukrainian domestic politics. The left, led by (Rada speaker) Tkachenko, is whipping up hysteria about the Balkan war in order to bury Kuchma's multi-lateral policy and re-orient the country unambiguously to the East. This is already causing concern in the United States and Western Europe. A Western diplomat insistently tried to find out how much harm to NATO's and the Western community's image has been done by the Alliance's use of force in the Balkans. Harm has been done. Maybe to a lesser extent than in Russia, but in Ukraine, the air strikes have given an impetus to a large-scale left offensive."

"Information Barrier"

Centrist Den observed (4/7): "Although there are questions in the West about how effective the NATO action has been, there is no doubt concerning the motivation of the action. Refugee stories about ethnic cleansing in Kosovo appeared on Western TV channels well ahead of the NATO strikes. Russian television only started to report on the cleansing when it became impossible to conceal, when the count became not tens but hundreds of thousands. For the Russian TV viewer, it seemed that ethnic cleansing was a result, not a cause of the bombing. Ukrainian commentary sometimes resembled the Russians', sometimes the West. It is however difficult to discern a desire to analyze the situation from different angles, to explain what is happening instead of just taking a stand."

"NATO Propaganda"

Opposition weekly Polityka asserted (4/7): "Without justifying Serbian crimes in Kosovo, one can in no way agree with the NATO propaganda campaign that it is the monster Milosevic who is responsible for everything."

"Security Architecture At Risk"

Governmental Uriadovi Kurier said (4/7): "The supporters of the Slavic brotherhood accuse NATO of aggression using ideological slogans of the Soviet era, but they forget that warfare in Yugoslavia has gone on for almost ten years, with Milosevic always losing and acquiring a reputation in the West as the organizer of ethnic cleansing."

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL: "Bad Timing For Clinton"

Washington correspondent Orly Azolay-Katz argued in mass-appeal, pluralist Yediot (4/9): "President Clinton got himself into one of the America's most complex crises since WWII.... A great many Americans feel that diplomacy could have resolved the Kosovo problem.... For Clinton, the Kosovo crisis has arrived at an inauspicious time.... He has barely emerged from the impeachment trial...which has left him with a sense of profound bitterness and anger over what he feels was 'a blatant interference in my private life.'"

WEST BANK: "U.S. Tries To Replace UN Decisions With Its Own"

Talal Al-Sharif opined in independent, moderate Al-Quds (4/8): "One of the results [of NATO strikes] is to cancel the role of the UN, which recently started to regain its vitality. The double standard in UN decision-making began after the second Gulf War and the forced sanctions on Iraq and Libya that were followed by air strikes on Iraq during last December.... The United States is unleashing its new policy in order to rule the world amid...a new [world] order of political and economic control through military power.... There are no moral or ideological or even humane rules that govern this logic of power, control, and double standards.... So will there be anyone to stop this?"

EAST ASIA

CHINA: "Kosovo Crisis A War Game?"

Xi Mi commented on the opinion page of the official English-language China Daily (4/9): "Like the majority of Chinese, I feel a kind of anger and anguish about the naked aggression by NATO and the pain it is inflicting upon people in Yugoslavia. What upsets me most is that with NATO's superior military power, the Yugoslav people are so vulnerable. It is so unfair. It is so one-sided, it can hardly be called a war.... With its long-time arch-rival gone, the United States has become increasingly assertive in the international arena.... Of course we should have no illusions about such countries. Read their lips carefully when they preach such lofty ideals as human rights and be prepared when they show their teeth."

INDONESIA: "Kosovo Complications Spread, NATO Strikes Montenegro"

Leading, independent Kompas observed (4/9): "For the second time in six years the international community is seeing huge waves of refugees in the Balkans. The Bosnian crisis in 1993-1995 resulted in waves of refugees and 200,000 deaths. Milosevic and other Serb leaders apparently failed to learn from the Bosnian crisis. In fact, Milosevic--if not...himself a mastermind of the Bosnian-Muslim ethnic cleansing--was among those who witnessed that historic episode.... It remains difficult to foresee when the Kosovo crisis will end. If the crisis ends as the Bosnian crisis did, it does not guarantee the problems of a disintegrating Yugoslavia will be laid to rest."

SOUTH KOREA: "U.S. Looks Awkward With Russia In Focus Now"

Lee Dong-joon opined in moderate Hankook Ilbo (4/9): "More weight is being placed on Russia in the hope that its mediating role might do something in the Balkans. The United States is currently reaching out to Moscow, although it has so far ignored the Russian role. Now with the fighting offering no way out, Washington is seeking Russia's leverage.... In the meantime, Serbia is anxiously waiting for Russian mediation. This is because Slobodan Milosevic knows he would eventually lose by fighting. At this point, however, mediation remains a tough task as differences between the United States and Serbia remain."

VIETNAM: "Robbing And Shouting For Help"

Army's Party Committee and the Ministry of National Defense daily Quan Doi Nhan Dan remarked (4/9): "Hundreds of NATO warplanes and warships are pouring bombs and missiles on Yugoslavia. NATO justifies that activity by arguing that it is protecting Albanian Kosovars from Serbian ethnic cleansing, and that its attacks have been directed against Yugoslav military positions and forces only. But, quite to the contrary, AFP correspondents have reported, and we all have seen on television, that civilian facilities such as bridges, power plants, dwelling areas, and factories have been destroyed by NATO's bombs and missiles. This is exactly NATO's act of both robbing and shouting for help at the same time."

SOUTH ASIA

COLOMBO: "Ethnic Cleansing, Bombing And Anarchy"

The pro-opposition, English-language Island (4/7): "All the atavistic forces that swept the Balkan region in earlier times have resurfaced with dire consequences for all countries of South Eastern Europe. In the former Yugoslavia, the tensions were kept under control and assimilation and intermarriage among persons of different ethnic and religious groups became very common.... But no one reckoned with the forces of the past. As Eric Hobsbawn in his book 'Age of Extremes' has noted....one's identity had to be constructed by insisting on the non-identity of others. Hobsbawn also remarks that even a world divided into 'theoretically homogeneous ethnic territories by genocide, mass expulsion and ethnic cleansing' becomes heterogenized again by the constant shifting of peoples and by the working of the global economy.... This is a lesson to be learnt in Sri Lanka by those who among the Tamils and Sinhalese think ethnic cleansing is a good idea."

INDIA: "NATO's Balkan War"

The centrist Hindu featured this piece by Rajeev Dhawan (4/9): "The NATO strikes against Bosnia are nothing short of a declaration of war. It is a partisan war. This is not to condone what has taken place in Bosnia or deny the legitimacy of the May 1993 Yugoslavia War Crimes Tribunal. But NATO is fast displacing the UN as the peacekeeper of the world.... NATO's attempt to demonstrate that the Kosovo bombings are an act in defense of humanitarian law strains credibility. If NATO has the power to launch unilateral action of this nature, it has opened up unlimited options for itself.... If we go along this trajectory, it will simply mean that United States and NATO help is available to any country or sect of religion which regards itself as a contemporary ally of America--irrespective of whether or not such action has the official support of the UN.... We need a machinery to end atrocities against humanity. But such a system cannot be built around self-interested interventions by America through NATO."

NEPAL: "Unanswered Questions"

The independent Kathmandu Post insisted (4/9): "Milosevic has strengthened his grip on power by encouraging Serb nationalism at the expense of Bosnians, Croats and now Kosovo Albanians. No doubt this war has been triggered by unscrupulous politicians who care little for the peace and security of innocent humanity at large.... [But] how much can we count on the capacity and will of the UN? Can NATO act in theaters of war like Rwanda, Congo and Uganda?... Who will stop India and Pakistan, if extremists on one side or the other trigger another war over Kashmir? Who will provide means of sustenance and survival for billions of impoverished masses in South Asia, Africa and Latin America? These are a few urgent questions beyond the capacity of the UN, United States or NATO... It is a sad conclusion that the UN is not equal to the multifarious challenges before humanity. Neither is any nation."

"Debating The UN's Role"

In the view of government-owned Rising Nepal (4/9): "The action by NATO in Yugoslavia should focus more attention by the international community on similar issues elsewhere, calling for a more uniform policy. But whatever the approach, the UN should be at the forefront in addressing such issues. If big powers think it fit to take their own initiatives, how would other countries not opting for or desiring membership in organizations like NATO feel about the role of the UN? It is the task of all members to offer the UN the role it deserves in deference to the respect and credibility it was expected to inspire and earn at the time of its establishment more than 50 years ago."

PAKISTAN: "U.S., NATO Have Not Attacked Yugoslavia To Protect Kosovars"

Karachi-based, pro-Islamic unity Urdu-language Jasarat held (4/9): "The real motives behind the U.S. and Allied attack on Serbia are still not clear. But one thing is very clear, that they have not done this to protect the Muslims of Kosovo. They have some other agenda in mind. Some circles in the Muslim World feel that this action is being taken in order to suppress any emergent Muslim power in Europe."

"NATO Performance Laudable"

Pro-Muslim League, Urdu-language Pakistan said (4/9): "NATO's performance has been laudable, though as a result of its bombardment the Serbs have intensified their brutal ethnic cleansing, and villages are now being set afire.... It is unfortunate that the NATO strikes are being termed as ineffective, inadequate, or even based on some malign intentions. There has been no discussion of how the Muslim world plans to tackle the situation. No effort has been made to exert pressure on Russia either. If the 55-nation alliance [OIC] talks to Moscow, perhaps it would review its stance. The OIC must send a high-level delegation to persuade Russia to stop supporting President Milosevic.... Until now, only the West has come to the Kosovars' aid. We appeal to the Muslim nations to help the Albanians open-heartedly, and rush volunteers, doctors and nurses to the camps in Macedonia and Albania. Any delay in this matter would cost countless lives."

AFRICA

NIGERIA: "Reduced Relevance Of UN"

According to the Lagos-based, independent Post Express (4/9): "The ongoing air strikes organized by NATO against Yugoslavia raise questions about the consequence of a strengthened NATO.... The danger in the American use of NATO to fight a regional crisis is that such use diminishes the relevance of the UN as the vanguard organization for fighting for world peace and security, not only of nations but also of peoples."

SENEGAL: "The Real Stakes In NATO Intervention"

Independent weekly news magazine Le Temoin featured this analysis (4/6): "It was...the geopolitical stakes, not the beautiful eyes of the people in Kosovo, that made NATO determined to intervene in this Serbian province populated by Albanians as the majority.... A new partition of the region would make it necessary to recognize immediately the independence of all the other republics of former Yugoslavia. On the orther hand, Europe does not wish to see Kosovo become an independent state, because Europe does not want to create micro-states. In these conditions, how can the security of these countries with ill-defined borders be guaranteed, and at the same time assure the rights of minorities who live in these republics?... In order to resolve all the conflicts in the Balkans, all these republics will have to be independent, with bilateral and multilateral relations established among themselves, including customs unions, and other forms of federated cooperation."

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

CANADA: "Kosovo Is A Struggle With Anarchy"

Gordon Barthos wrote in the liberal Toronto Star (4/9): "Canada and the rest of NATO stand on the right side of history, in this cause. We have served notice, in our own European backyard at least, that crimes against humanity are no longer tolerable."

MEXICO: "Hopefully Pinochet's Fate Will Befall Milosevic"

Monterrey's popular El Porvenir ran this editorial (4/7): "Hopefully, what happened to Pinochet in London will make Milosevic realize that he will be tried by the international community sooner or later. Maybe he will also realize that other communities have the right to live and he will stop the butchery in Kosovo, which has actually increased in reaction to the attacks. I hope, too, that these lessons will show Mexicans where an unwillingness to accept differences eventually leads."

BRAZIL: "Humanitarian Catastrophe"

Former Brazilian President Jose Sarney opined on the editorial page of liberal Folha de Sao Paulo (4/9): "NATO's military intervention, violating all concepts...of the theory of non-interference in other nations' internal affairs, is shocking. But, on the other hand, how can one insensitively accept genocide, the massive atrocity being conducted by Milosevic to determine the Kosovars' destruction? By embracing the predictable unpopularity of a noble cause, the United States and NATO are involved in the difficult task of barring such an atrocity. To force Milosevic to stop is mankind's duty. Hatred cannot be used as a currency in international relations."

CHILE: "Spotlight On NATO Attacks, Not Milosevic's Ethnic Cleansing"

Catholic University Television Station, Channel 13, aired this on its prime-time news program (4/6) by international commentator Karin Ebensperger: "The United States and NATO, with all their technological power, will not conquer the Serbs from the air, and their bombings have been like placing an elephant in a crystal shop. Kosovars are worse off than before and the attacks are turning Milosevic into a hero. The world is now more aware of the recent bombings by NATO, than of Milosevic, who is conducting his third ethnic cleaning: Croatia, Bosnia and now Kosovo."

PERU: "NATO's Failure: War Worsens Crisis In Kosovo"

Strongly opposition La Republica said (4/5): "We still think that the use of force is inadmissable as a weapon to convince people. It is necessary that diplomacy be used again to obtain a negotiated solution for Kosovo. And the sooner the better, because neither the bombings nor the ethnic cleaning will solve the conflict."

URUGUAY: "NATO's Complex Dilemma"

Top-circulation, conservative El País told its readers (4/8): "The deportation, or forced transfer, of populations is one of the crimes identified in the Treaty of Rome as being subject to consideration by an international criminal court. The international community has a clear human, legal and political interest in ensuring that these actions are prevented and punished. The main difficulty in accomplishing this objective is to find the appropriate way to do it. Everything seems to indicate that NATO's present strategy is not the most appropriate method to avoid Serbian atrocities and protect Kosovar-Albanian civilians."

VENEZUELA: "The Kosovo Tragedy"

Influential, liberal El Nacional remarked (4/7): "To maintain, as the NATO spokespersons have, that only Milosevic is responsible...is where the NATO calculations break down. They cannot turn a blind eye to the half million human beings who are fleeing death and destruction, not only from the Serb forces, but also from the air attacks launched by democratic countries, governed by young leaders who we believed had thought differently."

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4/9/99

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