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Author:  Morning Star (UK)  


Publisher/Date:  May 10, 1999  


Title:  NATO hits Greek consulate  


Original location: http://www.poptel.org.uk/morning-star/news/05_10_1999.htm


NATO warplanes damaged the Greek consulate in the Serbian city of Nis at the weekend, just hours after the military alliance admitted bombing the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.

NATO member Greece has been critical of attacks on Yugoslavia, while Beijing has made clear its opposition to the military alliance's "return to naked imperialism."

NATO planes hit a bridge close to the Greek consulate in Nis on Saturday afternoon, wounding seven people and smashing several windows of the consulate building.

"The damage inflicted on the Greek consulate, the second diplomatic building that has been hit in our country in 24 hours, is being assessed," said Belgrade's Radio Pancevo.

The Socialist Party of Serbia said: "The bombs launched at the Chinese embassy are bombs launched at diplomacy and at the peaceful solution to problems - by political means that the People's Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were committed to." Russia joined China in condemning NATO bombing of its embassy in Belgrade, which is sovereign Chinese territory.

China's UN Ambassador Qin Hussun told an all-night emergency session of the UN security council that "this is a crime of war and should be punished.

"The US-led NATO must assume all responsibility," he said.

The council expressed "shock and concern" at the casualties - three killed and 20 wounded but it would not condemn the attack as a violation of international law, as Beijing requested. Russia reacted to the embassy attack by postponing a planned visit to Britain by Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

"It's not just aggression, it's barbarism," said Russia's envoy to the Balkans Viktor Chemomyrdin.

NATO secretary-general Javier Solana expressed "deep regret" over the bombing, which he claimed was a "tragic mistake."

However, he said that the military alliance would continue its aggression against Yugoslavia.

Over 100,000 people held protests outside the US embassy in Beijing and Shanghai, smashing windows and lamps and chanting "down with US running dots" and "Clinton is a murderer."

Beijing called for anti-NATO protests to remain within the law, after protesters stormed the US consulate in the south-western city Chengdu and set fire to the house of the mission's top official.

Western media immediately claimed that Chinese media had been responsible for the protests by "fanning anti-NATO fury."

The official Xinhua news agency said: "In sharp contrast to the distorted reports of some Western media that hide the truth, the truthful reports of Chinese journalists allow the world to know the actual state of affairs.

"These have given rise to dissatisfaction by NATO countries led by the United States.

"China has become the main obstacle to the United States and other NATO countries promoting hegemony in Asia," it said.

UN war crimes prosecutor Louise Arbour said that she could not speculate whether the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was a war crime.


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