Peace mission with the scent of uranium
November 21, 2000
http://www.serbia-info.com/news/2000-11/21/21249.html
Voice of Russia, P. Iskenderov

Moscow, November 21st - "It was confirmed that NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, especially Kosovo, has left very dangerous consequences on human health.

For almost two weeks, from November 5 to 17, experts from UN environmental program have worked in Kosovo. Among them there were cooperators of Swedish Institute for radioactive protection, of Brussels Institute, of the International Agency for atomic energy, together with the experts from Finland, Italy and Switzerland. The aim of the research was to explore the influence of depleted uranium ammunition, which was used during the bombing of Yugoslavia, to environment.

Present researches have complex pre-history. From the very beginning, NATO command had kept a secret everything that was related to the attacks in which depleted uranium ammunition was used. The Alliance's representatives, who had daily reported about the number of flights and air raids, had skillfully avoided that question.

The reason for silence was understandable. The appropriate information would cause negative response from the public. Thus, for example, soldiers who participated in the Gulf war in 1991 still have serious health problems, and exactly in that year first uranium bombs were tested. According to Pentagon's opinion they are especially useful in destroying armed vehicles. It was not in the interest of the West to publish the information on polluting Kosovo in the middle of land operation, and dislocation of the members of NATO troops from KFOR contingent in the province had made the generals conceal the information even more carefully.

In the end, only few interpellations in the UN had made NATO publish some records. They prove that a true nuclear attack was made in Kosovo. NATO aviation had, during more than 100 heavy bombing days, threw over 30.000 missiles with 10 tons of depleted uranium on Yugoslavia.

It is clear that there were not, and could not be, such number of Yugoslav armed vehicles which could justify that kind of uranium bombing. Besides this, records, which were published lately, speak about very low efficiency of these bombings. For example, 20 tanks and armed transporters were destroyed at the most.

Missiles with uranium used by NATO stayed in Kosovo. In the UN report, which was made public in Geneva, it is emphasized that level of radiation in some areas goes three thousand times beyond the normal level. Representative of the experts` group, Peka Havisto, marked that the situation was very serious. According to his words, it should take several decades for the radiation to disappear.

It is clear that NATO actions in Yugoslavia have caused a real catastrophe.

The Alliance's command has also put into a difficult situation several dozens of thousands of KFOR soldiers, international policemen, cooperators of the UN and OSCE mission in Kosovo, as well as many workers of humanitarian organizations and not to mention local citizens who are the least informed about radioactive pollution.

Therefore we can speak about the peace mission with the scent of uranium".