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On April 2, 1999, I sent Milosevič
my second message through our UN mission:
“It would be advisable not to indict the three
US prisoners. International public opinion is
now especially susceptible and a strong
anti-Serb movement might result”.
On April 5, 1999, I sent him a third
message through our mission in the UN and
Yugoslavia:
“We congratulate you on the decision
with regards to the three prisoners as reported
by press agencies. Your promise to treat them
well and to release them when the bombings cease
is very intelligent and apt. It has foiled the
United States’ maneuver to turn its domestic
public opinion against Serbia; a public opinion
which is deeply divided on the issue of the
aggression. The ruthless bombing of civilian
targets and the Serbian people’s heroic
resistance are having an impact within and
outside of Europe and within NATO itself".
That same day, on the 5th,
we received Milosevic’s official reply through
his Ambassador to the UN:
“I want to express my appreciation to
the President and people of the Republic of Cuba
for their sympathy and solidarity with our
people and country, victims of a US – NATO
aggression.
“I hope you will continue these highly
useful efforts to make heads of state
—particularly the heads of non-aligned states—
understand the extreme danger to international
relations as a whole stemming from the precedent
being set by the US – NATO aggression against
the sovereignty and independence of a small
country. I invite and ask you to send a personal
message to presidents Mandela, Nujoma, Mugabe,
Obasanjo, Rawlings and Vajpayee, requesting that
they condemn the invasion and, if they have
already done so, to do so again, for the
aggression continues to be repudiated, so as to
rally the broadest possible support for
Yugoslavia from non-aligned nations at this
highly important moment. My best wishes and
warmest regards go out to you. With respect to
the three US soldiers who have been imprisoned,
I am very grateful for your amicable suggestion
and wish to inform you that these soldiers were
heavily armed and penetrated deeply into
Yugoslav territory in a number of armored
vehicles. The investigations into this matter
are underway. They are being treated in a humane
and respectful manner. We understand your
suggestion and have practically accepted it. We
are in no rush to take these soldiers to
justice. We won’t do it now. Perhaps we will do
it later, or not at all. We won't do it
hastily".
Fidel Castro Ruz
October 4, 2007
6:23 p.m. |
