(2 Jul 1999) English/Nat
The US government says Slobodan Milosevic still poses a threat in the Balkans, especially to Montenegro.
The statement was made at a Pentagon briefing, held by the US Defence Secretary and the NATO Supreme Commander.
At a joint briefing between United States Defence Secretary William Cohen and NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley Clark the pair spoke of the real threat that Milosevic's regime still poses to the region.
NATO's supreme commander, General Wesley Clark, addressed NATO's overall target destruction figures and the apparent massive campaign by the Yugoslav government to seal the support of its people.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Two things you have to bear in mind. A lot of this equipment has been dragged off, for salvage or for whatever reasons, and secondly, there is an active disinformation campaign to discredit NATO's air campaign and to protect the reputation of the Serb military. This is hand and glove with Milosevic's promotion of General Oudinic, his awarding of the Hero of Yugoslavia banner to all these forces that participated, and it's all part of his relegitimation campaign. He's very concerned that the truth is going to come out about what happened to the Serb military in Kosovo."
SUPER CAPTION: General Wesley Clark, NATO Supreme Commander
Clark and Cohen also addressed the question of NATO's possible military roll in the region if the Serbs were to move on Montenegro.
Clark said Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic still has firm control of his army, is trying to rebuild a political base and is capable of moving against pro-Western Montenegro at any time.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well, as General Clark has just indicated, we would not begin to discuss hypothetical situations in the first instance, and secondly, I think what you are seeing as far as the demonstrations that are starting to surface in Serbia, is the realization on the part of thousands of Serb national that Milosevic has brought them nothing but warfare and death and destruction and hardship and economic retrenchment for the past ten years. To the extent that he is contemplating other military action, I would hope and trust that the Serb people would express their opposition to anything he might have in mind in the way of any further aggression. He has brought them a great deal of suffering, he has brought them nothing but heartache for the past ten years, and I would hope that they would voice their concerns as they have been, in even greater numbers."
SUPER CAPTION: William Cohen, U-S Defence Secretary
Clark added that despite Milosevic's continued grip on power he was confident that the Yugoslav leader and the other indicted war criminals will be brought to justice.
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