4 months agoOfficial NATO after 20 years: Bombing, Feelings of Depression and Relief
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)Whenever NATO airstrikes campaign, launched on March 24th 1999, the first person people remember is Jamie Shea, then spokesman for NATO, which, through frequent media conferences being attended around the world, became a known planetary figure. [...]
For Kosovars, his orders were sent to Serbian dictator Milosevic, that “NATO will win” that “His forces will leave Kosovo”, while “Albanians will return to their homes”. All this was given hope to Albanians in refugee camps through Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro, that they will return to their homes, who were in Kosovo, that one day they will be released.
Now, when the 20th anniversary of NATO's air campaign launch is marked to end the violence and crimes of Serb forces in Kosovo, Jamie Shea is retired. But he willingly took the time for the interview, for “CHANA”, to recall those dramatic moments of 20 years ago.
It has been 20 years since the launch of the air campaign against Milosevich. At that time you were NATO's face in the world. How do you remember today on March 24, 20 years ago?
Shea: For me it will remain one of the most dramatic moments. It was also a moment of despair, because NATO hoped the Rambouliti Agreement would be accepted by both sides; it was accepted on the part of the Kosovo Albanians, but rejected by Milosevqi and Milutinovici, and by the Serb side. So there was a sense of despair why this great effort by the United States and the allies to reach negotiated agreements had failed.
But what I also remember is the strong commitment to keep our word, and if violence continues in Kosovo, which actually happened, in the event of Rambouylet's failure, NATO would act. Thus, there was despair that the political solution was not reached but also a sense of relief from the Alliance's commitment to act and keep his promise to use the air force to prevent the new round of ethnic cleansing and violation of human rights.
However, what was called “As spokesperson NATO, what was the most difficult part of your work at the time?
Shea: There were many challenges at the time and the first was to prepare public opinion in NATO member states for a longer campaign than many politicians expected. Some thought it would suffice 24 or 48 hours of bombings, and Milosevqi would surrender and agree to return the Ramboullete Agreement and accept the withdrawal of forces from Kosovo and other conditions he had appointed NATO.
