We will ignore NATO sanctions - Jovanovic

Accra, April 25, GNA - Yugoslavia on Tuesday said it will continue to ignore any form of sanction imposed on it since the source of such authority does not emanate from the United Nations.

Mr Zivadin Jovanovic, Foreign Minister, told journalists in Accra that until UN resolution 1244 is fully implemented in Kosovo and its sovereignty is respected, "all conditionalities will be ignored by our government".

The Yugoslav Foreign Minister is at the head of a business and diplomatic delegation on a three-day visit to Ghana to explore and deepen economic and diplomatic relations.

He said the only lasting solution for the troubled Balkan nation will come from an undictated dialogue among the various sections of the population. "Yugoslavia is open for co-operation from all peoples, even those who helped in its destabilization."

He said the NATO aggression ignited by a massive hate campaign failed to break the spirit of the people after destroying infrastructure worth 100 billion dollars. "The world were deceived to go along with NATO in the aggression under the guise of human rights and ethnic minority rights violation."

Mr Jovanovic said Yugoslavia cares for all its people and it is sad to hear those whose multi-national companies exploit the poor lecture the world on human rights.

"Strength is not always and necessarily right and wise. The new inquisitors are killing the truth." He said several journalists were killed in the NATO air strikes, which aimed at incapacitating the media in that country.

"Three fourths of the people killed were civilians. They just killed them because they had learnt that our strength lies in our hearts so they killed to destroy our morale."

He described the presence of the 40,000 KFOUR soldiers and thousands of international volunteers in the area as "adding to the worsening conditions of Kosovo".

He said terrorists had being re-designated liberation movements, adding: "these people are allowed to butcher poor Serbs and drive them from their land". Mr Jovanovic described the War Crime Tribunal in The Hague as a "tool and will of the aggressor to make the victim responsible for whatever happened".

"It is sad that some Africans have been lured into the trap of doing the dirty work for NATO." The Yugoslav Foreign Minister said the nation is reconstructing its infrastructure and economy and hopes to exploit the opportunity to upgrade its technology and strengthen its relations with peace loving nations.

He said Ghana is one country that has demonstrated its commitment to international peace and non-interference in other nations' internal affairs. Mr Jovanovic called talks he had with Mr Victor Gbeho, Ghana's Foreign Minister, as useful and refreshing.