Mandela Slams NATO and Ethnic Cleansing, Host China Questions Reports
(found by lorne)
1999.05.07¡@2:46am Taiwan time updated
BEIJING, May 6 (AFP) - South African President Nelson Mandela Thursday slammed
both NATO air strikes and ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia during the China-leg of his
farewell tour, while Chinese officials expressed skepticism over ethnic cleansing reports
from the Balkans.
Security was tight as a frail-looking Mandela addressed a capacity crowd at Beijing
University for almost one hour, making an impassioned plea to end the NATO bombing
of Kosovo, which he characterized as "deeply disturbing." "On the one hand human
rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Rights are being violated in ethnic cleansing.
On the other hand the UN Security Council is being ignored by the unilateral and
destructive action of some of its permanent members," Mandela said.
"Both actions must be condemned in the strongest terms," he said, to applause from the
audience, of which just a small minority were students.
Mandela told the capacity crowd he believed the NATO bombing risked undermining
the authority of the UN Security Council.
"Can the world afford, at the end of a centruy that has seen so much pain and suffering,
to risk damaging the authority of the world body that has the task of maintaining
international peace?" he asked.
Asked if China was prepared to share Mandela's position on ethnic cleansing, China's
foreign ministry expressed doubts about reports of ethnic cleansing and suggested the
refugee exodus from Kosovo was a result of the NATO bombing campaign.
"There are different interpretations and reports over this. We must make sure what has
really happened," ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said.
"We're opposed to ethnic cleansing in any form if there is such ethnic cleansing. With
regard to ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, there have been various reports," he said, adding
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia must be respected.
Asked if China believed the refugee exodus had been caused by the NATO bombings,
Zhu said it could "not be denied that the refugees' exodus took place after NATO air
strikes against Yugoslavia." The spokesman added China was "indignant" that
"numerous innocent civilians ... have been deprived of the most basic rights of living
since military actions began." Mandela, whose country established ties with mainland
China only in January 1998 after breaking off relations with Taiwan, is the first South
African head of state to visit China.
He was greeted by President Jiang Zemin on Wednesday as he began the final leg of his
farewell tour, set to be his last international foray before he leaves office in June.
Officials close to the tour indicated the "promotion of bilateral trade and investment"
would be the focus of the visit, while the issue of China's ongoing human rights violations
would be put on the backburner.
Mandela used the occasion of the Beijing University speech to call on Asian and African
nations to shape a "new world order" that would promote equality, safeguard world
peace, and reflect "democratic norms of our age in the decision-making structures of
world bodies." "The interdependence of our economies and a global economic system
... sees a widening gap between the richer and poorer parts of humanity," he said.
"We must ensure that globalisation benefits not only the powerful but also...those whose
lives are ravaged by poverty."
chinatimes.com.tw |
