Responding to the initiative for awarding the Nobel Prize to NATO

OPEN LETTER TO THE NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE
From the Belgrade Forum, the Club of Generals and Admirals of Serbia, and the Foundation United for the Youth

Following the news published in the Serbian media that a number of Norwegian Members of Parliament have officially raised an initiative to have the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to NATO, the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, the Club of Generals and Admirals of Serbia, and the Foundation United for the Youth have jointly sent an open letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The letter recalls that 21 years ago NATO undertook an illegal aggression against Serbia (the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), acting on its own and without the UN Security Council approval, in a gross violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, a number of other international conventions, and its own Founding Act of 1949.

The letter notes that the aggression took between 3,500 and 4,000 lives (the list has not been concluded as yet) including 89 children, and left more than 12,500 wounded people, with the number of casualties having succumbed to its subsequent consequences including the environmental damage yet to be determined. The direct economic damage was estimated at over USD 100 billion.

The aggression was the first war on the European soil after the Second World War, precedent for conducting illegal interventions around the world violating the UN Charter, undermining the role of the UN Security Council and for inciting separatism and terrorism. It marked the point of NATO’s transformation from a defensive into an offensive alliance, undermining a UN principle that peace should  be defended by peaceful means only.

The letter recalls NATO’s use of missiles with depleted uranium and other forbidden weaponry having lasting graves effects, which had been strongly condemned at the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the national parliaments of many NATO (EU) member countries. The use of depleted uranium has left lasting consequences and keeps causing malignant diseases on a massive scale jeopardising lives of thousands of innocent people.

The letter concludes that, considering all the foregoing, NATO aggression of 1999 was in essence a crime against peace and humanity which, in addition to human toll and huge devastation, also inflicted a serious blow to peace and stability in the Balkans, in Europe and the world in general. It was the beginning of the new Cold War facing the world today.

Signatories of the letter on behalf of the of their organizations, Živadin Jovanović, General Milomir Miladinović, and Professor Dr. Danica Grujičić expressed the hope that the Norwegian Nobel Committee will take in consideration aforesaid.

Belgrade, March 20th, 2020,
Marina Čolić, Executive Secretary of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals

THE LETTER:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee
0255 O s l o
Henrik Ibsens gate 51
N o r w a y

Honorable members of the Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize,

We are writing to you on behalf of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, Club of generals and admirals of Serbia and Foundation United for youth, independent non-profit, non-partisan organizations from Serbia and Serbian diaspora.

We have learned from media that the NATO Alliance is official candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize award 2020. In this regard, please allow us to draw your attention to the following:

1. Exactly 21 years ago, NATO Alliance launched illegal military aggression on Serbia (FRY) which lasted 78 days, from March 24th to June 10th 1999 thus violating UN Charter, OSCE Helsinki Final document, as well as its own Founding Act (1949). It was a crime against peace and humanity.

2. The aggression left over 3500 dead including 89 children, as well as about 12500 wounded people. Direct economic damage was estimated at over 100 billion US dollars. The number of human victims due to the subsequent consequences of the aggression and the damage to the natural environment is yet to be assessed.

3. As the first war after the Second World War on European soil, the NATO aggression on Serbia (FRY) was a turning point introducing the practice of unrestricted aggressions and interventions all around the globe. This aggression was the start of transformation of NATO itself from the defensive into offensive alliance, ignoring the UN principle that peace should be defended by peaceful means only .

4. The aggression conducted in alliance with the separatist terrorist KLA organization set the precedent encouraging separatism, terrorism and disrespect of international law.

5. During the aggression, NATO forces had been using missiles with depleted uranium and other forbidden armaments and methods strongly condemned in European Parliament, Parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe and national parliaments of many NATO (EU) member countries. This has left lasting consequences, causing dangerous malign deceases and taking away lives of thousands of innocent persons.

6. This crime against peace and humanity provoked lasting instability in the Balkans. It has seriously affected stability of Europe. At the same time, NATO has inflicted irreparable damage to the European (OSCE) and the World Peace and Security Order (UN), thus introducing the era of new Cold war.

Hoping that these facts deserve your attention and еvaluation, please accept assurances of our highest consideration.

Belgrade, March 2020.

The Belgrade forum for a world of equals
Zivadin Jovanovic, president

The Club of generals and admirals of Serbia
General Milomir Miladinovic, president

Foundation United for youth
Prof. Dr Danica Grujicic, president