The SACP condemns the illegal Nato bombing of Yugoslavia. We concur fully with the UN Secretary General that this unprecedented and dangerous military action falls outside of international law and the UN Charter.

The United States and its Nato allies are trying to present this latest action as being inspired by a concern for «minority rights». In fact, it has nothing to do with minority rights and everything to do with big power politics. It stands in marked contrast to the indifference of Nato to other minority rights issues in the region - the plight of the Kurds, for instance, subjected to decades of genocide by a Nato member, Turkey.

Behind the bombings lies a US strategy to push the military presence of Nato ever eastwards. The tragedy of the former Yugoslavia, that has been unfolding over this decade, has been induced at all stages by foreign interference, beginning with German encouragement of the break-up of this multi-ethnic country.

The SACP is, in no way, blind to the role played by the authorities in Belgrade. They, too, must carry a heavy responsibility for the current situation. The tragedy is, however, that the Nato bombing will simply reinforce the hawks on all sides, further marginalising those democratic forces throughout the region who are committed to a sustainable, negotiated settlement that transcends ethnic, enclave politics.

Nato and the US have no interest in such a peaceful settlement. By backing the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army they are encouraging obduracy in Kosovo, and enflaming all kinds of chauvinistic, separatist movements throughout the Balkans - including in neighbouring Macedonia, which has a large number of ethnic minorities, among them Albanians and Serbians.

The bombings must be halted immediately. The Kosovo issue must be dealt with by the UN Security Council, and within the framework of international law and the UN Charter.