China condemns Milosevic trial
China’s military today accused the United States and Britain of cynically engineering Slobodan Milosevic’s war crimes trial to clear the way for Nato’s eastward expansion.
Although China is obligated to respect the Hague tribunal, Britain and the United States have endangered its independence and fairness by using it to further their political aims, the People’s Liberation Army Daily said in an editorial.
‘‘Right now, the United States, Britain and other western countries claim they are trying Milosevic to ‘uphold international justice.’ In fact this arises from their need to gain world opinion and the diplomatic upper-hand,’’ the editorial said.
China’s communist leaders condemned the air war carried out by Nato against Yugoslavia in 1999 to end atrocities against Muslims in Kosovo.
Beijing feared that the action might set a precedent for international intervention in China’s restive Tibet and Xinjiang regions.
Their opposition hardened when Nato planes bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, sparking mob attacks on US diplomatic missions in China.
China never accepted Nato’s explanation that the attack was a mistake caused by faulty targeting
Beijing was silent when Milosevic was driven from power last October and again on June 28 when he was sent to the Hague to be tried in connection with alleged war crimes in Kosovo.
However, the commentary by the hard-line military newspaper appeared to reaffirm China’s distrust over the West’s handling of Milosevic.
‘‘The United States and other Western countries flaunt a double political and legal standard.
"Pushing into court leaders of countries they consider obstacles sets a nefarious precedent for international law and must meet with the condemnation of international society,’’ the paper said.
Led by the United States, Nato countries set up the Hague Tribunal for their own political interests, then attacked Yugoslavia using the excuse of human rights intervention because Milosevic was blocking Nato expansion, the PLA daily said.
The ‘‘heroic opposition’’ of the Yugoslav people and military produced a mixed result and Nato was forced to press for Milosevic’s arrest to remove a shadow lurking over the alliance’s growth, it said.
‘‘Arresting and trying Milosevic sends a warning to other leaders of countries that defy them: resistance is futile,’’ the paper said.
