RUSSIA: KOSOVO CRISIS: LABOUR DAY: ANTI-NATO PROTESTS скачать в хорошем качестве

RUSSIA: KOSOVO CRISIS: LABOUR DAY: ANTI-NATO PROTESTS

(1 May 1999) Russian/Nat Thousands of communists, nationalist and trade union supporters have taken to the streets of Moscow as Russia marked its traditional May 1st public holiday. Central Moscow was sealed off as demonstrators converged on the city's squares for mass meetings, where the main slogans were denouncing NATO's airstrikes on Yugoslavia. The leader of the Russian Communists, condemned President Yeltsin in front of an estimated 40-thousand demonstrators and blaming him for the war in the Balkans. The communists and other left-wing groups gathered on a square opposite the world famous Bolshoi theatre and next to a monument of Karl Marx. In Soviet times, May 1st was trumpeted as the day of workers' solidarity around the world. Demonstrators protested against Russia's poor economic conditions as in previous years, but many also denounced NATO's airstrikes on Yugoslavia. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, a fierce critic of NATO's operation in the Balkans since it began, used the May Day demonstration to renew his attack on the western alliance. Russian communists and other hardliners have called for Russia to send military aid to Yugoslavia and public opinion remains firmly opposed to the NATO strikes. The majority of Russians are Orthodox Christians, as are the Serbs in Yugoslavia - there are also long memories of NATO as the military enemy of the Cold War. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "It can be only be called aggression when peaceful people are destroyed at the end of the 20th century. All such controversial issues should be settled by negotiations. This is my firm position." SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop Russia's Communist leader dismissed the mediation efforts of Russia's envoy to Yugoslavia, Viktor Chernomyrdin. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "I suggest that everybody should unite the efforts to reach the main aims. It is very important to help brothers in Yugoslavia. It's impossible to do it without solidarity." Question: "Can Chernomyrdin achieve anything in Yugoslavia?" Answer: "I don't think he can do anything. Nobody trusts him. I think he is pushing the ideas of NATO to disgrace Russia before the whole world once more." SUPER CAPTION: Gennady Zyuganov, Russian Communist leader Moscow's mayor Yury Luzhkov addressed a crowd of supporters of his Fatherland political movement as well as a mixture of trade unions. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "The first bomb which fell on Yugoslavia made the problem of Kosovo 10 times worse. This is the only truth, there is no other truth." SUPER CAPTION: Yury Luzhkov, Moscow's Mayor Luzhkov told the crowds that NATO was responsible for genocide against the Yugoslav people, and said its actions could lead to a new world war. He also criticised the government's economic policy and said Russia should stop dealings with the International Monetary fund, which is demanding tariffs rises on vodka and of excise duty on petrol. Luzhkov is expected to be a major candidate for the Russian presidency when Boris Yeltsin steps down in July next year. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...