NATO spokesperson stands by controversial tweet

NATO spokesperson stands by controversial tweet

BELGRADE -- An image posted on Twitter, making light of the start of NATO's war against Serbia, has prompted the authorities to react.

The image replaces Nike's advertising slogan "Just Do It" with, "NATO Air Just Do It" and depicts a warplane.

It was originally posted on her Twitter profile by Vlora Citaku, a member of the government in Priština, and then picked up and retweeted by Oana Lungescu, a spokesperson for the western military alliance, on her official account.

It came on the day marking the 15th anniversary since the start of NATO's 1999 bombing campaign against Serbia.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late on Monday that the gesture was disrespectful toward those Serbians killed by NATO during the 78-day war. It also said that "such moves do not contribute to the cooperation between Serbia and the alliance."

The ministry noted in its statement that March 24 is also marked remembrance day for the victims of the NATO bombing campaign, and that Assistant Foreign Minister Miomir Udovički discussed the matter with NATO's military liaison office chief in Belgrade.

Serbia's diplomatic representatives in Brussels also spoke with NATO representatives, the ministry said, and told them that "such actions show disrespect for the Serb victims of NATO's bombing, and do not contribute to the cooperation between Serbia and NATO that is realized through the NATO program Partnership for Peace."

On Monday, Serbia was marking 15 years since NATO launched its war, and remembering the thousands of victims killed during the aerial campaign.

NATO's spokesperson, however, maintains that it was appropriate for her to...