NO SERVICE TO NATO MARINES IN CRIMEA

More than 100 US Marines landed in Simferopol Thursday but instead of comfortable rest in the scenic Crimea they had trouble in getting a place to stay. Buses transporting them got hostile reception from local residents. They could not reach their final destination - the city of Pheodosia - where the NATO unit was supposed to stay. The column had to make a U-turn and tried to enter Partenit but the road was blocked by angry demonstrators. Finally the marines arrived safely to Alushta and were accommodated at the Druzhba holiday hotel run by the Ministry for Internal Affaires of the Ukraine. However, this was not the end of all the unk-unks of the Americans in the Crimea. Friday, an angry crowd gathered at the entrance of their hotel to protest against the presence of the NATO military in the Crimea. The personnel of the hotel held a meeting and adopted a resolution against the unwelcome guests. Sixty two the Druzhba hotel employees said they would deny any service to the Americans. The Ukrainian Home Ministry threatened to fire the rebellious employees. This prompted Ukrainian MP, leader of the Communist Party of the Crimea to issue an appeal to the Crimean population. Mr. Leonid Grach calls on all Crimean to defend the personnel of the Druzhba hotel. The stand-off in the Crimea over the upcoming NATO manoeuvres near Stary Krym continues. Protests are spreading all over the peninsula.