THE HAGUE, Oct 1 (Hina) - The second day of the testimony of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic before the U.N war crimes at The Hague ended with the claim by President Mesic that former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic demanded of
the Yugoslav Peoples' Army (JNA) to attack Zagreb at the end of 1991.
THE HAGUE, Oct 1 (Hina) - The second day of the testimony of Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic before the U.N war crimes at The Hague ended
with the claim by President Mesic that former Serbian President
Slobodan Milosevic demanded of the Yugoslav Peoples' Army (JNA) to
attack Zagreb at the end of 1991. #L#
"Slobodan Milosevic ordered that Vukovar be left alone and Zagreb
be attacked. General Kadijevic said that this would not be possible
because Croatians were militarily strong ... and that Zagreb could
not be reached," Mesic said during Milosevic's cross-examination
about the incomplete presidency of the former Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia.
He said that he obtained this information from his adviser who
remained in Belgrade and who was able to hear everything because
Mesic's cabinet adjoined the meeting room.
"How can you operate here with such fabrications," Milosevic
responded adding that his adviser, whose name was not clearly
stated, was tapped.
Mesic will continue his testimony on Thursday after he was asked if
he could do so. On Thursday, Mesic will testify for another hour and
a half.
The final section of Milosevic's cross-examination unfolded around
the question of who was most responsible for the break-up of
Yugoslavia and who opted for war and who was responsible for the
revolt by Croatian Serbs or what was constitutional and
unconstitutional in the former SFRY. These questions were
interrupted with mutual accusation of fabricating the facts an
unbelievable imagination.
The presiding Judge Richard May interrupted Milosevic on several
occasions during today's trial objecting that Milosevic was
attempting to testify himself rather than cross-examining. He also
demanded of Milosevic not to ask irrelevant questions.
Milosevic is charged with crimes committed in Croatia in 1991 and
1992.
Milosevic asked Mesic why was he advocating cooperation with the
Hague-based tribunal with regard to General Janko Bobetko, if he
believed that Croatian military operations were magnificent. Mesic
said that he advocated that everyone be brought to justice for what
they did.
"The victory in the Homeland war was magnificent because it enabled
Croatia to take control of every foot of its territory and to
establish its institutions...crimes can happen in those battles. I
advocate that everyone be brought to justice for what they did,"
Mesic said and added that those accused should be offered maximum
help in their defence.
The end of Mesic's testimony on Wednesday was put on the sideline
after former president of Republika Srpska Biljana Plavsic entered
a guilty plea for war crimes.
(hina) sp it sb