THE HAGUE, Oct 4 (Hina) - Witness C-037 whose identity remained confidential in the trial against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic ended his testimony on Friday, stating that responsibility for the failure of the intended
peaceful reintegration with Croatia lay with the Croatian authorities and on Croat Serbs' political leadership.
THE HAGUE, Oct 4 (Hina) - Witness C-037 whose identity remained
confidential in the trial against former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic ended his testimony on Friday, stating that
responsibility for the failure of the intended peaceful
reintegration with Croatia lay with the Croatian authorities and on
Croat Serbs' political leadership. #L#
"I do not exempt Croatia from its responsibility but I believe that
the political leadership in Krajina was responsible. If it agreed
to peaceful reintegration, why did it not then implement it," the
witness said reminding that the agreement included the obligation
to disarm Serb forces which was done so in western Slavonia but not
in other UN zones.
"This left room for things to happen as they did," the witness
said.
Milosevic, who is being tried by the UN war crimes tribunal in The
Hague, said the Serbs were the victim of a civil war incited by the
forced secession of Croatia.
At the suggestion of Milosevic, the witness confirmed that
Milosevic played a peaceful role by advocating dialogue between
Croat Serbs and the Croatian government.
On Friday also, the trial was frequently interrupted with closed
sessions which, judging by the reaction of the judges, seemed to be
the most interesting portions of the testimony. The judges
fervently took notes while during the public session of the
testimony, the judges mostly stared straight ahead.
During the public sessions in the four days of testimony, the
witness did not confirm the prosecution's theory of connections
between Milosevic and Croat Serbs even though this was announced in
the prosecution's submission prior to the trial.
During two-day-long cross examinations, Milosevic skilfully
utilised statements made by the witness who allegedly held a high
political position yet knew very little about relations with
Serbia, or rather between Milosevic and the Serb Democratic Party
(SDS) or about assistance that came from Belgrade either from the
police or Yugoslav Peoples' Army (JNA), and he denied that there
were any ties between Milosevic or Serbia with any crimes. In that
context, the witness just commented that he had heard that some
crimes were ascribed to forces commanded by Vojislav Seselj whom he
described as Milosevic's opponent.
(hina) sp ms sb