ZAGREB, July 28 (Hina) - Croatian General Vladimir Zagorec categorically denied an allegation that at a meeting on 17 July 1995, which took place on the islands of Brijuni, the then President Franjo Tudjman and top Croatian military
officials considered the persecution of Serbs from the country. According to an indictment issued against retired Croatian general Ante Gotovina by the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY), 17 July of the 1995 was cited as the initial date of a period in which crimes were planned, prepared or committed, during the Storm operation. The indictment reads that "between 17 July 1995 and 15 November 1995, Ante Gotovina, acting individually and/or in concert with others, including President Franjo Tudjman, planned, instigated, ordered, committed or otherwise aided and abetted in the planning, preparation or execution of the crimes..." against Croatian Serbs. Asked why
ZAGREB, July 28 (Hina) - Croatian General Vladimir Zagorec
categorically denied an allegation that at a meeting on 17 July
1995, which took place on the islands of Brijuni, the then President
Franjo Tudjman and top Croatian military officials considered the
persecution of Serbs from the country.
According to an indictment issued against retired Croatian general
Ante Gotovina by the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY), 17 July of the
1995 was cited as the initial date of a period in which crimes were
planned, prepared or committed, during the Storm operation.
The indictment reads that "between 17 July 1995 and 15 November
1995, Ante Gotovina, acting individually and/or in concert with
others, including President Franjo Tudjman, planned, instigated,
ordered, committed or otherwise aided and abetted in the planning,
preparation or execution of the crimes..." against Croatian
Serbs.
Asked why the indictment cited this day - 17 July 1995- (while later
in the document it was stated that the Croatian forces launched the
'Storm' operation on 4 August), a spokeswoman for the ICTY
Prosecutor's office, Florence Hartmann, said the court had
collected evidence that "on 17 July, General Gotovina, together
with President Tudjman and others, planned and prepared the
military operation 'Storm'."
On that day, 17 July 1995, on Brijuni, President Tudjman received
high-ranking army officers, including General Zagorec.
"It was a normal working meeting of the military leadership with the
President," Gen. Zagorec told the Croatian Television on Friday.
"At that meeting there was no mention of any deportation of Serbs,
of their exodus. I categorically deny and refute it. No mention was
made of it," Zagorec said firmly.
The entire military leadership was present at the meeting,
including the headquarters, its chief-of-staff, Defence Minister,
all generals and commanders of military districts. You can also ask
them about it, he added.
According to a statement issued by the Croatian President's Office
on 17 July 1995, the said meeting was convened "with the aim of
considering the current issues referring to the defence in relation
to the international situation and Croatia's position in view of
the worsening of the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina."
(hina) ms