08 Oct 2010 / 02:48
Dalio Sijah
Rose, who served as a UNPROFOR commander in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war there, said NATO also carried out bombings in response to attacks conducted by the Republika Srpka Army, VRS, against civilians in protected zones.
According to his testimony, the United Nations advocated for “minimal use of force” to enable the passage of humanitarian aid convoys, which, in most cases, were blocked by “the Serb side”. “I remember an incident that happened in January 1994, when a convoy coming from Kiseljak was blocked. We invited NATO aviation to conduct an attack, and Serbs lifted the convoy blockade even before the attack.
"We had to do such things in order to ensure the passage of convoys,” General Rose said, adding the agreement on uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, signed by “the three parties”, was in force at the time.The Hague Prosecution has charged Radovan Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska and Supreme Commander of its armed forces, with genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995.The indictment alleges that he participated in blocking the passage of humanitarian convoys to Bosniak and Croat enclaves in territories controlled by Bosnian Serbs with the aim of creating unbearable living conditions for the enclave residents. The witness denied Karadzic’s allegations that “the convoys and UNPROFOR soldiers delivered weapons to the enemy”, repeating his earlier statement that convoys were “systematically and frequently” blocked even prior to NATO air strikes on Serb positions.
According to Rose, following the air strikes, the convoys were totally blocked. In his testimony General Rose repeated his statement that the UN was aware of the fact that the protected zones had not been fully demilitarized, but he said that Bosnian authorities had “a sovereign right to have armed forces on [the country's] territory”. Cross-examination of General Rose is due to be completed on Friday, October 8.
Rose, who served as a UNPROFOR commander in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war there, said NATO also carried out bombings in response to attacks conducted by the Republika Srpka Army, VRS, against civilians in protected zones.
According to his testimony, the United Nations advocated for “minimal use of force” to enable the passage of humanitarian aid convoys, which, in most cases, were blocked by “the Serb side”. “I remember an incident that happened in January 1994, when a convoy coming from Kiseljak was blocked. We invited NATO aviation to conduct an attack, and Serbs lifted the convoy blockade even before the attack.
"We had to do such things in order to ensure the passage of convoys,” General Rose said, adding the agreement on uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, signed by “the three parties”, was in force at the time.The Hague Prosecution has charged Radovan Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska and Supreme Commander of its armed forces, with genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of the laws and customs of war committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995.The indictment alleges that he participated in blocking the passage of humanitarian convoys to Bosniak and Croat enclaves in territories controlled by Bosnian Serbs with the aim of creating unbearable living conditions for the enclave residents. The witness denied Karadzic’s allegations that “the convoys and UNPROFOR soldiers delivered weapons to the enemy”, repeating his earlier statement that convoys were “systematically and frequently” blocked even prior to NATO air strikes on Serb positions.
According to Rose, following the air strikes, the convoys were totally blocked. In his testimony General Rose repeated his statement that the UN was aware of the fact that the protected zones had not been fully demilitarized, but he said that Bosnian authorities had “a sovereign right to have armed forces on [the country's] territory”. Cross-examination of General Rose is due to be completed on Friday, October 8.
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