Military operations were legitimate, ex-Croat president says

Former Croat President Stjepan Mesic has stated that Croatia’s military operations in the Republic of Serb Krajina were justified. He added, however, that some things that happened after the operations were not legitimate. Military operations were legitimate, ex-Croat president says He told daily Vecernje novosti than then Serbian and Croat presidents had been in constant contact and that they had been discussion partition of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The ex-president stressed that the guilt for the crimes should be individualized and that one should not accuse the entire nations. “It is not Serbs’ fault Milosevic wanted to change the borders, it is not Croats’ fault Tudjman wanted to change the borders at Bosnia-Herzegovina's expense,“ Mesic pointed out. He said he had had a “spy” in Belgrade who had kept him informed about all decisions made by the Presidency and the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) General Staff. Mesic pointed out that he did not agree with what was happening in the Republic of Serb Krajina after the operations had been finished. “If someone declares independence on a country’s territory you have to defend territorial integrity. This is why the military operation was legitimate, but not all that was happening during the operation. Therefore, nobody is claiming that there were no crimes, there were trials, there are trials and there will be trials,” the former Croat president was quoted as saying. Stjepan Mesic (FoNet, file)

Military operations were legitimate, ex-Croat president says

He told daily Večernje novosti than then Serbian and Croat presidents had been in constant contact and that they had been discussion partition of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The ex-president stressed that the guilt for the crimes should be individualized and that one should not accuse the entire nations.

“It is not Serbs’ fault Milošević wanted to change the borders, it is not Croats’ fault Tuđman wanted to change the borders at Bosnia-Herzegovina's expense,“ Mesić pointed out.

He said he had had a “spy” in Belgrade who had kept him informed about all decisions made by the Presidency and the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) General Staff.

Mesić pointed out that he did not agree with what was happening in the Republic of Serb Krajina after the operations had been finished.

“If someone declares independence on a country’s territory you have to defend territorial integrity. This is why the military operation was legitimate, but not all that was happening during the operation. Therefore, nobody is claiming that there were no crimes, there were trials, there are trials and there will be trials,” the former Croat president was quoted as saying.