"Tuđman would have ended up in Hague"

Had he lived, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman would today be in the Hague accused of war crimes, a former American ambassador to Croatia claims. Peter Galbraith told Zagreb daily Jutarnji List that Croatia, "had there not been for the war and Tudjman", would now be an EU member. "Tudjman would have ended up in Hague" Galbraith testified at the Hague Tribunal in the trial of Ante Gotovina and two other former Croatian generals charged with Operation Storm crimes committed in 1995. Nearly a quarter of a million ethnic Serbs were driven out of their homes during the Croatian army and police campaign. Now the Zagreb daily notes that it is "interesting that the former U.S. ambassador was a witness both for prosecution and defense in that trial". Galbraith was quoted as saying that he "absolutely believes that immediately after the operation" war crimes were committed that included "systematic burning of Serb homes, pillage and murder of a handful of people who did note leave, especially of the elderly". He said that the Tudjman regime was an "accomplice" in those crimes, since it "could at least have prevented them". "In my opinion they tolerated it because it was in the interest of the Croatian state policy. Tudjman told me directly: 'People who left should not return'," the American diplomat said. Nevertheless, he toldl the daily that he is "not sure whether Gotovina himself is responsible for the crimes he was charged with". He also addressed the issue of the Second World War Croatian puppet Nazi entity – the Independent State of Croatia, NDH. Galbraith said that the former Croatian regime made a mistake for not disavowing and condemning the NDH. "As far as the NDH is concerned, Croatia should condemn it. The idea which Tudjman supported, that the NDH was a legitimate Croat movement, was wrong. That the NDH used Croat symbol does not make it a truly Croat movement," this former American ambassador was quoted as saying. "It [NDH] was part of Hitler's Nazism, in its brutality and cruelty as bad, and sometimes worse. Then German ambassador in Zagreb condemned the brutality of [Ante] Pavelic and the NDH government," Galbraith was further cited. As for the results of his country's diplomacy in the region, he said he was satisfied, and stressed "peace agreements that have preserved Croatia's and Bosnia's territorial integrity", along with, "the recognition of the right of refugees to return". Still, America's greatest success, according to him, has been insistence on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Of the 40 indicted persons, all but two are either in the Hague detention or dead, he added. Galbraith also told the newspaper that he sees the region, including Croatia, in the EU in the future, that he expect the country's border dispute with Slovenia to be settled, and that this issue "should not block Croatia's EU membership in any case".

"Tuđman would have ended up in Hague"

Galbraith testified at the Hague Tribunal in the trial of Ante Gotovina and two other former Croatian generals charged with Operation Storm crimes committed in 1995.

Nearly a quarter of a million ethnic Serbs were driven out of their homes during the Croatian army and police campaign.

Now the Zagreb daily notes that it is "interesting that the former U.S. ambassador was a witness both for prosecution and defense in that trial".

Galbraith was quoted as saying that he "absolutely believes that immediately after the operation" war crimes were committed that included "systematic burning of Serb homes, pillage and murder of a handful of people who did note leave, especially of the elderly".

He said that the Tuđman regime was an "accomplice" in those crimes, since it "could at least have prevented them".

"In my opinion they tolerated it because it was in the interest of the Croatian state policy. Tuđman told me directly: 'People who left should not return'," the American diplomat said.

Nevertheless, he toldl the daily that he is "not sure whether Gotovina himself is responsible for the crimes he was charged with".

He also addressed the issue of the Second World War Croatian puppet Nazi entity – the Independent State of Croatia, NDH.

Galbraith said that the former Croatian regime made a mistake for not disavowing and condemning the NDH.

"As far as the NDH is concerned, Croatia should condemn it. The idea which Tuđman supported, that the NDH was a legitimate Croat movement, was wrong. That the NDH used Croat symbol does not make it a truly Croat movement," this former American ambassador was quoted as saying.

"It [NDH] was part of Hitler's Nazism, in its brutality and cruelty as bad, and sometimes worse. Then German ambassador in Zagreb condemned the brutality of [Ante] Pavelić and the NDH government," Galbraith was further cited.

As for the results of his country's diplomacy in the region, he said he was satisfied, and stressed "peace agreements that have preserved Croatia's and Bosnia's territorial integrity", along with, "the recognition of the right of refugees to return".

Still, America's greatest success, according to him, has been insistence on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. Of the 40 indicted persons, all but two are either in the Hague detention or dead, he added.

Galbraith also told the newspaper that he sees the region, including Croatia, in the EU in the future, that he expect the country's border dispute with Slovenia to be settled, and that this issue "should not block Croatia's EU membership in any case".