Ex-French FM dismisses Kosovo organ trade claims

Former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has once again stated that he did not believe that illegal trade in human organs took place Kosovo.

Izvor: B92

Wednesday, 06.04.2011.

11:45

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Former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has once again stated that he did not believe that illegal trade in human organs took place Kosovo. A report by Swiss senator and Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty accused the ethnic Albanian KLA of kidnapping Serb and other civilians and transporting them to northern Albania where their body parts were taken in 1999 and 2000. Ex-French FM dismisses Kosovo organ trade claims Kouchner, who headed the UN mission in the province from mid-1999 until early 2001, told Switzerland's French language television TSR that they were "aware of abuses, but never heard talk about organ trade". The allegations first came to light in early 2008, when former Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte wrote in her book that one of the suspected locations in Albania where the atrocities were believed to have taken place was a house painted in yellow, and the case subsequently became known informally as the Yellow House case. Kouchner commented for the Swiss TV by saying sarcastically, "They were looking for the yellow house, yet they found a blue one." According to the report TSR published on its website, Kouchner "even laughed" at one point during the interview. But, after he "recovered a serious note in his voice", the former French minister said he did not believe that the organ trade took place, and that "nothing was found despite Marty's report". "I have read that report carefully and I expect an investigation, so that the wrong impression can be removed along with the bitter taste of that affair," he was quoted as saying. He also expressed his doubt as to the veracity of the testimonies offered thus far. "My friend Carla Del Ponte says they were in the yellow house and found a medical syringe. That's not serious," said Kouchner. He concluded that he will be "ready to believe that the organ trade took place only if any investigation establishes it did." Last year during his visit to Kosovo, Kouchner reacted by insulting a reporter and laughing outloud when asked to comment on the same subject. After the Marty report was published in December, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) adopted a resolution calling for the allegations to be investigated, while Serbia has been pushing for a probe in international forums, including the UN Security Council. Bernard Kouchner (FoNet, file)

Ex-French FM dismisses Kosovo organ trade claims

Kouchner, who headed the UN mission in the province from mid-1999 until early 2001, told Switzerland's French language television TSR that they were "aware of abuses, but never heard talk about organ trade".

The allegations first came to light in early 2008, when former Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte wrote in her book that one of the suspected locations in Albania where the atrocities were believed to have taken place was a house painted in yellow, and the case subsequently became known informally as the Yellow House case.

Kouchner commented for the Swiss TV by saying sarcastically, "They were looking for the yellow house, yet they found a blue one."

According to the report TSR published on its website, Kouchner "even laughed" at one point during the interview.

But, after he "recovered a serious note in his voice", the former French minister said he did not believe that the organ trade took place, and that "nothing was found despite Marty's report".

"I have read that report carefully and I expect an investigation, so that the wrong impression can be removed along with the bitter taste of that affair," he was quoted as saying.

He also expressed his doubt as to the veracity of the testimonies offered thus far.

"My friend Carla Del Ponte says they were in the yellow house and found a medical syringe. That's not serious," said Kouchner.

He concluded that he will be "ready to believe that the organ trade took place only if any investigation establishes it did."

Last year during his visit to Kosovo, Kouchner reacted by insulting a reporter and laughing outloud when asked to comment on the same subject.

After the Marty report was published in December, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) adopted a resolution calling for the allegations to be investigated, while Serbia has been pushing for a probe in international forums, including the UN Security Council.

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