The UN in Kosovo praises potential war criminal - why?

Transitional Foundation for Peace and Future Research ^ | March 10th, 2005 | Jan Oberg

[Nennsy]

The UN in Kosovo praises
potential war criminal - why?

  

PressInfo # 208

 March 10, 2005

By

Jan Oberg, TFF director

 

Danish diplomat, Søren Jessen-Petersen is the highest authority in Kosovo and SRSG, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, there. In spite of that, his unconditional embrace of Mr. Ramush Haradinaj, a former leader of the illegal Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and former prime minister in the non-independent Kosovo and now indicted for war crimes by the Hague Tribunal seems to raise no eyebrows in any capital, media or at the UN in New York.

All relevant links here.

 

Mr. Søren Jessen-Petersen's embrace of Haradinaj

In a statement on Haradinaj's resignation Jessen-Petersen praises him for his "dynamic leadership, strong commitment and vision" and says that thanks to that "Kosovo is today closer than ever before to achieving its aspirations in settling its future status." He calls him his "close partner and friend." In spite of the fact that the Prime Minister had no choice but to voluntarily go to the Hague, Kofi Annan's representative praises him for the "dignity and maturity" he has shown in deciding to do so. He also expresses his understanding of the "shock and anger" the people of Kosovo must feel at this development, "people" meaning of course only the Albanians and hardly the Serbs, Romas and other minorities living there.

Søren Jessen-Petersen continues in a paragraph that deserves to be quoted at length:

"The decision announced by Mr. Haradinaj to co-operate with the Tribunal, despite his firm conviction of innocence, and although painful for him, his family, Kosovo and for his many friends and partners, including in UNMIK, is at the same time an example of Kosovo's growing political maturity as a responsible member of the international community. I trust that Mr. Haradinaj will again be able to serve Kosovo to whose better future he has sacrificed and contributed so much."

Unless the SRSG implies that Haradinaj's going to the Hague Tribunal is to serve Kosovo - which is unlikely given other parts of the statement - he here expresses his belief in Mr. Haradinaj's innocence and his return to be of service to Kosovo. Isn't that sensational? One wonders whether he SRSG implies that the indictment by the Hague Tribunal is a mistake or not serious? Does Kofi Annan's representative show a certain disdain for the Tribunal that was set up in 1993 by the very organisation he represents?

Is he unaware of what kind of organisation KLA was and that, at an early stage, it was considered a terrorist organisation by high-level US diplomats? Does he consider every and each charge against Haradinaj raised by Serbia (of which Kosovo is a part) sheer inventions? Has he not had access to intelligence information about the activities of KLA units at the time when Haradinaj was a hard-line extremist with a gun in his hand? Has he never heard anyone talk about these things in Kosovo? Or does he carelessly ignore it all and believes that his dear friend Haradinaj was constitutionally unable to do anything bad back in the 1990s? All relevant links here.

It goes without saying anyone shall be considered non-guilty until proven guilty. So too Haradinaj. But "trusting" that he is 100% innocent and will return to Kosovo is to make a political point beyond that. And, mind you, no international diplomat and few media ever respected the mentioned principle when it comes to Milosevic or other people indicted by the Tribunal.

The full text of the Tribunal's indictment is found here

The shorter version of the indictment - press release

 

Does the international community's fear of failure explain this sympathy?

Mr. Søren Jessen-Petersen is neither naïve nor inexperienced. So two explanations are left: A) His cosy chat about his potential war crimes friend is what he has been told by some participant in the greater scheme of things to say; it is not Kofi Annan whose own statement was much more careful. This explanation can not be ruled out. Or B) that this is an example of the shabbiness that has come to define the international community's conflict-management policies in Kosovo. Why so?

Because it is a manifest conflict-resolution and peace-building failure. Six years after NATO's bombing and all the implicit promises given to the Albanian side about independence, Albanian hardliners and many ordinary Albanians want the international community to deliver very soon. Unfortunately, there is no viable solution in sight. Albanian patience, for very good reasons, is running out. I know from my visits to the province that no observer there dare rule out that we could witness anything from localised riots to warfare if the Albanians do not see progress in the direction of formal independence. And who is going to grant Kosovo that? Mr. Clinton and Madeleine Albright? The International Crisis Group - a near-governmental organisation that now runs a campaign for Kosovo's independence with its pro-Albanian lobbyists and NATO bombing advocates? Or the UN Security Council - but that won't be able to. Carving out provinces and make them states by bombing is a bit too much for those who have secessionist provinces themselves.

The international community, to put it crudely, is afraid of ending up facing by and large the same challenges from their post-1999 friends as Belgrade leaders did, just much worse because, after all, Milosevic never promised Kosovo any kind of independence.

The international community in general and the Security Council in particular cannot get its acts together, except in one regard because it helps cover up its own failure: blame Belgrade for everything going wrong the last 10 years and praise the Albanians in the role as innocent victims. Such is the political psychology behind the headlines and the statements: Side with one and try anyhow to look like an impartial mediator and negotiation leader. Well, that Jessen-Petersen can no longer be. His statements is a Himalayan mistake from the point of view of building trust with the Serbs and other minorities in Kosovo and with Belgrade. And contrary to what he and many others seem to believe, no sustainable solution to Kosovo's problems can be found without them.

 

The differences between Serbs and other indicted people

Serb President Milosevic was thrown out by his own people in a miraculous non-violent action. The people rose against their own leader, something the Croats, Bosniaks or Albanians never even contemplated to express their contempt, if any, for their own leaders' manipulations, corruption, militarism, nepotism, nationalism and the shame they brought over their own people. Then Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindic got nothing of what he was allegedly promised by the West for delivering Milosevic to the Hague; rather, his action is likely to have been one of the reasons why he was murdered.

Within the last few months, six high-level Serb officers have accepted, like Haradinaj, to go to the Hague. No international praise for them. Instead one hears the mantra that Belgrade must deliver Karadzic and Mladic. Does anyone seriously believe that NATO have not been able for 10 years to find them in Bosnia or that NATO states do not have such intelligence that they know where they are? Belgrade is constantly told that they must be in Serbia and that Belgrade must cooperate with the Hague Tribunal to get any help and see the door to EU integration open just a little. This is as bizarre as can be. CIA and FBI people have been invited by the Belgrade authorities to find them in Serbia. For about a year they have been unable to. Could it be that someone wants to avoid arresting them and have them as a card to play against Belgrade?

Be this as it may, let's remember two things: First, that "balkanisation" is a much too nice term for the unprincipled games played in that region by the international community during the last 15 or so years. Secondly, Mr. Søren Jessen-Petersen has offered the world a new distinction, namely that between our good, friendly potential war criminals who deserve our sympathy for accepting the law - and the others who, doing the same, deserve no praise.

One wonders how Kofi Annan feels about his representative's embrace of a man indicted for war crimes at the UN Tribunal? We don't know but he has reasons to hope that no leading daily will begin to investigate the cosy day-to-day co-operation between the UN and the Albanian extremists - and Haradinaj is not the only one - in the Kosovo province since 1999.

[mark502inf]

Arkan was also not the recipient of US military support.

OK, but so what?

[dj_animal_2000]

Mark's comments reminded me on this story here....:

US 'covered up' for Kosovo ally

Spin it Mark......THE GOOD-CRIMINAL-BAD-CRIMINAL-WHEEL...!!!

[montyspython]

Ergo, supposed US ally attempted to sell explosives to terrorists who mean to do us harm.

And you are trying to downplay it.

[mark502inf]

supposed US ally attempted to sell explosives to terrorists who mean to do us harm.

So 18 months ago some gangsters selling explosives claimed that they worked for "Ramush," it was published in the paper, and with all the US police & military we have in Kosovo, no action was taken. Either there was no real connection with Haradinaj, or no connection could be proven, or there was a connection and Rumsfeld & Powell decided that selling explosives to terrorists was OK by them. You can choose which explanation you wish to believe--I'm going with one of the first two.

As to who in the Balkans was really selling arms and ammunition to those who would do us harm, the answer to that can be read here: Yugoslavia's Arms Ties to Iraq Draw U.S. Scrutiny.

And the Slobo-Saddam mutual admiration society meeting minutes are posted here: Serbia, Iraq want united anti-U.S. front.

[dj_animal_2000]

I bet, Mark has an explanation for every behavior of Americas "allies", ahhhhmmm especially Albanians.....

Let's test him:

Captured militants are from Qatar, Albania and Somalia

PESHAWAR: The four foreign militants captured in the military operation in a border village in North Waziristan on March 5 include one each from Qatar, Albania, Somalia and Tajikistan.

Official sources told The News that the four men, along with seven others who are Pakistanis, were being interrogated at a military station. The sources said one of the two foreigners killed in action belonged to Sudan. The other man had not been conclusively identified but he could either be an Arab national or Chechen. It is the first time that information about the identity of the militants who were killed or captured in an operation has been provided to the media.

Elite troops took part in the raid on a compound in Dewgar, a village near Saidgai in North Waziristan tribal agency, in the early hours last Saturday. The village is near the border with Afghanistan’s Khost province. Across the border is the complex of six former Afghan Mujahideen training camps in Zhawara village. Osama bin Laden held his famous press conference in one of these camps in May 1998 and declared "Jihad" against the US and Israel from the platform of the International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Crusaders and Jews. In August the same year, the camps were attacked by the US with Tomahawk cruise missiles but bin Laden and his top lieutenants had already left the place.

Unlike past military operations in North Waziristan and South Waziristan in which excessive force aided by helicopters was used, the latest action involved less number of troops and choppers. A military official, requesting anonymity, described it as a low-key but swift operation backed by strong intelligence.

The compound used as a hideout by the militants belonged to a Wazir tribesman named Ghazal. He too was netted along with another tribesman Noor Ayaz. Also arrested were three men from Karachi and one each from Peshawar and Tank districts. Some of the Pakistanis who were captured reportedly confessed that they had come for "Jihad." The four foreign militants caught in the operation belong to countries located in three continents, ie Qatar, Albania, Somalia and Tajikistan.

Two persons were injured in the raid. One was a woman belonging to the homeowner Ghazal’s family. The troops seized three rocket-launchers, 28 grenades, two RPG-7 rockets, eight sub-machineguns, one light machinegun and five anti-tank mines.

Link

-----------------------

This news are from 2 days ago....

[mark502inf]

Great operation by the Paks. I've worked with them before and their strength was set-piece, well-rehearsed operations. They floundered somewhat when it came to rapidly reacting to late-breaking intelligence, but it appears they are getting better.

As to the Albanian they captured, he went over to the dark side and needs to be treated as such. However, he no more represents Albania than the various American & Aussie & German & UK Al Qaida we've captured represent our country and its people and policies.

People go against the grain sometimes. Look at Nennsy, our Kosovar Serb. She & her family sheltered Albanians from harm in their own home while the Serb national policy under Milosevic was to ethnically cleanse the Albanians from Kosovo.

OK, let's recap the "US ally" status for Serbia. Milosevic was an ally of Saddam and Serbia was arming Iraq; Milosevic and other Serb politicians were recipients of Saddam's oil voucher money; and Serbia fought four wars against four different opponents in the last 15 years causing death & destruction & regional instability and forcing three U.S. administrations to devote our attention and diplomatic & military resources to the area to prevent worse problems. Serbia is not our ally.

Now for Albania. Here are some excerpts from Condi Rice's web-site:

"Albania has been a steadfast supporter of U.S. policy in Iraq, and one of only four nations to contribute troops to the combat phase of Operation Enduring Freedom."

"Albania enjoys friendly and cooperative bilateral relations with the U.S. Pro-U.S. sentiment is widespread among the population."

"In 2003, Albania and the U.S. signed and ratified a number of agreements, including ... the Promotion of Defense and Military Relations; ... and an Agreement regarding the non-surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court. The U.S. strongly supports Albania's EU and NATO membership goals."

Prime Minister Fatos Nano was an early supporter--as he announced on January 29, 2003; prior to the Iraq War: We wish that we be worthy to the United States through all ways and are ready to join the coalition, like your friends and allies.

And then there's:

Secretary Rumsfeld looks pleased as he shakes the hand of Albanian Prime Minister Nano. Rumsfeld was visiting Tirana to thank the Albanians for their contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ambassador Satos Tarisa (April 2004): We're the most pro-U.S. nation in Europe, and we're in Iraq for the long haul.

Hopefully that helps you figure out who is really America's ally and who is not.

[mark502inf]

And then there's:

Albania To Send More Soldiers To Iraq

[dj_animal_2000]

See.....monty.....told ya....

Our serbophobic spinmaster did it again...

[dj_animal_2000]

Nice "allys" you have there....

INTERPOL Testimony on International Crime

[Banat]

Serbia would've sent a bunch of pro troops had somebody asked its Gov't. After all, Serbia is sending troops to Haiti. It's an UN operation, and I don't think Serbian soldiers should ever set foot over the borders of the Republic...unless they're kicking the invaders' ass back to their homeland, and are forced to cross the border.

[Hoplite]

We would have happily accepted Serbia's troops in Afghanistan - all we noted was that we'd vet those troops for war criminals.

And there the matter died, only to be resurrected occaisionally by posters like yourself who have forgotten why Serb troops and NATO or American military operations are incompatible.

As to whether Serb troops actually make it to MINUSTAH, we'll just have to wait and see, though as long as Serbia remains in non-compliance with UN resolutions regarding the ICTY, I seriously doubt it.

[Decombobulator]

This guy doesn't deserve so much praise for surrendering to the Hague. He didn't surrender because he is being cooperative, but because he had no other choice with 20,000 or whatever KFOR troops there who would have arrested him had he not gone willingly.

[pythagorean]

Surely the UN will pour even more lavish praise on the next prominent Kosovo criminal to be indicted after Haradinaj. And there will be even more empty promises for "independence" so that the clan-loyal mobs are kept at bay. No matter how loudly the Soros - ICG enterprises is screaming for "independence", both Bushies and EUcrats have realized that such a scenario is politically and economically not feasible and would only serve as a boon to the thriving international organized crime of ethnic Albanian clan-based gangs. The EUcrats are apparently using ICTY in an attempt to softly dismantle the KLA/mafia power structures. Balkan governmental tokens of subservience by sending indictees to the Hague or troops to Iraq, Afghanistan and Mars cannot change these fundamental policies.

[montyspython]

No, no explanations, just excuses.

[FormerLib]

Yep, by attempting to associate every Serbian alive with Milosevic (who the Serbs handed over, huh?), dimwit tries to explain away the ethnic cleansing of the Kosovo Serbs and the destruction of hundreds of their churches, cemetaries, and monasteries.

Can there by any doubt as to which master he truly serves?

[montyspython]

Nice strawman.