Former U.S. General Wesley Clark has called for Hashim Thaçi and the other former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders to be returned to Kosovo as soon as possible.
Clark said Europe should respect the people of Kosovo, while arguing that Hashim Thaçi is a “victim” of what he considers to be a flawed process.
“Europe should respect the people of Kosovo, who fought for principles. Milošević was responsible. He was a person who wanted to promote ethnic cleansing. Hashim Thaçi is a victim, and this is wrong,” Clark said.
The former U.S. general also said he had asked for evidence related to the allegations against Thaçi but, according to him, had not seen such evidence.
Clark also referred to the Kosovo War, saying that at the time there was, in his view, evidence of actions by the former Yugoslav authorities that constituted wrongdoing, and that steps were taken against individuals suspected of war crimes.
He said the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was fairer than the Kosovo Specialist Chambers because, in his view, its decisions were based on real evidence.
“I have asked for the evidence, and there was no evidence, at least to my knowledge. I think there was, because at that time there was real evidence of the wrongdoing that was taking place. We submitted information at the time. Some war criminals were arrested.
“I think the court’s work is over. Let’s bring Hashim Thaçi and the others back to Kosovo and let them return to their lives. Let’s move forward. Hashim Thaçi has spent five years in detention. Enough is enough,” Clark said.
Asked whether he would be willing to testify on appeal in support of the former KLA leaders, the former general said:
“I would very much appreciate it if they invited me to explain what happened,” he said.
