Michael Durkee, a defense witness and former political advisor to the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe during the relevant period, continued his testimony today before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
Durkee, who served as a political advisor to General Wesley Clark, was questioned on Wednesday about a meeting he said he attended alongside Clark and Hashim Thaçi. During his testimony, the defense presented him with a document listing members of the delegation present at that meeting.
The document included the names of Hashim Thaçi, Ramë Buja, Jakup Krasniqi, Xhavit Haliti, Azem Syla, Blerim Shala, Edita Tahiri, Mehmet Hajrizi, Fehmi Agani, and Gjergj Dedaj.
“The individuals I personally met were Thaçi and Krasniqi; the others are names I have only heard of but did not meet in person,” Durkee told the court.
The defense then asked Durkee:
“You stated that the purpose of the meeting was partly because General Clark wanted to better understand the KLA’s political objectives and military capacities in case a military operation were to be ordered. Why was it important at that time to understand the KLA’s political goals?”
Durkee replied that for any military commander planning a mission, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the political environment and conditions on the ground.
