Paul Williams, international lawyer and professor, began his testimony at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers as a defense witness for former President Hashim Thaçi.
Williams revealed that his invitation to join the Kosovo delegation at the Rambouillet peace talks came from Bujar Bukoshi, acting on behalf of Ibrahim Rugova.
“Formally, I was chosen 10 days before the Rambouillet negotiations began. Bukoshi had informed me earlier that if talks were to take place, he would request my presence. This was during the shuttle diplomacy led by Chris Hill and later Richard Holbrooke,” Williams testified.
He explained that his involvement had been discussed as early as summer and fall 1998, when he worked closely with Bukoshi, Rugova, and Veton Surroi, as well as with the Albanian-American diaspora, who sought legal guidance on the issues being negotiated.
“Bukoshi, on Rugova’s behalf, invited me to travel to Rambouillet and join the negotiations on February 7. It was a formal decision taken by consensus of the Kosovo delegation, signed by Edita Tahiri and Bajram Kosumi,” Williams added.
