Though he has left the courtroom, the first 26 years of testimony remained inside.
James Rubin, who served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State during the Kosovo War, shared on the third day of testimony in defense of former President Hashim Thaçi what he had personally seen and heard.
When asked about the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK), he had to repeat certain details. Documentary evidence was also shown to the witness when Hashim Thaçi’s name was specifically mentioned.
Williams was the first defense witness out of 11 scheduled to appear before the panel in the following three days, paving the way for the second witness.
Jurist Paul Williams, who served as an advisor to the Kosovo delegation in Rambouillet, stated that he would demonstrate that “Thaçi did not have the authority to sign the Rambouillet Agreement.”
Regarding the work he performed at the time, which he did pro bono according to the defense, Williams said he was requested to assist by the then-Prime Minister Bujar Bukoshi.
Thaçi’s lawyer, Luka Misetić, presented a document suggesting that “Thaçi was controlled externally,” which Williams confirmed he had observed during the Rambouillet negotiations.
Williams, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit in 2024 by President Vjosa Osmani, will continue presenting his testimony at The Hague for another day and a half.
