(13 Nov 1994) Nat/English
Bosnian Prime Minister Haris Silajdzic has praised America's decision to stop enforcing the arms embargo against the former Yugoslavia.
Silajdzic spoke with APTV during a two-day visit to London.
SOUNDBITE:
"This American decision, I think the Americans have taken a very important decision, for the rest of the world. Of great, not only moral, but practical value. This is to say that there is a differentiation between good and evil, victim and aggressor, and the world cannot be neutral between good and evil. We must support good, we must punish the evil. We must punish the aggression on Bosnia."
"We have the right to expect the international community, not to fight for us, but at least to let us defend ourselves. That is our right. It cannot be taken from us, so those governments that are against lifting the arms embargo are I'm afraid breaking the law."
"You see the embargo brought no result. It's three years now. What we have there is a catastrophe, it's a cataclysm. People cannot defend themselves and it's wrong. I do not see why some European governments, including the British government should take this course. It fails me."
Q. Do you think they are taking sides?
"Well of course, if you tie the hands of the victim, of course you are taking sides. Of course we are punished. we are the legitimate Bosnian government, we are punished because we cannot defend our people properly. And of course it has helped the aggression."
Q. Will there be more help from Croatia, with arms, with men?
"Oh, we will help each other, yes."
Q Until?
"Until we reach peace. peace is our goal. It's not only decoration, it's our goal. That is why we accepted the contact group plan and Belgrade refused it."
SUPER CAPTION: Haris Silajdzic
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22 авг 2024
