b92.net

"They expected me to agree, I didn't: FRY bombing and recognizing Kosovo - a mistake"

5-6 minutes

---

Retired Canadian General, former UNPROFOR Commander in Sarajevo, Lewis MacKenzie, reiterates that FRY bombing and recognition of Kosovo were "insane"

Source: Tanjug Wednesday, October 16, 2019 | 08:39

Ilustracija: Depositphotos/ Yarr65

Retired Canadian General, former UNPROFOR Commander in Sarajevo, Lewis MacKenzie, comes to Belgrade on the forthcoming Belgrade Book Fair, in order to promote Serbian edition of his book entitled: "Peacekeeper: The Road to Sarajevo", written 26 years ago, that was a bestseller in Canada.

In an interview for "Politika" daily, he reiterates his views, for which he was often criticized in his country and, above all, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, that genocide was not committed in Srebrenica, but a war crime, that the release of the Hague commander of Bosniak forces in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, is shameful, and that 1999 air raids on Serbia and the recognition of Kosovo are a big mistake, "insanity".

MacKenzie was UNPROFOR Commander for Sarajevo Sector from 1992 until June 1993 when the Sarajevo authorities requested his replacement.

"They expected me to agree with them on all issues... As my mandate meant being impartial and objective, they were very upset by my comments on particular issues", MacKenzie says.

The Canadian General, who after retiring and returning from Sarajevo in 1997, served briefly as Canada's Deputy Prime Minister, opposed NATO bombing of Serbia and criticized his government for recognizing Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence.

"The truth will always upset those who have a different opinion. With the development that took place after the air raids, it is clear that the insane decision to bomb a sovereign country and recognize Kosovo's independence has created a problem, rather than solved it", MacKenzie concluded.