German diplomat blasts Serbia, Great Britain over Ganic's arrest

Belgrade - The arrest of Bosnia's former president and Muslim leader on a war crimes warrant by Serbia is an "international scandal" and "outrage," German politician and diplomat Christian Schwarz-Schilling said Friday. Schwarz-Schilling blasted Serbia for "refusing to come to terms with its recent past," but also Great Britain, for taking "part in the kidnapping of a distinguished Bosnian academic and participated in Serbia's political ploy."

Ganic, 64, was arrested Monday by British authorities on a Serbian warrant. Serbian prosecutors allege that Ganic commanded an ambush on a Yugoslav army convoy in May 1992 and was responsible for the death of 42 soldiers.

The High Court in London on Friday adjourned a decision on a bail application for Ganic following a Serbian extradition warrant.

Schwarz-Schilling, who served as the international administrator in Bosnia in 2006-07, said charges against Ganic were "an attempt to manipulate history" and pointed out that the attack occurred a day after an all-out offensive of Serbs on Sarajevo.

"Ganic was defending his country from a Serb attack," Schwarz-Schilling told the German Press Agency dpa.

He warned that Serbia's persistence to pursue Ganic even though the United Nations' war crimes tribunal found no evidence against him, "reflects Serbia's refusal to fully come to terms with its own role in wars in former Yugoslavia."

"It also reflects Serbia's continuous attempt to avert the blame for atrocities committed during the war and allocate some of the responsibility to other former Yugoslav republics," he said.

By ordering Ganic's arrest, Serbia will prevent the free travel of people in the region and may provoke countermeasures by other Balkan countries, Schwarz-Schilling warned.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312690,german-diplomat-blasts-serbia-great-britain-over-ganics-arrest.html.