by whataboutbob
Mon Mar 13th, 2006 at 07:38:05 AM EST
EUpolitix reports the results of Milosevic's autopsy and the possible ramifications: Milosevic death complicates Balkans situation
Preliminary post-mortem results on Slobodan Milosevic indicate he did die of a heart attack this weekend. But coroners say poisoning or suicide cannot be ruled out until the final verdict is in, European media report.
UN prosecutor Carla del Ponte and EU foreign ministers in Salzburg warned Serbia the death has made it even more urgent to deliver the remaining war crimes fugitives to proceed with EU integration, UK media say. (...)
Also, here is the CNN special report (having trouble with the link right now):
The autopsy was carried out by Dutch authorities, with the two Serbian doctors overseeing their work.
It is difficult to keep track of all that is being accused and alleged in this situation, and it will be well worth watching what develops, but it is worth remembering that Milosevic was known as "The Butcher of the Balkans", was on trial for 66 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Balkans during the 1990s. It was he who also started (and lost) 4 wars, and was ultimately thrown over by the Serbian people and turned over to the War Crimes Tribunal by the Serbian people. How do the majority of Serbian people view Milosevic now? Perhaps we can get some news from Serbia regarding this.
Milosevic
serbia
I was able to watch some extensive of this on Saturday, and here are some quotes (again from CNN International, but having trouble with links):
Widow Mirjana Milosevic: "The tribunal has killed my husband." Borislav Milosevic, brother: "All responsibility for what has happened rests with" the tribunal."
Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic: "Milosevic organized many, many assassinations of people of my party, of people of my family ... He ordered, a few times, assassination attempts against my life. "What can I say? I can say it's a pity he didn't face justice in Belgrade."
Former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Paddy Ashdown: Milosevic was "a leader who led his people, the great nation of Serbs, into catastrophe and shame."
Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke, chief architect of the Dayton Peace accords: "This man, this monster, this war criminal who wrecked Southeastern Europe in the latter part of the 20th century is gone from the scene once and for all, but his mark is enduring ... and it isn't very good.
"Milosevic is over, but the problem is that there's still two terrible war criminals out there." [Ratko Mladic, leader of the Bosnian Serb army, and former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, both at large and wanted on war crimes charges.]
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton: "I am grateful that the United States led a coalition that stopped Slobodan Milosevic's campaign of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Milosevic's brutal policies are responsible for the deaths of countless thousands, millions of refugees, and ethnic conflicts which continue to fester. I am sorry that his trial will not be completed, and that he did not acknowledge and apologize for his crimes before his death. Nevertheless, his capture and trial will serve as a reminder that egregious crimes against humanity will not be tolerated."
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik: "This does not change or alter in any way the need to come to terms with the past, with the legacy of which Slobodan Milosevic has been a part.
"This will be one of the big challenges ahead for the region in order to reach what is the ultimate goal we are all working on, and this is lasting peace and reconciliation."
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy: "With the death of Milosevic, one of the main actors, if not the the main actor in the Balkan wars of the late 20th century, has left the scene.
"I would like to spare a thought for all those who suffered so much from ethnic cleansing -- tens of thousands of men, women and children -- (the cleansing) Milosevic conceived and planned."
Please feel free to make comments...though I request we try and keep our cool, if there are differeces in opinion.
