Ambassador Peter Galbraith

 


There was recently an interesting interview with Mr. Peter Galbraith, former U.S. ambassador to Croatia, in which he mentioned how pleased he was to see friendly relations developing between Croatia and Serbia. He might not find too many Croatians agreeing with this policy of the Croatian government, when considering the outrageous statements made by
Prime Minister Kostunica of  Serbia. He had the audacity recently to call the Croatian liberation in 1995 of its so called Krajina region in Operation "Storm" ("Oluja") "the worst "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide"since World War Two.
 
As former ambassador to Croatia, Mr. Galbraith personally testified at the ICTY trial of Milosevic that the Serb population was ordered to leave by their own leadership. There was no ethnic cleansing by  the Croatian forces. Of course other Serb documents also exist as proof.  By no means is this meant to excuse some Croatian individuals who took it upon themselves to avenge the horrors brought upon the Croatian population who lived in that area  when the Serbs occupied it between 1991 and 1995.

The Serbs were the ones who not only brutally expelled the whole non-Serb population from Slavonia East, West and "Krajina" but committed mass massacres while looting and burning all Croatian homes, churches and cultural sites. Who is being brought to justice for these atrocities?
 
Instead, it is astonishing to see the ICTY prosecution giving credence and status as advisor to a man like Strbac, and his Veritas foundation. Strbac had a leadership part in this illegal entity called Republika Srpska Krajina, from where the Serbs proceeded shelling Croatia even after Croatia's recognition by the world as a sovereign state. Why is the ICTY not charging Strbac instead of collaborating with him? This is a question world leaders should ask of the UN and ICTY.
 
As long as persons like Kostunica, Strbac, and his ilk in Serbia rule, the Croatian people cannot agree to reconciliation. Even some Serbs in Croatia have started to agitate again, with such slogans as "this is Serbia",  no doubt encouraged by Croatia's president Mesic saying that everybody should apologize to everyone. It seems he and some others in the Croatian government have amnesia, or they could not have forgotten who attacked whom. Croatia never stepped a foot on Serb soil, but Serbs surely destroyed much in Croatia. Mr. Kostunica arrogantly walked through Vukovar recently without ever uttering a word of apology. It did not seem to bother Croatian Prime Minister Sanader, but it bothers a lot of ordinary Croatian citizens. Where are the war reparations, they are asking? Why is Croatia being pushed again into a Balkan association with Serbia
with EU's "Western Balkans" concept, when Croatia historically was part of Central Europe, not part of the Balkans region, and the people do not wish to be part of it.
 
Mr. Galbraith should have no reason to be pleased, because Serbs do not bear good will toward Croatia and their idea of Greater Serbia is still nurtured by their leadership. Until they change their ways, peace will always remain precarious, and one could only wish that the Croatian leadership would see this clearly and act accordingly.
 
Sincerely,
 
Hilda Marija Foley
Croatian Worldwide Association
North Tustin, CA USA