American General: Kosovo Albanians stopped ethnic cleansing
(5 years ago)NATO's intervention in the SRJ has helped prevent ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians has said US General Frederick Ben Hodges, who was commander of American forces in Europe, adding that the action NATO creates the possibility for prudent leaders to find political solutions. To ask whether there was any way of avoiding [...]
In the question of whether there was any way of avoiding the most powerful alliance intervention against a European state, Hodges for the “American Voice” said he is convinced that a sustainable strategy was necessary.
“I believe that the competition of major powers avoids conflict of large sizes, over the long term that means sustainable strategy for the region that improves economic and diplomatic integration. With concrete investments and efforts by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France may have avoided intervention”, he said.
Regarding the condolences for the families of the civilian victims, including children, Hodges said that during his stay in Tashmeydan in Belgrade, we visited the park <x0); we were visiting children ourselves” honoured by victims (79 children) dead from the bombing.
Whatever innocent life is tragedy, no parent should experience the loss of the child, so we need economic and diplomatic opportunities to avoid conflicts, at the same time nations and leaders should protect the standards and international laws”, he told VOA.
Regarding arms from China and Russia, the US general said each nation is responsible for the safety of its own people, but is not sure that Serbia has threats.
“I want to see continued exercises and the possibility that Serbian and American forces and other allies will engage in humanitarian missions and peacekeeping missions”, he said.
“I believe that most young people in Serbia see the future in the opposite direction of the past, are aware that the best opportunities are the economy, health and Western-oriented education”, he said.