James Rubin continues his testimony in The Hague today

Former US Assistant Secretary of State James Ruby since Monday, on September 14th has begun his testimony in the judicial process in The Hague.

He has testified Monday and Tuesday as Hashim Thaci's defence witness, while his testimony will continue today.

During the two days of his testimony, James Rubin has said that the judgment being rendered to Thaci is unfair until he has also told various events and stories along with Hashim Thaci, Madeline Albright and other important names of that period of time.

Rubin began witnessing with the United States' initial impression of the 1999 Liberation Army of Kosovo, saying they had a different impression.

Rubin showed how we initially described it as a terrorist activity organization, adding that “, of course, despite our desire to be on the side of angels, we did not want to support people who were developing terrorist activities”.

This stance changed, especially after the KLA agreed to the Rambouillet Agreement”, he said.

Rubin also stressed that organs of the United Nations Organisation (OKB) often did not well describe the situation in Kosovo.

Asked whether he was aware of a 1998 UN report discussing the alleged kidnapping of Serb, Albanian and Roma civilians, and Serbian police officers, by people believed to belong to the KLA, Rubin said he hesitated to believe the report.

“I've read a UN report on Kosovo, but I've been very skeptical about that report, because UN bodies haven't described the situation very often”, he said.

Regarding the author of writing for the murder of Thaci's rivals...

Rubin was asked for an article in The New York Times, dated June 25th 1999, which said top KLA commanders have committed murders within their ranks.

The murders charges were made by members of the KLA to American diplomats, who allegedly witnessed Thaci's rivals killed.

Rubin said he cannot remember this article, but added there are doubts about his author, Chris Hedges.

The former US diplomat had criticism of the Special Court.

He called it unjust to keep five years in custody of the accused, who, according to him, surrendered voluntarily.

The “have surrendered voluntarily and co-operated with the Prosecutor, I understand why they have been in prison so long, that worries me”, Ruby said.

He also testified that there was no control and effective command in the KLA, and that as the US viewed Thaci as the leader appointed by Albanians themselves.

Rubin later discovered a telephone conversation between Hashim Thaci and then US President Bill Clinton in June 1999, and how Thaci had vowed to respect minorities, although his people had been mistreated for years.

I've heard from Sandy Berger, president Clinton's security adviser, because I haven't spoken directly to the president. He had told President Clinton that, despite the violence they had suffered, they would not retaliate”, Ruby said.

Also, according to Rubin, it was a clear “” that Thaci had “proposed somewhere from which to get approval”.

Rubin even during his testimony yesterday, stressed that Thaci had primarily political role and that there was no competence for military decisions within the KLA.

He said Thaci should receive the commanders' approval for any important military decision.

He also stated that there was no information linking Thaci or the other indictee, Jakup Krasniqi, with claims of murder or execution.

In launching his testimony early Monday morning, the former American diplomat recalled meetings with Hashim Thaci, who in the witness chair had been called yes by his defence.

I remember the first meeting with Thaci, it was a difficult time, there was no power. The first time [after the war] we met in New York after becoming prime minister. I was very surprised because he had gone by a young man working under difficult circumstances, and had become prime minister. So it's been four-five years. The last time we met was about 2018 when I was working in Washington”, Ruby said.

While witnessing about Kosovo's dark times in the 1990s, James Rubin spoke of efforts to achieve peace.

We wanted to reach a golden middle for everyone. To fill the Serbian mind for peace, but also to achieve Kosovo independence”, he has declared Ruby.

But for Thaci, Rubin said, signing any statements specifying independence would be considered treason.

And Kosovo's independence, the former diplomat said they strongly supported it, though that Albanians could not communicate so freely.

From the establishment of the independent state of Kosovo, Rubin spoke of Thaci's role in the Kosovo Liberation Army, and given his testimony, the former president had no competencies within the KLA, but that orders were taken from other commanders.

He (Thaci) could not dictate anything, but reflected the decisions made by that office (within the KLA) that the Albanian leadership making decisions in the group, which were not always present, had to receive permission from them. He was unable to dictate rules and conditions, when we wanted to do something important he was communicating with other people”, Ruby said.

Although according to the witness, Thaci was the voice and face of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

As far as the accusations of Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi and other KLA leaders have executed or killed people, Rubin dismissed these claims.

The same said that they had never collected evidence or possessed information that had ever happened.

James Rubin was also asked about Thaci's relations with the United States, which he believed were special and of a remarkable importance to the former head of the KLA.

After me, his greatest priority was to have the support of American leadership”, Ruby said during his testimony.

He underlined that, at any moment, he had not noticed in Thaci any behavior or approach that would endanger that support.

During his testimony, Rubin said the Serbian government has always tried to blame the KLA, adding that Serbs were involved in the operation to hide evidence.

The “The Serbs were involved in the operation to hide the evidence, absolutely so. The characteristics we have seen in Bosnia, and we have seen again in Kosovo. They have always tried to blame the KLA, the Serbian government. This is the way they have tried to justify what they were doing by blaming others”, he stated.