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Milosevic Faces New Charges For Murder and Persecution in Croatia

Aired October 29, 2001 - 05:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: To take you live now to the Hague to the Netherlands, the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. This is former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic speaking before that tribunal. He is facing new charges for murder and persecution in Croatia and more deaths in Kosovo. This time it's his turn to speak. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, FORMER PRESIDENT OF YUGOSLAVIA (through translator): Because the truth is known to millions of people, I have heard here as I heard on the previous occasion, some concern because I'm not reading the documents from this false indictment, because allegedly I should know what I'm charged with.

Let me tell you I know very well what I'm being accused of. I have been accused because in a legal way and with legitimate means on the basis of the right of self-determination that belongs to every nation, I defended my nation. I had the honor to defend my nation from the criminal aggression carried out against it. And to defend my people from terrorism, whereby the Clinton administration cooperated closely with, and this is also something that no one will be able to deny.

The truth can not be sunk, but any kind of flood of false accusations and I have no intention still to familiarize myself with the contents of something that has been totally fabricated and that is far from the truth.

As for the polemics I have been listening to as to who was competent and who was not and whether a particular government should have done something prior to another government, I wonder and am astonished that not even the attorney from Belgrade, a member of the Amicus Curiae, that he should be speaking about competences, while forgetting that no government shall have the competence to enter into arrangements whereby the constitution of Serbia and the constitution of Yugoslavia was being violated.

I'm glad that the gentleman from the Amicus Curiae are aware that they can not speak in -- on my behalf and that I have nothing in common with them. Thank you.

(END VIDEOCLIP) PHILLIPS: We've been listening to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic as he speaks before the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. Mr. Milosevic facing a new round of charges for murder and persecution in Croatia and for more deaths in Kosovo.

If you've been following the story, you know that Milosevic has refused to have an attorney and is speaking for himself, but today for the first time there were three lawyers who were called "Friends of the Court" there assigned to ensure that Milosevic's interests are protected and as you can tell, Milosevic still feeling that he needs to have his say. We will continue to cover that story as it develops.

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