Milosevic vs Rugova: In quotes

Rugova (r) refused to look at Milosevic during testimony

Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic became involved in a series of heated exchanges with Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova at his trial for war crimes at the Hague.

The judge at several times intervened and told both men to stick to the indictment as the atmosphere became increasingly antagonistic.

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On the role of the international community:

Slobodan Milosevic: Mr Rugova, do you think that you personally and the Kosovo Albanians were used as a means of implementing the will of the great powers - yes or no?

Milosevic appeared bored for much of Friday's testimony

Ibrahim Rugova: The great powers and the international community came out in our defence, for human rights and against the massacres perpetrated by Belgrade and by you.

SM: Well history gives many examples to the contrary.

IR: Belgrade clearly decided to destroy Kosovo through violence and war. This was a calmly done cleansing of the population. We all know what happened in 1998 and 1999."

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On the Kosovo Liberation Army:

SM: Why did you support the terrorist organisation of KLA?

IR: That's newspaper stuff, the KLA was an organisation that responded to repression and violence for the purpose of winning freedom for the people.

It was not a terrorist organisation, it was organised by people who responded to your repression... with the purpose of winning freedom for the people.

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On warning Mr Milosevic in 1999 that his Serb Government forces were committing crimes:

IR: We said that the situation in Kosovo was bad, that there was violence and repression and he (Milosevic) said the state had to respond to terrorist activities.

People were being driven out of Kosovo by military and police and other groups and I asked him to find out what was the matter and to do something and he was listening.