Stop NATO news: December 23, 2011

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U.S. Missile Deployment Deal With Romania Takes Effect

Video And Text: U.S. Targeting Russian Nuclear Capability: Analyst

U.S. Doubles Aid For Israeli Missile Shield

Top NATO Military Commander Lauds Missiles, Role In Three Continents

Warning To NATO, Turkey: Syria Fires New Russian Missiles

Middle East, North Africa Instability Zones: Russia

Pakistani Army Rejects NATO’s Self-Exonerating Report

Philippines Wants U.S. Fighter Jets, Ships Deployed Against China

Azerbaijan: Oil For War

South Caucasus: Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-U.S. NATO Axis

UNSC Consults On Kosovo Murder For Organs Trade Draft

Hague: Ex-Kosovo PM, KLA Commander Fails To Get Holiday Release

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U.S. Missile Deployment Deal With Romania Takes Effect

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n266999

Focus News Agency
December 23, 2011

Law comes into force in Romania, enabling deployment of elements of NATO missile defense

Bucharest: In Romania today, came into force a law which enables the country to be deployed elements of the NATO missile defense. That is what the country’s foreign policy department announced, quoted by ITAR-TASS.

“The agreement between Romania and the United States to deploy elements of the anti-missile shield entered into force on December 23, 2011,” the message reads.

In mid-September, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi signed an intergovernmental agreement to deploy elements of missile defense within the Deveselu Air Base in Romania.

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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/12/179665.htm

U.S. Department of State
December 23, 2011

U.S.-Romania Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

The following is the text of a joint announcement between the United States and Romania:

The United States and Romania are pleased to jointly announce that the Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement on deployment of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Romania has entered into force, effective December 23, 2011. The U.S. ballistic missile defense interceptor site will be located at Deveselu Air Base as a part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense in the 2015 timeframe. This base represents a significant contribution by our two nations to NATO’s missile defense efforts.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2011-12/23/c_122476100.htm

Xinhua News Agency
December 23, 2011

U.S. missile shield deal with Romania takes effect

             
BUCHAREST: The bilateral agreement on the deployment of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Romania has taken effect on Friday, announced the Romanian Foreign Ministry in a press release on Friday.

“Romania and the United States of America are pleased to announce together that the Agreement between Romania and the United States of America on setting up the U.S. ballistic missile defense system in Romania has taken effect on Dec. 23, 2011,” said the statement.

The U.S. system of defense missile interceptors will be placed at the Air Base at Deveselu in southern Romania, as a component of the Phased Adaptive Approach…

This base represents a significant contribution made by the two states to NATO efforts on missile defense, the release added.

Romania and the United States signed the ballistic missile defense agreement in Washington, D.C. on Sep. 12, allowing the U.S. to construct, maintain and operate a facility encompassing the land-based SM-3 ballistic missile defense system at the Deveselu Air Base.

…

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Video And Text: U.S. Targeting Russian Nuclear Capability: Analyst

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/217013.html

Press TV
December 21, 2011

‘US targeting Russian nuclear facilities’

Video

An interview with Dmitry Babich from the Russia Profile Magazine

A prominent political activist says that the deployment of a US-led NATO missile system in Europe “is actually aimed at Russia’s nuclear capability”, and not intended for Iran’s ballistic missiles.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Dmitry Babich from the Russia Profile Magazine to further discuss the issue.

The following is a transcript of the interview.

Press TV: Calls against the US missile system in Europe are growing with CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) members now throwing their weight behind these condemnations. How do you see this recent opposition against the missile system?

Babich: There is nothing new about the Russian interest in the American anti-missile defense in Europe.

Now, other countries such as Armenia and Kazakhstan also condemned it. Belarus also has been overall against it. So there is not much news about the new move by the CSTO.

What is really important is that the CSTO countries agreed that they would not deploy foreign bases on their territory without an agreement with all other members of the CSTO. This increases stability in the region because now, for example, before Kazakhstan will want to deploy an American base in its territory it will have to get an agreement from Russia for that.

Press TV: The US call it a counter-missile system, Russia and other Eastern European countries call it a threat to global security, what’s your opinion on the motives behind this missile system?

Babich: Well, when you talk to Western specialists about it, they almost never mention Iran; although, theoretically, this missile system is supposed to control Iran’s possible missiles, possibly ballistic missiles.

Whenever they talk about it, they always start talking about Russia, and how Russia needs to be contained, and how any concessions to Russian missile defense are bad for European security. So, it’s a secret that everyone knows, that the anti-missile defense is actually aimed at Russia’s nuclear capability…So, Russia is concerned about it because Russia’s nuclear capabilities is one of the few things that makes Russia interesting for the world community.

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U.S. Doubles Aid For Israeli Missile Shield

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151018#.TvQKt9R8BUk

Arutz Sheva
December 3, 2011

U.S. Doubles Aid to Israel’s Defense Systems
House and Senate Appropriations Committees approve $237 million in aid in 2012 to Israel’s anti-missile systems.
By Elad Benari

The United States will double the special aid it gives Israel for the development and implementation of anti-missile systems, the Globes financial newspaper reported on Thursday.

According to the report, the House and Senate’s Committees on Appropriations approved the aid following a request by the U.S. Administration to approve aid totaling $106.1 million for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic long-range air defense system, for the program to improve the basic capabilities of the Arrow systems, and for the David’s Sling mid-range anti-missile system.

Both Appropriations Committees went far beyond the request, the report noted, and raised the amount of aid from $129 million to $235.7 million in 2012, Globes noted. The report is based on information first published on the Inside Defense website.

The assistance to all three programs is based on an assumption that Israel would allocate identical amounts in its budget to all three programs, Globes noted. The report added that Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, and Aviv Ezra, Counselor for Congressional Affairs at the Embassy of Israel in Washington D.C., played an important role in talks with lawmakers in the months prior to the decision.

Steve Rothman, the U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 9th congressional district and a member of the United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said that the Israel’s anti-missile programs advance U.S. interests in the Middle East.

…

Earlier this week, the Commander of the Third Air Force of the U.S Military, Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, arrived in Israel to prepare for a joint training exercise between the Israel Air Force and the U.S. Army.

The ‘Austere Challenge’ (AC) exercise will take place next year and Lt. Gen. Gorenc’s visit will strengthen the ties and coordination between the forces, wrote the IAF website.

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Top NATO Military Commander Lauds Missiles, Role In Three Continents

http://www.eucom.mil/blog-post/22998/nato-in-2011-five-key-events

U.S. European Command/North Atlantic Treaty Organization
December 20, 2011

NATO in 2011 – Five Key Events
ADM Jim Stavridis

-Overall, we’e done quite a bit in NATO operations in 2011 – with 170,000 operators on three continents at our peak during Libyan operations. We’re also doing things in cyber, restructuring and stream-lining our command structures…

As I look back on 2011, I think we had a reasonably good year in the operational sense. Lots of good “end of the year” retrospectives are appearing in various magazines and on-line sites, and I thought I’d chip in with my own top five operational moments for the Alliance this past year – and a hope that it stays at least relatively quiet between now and the end of the year.

Libyan Operations. At the top of my list is the seven month operation we undertook…It was successfully completed in late October.

We conducted 26,000 aircraft sorties and intercepted over 3,000 ships in the course of conducting a no-fly zone and an arms embargo…[W]e conducted nearly 9,000 strike sorties and hit well over 6,000 targets…Overall we learned a great deal and will work on improving targeting, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, air refueling, and other aspects of our capabilities.

Afghanistan Transition and Operations. In November, the government of Afghanistan announced a second group of provinces and districts that began transition to Afghan Security Force-led operations…with the international coalition and NATO in a support, mentorship, and training role in this area.

Our plan to complete a full transition by the end of 2014 remains on track, although significant challenges remain, especially in relations with Pakistan. We suffered from a cross-border incident that included the tragic deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers…

Tension in Kosovo…[W]e’ve seen rising border tension between Kosovo and Serbia. While far from the sort of Balkans tragedies of the 1990s…we clearly have more work to do in Kosovo.

Due to a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, our NATO Commander requested and has in hand an over-the-horizon security force…I’ll be headed there personally soon to evaluate and present options to NATO. Clearly, this is a politically charged situation…

Reductions in Piracy. After several years of rising attack levels, we may be seeing progress against attacks in the second half of 2011. Success rates for attacks have dropped considerably, and there are fewer attacks than during this period last year. Some of the reasons for this include patrolling by NATO, EU, and various national forces at sea; pressure ashore militarily and in the area of development; better practices at sea by civilian mariners (convoys and
citadels, for example); and the addition of armed security teams.

NATO remains committed to the counter-piracy mission, and our ships will continue to sail in the area off the coast of Africa for the foreseeable future.

Missile Defense Unfolding. The first steps in creating a new, alliance-based missile defense system in Europe are in progress. The United States, providing a sea-based AEGIS system initially, has sent ships to sea as a framework. NATO is putting in place the command-and-control system to ensure we do this right. The hope is to offer an initial capability in time for the May 2012 summit in Chicago. While a challenging timeline, I think we can and will make it. Stay
tuned!

Overall, we’ve done quite a bit in NATO operations in 2011 – with 170,000 operators on three continents at our peak during Libyan operations. We’re also doing things in cyber, restructuring and stream-lining our command structures (cutting 6 major HQ and 4,000 billets, for example), air policing, and many other things.

It’s been a busy year, but a good one overall.

Admiral James Stavridis
Commander
U.S. European Command

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Warning To NATO, Turkey: Syria Fires New Russian Missiles

http://www.worldnewstribune.com/2011/12/22/syria-fires-new-russian-missiles-in-exercise-as-warning-to-turkey-and-nato/

World Tribune
December 23, 2011

Syria fires new Russian missiles in exercise as ‘warning to Turkey and NATO’

NICOSIA: The regime of President Bashar Assad has displayed its new Russian-origin weapons during a military exercise.

Western diplomats said Assad’s military fired new missiles and other weapons acquired from Moscow in late 2011 during an exercise that took place on Dec. 20. They said the new weapons included the P-800 Yakhont cruise missile, which arrived in November.

“This was a warning to Turkey and NATO to keep out of Syria,” a diplomat said.

This marked the second major military exercise by Syria in less than a month. But the diplomats said the latest exercise was much larger than the first interservice maneuvers.

“The demonstration was aimed at testing the combat capability and readiness of the air force and air defense to confront any possible aggression that might target Syria’s land and air space,” the official Syrian news agency, Sana, said.

Sana said the exercise demonstrated a high level of interoperability in missile and other attacks. Sana, which did not identify the weapons, said the military’s special forces also conducted paratroop operations.

Yakhont has been part of the Bastion coastal defense system supplied by Moscow. Diplomats said Syria received at least two Bastion systems, or more than 60 supersonic land-attack missiles.

Syria has also received the Iskander-E long-range surface-to-surface rocket from Russia. It was not clear whether Syria fired the Iskander during the latest exercise.

“Marine and coastal missiles participated in the maneuver under conditions similar to a real battle, hitting the assumed hostile targets with accuracy that reflected the high level of combat training the marine personnel had and their efficiency in using modern maritime weapons,” Sana
said.

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Middle East, North Africa Instability Zones: Russia

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/12/23/62781305.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
December 23, 2011

Mid-East, N Africa instability zones – Lavrov

Russia fears the trouble in North Africa and the Middle East may create instability zones exporting illicit migrants, drugs, terrorism and illegal arms

Speaking to Reuters Friday, he called particular attention to the risks of attacks on Christians and clashes between Shia and Sunni Muslims.

The Minister also criticized the West’s double standards in its approach to Syria. He said ending violence there requires restraint on the part of both the authorities and the opposition.

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Pakistani Army Rejects NATO’s Self-Exonerating Report

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=11215&Cat=13

The News
December 23, 2011

ISPR rejects Nato probe

RAWALPINDI: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday said it did not agree with the inquiry report by the US Army and Nato into the Mohmand Agency strike, which killed 28 Pakistani soldiers.

According to Geo News, the ISPR said the inquiry report, which came to the fore through the media, was deficient of facts. It said a proper reply about the same would be given after issuance of the detailed report.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2011-12/23/c_131323297.htm

Xinhua News Agency
December 23, 2011

Pakistani army rejects NATO strike inquiry report

       
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani army has rejected an investigation report into last month’s NATO strike on two of its border posts, which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and injured 13 others, reported local Urdu TV channel Geo on Friday.

The report quoted an early Friday morning army statement as saying that the investigation report “is short on facts” and “has holes in it, which need to be filled in”.

“A detailed response will be given when the formal report is received,” said a brief statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a mouthpiece of Pakistani army.

…

NATO spokesman Colonel Gregory Julian said in Brussels, “The investigation has ascertained that a series of mistakes were made on both sides in failing to properly coordinate their locations and actions, both before the operation and during the resulting engagement.”

…

Local watchers said that rejection of the U.S. inquiry report in a quick and short statement shows that the findings have not fully addressed to Pakistan’s demands.

NATO and the United States did not tender an apology in the findings and repeated the previous stand of expressing regrets by the NATO and the United States when they released the report on Thursday.

Pakistani army and civilian leaders have already rejected regrets and called for action against those responsible for the attack, which caused a dent in ties between the United States and Pakistan.

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Philippines Wants U.S. Fighter Jets, Ships Deployed Against China

http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/21018-phl-to-ask-us-to-deploy-fighter-jets-ships-for-spratlys

Business Mirror
December 21, 2011

PHL to ask US to deploy fighter jets, ships for Spratlys
Estrella Torres

-[T]he US is also planning to station Marines in Australia and Singapore amid increasing tensions in the disputed Spratly Islands.

The Philippines will ask for the assistance of the United States to deploy a squadron of fighter jets and two more military ships amid increasing tensions with China in the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said he will meet with US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton and high officials of Pentagon in his visit to Washington, D.C., early next year to discuss the need to increase the Philippines’s military presence in the area.

The request for US military assistance was first discussed during the visit of Clinton in the Philippines in November.

“We’re trying to get assistance from several countries [to strengthen military capability] and the US has expressed willingness to assist us as we work on a minimum, credible defense posture [in the disputed islands in West Philippine Sea],” said del Rosario in a press luncheon briefing on Wednesday at a hotel in Pasay City.

He said the Philippines will request two more Hamilton class cutters with the first one delivered mid this year and a squadron or 12 units of fighter jets to be deployed on the disputed islands that are believed to be rich in natural gas and marine resources.

Moves to strengthen the country’s military capability came amid Chinese deployment of more navy ships in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. “We need to stand up and defend our territorial claims on what we think is ours,” said del Rosario.

He also believes that the US foreign policy is to re-engage Asia to a greater extent as it believes that the region has taken the role as key driver of economic growth.

He said the US is also planning to station Marines in Australia and Singapore amid increasing tensions in the disputed Spratly Islands.

…

Four Asean members — Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia — are claimants to parts of Spratly Islands, along with Taipei. China is claiming the entire Spratlys.

Other Asean members include Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Burma/Myanmar and Thailand.

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Azerbaijan: Oil For War

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C12%5C23%5Cstory_23-12-2011_pg7_5

Daily Times (Pakistan)
December 23, 2011

     
Ilham Aliyev: Our aim is to convert black gold to human gold
By Dure Najaf Zaidi

[Excerpts]

In 1995 Azerbaijan signed a “Contract of Century” for exploration of hydrocarbon offshore reserves in the Caspian Sea. Aliyev, as vice president of State Oil Company was a key figure during the negotiations between the Azerbaijani Government and Western oil companies.

…

The natural resources are being transported through a diversified network. In mid-2006 the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline was inaugurated. Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline was completed soon afterwards. These pipelines deliver Azerbaijan’s own oil and gas to world [European] markets as well as allowing the carrying of hydrocarbon resources of neighbouring [fellow Caspian Sea littoral] countries through Azerbaijan, bringing the country transit revenues.

…

The Baku-Tbilisi-Gars railway corridor, which intends to link Azerbaijan and Turkey via Georgia, is under construction and will facilitate transportation of goods and passengers from Central Asia and Azerbaijan onwards to Europe. This project will ultimately make the country a transport hub of the region. All these projects are not only giving substantial economic dividends to Azerbaijan but also increasing the political weight of the country.

…

Azerbaijan’s armed forces are the best equipped and largest in Transcaucasia, with its military budget exceeding now the entire budget of the country-aggressor [Armenia].

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South Caucasus: Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-U.S. NATO Axis

http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/georgia/1973224.html

Trend News Agency
December 23, 2011

Azerbaijan called as Georgia’s strategic partner in new national security concept
N. Kirtskhalia

Tbilisi: Azerbaijan is Georgia’s strategic partner, the Georgian National Security Concept says. The country’s parliament unanimously adopted it on Friday evening.

The Georgian Parliament has today discussed the new national security concept, which replaced that one adopted in July 2005. The opposition also supported the concept. It was also involved in its preparation.

“Georgia and Azerbaijan have traditionally good neighborly relations,” the concept said.

…

Turkey is identified as Georgia’s leading regional partner in the concept. “Turkey, as a NATO member, is an important military partner,” the document said. “Georgia attaches great importance to the cooperation with Turkey in the fields of security and defense.”

Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council Batu Kutelia told MPs that as opposed to the previous concept, the new document is the result of extensive discussions with political parties and civil society. He said that the comments received by the country from Western partners were taken into account during the work over the concept.

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http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=162409

Azeri Press Agency
December 23, 2011

Georgian National Security Concept declares Azerbaijan and Turkey as strategic partners
Rashad Suleymanov

Baku: The Georgian parliament discussed the new National Security Concept, which considers political-military changes in the region after the August 2008 events [war with South Ossetia and Russia], AAP reports quoting Georgian news agencies.

The concept mentions the South Ossetian and Abkhazian problems, as well as other challenges threatening Georgia. It identifies the Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan as one of the main problems of the region. “A new armed conflict between these countries will threaten security in all three countries of the South Caucasus and increase Russian influence in the region”.

In the section “Main directions of national security policy of Georgia”, Azerbaijan was mentioned as Georgia’s strategic partner, but relations with Armenia were described as [characterized as] “close cooperation”…

Georgia also sees the United States as a strategic partner. “Georgia increased its defense potential at the expense of US assistance programs. Georgia is interested in deepening of cooperation in this field”.

Turkey was also declared a strategic partner of Georgia, which gives great importance to the development of relations in the fields of defense and security. “Turkey is an important military partner as a member of NATO and regional country. Georgia gives great significance to the security and defense cooperation with Turkey”.

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UNSC Consults On Kosovo Murder For Organs Trade Draft

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=77945

Tanjug News Agency
December 23, 2011

UNSC debates organ trade draft

NEW YORK: Consultations are ongoing in the UNSC on Serbia’s resolution on human organ trafficking in Kosovo, the Serbian Mission to the UN told Tanjug on Friday.

Russia is presiding over the UN Security Council until the end of December and intensive consultations have taken place in recent days on the text of the resolution, which calls for the appointment of a special representative of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to oversee the investigation, but UNSC member countries have yet to reach a compromise.

No agreement has been reached and the UNSC is not expected to meet before the New Year, but consultations are ongoing, Tanjug has learned from the Serbian Mission to the UN. But the UNSC will suspend its activities for the year on Friday, barring emergencies.

Western countries in the UNSC believe only EULEX should be in charge of an investigation into the allegations made in Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty’s report. Belgrade, on the other hand, is advocating an independent investigation under a UN mandate, as the crimes mentioned in the report are not contained to Kosovo alone.

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Hague: Ex-Kosovo PM, KLA Commander Fails To Get Holiday Release

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=12&dd=23&nav_id=77954

Tanjug News Agency
December 23, 2011

Hague Tribunal rejects Haradinaj’s release request

-Based on individual criminal responsibility, Haradinaj is accused of crimes committed by Kosovo Albanian forces in the Jablanica camp in 1998 against opponents from the KLA and those believed to have been the opponents.
The prisoners were abused and starved and some of them were murdered.

THE HAGUE, PRIŠTINA: The Hague Tribunal has rejected Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander Ramush Haradinaj’s request for a temporary release during the winter break. 

According to the Hague Tribunal, his release could jeopardize the trial.

The defense has requested that Haradinaj be released from December 16 until January 8, 2012.

The KLA commander’s attorneys explained that all of the witnesses who were supposed to testify in the retrial had already done so and that there was no reason not to approve Haradinaj’s request.

…Haradinaj’s trial has been adjourned and it should continue on January 13, when a protected witness should testify.

The retrial of the KLA commander started on August 18, 2011 and this is the first time that a trial is being repeated in the Hague Tribunal.

Based on individual criminal responsibility, Haradinaj is accused of crimes committed by Kosovo Albanian forces in the Jablanica camp in 1998 against opponents from the KLA and those believed to have been the opponents.

The prisoners were abused and starved and some of them were murdered.

KLA members Idriz Balaj and Lah Brahimaj’s names are also on the indictment. They are accused of crimes against humanity and violation of law and customs of war in 1998 in Kosovo.

At the initial trial Haradinaj and Balaj were acquitted on all 37 counts of the indictment [after as many as ten prosecution witnesses were murdered] and Brahimaj was sentenced to six years in prison.

Prosecutor Paul Rogers said in the opening argument that Haradinaj and his associates Brahimaj and Balaj were responsible for the crimes, regardless of whether the victims were Serbs, Albanians, Egyptians or Roma, Muslim, Orthodox or Catholics.

The trial is being repeated on six counts of the indictment.

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