Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is currently under lock and key at the UN prison in Schevingen, the Netherlands where is awaiting trial before the ICTY on charges of genocide and war crimes. Radio Netherlands Worldwide International Justice Desk and the International Justice Tribune, submitted ten questions to Mr. Karadzic. His answers had to be approved by the ICTY Registrar. On the third attempt, four answers were approved for release. 

Q: You say there was a deal with Richard Holbrooke not to prosecute you. Until your arrest, did you have any contact with US officials in this respect?

A: After concluding the agreement with Richard Holbrooke on 18-1 9 July 1996,I kept my word and withdrew from public life. I had no further personal contact with US officials. However, in 1997, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright approached my successor as President of Republika Srpska, Biljana Plavsic, and repeated the international community's wish that I leave Pale. She requested that I leave
the country, or at least move to Bijelina, where she suggested I could open a medical clinic. This is all documented in Mrs. Plavsic's book. After the Holbrooke agreement, I was able to move freely in the territory of Republika Srpska without being arrested. Even Secretary Albright did not request my arrest when negotiating with Mrs. Plavsic. What they wanted was to diminish my influence on political life, and they saw my presence in Pale as a symbol of my influence, even if I had indeed withdrawn from political life. I did meet with some American citizens after the Holbrooke agreement and told them about it. You can find the statements of New York Times correspondent David Binder and Washington political consultant Obrad Kesic confirming this as exhibits in my Holbrooke Agreement motion which I filed with the Tribunal.

Q: You are currently working on your defence. Do you think you will have a fair trial?

A: I hope my trial is fair, but my expectations are very low. There is a wide impression, not only among the Serbs, that the very same governments that bombed us and helped our enemies would like to influence the Tribunal, and I may pray they will not succeed. I do think that during the pre-trial period nobody could influence the Chamber, which was very decisive in inviting the governments to cooperate and submit what they have, and they have a lot of sensitive document, sand I would be very happy if that continues. 

Not to say anything about jurisdiction and conduct, there are many other obstacles: it had passed almost 20 years since the crisis began and fifteen since we concluded the peace, and during the entire period there was an unseen demonization of me and the Bosnian Serbs, while I was obliged by the agreement with Mr. Holbrooke not to talk in public. Indeed, the prejudice that had been built is an enormous one, and my task to bring about the truth appears to be of the same dimensions. I owe that not only to myself, but to all of three nations in BiH, to the entire region, as well as to the already sentenced people, who did not succeed to present the whole picture. The only advantage for me is that I have an insight in many more document and books, than they did, since all of the secrets are not so secret any more.

Q: Do you think the ICTY is the right place to deal with the aftermath of the Balkan wars?

A: There should always be a sort of criminal justice court, so that anyone can eyed dream about impunity. However, there should be no exceptions, bias or political influence, a winners justice, a triumphant jubilation of one of the sides, and everything that can occur. I do not believe in these ad hoc institutions, for the great powers may hope to prosecute those in small countries, but insulate their own misdeeds from prosecution. Why aren't Western high officials like Ambassador Peter Galbraith prosecuted for aiding
and abetting when the facilitated shipments of arms to the Bosnian Muslims knowing they were using these arms to attack Serb civilians from the so-called safe areas? One of the biggest obstacles in the achieving the justice is also the fact that the crime against peace is not in the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, since
everything originates from that criminal framework.

There is definitely a double standard for alleged 'tjustice" for people in small counties like Bosnia in the international community, while countries like the United States enjoy "impunity" for their own crimes, such as torture in Iraq and illegal detentions. We are to hope that the Judges who decide will resist. However, since I was arrested and transferred here despite my agreement with Richard Holbrooke, I will do my best to expose the truth about what happened in Bosnia even if it is embarrassing to those countries and officials who enjoy their freedom and are never held accountable for their actions. 

Q: What will be the first thing you do if the tribunal, in the end, will find you not guilty?

A: If the Tribunal finds me not guilty, the first thing I will do is withdraw all my criticisms against it concerning my case, and will be at a disposal to help the Justice triumph in all of other cases, since many of the facts had not been know at the time. Then I will rejoin my family and enjoy the time that I have left with them. I will also wish to meet all of the kind and distinguished people, professors, lawyers and interns, who are now helping my defence in a most generous way.