Meetings with Gen. Mladic on 11 and 12 July 1995
National Security Archive
"Having conquered Srebrenica, the Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic has turned the Dutch peacekeepers into hostages, and threatens the entire refugee population (15,000 people crammed into less than one square kilometer) with artillery, according to this contemporaneous report from Dutch commander C
Source: Meetings with Gen. Mladic on 11 and 12 July 1995 Date: Jul 12, 1995 Archive: ICTY Collection: Road to Dayton paved with genocide Nov 23, 2015
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COMPTE RENDU DES ENTRETIENS ENTRE LE COLONEL THOMAS KARREMANS ET LE GÉNÉRAL RATKO MLADIC DES 11 ET 12 JUILLET 1995
(source : MSF)
TLC-199503 03:44 COMGEN DUTCHBAT 156-7194
DUTCHBAT
SREBRENICA
T-NR : 2 phi 6 M (Circled) TVA : - Ø 513 TVZ : HONR : / fax/user vg
ROUTINE UNCLEARSIFIED PRIORITY UN RESTRICTED (Circled) IMMEDIATE UN CONFIDENTIAL MOST IMMEDIATE UN SECRET (Circled) EYES O
| DATE/TIME: | FILE REF: | STN. SERIAL NO: |
|---|---|---|
| FM : DUTCHBAT SREBRENICA | FAX/TEL : 371 130 2212 CRYPTO : 371 130 2211 V-SAT FAX : 7150 V-SAT TEL : 7151 |
ROUTE NO: T |
| TO : See letter | FAX : TEL : |
|
| INFO : | ||
| SUBJECT : Meetings with Gen Mladic 11/12 July '95 | TOTAL PAGES: 4 | |
| INT DISTR : | ||
| DRAFTER : C-1/NL UN-T-phon Dutchbat | SIGNATURE : [illegible] | |
| RELEASING OFFICER : LTC Karremans, FL. | SIGNATURE : [illegible] | |
| ACC CLK : | ROUTENR : | FIX OP: CHK C |
To Commanders
Commanding Officer 1(NL)UN Infbn (Dutchbat) Compound POTOCARI SREBRENICA Bosnia-Herzegovina
To: - Forcecommander [8344] Lgen Janvier ZAGREB
Commander [8338] Bosnia-Herzegovina Command: HQ UNPROFOR SARAJEVO
Commander Sector North East TUZLA
Minister van Defensie den HAAG
C-KL Crisisstaf / C15 den HAAG
12 July 1995
Nr: TK95114
Subject: Meetings with Gen Mladic on 11 and 12 July 1995
Due to time limitations I am not able to make a full report of the two meetings I have had last night with Gen Mladic of Bosnian-Serb Army. Details of the current situation in and around the compound of POTOCARI are known to you. These were explained to you by telephone. Today I witnessed a catastrophic sequence of events.
I have been ordered by HQ UNPROFOR SARAJEVO to enter into local negotiations with BSA forces for immediate ceasefire (see appendix). I had two meetings with Gen Mladic.
During the first one I have been accused of everything, what happened today, as beeing CO-Dutchbat. Again he demanded that there will not be any airstrikes or CAS longer. If airstrikes or CAS should occur or be continued, compound POTO-CARI with Dutchbat and about 2.500 refugees in it and about 15.000 refugees in the direct vicinity of it will suffer shelling. He emphasized in most threatening way that he will use all his assets to outgun the compound.
He demanded a second meeting at 2230 hrs. In that meeting a representative of all refugees should attend. I found one, although he is not an official representative. They are in the field. I was able to suggest my requests concerning the huma-
nitarian aid and first needs on behalf of the refugees. He made note of all of them. He stated: There will be a ceasefire till 12 July 1000 hrs. Then he started his talk to the representative of those refugees. He demanded:
a. All ABiH troops within the former enclave were forced to handover their weapons and free retreat.
b. Next meeting on 12 July 1000 hrs with a representation of the refugees and the former civil and military authorities.
Gen Mladic is willing to receive and treat all wounded persons however first to accept and execute his demands. If not, then he threatened again with very specific measures: shelling.
There are more than 15.000 people within one sqkm including the battalion in an extreme vulnerable position: the sitting duck position, not able to defend these people at all. In direct line and above the compound he deployd two guns, two tanks, three MLRS and one AAgun, all in direct sight. At this moment I am responsible for these people.
I am not able:
a. to defend these people; b. to defend my own battalion; c. to find suitable representatives among the civilians because the official authorities are for certain reasons not available; d. to find representatives among the military authorities because they are trying to fight for a corridor to the TUZLA-area, and will not show up anyway because of purely personal reasons; e. manage to force ABiH troops to handover their weapons.
- This situation is deteriorating in such way that additional measures are to be taken for both refugees and soldiers. In my opinion there is one way out: negotiations today at the highest level: UNSG, highest national authorities and both Bosnian Serb and Bosnian government.
CO-1(NL)UN Infbtn Dutchbat Karremans. Th.J.P. Luitenant Kolonel
PASSENGERSLIST CONVOY DUTCHBAT CCOY NAME RANK ID_NR COY WPN_NR AMO UNPF_NR PARKN 1 MATTHIJSSEN KAP AC67732 CCIE G17696 32 17298 S 10 2 VERSTEEG SLD1 AC67753 CCIE F61180 50 17298 S 30 3 PETERS SLD1 AC67865 CCIE U60121 40 17298 S 10 4 KARREMANS LKOL AC67867 SSVCIE G18082 50 7285 S 01 5 LAAR VAN DE SGT1 AD67395 SSVCIE G95646 50 7285 S 01 6 DUIJN VAN ELNT AC67808 CCIE G18081 15 17882 V 107 7 LITH SLD1 AC67826 CCIE H53437 47 17882 V 107 8 STRUIK SLD1 AC67827 CCIE F27451 19 17882 V 107 9 BRUIJNE DE SLD1 AC67830 CCIE U28968 110 17882 V 107 10 BIJEN KPL1 AD67396 SSVCIE H85615 40 17882 V 107 11 FOLKERS SLD AD67539 SSVCIE G05957 14 17882 V 107 12 NESIB MANDZIC --- 1386/86 REF REP NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 13 OMER SUBASIC --- TZ00058L INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 14 VAHID HODZIC --- TZ00059L INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 15 MUJO NUKIC --- TZ00061L INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 16 HASAN NUHANOVIC --- TZ00172 INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 17 EMIR SULJAGIC --- TZ00173L INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 18 ADMIR JUSUPOVIC --- TZ00063L INTERPR NO WPN -- 17882 V 107 19 MUHIDIN MUSIC --- B 34/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 20 ABDULAH PURCOVIC --- B 37/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 21 EMIRA SELIMOVIC --- B 38/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 22 SAHIN TALOVIC --- B 42/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 23 SCHMITZ CHR. --- IMP46781 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 24 O'BRIEN D. --- IMP46782 MSF NO WPN -- BG-024-RP 95 25 HALILOVIC MUNIRA --- --- REFUGEE NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 26 HALILOVIC SACIR --- --- REFUGEE NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 27 MUHAMED MASIC --- B 36/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 28 OMER TALOVIC --- B 41/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 29 MASIC BEGAJETA --- CHILD>27 --- NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 30 MASIC MAKBULLAH --- CHILD>27 --- NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 31 MASIC MERSAD --- CHILD>27 --- NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 32 RIAD TALOVIC --- SON >28 --- NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 33 NIJAZ TALOVIC --- SON >28 --- NO WPN -- BG-086-RP 94 34 HAYRUDIN KURTIC --- E 43/95 MSF NO WPN -- BG-032-RP 95 35 IBR. IBRAHIMOVIC --- ID LOST MSF NO WPN -- BG-032-RP 95 36 ALMIR RAMIC --- HCR02080 UNHCR NO WPN -- UNHCR106 37 FARUK MASIC --- HCR02087 UNHCR NO WPN -- UNHCR106 38 KINGORI MAJ 000760 UNMO NO WPN -- 37433 39 TETTEH MAJ 001013 UNMO NO WPN -- 37433 40 HAAN DE MAJ 001190 UNMO NO WPN -- 37433 41 HOOGEVEEN SM AD67415 SSVCIE U62181 10 17307 V 62 42 HEGGE KOL AD67551 SSVCIE G10923 30 17307 V 62 43 SCHOLING KPL AD67439 SSVCIE U129122 30 17270 V 72 44 WIJS SLD AD67536 SSVCIE G11028 31 17270 V 72
45 MARTENS SLD1 AC67748 CCIE G05221 20 17908 C 06 46 SCHOTMAN TLNT AC67778 CCIE G17684 16 17908 C 06 47 TIMMERMAN SLD1 AD67417 SSVCIE U115152 30 17597 V 63 48 FOSTER SLD AD67529 SSVCIE G10789 30 17597 V 63 49 JANSEN ELNT AD67412 SSVCIE U54642 30 17288 S 01 50 MEIJER KPL AD67432 SSVCIE U62747 30 17288 S 01 51 BRAAT SLD1 AC67791 CCIE F32522 18 17317 V 66 52 KEIZERS SLD1 AC67796 CCIE F40033 18 17317 V 66 53 ERP VAN SLD1 AC67815 CCIE F35518 100 17317 V 66 54 OLY SLD1 AC67822 CCIE F44249 12 17317 V 66 55 RAGHOEBIR SLD AD66871 SSVCIE G10937 30 17317 V 66 56 EKKEL KPL1 AD67423 SSVCIE U124292 30 17317 V 66 57 DUUREN SLD AD66362 SSVCIE G10795 30 17317 V 66 58 EISING KPL1 AD67426 SSVCIE U61116 30 17930 V 68