Karadzic Takes Helm of Army
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BELGRADE, Yugoslavia — Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic took over personal command of his army Friday, replacing his military commander, Gen. Ratko Mladic, in a reshuffle of the army’s general staff.
“The general staff is now incorporated into the Supreme Command [headed by Karadzic]. Gen. Ratko Mladic is now placed as a coordinator between the armies of [the Bosnian Serb] Republika Srpska and [the Croatian Serb] Republika Srpska Krajina,” Karadzic told Bosnian Serb television.
“Demands for energetic command, as foreseen by the constitution and law, are now unavoidable, and under the law and constitution, the supreme commander must be in command. He may not shirk that responsibility,” Karadzic said.
Karadzic said the need of a joint defense for Bosnian and Croatian Serbs had prompted the reshuffle of the army’s chain of command.
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