Association of Generals of BiH: Alija Izetbegović will always be one of the symbols of honorable struggle and an undisputed authority for us

(Patria) - The Association of Generals of BiH stated today that the events and statements we have witnessed in the past few days, as well as the approaching anniversary of the death of the first president of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the late Alija Izetbegović, have prompted them to issue a statement titled "What is Alija Izetbegović to us?".

"In the most difficult time of aggression against our country, all of us patriotic and freedom-loving Bosnians and Herzegovinians were forced to create a defense army out of nothing, which had to defend both the country and its peoples from destruction, ethnic cleansing, horrific crimes, rape...

And in such a time of shameless destruction of everything Bosnian-Herzegovinian, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina never had in its doctrine the implementation of any criminal intentions or acts.

We, the wartime commanders, have always insisted and ordered our units to absolutely respect international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.

In all of this, we had the full support of our president and supreme commander Alija Izetbegović, and every order from him and the Supreme Command specifically emphasized respect for these rules.

Every address from him to us began and ended with a remark about the honorable role of us and our fighters in that difficult time when the aggressors committed heinous crimes at all times and were proud of it.

The late Alija Izetbegović, in the memory of all democratically oriented world politicians, diplomats, and intellectuals, was and remains a man of high moral and human values.

Confirmation of this are the words of the late Paddy Ashdown: 'It takes courage to choose tolerance, to choose restraint and reject exclusivity. Even Alija Izetbegović's fiercest critics could not deny that he possessed this quality to a great extent'.

As for us, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian and 'his' generals and officers, President Izetbegović will always represent one of the symbols of our honorable struggle and an undisputed authority.

We believe that any untrue statement about the president of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina causes immeasurable damage and offends us members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, sincere patriots, and all of us who suffered the horrors of the aggression that culminated in the genocide against Bosniaks in the UN-protected zone of Srebrenica.

The anniversary of the death of the late Alija Izetbegović is an opportunity for all of us to remember a great and honorable man who invested himself in the building and defense of our country, the building of its international reputation, and the creation of friendly ties around the world. So, dear friends and others, this is Alija Izetbegović to us," stated the Association of Generals of BiH.