Examination of Witnesses (Questions 120
- 125)
THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1999
MR EMYR
JONES PARRY,
SIR JOHN
GOULDEN, AND
MR BRIAN
DONNELLY
Sir David Madel
120. I think it did in The Sunday Times.
Forgive me interrupting. You mentioned a German newspaper but
I think it appeared in The Sunday Times as well.
(Mr Jones Parry) The original came from Germany.
Chairman
121. Some claim that the actual scale of the
exodus was planned in advance, the fact that the trains were available,
the lorries and so on. Is it the assumption that that logistical
basis for the cleansing had been well planned in advance?
(Mr Jones Parry) Precisely because we were not aware
of it, we have little detail even with hindsight of what transpired
to lead them exactly to do it. By definition we were not that
close to the centres of decision-making and Brian Donnelly has
explained how these things are arrived at. The answer is we do
not know.
122. Was that a massive failure of Western intelligence?
(Mr Jones Parry) I think in aggregate we receive lots
of information, some of it very helpful, but Western intelligence
itself in a time of conflict is inhibited by the conditions on
the ground.
123. Before the conflict.
(Mr Jones Parry) I know nothing to predate the first
newspaper report to suggest it was there and we should have known.
Sir Peter Emery
124. Chairman, I wonder whether we might ask
Mr Parry whether he would consider the possibility of putting
together a small document for us which might be only for the Committee,
he may wish to restrict it because of high information and so
on and so forth. I think it would be very helpful and we could
save embarrassment at this moment if something could be put together
for the Committee.
(Mr Jones Parry) I am very happy, Mr Chairman, to
look at that.
Chairman
125. It was quite clear that the scale of humanitarian
disaster was not anticipated by ourselves or our allies.
(Mr Jones Parry) I explained earlier, Mr Chairman,
why on the basis of what had happened before and on the basis
of what one might rationally expect that an action at the end
of the 1990s of that sort was something that we had no reason
to believe would happen.
Chairman: That is a sad and sobering thought.
Can I thank you very much, gentlemen, on behalf of the Committee
and stress that the debate will continue.
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