CORRECTED: Serbia hails Russia’s UN veto on Srebrenica but victims angry

Serbia hailed Wednesday Russia’s veto on a draft UN Security Council resolution recognising the 1995 Srebrenica massacre as a genocide but a representative of victims’ families said it would make reconciliation impossible.

“Not only was the stigmatisation of the entire Serbian people as genocidal prevented, but Russia today showed and proved that it has been a real and honest friend,” Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said in a statement.

“This is a great day for Serbia.”

Belgrade was upset with a draft UN resolution submitted by Britain which called for the Security Council to recognise the mass murder of 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995 as genocide.

In Sarajevo, Munira Subasic, the head of the Mothers of Srebrenica, told AFP that Russia’s veto “would make trust and reconciliation impossible”.

“We are not surprised by such a decision… Russia is actually supporting criminals, those who killed our children,” Subasic said.

“By deciding (to veto) Russia has left the door open for a new war,” she added.