storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

Th e Joint Staff of the Army of the Federation of Bosnia&Herzegovina asked the HV
General Staff not to insist on the immediate withdrawal of ARBiH units from the territory
of the Republic of Croatia “until interstate commissions defi ne the state borders, the
future use of the Plješivica radio-relay facility, the Željava airport and other possible
controversial issues”, and to provide, “as early as feasible, an overland corridor for the
delivery of materiel and supplies for the units of the ARBiH 5 th Corps, and to reduce the
required procedure to a minimum”. 465
144
Conclusion
From the standpoint of Croatian state interests the role of the ARBiH 5 th Corps in Storm
was determined by its advantageous position. With its very existence the Corps hampered
the defence of the RSK and facilitated the implementation of Croatian strategic ideas.
In the operation the Corps took advantage of the disarray in Serbian ranks for several
breakthroughs with a promotional rather than a military impact if the overall scope of
the operation is taken into account. Th e only exception was the opportunity to eliminate
Fikret Abdić’s autonomist political and territorial option. Th e 5 th Corps did not miss it.
465 HR HB, GS HVO, cl. str. conf. 818-01/95-02/03, reg. no. 02-10-03-95-143 of 7 August 1995; ARBiH request.