The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Breach</strong>; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments <strong>of</strong> http://www.192.comdiplomats from the Balkans desk wanted a meeting with Karadzic in hisheadquarters in the village <strong>of</strong> Pale just outside Sarajevo to understandbetter his negotiating position in the ongoing ICFY talks. As there wasno other British diplomatic representation nearby, String Vest asked meto organise the trip. Getting permission to travel from Sarajevo toPale was not easy, as it meant negotiating a safe passage through theBosnian-Muslim and Bosnian-Serb front lines, not to mention clearingthe trip with the obstreperous French UNPROFOR contingent in Sarajevo.I'd arranged a meeting with them at 1800 that evening, but we'd beenheld up when a Spanish UNPROFOR APC crashed in front <strong>of</strong> us, blockingthe road.`We'll never get there unless we leg it,' Tosh answered back.`Listen, Tosh, this is your last warning, if you don't lift <strong>of</strong>f a bit,I'll have to drive,' I slapped down the sun visor against the lowwinter sun which was reflecting from the day-old snow that covered theabandoned fields and returned to my briefing notes.`Shit, Jon's lost it!' shouted Tosh urgently, slamming on the brakes <strong>of</strong>the Discovery.I spun round in the seat to see the comms-wagon completing a somersaulton to its ro<strong>of</strong>, 50 metres behind us. Tosh brought the Discovery to ajuddering halt on the ABS and gunned it into a three-point turn to getback to the accident scene. As we skidded to a halt alongside, Jon andBaz were crawling out <strong>of</strong> the wreckage, dazed and shaken, but thankfullynot hurt. `Yer bastard,' muttered Baz as he got to his feet andsurveyed the remains <strong>of</strong> the comms-wagon. `We'd better call the AA.' <strong>The</strong>vehicle had rolled twice before ending on its ro<strong>of</strong> in a ditch, and evenif it could be repaired it would be <strong>of</strong>f the road for several weeks.`Black ice, there was nothing Baz could do,' Jon apologised to me.We now had to replan the next few days. `Tosh, set the HF up,' orderedJon, `We'll have to get Jim to fly the spare comms-wagon up fromSplit.' <strong>The</strong>re was no way that the French would give us permission totravel from Sarajevo to Pale for the Karadzic meeting in a singlevehicle, so it was imperative that Jim acted fast. I left Jon and Bazto guard the crippled vehicle against scavengers until the REME (RoyalElectrical and Mechanical Engineers) recovery unit arrived, and set <strong>of</strong>fwith Tosh in the Discovery for the meeting with the French.<strong>The</strong> 48 hours were a whirlwind <strong>of</strong> meetings to debrief DONNE and sort outthe Pale trip. <strong>The</strong> recalcitrant French commander eventually agreed toallow the diplomatic visit, but not until his decision was eased by twobottles <strong>of</strong> Scotch. Multiple meetings with the Bosnian-Muslim militiaand several cartons <strong>of</strong> cigarettes eventually secured a safe passagethrough their lines, though they were deeply opposed to Britishdiplomatic contact with the Serbs. Finally, Major Indic, thetemperamental Bosnian-Serb liaison <strong>of</strong>ficer in the PTT building, agreedto give us permission to travel onwards through Serbian-held territoryto Pale, though, to show who was boss, he made me wait in his <strong>of</strong>ficefor six hours before he would agree.602 troop were working just as hard. Jim managed to get the sparecomms-wagon on to a Hercules arriving in Sarajevo the evening beforepage- 120 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version <strong>of</strong> this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com