Former Chief of Staff of the Yugoslav Army Momcilo Perisic (R) arrives for his initial appearance at the War Crimes Tribunal on March 9, 2005 in The Hague, the Netherlands. (Michel Porro/Getty Images)
Perisic is the most senior officer of the Yugoslav Army to go on trial for crimes committed during the conflicts between 1993 and 1995, including the 43-month siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys.
"My defence will contribute to the determination of all the relevant facts to challenge the allegations and indictment and prove my innocence," Perisic told the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.
"It is an obligation I have towards my profession, my family and my army, my people and my state."
Perisic, whose trial started on Thursday, is charged with murder, persecution and attacks on civilians in Croatia and Bosnia in the 1990s.
The prosecution has told the court the former Serb general consistently failed to prevent or punish the criminal acts committed by his subordinates.
