|
War Crimes Prosecutor Clashes With Belgrade Over Milosevic Trial
BELGRADE, Jan 25 (News Agencies) - War crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte insisted Thursday that former president Slobodan Milosevic face trial before the U.N. tribunal and not in Yugoslavia as she ended three days of tense talks here.
Del Ponte rejected out-of-hand the new regime's contention that Milosevic be tried in his homeland and warned that Belgrade's failure to cooperate with the U.N. tribunal in The Hague would hurt its efforts to break out of international isolation.
"Our jurisdiction [is] war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. For these crimes, Milosevic will come to The Hague and be tried there," del Ponte said at the end of her trip.
"For other crimes, it is possible to try him in Belgrade," she told reporters.
Milosevic and four of his one-time top allies have been indicted by The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for war crimes allegedly committed during a terror campaign in 1999 against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has resisted demands that Milosevic appear before the ICTY, arguing that it could further destabilize the Balkans as it seeks to overcome the legacy of war.
"I was surprised that my meeting with President Kostunica did not lead to any meaningful dialogue," Del Ponte said bluntly, adding: "He must change his mind about" the ICTY.
While del Ponte did not hide her disappointment with the outcome of the visit, she also warned Belgrade that it would be compelled to address her demands for handing over Milosevic sooner or later.
"Full cooperation with the ICTY cannot be avoided if Yugoslavia will become a full member of the international community," del Ponte said.
"This is the most important issue to be resolved in our future relations," she said.
Del Ponte said she was leaving Belgrade "with mixed feelings."
But in Geneva, European Commission President Romano Prodi voiced sympathy for Kostunica's stance, saying that he should not face sanctions for his refusal to turn over Milosevic.
"I don't make any conditions to Kostunica. I have a strong belief in the need to give time to democracy," said Prodi, who heads the executive body of the European Union.
"He needs time, he needs to have his people with him," said Prodi.
In Sofia, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said holding trials in Belgrade would help the country come to terms with the atrocities committed over the last decade.
"We are interested in cooperating with The Hague tribunal, it is part of our international obligations," he said during a visit to Bulgaria, adding that "the first steps have been taken" during del Ponte's trip.
But he warned that "the framework of this cooperation must be worked out, and Milosevic's extradition is not the only factor."
While Milosevic finally conceded the presidency in October, he has maintained a political role as leader of the Socialist Party and met with Kostunica earlier this month.
On Thursday, the former president welcomed Greek Communist Party Secretary General Aleka Papariga and the two issued a statement after their meeting asserting that, "the Balkan countries must be allowed to decide their fate on their own."
"All the people of the Balkans, in particular the Serbs, are exposed to strong pressure from great powers seeking to strangle their freedom and independence and limit their sovereignty," the two leaders said in a statement quoted by Tanjug news agency.
|
