LUXEMBOURG, April 9 (News Agencies) - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, now in custody in Belgrade, must be held accountable for all his acts, European Union foreign ministers said here on Monday.
A council of ministers meeting here said it welcomed the April 1st arrest of the former president as part of an investigation into corruption and abuse of power.
But the ministers added: "Milosevic has to be held accountable for all his acts," indicating that he must also face trial for war crimes at the international tribunal in The Hague.
"The council reiterated its confidence in the readiness of the FRY [Yugoslav] Serbian authorities ... to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia [ICTY]."
The EU's current Swedish presidency had earlier welcomed the surrender and detention of Milosevic, calling it "an important step towards bringing peace and justice to the region".
The U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague said last week Milosevic must be handed over immediately, increasing pressure on Belgrade a day after President Vojislav Kostunica turned down extradition.
Milosevic has been indicted by the ICTY on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 1999 crisis in the Serbian province of Kosovo.
Belgrade is facing international pressure to hand him over. But Yugoslav authorities say he cannot be extradited to The Hague until their parliament adopts legislation allowing that to happen.
Milosevic, arrested on April 1st in Belgrade after a tense standoff with Yugoslav security forces, faces charges in Yugoslavia of corruption and abuse of power.
