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Leaders of Yugoslav Parties Discuss Cooperation With Hague Tribunal
Leaders of Yugoslavia's ruling coalition parties Monday held talks on a draft law governing cooperation between Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague.
"The consultations proceeded in a candid and constructive atmosphere, and the final round will be held Tuesday evening," said a statement issued after the talks between Serbia's ruling DOS alliance and Montenegro's "Together with Yugoslavia" party coalition. The two are partners in the federal government.
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica of the DOS alliance reportedly said Sunday that the Yugoslav federal government is facing a painful choice. Observers here interpreted the remarks as an indication that the federal assembly would eventually surrender former president Slobodan Milosevic to the Hague tribunal for trial.
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was quoted as saying on the same day that the future of Yugoslav people hinges on whether Milosevic would be handed over. Failure to do that would mean a bleak future for the Yugoslav people, he added.
Milosevic was arrested in early April on suspicion of abuse of office. The United States and other Western countries have threatened to halt economic aid to Yugoslavia if it fails to extradite Milosevic for alleged crimes committed in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Leaders of the two party alliances also discussed possible changes in Yugoslavia's state system.
Both sides believed that following the parliamentary elections in Montenegro, a fundamental program on Yugoslavia's state system should be worked out as soon as possible so that it could serve as the basis for discussion with other political parties in Serbia and Montenegro, said a statement released by Kostunica's office.
A seven-member working group has been formed to draft the program. Yugoslav Parliament Human Rights Committee Demands Milosevic's Bail The Human Rights Committee of the Yugoslav parliament Monday demanded the imprisoned former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic be bailed out immediately for medical treatment.
The committee said that the current health condition of Milosevic is very poor and could worsen due to the unbearable living conditions in the central prison in Belgrade.
Serious consequences could crop up if he could not receive medical treatment on bail, the committee added.
Milosevic was rushed to hospital from the central prison in Belgrade late Wednesday night because of heart problem. He returned to the prison on Friday.
Milosevic was arrested on April 1 by Serbian Police on charges of abusing power and corruption after his step-down last October. He has since been detained in the central prison.
Around the case of Milosevic, western countries led by the United States want the Yugoslav government to hand over Milosevic to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague for alleged war crimes committed in Bosnia and Kosovo. But Yugoslavia has made it clear that it wants to try him first for abuse of power and corruption, and Milosevic has been under such investigations in the prison.
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