 |
Milosevic Could Be Handed Over to UN Tribunal by Friday: Serbian PM
Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic would probably be handed over to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague by Friday, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic told a press conference here Tuesday.
The Yugoslav federal government adopted last Saturday an administrative decree with legal force providing for cooperation with The Hague tribunal, thus clearing the way for Milosevic's handover.
Justice Minister Momcilo Grubac on Monday presented Belgrade District Court with a demand from the U.N. tribunal to extradite Milosevic, starting the legal procedures for implementing the government's administrative decree.
According to legal procedures, Milosevic may appeal to Serbia's Supreme Court once the Belgrade District Court rules in favor of his extradition. The Serbian government would make the final decision after the Supreme Court gives its ruling, Djindjic said.
The whole procedure might take three to 10 days. However, the final decision can be made in accordance with a simplified legal procedure, he added.
Also on Tuesday, Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica said at a separate press conference that he is in favor of cooperating with The Hague within the framework of law.
The president insisted earlier that local courts should have priority in the trial of Yugoslav citizens accused of war crimes by The Hague tribunal, but acknowledged that he had to give in to pressures from the United States and many leaders within his ruling coalition.
A crucial donors conference, which could result in billions of dollars of assistance, is scheduled for Friday in Brussels, Belgium. While some European leaders have indicated the conference would convene, the United States has conditioned its participation on Yugoslav cooperation with the U.N. tribunal.
Yugoslavia risks losing badly needed foreign money if it fails to cooperate with the tribunal and efforts to secure that aid have intensified ahead the donor conference.
In This Section
|