[ALBSA-Info] War crimes court president wants Milosevic

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

War crimes court president wants Milosevic

PARIS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - U.N. war crimes tribunal president Claude Jorda said 
on Saturday all countries should cooperate to ensure Slobodan Milosevic is 
brought before the court following his demise as Yugoslav president. 

But he acknowledged that the international community's main political 
priority at the moment was to ``consolidate'' Yugoslavia's shift to democracy 
after Milosevic finally accepted defeat by Vojislav Kostunica in last month's 
presidential poll. 

Jorda told France Info radio Milosevic should either hand himself in or be 
arrested for trial at the Hague-based court. 

``He must be tried in the Hague...All states should cooperate with us, both 
as far as arrests are concerned and in terms of handling issues of proof,'' 
Jorda said. 

``There are two solutions -- either he is arrested or hands himself over, 
because we do not have trials in absentia.'' 

Jorda adopted a more cautious tone in a television interview later on 
Saturday, conceding that he did not know when Milosevic could be tried, and 
not totally dismissing sentiment in Belgrade that Milosevic should be tried 
locally. 

``I am not a politician. I am an international judge. I think the job for the 
international community at the moment is to ensure that this huge flood of 
democracy can be consolidated in its values,'' Jorda told France 2 TV. 

``But a time must come...when the authors of crimes, the leaders, must answer 
for their actions -- when, I can't say now,'' he said. 

Jorda told France 2 a trial in Serbia was not completely out of the question 
but that any such move would have to get the full benediction, involvement 
and final endorsement of the Hague-based court. 

Milosevic on Friday recognised Kostunica's victory, ending his tumultuous 
13-year rule following a popular uprising. He also said that he intended to 
continue to play a role in opposition. 

Kostunica, who was sworn in as president on Saturday, has said in the past 
that he opposes Milosevic being tried internationally on war crimes charges. 
Many residents of Belgrade believe he should be tried in Serbia. 

While Jorda's comments seemed geared to accommodate sentiment in Belgrade, 
another top figure from the U.N. crimes court has also said Milosevic should 
be sent to The Hague. 

Carla del Ponte, chief prosecutor at the war crimes tribunal in the 
Netherlands, told a news conference in Kosovo on Friday: ``I will take this 
occasion to send a message to Mr Kostunica. I am prepared to receive 
Milosevic in The Hague any time.'' 

Milosevic and four other top officials of his leadership were indicted last 
year for alleged war crimes against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.