[ALBSA-Info] Tracking War Criminals – NEWSWEEK

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Tracking War Criminals
Del Ponte says NATO troops are ‘doing nothing’

NEWSWEEK 

Carla del Ponte has been chief prosecutor of The Hague tribunals for the 
former Yugoslavia and Rwanda since 1999. Her determination, her record and 
her no-nonsense style have won her respect in Western capitals but caused 
run-ins with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. In Washington for her 
first meeting with Bush administration officials last week, she talked about 
The Hague, war crimes and Slobodan Milosevic with NEWSWEEK’s Roy Gutman and 
Daniel Klaidman. Excerpts:

    NEWSWEEK: How do you understand the very different attitude in Washington 
toward the two tribunals you head and the international criminal court the 
United Nations is trying to establish?
        
    DEL PONTE: I think the most important difference is that the Yugoslav 
tribunal [and] the Rwanda tribunal will not have jurisdiction over American 
citizens.
       
        Americans are happy to have justice so long as it doesn’t apply to us?
        It seems so.
       
        How is cooperation with the new government in Yugoslavia?
       Until the end of March, with the problems of certification [of U.S. 
aid to Belgrade looming], we received some cooperation: the transfer of one 
fugitive, the voluntary surrender of another, even the arrest of Milosevic... 
But after they obtained that certification, nothing. 

        Are you surprised at that?
        I was very surprised especially about the attitude of President 
Kostunica... I was sure when we met we could fix a program of cooperation. 
But he was absolutely [in denial], denying even the existence of the 
tribunal—just accusing the tribunal, because the Serbs are only victims. I 
think it is really important for this country that they face the reality of 
what happened, not only in Serbia—but in Kosovo and Bosnia. 

        What is the Bush administration’s attitude?
        I’m very positive... [I feel] that I will have full support and more 
support than [from] Clinton.
       
        The Americans recently made one arrest. Are there still war criminals 
moving around the American or British zones? Both claim they’ve arrested 
everybody.
        No, no. We have 38 fugitives... almost all in different territories: 
French, American, German and British. So there’s a lot of work to be done.
       
        In Paris last month Foreign Minister Vedrine said all war criminals 
will be arrested. Secretary of State Powell agreed, and British Foreign 
Secretary Cook said there were no fugitives in his zone.
        They must stop saying such stupidity. Sure [fugitives] are moving 
[from zone to zone]. But now we have Serbia saying they are not in Serbia or 
Belgrade... So they disappear. Our fugitives are going I don’t know where... 
After one year and seven months, I am disappointed and frustrated by SFOR... 
Nobody else has such power, such technical [superiority]. And they are doing 
nothing.
       
        You’ve been collecting data on Slobodan Milosevic for eight years. 
Are you ready to indict him for crimes in Bosnia while he was in power?
        In October, we will be ready with the indictment. 

        What kind of pressure are the U.S. and other governments putting on 
Belgrade to hand him over?
        The United States is giving very, very good support. I am very happy 
about that because the European Union support is low-level. The EU... doesn’t 
want to put conditions [on aid]. I am counting on the Americans.
       
        So aid must be conditioned?
        That is the only, only voice they hear... I am sure it is the only 
way to obtain what we need to make justice.