Minister: State committed to Hague cooperation

The offering of cash rewards is another instrument to help settle the Hague issue, the justice minister says. Speaking of the National Security Council's decision to offer rewards for information on fugitive war crimes suspects, Dusan Petrovic (DS) told B92 Friday that all state bodies, both military and civilian, “are fully committed to finalizing the cooperation.” Minister: State committed to Hague cooperation “We have to respect all UN decisions and the existence of the Hague Tribunal as well. Our obligation is to have all the defendants within our reach arrested and extradited,” he said. “Cash rewards in return for valuable information represent a measure other states have been applying as well, and I believe it is an instrument that can help us solve the issue of runaway fugitives,” Petrovic added. According to the Council’s decision made at the suggestion of an action team put together for completing the Hague cooperation, Serbia is now offering EUR 1mn for information leading to the location and subsequent arrest of Ratko Mladic,the most wanted of all the Hague fugitives. As for other Hague indictees, EUR 250,000 is offered for the capture of Stojan Zupljanin and Goran Hadzic. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade Cameron Munter hailed the decision to offer the rewards. He said that the United States supported efforts of the Serbian government aimed at finding the Hague indictees and bringing them to justice. Del Ponte: Cash rewards – expression of political will “Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte sees the National Security Council’s decision to offer rewards for information on war crimes suspects as an expression of Serbia’s political will to have them located and arrested,” Hague Prosecution spokeswoman Olga Kavran said on Saturday. She told Blic daily that the concrete action of the Serbian authorities will "certainly be included" in Del Ponte’s report due to be presented on Monday to the EU ministers. Kavran, however, could not say whether it would affect chief prosecutor’s overall assessment of the cooperation given in the report. “We will all have to wait until Monday,” she concluded.

Minister: State committed to Hague cooperation

“We have to respect all UN decisions and the existence of the Hague Tribunal as well. Our obligation is to have all the defendants within our reach arrested and extradited,” he said.

“Cash rewards in return for valuable information represent a measure other states have been applying as well, and I believe it is an instrument that can help us solve the issue of runaway fugitives,” Petrović added.

According to the Council’s decision made at the suggestion of an action team put together for completing the Hague cooperation, Serbia is now offering EUR 1mn for information leading to the location and subsequent arrest of Ratko Mladić,the most wanted of all the Hague fugitives.

As for other Hague indictees, EUR 250,000 is offered for the capture of Stojan Župljanin and Goran Hadžić.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade Cameron Munter hailed the decision to offer the rewards.

He said that the United States supported efforts of the Serbian government aimed at finding the Hague indictees and bringing them to justice.

Del Ponte: Cash rewards – expression of political will

“Chief Hague Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte sees the National Security Council’s decision to offer rewards for information on war crimes suspects as an expression of Serbia’s political will to have them located and arrested,” Hague Prosecution spokeswoman Olga Kavran said on Saturday.

She told Blic daily that the concrete action of the Serbian authorities will "certainly be included" in Del Ponte’s report due to be presented on Monday to the EU ministers.

Kavran, however, could not say whether it would affect chief prosecutor’s overall assessment of the cooperation given in the report.

“We will all have to wait until Monday,” she concluded.