Del Ponte: Serbia improved cooperation

Del Ponte: Serbia improved cooperation

As announced earlier, Del Ponte confirmed that Serbia improved the level of cooperation with the Tribunal.

Del Ponte also said that during her recent visit to Belgrade, she received political and operative proof of Serbia’s willingness to track down and arrest the remaining Hague indictees.

The report cites the arrests of Zdravko Tolimir and Vlastimir Đorđević as evidence for that claim.

Speaking about the Hague indictees still at large, Del Ponte said that her office “had no information about Radovan Karadžić’s whereabouts”.

She noted it seemed he had “disappeared from the radar of competent services, as if no one was looking for him.”

In the coming weeks, the Hague Prosecution would monitor closely the extent of Serbia’s cooperation, she said.

“I still insist on full cooperation, arrest and extradition to the Hague of all fugitives, particularly Ratko Mladić,” Del Ponte stressed.

Earlier today, Hague spokesperson Olga Kavran said that the report would contain details of all the positive efforts Serbia has made in its cooperation recently, including yesterday’s arrest of Vlastimir Đorđević in Montenegro.

“The report will contain everything that has happened in terms of cooperation, including the arrest of Zdravko Tolimir, access to documents, and also the arrest of Vlastimir Đorđević. In any case, she will stress the positive things that are happening,” Kavran said. 

At a diplomatic seminar organized by the ICTY after her visit to Belgrade last week, del Ponte noted progress in Serbia's cooperation thanks to the arrest of Tolimir, who stands accused of genocide in Srebrenica.

Del Ponte said that during her visit to Belgrade, officials underscored in unequivocal terms their clear commitment to locating and arresting the men wanted by the Tribunal. She added that Serbia's cooperation is improving, adding that she hopes new arrests and extraditions will be made soon.