Hague insists Đorđević was in Russia

Hague insists Đorđević was in Russia

Nikiforov told journalists that although the prosecution still did not have a chance to interview Đorđević, they still believed that he was in Russia, but were unable to say when he may have returned to the Balkans.

Monday, Del Ponte presented her report to the UN Security Council in New York. Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin criticized her for having accused Russia of sheltering Đorđević for years, while his arrest in Montenegro, Del Ponte refused to “admit she was wrong.”

Del Ponte indeed refused to do so, and even added that Zdravko Tolimir had been hiding in Russia in 2005.

“The fact that Vlastimir Đorđević was arrested in Montenegro doesn’t mean he had not been hiding in Russia previously,” Del Ponte told Churkin.

Apart from criticizing the chief prosecutor for levying “false accusations” against Russia, Churkin expressed his serious concern over the developments at the trial of the former KLA commander Haradinaj, intimidation of witnesses and the death of a key prosecution witness in “an alleged accident”.

Montenegro: No information on Hague fugitives

Montenegrin police have no information on any Hague fugitives hiding in that country, it was said Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the police administration, Tamara Popović, said that the Montenegrin police have no information on the whereabouts of Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić, Stojan Župljanin or Goran Hadžić, the four remaining Hague fugitives.

According to Podgorica daily, Vijesti, should police receive information that a Hague fugitive is located in Montenegro, an action similiar to the arrest of Vlastimir Đorđević will take place.

"Earlier, the police administration did receive information on the possible presence of these people in Montenegro, but operative measures and actions did not confirm this information," Popović said.

She said police had information indicating that no one from Montenegro issued Đorđević his forged personal documents with which he entered the country.

"We think that this question can be answered by someone within the security structure of a neighbouring country," she said.

Popović denied media insinuation that Đorđević was hiding for three years in Montenegro.

"These stories that we have heard in the last several days are coming from Serbia, and not with the best intentions," she said, calling the claims unprofessional and undeserving of a response.