Del Ponte puts Mladić first

Del Ponte puts Mladić first

The continuation of negotiations with Serbia would benefit the country, but prove wrong for The Hague, Del Ponte said. She predicted that such a course of events would cheer Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica, as the decision to let Serbia into the Partnership for Peace Program had taken him by surprise.

Del Ponte said that law should not be connected with politics, but sometimes it is difficult to avoid the connection.

“The international community should tell me, ‘Prosecutor, give up the search for Karadžić and Mladić, because it is no longer important.’ And then I would know what to do. In that case I could focus on the trials.”

Del Ponte said in Brussels that she would be very disappointed if fugitives Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić were not in The Hague by the time she concluded up her mandate in September.

Ljajić: Encouragement, rather than concession

Commenting on Del Ponte’s words, Rasim Ljajić, chairman of the National Council for Co-operation with The Hague, said that Brussels would be encouraging Belgrade if it resumed negotiations with Serbia, and that it would not be a major concession on the part of the EU.

“I believe that it would be good to thaw the negotiating process. First we need to form a democratic government willing to arrested and handed over all Hague fugitives to the Tribunal”, Ljajić explained.

He also said that he knew of Del Ponte’s intentions to resign from her position. “This is no way a victory for Belgrade, because all of Serbia’s obligation to the Hague are still in effect”,  he concluded.