Brammertz: Cooperation "continues to progress"

Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz addressed today the UN Security Council in New York. He presented the latest progress report on the completion strategy, the tribunal said in a statement. Brammertz: Cooperation "continues to progress" In his address, the prosecutor provided an update on the status of trials and appeals, the cooperation between the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and states, the capacity building efforts throughout the region of the former Yugoslavia, and the plans to downsize the office of the prosecutor in the coming years. Brammertz stressed that the recent commencement of the trial of Radovan Karadzic is also a reminder of the fact that Ratko Mladic remains at large and that his place is before the Trial Chamber, with Karadzic. Turning to the issue of cooperation, he stressed that it “remained a key condition to the successful accomplishment of the Tribunal’s mandate and meeting the completion strategy goals”. The prosecutor noted that Serbia’s cooperation with the OTP has continued to progress, as the “prosecution requests for access to documents and archives were being dealt with more expeditiously and effectively”. He added that the most critical aspect of Serbia’s cooperation is the need to apprehend Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic and that this remains one of the highest priorities of his office. Brammertz went on to say that his office “recognizes the professionalism and commitment of operational services tasked with the tracking of fugitives,” that “these services are now working more efficiently and in a coordinated manner” and that a “variety of operational activities including search operations were being conducted.” He concluded by stressing that “Serbia must maintain these efforts with the clear objective of apprehending the fugitives”. Hague Tribunal President Patrick Robinson told the UN Security Council session on Thursday that the end of all trials at the court is in sight. However, failure to take Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic to trial at the tribunal would undermine its contribution to justice, he said. The trial of Radovan Karadzic is expected to end in August or September 2011, he said. By the end of 2013, all appeals proceedings in cases underway should be completed, except in the Karadzic case, in which the proceedings should end in February 2014, Robinson said. It is not too late even now to arrest the former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic and former Republika Srpska Krajina leader Goran Hadzic, he said, and asked for international community help to that end. "Their arrest as soon as possible would be very important. It is not too late to arrest them and take them to trial," Robinson concluded. Both reports are available for download in a single PDF file here The Netherlands' decision to unblock the Interim Trade Agreement, which is part of the SAA signed between Serbia and the EU in May 2008 and immediately suspended for lack of Belgrade's cooperation with the tribunal, could depend on the report, and the manner in which it was presented, not only in New York but also during consultations with EU foreign ministers.

Brammertz: Cooperation "continues to progress"

In his address, the prosecutor provided an update on the status of trials and appeals, the cooperation between the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and states, the capacity building efforts throughout the region of the former Yugoslavia, and the plans to downsize the office of the prosecutor in the coming years.

Brammertz stressed that the recent commencement of the trial of Radovan Karadžić is also a reminder of the fact that Ratko Mladić remains at large and that his place is before the Trial Chamber, with Karadžić.

Turning to the issue of cooperation, he stressed that it “remained a key condition to the successful accomplishment of the Tribunal’s mandate and meeting the completion strategy goals”.

The prosecutor noted that Serbia’s cooperation with the OTP has continued to progress, as the “prosecution requests for access to documents and archives were being dealt with more expeditiously and effectively”.

He added that the most critical aspect of Serbia’s cooperation is the need to apprehend Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić and that this remains one of the highest priorities of his office.

Brammertz went on to say that his office “recognizes the professionalism and commitment of operational services tasked with the tracking of fugitives,” that “these services are now working more efficiently and in a coordinated manner” and that a “variety of operational activities including search operations were being conducted.”

He concluded by stressing that “Serbia must maintain these efforts with the clear objective of apprehending the fugitives”.

Hague Tribunal President Patrick Robinson told the UN Security Council session on Thursday that the end of all trials at the court is in sight.

However, failure to take Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić to trial at the tribunal would undermine its contribution to justice, he said.

The trial of Radovan Karadžić is expected to end in August or September 2011, he said.

By the end of 2013, all appeals proceedings in cases underway should be completed, except in the Karadzic case, in which the proceedings should end in February 2014, Robinson said.

It is not too late even now to arrest the former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladić and former Republika Srpska Krajina leader Goran Hadžić, he said, and asked for international community help to that end.

"Their arrest as soon as possible would be very important. It is not too late to arrest them and take them to trial," Robinson concluded.

Both reports are available for download in a single PDF file here

The Netherlands' decision to unblock the Interim Trade Agreement, which is part of the SAA signed between Serbia and the EU in May 2008 and immediately suspended for lack of Belgrade's cooperation with the tribunal, could depend on the report, and the manner in which it was presented, not only in New York but also during consultations with EU foreign ministers.