“Search for Mladić very intensive”

Rasim Ljajic says that search for Ratko Mladic is intensive and “more pronounced” than it could be concluded based on the media reports. “The fact that there aren’t that many texts and reports about the searchers does not mean that the searches are not being conducted,” the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal said. “Search for Mladic very intensive” “I think it’s useful to work in the field as much as possible and that it is in the media as little as possible,” he added. Regarding recent comments made by Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, Ljajic said that Serbia appreciated all suggestions and proposals that it had received. Brammertz said that he was not pleased with Serbia’s cooperation regarding locating Mladic and Goran Hadzic and stated that “there is a gap between expressed political readiness” to arrest the fugitives, the course of the search itself and “doing what is necessary” that was preventing the search from being successful. “We are not fully pleased with the way our recommendations were implemented… But our talks are underway,” the chief prosecutor told the press at the time. Ljajic pointed out that the Serbian authorities were “absolutely open for every kind of suggestions and proposition”. “We would like to hear what it is that Serbia did not do and was recommended to, in the sense of operational searches and actions to find the two remaining Hague fugitives,” the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal stressed. He explains that Hague Tribunal representatives, with whom the Serbian officials keep daily contact, were informed about operational activities. “We are ready to speak openly about all comments and not to polemicize through the media. Serbia has bigger interest than the Hague Tribunal and the EU to extradite Mladic and Hadzic. We will bring this thing to an end for our own sake and we will cooperate with The Hague and others in the international community,” Ljajic stressed. When asked whether it was clarified why Brammertz made comments regarding implemented search methods, the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal replied that he thought that it was “some sort of political pressure on Serbia to fulfill the obligation as soon as possible”. “After that statement we have not heard a single concrete objection to what was done and what currently is being done in the search for the Hague indictees,” he said. When asked if it is possible for the search not to yield a final result, for example if Mladic died of natural causes and nobody found out about it, Ljajic briefly replied, “it is unlikely”. Rasim Ljajic (Beta)

“Search for Mladić very intensive”

“I think it’s useful to work in the field as much as possible and that it is in the media as little as possible,” he added.

Regarding recent comments made by Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, Ljajić said that Serbia appreciated all suggestions and proposals that it had received.

Brammertz said that he was not pleased with Serbia’s cooperation regarding locating Mladić and Goran Hadžić and stated that “there is a gap between expressed political readiness” to arrest the fugitives, the course of the search itself and “doing what is necessary” that was preventing the search from being successful.

“We are not fully pleased with the way our recommendations were implemented… But our talks are underway,” the chief prosecutor told the press at the time.

Ljajić pointed out that the Serbian authorities were “absolutely open for every kind of suggestions and proposition”.

“We would like to hear what it is that Serbia did not do and was recommended to, in the sense of operational searches and actions to find the two remaining Hague fugitives,” the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal stressed.

He explains that Hague Tribunal representatives, with whom the Serbian officials keep daily contact, were informed about operational activities.

“We are ready to speak openly about all comments and not to polemicize through the media. Serbia has bigger interest than the Hague Tribunal and the EU to extradite Mladić and Hadžić. We will bring this thing to an end for our own sake and we will cooperate with The Hague and others in the international community,” Ljajić stressed.

When asked whether it was clarified why Brammertz made comments regarding implemented search methods, the head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal replied that he thought that it was “some sort of political pressure on Serbia to fulfill the obligation as soon as possible”.

“After that statement we have not heard a single concrete objection to what was done and what currently is being done in the search for the Hague indictees,” he said.

When asked if it is possible for the search not to yield a final result, for example if Mladić died of natural causes and nobody found out about it, Ljajić briefly replied, “it is unlikely”.