Hague prosecutor submits positive report

With the arrest of Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, Serbia has fulfilled the key obligations toward the Hague Tribunal and successfully completed cooperation. This appraisal is contained in the new report submitted to the UN Security Council by Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz. Hague prosecutor submits positive report In his most positive report so far on the cooperation of Serbia with the Hague to the UN Security Council, Brammertz paid tribute to the Serbian authorities for their considerable work and stressed that Serbia has clearly shown its commitment to cooperation with the tribunal. Recalling that Mladic was arrested in late May and Hadzic in July, and that both were in a short term extradited to The Hague, Brammertz said that these arrests were a turning point for the tribunal and international justice. Now that there are no longer any remaining fugitives, the cooperation of Hague prosecutor's office and Serbia has entered a new phase, he said. Brammertz praised the Serbian authorities on the considerable work being done in regard to the arrest of fugitives, especially Serbian President Boris Tadic, the National Security Council, the Action Team and the security service operatives who carried out the arrests. Brammertz expressed his belief that Serbia will maintain the new positive momentum in cooperation with the tribunal. Brammertz, however, noted that it is important that Serbia find out how Mladic managed to avoid arrest for so long , and to do everything to bring to justice the people who have assisted the fugitives in hiding. He noted that during his visit to Belgrade in November, he received from the Serbian authorities very limited information about the issue and called on Serbia to intensify efforts to that effect. Brammertz expressed the conviction that Serbia will continue to respond quickly and professionally to the requirements of the Hague prosecutor's office regarding access to documents and archives material, and that it will continue securing access to witnesses. At the same time, the prosecutor expressed criticism of Croatian officials on Friday because of the public statements they made after the Hague pronounced the verdict against Ante Gotovina. Statements such as were issued by certain Croatian officials after the Hague pronounced the verdict against Gotovina are undermining the Hague's work and obstructing reconciliation, Brammertz stated in the latest semi-annual report on the cooperation between former Yugoslav countries with the Hague Tribunal. In the section that covers Croatia, Brammertz expressed dissatisfaction that the Prosecutor's Office still has not received information about the missing military documents regarding Operation Storm launched against the country's ethnic Serb areas by the Croatian forces in 1995. The prosecutor qualified the cooperation between Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Hague as positive but he pointed to the slow progress in the prosecution of war crimes suspects before local courts. Brammertz also expressed his concern over the increasing frequency of political attacks on the Bosnian judiciary and called on all politicians in the country to back the prosecution of war crimes suspects. Brammertz sent his report to the UN Security Council in mid-November, and will officially present it on December 7. Serge Brammertz (Beta, file)

Hague prosecutor submits positive report

In his most positive report so far on the cooperation of Serbia with the Hague to the UN Security Council, Brammertz paid tribute to the Serbian authorities for their considerable work and stressed that Serbia has clearly shown its commitment to cooperation with the tribunal.

Recalling that Mladić was arrested in late May and Hadžić in July, and that both were in a short term extradited to The Hague, Brammertz said that these arrests were a turning point for the tribunal and international justice.

Now that there are no longer any remaining fugitives, the cooperation of Hague prosecutor's office and Serbia has entered a new phase, he said.

Brammertz praised the Serbian authorities on the considerable work being done in regard to the arrest of fugitives, especially Serbian President Boris Tadić, the National Security Council, the Action Team and the security service operatives who carried out the arrests.

Brammertz expressed his belief that Serbia will maintain the new positive momentum in cooperation with the tribunal.

Brammertz, however, noted that it is important that Serbia find out how Mladić managed to avoid arrest for so long , and to do everything to bring to justice the people who have assisted the fugitives in hiding.

He noted that during his visit to Belgrade in November, he received from the Serbian authorities very limited information about the issue and called on Serbia to intensify efforts to that effect.

Brammertz expressed the conviction that Serbia will continue to respond quickly and professionally to the requirements of the Hague prosecutor's office regarding access to documents and archives material, and that it will continue securing access to witnesses.

At the same time, the prosecutor expressed criticism of Croatian officials on Friday because of the public statements they made after the Hague pronounced the verdict against Ante Gotovina.

Statements such as were issued by certain Croatian officials after the Hague pronounced the verdict against Gotovina are undermining the Hague's work and obstructing reconciliation, Brammertz stated in the latest semi-annual report on the cooperation between former Yugoslav countries with the Hague Tribunal.

In the section that covers Croatia, Brammertz expressed dissatisfaction that the Prosecutor's Office still has not received information about the missing military documents regarding Operation Storm launched against the country's ethnic Serb areas by the Croatian forces in 1995.

The prosecutor qualified the cooperation between Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Hague as positive but he pointed to the slow progress in the prosecution of war crimes suspects before local courts.

Brammertz also expressed his concern over the increasing frequency of political attacks on the Bosnian judiciary and called on all politicians in the country to back the prosecution of war crimes suspects.

Brammertz sent his report to the UN Security Council in mid-November, and will officially present it on December 7.