"Karadžić was in contact with Hague"

A Banja Luka daily has published a transcript of a conversation between the former RS speaker and Carla del Ponte. In that conversation, published by Nezavisne Novine, the Hague’s chief prosecutor tells Dragan Kalinic that Hague fugitive Radovan Karadzic had been in contact with the Hague office in September 1999 to discuss an agreement to surrender, which he subsequently backed out of. "Karadzic was in contact with Hague" "Karadzic has been in contact with our office directly since September 1999. He spoke to us willingly, he didn’t want it to look like surrender. We agreed he would be arrested in Switzerland, but then he changed his mind and didn’t want to give himself up any more," Del Ponte tells Kalinic. The transcript from the meeting was given to the newspaper by former Republic of Srpska President Dragan Cavic, who says that the meeting took place on May 31, 2004, in his office. He adds that he has a transcript and and footage of the conversation, as it was recorded, so he says, by his department within the RS president’s cabinet. "Before NATO and SFOR finish their work here, they’re going to try and carry out an operation to arrest Karadzic," says Del Ponte, adding that, "Karadzic knows he’s in danger, because if they do find him, he won’t be transferred to the Hague alive," it says in the transcript. "It will look like an arrest operation. Why do I say this? I’m looking into the story about the Karadzic-Holbrooke deal," she tells Kalinic, who asks her whether she really thinks that agreement exists. Del Ponte replies that she does, to which Kalinic says he has never seen such a deal. She asks Kalinic to pass a message on to Karadzic, if possible, that, "such an arrest is being organized, but not with SFOR, rather this Switzerland option or something else, because I think he is now in danger." Responding that there is no way to convey such a message, Kalinic says he will consult Cavic. "We’ll see how viable it is to pass this on, but I must tell you that they (his family) are very hostile towards me. There are barriers, let me assure you of that. But I understand what you’re trying to say," concludes the former speaker.

"Karadžić was in contact with Hague"

"Karadžić has been in contact with our office directly since September 1999. He spoke to us willingly, he didn’t want it to look like surrender. We agreed he would be arrested in Switzerland, but then he changed his mind and didn’t want to give himself up any more," Del Ponte tells Kalinić.

The transcript from the meeting was given to the newspaper by former Republic of Srpska President Dragan Čavić, who says that the meeting took place on May 31, 2004, in his office. He adds that he has a transcript and and footage of the conversation, as it was recorded, so he says, by his department within the RS president’s cabinet.

"Before NATO and SFOR finish their work here, they’re going to try and carry out an operation to arrest Karadžić," says Del Ponte, adding that, "Karadžić knows he’s in danger, because if they do find him, he won’t be transferred to the Hague alive," it says in the transcript.

"It will look like an arrest operation. Why do I say this? I’m looking into the story about the Karadžić-Holbrooke deal," she tells Kalinić, who asks her whether she really thinks that agreement exists. Del Ponte replies that she does, to which Kalinić says he has never seen such a deal.

She asks Kalinić to pass a message on to Karadžić, if possible, that, "such an arrest is being organized, but not with SFOR, rather this Switzerland option or something else, because I think he is now in danger."

Responding that there is no way to convey such a message, Kalinić says he will consult Čavić. "We’ll see how viable it is to pass this on, but I must tell you that they (his family) are very hostile towards me. There are barriers, let me assure you of that. But I understand what you’re trying to say," concludes the former speaker.