Del Ponte recommends Kosovo decision delay

Del Ponte recommends Kosovo decision delay

“That is a political question which could interfere with cooperation with us in relation to the rest of the fugitives,” Del Ponte said, adding that “it would be better for the Kosovo decision to be made later.”

“Since the UN Security Council is discussing pressing regional issues, especially Kosovo’s status, I hope that whatever decision, and the [time] at which the decision is made, will not compromise the arrest and location of remaining fugitives,” she said.

In what was to be her last address before the UN Security Council before the expiration of her mandate in September, Del Ponte said that she was satisfied with the progress made in the implementation of international justice.

Serbian Ambassador to the United Nations Pavle Jevremović said in New York on Monday that the conclusion of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal was one of the main priorities of authorities in Belgrade.

The foreign ministry said in a statement the ambassador added the arrests and transfers of indictees, freeing military and police officials from the obligation to keep secrets and transfer of documents requested by the Tribunal proved his claim.

Jevremović also said that there was “no dilemma” that all Hague indictees should be brought to justice and that several most notorious indictees had been arrested and extradited to the Tribunal.

Jevremović said he strongly believed that the four remaining fugitives - Župljanin, Karadžic, Mladić and Hadžić would be “located and arrested in the near future”.

He said that cooperation with the Tribunal represented “an indicator of clear determination of authorities in Belgrade to break away from the heritage of the Slobodan Miloševic policy, accept European values and encourage the reconciliation”.

Belgrade, Priština react

National Hague Cooperation Council Chairman Rasim Ljajić said in Belgrade Tuesday he was not surprised by Del Ponte’s statement regarding Kosovo, adding that she said the same during her recent visit, “to everybody’s surprise.”

“Del Ponte said everyone’s priority at the moment was Serbia’s successful completion of the Hague cooperation, and that the solution for Kosovo could wait for a month or two,” Ljajić said.

According to him, Serbia should not confront the Hague Tribunal, as it would be “a battle between David and Goliath”, that Belgrade could “do without”.

Also Tuesday, Albanian officials in Priština reacted by rejecting Del Ponte's call for delays.

“This is absurd,” said Skender Hyseni, spokesperson of Kosovo’s negotiating team.

“Any attempt to link Kosovo’s status with the potential surrender of anybody [suspected of crimes] is nonsensical,” Hyseni added, according to BIRN.