Chief Hague prosecutor meets with Serbian officials

After years of cooperation with the Hague Tribunal Serbia has finally proved to be a democratic society committed to the rule of law and common European values. This is according to Serbian President Boris Tadic, who spoke during a join press conference in Belgrade today with Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz. Chief Hague prosecutor meets with Serbian officials The visiting Hague prosecutor said for his part that the closing of the Hague chapter would be impossible without the key political support of the Serbian president. Brammertz said that the Hague is now interested to investigate into who helped the fugitives to evade justice, adding that the Hague counts on Serbia's support in order to complete the ongoing trials, while the Hague will offer its support to the trials before the national courts. "It is a fact that the indictees managed to evade justice for years. Serbia was due to arrest these people after the warrants were issued, and we want to know who should be held responsible for not arresting them earlier," Brammertz said. Tadic stated that an investigation has been launched to identify who were the helpers of the Hague fugitives in the last 16 years. "I have been holding the presidential office for seven years and I did not have the executive power to arrest these fugitives. During that period, there were several governments, but in the last three years when we managed put in our ultimate efforts the remaining fugitives were arrested," Tadic said. He said that Serbia will continue to implement the policy of reconciliation and carry out probes into war crimes. "We have to make huge effort to find the bodies of victims of war crimes and thus give somewhat of a solace to their families. In the manner, we will contribute to the policy of regional trust and understanding," stated Tadic, adding that Serbia is one of the key factors of security in southeastern Europe today. Tadic and Brammertz meet in Belgrade on Tuesday (Beta) Other cases The Serbian War Crimes Prosecution has been cooperating with the Hague Tribunal in the process against Ramush Haradinaj, says Vladimir Vukcevic. The Serbian war crimes prosecutor did not wish to reveal any details of this cooperation, related to the war crimes case against the former leader of the KLA and former Kosovo Albanian prime minister. "I do not wish to hinder the work of my colleagues from the Tribunal in any way," said Vukcevic after a meeting with Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz. According to Vukcevic, among other topics discussed with Brammertz was witness intimidation in the case against Haradinaj conducted before The Hague Tribunal. He said that the meeting passed in a relaxed atmosphere, and added that they also discussed the continuation of cooperation between the two offices and regional cooperation. "Without the cooperation there can be no efficient prosecution of perpetrators," he stressed. The meeting was also dedicated to possibilities of signing a memorandum on Serbia's cooperation with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia's prosecutor added, and expressed his belief that the document could be signed in October. Vukcevic pointed out that he and Brammertz did not discuss the criminal proceedings against Hague indictees' helpers. Brammertz did not give any statements after meeting with Vukcevic. The Hague Prosecutor arrived here on Monday on his first visit to Belgrade after the arrest of Hague indictees Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, and immediately upon his arrival, he met with the representatives of the Action Team for for Cooperation with the Hague. Before visiting Belgrade, Brammertz told Tanjug that the Tribunal's cooperation with the Serbian authorities after the arrests of the last two Hague indictees will in the future focus on the ongoing court proceedings, and establishing how Mladic and Mladic had managed to avoid arrest for so long. It is important to determine how these fugitives had managed to escape justice for so long, Brammertz said. Recalling that the next report to the UN Security Council on Serbia's cooperation with the Hague is due in November, Brammertz said that he may visit Belgrade one more time before he submits the report. "We hope that Serbia will maintain this positive momentum and demonstrate its support to the effective prosecution of war crimes domestically. We will also continue to support this process by exchanging knowledge and experience with our colleagues in the region," the Hague chief prosecutor stated.

Chief Hague prosecutor meets with Serbian officials

The visiting Hague prosecutor said for his part that the closing of the Hague chapter would be impossible without the key political support of the Serbian president.

Brammertz said that the Hague is now interested to investigate into who helped the fugitives to evade justice, adding that the Hague counts on Serbia's support in order to complete the ongoing trials, while the Hague will offer its support to the trials before the national courts.

"It is a fact that the indictees managed to evade justice for years. Serbia was due to arrest these people after the warrants were issued, and we want to know who should be held responsible for not arresting them earlier," Brammertz said.

Tadić stated that an investigation has been launched to identify who were the helpers of the Hague fugitives in the last 16 years.

"I have been holding the presidential office for seven years and I did not have the executive power to arrest these fugitives. During that period, there were several governments, but in the last three years when we managed put in our ultimate efforts the remaining fugitives were arrested," Tadić said.

He said that Serbia will continue to implement the policy of reconciliation and carry out probes into war crimes.

"We have to make huge effort to find the bodies of victims of war crimes and thus give somewhat of a solace to their families. In the manner, we will contribute to the policy of regional trust and understanding," stated Tadić, adding that Serbia is one of the key factors of security in southeastern Europe today.

Other cases

The Serbian War Crimes Prosecution has been cooperating with the Hague Tribunal in the process against Ramush Haradinaj, says Vladimir Vukčević.

The Serbian war crimes prosecutor did not wish to reveal any details of this cooperation, related to the war crimes case against the former leader of the KLA and former Kosovo Albanian prime minister.

"I do not wish to hinder the work of my colleagues from the Tribunal in any way," said Vukčević after a meeting with Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz.

According to Vukčević, among other topics discussed with Brammertz was witness intimidation in the case against Haradinaj conducted before The Hague Tribunal.

He said that the meeting passed in a relaxed atmosphere, and added that they also discussed the continuation of cooperation between the two offices and regional cooperation.

"Without the cooperation there can be no efficient prosecution of perpetrators," he stressed.

The meeting was also dedicated to possibilities of signing a memorandum on Serbia's cooperation with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia's prosecutor added, and expressed his belief that the document could be signed in October.

Vukčević pointed out that he and Brammertz did not discuss the criminal proceedings against Hague indictees' helpers.

Brammertz did not give any statements after meeting with Vukčević.

The Hague Prosecutor arrived here on Monday on his first visit to Belgrade after the arrest of Hague indictees Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić, and immediately upon his arrival, he met with the representatives of the Action Team for for Cooperation with the Hague.

Before visiting Belgrade, Brammertz told Tanjug that the Tribunal's cooperation with the Serbian authorities after the arrests of the last two Hague indictees will in the future focus on the ongoing court proceedings, and establishing how Mladić and Mladić had managed to avoid arrest for so long.

It is important to determine how these fugitives had managed to escape justice for so long, Brammertz said.

Recalling that the next report to the UN Security Council on Serbia's cooperation with the Hague is due in November, Brammertz said that he may visit Belgrade one more time before he submits the report.

"We hope that Serbia will maintain this positive momentum and demonstrate its support to the effective prosecution of war crimes domestically. We will also continue to support this process by exchanging knowledge and experience with our colleagues in the region," the Hague chief prosecutor stated.