"Genocide lawsuits should be settled out of court"

The relations between Serbia and Croatia are improving and they are likely to resolve the issue of mutual genocide lawsuits in an out of court settlement. This is according to professor of International Law and Director of the Belgrade Center for Human Rights Vojin Dimitrijevic. "Genocide lawsuits should be settled out of court" Serbia and Croatia filed their lawsuits at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. In a statement for Subotica-based Hungarian language daily Magyar Szo, Dimitrijevic expressed firm belief that a solution should be found to suspend the dispute with Croatia since, as he put it, there are no chances for either Serbia or Croatia to win. ICJ is not a classical criminal court which determines facts and hears witnesses, therefore when rendering decisions it relies on decisions and verdicts of other courts, Dimitrijevic said, adding that in the case of the Croatian and Serbian lawsuits there no verdicts reading that a genocide took place in Croatia. Noting that the dispute before the ICJ should be suspended, Dimitrijevic stressed that the issue should be tacked with care. The two parties filed the lawsuits because no agreement could be reached on numerous issues. However, it is certain that the international court will not resolve them as well, as it will decide exclusively on the issue of genocide, Dimitrijevic warned, adding that it is high time to resolve the issue of the lawsuits which burden the two countries' relations. Vojin Dimitrijevic (FoNet, file) Tanjug

"Genocide lawsuits should be settled out of court"

Serbia and Croatia filed their lawsuits at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

In a statement for Subotica-based Hungarian language daily Magyar Szo, Dimitrijević expressed firm belief that a solution should be found to suspend the dispute with Croatia since, as he put it, there are no chances for either Serbia or Croatia to win.

ICJ is not a classical criminal court which determines facts and hears witnesses, therefore when rendering decisions it relies on decisions and verdicts of other courts, Dimitrijević said, adding that in the case of the Croatian and Serbian lawsuits there no verdicts reading that a genocide took place in Croatia.

Noting that the dispute before the ICJ should be suspended, Dimitrijević stressed that the issue should be tacked with care.

The two parties filed the lawsuits because no agreement could be reached on numerous issues. However, it is certain that the international court will not resolve them as well, as it will decide exclusively on the issue of genocide, Dimitrijević warned, adding that it is high time to resolve the issue of the lawsuits which burden the two countries' relations.