Hague president: Serbia’s desire evident

Hague Tribunal President Patrick Robinson says that Serbia’s desire to improve relations is noticeable, commending the work of the Serbian judiciary. “The work of the Serbian courts and the readiness of the judges to deal with very tough cases, regardless of the consequences on the political scene, should be commended,” Robinson said after meeting with Supreme Court President Nata Mesarovic in his first visit to Serbia. Hague president: Serbia’s desire evident The tribunal president said that cooperation between Serbia and the Hague must be founded on mutual respect, and that relations needed to improve. He said that he would do everything to help Serbia cooperate better with the Tribunal. “Neither Serbia, nor any other country, should look on the Tribunal as a foreign half, but as an equal partner,” Robinson said, who was previously in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia before arriving in Serbia. He said that the Tribunal’s challenge was to bring justice to the victims, and peace and reconciliation to the countries of the region. “All three countries have their particularities and interpretations of justice, a feeling of injustice, but also pride,” Robinson said, adding that the legacy of the Tribunal would be based on the continuation if its work through national courts. He stressed that even though the facts suggested that the majority of those accused and convicted by the court were Serbs, he said that the Tribunal based its work solely on the evidence presented to it. Mesarovic told journalists that the talks with the Hague delegation had been very constructive, adding that there had been talk at the meeting about those convicted serving their time in their countries of origin. “We talked about the possibility of conditional parole after completion of two-thirds of their sentences, foreseen by changes to the law, future reform of the Serbian judiciary, a reorganization of the courts, work on war crimes cases and further cooperation,” Mesarovic said.

Hague president: Serbia’s desire evident

The tribunal president said that cooperation between Serbia and the Hague must be founded on mutual respect, and that relations needed to improve.

He said that he would do everything to help Serbia cooperate better with the Tribunal.

“Neither Serbia, nor any other country, should look on the Tribunal as a foreign half, but as an equal partner,” Robinson said, who was previously in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia before arriving in Serbia.

He said that the Tribunal’s challenge was to bring justice to the victims, and peace and reconciliation to the countries of the region.

“All three countries have their particularities and interpretations of justice, a feeling of injustice, but also pride,” Robinson said, adding that the legacy of the Tribunal would be based on the continuation if its work through national courts.

He stressed that even though the facts suggested that the majority of those accused and convicted by the court were Serbs, he said that the Tribunal based its work solely on the evidence presented to it.

Mesarović told journalists that the talks with the Hague delegation had been very constructive, adding that there had been talk at the meeting about those convicted serving their time in their countries of origin.

“We talked about the possibility of conditional parole after completion of two-thirds of their sentences, foreseen by changes to the law, future reform of the Serbian judiciary, a reorganization of the courts, work on war crimes cases and further cooperation,” Mesarović said.