Brammertz to discuss arrest of fugitives

Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will confer on Tuesday in Belgrade with Serbian officials. They will discuss the steps being taken to locate and apprehend Hague fugitives Ratko Maldic and Goran Hadzic. Brammertz to discuss arrest of fugitives Other topics will include Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and a planned investigation into the Kosovo organ trafficking case, when ethic Albanians allegedly kidnapped and killed Serb civilians for their organs. The chief prosecutor will meet with Serbian President Boris Tadic, head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Rasim Ljajic, War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic and members of the team tasked with apprehending the fugitives. Brammertz arrived in Belgrade late on Monday on a regular JAT Airways flight from Brussels, and was met by representatives of the Serbian Foreign Ministry at Nikola Tesla Airport. Vukcevic said on Sunday that a lot has been done in the search for the remaining two fugitives since Brammertz's last visit, but that unfortunately little of it is visible. "The only thing that will be visible is the result, meaning Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. Until we get this done, we will be hostage to these two people," Vukcevic said in an interview for Tanjug prior to Brammerz's arrival. According to him, the Prosecutor's Office, security services, the action team - which he is also heading, and everyone else involved in the search for the fugitives are doing everything in their power to deliver them to The Hague. Brammertz in Belgrade late on Monday (Tanjug) "Serbia not satisfied" On Monday, head of the government Office for Cooperation with the Hague Dusan Ignjatovic said that one of the topics of conversation will be the Kosovo organ trafficking. "Right now, nothing is known about the fate of 524 people whose disappearance can be attributed to the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army. No Serbian government, not this one and not any future government, will give up on getting to the bottom of what happened to these people, because, regardless of whether they were Serb, Albanian or Roma, there were all Serbian citizens. We believe that all relevant factors, including, of course, the Hague, should be involved in solving this issue," Ignjatovic told Tanjug. Ahead of Brammertz's talks with Serbian officials set for Tuesday, he said that Serbia is not satisfied with Brammertz's response to its request that the investigation into organ trafficking in Kosovo involve former UNMIK head Soren Jessen-Petersen. "This will also be a topic for our talks. We are not claiming that Peterson and his associates interfered with Hague investigations, but I think it would not be good if the accusations against UNMIK, made by the former Hague chief prosecutor and her deputies, went uninvestigated," Ignjatovic said. The head of the government office also said he is sure another topic will be the criticism Brammertz recently voiced before the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, related to the technical aspect of the search for the remaining two fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic. "I am sure his criticism will be discussed in the meeting with the action team, just as I am sure Brammertz is knocking on an open door here. It is in Serbia's interest to resolve this issue as soon as possible and it would be wrong to think Brammertz wants something the Serbian authorities do not," Ignjatovic said. It is the position of Serbia that the remaining two fugitives need to face the Hague over the grave charges against them, he said. "At this moment, no one can say if they are guilty or not. Only the court can decide that after a trial, but that charges against them are grave, and they must face them in court," said the head of the government Office for Cooperation with the Hague.

Brammertz to discuss arrest of fugitives

Other topics will include Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and a planned investigation into the Kosovo organ trafficking case, when ethic Albanians allegedly kidnapped and killed Serb civilians for their organs.

The chief prosecutor will meet with Serbian President Boris Tadić, head of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Rasim Ljajić, War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević and members of the team tasked with apprehending the fugitives.

Brammertz arrived in Belgrade late on Monday on a regular JAT Airways flight from Brussels, and was met by representatives of the Serbian Foreign Ministry at Nikola Tesla Airport.

Vukčević said on Sunday that a lot has been done in the search for the remaining two fugitives since Brammertz's last visit, but that unfortunately little of it is visible.

"The only thing that will be visible is the result, meaning Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić. Until we get this done, we will be hostage to these two people," Vukčević said in an interview for Tanjug prior to Brammerz's arrival.

According to him, the Prosecutor's Office, security services, the action team - which he is also heading, and everyone else involved in the search for the fugitives are doing everything in their power to deliver them to The Hague.

"Serbia not satisfied"

On Monday, head of the government Office for Cooperation with the Hague Dušan Ignjatović said that one of the topics of conversation will be the Kosovo organ trafficking.

"Right now, nothing is known about the fate of 524 people whose disappearance can be attributed to the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army. No Serbian government, not this one and not any future government, will give up on getting to the bottom of what happened to these people, because, regardless of whether they were Serb, Albanian or Roma, there were all Serbian citizens. We believe that all relevant factors, including, of course, the Hague, should be involved in solving this issue," Ignjatović told Tanjug.

Ahead of Brammertz's talks with Serbian officials set for Tuesday, he said that Serbia is not satisfied with Brammertz's response to its request that the investigation into organ trafficking in Kosovo involve former UNMIK head Soren Jessen-Petersen.

"This will also be a topic for our talks. We are not claiming that Peterson and his associates interfered with Hague investigations, but I think it would not be good if the accusations against UNMIK, made by the former Hague chief prosecutor and her deputies, went uninvestigated," Ignjatović said.

The head of the government office also said he is sure another topic will be the criticism Brammertz recently voiced before the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, related to the technical aspect of the search for the remaining two fugitives, Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić.

"I am sure his criticism will be discussed in the meeting with the action team, just as I am sure Brammertz is knocking on an open door here. It is in Serbia's interest to resolve this issue as soon as possible and it would be wrong to think Brammertz wants something the Serbian authorities do not," Ignjatović said.

It is the position of Serbia that the remaining two fugitives need to face the Hague over the grave charges against them, he said.

"At this moment, no one can say if they are guilty or not. Only the court can decide that after a trial, but that charges against them are grave, and they must face them in court," said the head of the government Office for Cooperation with the Hague.