Brammertz praises Serbian cooperation

Serbia has made further progress in cooperation with the Hague, says Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz. Speaking in New York, he did not use the wording from the original version of the report that Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic were within reach of the Serbian authorities, which, according to the chairman of the National Council for Cooperation with the Hague, Rasim Ljajic, was to Belgrade’s credit. Brammertz praises Serbian cooperation Brammertz said that the Tribunal had received all the documentation it had ask requested from Serbia, which was certainly not the case with Croatia, whose cooperation he reproached. “The prosecutor’s report was objective, we’re aware that the results are lacking, and we’re also doing our utmost to arrest Hague accused Mladic and Hadzic as soon as possible,” said Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic. He told daily Danas that Brammertz’s report was the most positive to date. Asked whether the financial channels to the two fugitives had been completely cut off, Vukcevic said that they had been “for the most part.” “Mr. Brammertz’s report is the most positive to date, while the news that came from the office of the Hague Prosecution on the fact that they’re in Serbia is a matter of the chief prosecutor’s assessment. Once we know where they are exactly, we’ll arrest them and transfer them to The Hague,” he explained. Serge Brammertz (FoNet, archive) Security Council debates report Participants in the UN Security Council debate on Brammertz’s report on the cooperation of Serbia and other countries in the region with the Hague Tribunal commended Serbia's cooperation and its endeavors to find the two remaining fugitives, Mladic and Hadzic. The UK’s permanent representative welcomed Brammertz's report on Serbia's further progress in its cooperation with the tribunal, including access to documents, witnesses and files, and in its endeavors to finding the remaining suspects, while condemning some of the statements that have been issued lately jeopardizing cooperation. The French representative said that finding the fugitives was a priority and that the Hague’s mission could not be completed before they were brought to justice. He described Brammertz's report as positive and said that full cooperation with the Hague was essential. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that the tribunal’s work had not been impressive, that trials were taking too long, and that it was hard to understand why some trials had not been referred to national courts. He noted that the trial of Vojislav Seselj had been suspended, while in the case of former KLA commander Ramus Haradinaj, the Hague had closed its eyes to the fact that certain witnesses had been killed and others threatened. Other participants also supported the idea of referring some cases to local courts. U.S. representative Rosemary di Carlo commended Serbia's efforts to extradite war crimes suspects, including Radovan Karadzic, and urged Serbia to find and extradite the final two fugitives. Suspects accused of some of the worst crimes must not remain unpunished, she stressed, urging governments in the region to cooperate in exchanging information.

Brammertz praises Serbian cooperation

Brammertz said that the Tribunal had received all the documentation it had ask requested from Serbia, which was certainly not the case with Croatia, whose cooperation he reproached.

“The prosecutor’s report was objective, we’re aware that the results are lacking, and we’re also doing our utmost to arrest Hague accused Mladić and Hadžić as soon as possible,” said Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević.

He told daily Danas that Brammertz’s report was the most positive to date.

Asked whether the financial channels to the two fugitives had been completely cut off, Vukčević said that they had been “for the most part.”

“Mr. Brammertz’s report is the most positive to date, while the news that came from the office of the Hague Prosecution on the fact that they’re in Serbia is a matter of the chief prosecutor’s assessment. Once we know where they are exactly, we’ll arrest them and transfer them to The Hague,” he explained.

Security Council debates report

Participants in the UN Security Council debate on Brammertz’s report on the cooperation of Serbia and other countries in the region with the Hague Tribunal commended Serbia's cooperation and its endeavors to find the two remaining fugitives, Mladić and Hadzić.

The UK’s permanent representative welcomed Brammertz's report on Serbia's further progress in its cooperation with the tribunal, including access to documents, witnesses and files, and in its endeavors to finding the remaining suspects, while condemning some of the statements that have been issued lately jeopardizing cooperation.

The French representative said that finding the fugitives was a priority and that the Hague’s mission could not be completed before they were brought to justice. He described Brammertz's report as positive and said that full cooperation with the Hague was essential.

Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that the tribunal’s work had not been impressive, that trials were taking too long, and that it was hard to understand why some trials had not been referred to national courts.

He noted that the trial of Vojislav Šešelj had been suspended, while in the case of former KLA commander Ramus Haradinaj, the Hague had closed its eyes to the fact that certain witnesses had been killed and others threatened.

Other participants also supported the idea of referring some cases to local courts.

U.S. representative Rosemary di Carlo commended Serbia's efforts to extradite war crimes suspects, including Radovan Karadžić, and urged Serbia to find and extradite the final two fugitives.

Suspects accused of some of the worst crimes must not remain unpunished, she stressed, urging governments in the region to cooperate in exchanging information.