"There is no doubt that the Serbian government is responsible for cooperation with the Hague tribunal," Tadic told the press, adding that it must tell the public and the Security Council "what has been done in cooperation with the tribunal and why the report was so negative".
"War crimes indictees must defend their honour at the Hague tribunal and there is no other truth. We have to do everything at all ministries so as to improve our international credibility," Tadic said, adding that everyone should realise that the country's integration into international institutions, the arrival of foreign investment and the improvement of living standards depended on successful cooperation with the UN court.
Serbia and Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic said in a statement the negative report was the "last warning" to the state union and that "all deadlines for the arrest of the accused have been broken and the international community's patience is at an end".
"There is danger that negotiations on stabilisation and association with the EU will be suspended. Without removing the Hague obstacle we can't even think of joining (NATO's) Partnership for Peace (programme). Our negotiating position regarding the status of Kosovo is already weakened both politically and morally. The people is at a loss, the state is at a loss. The only ones at a gain are the political forces which want to return Serbia to the period before 5 October 2000, which publicly encourage the Hague indictees to persevere in transforming Serbia into a country with no future or hope," read Draskovic's statement.
Serbian Economic Relations Minister Milan Parivodic told the press del Ponte's negative report would result in economic sanctions or another form of drastic pressure on Belgrade.
Police Minister Dragan Jocic said the report would not lead to the arrest of fugitive indictees, notably Ratko Mladic, and that there existed no deadlines to arrest the fugitives "because setting deadlines means knowing their whereabouts, but it isn't so simple to know where they are hiding".
Del Ponte said in yesterday's report there was no serious or planned operation in Serbia and Montenegro and the Bosnian Serb entity to arrest Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, or other fugitive indictees on Serbia and Montenegro territory.