APPEALS CHAMBER AGAINST LONGER PERIOD FOR PREPARATION OF MILOSEVIC'S DEFENCE

THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Jan 22(Hina) - The appeals chamber of the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY) has turned down a request of the amici curiae to extend by three months the period envisaged to prepare the defence of ICTY indictee Slobodan Milosevic.#L# The tribunal's appeals chamber issued a statement on Thursday confirming the decision of the trial chamber in the Milosevic case on a three-month break of the ongoing trial so that Milosevic, who defends himself, can have enough time to prepare defence witnesses and evidence. According to the schedule of the trial, the prosecution should warp up presenting its evidence by 17 February. The three-month-break follows, and the first defence witnesses are expected to appear in the courtroom in late May. The trial of Milosevic, accused of genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and crimes against humanity in Croatia and Kosovo, commenced on 12 February 2002. So far about 290 prosecution witnesses have taken the stand, and an additional 15 are expected to testify. Milosevic, a former Serbian and Yugoslav president, has announced a higher number of his witnesses than the prosecution has presented. The tribunal is expected to allow him as long to present his defence as the prosecution has taken to present its evidence, namely two years. (Hina) ms sb