ICTY: PROSECUTION WILLING TO CLOSE PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE AT MILOSEVIC TRIAL

ZAGREB/THE HAGUE, Feb 25 (Hina) - The Prosecutor's Office of the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal has decided not to question the remaining witnesses in the trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic and asked the trial chamber to proclaim the presentation of evidence by the prosecution closed, the Prosecutor's Office said on Wednesday.#L# "Earlier today, the prosecution forwarded a statement to the the trial chamber informing it of completion of its presentation of evidence as well as of the submission of a part of evidence in writing," the spokeswoman for the Chief Prosecutor told Hina on the phone on Wednesday afternoon. The two-year presentation of evidence by the prosecution should have been wrapped up last week, but the remaining two sessions were adjourned several times due to the defendant's condition. "In order to prevent further delays, we have asked for the closing of the presentation of evidence by the prosecution. We would like to see this trial conducted effectively," spokesman Florence Hartmann told Hina. The trial chamber is expected to decide on the prosecutors' request in the course of the day, spokesman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Jim Landale told Hina, adding that other details pertaining to the further schedule of the trial would also be given with the decision. Milosevic, a former Serbian and Yugoslav president, is indicted according to 66 counts for genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and for crimes against humanity in Croatia and Kosovo. His trial commenced on 12 February 2002. On 18 February that year, prosecutors started presenting evidence for the Kosovo part of the indictment. Since September 2002, they have presented evidence for the parts pertaining to crimes in Croatia and Bosnia. During 295 working days, 298 witnesses testified, of whom some 70 testified about crimes in Croatia. (Hina) ms sb