SARAJEVO, May 20 (Hina) - The chief prosecutor of the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague (ICTY), Carla Del Ponte, on Tuesday confirmed the tribunal was considering letting Croatia try General Rahim Ademi. But no final decision has
yet been made, she said.
SARAJEVO, May 20 (Hina) - The chief prosecutor of the U.N. war
crimes tribunal in The Hague (ICTY), Carla Del Ponte, on Tuesday
confirmed the tribunal was considering letting Croatia try General
Rahim Ademi. But no final decision has yet been made, she said. #L#
The possibility is being considered, she said during her visit to
Sarajevo in response to a reporter's question about the veracity of
claims that the Ademi case could be processed in Croatia. #L#
The possibility of allowing the domestic justice system deal with
some cases is not solely connected with Croatia, but also with
Bosnia, Del Ponte said. She added that serious analyses needed to be
conducted before making a final decision.
The ICTY chief prosecutor, who is on a day-long working visit to
Bosnia, confirmed that all investigations being planned or
underway would be completed by the end of 2004, after which domestic
justice system institutions would take over probing war crimes.
A member of the Bosnian Presidency, Dragisa Covic, said Del Ponte
had informed Bosnian authorities about current investigations by
the tribunal pertaining to some 30 indictees.
The Bosnian justice system and a special department for war crimes
with the highest Bosnian court instance could be prepared to take
over some trials and investigations as of next summer, he said.
An office dealing with checking cases of war crimes initiated by the
Bosnian justice system, will continue to be active in The Hague
until the end of this year, said Covic. As of next year, the office's
activities should be transferred to Bosnia.
"We told Del Ponte that Bosnia will do everything to see all war
crimes suspects be brought before justice," said the Croat member
of the Presidency.
Del Ponte told reporters she wished to relay a special message to
the most wanted fugitive from The Hague, Bosnian Serb Radovan
Karadzic.
It is time for him to turn himself in, said Del Ponte. She said she
was waiting for him in The Hague, but was prepared to pick him up
wherever he was because he knew he did not have any more time to
hide.
Asked whether this meant that she did not believe Karadzic could be
arrested, so was urging him to surrender, Del Ponte said NATO was
working on arresting the former Bosnian Serb leader. he will be
arrested sooner or later, she said.
A political will to arrest Karadzic exists, Del Ponte said, adding
that this readiness was exceptionally strong at this time, in
contrast to the previous period.
Del Ponte held talks in Sarajevo with a deputy to the High
Representative to Bosnia, Donald Hays, members of the Bosnian
Council of Ministers and representatives of the association of
mothers of Srebrenica.
(hina) lml