TRIBUNAL PROSECUTOR CALLS FOR ARREST OF WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS

BANJA LUKA, July 18 (Hina) - The chief prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Carla Del Ponte, on Friday reiterated her calls for the arrest of war crimes suspects in the Serb entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina. #L# During her visit to Banja Luka, Del Ponte met for separate talks with Republika Srpska President Dragan Cavic and Prime Minister Dragan Mikerevic, with members of the Bosnian Serb cabinet also attending. Republika Srpska was a refuge for fugitives and after today's talks I expect arrests and extraditions, Del Ponte said. I expect results. I expect the authorities of the Republika Srpska to take clear steps to arrest fugitives and transfer them to The Hague, the prosecutor told reporters, adding that the Bosnian Serb government had changed but that cooperation with the tribunal had not developed. Mikerevic expressed his government's determination to fulfil its commitments to the Hague tribunal, Del Ponte said. Asked in which stage the indictment against Croatian general Mirko Norac was, the prosecutor replied that the indictment had not yet been issued, but that the tribunal had completed the investigation of Norac. We are thinking of whether to refer the trial of Norac to the Croatian judiciary since he is already in the custody of a Croatian court. We have not yet made a final decision, Del Ponte said. (hina) vm