THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - The authorities of Serbia and Montenegro have failed to fulfil their international obligation of transferring General Pavle Strugar, indicted for the shelling of Dubrovnik in 1991, to The Hague and
the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has urged them to do so without further delay, tribunal spokesman Jim Landale said on Wednesday.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - The authorities of Serbia and
Montenegro have failed to fulfil their international obligation of
transferring General Pavle Strugar, indicted for the shelling of
Dubrovnik in 1991, to The Hague and the U.N. war crimes tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia has urged them to do so without further delay,
tribunal spokesman Jim Landale said on Wednesday. #L#
Addressing reporters at a weekly briefing, the summary of which was
released on the tribunal's web site, Landale said there were some
indications that Strugar might arrive in The Hague on Friday, but
considering the numerous delays, the situation was becoming
increasingly frustrating for the tribunal.
Under the order of the Hague-based tribunal, Strugar was to return
to the tribunal's detention centre of Scheveningen by December 2.
His attorneys lodged an appeal against the order, stating that the
general was in hospital due to serious medical problems.
The tribunal did not accept the appeal, but ordered the authorities
of Serbia and Montenegro to transfer Strugar to The Hague by
December 5 under medical escort, which they failed to do.
Landale said that the ambassador of Serbia and Montenegro to the
Netherlands on December 8 sent a letter to the tribunal's president
explaining that the general's poor health was the reason why he had
not been transferred to The Hague within the set deadline.
A senior legal official of the tribunal stated in a reply to the
ambassador's letter on December 9 that Serbia and Montenegro had
the obligation to hand Strugar over without further delay.
Landale also stated that the authorities of Serbia and Montenegro
should not have initiated the procedure for Strugar's extradition,
because he was returning after temporary release.
The tribunal stated that the trial of the general, scheduled for
December 12, was postponed until further notice.
Pavle Strugar was indicted for violations of the laws and customs of
war, which the units of the former Yugoslav People's Army committed
under his command during the attack on Dubrovnik in the autumn and
winter of 1991.
He surrendered to the tribunal voluntarily in November 2001 and in
his initial appearance in court pleaded not guilty. He was released
pending trial on 1 December 2001.
(hina) rml