THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 12 (Hina) - The Panel of Judges of the war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday resolved a long-term dispute between the Prosecution and former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. The judges decided to
accept written testimony from Kosovo victims, on condition that the witnesses can be cross-examined in The Hague. The Prosecution plans to bring around 90 witnesses from Kosovo to testify. To save time, it sought permission to present some testimony in writing. Milosevic, who denies all counts of the indictment, including the existence of the crimes, harshly opposed the decision. He said he had the right to cross-examine all witnesses, and any other testimony would be unacceptable. He was supported by the three attorneys, so-called amici curiae, whom the tribunal appointed to protect his rights after he refused to appoint his own attorneys. Milosevic either claims that crimes were
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 12 (Hina) - The Panel of Judges of the war
crimes tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday resolved a long-term
dispute between the Prosecution and former Yugoslav president
Slobodan Milosevic. The judges decided to accept written testimony
from Kosovo victims, on condition that the witnesses can be cross-
examined in The Hague.
The Prosecution plans to bring around 90 witnesses from Kosovo to
testify. To save time, it sought permission to present some
testimony in writing.
Milosevic, who denies all counts of the indictment, including the
existence of the crimes, harshly opposed the decision. He said he
had the right to cross-examine all witnesses, and any other
testimony would be unacceptable. He was supported by the three
attorneys, so-called amici curiae, whom the tribunal appointed to
protect his rights after he refused to appoint his own attorneys.
Milosevic either claims that crimes were committed by the Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA) and NATO during the bombing of Serbia or that
they never occurred. He said that a massacre in Racak in January
1999, when several dozen Albanians were killed, was staged.
A month has gone since the beginning of Milosevic's trial for war
crimes in Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia. So far, the tribunal has dealt
with Kosovo. Albanian victims have described how Serbian forces
demolished their villages, killed some civilians and deported the
rest to Albania or Macedonia.
Milosevic initially refused to take part in the trial, arguing that
the tribunal had no legitimate authority. However, he surprised the
Prosecution by cross-examining each witness in detail.
Cross-examination of witnesses showed that his claim that he had
only a public phone booth in prison, against "the humongous
Prosecution's machinery" was not true. Milosevic has been using a
large amount of data on witnesses from different sources,
including, some observers speculate, police files.
After he earlier dismissed the friends of the court (amici curiae)
as part of the Prosecution's machinery, he has started to
communicate with the three attorneys.
So far, he has refused to put on earphones and follow the
translation of the testimony of Albanian witnesses, despite a
request from judges who are disturbed by the Serbian translation
coming from speakers above Milosevic.
(hina) np sb