WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Hina) - The US authorities are not against the idea of former state officials testifying at the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the Hague war crimes tribunal, US sources said on
Friday.
WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Hina) - The US authorities are not against the
idea of former state officials testifying at the trial of former
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the Hague war crimes
tribunal, US sources said on Friday. #L#
An official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the State
Department would leave the decision on testifying to the
officials.
The US government was reluctant to allow former state officials to
testify before the International Criminal Tribunal for former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), especially at the open sessions of trial
chambers, stating the reason for this was the need to protect
confidential information.
Sources in the US diplomacy said that earlier this month the State
department had forwarded a letter stating that there were no longer
any legal obstacles for the testimony of former state officials.
Although it has not been officially confirmed, it is expected the
creator of the Dayton Accords, Richard Holbrooke, and a former NATO
commander, General Wesley Clark, could testify.
Holbrooke recently stated that legal experts from the State
Department were discussing with the ICTY the terms of his
testimony.
There is no information on the possible testimony of Gen. Clark.
(hina) rml