ICTY PRESIDENT URGES URGENT APPREHENSION OF WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS

SARAJEVO, May 11 (Hina) - President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Claude Jorda, today urged Bosnian authorities to arrest the people against whom the tribunal has issued indictments. After talks with members of the Bosnian Presidency, Jorda told reporters in Sarajevo the present level of Bosnia's cooperation with the UN court was satisfactory. However, he added, more can be done, beginning with the arrest of the indictees. As you know, the Hague-based tribunal does not have its own forces to ensure the arrest of war crimes indictees. Thus, the cooperation of local authorities is of great importance in this context, Jorda stressed. The ICTY president visited Sarajevo to attend the founding of a truth and reconciliation commission. During talks with reporters, Jorda categorically dismissed the idea that his tribunal may be functioning as a political institution. Bosnia's Presidency chairman Zivko Radisic said the country's state leadership fully supports the tribunal's work and expects of it to issue indictments against all war criminals as soon as possible, notwithstanding their nationality. (hina) lml