KOSTUNICA: YUGOSLAVIA WILL PASS LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Hina) - Yugoslavia's President Vojislav Kostunica on Thursday said his Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) would submit a bill on cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to the Serbian parliament. Kostunica is convinced the issue of the cooperation with the ICTY "could be placed under Serbia's jurisdiction as long as the relations between two federal units (Serbia and Montenegro) are not resolved in an adequate manner - either with a new constitution or by dissolving the joint state". Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic assessed the DSS proposal on Serbia's cooperation with the ICTY, which the DSS announced yesterday, as "proving the terminal atrophy and powerlessness of the federal state." At a regular press conference, Kostunica said the special Interior Ministry units were under the exclusive jurisdiction of Serbia and that he had no influence on the recent week-long riot of the so- called Red Berets, which he believes should be called a protest. Asked if it was not disturbing that uniformed, armed people took to the streets, Kostunica said the members of Red Berets "have not even jeopardised road traffic". "They protested in their working uniforms, just as doctors protest in their white coats, factory workers in blue overalls", Kostunica said. He again called on Kosovo Serbs to vote at Kosovo's general elections Saturday, pointing to "the pressure of reality", namely "the political partnership between us and foreigners". (hina) np sb