ICTY SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT TO UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

NEW YORK, Nov 26 (Hina) - Cooperation between the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Croatia "was gradually improving" between August 1, 2000, and July 31, 2001 - the period covered by the latest annual report of the ICTY, submitted to the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday. ICTY president Claude Jorda and Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte conclude in the report that "some of the most difficult outstanding problems of cooperation, such as high-level suspect interviews and access to a politically sensitive mass grave exhumation site in Knin" have been resolved. In July, the prosecutor made two sealed indictments public, against Ante Gotovina and Rahim Ademi, and Ademi voluntarily surrendered to the Tribunal, the report says. The new authorities in Belgrade were commended most for the hand- over of Slobodan Milosevic. The report stresses this is the first time in the history of international prosecution an indictment has been issued against the incumbent president of a state and he has been handed over to answer for crimes committed during his rule. The ICTY officials stress though that Yugoslavia has still not adopted a law on cooperation with the ICTY and that the Prosecution "awaits additional transfers of indicted accused from Serbia." The Bosnian Serb authorities have failed to demonstrate readiness to arrest and hand over indictees known to be hiding in Republika Srpska. The opening of a liaison office in The Hague and granting access to high-level witnesses in Republika Srpska was merely a "sign of goodwill", reads the report. The extensive report, written on 25 pages, provides information on the tribunal's work and organisation, personnel changes and finances and current cases. (hina) rml