NEW INDICTMENTS AGAINST MILOSEVIC TO BE ISSUED SOON -- CHIEF

BELGRADE, Feb 12 (Hina) - Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Carla del Ponte, said indictments against former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic for crimes in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina could soon be issued. Depending on results of the investigation, we expect a new indictment to be issued against Milosevic soon, del Ponte told Belgrade's paper "Danas" in Monday's interview. Milosevic can stand trial in Yugoslavia only for crimes out of the ICTY's jurisdiction, but he must be tried for war crimes in The Hague, she said, stressing the Hague-based tribunal had priority over all courts when it comes to genocide and crimes against humanity. Del Ponte told the paper the Yugoslav authorities were not given a deadline for starting cooperation with the war crimes tribunal, but stressed it should begin as soon as possible. In the wake of claims that the names of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Serbian Premier Momcilo Perisic, former Yugoslav premier Momir Bulatovic and others were on some indictments, del Ponte said she did not wish to discuss details of an ongoing investigation. Asked what kind of an impression was left on her by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica during her recent visit to Belgrade, del Ponte said he appeared not in the mood, and showed great resistance towards the tribunal. (hina) lml