Q:
A:
Ljajic talks with Brammertz
Belgrade,
17 April 2008
Serbian Minister of Employment and Social Policy and President of the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY Rasim Ljajic met today with Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz who visited Belgrade for the first time since he came to office at ICTY on January 1, 2008.
Author:
Fonet
Brammertz voiced pleasure at his two-day visit to Belgrade and stressed that he has already visited the region, as well as Zagreb and Sarajevo, but that his priority and a great personal wish was to visit Serbia.
He told Ljajic that as the Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal, his major interest when it comes to cooperation with Serbia is the delivery of documentation at the prosecution’s request, authorisation to disclose official secrets in order for witnesses to testify before the tribunal, the witness protection programme, access to Serbia’s archives in accordance with the proposed agreement signed in March 2006, and activities pertaining to the arrest and transfer to ICTY of the remaining indictees who are still at large.
Ljajic explained that the visit by the Chief Prosecutor to Belgrade comes soon after the acquittal of Ramus Haradinaj, at which he voiced displeasure, and familiarised Brammertz with the possible negative consequences of such sentences on the current political situation in Serbia and on the public’s reaction to the Tribunal and its credibility.
He added that the decision to acquit Haradinaj might serve as a serious basis for public doubt in the Tribunal’s impartiality and its political neutrality, however, Serbia is still aware of its international obligations and will continue cooperation with the ICTY because that is primarily in its own interest.
Ljajic stressed that Serbia is making efforts to fulfil all aspects of cooperation and said that out of 165 demands submitted by the ICTY prosecution, which refer to documentation and authorising witnesses to disclose official secrets, positive answers were given to 143 demands. The others are still in process and will be solved in near future.
Ljajic concluded that this aspect of cooperation with ICTY has always been most satisfactory.
He told Ljajic that as the Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal, his major interest when it comes to cooperation with Serbia is the delivery of documentation at the prosecution’s request, authorisation to disclose official secrets in order for witnesses to testify before the tribunal, the witness protection programme, access to Serbia’s archives in accordance with the proposed agreement signed in March 2006, and activities pertaining to the arrest and transfer to ICTY of the remaining indictees who are still at large.
Ljajic explained that the visit by the Chief Prosecutor to Belgrade comes soon after the acquittal of Ramus Haradinaj, at which he voiced displeasure, and familiarised Brammertz with the possible negative consequences of such sentences on the current political situation in Serbia and on the public’s reaction to the Tribunal and its credibility.
He added that the decision to acquit Haradinaj might serve as a serious basis for public doubt in the Tribunal’s impartiality and its political neutrality, however, Serbia is still aware of its international obligations and will continue cooperation with the ICTY because that is primarily in its own interest.
Ljajic stressed that Serbia is making efforts to fulfil all aspects of cooperation and said that out of 165 demands submitted by the ICTY prosecution, which refer to documentation and authorising witnesses to disclose official secrets, positive answers were given to 143 demands. The others are still in process and will be solved in near future.
Ljajic concluded that this aspect of cooperation with ICTY has always been most satisfactory.
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