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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia committed to cooperation with ICTY

Belgrade, 10 September 2008

President of the National Council for cooperation with the ICTY Rasim Ljajic said today that he expects that the EU Council of Ministers, at their session on September 15, will adequately appreciate Serbia’s efforts to cooperate with the tribunal.

Author: Fonet

Speaking at a joint press conference held following a meeting with Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, Ljajic said that Serbia is aware that it still has obligations to the Hague tribunal and will make every effort to locate, arrest and handover all Hague indictees at large.

All questions related to overall cooperation with the tribunal were discussed in today’s talks, he said, adding that it was stated on the occasion that Serbia has handed over 44 out of the 46 Hague indictees. According to Ljajic, Serbia has made significant progress in submitting documents required by the court and there are no more demands in that respect.

We have requests which are in regular procedure and will soon be met, said Ljajic and recalled that in Serbia there are no more witnesses waiting to be released from the oath of official secrecy.

He said that 23 inspections have been made into the archives of the Interior Ministry, the Security and Intelligence Agency, Defence Ministry and other state organs, which speaks for the transparency and willingness of Serbia to cooperate fully.

Brammertz expressed realistic and cautious optimism that the search for the other two indictees, Ratko Mladic and Groan Hadzic will be successful.

The main goal of full cooperation is to arrest Mladic and Hadzic, said Brammertz and expressed conviction that the new Serbian government will provide all political and logistic support for concluding cooperation with the tribunal.

He said that he talked with war crimes prosecutor Valdimir Vukcevic about important questions related to cooperation between the two prosecutor’s offices, as well as regional cooperation issues.

Brammertz said that he held positive and productive talks with new members of the action team, who informed him about previous and current operations and plans for future actions.

The dedication and expertise of the team has made me optimistic that the search for Mladic and Hadzic will be successful, he reiterated, and added that he thanked the action team once again for the apprehension of Radovan Karadzic and Stojan Zupljanin.

He said that he discussed several issues with Ljajic which concern access to archives, documents and witness protection, adding that significant progress has been made in these areas and remaining questions will be dealt with.

Brammertz said that he will present a report on Serbia’s cooperation with the ICTY to the Security Council at the beginning of December.

Tomorrow, Brammertz is scheduled to meet with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and President Boris Tadic, as well as with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic and Justice Minister Snezana Malovic.