DATE=9/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266391
BYLINE=LAUREN COMITEAU
DATELINE=THE HAGUE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: It has been one year (Sept. 15) since Carla
Del Ponte took up her post as chief prosecutor of the
war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia [and
Rwanda] in The Hague. Her responsibilities include
overseeing the prosecution of some 40 war crimes
suspects from the former Yugoslavia, but she says her
top priority is arresting 26 people who have been
indicted by the tribunal, but who remain at large.
Lauren Comiteau spoke with Ms. Del Ponte recently in
The Hague and files this report.
TEXT:
/// OPT Spokesperson/Del Ponte ACT ///
Spokesperson: Without ado, the prosecutor Madam
Carla Del Ponte.
Del Ponte: Thank you very much..
(Fade applause under
/// END OPT ACT///
Early in her term as chief war crimes prosecutor for
the Yugoslav tribunal, Carla Del Ponte met with NATO's
Secretary General George Robertson. After the meeting,
she expressed her appreciation for the secretary
general's efforts in helping her office investigate
war crimes in Kosovo and Bosnia -- but she also made
clear that she wants more suspects brought to justice.
/// DEL PONTE ACT ///
Thanks also for the arrests, but not enough! I'm
asking to arrest all fugitives we have down and
Lord Robertson promised me that it would be
done. Now let's know how long it takes.
/// END ACT ///
How long it will take is a question that also plagued
Ms. Del Ponte's two predecessors. Without a police
force of its own, the tribunal relies on NATO-led
forces to make arrests. One year after taking office,
Carla Del Ponte is still waiting for the arrests of
the fugitives she wants the most: Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan
Karadzic, and his military commander General Ratko
Mladic. The prosecutor is growing impatient.
/// DEL PONTE ACT ///
I'm still waiting. I'm ready. I can accept the
arrest of Karadzic this evening. All the others,
too. We have a lot. We have too many accused
who are fugitives. I hope NATO will cooperate
more than until now. The secretary general of
NATO and General Ralston told me it's one arrest
in a month. I say ok, it's good. But I need one
arrest in a week.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Del Ponte says that is important because there are
more indictments to come. She recently asked NATO to
set up a special unit dealing solely with arresting
war crimes suspects.
But while NATO has troops in Bosnia and Kosovo who can
apprehend suspects, it has no jurisdiction inside
Serbia itself, where Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic still rules. Ms. Del Ponte concedes that he
may not be brought before the tribunal soon, but she
is optimistic he will one day stand trial in The
Hague. She also flatly rejects reports that Western
governments may be seeking immunity for the Yugoslav
leader in exchange for his stepping down.
/// DEL PONTE ACT ///
That's fantasy. The only authority that can
withdraw the indictment is a chamber of judges
upon a request from the prosecutor. I will
never request that. And so it will never happen.
/// END ACT ///
Although Chief prosecutors don't often argue cases,
Carla del Ponte does appear in court on occasions she
deems significant. She says she is now waiting for
NATO to give her her day in court, trying those whom
she holds most responsible for what happened in the
former Yugoslavia: Slobodan Milosevic, Radovan
Karadzic, and Ratko Mladic. (Signed)
NEB/LC/KL/FC
12-Sep-2000 09:59 AM EDT (12-Sep-2000 1359 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
