World

No Milosevic Arrest Now, PM Says

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 23, 2001 / 1:52 PM EST / CBS

Slobodan Milosevic will not be arrested by March 31 on charges brought by the U.N. war crimes tribunal, despite a U.S. deadline to start cooperating with the court, Serbia's Prime Minister said on Friday.

Zoran Djindjic, speaking to reporters on his return from a two-day visit to Washington aimed at persuading U.S. officials to show leniency towards Belgrade, said such an arrest would create a crisis in Yugoslavia's federal government.

The U.S. administration has until March 31 to tell Congress whether the new reformist authorities in Belgrade have met a set of conditions, including cooperation with the international war crimes tribunal based in The Hague.

If Belgrade is not cooperating by then, legislation passed by Congress stipulates the administration should stop disbursing a $100 million aid allocation and oppose loans to Yugoslavia in international financial institutions.

"As far as cooperation with The Hague is concerned...it's impossible (to arrest Milosevic) by March 31 without an agreement on the federal level despite the consequences such a move could have," Djindjic said.

Milosevic, who was ousted as Yugoslav president by a mass uprising last October, has been indicted by the tribunal for atrocities committed against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.

Some politicians in the new Yugoslav leadership led by President Vojislav Kostunica have said The Hague issue is not their priority and they believe the current constitution does not allow Yugoslavs to be handed over to the tribunal.

Djindjic said that on top of that legal argument, the junior partner in the federal government, the Socialist People's Party (SNP) of Montenegro, was facing elections at home next month.

The SNP used to be Milosevic's partner in the previous government and opposes his extradition. The party is challenging the reformist government in Montenegro in the April 22 ballot.

"Our priority is to preserve at least some political stability. The risk of the collapse of the federal government if the issue hit the agenda is too big," Djindjic added.

U.S. officials have been tightlipped on whether they believe Yugoslavia has done enough to be considered cooperating with the tribunal. Officials at the court have made clear the acid test of cooperation is arresting and handing over indictees.

But the Hague tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, has been critical of the new government's efforts.

Serbia's Justice Minister, Vladan Batic, met with Del Ponte in The Hague this week to discuss the Milosevic arrest and other issues relating to Yugoslavia.

He described the visit as a "warming up" of relations between Belgrade and the court, and said it showed "Yugoslavia's readiness to start full cooperation with the tribunal."

Djindjic said other conditions set by the U.S. legislation could be met by the deadline.