The Office of the Prosecutor:

Mr. Mark Harmon
Mr. Andrew Cayley
Mr. Gregory Kehoe

Defence Counsel:

Mr. Anto Nobilo
Mr. Russell Hayman

PURSUANT to Articles 20(1) and 21

(4)(c) of the Statute,

NOTING that the Judges, responsible for guaranteeing respect for the rights of the accused must inter alia ensure that he is tried without undue delay,

NOTING that the accused surrendered to the Tribunal on 1 April 1996,

NOTING that the phase of the trial of Tihomir Blaskic for the presentation of evidence began on 24 June 1997,

NOTING that, at a closed session held on 11 December 1997, the parties agreed on the need to limit the number of hearing days which they would use respectively for the presentation of their evidence,

NOTING that the Defence agreed that the Prosecution might have a slightly greater number of hearing days than it did and that the Prosecution has, to date, had seventy-two and a half half days devoted solely to the presentation of its evidence, that is, a total of thirty-six hearing days,

NOTING that the parties stated that the Prosecution considered it would be in a position to present its evidence in seventy-five days and the Defence in sixty days,

NOTING that there is reason to keep in mind the possibility that each party might, exceptionally, have additional time should the party concerned become aware of new evidence essential to support its claims,

Ruling inter partes and unanimously,

DECIDES that, starting from 1 January 1998, the Prosecution will have thirty-nine hearing days to complete the presentation of its evidence,

DECIDES that the Defence, when its turn arrives, will have sixty hearing days to present the evidence it wishes to bring out,

REQUESTS that the Registrar maintain a record of the days actually used by each party for the presentation of its evidence,

STATES that the parties will be required to demonstrate convincing grounds in support of any possible motion for the extension of the time limits indicated above and that such Motions will be granted on an exceptional basis only,

Done in French and English, with the French version being authoritative.

Done this seventeenth day of December 1997
At The Hague
The Netherlands

(signed)
_________________
Claude Jorda
Presiding Judge, Trial Chamber I