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Please
note that this is not a verbatim transcript of the Press Briefing. It is merely
a summary.
ICTY
Weekly Press Briefing
Date: 27 September
2000
Time: 11:30
a.m.
REGISTRY
AND CHAMBERS
Jim Landale, Spokesman for Registry and Chambers made the following statement:
In
the Krajisnik case, on 22 September, Trial Chamber III issued its written reasons
on its decision of 4 August 2000 to dismiss a motion filed on behalf of the
defendant challenging the jurisdiction of the International Tribunal. As you
will be aware, similar motions in other cases have been filed in the past and
with that in mind, I would just like to read you the final paragraph.
‘Finally,
the Trial Chamber would note that the International Tribunal as a whole is overburdened
with work. This Chamber is itself seized of many cases and judicial economy
is, therefore, of the utmost importance to its work. Trial Chambers should not
be called upon to adjudicate on arguments in motions that have already been
definitively determined by the Appeals Chamber. All counsel should bear this
in mind in filing future motions.’
Copies
of the document will be available to you after this.
Also,
in the Blaskic case, I have just received a decision issued on 26 September
by the Appeals Chamber, comprised of Judges Vohrah (Presiding), Nieto-Navia,
Wald, Pocar and Liu, on the Appellant’s motions for the production of material,
suspension or extension of the briefing schedule, and additional filings. Again
copies will be made available to you after this briefing.
I
have also received the tentative schedule set by Trial Chamber II for closing
briefs and arguments in the Foca trial. The dates are as follows:
1.
Filing date for the closing brief of the Prosecution: 25 October 2000
2.
Filing date for the closing brief of the Defence: 1 November 2000
3.
Closing arguments of the Prosecution: 6 November 2000
4.
Closing arguments of the Defence: 7 & 8 November 2000 or as soon as
the Prosecution rests
This
Friday and Saturday 29 and 30 September, there will be a symposium in Mostar
held under the auspices of the Tribunal’s Outreach Programme, which will focus
on the work of the Tribunal. Several speakers from the different parts of the
Tribunal will be speaking to an audience of legal professionals, police officials,
local politicians and media. The event on the ground has been organized by the
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is being funded
by the Danish Peace and Stability Fund of the Danish Foreign Ministry.
Finally,
as I announced last week, on Wednesday there was a visit to the Tribunal by
four judges from the Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonal Court and senior officials
from the Office of the High Representative’s regional headquarters in Mostar.
The group had very useful meetings with President Jorda and several other Judges,
as well as with the Deputy Prosecutor, Graham Blewitt, the Registrar, Ms. Dorothee
De Sampayo, and others.
Paul
Risley, Spokesman for the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) made the following
announcement:
The
Prosecutor and the Deputy Prosecutor are in Washington DC today, completing
a series of meetings with senior officials of the US Government.
On
Monday, the Prosecutor met with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and other
State Department officials including Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering
and Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh, who is responsible for, among other
things, human rights and international criminal justice. The Prosecutor also
met with Jim O’Brien Director of the Balkan Taskforce for the State Department.
Also
on Monday the Prosecutor met with Louis Freeh, Director of the FBI.
On
Capital Hill, the Prosecutor met with several members of congress including
Senator George Voinovich of Ohio and Congressman Tom Lantos of California, long
respected for his concentration on human rights issues and interest in the Balkans.
On
Tuesday, the Prosecutor met with Chairman General Shelton of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff at the Pentagon, White House National Security Advisor Samual Berger
and other officials.
Last
evening she met with Human Rights Watch, Coalition for International Justice
and other Non Governmental Organisation’s.
Today
she is scheduled to meet with Attorney General Janet Reno, Secretary of Defence
William Cohen, CIA Director Goerge Tennant and other Defense and National Security
Officials at the Pentagon.
The
remainder of this week she will be in New York, with meetings scheduled at the
United Nations with Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other UN officials and
diplomatic representatives to speak specifically about the budget for the OTP.
QUESTIONS:
Asked for a
comment on rumours about how the potential new government in Serbia planned
to move Milosevic from his position peacefully including one to give him asylum
in Russia and another to make him Ambassador to China for the new government,
Risley replied that the Prosecutor met with some reporters yesterday in Washington.
He added that she may meet with others today and may specifically address
this issue.
The Prosecutor
could not respond to the words of specific individuals or candidates for
such offices. By necessity the OTP could only respond to the words of representatives
of legal entities and governments that were part of the United Nations,
he said. He could not comment on the words of a person who was candidate
for office, whether in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or anywhere else.
With that
said, he added as the Deputy Prosecutor and Prosecutor have both said in
the past that the Prosecutor recognised the need to see the removal of Milosevic
from his position as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and
was not adverse to any diplomatic efforts and initiatives to see his removal
from power. That was not a position that was adverse to the interests of
the OTP in seeing that a person indicted by the Tribunal was bought to The
Hague to face those charges.
The Prosecutor
in Washington this week was very much aware of the diplomatic efforts of
both the United States and other countries to see that Milosevic surrenders
his power peacefully and either remains or leaves Yugoslavia. In any event
this individual was still indicted before this Tribunal and the OTP would
see that any and all measures necessary would be taken to see that this
individual was transferred to The Hague to face those charges, he concluded.
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