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ICTY Weekly Press Briefing - 1st Feb 2006

ICTY Weekly Press Briefing

  ICTY WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING Latest
Developments

Please note that this
is not a verbatim transcript of the Press
Briefing. It is merely a summary.


Date: 01.02.2006

Time: 12:20


Registry and Chambers:



Alexandra Milenov, Liaison Officer for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:


Good Afternoon,


The Tribunal was pleased to welcome yesterday a delegation of representatives from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro and the State Union Assembly of Serbia and Montenegro. During their short visit the group met with the Registrar, some OTP officials and attended a court session.


I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about a couple of our Outreach activities. As I announced last week, the Humanitarian Law Center, a Belgrade-based NGO, and the Tribunal held a conference last Saturday 28 January 2006 on the Tribunal's work to hold accountable perpetrators who committed crimes in Foca, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This event was inspired by a series of conferences that the Tribunal has held in Bosnia and Herzegovina called ‘Bridging the Gap Between the Tribunal and Local Communities.' In these conferences, Tribunal representatives go to the community where crimes were committed and explain what the Tribunal has done to investigate, prosecute and try the perpetrators. We have held such conferences in Brcko, Foca, Srebrenica, Konjic and Prijedor. CD Roms in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian containing indictments, judgments, testimonies, evidence and other materials related to each event are available for those who would like further information on the Bridging the Gap series. Please contact our offices in The Hague, Belgrade, or Sarajevo to obtain a copy.


I would also like to inform you that the Outreach Programme is a regular contributor to a new journal on war crimes issues published in Belgrade called "Justice in Transition." The second edition has just come out and in it you will find an article that the Outreach Programme authored on crimes committed in Foca, which we submitted to coincide with last Saturday's conference in Belgrade. The article focuses on the case against Dragoljub Kunarac, Radomir Kovac and Zoran Vukovic, who the Tribunal convicted of raping and sexually enslaving Bosnian Muslim women. The second edition also publishes a biography of our new President, Fausto Pocar, and an article by Judge Theodor Meron. The journal is published in hard copy in Serbian, and in English and Serbian on-line at www.pravdautranzicji.com. On their website you will also find the journal's first edition, which includes an article submitted by Outreach on facts the Tribunal has established in its cases dealing with crimes committed in Srebrenica.


In terms of court scheduling, the trial of Momcilo Krajisnik, a high-level political leader of the war-time Bosnian Serb entity, has been adjourned until Thursday, 16 February 2006. The trial of Bosnian Army officer Naser Oric continues in courtroom II as does the trial of Milan Martic, a high-level political leader of the war-time Croatian Serb entity. The trial of former Yugoslav and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic will continue in courtroom III as will the trial of Yugoslav National Army officers Milan Mrksic, Miroslav Radic and Veselin Sljivancanin. The newly renovated courtroom I will re-open next Thursday, 9 February with the Mrksic et al trial, and courtroom III will close for reconstruction on that date until 20 March.


Office of the Prosecutor:


Florence Hartmann, Spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor, made the following statement:


Ms. Del Ponte will be traveling in the Former Yugoslavia for a working visit next week. She will meet in Belgrade on Monday 6 February, Rasim Ljajic, President of the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, with Vojslav Kostunica, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Zoran Stankovic, Minister of Defense of Serbia and Montenegro and with the Prosecutor for War Crimes Vladimir Vukcevic. A media opportunity should be organized around 13.00 at the Government of Serbia building


Later on February 6, Ms Del Ponte will reach Bosnia Herzegovina. Late on Monday and on Tuesday 7 February in Sarajevo, she will be meeting EUFOR and NATO officials. She will meet also the new High Representative, Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling and his office as the State Prosecutor and his team dealing with War Crimes


On February 8, 2006, Ms. Del Ponte will be in Rome meeting with Mr. Fini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy.


Questions:


Asked what Ms. Del Ponte meant when she said in a Le Figaro interview that she would apply the same pressure to Serbia and Montenegro as was used on Croatia for cooperation with the Tribunal, Hartmann said that the EU set conditionality by opening the negotiations for the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) in early October 2005, and the conditions were clearly stated in the decision. One of the conditions was the full cooperation by Serbia and Montenegro with the Tribunal.


Hartmann said that during Del Ponte's meeting in Brussels on 19 January with the Commissioner Olli Rehn and the High Representive Javier Solana it was repeated that if Serbia and Montenegro was not fulfilling the obligations, including cooperation with the Tribunal, it would have to face possible consequences. They underlined that the pace and the conclusion of the SAA negotiations would depend on full cooperation with the ICTY and that the EU can contemplate the idea of suspending the negotiation in case of Belgrade's failure to fully cooperate.


Hartmann said that because of this conditionality, the EU has asked the Prosecutor to update them on a regular basis on the level of cooperation of states, in this case Serbia and Montenegro, like in the past she was informing the EU on the cooperation provided to the ICTY by Croatia.


Asked when there would be a final decision on Slobodan Milosevic's motion for provisional release to seek medical treatment in Russia, Milenov said that the media would be informed once a decision had been handed down. Milenov added that the Trial Chamber considered carefully all the issues before they came to a conclusion.


Asked if there was a deadline for the Trial Chamber to make its decision on the provisional release, Milenov answered no that there were typically no deadlines for applications for provisional release. In part, each application for provisional release would be different depending on the circumstances of the case, said Milenov.


Milenov stated that requests were made for family reasons, funerals, medical reasons or waiting for the beginning of a trial. The accused in each case had to satisfy the Trial Chamber that he would return for the beginning of the trial when ordered and that he would not present any danger to victims, witnesses or other persons. Milenov pointed out that defence often submitted various materials to support the application and that the prosecution also had a right to express its view on the matter. The Trial Chamber had to then consider all of the materials before it came to a decision.



A journalist referred to a report in the Croatian media stating that negotiations had taken place for Milosevic to go to Russia if he allowed the trial to continue in his absence, Milenov said that there was no possibility of negotiating behind the scenes with the judges. The judges would issue a decision based on the materials that they had available to them from the prosecution, defence or in some cases, from the registry.


Documents:


Case Description

Signature


Date

Document Title

Blaskic (Contempt)

26-Jan-06

Prosecution's Response To Decision To Deny The Accused Josip Jovic's Preliminary Motion To Dismiss The Indictment On The Grounds Of Lack Of Jurisdiction And Defects In The Form Of The Indictment

Blaskic (Contempt)

26-Jan-06

Consolidated Indictment

Blaskic and Kordic and Cerkez (Contempt)

26-Jan-06

Prosecution's Response To Decision To Deny The Accused Josip Jovic's Preliminary Motion To Dismiss The Indictment On The Grounds Of Lack Of Jurisdiction And Defects In The Form Of The Indictment

Boskoski et al

31-Jan-06

Prosecution's Response To Defence's Motion For Extension Of Time

Boskoski et al

27-Jan-06

Decision [By The Deputy Registrar Re: Remuneration Of Counsel]

Boskoski et al

30-Jan-06

Defence Motion For Extension Of Time

Boskoski et al

31-Jan-06

Defence Motion For Proper Filing And Extension Of Time

Bralo (Appeal)

26-Jan-06

Certificate

Bralo (Appeal)

26-Jan-06

Prosecution Response To "Motion Of Miroslav Bralo For Extension Of Time To File Appelate Brief And Request For Expedited Decision"

Limaj et al (Appeal)

30-Jan-06

Certificate Of Record On Appeal

Limaj et al (Appeal)

30-Jan-06

Prosecution's Response To Bala's Motion For An Extension Of Time File Appeal Brief

Martic

30-Jan-06

Subbmission By The Registry Regarding Renumeration Of Defence Counsel

Martic

31-Jan-06

Prosecution's Motion For Admission Of Statement Of Witness Milan Babic Pursuant To Rule 89 (F)

Miletic (Interlocutory)

27-Jan-06

Decision On Radivoje Miletic's Interlocutory Appeal Against The Trial Chamber's Decision On Joinder Of Accused

Oric

31-Jan-06

Defence Motion To Admit The Evidence Of A Witness Statement In The Form Of A Written Statement Pursuant To Rule 92 Bis

Oric

31-Jan-06

Prosecution Response To The Defence Motion For The Parties To Be Present At The Meeting With The Trial Chamber's Handwriting Expert

Oric

30-Jan-06

Scheduling Order For Defence Response To Prosecution Motion And Addendum Seeking Addmission Of Rebuttal Evidence

Oric

27-Jan-06

Motion For The Parties To Be Present At The Meeting With The Trial Chamber's Handwriting Expert

Oric

27-Jan-06

Order On Defence Motion For An Order That The Prosecution Immediately Permit The Defence To Inspect The "Mauzer" Material

Popovic et al

27-Jan-06

Addendum To Defendant Milodrad Trbic's Request For Leave To Reply To The Prosecution's Consolidated Response To Defence Motions Under Rule 72

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Vinko Pandurevic's Request For Provisional Release Until The Beginning Of The Trial Phase Of The Proceedings

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Vinko Pandurevic's Defence Request For Leave To File Reply To The Prosecution's Consolidated Response To The Defence Motions Under Rule 72

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Defence Motion On Behalf Of Drago Nikolic Seeking Leave To Reply And Reply To The Prosecution Consolidated Response To Defence Motions Under Rule 72

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

The Motion Of Vujadin Popovic For Leave To Reply To The Prosecution Consolidated Motion Responding To The Motion Of Vujadin Popovic Objecting The Form Of The Consolidated Indictment [Enclosed Reply]

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Vinko Pandurevic's Defence Reply To The Prosecution's Consolidated Response To The Defence Motions Under Rule 72

Popovic et al

27-Jan-06

Decision On Milorad Trbic's Request For Leave To Reply To The Prosecution's Consolidated Response

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Defendant Milorad Trbic's Reply To The Prosecution's Consolidated Response To Defense Motions Under Rule 72

Popovic et al

30-Jan-06

Reply Brief, General Gvero's Preliminary Motion Challenging Jurisdiction Indirect Co-Perpetration

Prlic and Others

31-Jan-06

Slobodan Praljak's Response To Prosecution Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Common Knowledge And Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rules 94(A) And 89(C)

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

Bruno Stojic's Response To The Prosecution Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Common Knowledge And Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rules 94 (A) And 89 (C)

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

Response Of Bruno Stojic To The Order Of 17 January 2006 Directing The Registry, The Prosecution And Defence Counsel To Respond To A Request

Prlic and Others

26-Jan-06

Jadranko Prlic's Corrigendum To Response To Prosection Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Common Knowledge And Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rule 94(A) And 89(C)

Prlic and Others

26-Jan-06

Order Granting An Extension Of Time

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

Milivoj Petkovic Defence Response To The Request By Slobodan Praljak For The Review Of An Opinion Of The Registrar Of The Tribunal And Request For The Assignment Of Defence Counsel

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

The Accused Valentin Coric's Clarification To Response To The Prosecution Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Common Knowledge And Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rules 94(A) And 89(C)

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

Prosecution Submission Concerning The Request By Slobodan Praljak For Review Of A Decision Regarding Assignment Of Counsel

Prlic and Others

30-Jan-06

Corrigendum

Prlic and Others

30-Jan-06

Prosecution Submission Pursuant To The Pre-Trial Judge's Order Dated 24 January 2006

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

The Accused Petkovic Notice To The Trial Chamber Concerning Prosecution's Request For Leave To Reply To Defence Responses To Prosecution Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Commom Knowledge And For The Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rule

Prlic and Others

30-Jan-06

Addendum To The Response On Behalf Of Berislav Pusic To The Prosecution's Motion For Judicial Notice Of Facts Of Common Knowledge And Admission Of Documentary Evidence Pursuant To Rules 94(A) And 89(C)

Prlic and Others

27-Jan-06

Jadranko Prlic's Response To The Trial Chamber's Order Concerning Slobodan Praljak Request For Assignment Of Counsel

Prlic and Others

30-Jan-06

Slobodan Praljak's Reply To The Prosecution's Requests Specified In The Prosecution Motion Of 24 January 2006 (E+Bcs)

Prlic and Others

30-Jan-06

Order Directing The Prosecution To Comply With The Provisions Of Ordinary Proceedings

Seselj

26-Jan-06

Prosecution's Notice Of Clarification

Seselj

26-Jan-06

Prosecution's Response To "Request Of Dr Vojislav Seselj For The Revocation Of The Decision To Assign Standby Counsel" (Submission No. 125)

Stanisic

31-Jan-06

Correspondence From Slo, Tc Ii Addressed To The Parties Regarding Rule 65 Ter (D) (V) Meeting

Stanisic

31-Jan-06

Order Scheduling A Status Conference

Strugar et al. (Appeal)

30-Jan-06

Report From State

Todovic

30-Jan-06

Prosecutor's Response To "Savo Todovic's Defence Supplemental Submission Concerning Certain New Information In The Context Of The Ongoing Rule 11 Bis Appellate Proceedings"