YUGOSLAVIA: BOSNIAN WAR CRIMES INDICTEES RADOVAN KARADZIC AND RATKO MLADIC FLEE SERBIA

Record ID: 208464

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: BOSNIAN WAR CRIMES INDICTEES RADOVAN KARADZIC AND RATKO MLADIC FLEE SERBIA
  • Date: 16th March 2001
  • Summary: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (MARCH 16, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. SV OF THE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION (SYMPOSIUM) ON COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL 0.06 2. LV/SV OF THE SYMPOSIUM (2 SHOTS) 0.20 3. MCU JOURNALISTS DURING THE SYMPOSIUM 0.25 4. MCU THE TRIBUNAL'S DEPUTY CHIEF PROSECUTOR GRAHAM BLEWITT ADDRESSING SYMPOSIUM, SAYING "So, it is unlikely that the existence of international sanctions will prevent all future atrocities, but hopefully they will stop some, and they will moderate behaviour of some political leaders and military commanders in the quest for power, glory and national domination." 0.46 5. CU STILL PHOTOGRAPH AND ARTICLE ABOUT BILJANA PLAVSIC 0.50 6. SLV OF THE SYMPOSIUM 0.54 7. MCU (English) FLORENCE HARTMANN, SPOKESWOMAN FOR HAGUE TRIBUNAL, SAYING "Well, I don't know is it true, but under the basis of this statement I can say that it is good if they don't feel safe in Serbia or Yugoslavia. All fugitives must not feel safe anywhere, because they are under indictment and under international warrant, and they have to be arrested. We were expecting that from the Yugoslav authorities. They (the Yugoslav authorities) are still not cooperating, but we have some encouraging signs, but also some bad signs, and I hope there will be some changes over the next few weeks. People voted for democracy and returning of Yugoslavia to the international community. I believe that everybody wants that, so Yugoslavia must deal with international obligations and one of them is (the) arresting of fugitives and transferring them (to The Hague). If they left, I hope that other countries and if it is Bosnia, where they are coming from, I hope that SFOR and NATO will arrest them and transfer them. We are disappointed, because we have not had any arrests from SFOR since June 2000. If they are back there, maybe they will soon come to The Hague, but also all others that are still living in Yugoslavia should be transferred to Hague. We (still have) hope and we are confident in that." 2.28 PALE, REPUBLIKA SRPSKA (FILE AUGUST 1993) (REUTERS) 8. MCU/SV FORMER BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDER RATKO MLADIC (2 SHOTS) 2.46 WESTERN BOSNIA (FILE SEPTEMBER 1995) (REUTERS) 9. SLV/SV THEN BOSNIAN SERB LEADER, RADOVAN KARADZIC VISITING TROOPS (3 SHOTS) 3.11 PALE, REPUBLIKA SRPSKA (FILE 1994) (REUTERS) 10. SV KARADZIC AND MLADIC DURING AN ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS CEREMONY 3.20 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVAAJEKX90QEVHRNRRJAB9QAJDNU
  • Story Text: Bosnian war crimes indictees Radovan Karadzic and
    Ratko Mladic have fled Serbia to the Serb part of neighbouring
    Bosnia after deciding they would get no protection from
    Belgrade's new reformist rulers.



    The symposium on The Hague tribunal on warcrimes in
    the former Yugoslavia met in Belgrade on Friday (March 16) to
    discuss the outstanding cases of Radovan Karadzic and his
    henchman Ratko Mladic.

    Deputy Chief Prosecutor Graham Blewitt told those
    assembled in Belgrade: "It is unlikely that the existence of
    international sanctions will prevent all future atrocities,
    but hopefully they will stop some, and they will moderate
    behaviour of some political leaders and military commanders in
    request for power, glory and national domination."
    He was making reference to the imposition of U.S.

    economic sanctions at the end of this month if Belgrade does
    not cooperate with the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague
    on handing over the indicted criminals.

    A spokeswoman for the symposium, Florence Hartmann said
    that those indicted should not feel safe wherever they were:
    "I can say that it is good if they don't feel safe in Serbia
    or Yugoslavia. All fugitives must not feel safe anywhere,
    because they are under indictment and under international
    warrant, and they have to be arrested."
    Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serbs' wartime political
    leader, and his military commander Ratko Mladic were safe from
    arrest in Serbia during the rule of Slobodan Milosevic,
    himself indicted by the tribunal, who was overthrown last
    October.

    Senior DOS source, who requested anonymity, said the two
    knew they could no longer count on protection from above after
    justice authorities arrested Milosevic's secret police chief
    and several associates last month.

    "Karadzic and Mladic left Serbia after the latest
    arrests," the source told Reuters. "They were aware of the
    fact they didn't have protection."
    "They are not under our jurisdiction any more. They are
    under the jurisdiction of SFOR," he said, referring to the
    international peacekeeping force in Bosnia.

    Mladic was widely believed to be living openly in Belgrade
    until recently.

    Karadzic's whereabouts have been less clear, with some
    press reports suggesting he may roam between
    Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro.

    The Bosnian Serb republic, one of two entities in post-war
    Bosnia along with a Muslim-Croatian federation, approved a
    moderate technocrat government in January. However the SDS
    party founded by Karadzic remains the strongest political party
    after elections last November.

    Karadzic and Mladic have been indicted by the U.N.

    tribunal on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity
    for their roles in the 1992-5 Bosnian war.


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