YUGOSLAVIA: REACTIONS AS FORMER LEADER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC GOES ON TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

Record ID: 648492

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: REACTIONS AS FORMER LEADER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC GOES ON TRIAL IN FRONT OF THE U.N. WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
  • Date: 12th February 2002
  • Summary: (U3) BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA (FEBRUARY 12, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV BELGRADE STREETS; SCU POSTER ON BUILDING READING IN SERBIAN: FREEDOM FOR SLOBODAN (4 SHOTS) 0.22 2. SLV/MV PEOPLE BUYING NEWSPAPERS; SCU NEWSPAPER HEADLINES, READING: SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO FACE THE TRIAL IN THE HAGUE TODAY (5 SHOTS) 0.54 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VERA RATKOVIC, A PENSIONER, SAYING: "I am glad Slobodan Milosevic has finally gone to the Hague. He should have done it long time before. On the other hand I am sorry for him. He didn't know how to play in this big world of today and a politician, if he is not a good player, should leave the stage and let his people find their way." 1.23 4. MV MAN IN CAFE READING NEWSPAPER; SCU TV SCREEN SHOWING MILOSEVIC IN COURT; SLV PEOPLE IN CAFE, WATCHING LIVE BROADCAST OF MILOSEVIC'S TRIAL (4 SHOTS) 1.44 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STANKO JOVANOVIC, ECONOMIST, SAYING "The Hague Tribunal is not a legal institution. Milosevic is indicted for atrocities he has not done himself, but was aware of. If he was indicted then together with him should be Clinton, Blair, Robin Cook and others. There were 75 victims only during the air campaign, less then 14 years old. Either Clinton, Blair, Cook should be indicted as well or Milosevic should be released immediately." 2.48 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BORIS BABIC, JOURNALIST, SAYING "Milosevic should be tried. It should determine if he is responsible for what he is charged with. If Yugoslav courts were not able to organize this trial quickly then I fully agree with this international trial". 3.13 8. SLV STREET OF BELGRADE 3.19 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA6L5QRVLQZZL8GRJJLEK4JETR1
  • Story Text: Former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic is on trial
    at the U.N. war crimes tribunal on charges of masterminding
    ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia.

    Former Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic is
    charged with crimes against humanity in Croatia in 1991-92,
    genocide in the 1992-95 Bosnian war and crimes against
    humanity in Kosovo in 1999.

    Prosecutors said before the trial's start they would make
    broad opening statements on Tuesday addressing all three
    conflicts, but in months to come plan to introduce evidence
    relating only to Kosovo. The Bosnia and Croatia cases against
    Milosevic are not expected to begin in earnest until July.

    Those opening statements might last into Wednesday,
    prosecutors said. Only then might Milosevic get a chance to
    answer them.

    People in Yugoslav capital Belgrade reacted differently ot
    the trial of their former leader.

    "I am glad Slobodan Milosevic has finally gone to the
    Hague. He should have done it long time before", said Vera
    Ratkovic, a Belgrade pensioner.

    "The Hague Tribunal is not a legal institution. Milosevic is
    indicted for atrocities he has not done himself, but was aware
    of. If he was indicted then together with him should be
    Clinton, Blair, Robin Cook and others. There were 75 victims
    only during the air campaign, less then 14 years old. Either
    Clinton, Blair, Cook should be indicted as well or Milosevic
    should be released immediately," said Yugoslav economist
    Stanko Jovanovic.

    The prosecution says it will call some 300 witnesses to
    atrocities in the Balkan wars, in a trial expected to last at
    least two years. Milosevic refuses to recognise the
    International Trial for the former Yugoslavia and has refused
    to appoint formal counsel, but will address the court himself.


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