NETHERLANDS/YUGOSLAVIA: U.N. WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR LOUISE ARBOUR SAYS SHE WILL NOT PUT OFF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE RACAK MASSACRE BY "OBSTRUCTIONISM"

Record ID: 980342

  • Title: NETHERLANDS/YUGOSLAVIA: U.N. WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR LOUISE ARBOUR SAYS SHE WILL NOT PUT OFF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE RACAK MASSACRE BY "OBSTRUCTIONISM"
  • Date: 21st January 1999
  • Summary: THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, JANUARY 21, 1999 (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV JUSTICE LOUISE ARBOUR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA ENTERS NEWSCONFERENCE AND SITS DOWN (2 SHOTS) 0.20 2. MCU (English) ARBOUR: "We will be investigating the massacre at Racak . We will continue to do so with or without access to the territory. I want that to be very clear and fortunately we have been in that position with respect to events that have taken place in Kosovo since mid-Fall where the previous access that had been granted to us ceased to be forthcoming and my investigators have not been able to enter the F.R.Y. (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) for the purpose of investigating Kosovo. So I want to stress that point. I also want to stress again very unequivocally that this question of access to the territory and to the evidence that will be available on the territory is a critical issue. We are entitled to it as a matter of law, it's my firm position and it's imperative to advance this investigation at an appropriate pace, that we be given access as rapidly as possible before there is further deterioration of the conditions under which we could collect this evidence. There are, I believe, ongoing diplomatic initiatives where this issue is being pressed on our behalf and I continue to be confident that it can be resolved in a manner that will be satisfactory." 1.44 3. SLV NEWSCONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 1.50 4. MCU (English) ARBOUR: "The proposal essentially that I put on the telephone on Tuesday morning to the Minister of Justice Mr Knezevic I have yet to receive from him, or in fact from President Milosevic, to whom the minister told me he would take my proposal, I have yet to receive a formal reply to that issue." 2.12 5. SV MEDIA 2.15 6. MCU (English) ARBOUR: "Evidence of tampering, should any such evidence become available, is in fact excellent circumstantial evidence of guilt. If one can trace who the order to tamper comes from, it permits a pretty strong inference that it was done for the purpose of hiding the truth." 2.36 7. CU/SV JOURNALISTS (2 SHOTS) 2.44 8. MCU (English) ARBOUR: "I believe that I acted more than appropriately in a very urgent situation in putting in place measures that are absolutely within the powers of the office of the prosecutor to deploy and frankly I have no basis on which to believe that had I sought the assistance of the Security Council to do what was urgently needed that he would have been forthcoming in a relevant period of time." 3.08 9. SV PRESS CONFERENCE 3.11 PRISTINA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (JANUARY 21, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. SV/MCU FINNISH FORENSIC EXPERTS LEAVING HOTEL (4 SHOTS) 3.44 11. SV FINNISH FORENSIC EXPERTS GETTING INTO TAXI 3.49 12. SLV TAXI DRIVING AWAY/ ARRIVING AT HOSPITAL (2 SHOTS) 4.00 13. SLV/LV HOSPITAL SECURITY/HOSPITAL (3 SHOTS) 4.10 NEAR RACAK, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA (FILE-JANUARY 16, 1999) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 14. GV OF VILLAGE PAN TO BODIES IN TRENCH 4.19 15. SLV/SV BODIES IN TRENCH (2 SHOTS) 4.35 16. CU PACKET OF CIGARETTES/BULLET SHELL ON GROUND (2 SHOTS) 4.42 17. CU/SLV BODIES (2 SHOTS) 4.52 18. CU OF BULLET WOUNDS 4.59 19. MCU MAN LOOKING/YOUNG MAN CRYING (2 SHOTS) 5.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th February 1999 12:00
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  • Location: THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS/PRISTINA, KOSOVO, YUGOSLAVIA/NEAR RACAK,KOSOVO YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA56FW9M6C49KIT1EVV6D1E23IM
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  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
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