YUGOSLAVIA, Djindjic: The suspects to be handed to The Hague in the coming days

(29/3/2002)BELGRADE (March 29) - The extradition of a number of war crime suspects indicted by the Hague Tribunal is a possibility in the next few days, Zoran Djindjic said today, reported B92. If Yugoslavia refuses to cooperate with the Tribunal, said the Serbian prime minister, sanctions would ensue. However, said Djindjic, while his government was prepared to cooperate the real problem was Yugoslavia. "Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica should announce today or tomorrow that he is against cooperation and that he is ready to bear the consequences of that decision," said the Serbian prime minister. He warned that the question of cooperation would not be resolved by this Sunday's deadline, but that Yugoslavia should state, in principle, whether it had opted for integrations or isolation. An answer to that question should perhaps be sought in a referendum, he added. Djindjic ruled out the possibility of former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic being among those likely to be extradited. Although the Hague prosecution has repeatedly claimed that Mladic is living in Yugoslavia, the prime minister said that he is not under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Government which could not be held responsible for arresting him. "The Serbian Government is responsible for Serbian citizens who are in Serbia legally and it's not fair and realistic to say we're responsible if someone turns up here, if, say Bin Laden shows up here," said Djindjic.

//Shqiptarja.com

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• Ratko Mladiç