ICTY Chief Prosecutor visits BiH

Sarajevo - On November 2, during a visit to Bosnia and Hercegovina, Mrs. Carla del Ponte, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and Mr Graham Blewitt, Deputy Prosecutor, held a Press Conference at the SFOR Tito Barracks facilities in Sarajevo. The ICTY was established by the United Nations Security Council in May 1993. Located in The Hague, The Netherlands, has been mandated to prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991.

"This is the first visit of the Prosecutor Madam Carla del Ponte to the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina, as well as her first visit to the region of the former Yugoslavia. This includes a visit to Macedonia, and Kosovo, and after we leave here, it will be a visit to Croatia. At these locations the Prosecutor has met with Government Officials, and representatives of the International Community. Her aim is to ensure that the important work the Tribunal is undertaking in bringing war criminals to justice," said Mr. Blewitt. "In Bosnia, because of the presence of SFOR, and the important role of the International Community, we have the clear opportunity to carry out the mandate giving to me by the United Nations Security Council: all fugitives from justice must be arrested, all parties must fully and unconditionally co-operate with the Tribunal," stated Carla del Ponte.

The Parties have the responsibility to arrest indictees and hand them over to the ICTY. SFOR has the authority to detain and transfer to the ICTY indicted persons when SFOR personnel come in contact with them while carrying out their assigned duties. This was agreed by all Parties in Rome (Feb 96) and suspected war criminals at large remain an obstacle to the peace process.

Since July 1997 SFOR has detained 14 suspected war criminals and handed them over to the ICTY for prosecution.

SFOR restructuring does not in any way imply a change in SFOR's support to the ICTY; indeed, del Ponte added: "Finally I received assurance from Gen. Adams that the Tribunal will continue to receive the same high level of support from SFOR, despite any anticipated reductions in SFOR troops strength." Afterwards the Chief Prosecutor had a meeting with the SFOR Legal Advisors, within the framework of the First LEGAD Conference, held on November 2 and 3 at the Multinational Specialised Unit Camp in Butmir.