Press Release (96)74 9 May 1996

Press Statement On Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between SHAPE and the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia Today, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have concluded a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) which codifies practical arrangements or the detention and transfer of persons indicted for war crimes to the ICTY, and for support by IFOR to the ICTY. As agreed when the IFOR operation was authorised on 16th December 1995, it is NAC policy for IFOR to detain and transfer to the ICTY persons indicted for war crimes, when coming into contact with them in carrying out its duties as defined by the military annex of the Peace Agreement. The MOU defines the procedures to be followed in such cases. It also describes the support to be given by IFOR to ICTY's work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The MOU - the text of which will not be released - codifies interim arrangements already in place. IFOR will continue to support the Tribunal in theatre, to the fullest extent possible. The most recent example is the assistance given by MND(N) to an ICTY team, carrying out investigations in the Srebrenica area. IFOR will also continue to carry out surveillance of certain sites of interest to the ICTY. Today's signature confirms NATO's commitment to assist the Tribunal in its mission. It also underlines the ongoing cooperation between our two organisations.