Marsicanin says no more extraditions Associated Press

Marsicanin says no more extraditions
Associated Press - March 5, 2004

BELGRADE -- Friday – A top aide to Serbia's new prime minister has ruled out extradition of more Serbs to the U.N. war crimes tribunal, even if it means the end of international support for the country.

Dragan Marsicanin, Serbia's new trade minister and a close associate of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, told Serbian state television late Thursday that his government will organize war crimes trials at home rather than hand over suspects to the court in The Hague, Netherlands.

"The answer is no," Marsicanin declared when asked by the state TV reporter whether the remaining fugitives will be handed over if further US and other international financial and political support for Serbia depends on that.

Marsicanin's comments, reaffirming comments made earlier by Kostunica himself, were also carried by local media Friday.

The U.S. and the European Union both have warned Serbia that further support depends on the country's cooperation with The Hague tribunal (passage omitted).

Washington has said that millions of dollars of aid for Serbia this year will depend on the government's readiness to help arrest former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, who is believed to be hiding somewhere in Serbia-Montenegro.

Also wanted by the tribunal are four Serbian police and army generals, who commanded Serb troops in Kosovo during the 1998-99 war (passage omitted).

Kostunica, a moderate nationalist who took office as prime minister Wednesday, repeatedly has said that cooperation with The Hague court won't be his government's priority. Kostunica has also accused the tribunal of anti-Serb bias.

Marsicanin said that "there is a possibility to find a solution and achieve what is called two-way cooperation" with the U.N. tribunal. He said such cooperation would include trials of war crimes suspects in Serbia.