The Hague, 4 December 1996 (RFE/RL) - The U.N. tribunal for war crimes in ex-Yugoslavia has criticized organisers of the London conference on Bosnia for downgrading its importance.
In a statement released in The Hague, the U.N. judges express "deep concern" that the London conference is not scheduled to discuss cooperation with the tribunal.
A court delegation addressed the last full conference on Bosnia peace implementation in the Italian city of Florence in June, while a representative has been invited only as an observer to the three-day conference, which opened today in London.
The Hague International tribunal has indicted 74 war crimes suspects, of whom only seven have so far been captured.
The Hague tribunal suffered another setback today when a trial, set for January next year, was postponed. The prosecution asked for more time to back up the indictment after defendent Tihomir Blaskic pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes during the conflict between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during January 1993 and April 1994.
In a statement released in The Hague, the U.N. judges express "deep concern" that the London conference is not scheduled to discuss cooperation with the tribunal.
A court delegation addressed the last full conference on Bosnia peace implementation in the Italian city of Florence in June, while a representative has been invited only as an observer to the three-day conference, which opened today in London.
The Hague International tribunal has indicted 74 war crimes suspects, of whom only seven have so far been captured.
The Hague tribunal suffered another setback today when a trial, set for January next year, was postponed. The prosecution asked for more time to back up the indictment after defendent Tihomir Blaskic pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes during the conflict between Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during January 1993 and April 1994.