War crimes chief eyes Karadzic

PODGORICA, Yugoslavia -- The U.N.'s chief war crimes prosecutor is expected to demand the extradition of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic during a visit to Montenegro.

Carla Del Ponte, who recently visited Serbia in an unsuccessful effort to extradite former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, is carrying with her indictments for Karadzic and other suspects who might visit the republic.

She is due to hold talks with Montenegrin Prime Minister Filip Vujanovic before meeting with President Milo Djukanovic on Thursday.

Karadzic is originally from Montenegro, the smaller of the two Yugoslav republics, and his mother is reportedly still a resident.

Some Balkan media have speculated Karadzic, believed to be living in Bosnia, may try to visit his mother, who has reportedly been ill.

The U.N. tribunal has charged Karadzic with genocide for his role in the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

"It's possible people such as Karadzic are moving around," Del Ponte's spokeswoman Florence Hartmann said on Wednesday.

"She will hand over indictments, certified, for all fugitives who could be in Montenegro."

Hartmann said the U.N. war crimes tribunal, based in The Hague, had been pleased with the general level of co-operation from Montenegro.

Hartmann added: "We are aware that when they started to co-operate with us, it was a difficult time, when Milosevic was still in power.

"(Now) we want to see if co-operation could go further."

While Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and other Serb reformers have pledged they will honour their legal obligation to co-operate with the tribunal, they have stopped short of saying they will hand over suspects.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Del Ponte's mission impossible
January 25, 2001
Del Ponte condemns Yugoslav stand
January 26, 2001
U.N. confident of Milosevic trial
January 25, 2001
Protests mar war crimes meeting
January 24, 2001
Croats sought for war crimes talks
January 15, 2001
Genocide charge for Bosnia's Plavsic
January 10, 2001

United Nations
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Government of the Republic of Montenegro
War crimes tribunal for former Yugoslavia

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.