Kostunica looks to war crimes deal

Bulatovic could be a key figure in Kostunica securing an extradition deal

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica hopes to push through a draft law which would allow war crime suspects such as Slobodan Milosevic be extradited to The Hague.

Kostunica has been trying to persuade his government coalition partner, Montenegro's Socialist People's Party, to drop its opposition to the extradition of Yugoslavs to the International War Crimes Tribunal in the Netherlands.

Kostunica told the Reuters news agency: "Talks with the Socialist People's Party resulted in an agreement (that is) very important for the future of the federal state."

The Associated Press reported him as saying: "If the law is adopted by the cabinet -- and all chances are that it will be so -- the legislation subsequently goes to the federal parliament for approval."

He added: "This law will not only give legal foundations to our cooperation with the Hague tribunal, it will also enable our country to have normal relations with the international community."

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He wanted to avoid a "wild, random" relationship with the court.

Kostunica is keen to see the legislation passed before the end of the month when an international donor conference is to take place.

He needs the support of the Socialist People's Party (SNP) if he is to get the draft law through the 178-member federal parliament.

The SNP are former allies of ex-President Milosevic and were elected in a Yugoslav federal poll last September which was boycotted by Montenegro's independence-minded government.

The socialist party does not oppose "cooperation" with The Hague, but refuses to hand-over Yugoslavs to the international tribunal, saying they any suspects should be tried at home. It believes The Hague court is biased.

SNP party leader Predrag Bulatovic went against Kostunica's earlier confidence, by saying the party would stick to its opposition.

"We support co-operation with the international community and punishment for all war criminals," he said.

"But we want Yugoslavs to be tried for war crimes in our country."

Kostunica said he was expecting the draft bill to face changes if it gets past the cabinet stage and goes before parliament. A date for the cabinet meeting has not been set.

War crime suspect Milosevic has been facing extradition to The Hague since he was toppled from power as president last October. He is wanted in connection with atrocities committed during the 1999 Kosovo war.

He has been held in a Belgrade jail since April 1 on corruption charges which will be tried in a Yugoslav court.