New charges for Milosevic

Milosevic: New charges could include the most serious offence so far -- genocide

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (CNN) -- Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte has signed new charges against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes, the prosecutor's spokesman said.

The charges against Milosevic -- which have not been released -- will be forwarded to judges at the United Nations International War Crimes Tribunal, who will decide whether to confirm them and make a formal indictment.

That could take several days or weeks.

The charges could include the most serious offence of genocide for the mass murder of Muslims in the Bosnian war between 1992 and 1995.

EXTRA INFORMATION In-Depth: The case against Milosevic  In-Depth: Yugoslavia in transition

Milosevic, 60, who is being held in detention at a special centre near The Hague, is already indicted for war crimes in Kosovo in 1999 and in Croatia, between 1991 and 1992.

The new charges were laid as a former Yugoslav admiral surrendered to the tribunal.

Ex-Vice Admiral Miodrag Jokic is indicted over the shelling of the Croatian city of Dubrovnik in 1991.

Jokic was transferred to the court's detention unit where Milosevic is being held after flying to the Netherlands from Belgrade. A date for his appearance in court has not yet been set.

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"The decision I made was very difficult for my family but as a soldier I believe it was the only rightful and honest one, especially in this situation when the cooperation of my country with The Hague tribunal is meeting obstacles," he told Reuters at Belgrade airport.

"I performed my duties in accordance with internationally recognised laws and I expect my country to stand behind me," he said.

He was accompanied by Serbian Interior Minister Dusan Mihajlovic who after preliminary hearings in The Netherlands has agreed to let him live freely in Serbia while awaiting full trial.

Also on board the plane was Milosevic's wife Mira Markovic, on her way to visit the former Yugoslav president in custody.

Jokic is one of four ex-members of the Yugoslav military charged by the U.N. court with responsibility for dozens of civilian deaths during the shelling of Dubrovnik, the picturesque and historic holiday destination port.

Another Dubrovnik indictee, former Lieutenant-General Pavle Strugar, turned himself into the tribunal last month vowing to prove his innocence. The two other indictees are still at large.

Last Tuesday Yugoslavia's Constitutional Court has overturned a controversial government decree allowing the surrender of war crimes suspects to the Hague after an application by Milosevic supporters.

The decree was introduced to allow the handover of the former president and the matter is expected to go back to parliament.