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Russia’s Primakov Says Tribunal Lacks Objectivity
Russian Foreign Minister also says attempts to sieze Radovan Karadzic could undermine Bosnia’s elections
"Russia has grounds to consider the activities of the international tribunal for former Yugoslavia at The Hague as overpoliticised and unbalanced in the fields where it is expected to work," Primakov said. Russian officials have expressed concern that Bosnian Serbs make up an overwhelming majority of those indicted by the tribunal for war crimes.
But Primakov's statement, made after a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, was the first outright accusation of bias against the tribunal, whose creation was backed by Russia. Primakov said Russia regarded the holding of elections in Bosnia as a crucial element of the peace process and it wanted to remove all obstacles to them.
Russia hailed Karadzic's decision this month to hand over his executive powers as Bosnian Serb president to his deputy, Biljana Plavsic, as a step allowing the polls to go ahead. But Karadzic retained the title of president and also leads the Serb Democratic Party, the election favourite on the Serb side.
"Russia assumes that a seizure of the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic by force is one of the issues which could undermine the election in Bosnia and Herzegovna," Primakov said. |
MOSCOW, July 17 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov accused the Hague-based war crimes tribunal for former Yugoslavia on Wednesday of lacking objectivity, Interfax news agency reported. It also quoted him as saying that attempts to seize Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic on a warrant issued by the tribunal could undermine Bosnian elections planned for September 14.
Berserkistan, May 30 · US and Russia Turn Up Pressure on Serbian President Milosevic
Berserkistan, May 29 · Russia’s Foreign Minister in Talks on Karadzic, Mladic
Berserkistan, May 29 · Bosnian Serbs Split on Karadzic, Mladic Fate
Berserkistan, May 28 · Serbs Said Deciding Fate of Karadzic, Mladic
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