Transcript of the International Agencies’ Joint Press Conference


OHR, Chris Bennett

ICTY, Matias Hellman

EUFOR, Lt Cdr Niel Mathiesen

 

 

OHR


Schwarz-Schilling in the United States


As you are all aware, the High Representative and EU Special Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, is currently in the United States on a three-day visit.


Yesterday in Washington DC, he met with Brcko Arbitrator, Roberts Owen, and today he is meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs at the State Department, Rosemary di Carlo, among others. He will then travel to New York.


Tomorrow in New York, the High Representative and EU Special Representative will be meeting with both UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Jean-Marie Guéhenno, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. He will also be addressing the UN Security Council.


Mr Schwarz-Schilling’s address will be broadcast live on the internet by the United Nations. We will provide details of how to watch his address as it is delivered in a media advisory tomorrow.


Srebrenica Security


The Office of the High Representative and EU Special Representative has been in touch with the EU Police Mission regarding the alleged incident in Ljeskovik last week.


We have been informed that the EU Police Mission has increased its presence in the area and welcome this development.


Information gathered on the ground appears to indicate that the incident did not occur as reported. In fact, there appears to be no evidence of an incident occurring at all.


We will continue to follow the situation closely. All citizens must have a sense


 


ICTY


Good morning on behalf of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.


 


As you could have seen from our Weekly Update, the Referral Bench granted on 8 May the Prosecution’s request to withdraw the motion under rule 11bis to refer the case against Dragan Zelenović to Bosnia and Herzegovina. As you probably know, Zelenović pleaded guilty to rape and torture committed in Foča and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The defence has announced an appeal against the sentencing judgment.


 


The decision ordering the referral of Milorad Trbić’s case to Bosnia and Herzegovina became final on 12 May because none of the parties appealed. The accused and the supporting material have to be transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina within 30 days.


 


Then a few notes about the case of Milan and Sredoje Lukić that the Referral Bench decided to refer to Bosnia and Hercegovina. As I have earlier explained, only Milan Lukić filed an appeal against the decision and the Tribunal’s Registry sought direction from the Referral Bench whether or not to transfer Sredoje Lukić to Bosnia and Herzegovina separately under the current situation, pending a decision on Milan Lukić’s appeal.


 


On 1 May, the Registry forwarded to the Referral Bench a letter in which the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina states its view that Milan and Sredoje Lukić should be tried together, one of the reasons being that two separate trials would heighten the trauma for victim-witnesses.


 


On 9 May the Referral Bench ordered that Defence for Sredoje Lukić and the Tribunal’s Prosecution make any submissions the may have on the matter by 11 May. The Prosecution made a submission in which it states its view on which options the Referral Bench has at its disposal. According to the Prosecution, the Bench may consider to sever the case of Sredoje Lukić in order to proceed with his transfer to Bosnia and Herzegovina, or it can suspend the execution of the decision on his referral until the appeal of Milan Lukić has been completed.


 


Now, a few notes about matters not related to the referral of cases.


 


I can see that the agencies have already reported on the Appeals Chamber decision of last Friday granting Momčilo Krajišnik’s request to represent himself on appeal. Also, last Friday, the Appeals Chamber issued a decision in the Prlić et al case dismissing the prosecution’s interlocutory appeal against the Trial Chamber decision to reduce the numbers of hours allocated to the prosecution for the presentation of its evidence by 107 hours.


 


Finally, I would like to note that a public version of Naser Orić’s appeal brief was submitted on 11 May. Copies of all mentioned documents can be received upon request from our office.


 


That is all for today, thank you for your attention.



 


EUFOR



There was no statement.


 


RTQs:


FENA, Lejla Alibegovic:


You mentioned that the High Representative will be addressing the UN Security Council. Can you provide us with some of the aspects of his address, what subjects he will talk about and what he will focus on?  


OHR, Chris Bennett:


The High Representative has already addressed the Security Council on several occasions and his speeches there are more or less always on the subject of the present situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, he will also be submitting a report to the United Nations on events that have occurred in Bosnia since he last addressed the UN. Therefore, he will be talking about the reform process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, transitional problems, and, for example, the decision not to close the Office of the High Representative in June, as it was expected before. It will be a, so to say, broad view of the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.   

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