Milosevic widow allowed to return
Serbia has lifted an arrest warrant against Slobodan Milosevic's widow, potentially allowing her to return if his funeral is held in Belgrade.
Mira Markovic has been living in self-imposed exile in Russia, fearing arrest on fraud charges if she returns.
But a Serbian court suspended the arrest order on Tuesday.
The former Yugoslav leader's son Marko is in The Hague to collect his body. He has accused Serbia of trying to block a Belgrade funeral.
Before leaving Moscow for the Netherlands, he said: "The Belgrade authorities do not allow [Milosevic's funeral], they want to avoid it.
HAVE YOUR SAY
His body should be cremated in secret, with no ceremony or family members allowed to attend
Richard Hopkins, Newport, UK
"As far as I know Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov agreed yesterday" to allow the funeral.
Upon arrival in The Hague, Marko Milosevic told Reuters news agency his father "should be buried in the place where he belongs, in the capital of our country, there is no discussion about that".
But he added there remained "many obstacles", stressing that the priority "right now is the safety and life of my mother".
Surrender passport
Marko Milosevic's comments contradicted Serbian President Boris Tadic, who told the BBC on Monday it was up to the family to decide where the burial should be held.
He [Slobodan Milosevic] simply used Russia, trying to bring it into conflict with the West for his own advantage
Kommersant
Russian newspaper
Mr Tadic said although the arrest warrant may be postponed, charges could not be dropped altogether.
"If the Milosevic family is asking for some abolition [of the charges against Ms Markovic], I am not going to give them abolition, because of the role and responsibility of this family in the recent past," he said.
A Serbian court statement said on Tuesday that: "The presiding judge in the case has accepted the guarantees offered so that Mirjana Markovic... will not be arrested in accordance with the warrants issued against her."
But it said she must surrender her passport on arrival, and appear before a judge in connection with the fraud charges on 23 March.
"The accused remains free as long as she responds to the court's summons," a spokeswoman said. "Otherwise she will be arrested and detained."
Lawyers have posted a bond worth $18,000 (£10,000) to guarantee Mira Markovic's appearance in court to face relatively minor corruption charges, the BBC's Matt Prodger in Belgrade reports.
Police also want to question her about the assassination in 2000 of former Serbian president Ivan Stambolic - a political rival of Mr Milosevic.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on Tuesday that the court ruling meant the funeral could take place in Serbia.
Russia sceptical
The BBC's Chris Morris in Belgrade says the Serbian government is furious at the turn of events, and would be relieved if Slobodan Milosevic's body was taken to Russia, avoiding the difficulties of a Belgrade funeral.
Mr Milosevic died of a heart attack in his prison cell at The Hague on Saturday, aged 64.
He was on trial for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Four Russian doctors have been sent to The Hague to carry out their own medical enquiries, after Moscow said it did not trust the tribunal's autopsy.
Top heart specialist Leo Bokeria, leading the Russian team, said he believed the correct medical examinations could have prevented Milosevic's death.
"It's a great regret that they did not heed our numerous appeals for an examination," he said, referring to the tribunal's refusal to allow Milosevic to go to Moscow for medical treatment in the months before his death.
Poison fear
Full results from the tribunal's autopsy are awaited, but a toxicologist who found traces of drugs in Mr Milosevic's blood two weeks before his death said they may have neutralised treatment for his heart conditions.
The findings have not been confirmed, but have raised questions over what caused Mr Milosevic's heart attack.
Before his death, Mr Milosevic alleged in a letter that he was being poisoned. A request to travel for medical treatment to Russia was turned down.
But the Dutch doctor who says he discovered the drugs said he believed Mr Milosevic may have taken them deliberately.
The international war crimes tribunal said Milosevic received competent medical supervision.
The Milosevic case was declared closed at a final hearing by the tribunal on Tuesday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/4805108.stm
Published: 2006/03/14 14:49:36 GMT
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