http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11479071
Interfax
March 15, 2006
State Duma calls for Yugoslavia tribunal to be
disbanded
MOSCOW - The Russian State Duma has described the
activity of the International Criminal Tribunal for
the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) as over-politicized and
inappropriate and has called for its closure.
"The State Duma once again calls for all cases
currently being handled by the ICTY within the
framework of the so-called Completion Strategy
endorsed by the UN Security Council to be wrapped up
within the soonest possible period of time and
declares that further activity by the ICTY is
inappropriate," the State Duma said in a resolution
titled
"In connection with the death of former President
Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia," which was passed
unanimously on Wednesday.
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http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=4598344&PageNum=0
Itar-Tass
March 15, 2006
Duma deems Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia inexpedient
-[T]he State Duma believes the Tribunal should "create
all the necessary conditions for an independent
international investigation of the reasons and
circumstances of Milosevic's death".
"Those guilty of his death, either due to negligence
or evil design, must be named and brought to trial,"
the MPs are convinced.
MOSCOW - The Russian State Duma approved on Wednesday
a statement on the death of former president of
Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic, noting that the further
functioning of the International Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia (ITFY) is inexpedient.
The MPs believe the tribunal "was unable to implement
the idea embedded in its foundation".
Moreover, the decisions, which the Tribunal had passed
during the entire period of its existence, are marked
by extreme politization and partiality," the State
Duma holds. "Dual standards grew to be a norm of its
entire work," the statement notes.
The parliamentarians "reiterate the need of shortly
completing the investigation of all the cases now on
the agenda of the Tribunal", the document says.
They note the absolutely impermissible "facts,
testifying to the extremely gross violation of human
rights in the ITFY Hague prison, which found
_expression_, in particular, in the refusal to render
qualified medical aid to Slobodan Milosevic, who was
badly in need of it".
Hence, on the motion of Viktor Kuznetsov, a member of
the Communist party faction, the word "completing" was
replaced in the document by that of "discontinuing".
Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov seconded the motion and the
State Duma voted for this amendment.
Hence, the final text of the statement calls for
discontinuing all the Tribunal investigations.
The authors of the document recall that the State Duma
had repeatedly expressed its anxiety about Milosevic's
health and had called on the Tribunal to suspend the
trial of the ex-president of Yugoslavia.
"The Tribunal ignored its appeals, thereby assuming
the entire responsibility for the life of the
defendant," the document stresses.
At the same time, the State Duma believes the Tribunal
should "create all the necessary conditions for an
independent international investigation of the reasons
and circumstances of Milosevic's death".
"Those guilty of his death, either due to negligence
or evil design, must be named and brought to trial,"
the MPs are convinced.
The Duma has also expressed sincere condolences to
Milosevic's relatives and close ones.
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http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060315/44334700.html
Russian Information Agency (Novosti)
March 15, 2006
Hague Tribunal now redundant - Russian parliament
MOSCOW - Russia's lower house of parliament said
Wednesday that the International Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia had no further use.
Russian lawmakers approved a statement following the
death of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic,
found in his cell at The Hague March 11. Milosevic had
been on trial on charges of genocide and war crimes.
"[The Tribunal] failed to realize the ideas behind its
foundation," the statement said.
"Resolutions adopted by the tribunal during its
existence are highly politicized and biased. Double
standards have become the norm in [the tribunal's]
work," it said.
The statement said that the human rights of those on
trial had been severely infringed, which lawmakers
said was "utterly unacceptable".
"The death of Milosevic is not the first case in which
a former Yugoslav leader has died while in prison,"
the statement said.
Milan Babic, former leader of Serbs in Croatia and
also in custody in The Hague, died in prison a few
days before Milosevic.
The lawmakers also demanded that all cases at the
tribunal be wound up.
