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CNN Live Today

Interview with Carla Del Ponte

Aired March 19, 2002 - 14:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The situation in the Middle East puts the spotlight on violence around the world. Some of that violence is state- sanctioned, and crosses over to the arena of war crimes. Yugoslavia, in the case of former President Slobodan Milosevic, under way right now, is one example.

Let's talk more about prosecuting war crimes with Carla Del Ponte, chief prosecutor for the International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, as well. Absolute pleasure to have you as our guest this afternoon. Good afternoon to you.

CARLA DEL PONTE, CHIEF WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR: Good afternoon.

HEMMER: I know you cannot talk specifically about Slobodan Milosevic in that case, but I'm wondering if you have an opinion right now on how you believe that trial is going.

DEL PONTE: That trial is just starting, because one month's trial for a trial will take two and more years. I must say that the trial is going well, as we are expecting, and no particular problems. No problems at all. And we would think the next...

HEMMER: What do you say to international justice, knowing this is fairly recent? It's only a few years old since The Hague has been under way and has been constituted there in the Netherlands. What does it say about international justice now, knowing after a war a president of a country can be put on trial?

DEL PONTE: International justice is the future of such kind of crimes that are committed. And it is equal. If it is a president or a former president, or another perpetrator, important is that all who are suspected, or who are responsible for such commission of crimes, are going on justice.

HEMMER: What is your take on the future or justice, globally? Do you see something like we've seen in The Hague, expanding to members of, say, al Qaeda, who have been apprehended?

DEL PONTE: You know, I am prosecutor from two tribunals ad hoc. That means I have jurisdiction for crimes committed in former Yugoslavia, Rwanda for the genocide. And that is my task, to mandate the Security Council, and I'm trying to execute this task.

HEMMER: I understand that and fully respect your answer. But do you see it being expanded at some point? We have detainees, the U.S. does, down in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are more in Afghanistan right now as we speak. Possibly more in Pakistan, as well. But could you see the day where this is expanded to include that?

DEL PONTE: We have, after the Rome Statute, we have the ICC. And so it's for sure not an expansion from ICTY or ICTR jurisdiction.

HEMMER: OK. We'll let that one lie where it is, then.

Radovan Karadzic, recently we are told that it's quite possible a mission was launched to apprehend him somewhere in Serbia. Do you anticipate him coming to trial at some point there in The Hague?

DEL PONTE: I hope so. But Karadzic is not in Serbia. Karadzic is in the Republic of Srpska. And I'm pleased that NATO will do all the necessary to locate and to arrest him. And I hope he will be arrested, because the trial against Karadzic would start in October because we have two others accused. And so it will be important that all three accused would be in court at the same time.

HEMMER: I wish you the best of luck. Carla Del Ponte in Washington, D.C., this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Many thanks for your time today. I appreciate it.

DEL PONTE: Thank you.

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