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CNN Live Saturday

Yugoslav Cabinet Clears Way for Milosevic's Extradition

Aired June 23, 2001 - 16:01   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The ousted president of Yugoslavia could be headed to The Hague soon to face a war crimes tribunal for trial. Today, Yugoslavia's cabinet cleared the way for Slobodan Milosevic's extradition. The former Serb strongman and dictator was indicted two years ago for crimes against humanity in Kosovo.

A short time ago, I spoke with CNN's Belgrade correspondent Alessio Vinci by video phone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN BELGRADE CORRESPONDENT: With the adoption of this decree, the Yugoslav government has basically set the terms for Yugoslavia's cooperation with the U.N.'s War Crimes Tribunal and basically paving the way for the extradition of war crimes suspects to the in The Hague, Netherlands. Among those war suspects -- war criminal suspects is also the former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

The Yugoslav deputy prime minister, Miroljub Labus, said in a press conference that Mr. Milosevic could be extradited to the war crimes tribunal by -- in matter of days. Mr. Labus said the decree has already been signed and as soon as the decree gets into force tomorrow, Sunday, the officials in Belgrade will begin the process to extradite Mr. Milosevic, again, in a matter of a couple days.

Belgrade is under tremendous pressure to cooperate with that tribunal. Millions of dollars of economic aid are at stake there. The United States has said that a conference -- a donors conference set to take place in Brussels, Belgium next week, their participation is dependent on whether Yugoslavia extradites war crimes suspects, including Mr. Milosevic, and therefore the Belgrade officials here have been under tremendous pressure to extradite war crimes suspects.

Mr. Labus also said that this decree is not the response to pressure of the international community, that it is a clear indication that the Yugoslav government wants to cooperate with the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal, and therefore this decree is just a good indication that Belgrade is taking steps in the direction to cooperate with the Tribunal.

Back to you.

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