Milosevic refuses to plead

THE HAGUE - Caged but defiant, Slobodan Milosevic told the United Nations war crimes court in The Hague yesterday that it was an "illegal" body set up by his Western enemies and refused to enter a plea on charges of crimes against humanity.

Making his first appearance in court after being spirited out of Belgrade five days earlier, the ousted Yugoslav President refused to cooperate with Richard May, the British judge chairing the three-man bench, and refused to appoint defence counsel in a show of contempt for the proceedings.

The judges entered not guilty pleas on all four counts on his behalf.

Tribunal spokesmen said Milosevic's tactics would not prevent the case going to trial. The next hearing was set for late August but the trial itself is not likely until next year.

"I consider this tribunal a false tribunal and the indictment a false indictment," he said in accented but clear English after declining to don black translator's headphones.

"It is illegal, being not appointed by the UN General Assembly. So I have no need to appoint counsel to an illegal organ," he said.

"This trial's aim is to produce false justification for the war crimes of Nato committed in Yugoslavia."

After urging him to appoint a lawyer and having had the charges read out, May asked Milosevic if he wanted to hear the full indictment on three counts of crimes against humanity and one of breaching the Geneva Conventions on the conduct of war relating to Serb ethnic cleansing in Kosovo in 1999.

Removing his hands from his chin in a gesture of bored contempt, Milosevic drawled in English: "That's your problem."

Having asked how he would plead, May cut off a new stream of invective against Nato and the tribunal. "This is not the time for speeches," he said with cut-glass English politeness.

After consulting his colleagues on the bench - Jamaican Patrick Robinson and Morocco's Mohamed Fassi Fihri - he added: "We treat your response as a failure to enter a plea. We shall enter a plea of not guilty on each count on your behalf."

May said the next hearing would be in the week starting August 27 although tribunal officials said an earlier date was possible.

Glancing at his watch as he left No 1 Court at the tribunal building, Milosevic turned to his UN guard and said: "Ten minutes."

Tribunal spokesman Christian Chartier said Milosevic was entitled to mount his own defence. But the judge could assign a lawyer to defend him if he continued to insist on saying he did not recognise the court, since that could be interpreted as the accused failing to offer any defence.

- REUTERS

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