VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1168/01 3481658
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141658Z DEC 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3333
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0215
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0276
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 0260
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 8965
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2771

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001168 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNSC ICTY ICTR PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: YUGOSLAV AND RWANDA WAR CRIMES TRIBUNALS REPORT TO 
THE SECURITY COUNCIL 
 
REF: STATE 164416 
 
¶1.   SUMMARY: The Security Council met December 10 for a 
briefing on the International Criminal Tribunal for the 
Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal 
Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).  The President and Prosecutor of 
each tribunal made a statement, as did all Council members 
and representatives from Rwanda, Serbia, and Croatia.  Some 
of the common themes included apprehending fugitive 
indictees, moving forward with Completion Strategies, and 
addressing residual issues.  USUN delivered the talking 
points contained in reftel.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.   Judge Fausto Pocar, President of ICTY, highlighted the 
Tribunal's unparalleled efficiency in the conduct of 
international criminal proceedings, and noted that the three 
trial Chambers continue to operate at record capacity.  He 
attributed the increase in efficiency, at least in part, to 
the implementation of various measures adopted to speed up 
trial and appellate proceedings, including amendments to 
various rules of procedure.  However, he said that the 
Tribunal has had to adjust its completion forecast due to the 
recent arrest of two fugitives, Tolimir and Dordevic, and 
because the Appeals Chamber reversed the referral of Milan 
Lukic under Rule 11bis.  According to Pocar, with the 
exception of the two recent arrivals, the Tribunal will be 
able to complete all of its trials by the end of 2009; the 
other two trials will likely be completed by early 2010, and 
all appeals can still be concluded within 2011.  To that end, 
Pocar stressed the importance of retaining judges in order to 
meet completion strategy goals.  He said it is crucial that 
the conditions of service of Judges are correctly implemented 
with regard to pensions, and he conveyed the judges' 
disappointment with delays in commissioning the study on 
options for designing pension schemes.  Similarly, he urged 
support for the Tribunal's efforts in offering incentives for 
staff retention.  With respect to the referral of 
intermediate and lower-ranking accused to competent national 
jurisdictions, Judge Pocar emphasized the need to continue 
judicial capacity building efforts in the region.  He also 
stressed that the Tribunal should not close its doors before 
the remaining fugitives are arrested and tried, specifically 
Karadzic, Mladic, Zuplijanin, and Hazdic. 
 
¶3.   ICTR President Dennis Byron summarized the work of the 
Tribunal over the past six months, highlighting the issuance 
of a new indictment to prosecute a witness for giving false 
testimony since it was "the first such case in the history of 
both International Tribunals and an important mechanism for 
protecting the integrity of the judicial process."  He also 
indicated that the Tribunal's four courtrooms would be at 
maximum utilization during 2008, and that special 
arrangements will have to be made if there are any new 
developments, including arrest of any of the fourteen 
fugitives still at large.  Nonetheless, he said that it was 
not too early to make plans for the completion of the 
Tribunal's appellate functions, and that unless the Appeal 
Chamber is supplemented, it would not have sufficient 
capacity to complete its anticipated workload by December 
¶2010.  Like Judge Pocar, he also raised the issues of staff 
retention and pension for judges; he further invited 
authorization to "require the Secretary General to take all 
reasonable measures to ensure that the Tribunal is able to 
retain its staff in order to achieve its mandate strategy." 
Judge Byron urged cooperation in arresting the fourteen 
remaining fugitives, relocating acquitted persons, and 
strengthening national capacity building efforts. 
Additionally, he indicated that an Advisory Committee on 
Archives has been engaging in informal consultations and is 
expected to provide recommendations before the next reporting 
period. 
 
¶4.   In her final address to the Security Council as 
Prosecutor of ICTY, Carla Del Ponte thanked the Council for 
its support over the past eight years and wished the new 
Prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, success in accomplishing his 
mandate.  The substance of her statement focused on Serbia's 
lack of cooperation with respect to the search for remaining 
fugitives.  While Del Ponte acknowledged that Serbia has 
taken some measures to cooperate with the ICTY, she was very 
critical of Serbia's failure to meaningfully assist in the 
arrest of Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic.  Indicating that 
Mladic and Karadzic have repeatedly been sighted in Serbia in 
recent years, Del Ponte said that although "Serbia has the 
capacity and the know-how, it has repeatedly failed to act. 
I believe that serious structural deficiencies in the Serbian 
 
 
approach as well as willful obstruction of cooperation with 
the International Tribunal lie behind this failure to arrest 
those most responsible for the most heinous of crimes."  She 
further urged the international community to address the 
issue, and specifically called upon the European Union to 
maintain its principled position of insisting on Serbia's 
full cooperation with the ICTY (i.e. arrest and transfer of 
Ratko Mladic) as a condition in the pre-accession and 
accession process.  Furthermore, she circulated a letter from 
the Movement of Mothers of the Enclaves of Srebenica and 
Zepa, requesting the Council "not to dissolve the ICTY until 
the last indictee charged with genocide and crimes against 
humanity is sentenced before the Tribunal." 
 
¶5.   Focusing his remarks on the Completion Strategy, ICTR 
Prosecutor Hassan Jallow specified that of the fourteen 
remaining fugitives, four are considered sufficiently high 
level for trial in Arusha, including Felicien Kabuga.  While 
he expressed optimism about meeting the completion goals, he 
emphasized that there will be a substantial increase in the 
workload of the ICTR if referral of cases to Rwanda proves 
impossible or if new arrests are made in 2008.  With respect 
to the remaining fugitives, he indicated that consultations 
are ongoing with various parties regarding those fugitives 
suspected to be in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
(DRC).  Furthermore, he said that Felicien Kabuga is still 
believed to be in Kenya, and that the Kenyan government has 
reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with the Tribunal. 
He also highlighted Rwanda's continued cooperation with the 
Tribunal, and he thanked the Council for its September 14 
decision to reappoint him as ICTR Prosecutor. 
 
¶6.    All fifteen members of the Council made statements in 
support of the two tribunals, and thanked Carla Del Ponte for 
her dedicated service as ICTY Prosecutor.  Speakers 
underscored the importance of working toward the Completion 
Strategies and identifying related residual issues.  While 
the majority of speakers indicated that the completion dates 
were indicative deadlines and should depend on the 
apprehension of the remaining fugitives, most notably Ratko 
Mladic, Radovan Karadzic, and Felicien Kabuga, China, South 
Africa, and Russia recommended scrupulous adherence to the 
Completion Strategies.  Council Members also called upon 
Member States, specifically Serbia, Kenya, and the DRC, to 
assist in the arrest of fugitive indictees.  Additionally, 
with respect to the issue of staff retention, Congo made a 
proposal to grant fidelity bonuses for staff members who stay 
on until dissolution of the tribunals. 
 
¶7.    Joseph Nsengimana, Permanent Representative of Rwanda, 
addressed the Council to reaffirm his government's support 
for the ICTR and to urge the Council to ensure Member State 
cooperation in apprehending the remaining fugitives.  He 
noted the progress with respect to the transfer of cases to 
national jurisdictions, and suggested that to the extent 
possible, pending cases should be transferred to Rwanda for 
purposes of justice, efficiency, and reconciliation.  He also 
welcomed the Council's continued attention on the question of 
transfer of convicts to serve sentences in Rwanda. 
Additionally, he made a strong appeal for the transfer of all 
court documents and materials to Rwanda, as they constitute 
an important part of the country's recent history. 
 
¶8.    Similarly, the Serbian Permanent Representative 
emphasized his country's commitment to cooperate with the 
ICTY, not only because of international obligations, but also 
because of respect for international humanitarian law and a 
desire to make a clear cut with the legacy of the Milosevic 
regime.  As evidence of Serbia's cooperation, he pointed to 
assistance with respect to arrests and indictee transfers, 
increased coordination with the Office of the Prosecutor, 
access to witnesses and archives, and production of 
documents.  He also indicated that Serbia is fully equipped 
to hear cases transferred from the ICTY, and he expressed the 
belief that the four remaining fugitives will be located and 
apprehended in the nearest future. 
 
¶9.    Croatia addressed the Council to highlight some of the 
residual issues associated with the ICTY's Completion 
Strategy.  The Croatian representative said that regional 
consideration should be given to issues such as archives and 
the serving of sentences.  Furthermore, she said that 
national jurisdictions should play an important role in the 
Tribunal's legacy.  With respect to the remaining fugitives, 
she stressed that they must be tried at the Tribunal since 
just punishment is a deterrent.  To that end, she expressed 
 
 
dismay over the recent ICTY ruling in the Vukovar Hospital 
patients' massacre case. 
 
¶10.   Following the statements by Member States, Pocar, 
Byron, and Del Ponte provided final remarks and observations. 
 Judge Pocar stressed that the Council's commitment to 
supporting the Tribunals until the full completion of their 
work would be of extreme value.  In response to a question by 
the Italian delegation, he also explained the rationale for 
his proposal for early appointment of ad litem judges as a 
temporary measure to facilitate the Tribunal's work. 
Essentially, he said that early appointment would be helpful 
since three of the current ad litem judges would be unable to 
complete new trials given the upcoming expiration of their 
terms.  Judge Byron expressed appreciation for Rwanda's 
cooperation and reiterated his commitment to achieving the 
Completion Strategy.  Del Ponte emphasized that the four 
remaining ICTY fugitives should not be allowed to escape 
justice, and that they must be tried at the Tribunal. 
Furthermore, she stressed that under no circumstances should 
Mladic and Karadzic be allowed to stand trial in Belgrade 
given their status as local heroes.  She was unable to 
provide substantive information on Haradinaj, as requested by 
Russia, since the investigation is ongoing. 
Khalilzad