Milosevic’s First Court Appearance

Slobodan Milosevic, the former president of Yugoslavia who had been indicted of crimes against humanity, appeared at the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague, Netherlands on yesterday morning (local time).

At the first preliminary hearing, Milosevic said, ``I consider this ICTY false and indictments (against me) false. So I cannot acknowledge the trial and I have no need to appoint a counsel.``

Asked by the Chief Judge Richard May if he wanted the court to read the content of the indictments, Milosevic shouted saying, ``That’s your problem.`` After that, Milosevic tried to announce a statement regarding the illegal trail. But the Chief Judge Richard May stopped him before the hearing that ended in ten minutes. The second trial will likely to be resumed during the last week of August.

Milosevic, the first former head of nation who appeared at the ICTY court, not only declined to appoint attorneys, but also showed a strong dissatisfaction defiantly rejecting to answer the questions asked by the chief judge.

Attorney Zdenko Tomanovic who had met Milosevic for the first time said after the meeting, ``Former President Milosevic said that he will not appoint an attorney until the end of the trial.``

ICTY spokesman Jim Randail made it clear, ``if a defendant refuses to answer the court, the court grants thirty days. If the defendant does not send a written statement within the thirty days, the court resumes the trial acknowledging that the defendant pleads not guilty.``

The trial, with which the whole world watches with great interest, has a historical meaning that U.N. chastises against anti-humanity crimes committed by a former head of state. But it is forecasted that there will be a fierce debates due to Milosevic’s `no-recognition strategy against the court`.

It has been known that the court strategy and the rescue movement is led by his wife, Mirjana Markovic. It seems that Markovic wants to lead the trial as a political fight, rather than a legal affair. It has been reported that the `threatening tactic`, in which Milosevic divulges the secret deals made with England and France, has been prepared by Markovic as well.

Regarding this, The Washington Times reported on 2nd that attorneys for Milosevic plan to reveal the secret deals made during the breakup procedure of Bosnia- Herzegovina from Yugoslav Federation. And for this reason, they will call for testimony from the former U.S. diplomat to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke, the former U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, former the British Foreign Minister Douglas Hurd etc..

In the meantime, chanting, ``we want new general election``, 15,000 Milosevic supporters held an anti-government protest against Serbia Republic in front of the federation parliament building on 2nd in Belgrad, the capital of Yugoslavia.

Lee Jong-Hoon taylor55@donga.com