UN Wire Alert

Wednesday, April 19, 2000

BALKANS: Tribunal Eyes Growing Workload

In an "extraordinary" session, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia yesterday discussed ways to meet demands for speedier justice despite an increasing workload.

At the invitation of ICTY judges, chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte presented an overview of her strategy to complete investigations of 150 suspects by 2004.

Tribunal President Judge Claude Jorda will respond with his own detailed report to authorities within weeks.

Meanwhile Canada agreed yesterday to provide 24 experts from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to assist with investigations of war crimes in Kosovo beginning 1 May.

So far, about one-third of 529 known mass gravesites have been examined, and more than 2,000 bodies have been exhumed. According to some estimates, between 3,000 and 6,000 Kosovars, mainly ethnic Albanians, are still missing.