

Currently released so far... 12478 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AU
ASEC
AE
AF
AORC
AEMR
AMGT
ABUD
AFFAIRS
APER
AS
AMED
AY
AG
AR
AJ
AL
AID
AM
AODE
ABLD
AMG
AFIN
ATRN
AGAO
AFU
AN
AA
ALOW
APECO
ADM
ARF
ASEAN
APEC
AMBASSADOR
AO
ASUP
AZ
AADP
ACOA
ANET
AMCHAMS
ACABQ
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APCS
AGMT
AINF
AIT
AORL
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ACBAQ
AFGHANISTAN
ADANA
ADPM
AX
ADCO
AECL
AMEX
ACAO
ASCH
AORG
AGR
AROC
ASIG
AND
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AC
AUC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
BL
BR
BO
BA
BD
BM
BK
BG
BU
BB
BH
BTIO
BY
BEXP
BP
BE
BRUSSELS
BF
BIDEN
BT
BX
BC
BILAT
BN
BBSR
BTIU
BWC
BMGT
CA
CASC
CVIS
CM
CH
CO
CU
CD
CWC
CI
CS
CY
CMGT
CF
CG
CR
CB
CV
CW
CE
CBW
CT
CPAS
COUNTERTERRORISM
CJAN
CODEL
CIDA
CDG
CDC
CIA
CTR
CNARC
CSW
CN
CONS
CLINTON
COE
CROS
CARICOM
CONDOLEEZZA
COUNTER
CL
COM
CICTE
CIS
CFED
COUNTRY
CJUS
CBSA
CEUDA
CLMT
CAC
COPUOS
CIC
CBE
CHR
CTM
CVR
CITEL
CLEARANCE
CACS
CAN
CITT
CARSON
CACM
CDB
CAPC
CKGR
CBC
EC
EG
EPET
ECON
ETRD
EFIN
EIND
EMIN
ENRG
EAID
EAGR
EUN
ETTC
EAIR
ENIV
ES
EU
EINV
ELAB
ECIN
EFIS
ELTN
EWWT
ECPS
ECONOMIC
ENGR
EN
EINT
EPA
ELN
ESA
EZ
ER
ET
EFTA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
EXTERNAL
EI
EUR
EK
ERNG
ENGY
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENERG
EINVEFIN
ENVR
ECA
ELECTIONS
ETC
EUREM
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EURN
ECINECONCS
EEPET
EXIM
ERD
ENVI
ETRC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ETRO
EDU
ETRN
EAIG
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
EAP
ECONOMY
EINN
EIAR
EXBS
ECUN
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ESENV
ECONEFIN
ECIP
EFIM
EAIDS
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINVETC
IZ
IT
IR
IS
IN
IC
IAEA
IO
ICAO
IWC
ID
IV
ISRAEL
IAHRC
IQ
ICTR
IMF
IRS
IDP
IGAD
ICRC
ICTY
IMO
IL
INRA
INRO
ICJ
ITU
IBRD
INMARSAT
IIP
ITALY
IEFIN
IACI
ILO
INTELSAT
ILC
ITRA
IDA
INRB
IRC
INTERPOL
IA
IPR
IRAQI
ISRAELI
INTERNAL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
IBET
INR
IEA
IZPREL
IRAJ
ITF
IF
KDEM
KU
KPAL
KNNP
KCRM
KZ
KN
KS
KJUS
KTFN
KSCA
KV
KISL
KPAO
KPKO
KIRF
KTIA
KIPR
KFLO
KFRD
KTIP
KAWC
KSUM
KCOM
KAID
KE
KTDB
KMDR
KOMC
KWBG
KDRG
KVPR
KTEX
KGIC
KWMN
KSCI
KCOR
KACT
KDDG
KHLS
KSAF
KFLU
KSEO
KMRS
KSPR
KOLY
KSEP
KVIR
KGHG
KIRC
KUNR
KIFR
KCIP
KMCA
KMPI
KBCT
KHSA
KICC
KIDE
KCRS
KMFO
KRVC
KRGY
KR
KAWK
KG
KFIN
KHIV
KBIO
KOCI
KBTR
KNEI
KPOA
KCFE
KPLS
KSTC
KHDP
KPRP
KCRCM
KLIG
KCFC
KTER
KREC
KTBT
KPRV
KSTH
KRIM
KRAD
KWAC
KWMM
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KOMS
KX
KMIG
KRCM
KVRP
KBTS
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNAR
KPWR
KNPP
KDEMAF
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KGIT
KPAI
KTLA
KFSC
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KID
KOM
KMOC
KJUST
KGCC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KO
KNSD
KHUM
KSEC
KCMR
KCHG
KICA
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KCGC
KWWMN
KPAK
KWNM
KWMNCS
KRFD
MOPS
MCAP
MPOS
MARR
MO
MNUC
MX
MASS
MG
MY
MU
ML
MR
MILITARY
MTCRE
MT
MEPP
MA
MDC
MP
MAR
MASSMNUC
MARAD
MAPP
MZ
MD
MI
MEETINGS
MK
MCC
MEPN
MRCRE
MAS
MIL
MASC
MC
MV
MTCR
MIK
MUCN
MEDIA
MERCOSUR
MW
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTRE
MEPI
MQADHAFI
MAPS
NO
NATO
NL
NP
NZ
NSF
NI
NH
NG
NAFTA
NU
NASA
NR
NATOPREL
NSSP
NSG
NA
NT
NW
NK
NPT
NPA
NATIONAL
NPG
NSFO
NS
NSC
NE
NGO
NDP
NIPP
NRR
NEW
NZUS
NC
NAR
NV
NORAD
OTRA
OPCW
OVIP
OAS
OREP
OPIC
OIIP
OPRC
ODIP
OEXC
OPDC
OSCE
OIC
OSCI
OECD
OFDP
OFDA
OMIG
OPAD
OFFICIALS
OVP
OIE
OHUM
OCS
OBSP
OTR
OSAC
ON
OCII
OES
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PTER
PINS
PINR
PREF
PK
PROP
PA
PARM
PBTS
PMAR
PM
PGIV
PE
PRAM
PHUH
PHSA
PL
PNAT
PO
PLN
PAO
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PF
PEL
PBIO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PAS
POL
PREO
PAHO
PMIL
POGOV
POV
PAK
PNR
PRL
PG
PREFA
PSI
PINL
PU
PARMS
PRGOV
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POSTS
PROG
PORG
PTBS
PUNE
POLICY
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PP
PS
PY
PTERE
PGOF
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PRELP
PSEPC
PGOVE
PINF
PNG
PGOC
PFOR
PCUL
POLINT
PGGV
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PGOVLO
PHUS
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
RS
RU
RELATIONS
RW
RO
RM
RP
ROOD
RICE
RUPREL
RSO
RCMP
REACTION
REPORT
REGION
RIGHTS
RF
RFE
RSP
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
SU
SCUL
SNAR
SOCI
SF
SA
SHUM
SENV
SP
SR
SY
SANC
SC
SMIG
SZ
SARS
SW
SEVN
SO
SEN
SL
SNARCS
SNARN
SI
SG
SN
SH
SYR
SAARC
SPCE
SHI
SCRS
SENVKGHG
SYRIA
SWE
STEINBERG
SIPRS
ST
SNARIZ
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SIPDIS
SAN
TC
TI
TBIO
TH
TSPL
TRGY
TSPA
TPHY
TU
TW
TS
TAGS
TK
TX
TNGD
TZ
TF
TL
TV
TN
TD
TIP
TR
TP
TO
TT
TFIN
THPY
TERRORISM
TINT
TRSY
TURKEY
TBID
US
UK
UNGA
UP
UZ
UNMIK
USTR
UNO
UNSC
UN
UNESCO
UNAUS
UNHRC
UY
UG
UNHCR
UNCND
USOAS
USEU
UNICEF
UNEP
UV
UNPUOS
UNCSD
USUN
UNCHR
UNDC
USNC
UE
UNDP
UNC
USPS
USAID
UNVIE
UAE
UNFICYP
UNODC
UNCHS
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNCHC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 04THEHAGUE2793, ICTY - TRIBUNAL OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT CONCERNS ABOUT
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04THEHAGUE2793.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
04THEHAGUE2793 | 2004-11-01 17:55 | 2011-01-17 19:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy The Hague |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 002793
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI - PROSPER/RICHARD, EUR - STEPHENS,
EUR/SCE - GAUDIOSI/GREGORIAN/MITCHELL, L/EUR - LAHNE, L/AF
- GTAFT. INR/WCAD - SEIDENSTRICKER/MORIN; USUN FOR
ROSTOW/WI...
SOBEL
",
22285,11/1/2004 17:55,04THEHAGUE2793,"Embassy The Hague",CONFIDENTIAL,,"This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
","C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 002793
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI - PROSPER/RICHARD, EUR - STEPHENS,
EUR/SCE - GAUDIOSI/GREGORIAN/MITCHELL, L/EUR - LAHNE, L/AF
- GTAFT. INR/WCAD - SEIDENSTRICKER/MORIN; USUN FOR
ROSTOW/WILLSON
E.O. 12958: DECL: FIVE YEARS AFTER ICTY CLOSURE
TAGS: BK HR KAWC NL PHUM PREL SR ICTY
SUBJECT: ICTY - TRIBUNAL OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT CONCERNS ABOUT
SERB NONCOOPERATION AND BUDGET FREEZE IN MEETINGS WITH
S/WCI AMBASSADOR PROSPER AND EUR STEPHENS
Classified By: Clifton M. Johnson, Legal Counselor, Reason 1.5(b)-(d).
¶1. (C) Summary. In a series of meetings on September 28 at
the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY), President Meron, Chief Prosecutor Del Ponte, and
Registrar Holthuis struck consistent themes with
Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Pierre Prosper and
EUR DAS for Southeast Europe Kathy Stephens. All ICTY
officials lamented the continued lack of cooperation with
Serbia and Montenegro on fugitives and welcomed the USG,s
renewed tough message to Belgrade. ICTY officials were
similarly receptive to efforts by the USG to coordinate a
similar policy line with the Europeans, linking the EU
accession process with progress on cooperation. While
describing efforts to facilitate the transfer of cases to the
region, ICTY officials underscored their deep concern about
the continuing hiring freeze imposed on the Tribunal by the
UN and noted its significant negative impact on the ICTY,s
ability to meet completion strategy goals. End summary.
-------------------
The Prosecution
-------------------
¶2. (C) Ambassador Prosper joined by EUR DAS Stephens,
EUR/SCE officer Jennifer Mitchell and Embassy legal officers,
opened their visit by meeting with Chief Prosecutor Carla Del
Ponte and her senior staff. Prosper and Stephens expressed
deep concern with the lack of cooperation by Belgrade and
stressed the need to reevaluate current policy in the region
in order to increase pressure and incentives on Belgrade to
cooperate with the ICTY. Del Ponte welcomed this objective
but expressed concern that earlier USG remarks about the
possibility of transferring the four generals to Serbia for
trial were premature, being used as a pretext by Belgrade to
cease all efforts to bring about the transfer of fugitives
below the Mladic level, and, more generally, encouraging
Serb officials and fugitives to try to wait out the ICTY,s
completion. Prosper explained that Belgrade had been given
an opportunity to produce results and that the policy of
showing an openness to support transfers back to the region
for domestic trail ""hasn,t worked to date."" What is needed,
he said, is a stronger message to ""make clear in the region
that noncooperation will result in extending the life of the
Tribunal."" Del Ponte and her staff supported the idea of a
firmer message but advised that the USG should avoid stating
specific requirements of cooperation because SAM would
respond by only meeting those requirements, and then only to
draw out the process of cooperation on those few things.
Senior political adviser Jean-Daniel Ruch urged that the
message should be, ""you know what to do, start doing it.""
¶3. (C) Ruch said that he would urge his contacts in Brussels,
on the staff of Javier Solana and Chris Patten, to reinforce
the tough message on Belgrade,s cooperation. He pointed out
that in June 2004, the EU had stated that as long as Mladic,
Karadzic, and Gotovina remained at large, the Tribunal should
not close its doors. Del Ponte welcomed Stephens,s focus on
coordinating a tough message with the EU as ""extremely
important"" and said she supported a unified message of the
sort announced by the EU ministers and endorsed by Ambassador
Prosper. Note. On October 4, Del Ponte met with Solana and
urged him to deliver a stiff message to SAM on the need to
cooperate fully in order for their to be progress on EU
accession issues. End note.
¶4. (C) Speaking to OTP,s overall frustration with Serb
noncooperation, Del Ponte reported that, according to a
conversation she had with the chairman of the National
Council for Cooperation with the ICTY, Rasim Ljajic,
""Kostunica believes the United States only wants Mladic and
that is the reason they are not arresting the others."" Chief
of Investigations Patrick Lopez-Terres cited RS police
sources who complain that the Belgrade police are not helping
them. But he also expressed concern about the ""complete radio
silence"" with respect to search operations conducted by Serb
authorities and the lack of feedback with respect to fugitive
information passed by the ICTY. Increasingly, he said, his
office cannot track Belgrade,s work on fugitives.
------------
The Court
------------
¶5. (SBU) President Theodor Meron, joined by chief of staff
Larry Johnson, focused on the ICTY,s budget crisis, which he
called a ""real plague"" on the Tribunal. Meron noted that the
main result of the crisis is the hiring freeze. It has
affected all of the Tribunal,s main activities, from
judicial decisionmaking (although the Chambers received
permission to fill nine vital clerkship positions, new
vacancies have since arisen) to OTP investigations and
prosecutions (OTP is hemorrhaging senior investigators and
prosecutors to places like the Oil For Food investigation and
the International Criminal Court and is unable to fill the
vacancies) to transitioning cases to the region (OTP cannot
staff a new transition team to facilitate the transfer of
cases to the region until it can fill vacancies). Meron
urged the USG to provide its assessed contribution as soon as
possible in order to convince U/SYG Bertini to lift the
freeze. Meron was pleased to learn that the United States
expected to make a 13 million USD contribution by early
October and that another 10 million USD would follow this
autumn. (Note. Post understands that both Russia and Japan,
the other major contributors in arrears have now paid all or
most of their outstanding balances. The US paid $14.3
million in October and expects to pay the remaining balance
of $8.8 million shortly. End note.)
¶6. (C) Meron expressed concern that the BiH State
Prosecutor's Special Department for Organized Crime and
Corruption has complicated the process of creating the war
crimes chamber in Sarajevo by issuing a war crimes indictment
before the chamber has been established, thereby sending
mixed signals regarding the readiness of BiH to adjudicate
domestic war crimes cases . Prosper and Meron agreed that
cooperation from local governments is a critical dimension in
the success of the 11bis trials referred to the local courts.
Meron said that the Tribunal must be ""very careful"" about
the transfer of detainees who might be considered
senior-level, not only because of the Security Council
expectation that such persons would be tried in The Hague but
also because of the signals that could send to senior-level
fugitives. Meron also expressed a willingness to work with
the USG in particular on urging Belgrade to develop domestic
capacity to prosecute war crimes, noting that he had good
relations with the local SAM Ambassador and other SAM
officials.
---------------
The Registry
----------------
¶7. (SBU) Registrar Hans Holthuis echoed Meron in focusing on
the hiring freeze, which has forced the Tribunal to maintain
a fifteen (15) percent staff vacancy rate, well above the
normal 3 to 4 percent rate. This includes positions lost to
normal attrition that remain unfilled. Prosper indicated
that he would follow-up with USUN and the UN leadership in an
effort to lift the hiring freeze, at least to fill vacancies
due to normal attrition.
¶8. (SBU) Holthuis described various initiatives under way to
enhance Tribunal efficiency and further progress towards
completion. He said that the Registry is examining ways in
which to schedule more than the present six trials in its
three courtrooms, noting that it might be possible to
schedule contempt hearings and other short proceedings during
gaps in the major trials. Holthuis also reviewed outreach
and training efforts underway in Croatia, SAM, and BiH to
help build up local trial capacity.
¶9. (C) Comment: The budget crisis is severely testing the
OTP,s capacity to carry out its remaining pre-indictment
investigations and the Tribunal,s capacity overall to
continue with its six-trial maximum schedule. A quick
lifting of the hiring freeze is essential not only to permit
the Tribunal to complete its work on time but also for it
advance the transfer of cases involving mid and lower level
perpetrators back to the region for trial. All ICTY leaders
are focused on the capacity of jurisdictions in the region to
prosecute war crimes cases at a level that meets
international standards. OTP and Chambers are particularly
focused on the capacity of the Sarajevo war crimes chamber to
handle 11bis cases as early as this January, since this
constitutes by far the largest category of cases eligible to
be transferred. OTP has also begun testing Belgrade,s
capacity to conduct effective and fair war crimes trials by
providing the special war crimes court there with complete
investigative files in two cases. If these cases go well,
the Tribunal is prepared to add others in the pipeline. ICTY
and USG officials shared the sense that cooperation with
Belgrade is at a crossroads. The promising start of domestic
war crimes trials points a clear way towards the future, but
that opportunity as well as progress towards European
integration will be squandered if political levels fail to
produce the long overdue results with respect to fugitives.
End comment.
10 (U) This cable has been cleared by S/WCI Prosper and EUR
Stephens.