UN, Belgrade at odds over Milosevic

Belgrade - Yugoslavia yesterday told the visiting UN war crimes prosecutor, Ms Carla del Ponte, any trial of Mr Slobodan Milosevic…

Belgrade - Yugoslavia yesterday told the visiting UN war crimes prosecutor, Ms Carla del Ponte, any trial of Mr Slobodan Milosevic should take place in his homeland and not at the international tribunal in The Hague.

A day after absorbing stinging criticism in a meeting with President Vojislav Kostunica, Ms del Ponte saw further evidence of local opposition to her tribunal as Serb protesters blocked a road outside the foreign ministry in Belgrade.

Demonstrators denounced the tribunal as anti-Serb and chanted their opposition to Ms del Ponte's demand that Mr Milosevic be handed over to face charges that his forces committed atrocities in Kosovo.