Letter: Kosovo criminals

Sir: Although a diplomatic settlement appears to have been reached with Serbia, the international community still needs to address the human rights abuses that have occurred in Kosova and other parts of the former Yugoslavia.

A number of those indicted for crimes committed in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia have been brought before the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague, but two of the most important indictees, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, have not been apprehended. The question has to be asked "Why?"

I share the view of Amnesty International that their arrest could have acted as a deterrent to others and saved lives in Kosova. Whilst Karadzic and Mladic were indicted, the principal war criminal in the Bosnia conflict, Slobodan Milosevic, was made a guarantor of the Dayton peace agreement.

The failure of Dayton was its omission of Kosova. The tribunal in The Hague has a jurisdiction which covers the entire geographical area of the former Yugoslavia, including Kosova. The tribunal has a clear mandate from the United Nations to prosecute those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Kosova, namely the political and military leaders.

When can we expect to see Slobodan Milosevic indicted?

JOHN AUSTIN MP

(Erith and Thamesmead, Lab)

House of Commons

London SW1