Ex Serb president negotiating his surrender

Former Serb president Milan Milutinovic, who is sought by the UN war crimes tribunal, is negotiating his surrender to the court.

A Yugoslav government official said talks with Milutinovic were in the ”final phase,” adding that technical details were being discussed.

Milutinovic, whose mandate as the president of Serbia expired last month, was indicted in 1999 for war crimes committed by Serb troops against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo during the war there.

The Hague tribunal has repeatedly demanded that Milutinovic be extradited, but Yugoslav authorities refused to do so until his presidential term expired, saying he was protected by diplomatic immunity.

Yugoslav authorities started the process to extradite Milutinovic a day after his term in office expired. It was not clear how long it would be before he is handed over.

At the UN tribunal in The Hague, prosecution spokeswoman Florence Hartmann said the “process of Milutinovic’s transfer is ongoing and we expect it to come to an end.”

“He should be handed over as soon as possible,” Hartmann said but could not confirm that Milutinovic planned to surrender voluntarily.

Milutinovic was a close ally of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who is being tried for war crimes charges at The Hague tribunal. He could be a key witness in the Milosevic trial, should he agree to testify.