Milosevic lawyer seeks suspension

Slobodan Milosevic’s court-imposed British lawyer told the UN war crimes tribunal today he will ask for a suspension of hearings until an appeals chamber has considered overturning his appointment at the request of the former Yugoslav president.

As the Milosevic defence case moved into its second week, barrister Steven Kay told the three judge court in The Hague that he intended to file an appeal against his own appointment as defence counsel.

Kay told presiding Judge Patrick Robinson, of Jamaica, he would “be making an application on the suspension of the hearings until the appeal is heard". The court was due to discuss the application later in the day.

Milosevic, who had been conducting his own defence, has refused to speak to Kay or his assistant, British barrister Gillian Higgins, who were assigned to the case because of repeated delays due to Milosevic’s frequent illnesses. The former leader of Yugoslavia suffers chronic high blood pressure.

The judges on Friday granted the defence lawyers permission to ask an appeals court to remove them from the case and allow Milosevic to represent himself again.

Milosevic once again tussled with Judge Robinson today over his right to present his own defence. “This questioning (by Kay) is pointless. I am asking you to return me my right to self-defence,” he said.

Robinson cut off Milosevic’s microphone and told him “not to make speeches". He curtly told the defendant he would have to follow the rules of the court if he wanted to be involved in the hearings.

“You will be allowed to put questions to the witness,” Robinson said. “There is an established procedure. You will either follow it or you will not be heard.”

Milosevic, 63, faces 66 counts of war crimes for his alleged criminal role in the violent break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. He insists on his right to defend himself and refuses to recognise the authority of the UN tribunal.

Mr Kay today called retired Canadian Captain Roland Keith, who served in the Canadian military for 32 years, as the third witness to appear on Milosevic’s behalf.

Keith testified about his work as an observer for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1999 in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo. The force was monitoring a cease-fire between Serbian troops and forces of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

He testified in support of Milosevic’s assertion that the Serbian forces in Kosovo were fighting terrorists, not freedom fighters seeking independence from Belgrade.

Prosecutor Geoffrey Nice QC sought to undermine the witnesses’ credibility, pointing out that Keith’s experience was limited because he had overseen only a small part.