March, 2009

• 30 March

  Interpol says war crimes suspect held in Kenya not Ratko Mladic

  PARIS, France/NAIROBI, Kenya – Interpol said on Friday (March 27th) that a man arrested in Kenya on suspicion of war crimes in former Yugoslavia did not have the fingerprints of former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic. Police in Kenya released the detainee on Friday, saying he was a Croatian national …

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• 30 March

  Inzko assumes high representative post in BiH

  SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko assumed the post of high representative in BiH on Thursday (March 26th), thus becoming the seventh since 1996. Inzko replaced Miroslav Lajcak, who left to become foreign minister of Slovakia. The new high representative said he will follow the priorities …

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• 30 March

  Brammertz discusses Serbia’s co-operation with ICTY in Belgrade talks

  BELGRADE Serbia – Hague war crimes tribunal (ICTY) Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz expressed his satisfaction with Serbia’s efforts to co-operate fully with the ICTY during his talks on Friday (March 27th) with War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic. The meeting between Brammertz and Vukcevic was “extremely successful and efficient”, said Bruno …

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• 30 March

  Gul says Turkey not opposed to Rasmussen’s candidacy for NATO secretary-general

  BRUSSELS, Belgium/ANKARA, Turkey – Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Friday (March 27th) Ankara is not against “any candidate” for the post of NATO secretary-general. “Turkey does not have any particular objection [to Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s candidacy],” media reports quoted Gul as saying in Brussels.

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• 30 March

  EC envoy says Serbia unlikely to start accession talks this year

  BELGRADE, Serbia – It is unlikely that Serbia can start EU accession talks this year, the head of the European Commission (EC) Delegation to Belgrade, Josep Lloveras, said on Friday (March 27th). Overall, the process required to start those talks could last around 10-12 months, so it is practically impossible …

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• 30 March

  Spanish police arrest senior PKK suspect

  MADRID, Spain – Spanish police have detained a alleged senior official of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), authorities announced on Friday (March 27th). The suspect is Remzi Kartal, a former lawmaker from Turkey’s disbanded Democracy Party (DEP) and allegedly a former PKK commander. He was apprehended last Monday in …

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• 30 March

  Christofias discusses Cyprus issue with Pope Benedict XVI

  VATICAN CITY – Cypriot President Demetris Christofias met on Friday (March 27th) with Pope Benedict XVI as part of his four-day visit to the Holy See. Benedict XVI said he hopes the direct reunification talks between Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will “bear fruit”. The Cypriot president …

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• 30 March

  Policeman injured in street riots in Greece

  ATHENS, Greece – Groups of anarchist youths clashed with police during street riots in Athens and the second largest city, Thessaloniki, early on Saturday (March 28th). Hooded youths attacked department stores in Thessaloniki to protest against the arrest of two of their associates. The group also set fire to a …

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• 30 March

  Montenegrins Vote in General Election

  Voting kicked off slowly in the early hours of Montenegro’s snap parliamentary elections, the CDT polling agency says as Montenegrins vote for a government to take them towards the EU and counter effects of the global crisis. Some 7 per cent of roughly 500,000 registered voters had cast their ballots …

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• 30 March

  Serbia’s Albanians Return to Peace Group

  Ethnic Albanian officials in south Serbia have signed an agreement paving the way for their return to a peace coordination body set up in the tense region after the 2000-20001 conflict. Ethnic Albanian representatives rejoined the Serbian government’s Coordination Body for South Serbia, and the agreement was signed by Riza …

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