War crimes prosecutor wants action

Suspect Momcilo Krajisnik was arrested in April

The United Nations chief prosecutor for the former Yugoslavia, Carla del Ponte, has questioned the commitment of United States forces to pursue indicted war criminals.

"The Americans want zero risk, which is impossible if you want to arrest a criminal," she said in an interview with the Financial Times.

Carla del Ponte: Sees "lack of communication" within Nato force

She attributed Nato's failure to arrest Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic - who is indicted on war crimes charges - to a "lack of communication" between French and US troops in Bosnia's Nato-led peacekeeping force.

But Ms del Ponte said she remained optimistic that one or two of the leading indicted figures would be arrested during the next year.

These also include Mr Karadzic's wartime military commander Ratko Mladic.

Positive change

The prosecutor said there had been some positive changes during her first year in office, including the arrest in April of the prominent Bosnian Serb, Momcilo Krajisnik.

The prosecutor had charged him in February, alleging that together with Radovan Karadzic and others, he was responsible for war crimes committed against Muslims and Croats in 1991 and 1992.

Mr Krajisnik is accused of failing to prevent Bosnian Serb forces from carrying out alleged atrocities when they claimed territory as part of the Serbian Republic.

Ms del Ponte said she now saw more evidence of Nato's political will to bring the top indictees to trial.

"When I started I was not sure there was the political will, but now I am certain there is," she said.