ICTY: PRESIDENT MERON TO VISIT BELGRADE JULY 24-25

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001738 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/WCI - PROSPER/CROCK, EUR - BOGUE, EUR/SCE - JONES/GREGORIAN, L/EUR - LAHNE, DRI - DAVIS, INR/WCAD - SPRIGG E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6 FIVE YEARS AFTER CLOSURE OF ICTY TAGS: BK HR NL PHUM PREL SR ICTY SUBJECT: ICTY: PRESIDENT MERON TO VISIT BELGRADE JULY 24-25 ¶1. (U) Classified by: Clifton M. Johnson, Legal Counselor, Reason: 1.5(d) and 1.6. ¶2. (SBU) International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) President Theodor Meron has received and accepted a formal invitation to visit Belgrade from Serbia and Montenegro (SAM) Foreign Minister Svilanovic. Meron,s visit is scheduled for July 24 to 25 and is being pitched by Svilanovic as a way to promote international justice and strengthen SAM,s cooperation with the ICTY. ¶3. (SBU) The visit will, apparently, be given a high profile with meetings promised with President Marovic, Prime Minister Zivkovic, and Foreign Minister Svilanovic. Meetings are also being scheduled with key local judges. Meron will be accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Larry Johnson, and Vice President Judge Pocar (Italy). ¶4. (C) Comment. Meron can be expected to press SAM authorities vigorously on the need to enhance cooperation with the Tribunal and to arrest Mladic and other outstanding war criminals. He is mindful of the need to make these points while acknowledging important progress by SAM, and views this visit as an opportunity to build a rapport with SAM interlocutors that will prove beneficial to both SAM and the ICTY. He would welcome any additional background or suggested points to raise during his visit. We believe a meeting with Ambassador Montgomery and briefing from Embassy Belgrade would also be very helpful. If Embassy Belgrade concurs, we would like to fix quickly the date/time for such a meeting on the front end of the visit to maximize its value and impact. End comment. BAILY