Luxembourg, 09/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council welcomed the arrest of Slobodan Milosevic and recalled, without too heavily insisting for now, that it would like to also see him judged by the Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. The Council, according to the conclusions adopted on Monday, feels that Milosevic must be held responsible for all his acts, and it renewed its confidence in the desire of the Yugoslav and Serb authorities to continue this process and to fully cooperate with the ICT, the Council calls on the Yugoslav and Serb authorities to continue their reforms and recalls the EU's desire to continue to support politically and economically the FRY to consolidate democracy and implement the undertakings made in Zagreb.
The Council also welcomed the progress achieved in the dialogue between the Serb and Yugoslav authorities and the representatives of the Albanian population over the situation in Southern Serbia. It notes in particular the emergence of a consensus over the details for the creation of a local multi-ethnic police force in the region. It calls for the strict observance of the ceasefire and the immediate freeing of hostages.
The Council also adopted conclusions on:
The elections in Montenegro: the Council awaits from the government that it fully implement the democratic principals in order for the election campaign and the elections to be carried out in a fair and ordered manner, while respecting the OSCE standards. It notably insists on the objectivity of the Media and once more calls for the Belgrade and Podgorica authorities to launch an open and democratic process, in the framework of a federation, in order to decide over new constitutional arrangements between the various parts of the Federation, and that they are acceptable for all;
The recent attacks by the extremist nationalist groups in Mostar, which the EU condemns;
The visit of the Justice Troika in the Balkans (see EUROPE of 31 March, p.13).