Yugoslav war crimes law passed

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- The Yugloslav lower house of parliament has passed a landmark bill that removes legal obstacles for the arrest and extradition of top war crimes suspects to the U.N. war crimes tribunal.

Handing over the suspects would end a freeze on U.S. aid.

The extradition law -- which applies to about 20 suspects hiding in Yugoslavia -- was approved in the 138-seat lower chamber of the parliament with 80 votes for and 39 against. Other deputies were absent.

On Wednesday, the 40-seat upper house of the assembly passed the law.

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Top of the Hague U.N. tribunal's wanted list are top associates of ex-President Slobodan Milosevic who have been indicted along with him in connection with Kosovo atrocities.

The tribunal is seeking 33 fugitives, including wartime leaders Radovan Karadzic and ex-Gen. Ratko Mladic -- both charged with genocide.

But it seems more likely the first to be handed over will be former army commander, Gen. Dragoljub Ojdanic; Nikola Sainovic, a former security adviser, and Vlajko Stojiljkovic, a former Serbian interior minister.

To satisfy lawmakers from Montenegro, the smaller Yugoslav republic, the draft law includes a Montenegrin demand that it apply only to suspects already indicted by the U.N. tribunal. All others indicted later would be tried by Yugoslav courts.

Passage of the law removes the major obstacle cited by those opposed to having suspects stand trial before the U.N. tribunal in The Netherlands.

The law -- strongly opposed by allies of Milosevic -- envisages the first arrests after publication in the official gazette, within days of passage.

Before the bill was passed Yugoslav Interior Minister Zoran Zivkovic, who is in charge of police, predicted quick action on the law.

"It can be expected that all the suspects will be handed over to The Hague tribunal by May 1," said Zivkovic.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic -- who had faced tough opposition from nationalists and supporters of Milosevic for advocating cooperation with the tribunal -- said the law will resolve "all the problems we had with The Hague court and the American administration."

Under U.S. pressure, the reformers who ousted Milosevic finally agreed to the bill this week with their coalition partners.

The United States froze about $40 million in aid after Belgrade failed to meet a March 31 deadline to hand over suspects.

"Cooperation has to be complete and unconditional," court spokesman Jim Landale said in The Hague on Wednesday.