OSCE Mission welcomes agreement on co-operation between prosecutors of Serbia and Croatia
(OSCE/Milan Obradovic)Head of Mission Maurizio Massari (left) and Serbian Human Rights Minister Rasim Ljajic at the signing ceremony of a co-operation agreement between the Public and War Crimes Prosecutors of Serbia and the State Prosecutor of Croatia, 5 February 2005 (OSCE/Milan Obradovic) Photo details
BELGRADE, 5 February 2005 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, welcomed the signing of a co-operation agreement between the Public Prosecutor and War Crimes Prosecutor of Serbia and the State Prosecutor of Croatia in Belgrade today.
This agreement will enhance co-operation between prosecutors in the two states in suppressing all forms of serious crimes, especially organized crime, trafficking in human beings, money laundering, international terrorism and war crimes.
It will also facilitate direct contacts between prosecutors in pre-trial proceedings by streamlining the exchange of reports and legal documents, information and data which may help in the investigation and prevention of crimes.
"This agreement is an acknowledgement by the judicial authorities of both countries that they need to work together to address these pressing issues," said Ambassador Massari. "It will place the co-operation between the two countries in investigating war crimes and various forms of organized crime on a solid basis".
The OSCE Mission will continue to support the efforts of the Serbian judicial authorities in developing their capacity to prosecute war crimes locally.
The signing ceremony was also attended by the ICTY Chief Investigator Patrick Lopez Terres, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia Ambassador Peter Semneby and representatives of diplomatic missions in Belgrade.
This agreement will enhance co-operation between prosecutors in the two states in suppressing all forms of serious crimes, especially organized crime, trafficking in human beings, money laundering, international terrorism and war crimes.
It will also facilitate direct contacts between prosecutors in pre-trial proceedings by streamlining the exchange of reports and legal documents, information and data which may help in the investigation and prevention of crimes.
"This agreement is an acknowledgement by the judicial authorities of both countries that they need to work together to address these pressing issues," said Ambassador Massari. "It will place the co-operation between the two countries in investigating war crimes and various forms of organized crime on a solid basis".
The OSCE Mission will continue to support the efforts of the Serbian judicial authorities in developing their capacity to prosecute war crimes locally.
The signing ceremony was also attended by the ICTY Chief Investigator Patrick Lopez Terres, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia Ambassador Peter Semneby and representatives of diplomatic missions in Belgrade.