UN war crimes prosecutors called yesterday for a defense lawyer to be imposed on Slobodan Milosevic after his trial ground to a halt last week when he complained of exhaustion.
Mr Milosevic, who suffers high blood pressure, has chosen to defend himself against charges of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 1990s in a show of contempt for the court, but the trial has been disrupted several times by his health problems.
Europe's biggest international war crimes trial since World War II was suspended this week while doctors examined Mr Milosevic. Proceedings were halted last Friday when the former Yugoslav president complained of exhaustion.
Judges expressed concern about the conduct of the case and called on prosecutors and independent lawyers appointed to ensure he receives a fair trial to suggest ways of completing proceedings as smoothly as possible.
Chief Prosecutor Ms Carla Del Ponte said in a written submission to judges yesterday that Mr Milosevic's health problems should not delay his trial.
"The trial chamber should give serious consideration to imposing defense counsel on the accused in order to avoid further disruption and delay and to ensure a fair and expeditious trial," she said.
"In effect he has elected to conduct his own defense, at all times refusing the assistance of counsel. By doing so he has inevitably increased the strain on his own health," Ms Del Ponte said.
A member of Mr Milosevic's legal team, which helps him prepare for his solo court work, said he was not in a position to comment on the prosecution's proposals because he had not seen them. Mr Milosevic has said it is his right to defend himself.