The Justice Minister for the Republic of Serbia has refused on "technical" grounds to accept a UN warrant for the arrest of the former Yugoslav president, Mr Slobodan Milosevic.
Mr Vladan Batic explained that the indictment by the UN war crimes tribunal was a matter for the federal government of Yugoslavia.
The tribunal registrar, Mr Hans Holthuis, had travelled from The Hague to submit the warrant, as well as the original indictment for crimes against humanity and violations of the customs of war. He is to meet the Justice Minister of the Yugoslav Federation, Mr Momcilo Grubac, today.
"I want to be sure they are served on Mr Milosevic," Mr Holthuis said in Belgrade yesterday.
The decision of the tribunal to send representatives from The Hague to submit the warrant increases the pressure on the Yugoslav authorities, who have been reluctant to comply with its requirements, at least until local judicial proceedings against Mr Milosevic for corruption and incitement to violence have been completed.
A spokesman for the tribunal, Mr Jim Landale, said it had "primacy over national proceedings". If there was "time-wasting" the tribunal could take appropriate measures. "But we are not at that stage yet. We are here to push the process of co-operation forward in legal and technical ways."
Despite refusing to accept the warrant, Mr Batic claimed the meeting with Mr Holthuis was proof of co-operation with the tribunal. He said the technical details were "irrelevant" and the world knew the contents of the tribunal's indictment.
Meanwhile, the former president's political associates in the Socialist Party said they were calling a rally this weekend to demand his release.