Sweden says it cannot help Karadzic

03/06/2009

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said on Tuesday (June 2nd) that he cannot help former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic prove he had a deal for immunity with Western diplomats. Bildt "does not have relevant information about any alleged immunity agreement," the justice ministry said in a letter to The Hague war crimes tribunal. "Even if such an agreement existed, it could not surpass the mandate of the tribunal and stop the trial against Karadzic," the document added. Last week, Karadzic asked the UN tribunal to press both Sweden and the United States to provide evidence proving his alleged immunity deal. He says he struck it in July 1996 with former US envoy Richard Holbrooke, who allegedly offered him protection from prosecution if Karadzic left public life. Holbrooke denies any such deal. (AFP, Beta - 02/06/09)