Europe

UN Tribunal indicts Bosnian Croat police commander for war crimes

31 October 2001
The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has indicted a Bosnian Croat police commander for war crimes, including charges that he had ordered subordinates to kill all Muslims of military age in several Bosnian villages.

Georgia: UN envoy stresses need for talks on Abkhazia's status

30 October 2001
Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Georgia today stressed the need for talks aimed at determining the future status of Abkhazia within that country.

Milosevic to stand trial for alleged Kosovo crimes early next year: UN Tribunal

30 October 2001
Former President Slobodan Milosevic will go on trial early next year for crimes allegedly committed in 1999 in Kosovo, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) announced today.

Kosovo: head of UN mission optimistic about joint declaration on Serb vote

30 October 2001
Commenting on his talks with the Government of Yugoslavia on ways of encouraging Kosovo Serbs to vote in the upcoming elections, the head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) today said he and Yugoslav President Kostunica thought they could find areas of cooperation that would "meet the concerns of Kosovo Serbs and improve their situation."

UN treaty on access to environment information enters into force

30 October 2001
A new international law - described by Secretary-General Kofi Annan as "the most ambitious venture in environmental democracy undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations" - entered into force today following its ratification by 17 members of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).

Latest events threaten peace process in Georgia, Secretary-General says

29 October 2001
The latest events in Georgia - including the downing earlier this month of a helicopter with the United Nations observer mission - show that unless meaningful negotiations on the future political status of Abkhazia are restarted, the entire peace process can be jeopardized, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report.

First Milosevic appearance before UN tribunal for alleged crimes in Croatia

29 October 2001
Former President Slobodan Milosevic today made his first appearance before the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on charges he was responsible for crimes committed in Croatia.

Conference on Annan's Global Compact initiative opens in London

29 October 2001
Officials from various business and labour interests are among the scores of participants gathered at a conference which opened today in London on Secretary-General's Global Compact initiative.

UN environment agency to assess depleted uranium sites in Serbia, Montenegro

29 October 2001
A team of experts from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is visiting the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia this week to investigate sites in Serbia and Montenegro that were targeted by ordnance containing depleted uranium (DU) during the 1999 Kosovo conflict.

Kosovo: UN mission chief meets with Yugoslav leaders about Serb vote in elections

26 October 2001
The head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has discussed with Yugoslav leaders the need to take action to ensure maximum participation by Serbs in the province's upcoming elections.