Milosevic insists on self-defence

Milosevic has complained about fatigue and exhaustion

Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has rejected prosecutors' demands that the United Nations war crimes tribunal appoint a lawyer for him, saying he would keep defending himself despite his failing health.

Mr Milosevic has chosen to conduct his own defence against charges of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 1990s at his trial in The Hague, but his bouts of poor health have sporadically disrupted proceedings.

The prosecution is trying to prevent me from speaking and also trying to impose on me a puppet lawyer which they have no absolute right to do

Slobodan Milosevic

Mr Milosevic, aged 61, suffers from heart problems and high blood pressure.

Following the last adjournment, the judges asked the prosecution and the amici curae - lawyers appointed by the court to ensure he gets a fair trial - to submit proposals on how best to proceed with the trial to avoid further delays.

Mr Milosevic returned to court looking pale on Monday after a ten-day break due to exhaustion.

He called the suggestion to appoint defence counsel "illegal and absurd" and threatened to take his case to the European Court of Justice if he was no longer allowed to defend himself.

He asked the judges to grant him provisional release, to give him time to read 200,000 pages of documentary evidence and listen to thousands of the prosecution's cassette tapes.

Prosecutors argue that he is not entitled to defend himself; the tribunal statutes say that, while he has that right, he may also have legal assistance assigned to him in the interests of justice.

The judges said that the question of self-defence is debatable under international law and they will need time to consider it.

Health worries

Mr Milosevic has been advised by doctors to rest regularly as he suffers from high blood pressure.

The former Yugoslav leader has suffered several times from influenza, causing long adjournments in the trial, which began in February.

Judge May has imposed time limits on prosecution and defence

BBC legal affairs analyst Jon Silverman say that from the court's point of view the worst thing that could happen would be for Mr Milosevic to die. The court might be accused of killing the former Yugoslav leader.

Judge May has imposed time limits on prosecution and defence in the trial.

The phase of the trial dealing with Kosovo has already ended.

Judge May has asked prosecutors to conclude their case by May for all alleged crimes, including those in Croatia and Bosnia.

Mr Milosevic is scheduled to begin his defence then. The trial is expected to last at least two years.