Yugoslav suspect to run in poll

Pavkovic was identified with army tactics in Kosovo

A former Yugoslav army chief indicted on war crimes charges has announced he will run for the Serbian parliament in the next month's election.

General Nebojsa Pavkovic says he has as much right to stand as any man "whose guilt has not been proved".

He is accused by the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia of committing war crimes during the 1999 Kosovo conflict.

The Serbian authorities have not said whether they will extradite him.

The indictments against General Pavkovic and three other army and police officers were unsealed by prosecutors at the tribunal in The Hague last month.

The four all held senior posts during the Kosovo conflict, when thousands of ethnic Albanians were killed by Serbian security forces.

Nationalist surge

General Pavkovic has refused to surrender to the tribunal.

Nikolic's strong performance at the last elections surprised many

"I think that the elections are the right place for the people of Serbia to take a position" on the United Nations court, he said on Friday.

Serbian law does not ban those accused of war crimes from taking part in elections - unless they have been convicted.

The indictments against General Pavkovic and the three others was criticised the Serbian authorities, who said local courts should handle the cases.

Analysts said the timing of the indictments has boosted the popularity of right-wingers and nationalists, who regard the war crimes tribunal as illegitimate.

A nationalist leader, Tomislav Nikolic, won most votes in Serbia's presidential elections earlier this month - although the result was annulled because of low turnout.

Changing sides

General Pavkovic was an ally of former President Slobodan Milosevic, who is standing trial on war crimes charges at The Hague.

The general was closely identified with the army's tactics in the province of Kosovo in the late 1990s.

He later switched support to Serbia's new democratic authorities, after refusing to use troops against demonstrators during the protests that led to the overthrow of Mr Milosevic.

He was backed by Mr Milosevic's successor Vojislav Kostunica, despite western pressure for his removal.

However Mr Kostunica removed him last year following a spy scandal.