Kostunica to meet war crimes chief

Mr Kostunica had previously ruled out a meeting

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has said he will meet the chief prosecutor of the UN War Crimes Tribunal, Carla del Ponte, possibly during her visit to Belgrade next week.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Kostunica said he would now try to see Ms del Ponte on Tuesday, after ruling out a meeting on the grounds that he was "too busy".

Ms del Ponte says she intends to hand over the orders for the arrest of those charged with war crimes - including former President Slobodan Milosevic.

I'm going to meet Carla del Ponte...I'm not escaping that meeting

President Kostunica

Mr Kostunica repeated his promises to co-operate with the tribunal, but warned that there were problems with handing over Mr Milosevic for trial at The Hague.

The BBC's Barnaby Mason says Mr Kostunica seems aware that his initial refusal to see Ms del Ponte may have sent the wrong message to the outside world in the light of growing pressure for Mr Milosevic's extradition.

Disagreements ahead

Interviewed on the BBC's Hardtalk programme, Mr Kostunica said: "I'm going to meet Carla del Ponte. I'm not escaping that meeting, I have many obligations. I will find ways to meet her - maybe when she comes to Belgrade."

Carla Del Ponte wants to hand indictments to Mr Kostunica

But Mr Kostunica sounded a note of caution: "We will vary in many views about the Hague Tribunal."

He added that any conversation with Ms del Ponte might not be pleasant.

Mr Kostunica wants the tribunal to investigate what he called Nato crimes committed in the bombing of Yugoslavia.

Another major concern to the Yugoslav president is the problem of depleted uranium contamination from weapons used by western aircraft.

No deal

So far, Mr Kostunica has resisted calls to hand over Mr Milosevic for trial at The Hague.

Slobodan Milosevic: No deal over immunity

But in the Hardtalk interview he denied discussing immunity or any deal in his meeting with the former president last Saturday.

Mr Kostunica said he accepted Yugoslavia's obligation to co-operate with the tribunal, but that co-operation could be achieved in many ways.

He suggested a mixture of trials in Yugoslavia, the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission, and co-operation with the tribunal as a possible way forward.

However many obstacles remain, including legal problems with Yugoslavia's extradition laws, and the fact that the 1995 Dayton peace settlement on Bosnia, which was signed by Mr Milosevic, has not been ratified.