Milosevic could be tried in three months

The Serbian Prime minister, Zoran Djindjic, has said the former Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, could go on trial in Belgrade within three or four months.

In an interview with Austrian radio, Mr Djindjic said it would be an open trial which would not exclude the possibility of war crimes charges.

Mr Djindjic stressed it would not be a political trial but, as he put it, one based on proof.

He said the extradition of Mr Milosevic to the international tribunal in The Hague depended on a government decision and a parliamentary vote.

Mr Milosevic was arrested in April on charges of abuse of power and misuse of government funds.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service