Libya condems handover of Milosevic
Libya has criticised the handing over of Slobodan Milosevic to the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague, claiming the former Yugoslav president was sold for $1bn in Western aid and should not face trial abroad.
A statement from Libya's foreign ministry says Mr Milosevic's extradition "resembles a business deal. Milosevic was sold for $1bn".
International donors including the United States and the European Union rewarded Yugoslavia on Friday for Mr Milosevic's extradition by pledging £1.28bn to help rebuild following the wars in which the country became engaged during his rule, international sanctions and a NATO bombing campaign.
Libya was one of the few Muslim countries that had good relations with Yugoslavia during Mr Milosevic's rule.
The former Yugoslav president was handed over on Thursday by the Serbian government, which ignored a federal Constitutional Court ruling barring his extradition.
The Libyan statement says Mr Milosevic's extradition indicates "the recklessness of Yugoslavia's justice and the collapse of the judicial system in this country."
It adds: "Had Milosevic been tried in a Yugoslav court and according to Yugoslav law, this would have been acceptable, but it is ridiculous for this to happen abroad."
Mr Milosevic is charged with crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war for atrocities in Kosovo.
Prosecutors are also building a genocide case against him for alleged war crimes committed in Bosnia and Croatia in the early 1990s.
