Christiane Amanpour: Ex-Bosnian Serb president surrenders to tribunal

Plavsic was known as the Iron Lady of the Balkans

Christiane Amanpour is CNN's chief international correspondent.

CNN Moderator: Why did Biljana Plavsic, known as the "Iron Lady of the Balkans," surrender?

Christiane Amanpour: What we know is that she was indicted in a sealed indictment in April of last year. Sealed indictment means that it's essentially secret, a secret action. She became aware of this about a month ago, and decided, according to her lawyer, that her principled stand on cooperating with the War Crimes Tribunal meant that she wanted to voluntarily go to The Hague. My speculation is that perhaps she hopes to cut a good deal in return for cooperation and information.

CNN Moderator: Is her surrender likely to soften the War Crimes Tribunal as they consider her case?

Christiane Amanpour: Not the surrender per se. I did ask the prosecutors office today whether she might be treated more leniently or get a lesser sentence if she provided information on indicted war criminals who are now in The Hague or still at large. The prosecutor’s office said that there's been no negotiations, however, the Tribunal might treat her "more gently" if she provides evidence against, for instance, someone like Slobodan Milosevic, the former leader of Yugoslavia.

CNN Moderator: What are the specifics of the crimes that she is accused of committing?

Christiane Amanpour: Well, the indictment is due to be made public tomorrow. In general terms, however, the prosecutor of the War Crimes tribunal says that she is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, violation of the law and customs of war, and breaches of the Geneva Convention. The prosecutor said that these charges stem from when she was deputy leader of the Bosnian Serbs, and a member of the Supreme Command of the Bosnian Serb army during the years 1991 to 1992, which is when the war started. Essentially, she's accused of orchestrating and planning the killings of non-Serbs in Bosnia, along with the rest of the Bosnian-Serb leadership.

Question from Ushi: If she does not provide evidence as to other perpetrators, what sentence could she be looking at?

MESSAGE BOARD Peace in the Balkans     ALSO Genocide charge for Bosnia's Plavsic Plavsic: The Iron Lady who turned    VIDEO CNN's Zain Verjee reports former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic has decided to cooperate with the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   Main developments • Plavsic is handed indictment in written form • Charges include genocide and crimes against humanity • Plavsic knew before court appearance she would be indicted • Plavsic lawyer says she voluntarily decided to co-operate with tribunal • She is expected to stay in The Hague for some time • Trial not expected to begin before November 2001 From CNN Belgrade bureau

AUDIO Christiane Amanpour: "Her nationalism was known far and wide during the war." 766K/65 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

Christiane Amanpour: Well that depends. We can only say what others have been sentenced to, and the sentences have ranged from 12 years to 45 years. So, it could be a life sentence, but there is no death penalty at the War Crimes Tribunal.

Question from skeptic: The Bosnian war started in April 1992. Why is she accused for crimes in 1991 when there was no war in Bosnia in that time?

Christiane Amanpour: Well, she became part of the Bosnian-Serb leadership in 1990, and she's accused of planning, along with other members of the Bosnian-Serb leadership the operation that became known as ethnic cleansing.

Question from Ushi: Why the lapse in time from when her crimes were committed to now?

Christiane Amanpour: That's a good question. It takes time to prepare an indictment, and many people wanted precisely the same thing, since many of the Bosnian-Serb leaders have been indicted. Some suggest that for a while she was politically useful to the West, when she broke with Karadzic after the war and presented a more moderate face, and embraced the peace process. But the Tribunal will tell you that politics plays no part in their operation, and that it just took this time to prepare an indictment and gather the evidence.

CNN Moderator: Are there many other women at that level of power?

Christiane Amanpour: No, there aren't. She was the only woman in a top leadership position during the Bosnian war, in any of the ethnic groups.

Question from RobBob: Are war crimes prosecuted under law of the state in which the crime took place or by some other standard?

Christiane Amanpour: It's an international standard.

Question from xlr8: Where do those convicted of war crimes serve their sentences?

Christiane Amanpour: Most of them are serving them in The Hague. But I believe that it is possible for them to serve them in their own countries, if their own countries agree to the conditions set by the Tribunal. So far, neither Serbia nor the Bosnian-Serb Republic recognizes the legitimacy of the Tribunal. So, those who have been convicted remain at The Hague.

Question from Brudogg: Why can't NATO capture Radovan Karadzic?

Christiane Amanpour: The issue of capturing Karadzic has been a political hot potato for years. Many people want NATO troops in Bosnia to capture him and bring him in. However, it's believed that the Pentagon is wary of incurring casualties among their soldiers, and that is believed to be the principal reason why the NATO troops don't go after Karadzic.

CNN Moderator: Do you have any final thoughts to share with us?

Christiane Amanpour: It appears that the Tribunal in recent years has been bringing in more and more senior figures -- bigger and bigger fish. It's a much more aggressive and proactive Tribunal than it was when it started out. Some people believe that it's only a matter of time before the main suspects, Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic, and Slobodan Milosevic, face their day in court. Certainly, the net is tightening.

CNN Moderator: Thank you for joining us today.

Christiane Amanpour: Good-bye, and thank you very much.

Christiane Amanpour joined the chat room via telephone from London and CNN.com provided a typist. The above is an edited transcript of the interview on Wednesday, January 10, 2001.

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January 10, 2001
Plavsic: The Iron Lady who turned
January 10, 2001
Ex-Bosnian Serb President flies to The Hague
January 9, 2001

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