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Bosnian war

November 2, 2009

War crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic continues to boycott his trial in the Hague. However, the former Bosnian Serb leader says he'll appear at a hearing on Tuesday to discuss how to proceed with the process.

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Radovan Karadzic
Karadzic said he would be "pleased to attend" Tuesday's status hearingImage: AP

In a letter to the Yugoslavia war crimes tribunal released Monday, Karadzic said he intends to appear at a status hearing on Tuesday.

The hearing will attempt to determine how to proceed with Karadzic's war crimes trial, which he has boycotted since it began on October 26.

Karadzic, who is representing himself, has refused to turn up in court because he says he has not been given enough time to prepare his defense.

His advisers say he will use Tuesday's court appearance to argue for more time.

"I hope we will be able to find a solution which will lead to not only an expeditious trial, but a fair one," Karadzic wrote in his letter.

Several options are available to the International Crimunal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, including continuing the trial in Karadzic's absence.

"A campaign of terror"

Karadzic's empty chair in court
Karadzic's chair in court has remained empty due to his boycottImage: AP

The prosecution was able to continue with its opening statement on Monday after presiding judge O-Gon Kwon ruled that Karadzic's absence was considered a "voluntary waiver of his right to attend the trial."

Karadzic faces 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including two counts of genocide, dating from his actions during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.

Prosecutor Alan Tieger said in court on Monday that Karadzic had "directed a campaign of terror against a civilian population" and accused him of seeking to "ethnically separate" the former Yugoslavia.

Among the charges against Karadzic is the sanctioning of the siege of Sarajevo that killed an estimated 10,000 people. Tieger also alleged that Karadzic had ordered the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica.

Tieger alleged that Karadzic's only regret from the war was that "some Muslim men got away."

Karadzic denies all the charges.

ca/AFP/dpa/AP/Reuters

Editor: Jennifer Abrahmsohn