Global Policy Forum

By Marlise Simons

The killing of Zoran Djindjic, the Serbian prime minister, was seen as a setback at the United Nations tribunal appointed to try the crimes of Yugoslavia's wars, where prosecutors regarded him as their best hope to deliver important Serbian fugitives indicted by the court.

Carla Del Ponte, the tribunal chief prosecutor who frequently traveled to Belgrade to seek greater Serbian cooperation, said through a spokesman: "We have lost a great supporter who was in favor of working with the office of the prosecutor. He was a driving force in that regard because he believed achieving justice was important and would help his own country to deal with its past."

Mr. Djindjic played a central role in the arrest of Slobodan Milosevic, the Serbian leader most widely blamed for instigating the carnage of 1990's Yugoslavia, and in Mr. Milosevic's transfer in June 2001 to the tribunal in The Hague. His trial on charges of war crimes and genocide has now been going on for more than a year.

When Mr. Milosevic was handed over to the tribunal, Mr. Djindjic shunted aside the objections of other senior Serbian politicians. Ms. Del Ponte, who often criticized Belgrade over the lack of access to state archives and documents vital to the prosecution, had tense relations with other Serbian leaders, but she "always had very open and direct discussions with Mr. Djindjic," said Florence Hartmann, her spokeswoman. Ms. Del Ponte last visited him in his office on Feb. 17 and spoke with him by phone a week ago to discuss tribunal requests, Ms Hartmann said.

Prosecutors have long sought documents clarifying the structure of the former Yugoslav Army and transcripts of meetings of top military men during the wars of the 1990's. Mr. Djindjic insisted repeatedly that it was beyond his power to get such documents from the military, a powerful and secretive institution in Serbia since Yugoslavia was established in 1945. But Mr. Djindjic cooperated in other areas, understanding that this was a crucial condition for Serbia to receive indispensable American and European financial help and to end his country's isolation.

Backed by Western governments, the tribunal has been most eager to get hold of the wartime Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, and his military chief, Ratko Mladic. General Mladic has often been seen in and near Belgrade, where he is believed to enjoy the protection of the military.

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