Warning sounded on Milosevic trial

LONDON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The EU's former special negotiator on Yugoslavia Sunday said the war crimes tribunals involving Slobodan Milosevic and others are taking too long.

Lord David Owen told the BBC's Radio 4 that Milosevic's trial and similar ones of other officials from across the former Yugoslavia are feeding nationalism and delaying reconciliation, The Scotsman reported.

Lord Owen spoke as vote counting was about to begin in Belgrade in a Serbian general election in which it is seen possible that Milosevic could gain a seat in parliament despite his imprisonment.

The Radical Party of ultra nationalists is expected to get a sizable portion of the vote although post-Milosevic era reformers -- split badly among themselves -- are also expected to hold on to a parliamentary majority.

Milosevic's Socialists may get the 5 percent of the votes necessary to hold legislative seats.

Lord Owen said he was afraid Serbia was going down an "ever deepening pit."