Serbia wants war convicts in Serbian jails

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BELGRADE, Serbia, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Serbia will again request its convicted war criminals serve their prison sentences in Serbia, a government representative to The Hague said.

Rasim Ljajic, president of Serbia's National Council for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, said the United Nations secretary-general recommended in 1993 that "persons sentenced by The Hague Tribunal should not serve their sentences in the countries of the former Yugoslavia because the way was still under way."

His office has requested Serbia be placed on a list of 17 countries that have signed an agreement with The Hague Tribunal on the serving of sentences, the Belgrade, Serbia, newspaper Vecernje Novosti reported Monday.

Ljajic said the dispute centers on The Hague's fears convicted war criminals Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic "would be treated as heroes in Serbia and they would serve their sentences in privileged conditions."