Slobodan Milosevic and UN prosecutors both opposed today an attempt by the Hague war crimes tribunal to speed up the marathon trial of the former Yugoslav president amid concerns over his health.
The proposal by the three judges was to separate off part of the indictment against Milosevic, who is charged with 66 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in conflicts in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo in the 1990s.
But after the prosecution and Milosevic, who is conducting his own defence, objected to the idea, presiding judge Patrick Robinson said the court would wait for more medical examinations of the accused before making a decision.
"We still have outstanding a report . . . and there has to be an examination by a radiologist," he said, adding that the trial, now in its fourth year, would continue tomorrow.
The court had originally considered holding two separate trials for Milosevic, one on Kosovo and another one on the earlier wars in Bosnia and Croatia, but the prosecution demanded a single trial.
Today's hearing was to consider separating the indictment on the 1999 Kosovo conflict to enable that part of the trial to be concluded first after Milosevic demanded proceedings halt until next year due to new health problems.
"The prosecution is completely opposed to any question of severance of the indictments," prosecutor Geoffrey Nice told the court, arguing that it would not do justice to the victims and might even prolong the trial still further.
For his part, Milosevic (64) told the court: "I am against your idea and the first thing I ask of you is to give me back my right to health." He said it was the prosecution's responsibility to ensure the trial was manageable and that it had failed to do so.
Milosevic last year won back his right to defend himself after the court assigned him two lawyers so that the case could proceed even when he was sick. The lawyers remain on standby, but Milosevic has refused to work with them.