We share the views of many in Turkey that today's vote needs to be followed by other much needed reforms to address the remaining priorities in the area of fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion," he added. A strategic partner? Turkey became an official candidate for EU membership in 2005 but the pace of talks has been extremely slow both due to the slow progress in the country's internal reforms as well as a refusal by France and Germany to consider full membership for Ankara.
The stakes have changed for both sides lately however. Ex-Serbian president acquitted of Kosovo war crimes AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Former Serbian president Milan Milutinovic was acquitted on Thursday by the Hague tribunal of war crimes against Kosovo Albanians in 1999, but his five co-accused were given jail terms of between 15 and 22 years.” The Chamber is not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Milan Milutinovi made a significant contribution to the joint criminal enterprise," Judge Iain Bonomy said, reading the verdict at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Milutinovic, 66, an ally and successor of late Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and five co-accused went on trial in July 2006 charged with the deportation of 800,000 civilians from Kosovo and the murders of hundreds by Serb forces in 1999.The verdict is the latest setback for prosecutors after Milosevic died in custody of a heart attack in March 2006 before a verdict had been reached in his war crimes trial. Milutinovic was cleared on all five counts against him and ordered to be released from detention. Former Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Saionji, Yugoslav Army General Nebo’s Pavlov and Serbian police chief Sweeten Lucid were each sentenced to 22 years for crimes against humanity and violation of the laws or customs of war. Yugoslav Army General Vladimir Lazar Vic and chief of general staff Dragoljub Ojdanic were found guilty of participating in the deportation and forcible transfer of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and sentenced to 15 years. MILOSEVIC BLAMEDMany Kosovo Albanians were angry that Milosevic's death robbed them of a verdict on the crimes he was accused of in Kosovo and had said they hoped the trial of Milutinovic and his co-accused would offer some consolation.” I thought this will give me relief but I feel more pain," said Ajshe Shehu, who lost four sons and a husband in March 1999 in the village of Mala Krusa in Kosovo.” Those who got 22 years will still be alive, but not my sons.
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